cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marital Conflict and Children’s Emotional Security in the Context of Parental Depression

Evidence has emerged for emotional security as an explanatory variable linking marital conflict to children's adjustment. Further evidence suggests parental psychopathology is a key factor in child development. To advance understanding of the pathways by which these family risk factors impact children's development, the mediational role of emotional security for children with parents who have potentially clinical levels of depression compared to children whose parents have lower levels of symptomatology was examined (i.e., moderated mediation). Participants included 297 families assessed annually for 3 years. Paternal depression moderated pathways, such that marital conflict was associated with greater child emotional insecurity 2 years later in the context of paternal depression. Testing alternative pathways, emotional insecurity mediated relations between maternal depression and externalizing problems.
Evaluation of the Langat/Dengue 4 Chimeric Virus as a Live Attenuated Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine for Safety and Immunogenicity in Healthy Adult Volunteers

Summary With the steady rise in tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infections in Europe, development of a live attenuated vaccine that will generate long-lasting immunity would be of considerable benefit. A chimeric flavivirus, designated LGT/DEN4, was previously constructed to have a genome containing the prM and E protein genes of Langat virus (LGT), a naturally attenuated member of the TBEV complex, and the remaining genetic sequences derived from dengue 4 virus (DEN4). LGT/DEN4 was highly attenuated in rodents and non-human primates, and clinical trials in humans were initiated. Twenty-eight healthy seronegative adult volunteers were randomly assigned in a 4:1 ratio to receive 10 3 plaque-forming units (PFU) of LGT/DEN4 or placebo. Volunteers were closely monitored for clinical responses and for blood chemistry and hematological changes, and the level of viremia and the magnitude and duration of the neutralizing antibody response were determined. The LGT/DEN4 vaccine was safe and viremia was seen in only one vaccinee. Infection induced a neutralizing antibody response to wild-type LGT in 80% of volunteers with a geometric mean titer (GMT) of 1:63 present on day 42 post-immunization; however the antibody response against TBEV was both much less frequent (35%) and lower in magnitude (GMT = 1:9). To assess the response to a booster dose, 21 of the original 28 volunteers were re-randomized to receive a second dose of either 10 3 PFU of vaccine or placebo given 6–18 months after the first dose. The immunogenicity against either LGT or TBEV was not significantly enhanced after the second dose of vaccine. Thus, chimerization of LGT with DEN4 yielded a vaccine virus that was highly attenuated yet infectious in humans. The level of replication was sufficiently restricted to induce only a weak cross-reactive antibody response to TBEV. To provide a sufficient level of immunity to widely prevalent, highly neurovirulent strains of TBEV in humans, vaccine candidates will likely need to be based on the TBEV structural protein genes.
With Fear and Trembling: An Ethical Framework for Non-Lethal Weapons

Abstract This article augments and enlarges the process of framing a more systematic and holistic ethical approach to non-lethal weapons that also provides caveats and restrictions – along the lines of jus in bello principles in the just war tradition – on their use. Rejected as morally impermissible is the use of non-lethal weapons as: (1) a way to circumvent or make irrelevant classical moral distinctions; (2) an ‘easy’ technological fix to complex moral and strategic problems; and (3) a method to make war more palatable and easier to use as both a military and political option. Non-lethal weapons can be ethical, and in fact may be ethically preferable to conventional weapons, only if they are used consistently with the following criteria (in strict order of priority): (1) to provide the military with more flexible response time and options, allowing them more time and space to carefully make the strategic and ethical judgments necessary in war and to respond with appropriate and proportional force; (2)...
Amplitude blanking in seismic profiles from Lake Baikal

Abstract Imaging of the deepest sedimentary section in Lake Baikal using multichannel seismic profiling was hampered by amplitude blanking that is regionally extensive, is associated with water depths greater than about 900 m and occurs at sub-bottom depths of 1–2 km in association with the first water-bottom multiple. Application of a powerful multiple suppression technique improved the quality of occasional discontinuous, dipping primary reflections, but failed to substantially alter the non-reflective character of the blanking zone. Detailed analysis of amplitudes from original data and synthetic models show that the threshold for detecting primary energy in deep water of Lake Baikal occurs when the primary is about 14–20 dB less than the multiple energy. The blanking occurs because of anomalously low reflectivities of the deep sediments coupled with this 20 dB limitation in real data processing. The blanking cuts across seismic stratal boundaries, and is therefore probably unrelated to depositional lithologies. The deepest, early rift deposits, inferred to come from a mixed fluvial and lacustrine setting, do not easily explain the widespread and uniform character of the blanked deposits. More likely, blanking occurs because of processes or phenomena that physically alter the deposits, causing them to be non-reflective and/or highly attenuating. No single process explains all the observations, but a combination of diagenesis, overpressure, and the presence of dispersed free gas at sub-bottom depths of 1–2 km, offer plausible and possible conditions that contribute to blanking.
Measuring Efficiency and Accuracy of Detection of Estrus

The ability of management to detect estrus efficiently and accurately in cows and heifers profoundly influences reproductive performance and profitability of dairy herds. Routine estimates of efficiency and accuracy are important to monitor reproduction in a herd and to evaluate management in problem breeding herds. Detection efficiency is usually expressed as the percentage of possible estruses that were observed over a given time period. Eight methods are presented that approximate efficiency using estrus and insemination dates. Efficiency can be estimated from herd summary information using the equation recommended by the Dairy Reproduction Core Parameter Committee or using equations that calculate the breeding interval. Milk progesterone concentrations measured by on-farm tests can be used to approximate efficiency. Seven of the nine Dairy Record Processing Centers calculate an efficiency estimate. Accuracy of detection of estrus is the percentage of estruses observed that are true estruses. Inaccurate detection of estrus results in breeding of cows not in estrus, thus lowering conception rates. Detection accuracy should be evaluated for herds experiencing low conception rates. Comparison of interestrual intervals, results of uterine and ovarian palpation, and progesterone concentrations of cows perceived to be in estrus can be used to estimate the accuracy of detection of estrus.
Electron microscope study of mouse mammary carcinoma tissue

Abstract Thin sections of mouse mammary carcinoma tissue were studied by electron microscopy. The features of the particulate bodies found in the tumor cells are described and compared with findings reported by other workers. The nature of the particulate bodies is discussed and the identification of the particulate bodies as being identical to the carcinogenic milk factor is questioned. Intranuclear development of the particulate bodies is suggested.
The structures of poly(di-n-alkylsilylenemethylene)s

Abstract The structure of poly(diethylsilylenemethylene) (PDESM), poly(di-n-butylsilylenemethylene) (PDBSM), poly(di-n-pentylsilylenemethylene) (PDPeSM) and poly(di-n-hexylsilylenemethylene) (PDHSM) have been studied using X-ray and electron diffraction methods. The structure of poly(di-n-propylsilylenemethylene) (PDPrSM) has been studied and reported in a separate paper. PDBSM, PDPrSM, PDPeSM and PDHSM all have similar packing with a two dimensional monoclinic ab-projection of the unit cell. PDESM with the shortest alkyl side chain, has a nearly orthorhombic unit cell (γ ∗ =∼88°) containing two chains (four repeat units), one at the corner and the second nearly in the center of the ab-projection of the unit cell. The backbone conformation of each of these polysilylenemethylenes (PSMs) is all-gauche, giving them a 41 helical structure. The length of the alkyl side chains affects the packing without changing the backbone conformation.
Pseudozeros of Polynomials and Pseudospectra of Companion Matrices

It is well known that the zeros of a polynomial $p$ are equal to the eigenvalues of the associated companion matrix $A$ . In this paper we take a geometric view of the conditioning of these two problems and of the stability of algorithms for polynomial zerofinding. The $\epsilon$-$pseudozero \: set \: Z_{\epsilon}(p)$ is the set of zeros of all polynomials $\hat{p}$ obtained by coefficientwise perturbations of $p$ of size {$\leq \epsilon$} ; this is a subset of the complex plane considered earlier by Mosier, and is bounded by a certain generalized lemniscate. The $\epsilon$-$pseudospectrum \: \Lambda_\epsilon(A)$ is another subset of ${\Bbb C}$ defined as the set of eigenvalues of matrices {$\hat{A} = A + E$} with $\Vert E\Vert \leq \epsilon$ ; it is bounded by a level curve of the resolvent of $A$. We find that if $A$ is first balanced in the usual EISPACK sense, then $Z_{\epsilon \Vert p\Vert }(p)$ and $\Lambda_{ \epsilon \Vert A\Vert }(A)$ are usually quite close to one another. It follows that the Matlab ROOTS algorithm of balancing the companion matrix, then computing its eigenvalues, is a stable algorithm for polynomial zerofinding. Experimental comparisons with the Jenkins-Traub (IMSL) and Madsen-Reid (Harwell) Fortran codes confirm that these three algorithms have roughly similar stability properties.
Communicating about users in ICTD: leveraging HCI personas

In this paper, we present two similar projects in which we were concerned with describing end users from a developing region to designers, developers and other stakeholders that were not from the developing region. In one project, we described mobile device users from Kyrgyzstan and in the other we described potential users of home water treatment and storage devices from the Andhra Pradesh region of India. For both projects, we used presentations and analysis methods that were inspired by 'personas' used in human-computer interaction (HCI). An HCI persona is an archetypal character that represents a group of users who share common goals, attitudes, and behaviors when interacting with a product. We found personas were an effective way to organize and communicate survey data; however, in both projects we had to modify the persona method from how it is usually presented in the HCI literature. We believe that our persona creation methods can act as a model for other ICTD researchers when describing their targeted end users.
Jacquinonic acid, an ant-repellent triterpenoid from Jacquinia pungens

Abstract The isolation and structure elucidation of jacquinonic acid, an ant-repellent triterpenoid from Jacquinia pungens , are described. This compound is a highly functionalized derivative of the oleanane skeleton, which contains both the uncommon C-13, 28 ether linkage and an α,β-unsaturated 3-keto group.
Caring for older homebound adults: A chronic illness perspective

This article discusses the unique challenges faced by both the elderly patient and the home care professional regarding the chronic disease process. The author integrates the concept of "maintaining control" into specifically described interventions. At the core of the article is the idea of the home care professional learning strategies from "the best teachers"—the patients themselves.
Probability, Uncertainty, and Prostate Cancer

Although recommendations on the optimal approach to prostate cancer screening are conflicting and controversial, screening with PSA has been adopted widely. In this issue, Gulati and colleagues pro...
Extracellular Architecture of the SYG-1/SYG-2 Adhesion Complex Instructs Synaptogenesis.

Summary SYG-1 and SYG-2 are multipurpose cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that have evolved across all major animal taxa to participate in diverse physiological functions, ranging from synapse formation to formation of the kidney filtration barrier. In the crystal structures of several SYG-1 and SYG-2 orthologs and their complexes, we find that SYG-1 orthologs homodimerize through a common, bispecific interface that similarly mediates an unusual orthogonal docking geometry in the heterophilic SYG-1/SYG-2 complex. C. elegans SYG-1's specification of proper synapse formation in vivo closely correlates with the heterophilic complex affinity, which appears to be tuned for optimal function. Furthermore, replacement of the interacting domains of SYG-1 and SYG-2 with those from CAM complexes that assume alternative docking geometries or the introduction of segmental flexibility compromised synaptic function. These results suggest that SYG extracellular complexes do not simply act as "molecular velcro" and that their distinct structural features are important in instructing synaptogenesis. PaperFlick
GHIS optical design

The GOES Sounder is a 19-channel discrete filter radiometer. Studies by the University of Wisconsin and MIT Lincoln Laboratory indicate that retrieval performance could be improved y replacing the filter wheel with a Michelson interferometer. The interferometer system is to replace the relay optics and filter wheel and is required to use the existing GOES telescope and detector subsystems. Numerous configurations were considered in an effort to define a design which meets the optical specifications and fits within the limited available space with sufficient clearance around the optical components for the mechanical housings. The selected interferometer subsystem design fits within the available volume without rotation of the star sensor. Performance, diffraction and sensitivity analysis results are included.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dopaminergic deficiency causes delayed visual evoked potentials in rats

Flash and pattern visual evoked potentials (VEPs) to two temporal frequencies of stimulation were studied in nineteen rats. The effect of a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor and of a dopamine receptor blocker on the VEP was explored in ten animals. Significant latency change occurred following injection of either drug, while only the hydroxylase inhibitor reduced the VEP amplitude. These changes were not caused by the anesthesia used in these experiments, although the same anesthetics in higher doses did depress VEP amplitudes. When dopamine blockade was followed by administration of apomorphine, a dopamine agonist, VEP delays could be partially reversed. Besides conduction defects of myelinated axons, synaptic malfunction may also cause delays in sensory evoked potentials.
Helenanolides from Gaillardia powellii

Abstract The chloroform extract of the aerial parts of Gaillardia powellii afforded four known and four new helenanolides, the latter all oxygenated on C-15, as well as the flavones hispidulin and eupafolin.
Changes in bioelectric potentials on bone associated with direct current stimulation of osteogenesis.

Abstract This study was designed to determine whether changes occur in the bioelectric potentials on bone during and after bone stimulation with a 20-microA direct current (DC) and whether the variations in bioelectric potentials are related to the variations in bone formation. The bioelectric potentials were recorded at different times on the rabbit distal tibial surface, during (current-on state) and after (current-off state) DC stimulation with a cathode implanted within the medullary canal. The new bone formed at the end of the experiment was quantitated and related to the bioelectric potentials recorded at current-on and current-off states, respectively. Direct current stimulation resulted in electronegative potential spike centered on the cathode tip while current was applied. After electrical stimulation was turned off, the residual potentials at the end of the experiment did not significantly differ from the initial values. Conversely, the time sequence of the changes was significantly different from the control to the experimental group. The variations in the induced potentials at current-on state were significantly related to the variations in bone formation. This study suggests the existence of a relationship among bioelectric potentials, DC stimulation, and osteogenesis.
A performance model of multiple resource allocation to tasks with varying demands

Abstract With the rapid development of multiprocessor systems it is possible that tasks require a number of resources (processors, buffers or communication channels) before they resume execution. This paper examines this problem of multiple resource allocation and presents the study of a system with a set of identical resources. Multiple tasks generate varying requests for a number of resources, are queued and eventually served, and then enter a state for a period of time where they generate no requests before this process is repeated. The procedures that regulate the resource allocation are described, and a Markovchain based solution to the model is developed to produce the system state probabilities, and utilization and performance measures.
Acoustic Analysis and Contextual Description of Food-Associated Calls in White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys ( Cebus capucinus )

Since early studies of primates that identified vocalizations that attracted others to a food source, the assumed function of food-associated calls has been to inform others of the presence of food. The label food-associated calls and its implied function has led to a focus in research on many species of the costs/benefits for the signaler and recipient of informing others about the presence of food; however, without clearly identifying the calls contextually or acoustically, it is unclear if calls are specific to a feeding context and thus whether calls provide specific information about the presence of food. If calls occur exclusively in the context of feeding, information about individual identity would allow listeners to decide whether or not to approach a calling individual. I conducted acoustic and contextual analyses on food-associated calls in white-faced capuchins. I identified the calls as distinct vocalizations that occur almost exclusively in a feeding context. Discriminant function analyses demonstrate that information about caller sex and identity are encoded in the calls. Therefore, there is the potential for individuals to use acoustic information when responding to food-associated calls; however, playback experiments are necessary to test more explicitly the hypothesis that recipients are able to recognize the calls of specific individuals.
Determination of Hydrolyzable Tannins (Gallotannins and Ellagitannins) after Reaction with Potassium Iodate

A widely used method for analyzing hydrolyzable tannins afer reaction with KIO3 has been modified to include a methanolysis step followed by oxidation with KIO3. In the new method, hydrolyzable tannins (gallotannins and ellagitannins) are reacted at 85 °C for 20 h in methanol/sulfuric acid to quantitatively release methyl gallate. Dried plant samples can be methanolyzed under the same conditions to convert hydrolyzable tannins to methyl gallate. Oxidation of the methyl gallate by KIO3 at pH 5.5, 30 °C, forms a chromophore with λmax 525 nm, which is determined spectrophotometrically. The detection limit of the method is 1.5 μg of methyl gallate, and with plant samples, relative standard deviations of less than 3% were obtained. Keywords: Tannin; polyphenolic compound; hydrolyzable tannin; methyl gallate; galloyl glucose; gallotannin; potassium iodate
The society for computer applications in radiology. Has DICOM become a victim of its own success

Computers are nearly ubiquitous in academic medicine, and authors create and compile much of their work in the electronic environment, yet the process of manuscript submission often fails to utilize the advantages of electronic communication. The purpose of this report is to review the submission policies of major academic journals in the field of radiology and assess current editorial practices relating to electronic submission of academic works. The authors surveyed 16 radiologic journals that are indexed in the Index Medicus and available in our medical center library. They compared the manuscript submission policies of these journals as outlined in recent issues of the journals and the corresponding worldwide web sites. The authors compared the journals on the following criteria: web site access to instructions; electronic submission of text, both with regard to initial submission and final submission of the approved document; text hardcopy requirements; word processing software restrictions; electronic submission of figures, figure hardcopy requirements; figure file format restrictions; and electronic submission media. Although the trend seems to be toward electronic submission, there currently is no clear-cut standard of practice. Because all of the journals that accept electronic documents also require a hardcopy, many of the advantages gained through electronic submission are nullified. In addition, many publishers only utilize electronic documents after a manuscript has been accepted, thus utilizing the benefits of digital information in the printing process but not in the actual submission and peer-review process.
Segmentation of textured images based on multiple fractal feature combinations

This paper describes an approach to segmentation of textured grayscale images using a technique based on image filtering and the fractal dimension (FD). Twelve FD features are computed based on twelve filtered versions of the original image using directional Gabor filters. Features are computed in a window and mapped to the central pixel of this window. An iterative K-means-based algorithm which includes feature smoothing and takes into consideration the boundaries between textures is used to segment an image into a desired number of clusters. This approach is partially supervised since the number of clusters has to be predefined. The fractal features are compared to Gabor energy features and the iterative K- means algorithm is compared to the original K-means clustering approach. The performance of segmentation for noisy images is also studied.
Nutritional evaluation of soybeans varying in trypsin inhibitor content.

Abstract A series of experiments was conducted to assess, by various methods, the nutritional value of a raw, Kunitz inhibitor-free, low trypsin-inhibitor soybean variant (LTS) in comparison with raw conventional soybeans (RCS) and heated dehulled soybean meal (HDS). The gross energy, protein, and amino acid concentrations of LTS were similar to those of RCS. The protein quality of the soybeans was compared in two trials in which young chicks were fed 9% or 16% CP diets containing one of the soybeans as the sole source of dietary protein. The protein quality of LTS was superior to that of RCS but inferior to that of HDS. True digestibilities of amino acids and TMEn were determined with a precision-fed cockerel assay using conventional and cecectomized birds. No significant effect of bird type on digestibility was found. The mean digestibility of 16 amino acids in RCS, LTS, and HDS was found to be approximately 68, 83, and 92%, respectively. The TMEn of LTS was greater than that of RCS. Chick growth assays indicated that amino acid bioavailability values of lysine and TSAA for LTS were greater than those for RCS but slightly lower than those for HDS. In an additional chick assay with a corn and HDS diet (22% CP), the dietary HDS protein was replaced with LTS or RCS protein at 25, 50, 75, or 100%. Performance of chicks fed LTS was better than that of chicks fed RCS at all replacement levels, but the difference was not significant at the 25% replacement level. Feed efficiencies of chicks fed 25 or 50% of the dietary soybean protein as LTS were not significantly different from that of chicks fed the corn and HDS control diet. The results of the present study indicated that the nutritive value of LTS is substantially greater than that of RCS but somewhat lower than that of HDS.
Neurons Activated During Fear Memory Consolidation and Reconsolidation are Mapped to a Common and New Topography in the Lateral Amygdala

A key question in neuroscience is how memory is selectively allocated to neural networks in the brain. This question remains a significant research challenge, in both rodent models and humans alike, because of the inherent difficulty in tracking and deciphering large, highly dimensional neuronal ensembles that support memory (i.e., the engram). In a previous study we showed that consolidation of a new fear memory is allocated to a common topography of amygdala neurons. When a consolidated memory is retrieved, it may enter a labile state, requiring reconsolidation for it to persist. What is not known is whether the original spatial allocation of a consolidated memory changes during reconsolidation. Knowledge about the spatial allocation of a memory, during consolidation and reconsolidation, provides fundamental insight into its core physical structure (i.e., the engram). Using design-based stereology, we operationally define reconsolidation by showing a nearly identical quantity of neurons in the dorsolateral amygdala (LAd) that expressed a plasticity-related protein, phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase, following both memory acquisition and retrieval. Next, we confirm that Pavlovian fear conditioning recruits a stable, topographically organized population of activated neurons in the LAd. When the stored fear memory was briefly reactivated in the presence of the relevant conditioned stimulus, a similar topography of activated neurons was uncovered. In addition, we found evidence for activated neurons allocated to new regions of the LAd. These findings provide the first insight into the spatial allocation of a fear engram in the LAd, during its consolidation and reconsolidation phase.
Timing of autologous stem cell transplantation from last chemotherapy affects lymphocyte collection and survival in non‐Hodgkin lymphoma

Autograft absolute lymphocyte count (A-ALC) is a prognostic factor for survival in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). An A-ALC is dependent upon the preaphaeresis absolute lymphocyte count (PA-ALC) at the time of aphaeresis. It was hypothesised that the time interval from last chemotherapy (TILC) to aphaeresis affects PA-ALC. One hundred and sixty consecutive NHL patients who underwent ASCT at the Mayo Clinic between 1996 and 2001 were evaluated. A strong correlation between TILC and PA-ALC (r = 0.67, P < 0.0001) was identified. Higher PA-ALC was observed in TILC ≥55 d compared with TILC <55 d [median: 7.0 vs. 3.8 × 109/l], P < 0.0001). TILC as a continuous variable was identified as a prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.989, P < 0.01] and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 0.992, P < 0.0492). Median OS and PFS were longer in the TILC ≥55 d vs. TILC <55 d group (not reached vs. 21 months, P < 0.0008; 76 vs. 9 months, P < 0.0025, respectively). Multivariate analysis demonstrated TILC to be an independent prognostic indicator for OS and PFS. These findings suggest that the immune status of the host at the time of aphaeresis may predict survival after ASCT.
Fibromyalgia patients have reduced hippocampal volume compared with healthy controls

Objective Fibromyalgia patients frequently report cognitive abnormalities. As the hippocampus plays an important role in learning and memory, we determined whether individuals with fibromyalgia had smaller hippocampal volume compared with healthy control participants. Methods T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were acquired from 40 female participants with fibromyalgia and 22 female healthy controls. The volume of the hippocampus was estimated using the software FreeSurfer. An analysis of covariance model controlling for potentially confounding factors of age, whole brain size, MRI signal quality, and Beck Depression Inventory scores were used to determine significant group differences. Results Fibromyalgia participants had significantly smaller hippocampi in both left (F[1,56]=4.55, P=0.037, η (2) p=0.08) and right hemispheres (F[1,56]=5.89, P=0.019, η (2) p=0.10). No significant effect of depression was observed in either left or right hemisphere hippocampal volume (P=0.813 and P=0.811, respectively). Discussion Potential mechanisms for reduced hippocampal volume in fibromyalgia include abnormal glutamate excitatory neurotransmission and glucocorticoid dysfunction; these factors can lead to neuronal atrophy, through excitotoxicity, and disrupt neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Hippocampal atrophy may play a role in memory and cognitive complaints among fibromyalgia patients.
Prospects and status for development of novel chemicals for IPM in cotton

Abstract Increasing concerns regarding food and feed safety, quality of groundwater and surface water, and resistance of insects to chemical pesticides, have provided added impetus to the development of integrated pest management (IPM) systems for cotton. The chemical industry is cognizant of these concerns and is directing increasing research resources to develop more selective, IPM-compatible pesticides through more rational approaches than those used previously. This paper discusses the status of current chemical control practices in cotton and describes several promising candidate control agents that could be compatible with IPM. The developing use of semiochemicals for insect control is also briefly discussed in terms of the potential of the IPM approach to reduce the application volume and frequency of conventional insecticides.
Hybrid Mixture Model for Subpopulation Identification

Personalized medicine aims to identify those patients who have good or poor prognosis for overall disease outcomes or therapeutic efficacy for a specific treatment. A well-established approach is to identify a set of biomarkers using statistical methods with a classification algorithm to identify patient subgroups for treatment selection. However, there are potential false positives and false negatives in classification resulting in incorrect patient treatment assignment. In this paper, we propose a hybrid mixture model taking uncertainty in class labels into consideration, where the class labels are modeled by a Bernoulli random variable. An EM algorithm was developed to estimate the model parameters, and a parametric bootstrap method was used to test the significance of the predictive variables that were associated with subgroup memberships. Simulation experiments showed that the proposed method averagely had higher accuracy in identifying the subpopulations than the Naive Bayes classifier and logistic regression. A breast cancer dataset was analyzed to illustrate the proposed hybrid mixture model.
Power-aware operator placement and broadcasting of continuous query results

Complex event detection over data streams has become ubiquitous through the widespread use of sensors, wireless connectivity and the wide variety of end-user mobile devices. Typically, such event detection is carried out by a data stream management server executing continuous queries, previously submitted by the users. In this paper, we consider the situation where the end-users submit queries from hand-held devices and the results of the continuous queries, which are in the form of individual data streams, are disseminated to the users over a shared broadcast medium. Specifically, we propose three power-aware query operator placement algorithms that determine which part of a continuous query plan is executed at the data stream management server and which part is executed at the users' wireless device. The algorithms' effectiveness with respect to energy consumption is evaluated using simulation.
Cognitive imagery and physiological feedback relaxation protocols applied to clinically tense young adults: A comparison of state, trait and physiological effects

Examined changes in targeted and general tension behaviors as well as reductions in psychological tension associated with congnitive imagrery and electromyographic biofeedback relaxation procedures. Three groups of 15 female college students participated. During three weekly sessions each per son received either guided cognitive imagery relaxation, frontalis muscel feedback relaxation, or a self-rest control procedure. The Anxiety Differential was administered before and after each session, while fronttial EMG, heart rate, and skin temperature were monitiored continuously. A second Tempererament Analysis was administered after the final session. The imagery procedure was associated with moderate reductions in physiological tension and significant reductions in state anxiety and three tension-related personality dimensions. Self-rest persons displayed lesser reductions in general tension with little psysiological change. While biofeedback persons showed the largest reductions in psysiological tensions, they displayed only small and variable changes in state anxiety and personality dimensions. The data raise continued questions about the applications of physiologically based operant relaxation procedures and support the use of cognitively mediated protocols for the treatment of specific or gereral anxiety behavirs.
Writing Policies and Procedures in a U.S./South American Context.

This study explores two cases of professional communication among U.S. and South American personnel in one multinational organization in Quito, Ecuador. The results suggest that implicit in U.S. rhetorics of professional communication are valorizations of writing as a mechanism of regulating behavior, of universalism and individual reference points as rhetorical strategies, and of common‐law or precedent‐setting logic as compositional and interpretive strategies. However, many South American personnel seem predisposed to think of personal interactions as a mechanism of regulating behavior, of particular and collective reference points as rhetorical strategies, and of civil law logic as compositional and interpretive strategies. Thus, widespread claims about the roles of writing to “construct,”; mediate, or regulate organizational behavior need to be contextualized in the predominant rhetorical values of the organizational context.
Takeover times on scale-free topologies

The topological properties of a network directly impact the flow of information through a system. In evolving populations, the topology of inter-individual interactions affects the rate of dissemination of advantageous genetic information and thus affects selective pressure. In this study, we investigate the selective pressures induced by several scale-free population structures using takeover time analysis. Previous results have shown that the selective pressures induced by scale-free interaction topologies are at least as strong as those induced by random and panmictic interaction topologies. In contrast, our results show that the selective pressures induced by scale-free interaction topologies are heavily influenced by their underlying topological properties, and can be tuned from a selective pressure close to that of a random or panmictic topology to a selective pressure that is weaker than that of a two-dimensional toroidal lattice with 3x3 rectangular neighborhoods of interactions. We also provide a detailed topological analysis of these population structures and discuss their influence on the observed dynamics in takeover times. We show that the expected takeover times observed on all population structures considered herein can be rapidly estimated using only a few readily computable metrics of the underlying topology, precluding the need to run expensive simulations or recursive probabilistic formulations.
MetaGeniE: Characterizing Human Clinical Samples Using Deep Metagenomic Sequencing

With the decreasing cost of next-generation sequencing, deep sequencing of clinical samples provides unique opportunities to understand host-associated microbial communities. Among the primary challenges of clinical metagenomic sequencing is the rapid filtering of human reads to survey for pathogens with high specificity and sensitivity. Metagenomes are inherently variable due to different microbes in the samples and their relative abundance, the size and architecture of genomes, and factors such as target DNA amounts in tissue samples (i.e. human DNA versus pathogen DNA concentration). This variation in metagenomes typically manifests in sequencing datasets as low pathogen abundance, a high number of host reads, and the presence of close relatives and complex microbial communities. In addition to these challenges posed by the composition of metagenomes, high numbers of reads generated from high-throughput deep sequencing pose immense computational challenges. Accurate identification of pathogens is confounded by individual reads mapping to multiple different reference genomes due to gene similarity in different taxa present in the community or close relatives in the reference database. Available global and local sequence aligners also vary in sensitivity, specificity, and speed of detection. The efficiency of detection of pathogens in clinical samples is largely dependent on the desired taxonomic resolution of the organisms. We have developed an efficient strategy that identifies “all against all” relationships between sequencing reads and reference genomes. Our approach allows for scaling to large reference databases and then genome reconstruction by aggregating global and local alignments, thus allowing genetic characterization of pathogens at higher taxonomic resolution. These results were consistent with strain level SNP genotyping and bacterial identification from laboratory culture.
Costs of pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation.

Background Allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation (HCT), although curative for some high-risk diseases, is a complex and costly procedure. The costs of transplantation among children have not been described previously. Procedure We compared the costs of HCT within the first 100-days among children who received myeloablative HCT from either a matched related donor (MRD, N = 27), matched unrelated donor (MUD, N = 28) or unrelated umbilical cord blood (UCB, N = 91). We also conducted analyses to describe predictors of higher costs of transplantation. Results The 100-day probabilities of overall survival were 96%, 96% and 87% for MRD, MUD and UCB, respectively. The mean cost per day survived (excluding costs of graft acquisition) was $3,446 (standard deviation (SD), $851) for MRD, $4,050 (SD, $1,194) for MUD and $4,522 (SD, $2,053) for UCB recipients. The costs of MUD and UCB HCT remained similar when costs of graft acquisition were considered within total costs of transplantation. In multivariable analysis, adjusting for important patient, disease, and transplant related characteristics, factors associated with higher costs within the first 100-days were HCT using MUD or UCB, Lansky score <90 at transplant, graft failure, need for dialysis, need for mechanical ventilation and occurrence of hepatic veno-occlusive disease. Conclusions Within the first 100-days, the costs of MUD and UCB HCT are similar, while MRD HCT is less costly. These costs are primarily driven by severe post-transplant complications and graft failure. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2010; 54:138–143. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sample Size Reestimation by Bayesian Prediction

We review a Bayesian predictive approach for interim data monitoring and propose its application to interim sample size reestimation for clinical trials. Based on interim data, this approach predicts how the sample size of a clinical trial needs to be adjusted so as to claim a success at the conclusion of the trial with an expected probability. The method is compared with predictive power and conditional power approaches using clinical trial data. Advantages of this approach over the others are discussed.
Fredric Jameson, The Antinomies of Realism

Jameson's The Antinomies of Realism is primarily concerned with questions of literary form, yet the readings it offers invite rethinking the politics of the novel – and how the novel might be polit...
A Novel Method to Detect Proteins Evolving at Correlated Rates: Identifying New Functional Relationships between Coevolving Proteins

Interacting proteins evolve at correlated rates, possibly as the result of evolutionary pressures shared by functional groups and/or coevolution between interacting proteins. This evolutionary signature can be exploited to learn more about protein networks and to infer functional relationships between proteins on a genome-wide scale. Multiple methods have been introduced that detect correlated evolution using amino acid distances. One assumption made by these methods is that the neutral rate of nucleotide substitution is uniform over time; however, this is unlikely and such rate heterogeneity would adversely affect amino acid distance methods. We explored alternative methods that detect correlated rates using protein-coding nucleotide sequences in order to better estimate the rate of nonsynonymous substitution at each branch (dN) normalized by the underlying synonymous substitution rate (dS). Our novel likelihood method, which was robust to realistic simulation parameters, was tested on Drosophila nuclear pore proteins, which form a complex with welldocumented physical interactions. The method revealed significantly correlated evolution between nuclear pore proteins, where members of a stable subcomplex showed stronger correlations compared with those proteins that interact transiently. Furthermore, our likelihood approach was better able to detect correlated evolution among closely related species than previous methods. Hence, these sequence-based methods are a complementary approach for detecting correlated evolution and could be applied genome-wide to provide candidate protein‐protein interactions and functional group assignments using just coding sequences.
Vaccination against Chlamydia Genital Infection Utilizing the Murine C. muridarum Model

Chlamydia trachomatis, a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium with a tropism for mucosal epithelial cells, is the most common cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease in both developed and developing countries, with more than 90 million new cases occurring each year (113-115). More than 4 million new cases of C. trachomatis infection occur each year in the United States, where costs associated with treating those infections and associated complications are in excess of $2 billion annually (107). In the genital tract, infection with C. trachomatis is propagated within the single-cell columnar layer of the epithelium in the urethra of men and the endocervix of women. Within the epithelial cells, C. trachomatis undergoes a unique biphasic developmental cycle consisting of an infectious, but metabolically inert elementary body (EB) and a noninfectious, but metabolically active reticulate body (RB). After completion of the developmental cycle, the EBs are released and infect neighboring epithelial cells, thereby spreading the infection. Infection can result in acute inflammation characterized by redness, edema, and mucosal discharge and is diagnosed clinically as mucopurulent cervicitis in women and nongonococcal urethritis in men (10, 85). In women, infection can manifest as abnormal vaginal discharge and/or postcoital bleeding, while the infection is limited to the lower genital tract, and irregular uterine bleeding and/or pelvic discomfort once the infection ascends to the upper genital tract (85). Symptoms in males are generally limited to dysuria and moderate clear-to-whitish discharge (85). While these symptoms signify an infection, the absence of such symptoms does not necessarily indicate the absence of infection. It is estimated that >70% of women and 50% of men experience asymptomatic infections (15, 113). Without symptoms providing the impetus, asymptomatic individuals may not seek diagnostic testing and the infection will go untreated. Untreated C. trachomatis infection can wreak havoc on the reproductive organs, profoundly affecting fertility in women. Taken together, the high rate of asymptomatic infections and the severity of the infection-related pathology indicate that, despite the availability of very effective antimicrobial therapy, control of chlamydial infections will most likely require a vaccine.
Investigation of coding structure in DNA

We have all heard the term "cracking the genomic code", but is DNA a code in the information theoretic sense? The coined term "genetic code" maps nucleotide triplets (codons) to amino acids. However, this is in a computer coding sense because a codon instruction is performed to output an amino acid sequence. We examine methods to detect redundant coding structures in DNA. First, a finite field framework for a nucleotide symbolic sequence is presented; then approaches to finding the sequence structure associated with error correcting codes are examined. We compare a previously proposed parity-check vector search method to a novel subspace partitioning algorithm. The subspace partitioning algorithm is a general approach to finding any linear coding redundancy. Our method provides an easy way of visualizing coding potential in DNA sequences as shown from the test data.
Rest-activity patterns in children with hypopituitarism.

Objectives. Physical lesions in the region of the suprachiasmatic nuclei, which are the site of a circadian clock, result in abnormal circadian rhythmicity in animals, yet the extent of biological rhythm problems in individuals with anatomic or functional lesions in the hypothalamic-pituitary region are largely unknown. To address this issue, we examined patterns of rest and activity of children with hypopituitarism. Methods. Children who were between the ages of 2 and 18 years and had the diagnosis of panhypopituitarism were evaluated. Twenty children were studied, including children with septo-optic dysplasia (SOD), congenital hypopituitarism, brain tumors, closed head trauma, and head irradiation. For assessing patterns of activity, individuals wore Actiwatches for 3–4 weeks to measure patterns of gross motor activity. Results. Seventeen children had normal patterns of rest and activity, with an average period length of 24.01 ± 0.01 hours. Three children, including 2 with SOD and 1 with a hypothalamic germinoma, showed abnormal activity patterns in which there was not consolidated rest at night. One patient with an optic glioma had nonentrained circadian phase. Conclusions. A proportion of children with hypopituitarism have abnormal daily rest-activity patterns. Children with anterior hypothalamic tumors and SOD seem to be at risk for circadian system dysfunction.
Periodic substrate structure suppresses spurious response in coupled line filters

Originally published Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54: 2175–2178, 2012. @ 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54: 2446, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27101(Original article DOI 10.1002/mop.26999)
Emulating shared memory to simplify distributed-memory programming

A system called Network Distributed Global Memory simplifies parallel computing in a distributed memory environment by allowing processors to be programmed as though they had shared memory. NDGM manages message passing; applications perform puts and gets to a virtual buffer. Porting a 3D fluid dynamics code to NDGM was much easier than writing an explicit message passing version.