cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrated assessment of genomic correlates of protein evolutionary rate.

Rates of evolution differ widely among proteins, but the causes and consequences of such differences remain under debate. With the advent of high-throughput functional genomics, it is now possible to rigorously assess the genomic correlates of protein evolutionary rate. However, dissecting the correlations among evolutionary rate and these genomic features remains a major challenge. Here, we use an integrated probabilistic modeling approach to study genomic correlates of protein evolutionary rate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We measure and rank degrees of association between (i) an approximate measure of protein evolutionary rate with high genome coverage, and (ii) a diverse list of protein properties (sequence, structural, functional, network, and phenotypic). We observe, among many statistically significant correlations, that slowly evolving proteins tend to be regulated by more transcription factors, deficient in predicted structural disorder, involved in characteristic biological functions (such as translation), biased in amino acid composition, and are generally more abundant, more essential, and enriched for interaction partners. Many of these results are in agreement with recent studies. In addition, we assess information contribution of different subsets of these protein properties in the task of predicting slowly evolving proteins. We employ a logistic regression model on binned data that is able to account for intercorrelation, non-linearity, and heterogeneity within features. Our model considers features both individually and in natural ensembles (“meta-features”) in order to assess joint information contribution and degree of contribution independence. Meta-features based on protein abundance and amino acid composition make strong, partially independent contributions to the task of predicting slowly evolving proteins; other meta-features make additional minor contributions. The combination of all meta-features yields predictions comparable to those based on paired species comparisons, and approaching the predictive limit of optimal lineage-insensitive features. Our integrated assessment framework can be readily extended to other correlational analyses at the genome scale.
Stress and prions: Lessons from the yeast model

Yeast self-perpetuating amyloids (prions) provide a convenient model for studying the cellular control of highly ordered aggregates involved in mammalian protein assembly disorders. The very ability of an amyloid to propagate a prion state in yeast is determined by its interactions with the stress-inducible chaperone Hsp104. Prion formation and propagation are also influenced by other stress-related chaperones (Hsp70 and Hsp40), and by alterations of the protein trafficking and degradation networks. Some stress conditions induce prion formation or loss. It is proposed that prions arise as byproducts of the reversible assembly of highly ordered complexes, protecting certain proteins during unfavorable conditions.
A Comparative Study of Collision-Induced and Surface-Induced Dissociation. 1. Fragmentation of Protonated Dialanine

Collision-induced and surface-induced dissociation of protonated dialanine (Ala-AlaH+) was studied using a 7 T Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometer (FT-ICR MS). Energy-resolv...
Baker's Yeast Effluent as a Liquid Feed for Dairy Cows and Heifers

Liquid effluent from baker's yeast production was fed to dairy cows to determine whether effluent is an acceptable feed and whether it affects milk yield or composition. Effluent averaged 5.4% DM and 6.1% N (DM basis). In experiment 1, 20 Holstein cows were offered effluent free choice or no effluent for 8 wk. Milk yield, composition, and group feed intake were measured. In Experiment 2, 20 cows were fed effluent blended into the TMR (11.3 L/d per cow) or no effluent for 4 wk. In Experiment 3, six groups of 6 heifers were offered free choice or no effluent. Free choice intake of effluent peaked at 15 L/d per cow at wk 3 but declined to 5.3 L/d per cow by wk 6. Milk and 3.5% FCM yields were not affected by effluent regardless of feeding system. Milk protein and fat percentages were higher for cows offered effluent free choice. Milk protein percentage and yield were lower with effluent in the TMR. Intake of effluent by heifers was 1.05 L/d, and effluent did not affect DMI or weight gain. Acceptability of yeast effluent fed free choice is poor, but when yeast is blended into the TMR, cows consume effluent without adverse effects on milk yield or DMI.
The Shifting Bottleneck Procedure for Job Shop Scheduling

We describe an approximation method for solving the minimum makespan problem of job shop scheduling. It sequences the machines one by one, successively, taking each time the machine identified as a bottleneck among the machines not yet sequenced. Every time after a new machine is sequenced, all previously established sequences are locally reoptimized. Both the bottleneck identification and the local reoptimization procedures are based on repeatedly solving certain one-machine scheduling problems. Besides this straight version of the Shifting Bottleneck Procedure, we have also implemented a version that applies the procedure to the nodes of a partial search tree. Computational testing shows that our approach yields consistently better results than other procedures discussed in the literature. A high point of our computational testing occurred when the enumerative version of the Shifting Bottleneck Procedure found in a little over five minutes an optimal schedule to a notorious ten machines/ten jobs problem on which many algorithms have been run for hours without finding an optimal solution.
Microprocessors as emulators in a control system environment

Computers have been used in military systems for over two decades. There is interest in replacing some ancient computers with present day microprocessors since a number of benefits may accrue. However, there may be some constraining factors such as the retention of the original programs that require accurate emulation of the original machine. Some of these issues are discussed for a case study involving the replacement of a computer in a navigation control loop. Candidate microprocessor emulation approaches are outlined.
Language as an indicator of risk in the prevention of drug use

Abstract Kenneth Burke argues that the symbols we use and the names we give to things are implicit plans of action. In this article we seek to create an awareness of the capacity language has to reveal those “plans of action”; that involve possible potential adolescent and preadolescent drug use. We contend that language has not been explored fully as a predictor of drug risk and, based on an analysis performed at the individual level and examined at the group level, extend language as a viable indicator of at‐risk individuals. In addition, we recommend that the metaphors and themes uncovered in the language of low‐and/or medium‐risk individuals be incorporated into drug prevention messages designed to dissuade the onset of drug involvement of young children and pre‐adolescents. If the “low‐risk”; metaphors and themes can be instantiated in the language of the target audience (the young children and pre‐adolescents), then perhaps, since language precedes attitudes and action, their “plan of action”; will ...
Functional Dendrimers for Nonlinear Optics

Novel nonlinear optical (NLO) building blocks can be placed into the periphery, branch, or core of a dendrimer to construct precise molecular architecture with predetermined chemical composition. The site-isolation effect, through the encapsulation of active moieties by dendrons, or the cooperative effect, through the coherent interaction among the same or different kinds of active blocks in the dendrimer, can greatly enhance the performance of NLO materials. This paper provides a review of recent developments in dendrimers for NLO applications, such as electro-optics (E-O), photorefractive (PR) materials, second harmonic generation (SHG), and two-photon absorption (TPA).
Does cytomegalovirus serology impact outcome after pediatric heart transplantation

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been implicated in a number of complications after heart transplantation. A recent study suggested that children with positive CMV serology (CMV + ) before transplantation are at increased risk of developing coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) and death when compared with CMV − recipients. We analyzed data from the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Group to determine the impact of recipient CMV status and CMV mismatching on outcome. In addition, the use and efficacy of CMV prophylaxis were studied. Methods Subjects Results Of the 1,598 subjects included in the analysis, 637 (40%) were CMV + at the time of transplantation. Some form of CMV prophylaxis was administered to 67% of all recipients, most commonly with a CMV mismatch (donor CMV + /recipient CMV − ). Freedom from clinical CMV infection at 5 years was 91%. Pre-transplant CMV serology was not associated with mortality ( p = 0.40) or risk of developing CAV ( p = 0.10). CMV mismatch was associated with increased risk of clinical CMV disease ( p Conclusions CMV + serology at time of pediatric heart transplantation had no demonstrable association with death or development of CAV. CMV − recipients who receive a CMV + organ are at increased risk of clinical CMV disease. CMV prophylaxis was commonly used, although further studies are needed to establish an optimal approach for prevention of CMV disease in this population.
Reduced functional residual capacity and abnormal oxygenation in patients with severe head injury.

Severe head injury often results in hypoxemia, but the pathophysiology of this phenomenon is unclear. We studied 24 patients hospitalized after severe head injury to determine whether the abnormality of oxygen transfer as measured by venous admixture (Qs/Qt) was associated with a reduction in functional residual capacity (FRC) and also what changes in these variables could be induced by positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Mean FRC was 68 percent of the value predicted for the upright position, and mean Qs/Qt was 0.196. The FRC and Qs/Qt were significantly related so that patients with the lowest FRC had the highest Qs/Qt (p 2 O of PEEP resulted in an increase in FRC of 28 percent (±15 percent [SD]) of the value predicted for upright posture; Qs/Qt declined by 0.05 (±0.05 [SD]). Most of these patients had no spontaneous breathing due either to the severity of the brain injury or to the therapeutic hyperventilation and muscular paralysis employed to control intracranial pressure. We conclude that FRC is often reduced in patients hospitalized after severe head injury and that associated abnormalities of ventilation-perfusion matching often lead to an elevated Qs/Qt. Therapy with PEEP in the range of 10 to 15 cm H 2 O was well tolerated by our patients and can be used safely to reduce Qs/Qt.
Voting for Pareto optimality: a multidimensional analysis

We compare unanimity rule and majority rule in their abilities to produce Pareto superior and Pareto optimal alternatives in fixed number of rounds of voting using a two-dimensional spatial voting model with random proposals, sincere proposals, and strategic proposals. Our findings show that for random or sincere proposals, majority rule is at least as likely to select a Pareto optimal outcome as unanimity rule. For strategic proposals, the subgame perfect equilibrium under unanimity rule is Pareto optimal. For other k-majority rules, the outcome is Pareto optimal or very close to it. For outcomes that are both Pareto optimal and Pareto superior, unanimity rule outperforms majority rule.
A New Class of Silatranes: Structure and Dynamic NMR Behavior1

A new class of silatranes N[CH2(Me2C6H2)O]3SiR was prepared by the reaction of organosilanes with tris(2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylbenzyl) amine (5) in the case of 1, 3, and 4, and by the reaction of Si(OMe)4 with the same amine (5) to give 2. This is the first series of silatranes containing all six-membered rings. Their structures were established by X-ray analysis and correlated with 29Si NMR data. VT 1H NMR spectra reflected fluxional behavior for the chiral molecules 1−3, whereas 4 was a rigid molecule. The activation energies for enantiomeric conversion of the clockwise and anticlockwise orientations of the propeller-like silatranes 1−3 were statistically the same at about 10 kcal/mol. A simultaneous pseudorotation of all three six-membered rings is suggested to cause the racemization process. The Si−N distances for 1−4 show a large dependence on the exocyclic substituent. Over an approximate electronegativity range of 2.3−3.0, the Si−N distance varies from 2.745(4) A for 1 to 2.025(4) A for 4. Thus, the ...
Modeling heterogeneous patients with a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia with induced pluripotent stem cells

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a devastating complex genetic mental condition that is heterogeneous in terms of clinical etiologies, symptoms, and outcomes. Despite decades of postmortem, neuroimaging, pharmacological, and genetic studies of patients, in addition to animal models, much of the biological mechanisms that underlie the pathology of SZ remain unknown. The ability to reprogram adult somatic cells into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provides a new tool that supplies live human neurons for modeling complex genetic conditions such as SZ. The purpose of this review is to discuss the technical and clinical constraints currently limiting hiPSC-based studies. We posit that reducing the clinical heterogeneity of hiPSC-based studies, by selecting subjects with common clinical manifestations or rare genetic variants, will help our ability to draw meaningful insights from the necessarily small patient cohorts that can be studied at this time.
BACK TO BASICS: Principles of Inborn Errors of Metabolism: An Exercise

Many inborn errors of intermediary metabolism present during periods of poor oral intake or intercurrent illness. Under these conditions, the body switches to a predominantly catabolic state, when glycogen, fat, and protein are mobilized as alternative energy sources. If a genetic defect already exists in any of these catabolic pathways, the problem is accentuated because the catabolic state demands a high flux of metabolite through these pathways. Therefore, a cardinal principle in the management of children who have IEM is to prevent them from lapsing into a catabolic state. This can be done through: 1) aggressive nutrition management to promote positive nitrogen balance and decrease accumulation of toxic metabolites, and 2) immunizations to minimize the possibility of viral or bacterial illness. When catabolism does occur, high-dose glucose infusion is a potent method for turning off the catabolic state. This simplistic view of the catabolic pathways neglects many details in each of the metabolic pathways and diseases cited in the article and questions. Nevertheless, it should provide a useful framework for explaining some of the clinical findings encountered in caring for this special group of patients. A partial list of more commonly encountered IEMs is contained in the Table. The different parts of the biochemical pathways discussed previously are combined into Figure 6. Hopefully, for some readers, the Figure also will lead to the affirmation that biochemistry is not so bad after all!
Comparison of genetically based antipredator behaviour in hatchery and wild coho fry from a coastal Oregon river: interpreting a negative result

Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch fry derived from wild and hatchery stocks demonstrated no difference in responsiveness to an overhead fright stimulus in laboratory experiments.
Changes in Medicare reimbursement for hospital-acquired conditions including infections.

As part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Congress required the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to identify conditions that (1) are high cost or high volume or both, (2) result in the assignment of a case to a diagnosis-related group that has a higher payment when present as a secondary diagnosis, and (3) could reasonably have been prevented through the application of evidence-based guidelines. For the conditions identified and discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2008, hospitals do not receive additional payment for cases in which one of the selected conditions was not present on admission (POA). That is, the case would be paid as though the secondary diagnosis were not present. The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) prohibits the hospital from billing the beneficiary for the difference between the lower and higher payment rates. Rather, the hospital is being encouraged to prevent an adverse event and improve the quality of care it is giving to Medicare patients. There are 6 categories of hospital-acquired conditions that were identified by CMS, 3 of which were related to health careassociated infections: (1) selected surgical site infections, (2) vascular catheter-associated infections, and (3) catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The other 3
Fundamental model of transport and reaction in a cylindrical catalyst pore

The kinetic theory of gases is used to arrive at integral equations which govern free molecular flow and heterogeneous kinetics in a single, cylindrical, isothermal, uniform catalytic pore. The formulation is in terms of reactant fluxes to the catalytic surface and overall or reactive sticking factors. Focus is on simple m-th order reactions which depend on the surface concentration of a single species. Effectiveness factors for the pore, as well as reactant flux profiles obtained using this fundamental model, are compared to conventional continuum diffusion-reaction model predictions of effectiveness factors and reactant concentration profiles. There are distinct differences between the predictions of the two models for moderate to high sticking factors (0·1 to 1). For very small sticking factors, as commonly found in practical catalytic reaction systems, predictions of both models are essentially the same. The widely used continuum diffusion-reaction method provides good predictions of effectiveness fac...
Simulation models with correct statistical properties for Rayleigh fading channels

In this paper, new sum-of-sinusoids statistical simulation models are proposed for Rayleigh fading channels. These new models employ random path gain, random initial phase, and conditional random Doppler frequency for all individual sinusoids. It is shown that the autocorrelations and cross correlations of the quadrature components, and the autocorrelation of the complex envelope of the new simulators match the desired ones exactly, even if the number of sinusoids is as small as a single-digit integer. Moreover, the probability density functions of the envelope and phase, the level crossing rate, the average fade duration, and the autocorrelation of the squared fading envelope which contains fourth-order statistics of the new simulators, asymptotically approach the correct ones as the number of sinusoids approaches infinity, while good convergence is achieved even when the number of sinusoids is as small as eight. The new simulators can be directly used to generate multiple uncorrelated fading waveforms for frequency selective fading channels, multiple-input multiple-output channels, and diversity combining scenarios. Statistical properties of one of the new simulators are evaluated by numerical results, finding good agreements.
IS481 and IS1002 of Bordetella pertussis Create a 6-Base-Pair Duplication upon Insertion at a Consensus Target Site

ABSTRACT The insertion sequence IS481 and its isoform IS1002 have been observed to transpose into thebvgAS locus of Bordetella pertussis, for which the DNA sequence has previously been determined. Upon insertion of IS481 at three different sites and IS1002 at one site, a 6-bp sequence originally present was found at the junction of bvg and insertion sequence DNA. This indicates that, contrary to prior reports, IS481 and IS1002 do create a duplication upon insertion. In this light, examination of these and other examples of IS481 and IS1002reported in the literature leads to the observation that the 6-bp recognition sequence usually fits the consensus NCTAGN. The near-palindromic nature of this sequence, when directly repeated at the ends of IS481 or IS1002, apparently led to the interpretation that 5 of these base pairs were part of the terminal inverted repeats flanking these elements.
A Novel Quantitative Method for Diabetic Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy Assessment in Type 1 Diabetic Mice

In this work, we used a sensitive and noninvasive computational method to assess diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (DCAN) from pulse oximeter (photoplethysmographic; PPG) recordings from mice. The method, which could be easily applied to humans, is based on principal dynamic mode (PDM) analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). Unlike the power spectral density, PDM has been shown to be able to separately identify the activities of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems without pharmacological intervention. HRV parameters were measured by processing PPG signals from conscious 1.5- to 5-month-old C57/BL6 control mice and in Akita mice, a model of insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes, and compared with the gold-standard Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. The PDM results indicate significant cardiac autonomic impairment in the diabetic mice in comparison to the controls. When tail-cuff PPG recordings were collected and analyzed starting from 1.5 months of age in both C57/Bl6 controls and Akita mice, onset of DCAN was seen at 3 months in the Akita mice, which persisted up to the termination of the recording at 5 months. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses also showed a reduction in nerve density in Akita mice at 3 and 4 months as compared to the control mice, thus, corroborating our PDM data analysis of HRV records. Western blot analysis of autonomic nerve proteins corroborated the PPG-based HRV analysis via the PDM approach. In contrast, traditional HRV analysis (based on either the power spectral density or time-domain measures) failed to detect the nerve rarefaction.
Vehicle Re-Identification and Travel Time Measurement in Real-Time on Freeways Using Existing Loop Detector Infrastructure

A new vehicle re-identification algorithm for two consecutive detector stations on a freeway, whereby a vehicle measurement made at the downstream detector station is matched with the vehicle's corresponding measurement at the upstream station, is presented in this paper. The method is illustrated using effective vehicle length measured at dual-loop speed traps, but it is transferable to other detectors capable of extracting a vehicle signature (such as video image processing). This approach is significant because no one has attempted to use the existing detector infrastructure to match vehicle measurements between detector stations. The algorithm should improve freeway surveillance via travel time measurement, which is simply the difference between the known arrival times at the two stations for a matched vehicle. The re-identification algorithm is tolerant to noise; instead of finding the ‘best match’ for each vehicle, it finds all possible matches and then looks for sequences of vehicles from the possi...
Timely Decisions: The Effects of Past National Elections on Party Policy Change

Political parties in established democracies face a trade-off between changing their policy positions in pursuit of votes and adhering to their previous positions in order to reduce risks related to change. To reconcile this trade-off, parties seek information about public opinion. Past election performance is one such source of information. To date however, there is no consistent result on whether past elections affect party positioning. I highlight two factors that previous analysts have not considered: whether past election results affect the magnitude of parties’ policy shifts in the current election, and how the time elapsed since the last election moderates the relationship between past election results and party policy change. My analyses of 23 established democracies generate two conclusions with important implications for understanding party behavior and political representation: parties tend to shift their policies more when they have lost votes in the previous election than when they have gaine...
An Adaptive Resolution Asynchronous ADC Architecture for Data Compression in Energy Constrained Sensing Applications

An adaptive resolution (AR) asynchronous analog-to-digital converter (ADC) architecture is presented. Data compression is achieved by the inherent signal dependent sampling rate of the asynchronous architecture. An AR algorithm automatically varies the ADC quantizer resolution based on the rate of change of the input. This overcomes the trade-off between dynamic range and input bandwidth typically seen in asynchronous ADCs. A prototype ADC fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS technology, and utilizing the subthreshold region of operation, achieves an equivalent maximum sampling rate of 50 kS/s, an SNDR of 43.2 dB, and consumes 25 μW from a 0.7 V supply. The ADC is also shown to provide data compression for accelerometer applications as a proof of concept demonstration.
The Accelerator Store framework for high-performance, low-power accelerator-based systems

Hardware acceleration can increase performance and reduce energy consumption. To maximize these benefits, accelerator- based systems that emphasize computation on accelerators (rather than on general purpose cores) should be used. We introduce the “accelerator store,” a structure for sharing memory between accelerators in these accelerator-based systems. The accelerator store simplifies accelerator I/O and reduces area by mapping memory to accelerators when needed at runtime. Preliminary results demonstrate a 30% system area reduction with no energy overhead and less than 1% performance overhead in contrast to conventional DMA schemes.
Does proximity to mature trees influence ectomycorrhizal fungus communities of Douglas-fir seedlings?

Summary • The influence of mature trees on colonization of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings by ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) is not well understood. Here, the EMF communities of seedlings planted near and far from trees are compared with each other, with EMF of seedlings potted in field soils and with EMF of mature trees. • Seedlings were planted within 6 m, or beyond 16 m, from residual Douglas-fir trees in recently harvested green-tree retention units in Washington State, USA, or potted in soils gathered from near each residual tree. Mature tree roots were sampled by partly excavating the root system. The EMF communities were assessed by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequence analysis of ribosomal RNA genes. • Seedlings near trees had higher species richness and diversity of EMF communities compared with seedlings far from trees. The EMF communities of seedlings near trees were more similar to those of mature trees, while seedlings far from trees were more similar to glasshouse seedlings. • By enhancing the EMF diversity of seedlings, residual trees may maintain or accelerate the re-establishment of mycorrhizal communities associated with mature forests.
Ixabepilone for the treatment of taxane-refractory breast cancer

The ephothilones are a novel class of agents that bind to β-tubulin, promote microtubule stabilization and cause cell-cycle arrest in G2/M phase. Ixabepilone (Ixempra™) is an epothilone B that has demonstrated preclinical activity against a variety of tumor types and has recently been US FDA approved (application for registration ongoing in Europe) as a single agent for the treatment of taxane-refractory metastatic breast cancer, or in combination with capecitabine for patients with advanced breast cancer refractory to anthracyclines and taxanes. This review will provide an overview of the clinical development of ixabepilone, and emphasize the drug’s utility for the treatment of advanced breast cancer.
Detection of Bacterial Agents in Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) from Georgia, USA, and the use of a Multiplex Assay to Differentiate Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii

Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick, is the most common and most aggressive human biting tick in the Southeastern United States. It is known to transmit the agents of human ehrlichioses, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii. In addition, it carries agents of unspecified pathogenicity to humans, including Rickettsia amblyommii, Borrelia lonestari, and the newly emerging Panola Mountain Ehrlichia (PME). Surveillance of these ticks for recognized or emerging pathogens is necessary for assessing the risk of human infection. From 2005 to 2009, we surveyed A. americanum ticks from four locations in the state of Georgia. Ticks (1,183 adults, 2,954 nymphs, and 99 larval batches) were tested using a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay designed to detect and discriminate DNA from Rickettsia spp., E. chaffeensis, and E. ewingii. This assay was capable of detecting as few as 10 gene copies of the aforementioned agents. Ticks were also tested for PME and B. lonestari by nested PCR. The prevalence of infection ranged from 0 to 2.5% for E. chaffeensis, 0 to 3.9% for E. ewingii, 0 to 2.2% for PME, 17 to 83.1% for R. amblyommii, and 0 to 3.1% for B. lonestari. There were 46 (4.1%) individual adults positive for two agents, and two females that were each positive for three agents. Two larval batches were positive for both B. lonestari and R. amblyommii, indicating the potential for transovarial transmission of both agents from a single female. Although infrequent in occurrence, the dynamics of coinfections in individual ticks should be explored further, given the potential implications for differential diagnosis and severity of human illness.
An analysis of fault partitioned parallel test generation

Generation of test vectors for the VLSI devices used in contemporary digital systems is becoming much more difficult as these devices increase in size and complexity. Automatic Test Pattern Generation (ATPG) techniques are commonly used to generate these tests. Since ATPG is an NP complete problem with complexity exponential to circuit size, the application of parallel processing techniques to accelerate the process of generating test vectors is an active area of research. The simplest approach to parallelization of the test generation process is to simply divide the processing of the fault list across multiple processors, Each individual processor then performs the normal test generation process on its own portion of the fault list, typically without interaction with the other processors. The major drawback of this technique, called fault partitioning, is that the processors perform redundant work generating test vectors for faults covered by vectors generated on another processor. An earlier approach to reducing this redundant work involved transmitting generated test vectors among the processors and fault simulating them on each processor. This paper presents a comparison of the vector broadcasting approach with the simpler and more effective approach of fault broadcasting. In fault broadcasting, fault simulation is performed on the entire fault list on each processor. The resulting list of detected faults is then transmitted to all the other processors. The results show that this technique produces greater speedups and smaller test sets than the test vector broadcasting technique. Analytical models are developed which can be used to determine the cost of the various parts of the parallel ATPG algorithm. These models are validated using data from benchmark circuits.
Barking in domestic dogs: context specificity and individual identification

In this study we sought to determine whether dog barks could be divided into subtypes based on context. We recorded barking from 10 adult dogs, Canis familiaris, of six breeds in three different test situations: (1) a disturbance situation in which a stranger rang the doorbell, (2) an isolation situation in which the dog was locked outside or in a room isolated from its owner and (3) a play situation in which either two dogs or a human and a dog played together. We analysed spectrograms of 4672 barks using macros that took 60 sequential frequency measurements and 60 sequential amplitude measurements along the length of the call. Statistical analyses revealed that barks are graded vocalizations that range from harsh, low-frequency, unmodulated calls to harmonically rich, higher-frequency, modulated calls. The harsh, low-frequency, unmodulated barks were more commonly given in the disturbance situation, and the more tonal, higherpitch, modulated barks were more commonly given in the isolation and play situations. Disturbance barks were also longer in duration with more rapid repetition than the barks given in other contexts. Discriminant analysis revealed that dog barks can be divided into different subtypes based on context even within individual dogs, and that dogs can be identified by their bark spectrograms despite the context of the bark.
Student Evaluation Of Teacher Performance: Random Pre-Destination

The student evaluation, used to measure students’ perceptions of teacher performance, has been increasingly used as the predominant component in assessing teaching effectiveness (Waters et al. 1988), and the widespread movement of outcomes assessment across the country makes this trend likely to continue in the future (McCoy et al. 1994, AACSB 1994, SACS 1995). Substantial research has been conducted with regard to the reliability and accuracy of student evaluation of teaching quality, and a considerable number of uncontrollable factors are found to bias the results of the evaluation rating. This paper identifies one more factor. Each student has an “evaluator profile”, which decreases the reliability of the student evaluation. An “evaluator profile” is a persistent pattern of evaluating behavior that may or may not be consistent with the quality of the characteristic being evaluated. Each class of students consists of a random sample of different evaluator profiles. A student evaluation rating of a teacher’s performance is biased up or down depending on the concentration of high or low evaluator profiles present. This paper further shows through simulation the degree to which student “evaluator profiles” impact the overall student evaluation rating of teacher performance. We find that there is evidence to support the “evaluator profile” conjecture, and that these “evaluator profiles” do in fact have the potential to change overall student evaluation ratings substantially.
Critical experience counts.

service. www.ics.ac.uk 4The RCN critical care nursing forum offers conferences, a newsletter, online discussions and relevant guidelines. www.rcn.org.uk/members
New and emerging therapies for asthma

A 34-year-old woman with severe persistent asthma, atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis presents for evaluation of asthma refractory to conventional therapy. The patient has a history of asthma commencing in early childhood, with progression to uncontrolled disease in the last two years. Allergen skin prick testing in childhood was positive to dust mites, cat and dog dander, as well as multiple pollens. Her principle triggers are inhaled allergens, especially animal dander, as well as irritants including tobacco smoke. Despite compliance with maximal dose inhaled corticosteroid/long acting beta agonist (ICS/LABA), leukotriene receptor antagonist, nasal corticosteroid and avoidance measures, she continues to experience nightly wheezing and chest tightness that requires daily beta-agonist inhalations. Furthermore, in the last year she has been hospitalized twice for asthma exacerbations following viral infections and has received five courses of oral corticosteroids. Her Asthma Control Test (ACT) score at initial consultation is 7. Physical exam is notable for bilateral expiratory wheezes in the lower lung fields. Total IgE level is 650 IU/mL and previous allergen sensitivities are confirmed. Lung function testing reveals a baseline FEV1 of 50% of predicted by age, improving to 66% post-bronchodilator administration (460cc increase). Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide levels (FeNO) is 125 and her peripheral eosinophils are elevated at 1350 cells per microliter. Additionally, the patient’s inhaler technique is assessed and she demonstrates excellent technique with both controller and rescue devices. Further questioning addresses any gaps in her asthma management. The patient has excellent medication compliance corroborated by her significant other, has installed dust-mite covers, and denies first or second-hand smoking or furry animal ownership or exposure. A recently performed pregnancy test is negative, and she denies a history chronic sinus disease including nasal polyposis, aspirin/NSAID sensitivity, occupational exposures or gastroesophogeal reflux disease. There are no socioeconomic or psychological stressors identified as possible contributors to her uncontrolled asthma and no clinical evidence to support paradoxical vocal fold motion. Evaluations for Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA) and Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) are negative. What therapeutic strategies (present and future) can be utilized to optimize her severe uncontrolled asthma?
Abstract PR08: Pulling out all the stops: Exploiting macropinocytosis inhibition for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Oncogenic Ras stimulates macropinocytosis, an endocytic mechanism of fluid-phase uptake that produces large intracellular vesicles known as macropinosomes. Recently, we have linked the macropinocytic uptake of extracellular albumin and its subsequent degradation to amino acid supply and proliferation in Ras-transformed cells. The ability of albumin to serve as a nutrient source in oncogenic Ras-expressing cells is blocked by inhibiting its internalization via treatment with 5-(N-Ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride (EIPA). We determined that EIPA treatment diminished the growth of pancreatic tumor xenografts and that this effect was selective for tumors with a high macropinocytic index. Currently, we are exploring the feasibility of employing macropinocytosis inhibition as an anticancer therapeutic modality utilizing an autochthonous mouse model of pancreatic cancer. In these autochthonous tumors, macropinocytosis is a prominent feature of pancreatic cells found in mid- to late-stage PanIN lesions, as well as in fibroblasts and immune cells residing within the tumor stroma. We have found that EIPA treatment results in a rapid and robust reduction in proliferative capacity both in tumor cells and the surrounding stromal cells. Intriguingly, our preliminary data indicates that EIPA treatment reduces the number of activated fibroblasts associated with PanIN lesions, decreases collagen deposition and results in an increase in blood vessel diameter. Studies have demonstrated that targeting components of the extracellular matrix within the tumor stroma can cause expansion of the vasculature, which can be harnessed to improve drug delivery and permeability to the tumor. Altogether, our findings suggest that macropinocytosis inhibition could be exploited not only to target the tumor cells, but also to target the tumor stroma and enhance the delivery of chemotherapeutics. This abstract is also presented as Poster B37. Citation Format: Cosimo Commisso, Craig Ramirez, Rengin Soydaner-Azeloglu, David L. Bajor, Robert H. Vonderheide, Dafna Bar-Sagi. Pulling out all the stops: Exploiting macropinocytosis inhibition for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Innovations in Research and Treatment; May 18-21, 2014; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(13 Suppl):Abstract nr PR08.
Equipping Every Student with Psychological Tools: A Vygotskian Guide to Establishing the Goals of Education.

The present conceptual analysis begins with an assertion that the most fundamental act in any educational endeavors is establishing their goals. The discussion proceeds to reviewing recent pertinent literature that presents Vygotsky’s theory of development as a useful source in providing guidance to establishing the goals of education in rapidly changing times. Based on the theoretical framework provided by Vygotsky and various sociocultural researchers, it is argued that the most important goal of contemporary education is equipping every student with psychological tools. After detailed conceptual analyses of psychological tools, concrete examples are provided from two instructional fields. Drama-based instruction and bilingual instruction are given as concrete examples of psychological tools in literacy and English as a second language (ESL), respectively, based on the notion that psychological tools link the developing system of knowledge with that of the already developed.
Participation of mammalian defensins and cathelicidins in anti-microbial immunity: receptors and activities of human defensins and cathelicidin (LL-37).

Defensins and cathelicidins are the two major families of mammalian anti-microbial proteins. They contribute to host, innate, anti-microbial defense by disrupting the integrity of the bacterial cell membrane. However, several members of the mammalian anti-microbial proteins including defensins and cathelicidins have been shown recently to have chemotactic effects on host cells. Human neutrophil alpha-defensins are chemotactic for resting, naive CD45RA/CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells, and immature dendritic cells. Human beta-defensins are also chemotactic for immature dendritic cells but induce the migration of memory CD45RO/CD4 T cells. In contrast, cathelicidin/LL-37 is chemotactic for neutrophils, monocytes, and T cells but not for dendritic cells. Thus, these anti-microbial peptides have distinct, host-target cell spectra. The chemotactic activities of human beta-defensins and cathelicidin/LL-37 are mediated by human CC chemokine receptor 6 and formyl peptide receptor-like 1, respectively. The capacities of defensins and cathelicidins to mobilize various types of phagocytic leukocytes, immature dendritic cells, and lymphocytes, together with their other effects such as stimulating IL-8 production and mast cell degranulation, provide evidence for their participation in alerting, mobilizing, and amplifying innate and adaptive anti-microbial immunity of the host.
Outsourced Psychiatry: Experts Still Relevant

The News Focus story on global mental health, “Who needs psychiatrists?” (G. Miller, 16 March, p. [1294][1]), implied that the answer is “no one.” This is not the case. It is true that clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of talking therapies for depression, anxiety, and other common mental disorders, when delivered by nonpsychiatrist health workers trained by professionals. Severely ill individuals (such as those with refractory depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia) require medication, which can be administered safely by nurses, family doctors, and even health workers supervised by medical personnel. Investing in community health workers as mental health gatekeepers is the safest national strategy for sustainable mental health programs, for the reasons mentioned in the News Focus story as well as an additional one: Community health workers are not as susceptible to “brain drain”—the emigration of skilled workers for better working conditions—as health professionals. For quality care, however, psychiatrists are needed for overall direction/supervision and training in differential diagnosis and medication management, especially when addressing complex comorbidities (mental as well as physical). Psychiatrists play a crucial role as consultants in these inter national projects. [1]: pending:yes
Radiation rate enhancement in subwavelength plasmonic ring nanocavities.

We demonstrate 25 times radiation rate and 2 times quantum efficiency enhancement of Er ions in metal–insulator–metal (MIM) ring nanocavities at room temperature. In particular, using time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy in partnership with full-vector numerical simulations based on the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method, we design, fabricate, and systematically investigate the photonic density of states, the quantum efficiency, and the 1.55 μm radiation dynamics of cavities with varying nanoscale active regions. Our experimental findings demonstrate that the engineering of deep subwavelength gap plasmon modes leads to dramatic Purcell enhancement even at modest cavity Q factors. Finally, we discuss the possibility of achieving lasing due to the enhancement of stimulated emission rate achievable in ring nanocavities, and we provide a perspective for Si-compatible plasmon-enhanced nanolasers.
Clinical Significance of Somatosensory Evoked Potential in Children with Tourette Syndrome

Objective To explore the characteristic changes of somatosensory evoked potential(SEP),and to assess the value of SEP as a localization diagnostic tool on cerebral functional lesions in children with Tourette syndrome(TS).Methods Seventy-six children with TS(TS group),20 cases of mental retardation(MR group) and 22 healthy children(normal control group) were measured for SEP.The latent periods and wave shapes of SEP were analyzed.Results Compared with normal control group,N2,P3,N3 latencies were prolonged in the children with TS;P2,N2,N3 latencies were prolonged in the children with mental retardation,but no marked significance(all P0.05).Some waves(N2,P3,N3) were even absent in children with TS and mental retardation.Statistical analysis indicated that the differences were significant(all P0.01)compared with normal control group.The part wave absence of SEP in the children with TS and mental retardation appeared preponderance in the right,but they showed no significant difference in both sides(P0.05).Conclusion The functional deficit in TS was localized prominently in cerebral cortex and subcortex,and the changes of SEP were almost same marked on both sides.
The Application of Protocol H.248 in Communication Network

This article explains in details the structure of the next generation network,and all the related levels to the network,as well as the internal function modules of softswitch control system.H.248,as the major telecommunication protocol for softswitch network,is the focus of this article.Starting with the introduction to the structure of H.248,the article proposes the calling workflow and put forward a new way of modifying user′s signal tone.Compared with the current intelligent network adopted by telecommunication company,it has a prospective vision in the markets for its advantage in more flexibility and no need of application and payment.
Vincent Brian Wigglesworth (1899–1994)

Vincent Brian Wigglesworth (1899–1994) had played a fundamental role in the creation of the modern science of insect physiology. He is best known for making some of the first significant contributions to research in insect endocrinology. Through a series of simple experiments, Wigglesworth was able to demonstrate the existence of the ‘status quo’ juvenile hormones and the molting hormone ecdysone. Later, he made advances in our understanding of the sources and functions of these hormones. His Principles of Insect Physiology was especially influential, serving as the canonical guide to research in the field for nearly 40 years. Keywords: insect physiology; history of entomology; juvenile hormone; ecdysone; metamorphosis