cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vaccination with an NY-ESO-1 peptide of HLA class I/II specificities induces integrated humoral and T cell responses in ovarian cancer

NY-ESO-1 is a "cancer-testis" antigen expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and is among the most immunogenic tumor antigens defined to date. The NY-ESO-1 peptide epitope, ESO(157-170), is recognized by HLA-DP4-restricted CD4+ T cells and HLA-A2- and A24-restricted CD8+ T cells. To test whether providing cognate helper CD4+ T cells would enhance the antitumor immune response, we conducted a phase I clinical trial of immunization with ESO(157-170) mixed with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (Montanide ISA51) in 18 HLA-DP4+ EOC patients with minimal disease burden. NY-ESO-1-specific Ab responses and/or specific HLA-A2-restricted CD8+ and HLA-DP4-restricted CD4+ T cell responses were induced by a course of at least five vaccinations at three weekly intervals in a high proportion of patients. There were no serious vaccine-related adverse events. Vaccine-induced CD8+ and CD4+ T cell clones were shown to recognize NY-ESO-1-expressing tumor targets. T cell receptor analysis indicated that tumor-recognizing CD4+ T cell clones were structurally distinct from non-tumor-recognizing clones. Long-lived and functional vaccine-elicited CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were detectable in some patients up to 12 months after immunization. These results confirm the paradigm that the provision of cognate CD4+ T cell help is important for cancer vaccine design and provides the rationale for a phase II study design using ESO(157-170) epitope or the full-length NY-ESO-1 protein for immunotherapy in patients with EOC.
Gene expression abnormalities and oligodendrocyte deficits in the internal capsule in schizophrenia.

Abstract Deficits in the expression of oligodendrocyte (Ol) and myelin genes have been described in numerous brain regions in schizophrenia (SZ) in association with abnormalities of cell cycle markers. We have previously reported a SZ-associated decrease in the expression of genes expressed after, but not prior to, the terminal differentiation of Ols in the posterior limb of the internal capsule (ICp). This pattern of deficits could reflect a failure of Ol precursors to exit the cell cycle and differentiate to meet the demands imposed by the high rate of apoptosis among myelinating Ols. Here we explore this hypothesis using quantitative real time PCR to examine the mRNA expression of additional genes in the ICp of the previously examined sample of 14 subjects with SZ and 15 normal controls (NCs). The genes examined in the present study were chosen because they are associated with particular phases of the cell cycle (CCND1, CCND2, p21Cip1, p27Kip1, and p57Kip2), with DNA replication and repair (PCNA), apoptosis (CASP3), or the Notch signaling pathway (JAG1, HES1, HES5, and DTX1). The Notch pathway influences whether Ol precursors continue to proliferate or exit the cell cycle. We also determined the densities of Ols in the ICp. Genes associated with maintenance of the cell cycle tended to exhibit increased expression levels in SZ relative to NCs and to be negatively correlated with the expression levels of the previously assessed mature Ol genes. In contrast, genes associated with cell cycle arrest tended to show the opposite pattern (decreased expression in SZ and positive correlations with mature Ol genes). CASP3 and PCNA expression levels were significantly decreased in SZ and positively correlated with mature Ol genes, suggesting that myelinating Ols may turnover more rapidly in normal controls than in subjects with SZ. JAG1 expression was significantly increased in SZ and exhibited positive correlations with mediators of the canonical Notch pathway but negative correlations with mature Ol genes. Ol densities were significantly decreased in SZ. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that Ol and myelin deficits in SZ involve a failure of Ol precursors to appropriately exit the cell cycle in order to differentiate and mature into myelinating Ols.
Cardiac arrhythmias in cardiothoracic surgery

Cardiac arrhythmias are commonly encountered following cardiac and thoracic surgery. Most patients with cardiopulmonary disease are predisposed to develop arrhythmias, and the physiologic stress of the operative procedure and its sequellae often trigger their onset. The incidence of arrhythmias after cardiac and general thoracic surgical procedures depends, among other things, on the risk profile of the patient population, the type of procedure performed, and the postoperative course [1–8]. One should also note that the reported incidence of postoperative arrhythmias varies because investigators use different criteria to define an arrhythmia’s significance, and because the duration and sophistication of cardiac monitoring differs from one study to another. Preventive medical therapy started before or early after the operation may reduce the incidence of some arrhythmias [9–16]. Unless specific contraindications exist, patients with coronary risk factors undergoing noncardiac thoracic operation and patients having coronary artery bypass grafting should be on beta-blocker therapy before and after operation [10,17,18]. Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, mostly atrial fibrillation, occur in 10% to 40% of patients after open cardiac surgery, with the incidence being slightly higher after valvular procedures [3,7]. After general thoracic procedures, the incidence is somewhat lower on average [1,5,6]. The exception is pneumonectomy, after which the incidence is probably equivalent to open cardiac surgery [6]. Life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias are considerably less common. Bradyarrhythmias caused by conduction system defects or dysfunction after cardiac procedures are frequently transient but have required permanent pacemaker therapy in 1% to 2% of patients, particularly after procedures that can directly injure the sinus node or the region of the atrioventricular (AV) node and bundle of His [19–22].
Poverty Amid Prosperity: Farm Employment, Immigration, and Poverty in California

sonal U.S. jobs and homes abroad are settling in rural towns, raising public policy questions ranging from how farmers get a seasonal work force to whether poor immigrants will recreate in rural California the rural poverty they fled back home.' The result is a paradox of poverty amid prosperity. Seven of the twenty U.S. cities with the highest percentage of immigrants living in concentrated poverty2 are in California's San Joaquin Valley, whose farm sales exceed those of any other state. In the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, 29% of the population of Fresno County (761,000 population), 30% of Merced (199,000 population), and 25% of Tulare (362,000 population) were on public assistance in 1996. At the same time, unemployment rates were in double digits, even in the peak spring and summer months. Despite high unemployment and welfare recipients looking for jobs, farmers would like a guest worker program to obtain foreign workers to fill seasonal farm jobs. Parlier is an example of the immigration and integration challenges in California's farming areas. A city of 10,400 about 20 miles southeast of Fresno, Parlier lies in the heart of the area that produces most U.S. table grapes, raisins, wine grapes, and tree fruits such as peaches and nectarines. The population was over 86% Hispanic in 1990, and more than two-thirds of the local work force
Long-term outcome in 44 horses with stifle lameness after arthroscopic exploration and debridement.

Objective— To (1) examine the outcome in horses with osteoarthritis or intra-articular soft tissue injuries of the stifle after arthroscopic exploration and debridement and (2) to determine any imaging or surgical findings that may influence prognosis. Design— Case series. Animals— Horses (n=44) with lameness referable to the stifle, diagnosed with osteoarthritis, meniscal tears, or other intra-articular soft tissue injuries based on arthroscopic examination. Methods— Medical records of horses with stifle lameness that had arthroscopic exploration were reviewed. Horses with osteochondrosis lesions, intra-articular fractures, or osseous cyst-like lesions were excluded. Pertinent case information was analyzed and short- and long-term outcome was assessed. Results— There was no association between radiographic score and surgery score. Diagnostic ultrasound had a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 56% for identifying meniscal injuries. Follow-up information was available for 35 horses; 23 horses (60%) improved after surgery, 16 (46%) became sound, and 13 (37%) returned to their previous level of function. A negative association was observed between age and degree of preoperative lameness and outcome. More severe changes observed on preoperative radiographs were also negatively associated with prognosis. No horses with grade 3 meniscal tears improved postoperatively and increasing meniscal pathology was negatively associated with return to previous function. A weak association between surgery grade and outcome was also observed. Degree of chondral damage, location of primary pathology, and microfracture techniques had no effect on outcome. Conclusions— Advanced horse age, severe lameness and preoperative radiographic changes, and presence of large meniscal tears are associated with a negative postoperative outcome for horses with stifle lameness. Appearance of the articular surface at surgery appears to be an inconsistent prognostic indicator. Clinical Relevance— Some horses with extensive cartilage damage may return to athletic function after arthroscopic debridement and lavage. A more pessimistic prognosis may be given to older horses, those with more severe preoperative lameness, and those with severe radiographic changes or large meniscal tears.
Site Characterization for Cohesive Soil Deposits Using Combined In Situ and Laboratory Testing

The paper presents recommendations for conducting geotechnical site characterizations to obtain design parameters for settlement and stability analyses. It focuses on relatively uniform, saturated cohesive soil deposits with near zero Standard Penetration Test blow counts and soft ground conditions, which means that construction will load the foundation soil beyond its preconsolidation stress. The site characterization program should select an appropriate combination of in situ tests for soil profiling (identify soil types and their relative state) and laboratory tests on undisturbed samples for strength-deformation-flow properties. Although the tools, procedures, and interpretation methods needed to conduct a reliable site characterization program are well developed, general practice often ignores this knowledge. Thus a prime objective of the paper is to provide recommendations for moving practice closer to the state of the art. Components of site characterization covered include site stratigraphy, drilling and undisturbed sampling, in situ testing, and laboratory consolidation and strength testing. Key recommendations include: fixed piston sampling using drilling mud and tubes with an appropriate geometry, piezocone testing for determination of site stratigraphy, radiography of sample tubes, debonding of samples from tubes, evaluation of sample quality, CRS testing to measure consolidation behavior, and anisotropic or K0 consolidated strength tests to measure undrained shear strength behavior.
Time symmetries in rotating sample NMR

Abstract The utility of time symmetries in rotating sample NMR is explored. For a rotating powder, the system is time shift independent as well as invariant to reversal of the sense of spinning. These symmetries are applied to REDOR (rotational spin-echo double resonance) experiment and an experiment for enhancement of spinning sidebands. Use of the symmetries greatly simplifies the mathematics describing rotating powder samples.
Asymmetries in grooming interactions between juvenile and adult female wedge-capped capuchin monkeys

Abstract Abstract. Motivation for participation in social grooming differs for juvenile and adult primates in female-bonded social systems; juveniles attempt to develop social relationships as a means of integration into the group, whereas adults attempt to maintain relationships with other adults. Juveniles should therefore seek grooming relationships with adults but adults should be relatively uninterested. The local resource competition hypothesis predicts that grooming relationships between adults and juveniles should occur primarily within matrilines and should be negatively correlated with aggressive interactions. Alternatively, grooming relationships may depend on the ability of juveniles to provide additional services, such as assistance in aggressive interactions and allomaternal care. Grooming interactions of juvenile and adult female wedge-capped capuchin monkeys, Cebus olivaceus, were predictably asymmetric. Juveniles approached and groomed more than adults, whereas adults terminated grooming sessions more and often failed to reciprocate grooming. Juvenile-adult grooming was inconsistent with patterns predicted by the local resource competition model. Dyads of closely related females did not groom more than unrelated dyads and there was no relationship between rates of grooming and aggression. Frequency and duration of grooming was significantly correlated with frequency of allomaternal care given by juveniles. Frequency of grooming also correlated with rates of alliance formation by adults and juveniles. Juveniles provided agonistic support during alliances twice as often as adults supported juveniles. The structure of grooming indicated that juveniles were the primary beneficiaries of grooming relationships with adults. Juveniles provided grooming services to adults and provided additional benefits of allomaternal care and agonistic support during aggression. In return, juveniles were integrated into the adult social structure in the group.
Bistable cyclotron resonance in semiconductors

Abstract We consider the cyclotron resonance in a semiconductor which has a band with a relativistic energy-momentum dispersion and show that, when subject to quasi-resonant radiation, the energy of a free carrier in this band and the relative potential drop between the two surfaces of the semiconductor facing the radiation exhibit bistability under classical single electron approximation.
STOPOVER ECOLOGY OF AUTUMN LANDBIRD MIGRANTS IN THE BOISE FOOTHILLS OF SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO

The topography of western North America provides a complex landscape for landbird migrants, and stopover patterns in this region are poorly understood. We examined seven years of stopover data (1997-2003) from a montane area in southwestern Idaho to determine whether this area provides suitable stopover habitat. We compared the proportion of birds recaptured, stopover duration, and changes in energetic condition within and among species and between two mist-netting sites located in different habitats. The proportion of birds recaptured ranged from zero to over 20%, and fewer than 5% of individuals were recaptured in most species. Mean minimum stopover durations from recapture data ranged from 1 to 10 days; most species averaged less than 6 days. Stopover duration estimates from open-population models were comparable but generally greater than estimates from recapture data. As found in stopover studies from other regions, stopover metrics varied within and among species in Idaho. However, most migrants in this study exhibited an ability to gain mass, evidenced both by recapture data and by regression of energetic condition against time since sunrise. These data imply that montane habitats in Idaho are suitable stopover sites. It follows that these habitats might serve an important role for many landbird migrants during the period of late summer molt and autumn migration, a time when many lowland areas of the West, including some riparian systems, are especially arid. We suggest that including montane nonriparian habitats in future stopover ecology studies will allow for a more complete understanding of migrant habitat needs in the West.
β-Elimination and Peptide Bond Hydrolysis: Two Distinct Mechanisms of Human IgG1 Hinge Fragmentation upon Storage

We expand the understanding of hinge-region degradation of human IgG1 monoclonal antibodies. First, our data more accurately confirm previously proposed hydrolysis of the CO−NH peptide bonds within the IgG1 heavy chain C(220)DKTHTC hinge sequence. Second, we provide evidence that the adjacent heavy chain S219−C220 bond is cleaved by a different mechanism. The cleavage of S219−C220 becomes more pronounced with elevated pH (pH > 7) as does the formation of light-chain−heavy-chain thioether linkage, another IgG1 degradation product whose mechanism has remained unknown. Careful application of bioanalytical methods and mass spectrometry provide strong evidence for a central role of a β-elimination mechanism to account for the S219−C220 cleavage as well as the formation of the thioether linkage product.
Loneliness and the rate of motor decline in old age: the rush memory and aging project, a community-based cohort study

Being alone, as measured by less frequent social interactions, has been reported to be associated with a more rapid rate of motor decline in older persons. We tested the hypothesis that feeling alone is associated with the rate of motor decline in community-dwelling older persons. At baseline, loneliness was assessed with a 5-item scale in 985 persons without dementia participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a longitudinal community-based cohort study. Annual detailed assessment of 9 measures of muscle strength and 9 motor performances were summarized in a composite measure of global motor function. Linear mixed-effects models which controlled for age, sex and education, showed that the level of loneliness at baseline was associated with the rate of motor decline (Estimate, -0.016; S.E. 0.006, p = 0.005). For each 1-point higher level of loneliness at baseline, motor decline was 40% more rapid; this effect was similar to the rate of motor decline observed in an average participant 4 years older at baseline. Furthermore, this amount of motor decline per year was associated with about a 50% increased risk of death. When terms for both feeling alone (loneliness) and being alone were considered together in a single model, both were relatively independent predictors of motor decline. The association between loneliness and motor decline persisted even after controlling for depressive symptoms, cognition, physical and cognitive activities, chronic conditions, as well as baseline disability or a history of stroke or Parkinson's disease. Among community-dwelling older persons, both feeling alone and being alone are associated with more rapid motor decline, underscoring the importance of psychosocial factors and motor decline in old age.
An integrated circuit photocell detector and sequencer

A simple, inexpensive, and reliable apparatus for photocell detection and amplification is described. The sensitivity, voltage and current amplification, and speed of this apparatus, make it well suited to application in latency measurement in animal mazes. The apparatus can be used in any sort of application where a resistive type of transducer is needed to trigger some other event at higher voltage and current levels than can be done directly by the transducer alone.
Catalysis by a de novo zinc-mediated protein interface: implications for natural enzyme evolution and rational enzyme engineering

Here we show that a recent computationally designed zinc-mediated protein interface is serendipitously capable of catalyzing carboxyester and phosphoester hydrolysis. Although the original motivation was to design a de novo zinc-mediated protein-protein interaction (called MID1-zinc), we observed in the homodimer crystal structure a small cleft and open zinc coordination site. We investigated if the cleft and zinc site at the designed interface were sufficient for formation of a primitive active site that can perform hydrolysis. MID1-zinc hydrolyzes 4-nitrophenyl acetate with a rate acceleration of 10(5) and a k(cat)/K(M) of 630 M(-1) s(-1) and 4-nitrophenyl phosphate with a rate acceleration of 10(4) and a k(cat)/K(M) of 14 M(-1) s(-1). These rate accelerations by an unoptimized active site highlight the catalytic power of zinc and suggest that the clefts formed by protein-protein interactions are well-suited for creating enzyme active sites. This discovery has implications for protein evolution and engineering: from an evolutionary perspective, three-coordinated zinc at a homodimer interface cleft represents a simple evolutionary path to nascent enzymatic activity; from a protein engineering perspective, future efforts in de novo design of enzyme active sites may benefit from exploring clefts at protein interfaces for active site placement.
Fantasy styles, hypnotic dreaming and fantasy proneness

Eighty-three subjects participated in a study of the relation between fantasy styles and hypnotic dreaming. As hypothesized, subjects who reported that their daydreams revolved around fearful, guilt-ridden, and achievement-based (Guilt-fear-of-failure, GFF) fantasies, were more likely to report negative emotion and anxiety in their dreams. However, positive-constructive (PC) fantasy and poor attentional control (PAC) fantasy styles were unrelated to affect expressed in subjects' hypnotic dreams. We also found that fantasy proneness was correlated with both the PC and GFF fantasy styles. Copyright © 1996 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis
Statistical trust establishment in wireless sensor networks

We present a new distributed approach that establishes reputation-based trust among sensor nodes in order to identify malfunctioning and malicious sensor nodes and minimize their impact on applications. Our method adapts well to the special characteristics of wireless sensor networks, the most important being their resource limitations. Our methodology computes statistical trust and a confidence interval around the trust based on direct and indirect experiences of sensor node behavior. By considering the trust confidence interval, we are able to study the tradeoff between the tightness of the trust confidence interval with the resources used in collecting experiences. Furthermore, our approach allows dynamic scaling of redundancy levels based on the trust relationship between the nodes of a wireless sensor network. Using extensive simulations we demonstrate the benefits of our approach over an approach that uses static redundancy levels in terms of reduced energy consumption and longer life of the network. We also find that high confidence trust can be computed on each node with a relatively small memory overhead and used to determine the level of redundancy operations among nodes in the system.
Development of a durable, large area cathode for repetitive, uniform electron beam generation

Summary form only given, as follows. Electra is a large aperture krypton-fluoride laser under development for the inertial fission energy program. The laser will require dual 500 kV, 36 A/cm/sup 2/, uniform electron beams operating at 5 Hz for more than 10/sup 5/ shots. Experimental studies have been performed to develop a 3000 cm cathode capable of generating a 110 kA, 100 ns flat top beam pulse with minimal current density variation (<10%), fast turn-on time (<40 ns), negligible gap closure (<1 cm/us), and long lifetime (ultimately 10/sup 8/ shots). Time resolved electrical and optical data from the study of various dielectric fiber, carbon, and metal/dielectric cathodes will be presented.
Using multilevel growth curve modeling to examine emotional modulation of temporal summation of pain (TS-pain) and the nociceptive flexion reflex (TS-NFR)

Abstract Emotion can modulate pain and spinal nociception, and correlational data suggest that cognitive-emotional processes can facilitate wind-up-like phenomena (ie, temporal summation of pain). However, there have been no experimental studies that manipulated emotion to determine whether within-subject changes in emotion influence temporal summation of pain (TS-pain) and the nociceptive flexion reflex (TS-NFR, a physiological measure of spinal nociception). The present study presented a series of emotionally charged pictures (mutilation, neutral, erotic) during which electric stimuli at 2 Hz were delivered to the sural nerve to evoke TS-pain and TS-NFR. Participants (n = 46 healthy; 32 female) were asked to rate their emotional reactions to pictures as a manipulation check. Pain outcomes were analyzed using statistically powerful multilevel growth curve models. Results indicated that emotional state was effectively manipulated. Further, emotion modulated the overall level of pain and NFR; pain and NFR were highest during mutilation and lowest during erotic pictures. Although pain and NFR both summated in response to the 2-Hz stimulation series, the magnitude of pain summation (TS-pain) and NFR summation (TS-NFR) was not modulated by picture-viewing. These results imply that, at least in healthy humans, within-subject changes in emotions do not promote central sensitization via amplification of temporal summation. However, future studies are needed to determine whether these findings generalize to clinical populations (eg, chronic pain).
Reduction of heatsink emissions by application of lossy materials

This paper investigates the benefits of high permittivity and permeability RF materials on electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance of integrated circuit (IC) heatsinks. An analysis of lossy materials using Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations is presented and findings are supported by experimental measurements carried out in both reverberation chamber (RC) and Semi-Anechoic Chamber (SAC) environments.
Boundary macroblock padding in MPEG-4 video decoding using a graphics coprocessor

MPEG-4 is the latest multimedia coding standard that supports object-based coding and manipulation of natural video and synthetic graphics objects. Due to its various features and high coding efficiency, MPEG-4 is becoming popular in video streaming applications. Many graphics coprocessors provide the acceleration of inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT) and motion compensation for real-time video decoding. Therefore, it is desired to use the graphics coprocessors to accelerate MPEG-4 video decoding as well. Since MPEG-4 video decoding for rectangular video objects is similar to other video coding standards, e.g., MPEG-2, the IDCT and motion compensation can still be executed on the graphics coprocessors. However, we have found that boundary macroblock padding, which is an essential processing step in decoding arbitrarily shaped video objects, could not be efficiently accelerated on the graphics coprocessors due to its complexity. Although we can implement the boundary macroblock padding on the host processor, the frame data processed on the graphics coprocessor need to be transferred to the host processor for padding. In addition, the padded data on the host processor need to be sent back to the graphics coprocessor to be used as a reference for subsequent frames. To avoid this overhead, we present two approaches of boundary macroblock padding. In the first approach, the boundary macroblock padding is partitioned into two tasks, one of which the host processor can perform without the overhead of data transfers. In the second approach, we propose two new instructions and an algorithm that can be easily adopted in the next-generation graphics coprocessors or mediaprocessors, which gives a performance improvement of up to a factor of nine compared to that with the Pentium III.
Dual-photoelastic-modulator-based polarimetric imaging concept for aerosol remote sensing

A dual-photoelastic-modulator- (PEM-) based spectropolarimetric camera concept is presented as an approach for global aerosol monitoring from space. The most challenging performance objective is to measure degree of linear polarization (DOLP) with an uncertainty of less than 0.5% in multiple spectral bands, at moderately high spatial resolution, over a wide field of view, and for the duration of a multiyear mission. To achieve this, the tandem PEMs are operated as an electro-optic circular retardance modulator within a high-performance reflective imaging system. Operating the PEMs at slightly different resonant frequencies generates a beat signal that modulates the polarized component of the incident light at a much lower heterodyne frequency. The Stokes parameter ratio q = Q/I is obtained from measurements acquired from each pixel during a single frame, providing insensitivity to pixel responsivity drift and minimizing polarization artifacts that conventionally arise when this quantity is derived from differences in the signals from separate detectors. Similarly, u = U/I is obtained from a different pixel; q and u are then combined to form the DOLP. A detailed accuracy and tolerance analysis for this polarimeter is presented.
Ea-B and Ea-C Cellular Antigen Genes in Leghorn Lines Resistant and Susceptible to Acute Cecal Coccidiosis

Abstract The purpose of the work was to explore the diversity and function of alloantigens in chickens differing in genetic resistance to acute cecal coccidiosis, Eimeria tenella (ACC). This paper describes A and E alloantigens, products of linked loci Ea-A and Ea-E, worked out in Leghorn lines R and S, previously selected for respective resistance and susceptibility to ACC. The R line possesses high frequency haplotypes A7E5 and A9E1 with very low frequencies of the recombinants. The S line possesses almost totally different haplotypes ranging from high to low frequency, respectively: A9E3, A9E5, A9E2, and A11E1. Alleles A7 and A11 were differentiated only by fortuitous production of an A reagent in other work on a commercial broiler line, suggesting that alloantigen variability in chickens is a continuum spanning varietal differences. The AE recombinants in both lines remained at very low frequencies for many generations after selection was suspended. Discussion is given for selection having been the most probable force producing nearly unique AE haplotypes in each of the two lines, largely from different cis-trans relations between similar A and E alleles. Thus, interactions of the A and E regions appeared to have been essential to the seeming action of AE on genetic resistance to ACC. The A and E antigens are shown to develop contemporaneously in ontogeny in the earliest generations of embryonic erythrocytes, further suggesting that AE is a coordinated functional complex.
Pacifier: High-Throughput, Reliable Multicast without ``Crying Babies'' in Wireless Mesh Networks

In contrast to unicast routing, high-throughput reliable multicast routing in wireless mesh networks (WMNs) has received little attention. There are two primary challenges to supporting high-throughput, reliable multicast in WMNs. The first is no different from unicast: wireless links are inherently lossy due to varying channel conditions and interference. The second, known as the "crying baby" problem, is unique to multicast: the multicast source may have varying throughput to different multicast receivers, and hence trying to satisfy the reliability requirement for poorly connected receivers can potentially result in performance degradation for the rest of the receivers. In this paper, we propose Pacifier, a new high-throughput reliable multicast protocol for WMNs. Pacifier seamlessly integrates four building blocks, namely, tree-based opportunistic routing, intra-flow network coding, source rate limiting, and round-robin batching, to support high-throughput, reliable multicast routing in WMNs, while at the same time effectively addresses the "crying baby" problem. Our evaluations show that Pacifier increases the average throughput over a practical, state-of-the-art reliable network coding-based protocol MORE by 171%, while improving the throughput of well-connected receivers by up to a factor of 20.
Moral philosophy and theology: why is there so little difference for Roman Catholics?

The cardinal question in Christian moral theory and bioethics is whether the knowledge that Christians have (1) by grace and (2) by revelation (e.g., regarding the character of human and cosmic history as reaching from creation through the Incarnation and the Redemption to the Second Coming and the restoration of all things) makes a crucial contribution to understanding morality, as for example issues such as the good death and the morality of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. This article argues that such a contribution is made by grace and revelation. The reduction of Roman Catholic moral theology and bioethics to secular bioethics is explored, as well as the necessity of the unique knowledge possessed by Christians for adequate end-of-life decision-making.
X-Ray Structure Determination of Proteins and Peptides

Before Robert Hookes work on light microscopy and the publication of his microscopic images in 1665, no one knew that organisms were built from individual units, whichHooke called cells [1]. Themicroscope had a profound effect in biology that still resonates today by revealing the inner workings of the cell and helping biologists gain a better understanding of cellular architecture and function. Even some350 years later, themicroscope is still a valuable tool in todays arsenal of biology and chemistry research instruments. As powerful as the light microscope is, it is still incapable of resolving individual atoms that make up the repertoire of complex molecules in biology. This is because the resolution limit of a microscope is limited by the wavelength of the incident radiation, which is scattered by the specimen under inspection. The scattered light is collected by the objective lens, which refocuses the light into an inverse image. With the proper placement of other lenses within the microscope, the image can be magnified resulting in the microscopist seeing greater detail or resolution. The simplified equation used to define the resolving power of a light microscope is given as:
Wikis and Wikipedia as a teaching tool: Five years later

Just a few years ago Wikipedia was seen as a barbarian invading the ivory tower. Now, an increasing number of academics recognize that it can be used as an effective teaching tool. The following paper is divided into two parts. It beings with a discussion of the advantages of using Wikipedia as a teaching tool, an activity that goes beyond a simple addition to the teaching repertoire, and allows contributing to our society through service learning and participation in an online community of practice. Contributing to Wikipedia benefits the students, the instructors and the wider community. The second part focuses on practice of teaching with Wikipedia. Building on my five years of experience in teaching with wikis and Wikipedia and holding workshops on the subject, I will discuss the most efficient ways to incorporate Wikipedia into one's teaching curriculum, highlight common problems and their solutions, and describe a number of new tools enhancing the “teaching with Wikipedia” experience.
Deleterious effects of the ciliate epibiont Zoothamnium sp. on fitness of the copepod Acartia tonsa

The effects of the colonial peritrich ciliate epibiont, Zoothamnium sp., on fitness components of the copepod Acartia tonsa were examined during a three-week infestation event in Long Island Sound. Infestation rate and intensity (ciliate load copepod 21 ), copepod body size and mating success were measured on six separate occasions in the field. Infestation rates exceeded 60% in both male and female copepods. Infested females had a significantly greater ciliate load than males on three of the six sampling dates. Infested males were significantly smaller than uninfested males midway through the event, whereas infested females were significantly smaller during the peak in infestation rate and intensity. There was no difference in the frequency of unmated females between infested and uninfested individuals on any sampling date. Laboratory experiments were carried out under three food regimes (starvation, food-limited and food-unlimited). Survivorship was significantly lower for infested versus uninfested males under starvation, but not under the food-unlimited condition. Infested females, however, showed significantly lower survivorship than uninfested ones under all three food regimes. In addition, infested females produced significantly fewer eggs than uninfested females under starvation and food-unlimited conditions. Overall, both male and female A. tonsa bearing the ciliate epibiont Zoothamnium experience a significant decrease in components of fitness.
A biologically derived model for perception to serve as an interface between an intelligent system and its environments

There are two main levels of neural function to be modeled with appropriate state variables and operations. Microscopic activity is seen in the fraction of the variance of single neuron pulse trains (>99.9%) that is largely random and uncorrelated with pulse trains of other neurons in the neuropil. Macroscopic activity is revealed in the >0.1% of the total variance of each neuron that is covariant with all other neurons in neuropil comprising a population. It is observed in dendritic potentials recorded as surface EEGs. The "spontaneous" background activity of neuropil at both levels arises from mutual excitation within a population of excitatory neurons. Its governing point attractor is set by the macroscopic state, which acts as an order parameter to regulate the contributing neurons. The point attractor manifests a homogeneous field of white noise, which can be modeled by a continuous time state variable for pulse density. Neuropil comprises both excitatory and inhibitory neurons.
Five-factor model prototypes for personality disorders: the utility of self-reports and observer ratings.

The current study examined the prototype-matching technique for using the five-factor model (FFM) of personality to assess personality disorders (PDs) and their correlates. The sample was composed of 69 psychiatric patients, most of whom suffered from affective or anxiety disorders. The participants were predominantly outpatients (78%), Caucasian (94%), and women (58%). NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) data from these patients and informants were available for deriving PD prototype scores. The results supported four conclusions. First, the FFM prototype-matching method is useful for clinical samples. Second, agreement between self-reports and information from significant others (SOs) using this method is good compared to previous results. Third, this agreement varies systematically with the observability of the PD criteria. Fourth, the value of self- and other-reported personality information depends on the rating source of the outcome variables. Otherreported information provides incremental utility in predicting impairment and interpersonal distress rated by clinicians and significant others.
Further Reflections on the WorldCat Collection Analysis Tool

This article focuses on a recent enhancement to the WorldCat Collection Analysis tool, the Interlibrary Loan Analyses module, exploring the possibilities that this enhancement offers for strategic collection development. The study concentrates on the tool as a way to assess the impact of the recent growth at North Carolina State University in biomedicine and human medicine programs. The research contained in this article originated from a session presented at XXVII Annual Charleston Conference, which was held in Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8, 2007.
Identifying Predictive Factors for Incident Reports in Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy

Purpose To describe radiation therapy cases during which voluntary incident reporting occurred; and identify patient- or treatment-specific factors that place patients at higher risk for incidents. Methods and Materials We used our institution's incident learning system to build a database of patients with incident reports filed between January 2011 and December 2013. Patient- and treatment-specific data were reviewed for all patients with reported incidents, which were classified by step in the process and root cause. A control group of patients without events was generated for comparison. Summary statistics, likelihood ratios, and mixed-effect logistic regression models were used for group comparisons. Results The incident and control groups comprised 794 and 499 patients, respectively. Common root causes included documentation errors (26.5%), communication (22.5%), technical treatment planning (37.5%), and technical treatment delivery (13.5%). Incidents were more frequently reported in minors (age P P P =.03) primaries more frequently had incidents, whereas brain (18% vs 24%, P =.008) primaries were less frequent. Larger tumors (17% vs 10% had T4 lesions, P =.02), and cases on protocol (9% vs 5%, P =.005) or with intensity modulated radiation therapy/image guided intensity modulated radiation therapy (52% vs 43%, P =.001) were more likely to have incidents. Conclusions We found several treatment- and patient-specific variables associated with incidents. These factors should be considered by treatment teams at the time of peer review to identify patients at higher risk. Larger datasets are required to recommend changes in care process standards, to minimize safety risks.
The First Decade of the Supreme Court of the United States

OR eleven months after the United States of America came into existence on March 4, I789, it possessed only two branches of government, a legislative and an executive. For eleven months it lacked the third branch-the judicial; and this in spite of the fact that on the very next day after the new Senate organized with a quorum, the first bill to be introduced was the Judiciary Bill-Senate No. i. It was six months before the bill became law and before President Washington could appoint the members of the first Supreme Court. What caused this delay? As is well known, while the Constitution provided that there should be "one Supreme Court" and "such inferior Courts as Congress may from time to time ordain and establish," the composition of the Supreme Court and the existence or non-existence of any inferior courts and the extent of their jurisdiction were left entirely to Congress to decide. Many who favored the Constitution, as well as many who were opposed, both in the Federal Convention and in the State ratifying conventions had expressed the view that it would be better for Congress to leave to the State courts the execution of Federal rights and powers, with an appeal to the Supreme Court; and from April 7, the date when the Senate appointed its committee to organize the judicial system, this was the great controversial question. On June 12, 1789, the committee reported a bill, chiefly drafted by Oliver Ellsworth and William Paterson, providing for a Supreme Court of six Judges and for Federal district and circuit courts to try criminal and admiralty cases and suits between citizens of different States. Over this bill, the debate raged in the Senate and in the House for three months. The crucial point was whether there should be any inferior Federal courts (except possibly in admiralty), and if there were to be any such courts, whether the Constitution required that they be vested with the full jurisdiction which the Constitution permitted, including cases arising under the laws and Constitution of the United States
Culture, militarism, and America’s heroic future:

This paper critically reflects back on culture, militarism, and the heroic. We see a need for greater attention to militarism, as well as re-evaluation of the heroic, on the part of cultural researchers. The heroic involves not just extraordinary physical action, but also acting with moral courage to end injustices, to support human rights, and the development of society to becoming a full or “actualized” democracy. This necessarily requires the relationship between psychological science and the American military to also involve critical assessments of the global role and impact of the American military. Integral to this re-assessment is a critical perspective on “evidence-based” interventions generally.
Effectiveness of the Insect Growth Regulator Pyriproxyfen Against the Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The juvenoid pyriproxyfen (2-[l-Methyl-2-(4-phenoxyphenoxy) ethoxy] pyridine caused 80–85% reductions in the colony size index of laboratory colonies of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, within four weeks after treatment. All treated colonies continued to decline in size and died within 6–7 months after treatment. Corn grit-soybean oil baits contianing pyriproxyfen were as effective in four field tests as Logic, a JH-based bait widely used for fire ant control. The baits were slightly more effective in spring-summer than in fall, producing population index reductions of 91–97% and 72–88% respectively at 13 weeks after treatment.
Preliminary experience with a family planning risk-scoring system *

Utilizing a risk scoring system for selection of the proper contraceptive method for women seeking family planning care is discussed and recommended as being attractive and practical. Because there are risks associated with specific contraceptive methods such as thrombosis with oral contraception and pelvic infections with intrauterine contraception it is necessary to preselect the safest method for individual women. Testing 495 women upon their first visit to the clinic the authors compared each womans desired method with the methods selected for by the risk-scoring system. Based on a point score of 1-10 with 10 indicating high risk it is shown that 42% of the women desiring oral contraception had some risk to be considered while 5.1% had a high risk score. For women desiring the intrauterine device 28.6% had some risk factor while 4.2% had a high risk score. They conclude that 3 advantages are: 1) the system was easy to use and pointed out problem areas before a method was selected 2) the system provided a means of quickly monitoring the patients care by a large number of persons and 3) the scoring sheet served as a teaching device.
Pragmatics and Semantics and Husserl and Derrida

This piece undertakes to sketch the contemporary approaches toward meaning known as pragmatics and semantics. Today, this pairing is associated with a controversy or question that concerns the proposition (the portion of what is said or meant or expressed by sentences, capable of being true or false). Yet, while the pragmatics/semantics debate attests to the proposition's precise status being in doubt, the underlying belief remains that the work of the proposition or something like it – e.g., utterances, a portion of which function propositionally – eventually can be established. Jacques Derrida in his writings on Husserl questions even this assumption. He argues that there is an internal limit to propositionality (without abandoning this notion entirely), thanks to a writing (ecriture) that ultimately exceeds it. Moreover, Derrida focuses on themes (in particular, the index and what Husserl called essentially occasional expressions) that are central for the discussions of semantics and pragmatics, while a good deal of common ground exists between Derrida's interlocutor, Husserl, and the analytic tradition. Accordingly, after here reviewing pragmatics and semantics, and some of the complexity of their relation, I turn to Husserl and to Derrida ultimately for a perspective that calls into doubt these projects as such.