cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strontium isotopes from circum-Pacific intra-oceanic island arcs and marginal basins: Regional variations and implications for magmagenesis

Circum-Pacific intra-oceanic island-arc lavas have a mean 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of .70355. Associated marginal basins have a mean 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of .70311. Significant hemispheric variations are noted for both island arcs and back-arc basins. In the north Pacific, mean 87 Sr/ 86 Sr for island arcs (.70335) and back-arc basins (.70287) is less radiogenic than counterparts in the south Pacific (.70374; .70336). This hemispheric variation is not related to the age of sea floor being subducted; therefore, partial fusion of sediments and/or altered crust are not likely to be responsible. Back-arc–basin magmas are generally depleted in radiogenic strontium relative to those of the associated arc, but arc-basin systems are enriched or depleted systematically. Arcs around the western Pacific show regional variations similar to that observed for alkali basalts of the Pacific basin. Both show enrichments in radiogenic strontium near Samoa and become progressively depleted away from it. Least-radiogenic samples from continental-margin volcanics indicate their sources are more radiogenic in the southern circum-Pacific. These regional variations in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr in island-arc and marginal-basin systems suggest that: (1) Regional isotopic variations noted for the mantle beneath the Pacific basin are maintained across convergent plate boundaries. (2) The source regions of marginal-basin basalts are isotopically similar to that of mid-ocean ridge basalts, while those of island arcs are similar to those of intra-plate ocean-island basalts. (3) The sources of island arcs and marginal-basin magmas lie in the mantle.
Aristotle’s Concept of Matter and Its Relation to Modern Concepts of Matter

In this paper I want to analyze in some detail Aristotle’s concept of matter. I do so not simply as a matter of historical scholarship, but in the interest of defending the correctness both scientifically and philosophically of what I would call the central doctrine. The elusiveness of Aristotle’s detailed remarks on the concept of matter is notorious, and I shall not take it as my task to attempt to square my account with every passage that can be cited in the major works. I shall give references where they are obvious and appropriate. In some cases I shall assert features of his doctrine that are not properly documented in the text, but that I think are features of his concept of matter that are pretty generally accepted.
Stress management interventions for police officers and recruits: a meta-analysis

A systematic review was conducted to examine the effects of stress management interventions on outcomes among police officers and recruits. The search methods included searching electronic databases, journals, books, conference proceedings, websites and contacting organizations and authors. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies, and any type of stress management intervention given to police officers, recruits or civilian law enforcement personnel. The 12 primary studies included in the systematic review were published between 1984 and 2008 and included 8 published studies, 3 unpublished doctoral dissertations, and 1 unpublished report. The sample was comprised of 906 participants, with an average age of 34.48 years, and an average of 10.77 years of police experience. The average duration of the interventions was 10.95 h with a range of 30 min to 24 h. A total of 221 effects were examined in a metaanalysis. Effect sizes were calculated separately for physiological, psychological and behavioral outcomes. The overall mean effect for physiological outcomes was 0.196, 0.038 among psychological outcomes, and −0.176 among behavioral outcomes. These small effect sizes suggest that the interventions were not effective. Moderator analyses results did not show any meaningful differences across the studies. Further research is needed to develop and implement effective stress management interventions intended for police officers and recruits that address specific field work, organizational and personal stressors, utilize randomized controlled trials, and indicate the primary, secondary or tertiary focus of the intervention.
Placebo and naloxone can alter post-surgical pain by separate mechanisms

The discovery of an endogenous opioid-mediated analgesic system has led to the search for its physiological roles and how it might be activated in natural conditions. Environmental and surgical stress and certain forms of transcutaneous electrical stimulation or acupuncture appear to activate this system. Several studies also suggest that this opioid system mediates placebo analgesia. Placebo reduces post-surgical pain in comparison with no treatment, and this analgesia is apparently reversed by the opioid antagonist, naloxone. However, these studies did not indicate whether naloxone and placebo exert their effects by common or by separate mechanisms. By administering hidden infusions of naloxone (in subjects unaware that the medication was being given) separate from the administration of a placebo, we were able to assess the effects of these two treatments independently. We report here evidence that placebo analgesia can occur after blockade of opioid mechanisms by naloxone and that naloxone can produce hyperalgesia independent of the placebo effect. The combined action of these effects is sufficient to explain the reversal of placebo analgesia by naloxone.
The Impact of Gender and Experience on the Strength of the Relationships Between Perceived Data Warehouse Flexibility, Ease-of-Use, and Usefulness

Experienced end-users are more likely to leverage the flexibility embedded within an information system. System flexibility influences ease-of-use perceptions, which influence user perceptions of system usefulness. Because men tend to have more experience with information systems and possess less computer anxiety than women, the strength of the relationship between user perceptions of system flexibility and ease of use should be significantly stronger for men. Although the authors found that the strength of this relationship was significant for men and women, the relationship was significantly stronger for women. No significant differences were found based on user differences in the length of their experience with a data warehouse. These findings challenge the conventional wisdom about the effect of gender and experience on system use, and have ramifications for both researchers and practitioners interested in optimizing data warehouse usage.
Postharvest management of insects in horticultural products by conventional and organic means, primarily for quarantine purposes.

Purpose of review: The presence of arthropod pests in or on horticultural commodities has caused major disruptions in the storage, processing and shipment of these products. Management of these pests has posed a problem to humans for thousands of years. Current technology has led to the development of numerous means (chemical, mechanical or procedural) to control these pests. For the most part, postharvest pest control is focused on trade and exports. The accidental introduction of a pest into a place where it is not known to be present has resulted in the establishment of quarantine restrictions and export treatment requirements. This review focuses on the most current state of postharvest and quarantine treatments in development and currently in use on horticultural products. The current implementation and acceptance of these treatments is also addressed. Findings: Conventional postharvest pest control measures include treatments with chemical fumigants and topical pesticides. Concerns over environmental pollution and human health have obstructed the use of conventional chemicals and fumigants and further development of new chemicals for postharvest treatments. Irradiation is considered a conventional treatment, however, it does not use chemicals nor does it result in detectible residues in the commodity. Improvements in engineering commercial irradiators such as restricting source exposure, and the development of more powerful X-ray converters of electron beams, as well as refinement of generic treatments for groups of pests, had led to the expansion of this treatment to achieve quarantine goals. Directions for future research: Organic compliant postharvest treatments have received much attention and are the area of the most research. These treatments can include topical treatments with organic, natural pesticides and biologically derived fumigants, temperature extremes, modified atmospheres, and other novel physical treatments. The status of postharvest treatments for the control of arthropod pests both approved and in development is discussed.
Characterizing the NRC Blackbody Sources for Radiation Thermometry from 150 °C to 962 °C

Validation of the various NRC blackbody sources below 962 °C has been hampered by the lack of a radiation thermometer with sufficient sensitivity and adequately small target size. Recently, progress was made in this area by having access to a NIST RT1550, a radiation thermometer operating at 1.55 μm with a thermoelectrically cooled InGaAs detector, a 3 mm nominal target size, a measuring range of 150 °C to 1064 °C, and a noise-equivalent temperature of 0.5 mK at 420 °C. Having the RT1550 for several months allowed sufficient time to intercompare our various blackbodies, both fixed-point and variable-temperature. It is these intralaboratory comparison results that are reported here.
AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF SPEED CONTROLS FOR SEWING MACHINES

Abstract A new method of speed control for sewing machines used in the shoe industry was studied in a series of experiments. The skill requirements of the task were examined and the new control was tested both in the laboratory and in the factory. The justification for this kind of investigation is discussed.
New prospects for management and treatment of inoperable and recurrent skull base meningiomas

Skull base, including optic nerve, cavernous sinus, clival and foramen magnum tumors represent a major challenge for neurosurgeons and neuro-oncologists. Growth regulatory signaling pathways for these tumors are of increasing interest as potential targets for new chemotherapy. Those differentially activated in various grades of meningiomas are currently being identified as well. This article reviews some recent findings pathways that appear to regulate meningioma growth. Potential targets for novel therapies are also discussed.
High-throughput Screening and Biosensing with Fluorescent C. elegans Strains

High-throughput screening (HTS) is a powerful approach for identifying chemical modulators of biological processes. However, many compounds identified in screens using cell culture models are often found to be toxic or pharmacologically inactive in vivo(1-2). Screening in whole animal models can help avoid these pitfalls and streamline the path to drug development. C. elegans is a multicellular model organism well suited for HTS. It is small (<1 mm) and can be economically cultured and dispensed in liquids. C. elegans is also one of the most experimentally tractable animal models permitting rapid and detailed identification of drug mode-of-action(3). We describe a protocol for culturing and dispensing fluorescent strains of C. elegans for high-throughput screening of chemical libraries or detection of environmental contaminants that alter the expression of a specific gene. Large numbers of developmentally synchronized worms are grown in liquid culture, harvested, washed, and suspended at a defined density. Worms are then added to black, flat-bottomed 384-well plates using a peristaltic liquid dispenser. Small molecules from a chemical library or test samples (e.g., water, food, or soil) can be added to wells with worms. In vivo, real-time fluorescence intensity is measured with a fluorescence microplate reader. This method can be adapted to any inducible gene in C. elegans for which a suitable reporter is available. Many inducible stress and developmental transcriptional pathways are well defined in C. elegans and GFP transgenic reporter strains already exist for many of them(4). When combined with the appropriate transgenic reporters, our method can be used to screen for pathway modulators or to develop robust biosensor assays for environmental contaminants. We demonstrate our C. elegans culture and dispensing protocol with an HTS assay we developed to monitor the C. elegans cap 'n' collar transcription factor SKN-1. SKN-1 and its mammalian homologue Nrf2 activate cytoprotective genes during oxidative and xenobiotic stress(5-10). Nrf2 protects mammals from numerous age-related disorders such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and chronic inflammation and has become a major chemotherapeutic target(11-13).Our assay is based on a GFP transgenic reporter for the SKN-1 target gene gst-4(14), which encodes a glutathione-s transferase(6). The gst-4 reporter is also a biosensor for xenobiotic and oxidative chemicals that activate SKN-1 and can be used to detect low levels of contaminants such as acrylamide and methyl-mercury(15-16).
The Feasibility of Telemedicine in Fiberoptic Laryngoscopy

Study Design: A prospective study was performed in which patients were initially evaluated in an academic otolaryngology office by fiberoptic laryngoscopic examination. Digital images and video were captured at the time of evaluation. Video images were then reviewed at least two hours later. Comparisons were made across anatomical subsites and measured for erythema, edema, secretions, and presence of mass. Either a two or three point grading scale was used for all data points.
Sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporters and vascular calcification.

Purpose of reviewVascular calcification is associated with cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage renal disease and diabetes. Hyperphosphatemia is a risk factor for vascular calcification in these patients. Sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporters are required for cellular phosphate uptak
Chiral actions from phase space (quantum Hall) droplets

Abstract We derive the Hamiltonian and canonical structure for arbitrary deformations of a phase space (quantum Hall) droplet on a general manifold of any dimension. The derivation is based on a transformation that decouples the Casimirs of the density Poisson structure. The linearized theory reproduces the edge state chiral action of the droplets, while the nonlinear Hamiltonian captures 1 / N quantum corrections.
Synthesis and characterization of norbelladine, a precursor of Amaryllidaceae alkaloid, as an anti-inflammatory/anti-COX compound.

Rising ROS and systemic inflammation is often a serious concern in many disease conditions including obesity. Therefore, compounds with both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are considered beneficial in preventing/treating several human chronic diseases. Norbelladine is an amine compound, a precursor for Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (e.g., belladine, crinamine, lycorine, and galanthamine) found in plants traditionally used for treating a variety of human diseases. However, little information is available about its potential health effects. Therefore, the amine was first synthesized, and its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were investigated in this study. Also, the potential effects of the amine on NF-κB activation were investigated due to the critical involvement of ROS in the activation. Norbelladine was synthesized with more than 60% yield, analyzed by a HPLC method, and verified using NMR spectroscopic method. Then, its radical scavenging activity was investigated using DPPH- and superoxide radical assays. At the concentration of 10 μM, norbelladine was a compound able to quench DPPH-radical by 31% (P < 0.05) and reduce superoxide radicals from xanthine oxidase by 33% (P < 0.05). At the concentration of 0.25 μM, the amine also inhibited both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes by 51% and 25% (P < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, at the concentration of 10 μM, norbelladine inhibited NF-κB activation by 23% (P < 0.05). In summary, the data suggests that norbelladine may be a compound to quench radicals, inhibit COX enzymes as well as suppress NF-κB activation at relatively lower concentrations.
Studies on the cyclophorase system. XVIII. The oxido-reductions of glycolysis.

Summary The oxidative enzymes of glycolysis are present in cyclophorase preparations. Their activity is not increased by the presence of pyridine nucleotides. When a small quantity of supernatant is added to the gel, presumably to supply the nonoxidative enzymes, it can oxidize glucose and various intermediates of the glycolysis scheme to carbon dioxide and water. D (-)-Lactic acid is oxidized by cyclophorase preparations in the absence of supernatant, but supernatant is required for the oxidation of L (+)-lactic acid.
Theoretical and Experimental Study of Thermoelectric Generators for Vehicles

The general physical laws for reaching the maximum efficiency of a generator using vehicular exhaust heat have been studied. Based on the physical models of a generator with lumped and distributed parameters, the optimal gas temperature at the outlet of the thermoelectric generator (TEG) and the optimal distribution of gas temperature in the heat exchanger have been found. The basic generator parameters, namely the voltage, power, and efficiency, have been calculated in the steady-state and dynamic modes. The possibility of efficiency improvement by a factor of 1.5 through use of an exponential as compared with an isothermal distribution of heat exchanger temperature has been revealed. Calculations are confirmed by results from testing a prototype vehicular thermoelectric generator.
Terrestrial Heat Flow through Salt-Marsh Peat.

Two measurements of the temperature gradient in salt-marsh peat made at an interval of ½ year permit the upward flow of heat to be estimated as 1.37 x 10-6 cal cm-2 sec-1. This value corresponds closely to the average terrestrial heat flow, obtained in mines and wells.
Is face recognition ‘special’? Evidence from neuropsychology

Is face recognition 'special,' in the sense of relying on functionally and anatomically distinct mechanisms from those required for other kinds of pattern recognition? A number of different neuropsychological dissociations involving recognition and learning of faces and nonface objects are reviewed. In addition, studies of the nature of shape representation in normal face and object recognition are reviewed. The evidence from brain-damaged and normal subjects suggests that face recognition is, indeed, 'special,' and provides some clues to the functional differences between face and object recognition.
A developmental test of the dominance-nutrition hypothesis: linking adult feeding, aggression, and reproductive potential in the paperwasp Mischocyttarus mastigophorus

Because adult females of primitively eusocial insects are plastic in their social roles, they are excellent models for assessing factors that affect fecundity and its relationship with dominance. Previous cross-sectional studies led to the dominance-nutrition hypothesis, which posits that the nutritional costs and benefits of task performance determine ovary development, and thereby affect female's dominance status. In this study, we investigate developmental predictions of the dominance-nutrition hypothesis in the paper wasp Mischocyttarus mastigophorus. Females were relatively inactive when young, and showed limited ovary development until over 2 weeks of adult age. As females aged, inter-individual variance in rates of behavior and in oocyte development increased significantly. As predicted by the dominance- nutrition model, females developed along diverging pathways, which were associated with worker-like and queen-like behavior and physiology. Individuals differed in their rates of nutritionally favo...
Boundary conditions at a naturally permeable wall

Experiments giving the mass efflux of a Poiseuille flow over a naturally permeable block are reported. The efflux is greatly enhanced over the value it would have if the block were impermeable, indicating the presence of a boundary layer in the block. The velocity presumably changes across this layer from its (statistically average) Darcy value to some slip value immediately outside the permeable block. A simple theory based on replacing the effect of the boundary layer with a slip velocity proportional to the exterior velocity gradient is proposed and shown to be in reasonable agreement with experimental results.
On-Pump and Off-Pump Coronary Bypass Surgery

Coronary bypass surgery performed without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump surgery) has been used sporadically since the beginning of the bypass surgery era in 1967, but the use of this strategy increased dramatically during the 1990s. The major reason for the increased use of off-pump surgery was the hope that this strategy would decrease perioperative morbidity and possibly mortality by eliminating cardiopulmonary bypass (on-pump surgery). The fear concerning off-pump surgery has been that the difficulty of operating with the heart beating would lead to less complete and less effective revascularization at the time of surgery and worse long-term outcomes. Article p 1145 Whether these hopes and fears are real has been examined by myriad studies that have compared the outcomes for patients undergoing off-pump and on-pump surgery. Randomized trials usually have shown only small differences in perioperative outcomes, usually slightly in favor of off-pump surgery, but have included mostly low-risk patients. Observational trials often have shown bigger differences in short-term complications, usually in favor of off-pump surgery, but analyses of these trials are complicated by patient selection. Follow-up studies, both randomized and observational, have sometimes noted inferior long-term outcomes after off-pump surgery compared with on-pump …
Optimal surgical management for high-risk populations

The recognition that breast cancer is a group of genetically distinct diseases with differing responses to treatment and varying patterns of both local and systemic failure has led to many questions regarding optimal therapy for those considered to be high risk. Young patients, patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and those who harbor a deleterious mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 are frequently considered to be at highest risk of local failure, leading to speculation that more-aggressive surgical treatment is warranted in these patients. For both age and the triple-negative subtype, it appears that the intrinsic biology which imparts inferior outcomes is not overcome with mastectomy; therefore, a recommendation for more extensive surgical therapy among these higher-risk groups is not warranted. For those at inherited risk, a more-aggressive surgical approach may be preferable, however; patient age, ER status, stage of the index lesion, and individual patient preferences should all be considered in the surgical decision-making process.
Treatment of intraosseous periodontal defects with a combined adjunctive therapy of citric acid conditioning, bone grafting, and placement of collagenous membranes

A total of 25 proximal, intraosseous periodontal defects were treated in 21 adult patients. A 3-prong adjunctive, regenerative treatment approach was used. The treatment included (1) citric acid conditioning of the root surfaces, (2) grafting of particles of decalcified, freeze-dried homologous bone, and (3) placement of freeze-dried, homologous dura mater sheets between the replaced surgical flaps and the tooth surfaces. The results, as evaluated by probing attachment and probing bone level measurements, during 1 year of observation, demonstrated limited improvements of the treated defects. The limited results were similar to previous observations in our clinics following treatment of intraosseous defects using different treatment modalities. It appears that new treatment approaches need to be sought to accomplish clinically significant and predictable regeneration in proximal, intraosseous periodontal defects.
Religious Satire and Poe's “Angel of the Odd”

In his 1844 tale “The Angel of the Odd,” 1 Edgar Allan Poe tells the story of the drunken narrator’s visitation from an “Angel,” who proceeds to torment him with a series of odd incidents that upset his expectations of ordinary life. Conventionally read as an attack on the reign of reason,2 the tale also contains numerous references to the Christian tradition. Cataloging the biblical references in the Poe corpus, William Forrest establishes in Biblical Allusions in Poe that “The Angel of the Odd” indeed contains several allusions to the Old Testament, but he ignores any to the New Testament.3 As the present essay will show, however, connections to the New Testament and Christian institutions abound as part of the tale’s interest in satirizing both. Like the New Testament, “The Angel of the Odd” tells a story of unbelief versus belief. While the biblical text concerns itself foremost with how its characters respond to Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah, Poe’s tale describes how the narrator responds to the antics of the Angel of the Odd. Although he exhorts the narrator to stop drinking alcohol so heavily, the Angel’s real interest lies in trying to arrest the narrator’s reason in order to make room for the incredible, or the “odd”; yet the manner in which the Angel inculcates these lessons colors them in hues common to the Christian tradition.4 “The Angel of the Odd,” then, functions on two levels: On its upper level, the tale parallels the New Testament; its characters, images, and motifs, by way of analogy, evoke certain features of that text while also probing its implications for human life. On an underlying level, the grotesque qualities of “The Angel of the Odd”—its comedic and profane suggestions—twist and destabilize the religious parallels. Thus, the analogues become satirical comments on religion, at first lighthearted then progressively more serious. Many writers of Poe’s day, responding to the broad spirit of reform that suffused antebellum American society, sought to correct human behavior by representing the grave consequences of profligacy, but they did so in stylistically restrained prose that maintained a safe distance from the vices they condemned. However, other reform writers, David Reynolds observes, “described vice in such lurid detail that they themselves were branded as dangerously immoral or sacrilegious.”5 Poe was not a reform writer in the sense
Vitamin D and Major Chronic Illness.

OBJECTIVE: To review the current literature regarding vitamin D insufficiency and supplementation in major illnesses.DESIGN AND METHODS: We reviewed Pubmed-indexed, English language manuscripts from January, 2003 to June, 2012 using search terms related to vitamin D, all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer.OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of disease, risk ratios associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels, and/or vitamin D supplementation schedules were documented.RESULTS: Although 25(OH)D levels ≥20 ng/mL were often associated with improved health outcomes, evidence suggests that 25(OH)D levels ≥30 ng/mL may confer additional health benefits.CONCLUSIONS: Based on the available evidence, vitamin D supplementation to restore 25(OH)D levels within a range of 30-50 ng/mL is reasonable in order to optimize potential benefits and minimize potential risks. This, of course, should be considered in the context of individual patient needs and co-morbidities.
DIAGNOSTIC AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN A NATIONAL INCREMENTAL DENTAL PLAN FOR CHILDREN

A modelling exercise was carried out to examine the potential expenditure in a national incremental dental program for children aged six to 13. Using Relative Value Units (RVUs) as a proxy for dollars, the relative expenditures for care per child in fluoridated and fluoride-deficient areas were assessed. Dental treatment requirements were taken from existing data as far as possible. Arrangements for the delivery of care were based on existing pocicies of the American Dental Association, an services delivered were based on the recommendations of the American Academy of Pedodontics and the American Society of Dentistry for Children. Orthodontic care was limited to space maintainers and simple interceptive care. Children were assumed to receive initial care at age six, and annual maintenance care from ages seven to 13. The results showed that although restorative care would be 49.8 percent less expensive for children in fluoridated areas, total care would be only 11.9 percent less expensive. The major reason for this difference was the high proportion of annual maintenance-care costs that would be absorbed by diagnostic and preventive services using UCR fees. The necessity for much of this care is questioned under the conditions of this model, and some methods by which the dental profession might control the relatively high cost of diagnostic-preventive services are suggested.
eNOS uncoupling in pulmonary hypertension

This editorial refers to ‘Pulmonary hypertension in adult Alk1 heterozygous mice due to oxidative stress’ by M. Jerkic et al. , pp. 375–384, this issue. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by high blood pressure and vascular remodelling in pulmonary arteries and subsequently right ventricular hypertrophy. Although several studies in animal models of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and pathological examinations of lung tissue obtained from PAH patients show occlusion of pulmonary arteries, the exact molecular mechanisms for vascular abnormalities remain unclear.1 Endothelial dysfunction seems to be one of the earliest events in PAH and is characterized by reduced levels of vasodilators nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin and increased vasoconstrictor agents, such as endothelin-1 and prostanoids.1 NO formed from L-arginine by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays an important protective role in vascular haemostasis.2 Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (Alk1) is a type I receptor of transforming growth factor-beta family proteins or bone morphogenic proteins and is mainly expressed in endothelial cells, regulating proliferation and migration in vitro and angiogenesis in vivo .3,4 Mutation of the Alk1 gene causes hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia type II in patients, an autosomal dominant vascular dysplasia that results …
Knowledge-based data analysis comes of age

The emergence of high-throughput technologies for measuring biological systems has introduced problems for data interpretation that must be addressed for proper inference. First, analysis techniques need to be matched to the biological system, reflecting in their mathematical structure the underlying behavior being studied. When this is not done, mathematical techniques will generate answers, but the values and reliability estimates may not accurately reflect the biology. Second, analysis approaches must address the vast excess in variables measured (e.g. transcript levels of genes) over the number of samples (e.g. tumors, time points), known as the 'large-p, small-n' problem. In large-p, small-n paradigms, standard statistical techniques generally fail, and computational learning algorithms are prone to overfit the data. Here we review the emergence of techniques that match mathematical structure to the biology, the use of integrated data and prior knowledge to guide statistical analysis, and the recent emergence of analysis approaches utilizing simple biological models. We show that novel biological insights have been gained using these techniques.
The shear threshold effect for adhesion through L-selectin: influence of receptor and ligand site density

The selectin family of cell adhesion molecules mediates capture and rolling adhesion of white blood cells to vascular walls, an essential component of the inflammatory response. Adhesion through L-selectin requires a hydrodynamic shear stress above a threshold level, a phenomenon known as the shear threshold effect. We have reported that the shear threshold effect can be re-created in cell-free systems, in which ligand-coated microspheres are perfused over L-selectin-coated surfaces. The paper extends the use of the cell-free system to determine the concurrent influence of L-selectin and ligand site density on the shear threshold effect. We find that the shear threshold effect diminishes with increasing levels of both L-selectin and its ligand. At reduced site densities of either L-selectin or ligand, the shear threshold effect is present, with maximal rolling observed at a shear stress of 1.2 dynes/cm/sup 2/. At higher site densities of L-selectin and ligand, the shear threshold effect disappears. These results suggest that a shear threshold is required for L-selectin-mediated rolling only when low numbers of receptor-ligand bonds can be formed. The appearance of the shear threshold effect may be controlled via receptor or ligand site density.
Iterative layer-based raytracing on CUDA

A raytracer consists in an application capable of tracing rays from a point into a scene in order to determine the closest sphere intersection along the ray's direction.
Sensory gating disturbances in the spectrum: Similarities and differences in schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia

Background DSM-5 places schizophrenia on a continuum from severe, chronic schizophrenia to the attenuated schizophrenia-like traits of schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), the prototypic schizophrenia-related personality disorder. SPD shares common genetic and neurobiological substrates with schizophrenia, including information processing abnormalities, although they are less marked. This is the first study to directly compare the P50 evoked electroencephalographic response—a measure of sensory gating and a neurophysiological endophenotype—between schizophrenia-spectrum groups. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) Compared with healthy controls (HCs), schizophrenia patients show reduced P50 suppression and SPD patients resemble schizophrenia but exhibit less marked deficits; and (2) Deficient P50 suppression in SPD is associated with greater clinical symptom severity.
Tracking tongue movements for environment control using particle swarm optimization

We have developed a magnetic localization technique to accurately track 3-D tongue movements in the oral cavity and use this information to discern user's intention. This method will be used in an unobtrusive, wireless magnetic tongue-computer interface, know as tongue drive, to provide people with severe disabilities with computer access and proportional control over their environments. A small permanent magnet secured on the tongue by implantation, piercing, or adhesives, is utilized as a tracer. The magnetic field variations due to tongue movements are detected by three 3-D magneto-inductive sensor modules and wirelessly transmitted to a computer to be translated into user-defined commands. The tracer is modeled as a magnetic dipole, which position and orientation are estimated using particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Simulation and experimental results show that using this method we can localize the tracer inside the mouth cavity every 0.2 s with 1 mm and 2deg resolution in position and orientation, respectively.
Recursive Transforms In Hybrid Processing

This paper presents a unified analysis of a class of unitary transforms including the discrete Fourier, the Walsh Hadamard, the discrete Hartley, and the discrete cosine transforms. These transforms possess a common recursive property that allows us to obtain the next higher-order transform from two identical, preceding lower-order transforms. This recursive property eventually leads us to formulate a fast, efficient recursive algorithm for the discrete Hartley transform, from which the fast processing algorithm for the discrete cosine transform can also be obtained. Hybrid implementations using state-of-the-art integrated optics in digital format have also been proposed for such fast, efficient processing algorithms.
Predicting with Confidence: Extensions to the GRNN Oracle Enabling Quantification of Confidence in Predictions☆

Abstract The GRNN oracle is an optimal estimator that provides the maximum likelihood unbiased estimate by combining a series of intelligent processing results, where those estimates with the smallest variance are weighted most highly. It is known that if the individual predictors in the ensemble are too similar, the oracle cannot provide much improvement. We have newly observed that if the predictions are characterized by class inhomogeneities, then the oracle can be limited in its ability to compensate. For some training cases, all models might provide incorrect predictions; let us call these cases “trouble makers.” To address this problem, the oracle theory was mathematically extended to provide estimates of the sensitivity of its predictions. These sensitivities provide a basis for declaring that certain of its predictions should be treated as untrustworthy. It then has information to flag them. This paper addresses that theoretical development and applies these extensions, to toy problems, with the future objective of application to real problems of detecting dementia / Alzheimer's in speech patterns.
Structures of the Carbon-Phosphorus Lyase Complex Reveal the Binding Mode of the NBD-like PhnK.

Summary The carbon-phosphorus (C-P) lyase complex is essential for the metabolism of unactivated phosphonates to phosphate in bacteria. Using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, we determined two structures of the C-P lyase core complex PhnG 2 H 2 I 2 J 2 , with or without PhnK. PhnG 2 H 2 I 2 J 2 is a two-fold symmetric hetero-octamer. Its two PhnJ subunits provide two identical binding sites for PhnK. Only one PhnK binds to PhnG 2 H 2 I 2 J 2 due to steric hindrance. PhnK is homologous to the nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) of ATP-binding cassette transporters. The α helices 3 and 4 of PhnK bind to α helix 6 and a loop (residues 227–230) of PhnJ, in a different mode from the binding of NBDs to their transmembrane partners. Moreover, binding of PhnK exposes the active site residue, Gly32 of PhnJ, located near the interface between PhnJ and PhnH. This structural information provides a basis for further deciphering of the reaction mechanism of the C-P lyase.
The wages of oil: parliaments and economic development in Kuwait and the UAE

Michael Herb’s study of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with reference to the rest of the Gulf monarchies and rent-rich states elsewhere, refutes the simplistic resource curse argument t...
Magnetic Remanence and Response to Magnetic Fields in Crustacea

Crustacea comprise a major portion of the diversity and biomass of marine fauna, yet their biology is little known in comparison to their terrestrial counterparts, the insects. These marine arthropods display oriented movements in their habitat as well as timing of behavior with respect to environmental stimuli. There have been very few studies, however, of either the effects of magnetic fields on Crustacea or the magnetic fields generated by living Crustacea. In this chapter, we report the first measures of significant magnetic remanence in Crustacea, we relate this biological magnetism to that described in other animals, and we discuss its possible significance in the life history of shrimp and barnacles.
Utility of mammography for chronic kidney disease patients undergoing kidney transplant evaluation

UNLABELLED Transplant centers typically require screening mammography (MMG) for women ≥40 during evaluation. American Cancer Society recommends starting annual MMG at 40, while USPSTF recommends biennial MMG at 50. We sought to determine the effect of age and other breast malignancy risk factors on screening MMG in the pre-transplant renal failure population undergoing transplant evaluation. METHODS We retrospectively examined women ≥40 undergoing kidney transplant evaluation from 2006 to 2012 (n = 541). RESULTS Patients aged 40.0-49.9 and ≥50 had similar rates of breast biopsy and breast malignancy. African Americans underwent a higher rate of biopsies (OR 2.391, 95%CI 1.111-5.019, p = 0.026), with a lower rate of biopsy in those already on dialysis at presentation (OR 0.434, 95%CI 0.212-0.888, p = 0.022). Higher breast density (>50% fibroglandular tissue) increased both rate of biopsy (OR 2.876, 95%CI 1.377-6.010, p = 0.005) and malignancy (OR 5.061, 95%CI 1.012-25.315, p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS As we found no independent differences in biopsy or malignancy between age groups, it is reasonable for transplant centers to use the same evaluation MMG screening policy for all women ≥40. However, as malignancy risk increased with higher breast density, a lower threshold for additional workup may be warranted in patients with dense breasts or an indeterminate lesion on MMG.
Electrical Properties of Ferroelectric Thin Film Capacitors with Different Structures

Ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin film capacitors were fabricated using different designs. Silicon wafers with an oxide layer were used as the substrates. Conductive metallic oxide of RuO2 was reactively sputtered on SiO2/Si as a bottom electrode. The BaTiO3 thin films with a thickness in the range of 150–300nm were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering. Different capacitor structures, including single layer amorphous, single layer polycrystalline, and bi-layer amorphous on polycrystalline, were investigated in this study. The clear interface between BaTiO3 and RuO2 as demonstrated by cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy implies little interdiffusion. The DC conducticity of a film with a thickness of around 200nm was as low as 1×l0−13/Ω-cm at 4V. The dielectric constant of the composite structure was controlled in a range from 30 to 130. Breakdown voltage varied from 5×105V/cm to 1×106V/cm.
Amine Catalyzed Atomic Layer Deposition of (3- Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane for the Production of Heterogeneous Sulfonic Acid Catalysts

The production of heterogeneous sulfonic acid catalysts was carried out using an amine-catalyzed atomic layer deposition process utilizing 3-(mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane. The amine catalyst was employed to allow for low temperature deposition, since mercaptopropyl moieties undergo pyrolysis at ∼200 °C. The highest loading achieved using alternating MPTMS and water pulses, with piperidine as the catalyst, was found to be comparable to loadings achieved by means of other classical synthesis techniques. The growth per cycle varied dramatically at different stages of the deposition, contrasting significantly from other known atomic layer deposition processes. Depositions using known amine catalysts, NH3 and pyridine, were compared to piperidine. NH3 was found to yield loadings comparable to piperidine only when higher NH3 partial pressures were used, while pyridine performed similarly to piperidine at the same partial pressures, but with a slower surface reaction rate. Depositions were monitored using a r...
Determination of 5 fluorescent whitening agents in packaging paper by high performance liquid chromatography( HPLC)

Objective A detection method is developed in this study to simultaneously detect five different kinds of 4,4'-diaminostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid fluorescent whitening agents( DSD-FWAs) in packaging paper by high performance liquid chromatography( HPLC). Methods Samples were ultrasonically extracted with acetonitrile / water / trimethylamine( 40∶60∶1,V / V) and then the target agents were separated on Eclipse XDB-C18 column,Methanol-acetonitrile-TBA-water( p H =8. 0) was used as the mobile phase with gradient elution. The flow rate of the mobile phase was 1. 0 ml / min,and then detected with a fluorescence detector. Results Five kinds of DSD-FWAs including C. I. 113,C. I. 71,C. I. 85,C. I. 24 and C. I. 353 can be effectively separated. There were good linearity in the concentration range of 0. 01 mg / L-20. 0 mg / L with correlation coefficients greater than 0. 999 2. The average recoveries of the five compounds ranged from 80. 2% to 93. 2% at the spiked levels of 1. 0 mg / L,5. 0 mg / L with relative standard deviations( RSD) of 2. 5%-6. 4%. Conclusion The method is simple,accurate and highly selective,and can be used for the rapid determination of the five FWAs in food packaging paper.
College students' cell phone use and attachment to parents and peers

Abstract College students spend hours each day using their cell phones. A common motivation for this behavior is the maintenance of social relations. Yet depending on cell phone use behavior, cell phone use could potentially strengthen or weaken social relations. We investigated this possibility with a survey (N = 493) assessing students' perceptions of important social relations (i.e., Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment) and various cell phone use behaviors. The relationship between cell phone use and Parent Attachment was modeled with three regression equations, one for each Parent Attachment subscale (i.e., communication, trust, alienation). These subscales were the criterion variables. Each regression equation contained the same predictor variables: total daily cell phone use, calling, texting, and problematic use. Anxiety and self-esteem were control variables. The relationship between cell phone use and Peer Attachment was modeled similarly. Regression equations were estimated simultaneously using the Seemingly Unrelated Regression technique. For males: calling, texting and total daily use were not related to parent or peer attachment; problematic use was negatively related to parent and peer attachment. For females: calling was positively related to parental attachment and texting to peer attachment; problematic use was negatively related to parent and peer attachment. Implications are discussed.
Pathophysiology of Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a transmembrane protein that belongs to the family of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding cassette proteins. It is expressed in multiple tissues throughout the body, where it plays a key role in the regulation of ion transport across cell membranes in mucosal surfaces [1]. CFTR conducts chloride (Cl) and bicarbonate (HCO3-), and it also appears to reduce sodium (Na) transport through inhibition of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). In the absence of CFTR function the loss of ion transport has different effects on different tissues. In the sweat duct, CFTR serves to resorb NaCl from sweat, and in its absence there is excessive salt loss through sweat. In organs such as the pancreas and the liver, loss of ion transport results in viscous mucus secretions and ductal obstruction.
CFD analysis of turning abilities of a submarine model

Abstract A detailed analysis of the maneuvering qualities of a submarine vehicle is carried out by means of a general purpose unsteady RaNSe based CFD solver. In particular, free running maneuvering simulations are performed both at infinite depth and close to the free surface (snorkeling operation) at a reference speed corresponding to Fr = 0.21 ; the analysis is restricted to three degrees of freedom (3DoF) maneuvers in the horizontal plane. The submarine model is equipped with two different control device arrangements, namely a cruciform and a X rudder configuration. The numerical results are presented in a phenomenological style and are partially validated with the experiments for the cruciform rudder configuration. Main finding highlights the superior turning abilities of the X rudder configuration with respect to the cruciform one. Moreover, it has been observed that, for the condition investigated and for both configurations, the stern appendages provide a destabilizing force only in the transient phase, while it acts as a fixed appendage during the steady turning phase. The study focuses also on the effect of grid refinement on both the maneuvering loads and the resulting dynamic response of the model. The analysis revealed that, at least for the present geometry and test, a rather coarse grid (order of millions of grid points) provides a reliable prediction of both the trajectory and kinematic parameters, but a rather inaccurate hydrodynamic loads estimation.