cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis, Management, and Clinical Outcomes of Tandem Thoracic and Lumbar Stenosis: A Systematic Literature Review and Case Series.

Background A scarcity of data has been reported on tandem thoracic lumbar stenosis, which might be related to either the rarity or underdiagnosis of the condition. We have presented a systematic review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment patterns for patients with symptomatic tandem thoracic and lumbar stenosis. Methods A PubMed/MEDLINE search was performed to find reports of patients with symptomatic tandem thoracic and lumbar stenosis. Results The review identified 10 studies with a total of 48 patients with tandem thoracic and lumbar stenosis. Most patients (n = 41; 85%) had had tandem stenosis diagnosed at the initial investigation, with 71% of the reports citing ossification of the ligamentum flavum as a contributing etiology. A few patients (n = 7; 15%) had had thoracic lesions diagnosed after neurologic deterioration that had occurred after lumbar surgery for previously suspected isolated lumbar stenosis. Surgical management varied from isolated thoracic decompression, staged decompression, and simultaneous decompression. Most patients (n = 41; 87%) showed improved neurologic status after surgery. Conclusion Ossification of the ligamentum flavum might play a key role in the pathogenesis of the condition. Most patients with tandem thoracic and lumbar stenosis will show improvement after surgical decompression. Although the limited evidence available has raised concerns regarding neurologic deterioration after initial lumbar decompression in patients with coexisting thoracic stenosis, the data are insufficient to definitively determine an optimal surgical strategy. Further research is needed to identify the optimal diagnostic and management criteria for patients with symptomatic tandem thoracic and lumbar stenosis.
Structure-photophysics-function relationship of perovskite solar cells

The organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have achieved power conversion efficiency on par with that of commercial silicon solar cells. The main challenge towards commercial application is its instability. Quasi-2D perovskite has higher stability and easier tunability compared to 3D perovskite. Tuning the phase distribution according to device architecture is of importance. To better understand the structure-function relationship of perovskite materials, we utilize femtosecond laser spectroscopy to study photophysics of different structures. For example, we manipulate the phase purity and vertical distribution of quasi-2D perovskite, verified by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. We find that solar cell performance is more sensitive to phase purity than vertical phase distribution. In another example, to improve both efficiency and stability simultaneously, a small amount of hydrophobic cation of large size is added into 3D perovskite. We find that the propylammonium is the most effective by comparing a family of different cations. The cations of large size preferentially segregate at the grain boundaries and surface, verified by transient absorption and reflection spectroscopy. Such passivation enhances device efficiency up to 20.1% and improves both device and precursor stabilities.
Electrolytic co-deposition neutron production measured by bubble detectors

Abstract Co-deposition electrochemical cells are a simple means to examine novel nuclear reactions. In this study, palladium and deuterium atoms were co-deposited on a cathode at stoichiometric densities, forming dendritic morphologies. Bubble detector neutron dosimeters were used to measure equivalent dose levels during electrolytic deposition. Cells expected to produce excess neutrons were denoted as experimental cells and contained an electrolyte consisting of palladium(II) chloride, lithium chloride, and heavy water. The control cells used copper(II) chloride, lithium chloride, and heavy water electrolyte. Thirteen experimental and nine control cells were supplied current, increasing from 0.1 to 100.0 mA over a period of 20 days. Neutron radiation levels detected near experimental cells were, on average, greater than those measured near control cells for the entire test profile. For test days 9 through 20, the experimental cells exhibited significantly higher average neutron radiation than the controls at a 99% confidence level.
Reinfection Rates among Patients who Previously Tested Positive for COVID-19: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Protection afforded from prior disease among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is unknown. If infection provides substantial long-lasting immunity, it may be appropriate to reconsider vaccination distribution plans. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study of one multi-hospital health system included 150,325 patients tested for COVID-19 infection via PCR from March 12, 2020 to August 30, 2020. Testing performed up to February 24, 2021 in these patients was included for analysis. The main outcome was reinfection, defined as infection ≥ 90 days after initial testing. Secondary outcomes were symptomatic infection and protection of prior infection against reinfection. RESULTS: Of 150,325 patients, 8,845 (5.9%) tested positive and 141,480 (94.1%) tested negative prior to August 30. 1,278 (14.4%) of the positive patients were retested after 90 days, and 62 had possible reinfection. Of those, 31 (50%) were symptomatic. Of those with initial negative testing, 5,449 (3.9%) were subsequently positive and 3,191 of those (58.5%) were symptomatic. Protection offered from prior infection was 81.8% (95% confidence interval 76.6 to 85.8), and against symptomatic infection was 84.5% (95% confidence interval 77.9 to 89.1). This protection increased over time. CONCLUSIONS: Prior infection in patients with COVID-19 was highly protective against reinfection and symptomatic disease. This protection increased over time, suggesting that viral shedding or ongoing immune response may persist beyond 90 days and may not represent true reinfection. As vaccine supply is limited, patients with known history of COVID-19 could delay early vaccination to allow for the most vulnerable to access the vaccine and slow transmission.
‘Parole tronche et imperfette’: The Lament as a ‘Mode’ across Poetical and Musical Genres

A paradoxical feature of the lament as a poetical and musical genre is the imbalance between the supposedly spontaneous expression of emotional turmoil and the artificial dimension of its artistic ...
Feasibility of Multipath Construction in mmWave Backhaul

This paper focuses on the problem of finding multiple paths with relay nodes to maximize throughput for ultra-high-rate millimeter wave (mmWave) backhaul networks in urban environments. Relays are selected between a pair of source and destination base stations to form multiple interference-free paths. We first formulate the problem of feasibility of multi-path construction as a constraint satisfaction problem that includes constraints on intra-path and inter-path interference and several other constraints that arise from the problem setting. Based on the derived equations, we transform the multiple paths construction problem into a Boolean satisfiability problem. This problem can then be solved through use of a satisfiability (SAT) solver, which however results in a very high running time for realistic problem sizes. To address this, we propose a heuristic algorithm that runs in a fraction of the time of the SAT solver and finds multiple interference-free paths using a modification of a maximum flow algorithm. Simulation results based on 3-D models of a section of downtown Atlanta show that the heuristic algorithm finds multiple paths in almost all the feasible cases (those where the SAT solver succeeds in finding a solution) and produces paths with higher average throughput than the SAT solver. Furthermore, the heuristic increases throughput by 50-100% in typical cases compared to a single-path solution.
Introduction to Digital Transmission Systems

Describes the development of digital communications from the ancient Greeks to the global telecommunications networks of today Discusses the present-day use of digital transmission in the United States and abroad Explains national and international standards that have been established for digital transmission Describes the advantages of digital over analog transmission Defines the fundamental components of a digital transmission system
Who's to blame? Accounts of genetic responsibility and blame among Ashkenazi Jewish women at risk of BRCA breast cancer.

Abstract Genetic knowledge of disease risk may induce a sense of genetic responsibility whereby those who are at risk feel an obligation to take certain actions not only in relation to their own personal health but also to their family, their children and many other aspects of their life. This article examines genetic responsibility among Ashkenazi Jewish women at increased risk of BRCA genetic breast cancer. It demonstrates the ways in which accounts of blame help to mitigate or allocate genetic responsibility and in particular focuses on the temporal nature of women�s accounts. Women locate responsibility or blame for genetic disease in the collective reproductive history of Ashkenazi Jews, currently among specific groups of Ashkenazi Jews, and this knowledge can have potential future reproductive consequences. A contradiction may arise between a pre-existing sense of responsibility to produce future generations of Jews with that of producing future breast cancer free children. The research is based on in-depth qualitative interviews with 14 high-risk Ashkenazi Jewish women in London, England.
Dividends and Dominant Corporate Shareholders

It is widely held that for tax reasons corporate shareholders are the only shareholders that prefer dividends to capital gains. This has led to clientele models where corporate blockholders migrate to firms paying dividends and use their voting power to increase dividends in these firms. We use panel data and trades of large blocks of stock to investigate these propositions. Although one-third of firms have corporate blockholders, we find no evidence that dividends are higher in these firms; that corporate blockholders are attracted to dividend-paying-firms; or that dividends increase after a corporation buys a large block of stock.
Acoustic Markov models used in the Tangora speech recognition system

The Speech Recognition Group at IBM Research has developed a real-time, isolated-word speech recognizer called Tangora, which accepts natural English sentences drawn from a vocabulary of 20000 words. Despite its large vocabulary, the Tangora recognizer requires only about 20 minutes of speech from each new user for training purposes. The accuracy of the system and its ease of training are largely attributable to the use of hidden Markov models in its acoustic match component. An automatic technique for constructing Markov word models is described and results are included of experiments with speaker-dependent and speaker-independent models on several isolated-word recognition tasks. >
Why Muslim Women Must Reinterpret the Qur'an

Nimat Hafez Barazangi, Ph.D. '88, a research fellow in the Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at Cornell, suggests it's time for Muslim women to have a peaceful, silent revolution firmly grounded in the Qur'an. Barazangi works to improve attitudes and conditions for women in Islam. She is the author of "Woman's Identity and the Qur'an." The lecture, moderated by National Public Radio correspondent Laura Sydell, was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on July 19, 2010.
The Receding Tide of Medical Malpractice Litigation: Part 2—Effect of Damage Caps

We study the effect of damage caps adopted in the 1990s and 2000s on medical malpractice claim rates and payouts. Prior studies found some evidence that caps reduce payout per claim, but mixed and weak evidence on whether caps reduce paid claim rates and payout per physician. However, most prior studies do not allow for the gradual phase-in of damage caps, which usually apply only to lawsuits filed after the reform's effective date, or only to injuries after the effective date. Once we allow for phase-in, we find strong evidence that damage caps reduce both claim rates and payout per claim, with a large combined impact on payout per physician. The drop in claim rates is concentrated in claims with larger payouts—the ones that we expect to be most affected by a damages cap. Stricter caps have larger effects. Some prior studies also find a large impact of tort reforms other than damage caps. Once we allow for phase-in, we find that these other reforms have no significant impact on either claim rates or payout per claim.
Philip Seib, Real-Time Diplomacy: Politics and Power in the Social Media Era

It has been more than two years since unprecedented protests first began in Tunisia and then rapidly escalated to Tahrir Square, causing the most sustained period of political unrest in recent memory across the world's few remaining authoritarian state-systems. Considering Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak's 20to 30-year-long successful reigns of oppression, these cascades of outrage have proved remarkably substantive. Scholars of global communication and international politics alike have observed several times over that it was not the long-existing opposition movements and banned political parties that sparked or led this Arab Spring. Instead, protests began from within the loose networks of cosmopolitan 20to 30-year-olds— individuals who felt meaningfully empowered and connected by a new matrix of tools and strategies that have proved to be politically consequential, this time. To only lament the lack of stable democratic institutions being formed within these few years—a process better measured in decades—would be to miss several illuminating opportunities about how political change is being organized and mobilized. Thoughtful explications of these complex phenomena and what they mean for both theory and practice are therefore high in demand and necessity.
The Submitochondrial Particle Assay as a Biological Monitoring Tool

While studies assessing the toxicity of environmental contaminants to aquatic organisms date back to the early 1900s, the use of toxicity testing as a tool for monitoring the environmental acceptability of discharges from wastewater treatment and manufacturing facilities to surface waters (i.e., rivers, lakes, and oceans) did not begin to evolve until the 1970s. One of the primary motivating factors behind the development of biological monitoring, or biomonitoring, was the manufacture of exponentially increasing numbers of new chemicals for which analytical procedures were generally lacking. Biomonitoring was viewed as an approach to detect the presence of potentially toxic chemicals in facility discharges without necessarily having to identify the contaminants at that stage of the assessment. Additional advantages included the reduced expense associated with biologically testing significantly greater numbers of samples in comparison with analytical procedures. This approach also focused on only biologically available forms of the chemicals in solution reflecting any interactive effects (synergistic or antagonistic) that might be occurring among contaminants within a complex sample. Keywords: biomonitoring; planktonic invertebrates; submitochondrial particle assay; reverse electron transfer; assay
Formation of the Bound Magnetic Polaron in (Cd,Mn)Se

Strong evidence for the formation of a bound magnetic polaron in $n$-${\mathrm{Cd}}_{0.90}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{0.10}$Se has been obtained from time-resolved experiments by picosecond laser spectroscopy. In particular, time-varying Stokes shifts associated with a neutral donor bound exciton have been measured to follow the evolution of the polaron at $T=2$ K. From analysis of data a formation time of approximately 400 psec is inferred for the conditions of the experiment.
Incorporation of magnetization transfer into the formalism for rotating-frame spin-lattice proton NMR relaxation in the presence of an off-resonance-irradiation field

Abstract The formalism for off resonance rotating-frame spin-lattice relaxation was extended to include the effects of nuclear-spin magnetization transfer between two sites (A ⇆ B) in which either partial or complete saturation occurs as a consequence of off resonance irradiation and chemical exchange. With the essential features of the classical saturation transfer experiment retained, analytical expressions were derived describing the time-dependent and steady-state behavior of the exchanging nuclear magnetization experiencing off-resonance field-induced partial or complete saturation. Computer simulations are presented illustrating the exchange characteristics of free and G-actin-bound ATP, the phosphoryl exchange between phosphocreatine and the γ-phosphorul position of ATP, and the exchange of phosphorus metabolite between two different Maxation environments, representing mobile and relatively immobile pools of metabolites, in the presence of off resonance irradiation. Theoretical steady-state spectral-intensity-ratio dispersion (variable applied off resonance frequency) curves were found to be sensitive to the values of both the forward and the reverse pseudo-first-order rate constants and the equilibrium constant. Intensity-ratio dispersion curves for slow to intermediate exchange rates showed enhanced separation from one another with increasing off resonance B2 field strength. Application of the chemical-exchange-modified formalism to off resonance saturation data obtained for phosphomonoester metabolites in nuclear bovine calf eye-:lens-tissue homogenates suggests the occurrence of exchange between mobile and immobilized metabolite pools. The formalism derived in this study permits an evaluation of conventional saturation-transfer experiments of slowly tumbling or motionally restricted metabolites where nonselective, or off resonance, partial saturation becomes appreciable. The potential for obtaining motional dynamics and exchange kinetics information from in vivo systems involved in chemical-exchange processes is demonstrated.
Consistency of the Generalized MLE with Interval-Censored and Masked Competing Risks Data

We consider nonparametric estimation based on interval-censored competing risks data with masked failure cause. The generalized maximum likelihood estimator of the joint survival function of the failure time and the failure cause is studied under mixed case interval censorship and random partition masking. Strong consistency in the L 1(μ)-topology is established for some finite measure μ which is derived from the joint censoring and masking distribution. Under additional regularity assumptions we also establish the strong consistencies in the topologies of weak convergence, point-wise convergence, and uniform convergence.
Abstract 3891: Identification and quantification of DNA repair proteins by liquid chromatography/isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry using 15N-labeled whole proteins as internal standards

Reduced DNA repair capacity is associated with increased risk for a variety of disease processes including carcinogenesis. Thus, DNA repair proteins have the potential to be used as important predictive, prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers in cancer and other diseases. The measurement of the expression level of these enzymes may be an excellent tool for this purpose. Mass spectrometry is becoming the technique of choice for the identification and quantification of proteins. We applied liquid chromatography/ isotope-dilution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the identification and quantification of DNA repair proteins human 8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (hOGG1) and E. coli formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg), which are involved in base-excision repair of DNA damage. We over-expressed, purified and characterized 15N-labeled analogues of these proteins to be used as internal standards. 15N-labeled whole proteins are ideal internal standards to ensure the accuracy of quantification of proteins by mass spectrometry. DNA glycosylase activities of 15N-labeled hOGG1 and 15N-labeled Fpg were determined and found to be essentially identical to those of their respective unlabeled counterparts, ascertaining that the 15N-labeling did not perturb their catalytic sites. hOGG1, Fpg and their 15N-labeled analogues were digested with trypsin and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. A large number of tryptic peptides of both proteins were identified on the basis of their full-scan mass spectra. These peptides matched the theoretical peptide fragments expected from the trypsin digestion and provided statistically significant protein scores that would unequivocally identify these proteins. We also recorded the product ion spectra (MS/MS spectra) of the tryptic peptides and defined the characteristic product ions. Mixtures of the analyte proteins and their 15N-labeled analogues as internal standards were analyzed by selected-reaction monitoring (SRM) on the basis of the previously identified product ions in the MS/MS spectra. The experimental conditions for these analyses were optimized. The methodology was successfully applied to the measurement of human OGG1 in human cells and Fpg in E.coli. The results obtained in this work suggest that the methodology developed would be highly suitable for the positive identification and accurate quantification of DNA repair proteins in vivo as potential biomarkers for cancer and other diseases. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3891. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3891
Signatures of dark matter in underground detectors

The neutralino, the lightest superpartner in many supersymmetric theories, is arguably the leading dark-matter candidate from both the cosmological and particle-physics points of view. Its mass is bracketed by a minimum value of tens of GeV, determined from unsuccessful accelerator searches, and a maximum value of several TeV, above which neutralinos "overclose" the Universe. If neutralinos exist in our galactic halo, they will be gravitationally captured by scattering off elements in the Sun. Annihilation of neutralinos in the Sun will produce a neutrino flux which can be detected on Earth and thus provide indirect evidence for galactic dark matter. We show that a 1-km2 area is the natural scale of a neutrino telescope capable of probing the GeV-TeV neutralino mass range by searching for high-energy neutrinos produced by their annihilation in the Sun.
Use of SSR Fragment Length Homozygotes for Orangutan Systematics

The use of simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci lacking length polymorphisms among their alleles (defined here as homozygotes) in systemtic studies has thus far been largely ignored due to their apparent lack of genetic heterogeneity. However, in this paper we show that point mutations, insertions, and deletions within SSR loci of identical size can be highly informative for population genetic and evolutionary studies. Our preliminary study of the von Willebrand factor (vWF) locus shows that there is a significant level of divergence among the Bornean Orangutans which implies that present orangutan subbopulations in Borneo are genetically isolated from each other. However, our findings do not confirm that the Bornean and Sumatran Orangutans form two separate clades.
2‘-Deoxy-7-(hydroxymethyl)-7-deazaadenosine: A New Analogue to Model Structural Water in the Major Groove of DNA§

A novel deoxynucleoside, 2‘-deoxy-7-(hydroxymethyl)-7-deazaadenosine, was synthesized with the intent of using the analogue to mimic the role of “structural” waters in the major groove of DNA. The target compound was synthesized in four steps starting from 2-((ethoxymethylene)amino)-5-bromo-1-(2‘-deoxy-3‘,5‘-di-O-p-toluoyl-β-d-erythro-pentofuranosyl)pyrrole-3,4-dicarbonitrile. The structure was characterized by X-ray diffraction and proton NMR spectroscopic analyses. The crystal structure shows an intramolecular hydrogen bond between an amino proton on N6 and the oxygen of the hydroxymethyl group. When superimposed onto particular adenines in the structure of the tryptophan (trp) repressor/operator complex, the analogue places the oxygen of the hydroxymethyl group very near the oxygen contributed by the water in the protein/DNA complex. This analogue may be useful for probing the role of structural waters in other specific protein/DNA complexes and in DNA bending.
Local bridging to predict aerodynamic coefficients in hypersonic, rarefied flow

A computational method is given for the prediction of local pressure and viscous shear stress on windward surfaces of convex, axisymmetric or quasi-axisymmetric, hypersonic bodies in the transitional, rarefied flow regime. Overall aerodynamic forces and moments are computed by integration of the local quantities. The method is based on a correlation of local pressure and shear stress computed by the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) numerical technique for cold-wall, real-gas conditions and some supplemental data from low-density, hypersonic wind tunnels. Two-dimensional shapes and leeward surfaces are not included in the scope of the method as it is presented here. Results are compared with DSMC and viscous shock layer computations for both local and overall coefficients. Also included are sphere and blunt cone drag obtained from both computation and experiment, as well as lift and pitching moment coefficients for the NASA Aeroassist Flight Experiment vehicle at various angles of attack. It appears that the method presented here will prove adequate for relatively bluff bodies approximately defined by wetted length-to-nose radius ratios of less than 10.
Why the Bass Model Fits without Decision Variables

Over a large number of new products and technological innovations, the Bass diffusion model Bass 1969 describes the empirical adoption curve quite well. In this study, we generalize the Bass model to include decision variables such as price and advertising. The generalized model reduces to the Bass model as a special case and explains why the Bass model works so well without including decision variables. We compare our generalized Bass model to other approaches from the literature for including decision variables into diffusion models, and our results provide both theoretical and empirical support for the generalized Bass model. We also show how our generalized Bass model can be used for product planning purposes.
Reliability of an isokinetic dorsiflexion and plantar flexion apparatus

The insufficient amount of research to support high reliability of isokinetic ankle joint adaptations indicates a need for study in this area. Certain brands of isokinetic machinery and specific joint apparatuses have been studied for consistency in adequate numbers of investigations, while there has been little research done on other brands and all other joint adaptations besides the knee. We studied the Biodex B-2000 dorsiflexion and plantar flexion adaptation for reliability between two trials of contractions measuring peak torque. Our results showed generally low reliability coefficients between trials in every condition tested with respect to each ankle motion and two different isokinetic speeds. No connection was seen between ankle motion and isokinetic speed with respect to reliability. Attempts to pinpoint reasons behind inconsistencies concentrate upon such areas as the subject testing position, time between trials, and machine structure. Areas of further study might deal with different brands of isokinetic devices and also the different joint adaptations.
Phosphorylation of p22phox is mediated by phospholipase D-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Correlation of NADPH oxidase activity and p22phox phosphorylation.

Human neutrophils participate in the host innate immune response, partly mediated by the multicomponent superoxide-generating enzyme NADPH oxidase. A correlation between phosphorylation of cytosolic NADPH oxidase components and enzyme activation has been identified but is not well understood. We previously showed that p22 phox, the small subunit of the membrane-bound oxidase component flavocytochromeb 558, is an in vitro substrate for both a phosphatidic acid-activated kinase and conventional protein kinase C isoforms (Regier, D. S., Waite, K. A., Wallin, R., and McPhail, L. C. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 36601–36608). Here we show that several neutrophil agonists (phorbol myristate acetate, opsonized zymosan, andN-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine) induce p22 phox phosphorylation in intact neutrophils. To determine if phospholipase D (PLD) is needed for p22 phox phosphorylation, cells were pretreated with ethanol, which reduces phosphatidic acid production by PLD in stimulated cells. Phorbol myristate acetate-induced phosphorylation of p22 phox and NADPH oxidase activity were not reduced by ethanol. In contrast, ethanol reduced both activities when cells were stimulated byN-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine or opsonized zymosan. Varying the time of stimulation with opsonized zymosan showed that the phosphorylation of p22 phox coincides with NADPH oxidase activation. GF109203X, an inhibitor of protein kinase C and the phosphatidic acid-activated protein kinase, decreased both p22 phox phosphorylation and NADPH oxidase activity in parallel in opsonized zymosan-stimulated cells. Stimulus-induced phosphorylation of p22 phox was on Thr residue(s), in agreement with in vitro results. Overall, these data show that NADPH oxidase activity and p22 phox phosphorylation are correlated and suggest two mechanisms (PLD-dependent and -independent) by which p22 phox phosphorylation occurs.
Traditional allometric analysis fails to provide a valid predictive model for mammalian metabolic rates.

SUMMARY The field of biological allometry was energized by the publication in 1997 of a theoretical model purporting to explain 3/4-power scaling of metabolic rate with body mass in mammals. This 3/4-power scaling exponent, which was first reported by Max Kleiber in 1932, has been derived repeatedly in empirical research by independent investigators and has come to be known as `Kleiber9s Law9. The exponent was estimated in virtually every instance, however, by fitting a straight line to logarithmic transformations of data and by then re-expressing the resulting equation in the arithmetic scale. Because this traditional method may yield inaccurate and misleading estimates for parameters in the allometric equation, we re-examined the comprehensive data set that led Savage and colleagues to reaffirm the view that the metabolic rate of mammals scales to the 3/4-power of body mass. We found that a straight line fitted to logged data for the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of mammals ranging in size from a 2.4 g shrew to a 3672 kg elephant does not satisfy assumptions underlying the analysis and that the allometric equation obtained by back-transformation underestimates BMR for the largest species in the sample. Thus, the concept of 3/4-power scaling of metabolic rate to body mass is not well supported because the underlying statistical model does not apply to mammalian species spanning the full range in body size. Our findings have important implications with respect to methods and results of other studies that used the traditional approach to allometric analysis.
Intent fuzzer: crafting intents of death

We present a fuzzing framework for Intents: the core IPC mechanism for intra- and inter-app communication in Android. Since intents lie at a trust boundary between apps, their correctness is important and thorough testing is warranted. The key challenge is to balance the tension between generating intents that applications expect, permitting deep penetration into application logic, and generating intents that trigger interesting bugs that have not been previously uncovered. Our work strikes this balance using a novel combination of static analysis and random test-case generation. Our intent fuzzer crashed dozens of Google core and top Google Play apps, resulting in app restarts or even in a complete OS reboot.
A maximum entropy approach to one-class classification of remote sensing imagery

In remote sensing classification there are situations when users are only interested in classifying one specific land type without considering other classes, which is referred to as one-class classification. Traditional supervised learning requires all classes that occur in the image to be exhaustively labelled and hence is inefficient for one-class classification. In this study we investigate a maximum entropy approach (MAXENT) to one-class classification of remote sensing imagery, i.e. classifying a single land class (e.g. urban areas, trees, grasses and soils) from an aerial photograph with 0.3 m spatial resolution. MAXENT estimates the Gibbs probability distribution that is proportional to the conditional probability of being positive. A threshold for generating binary predictions can be determined based on the omission rate of a validation set. The results indicate that MAXENT provides higher classification accuracy than the one-class support vector machine (OCSVM). MAXENT does not require other land classes for training. Its input is only a set of training samples of the specific land class of interest, as well as a set of known constraints on the distribution. Therefore, the effort of manually collecting training data for classification can be significantly reduced.
An electron microscope study of the formation and structure of the periostracum of a gastropod,Littorina littorea

A dorsal and ventral gland composed of large, flask-shaped cells located in the margin of the mantle ofLittorina give rise to the inner and outer layers of the periostracum respectively. The material comprising the periostracum is derived from secretory granules elaborated by the Golgi apparatus. When the Golgi granules of the ventral gland which consist of a substance exhibiting a definite periodicity, are discharged at the surface in contact with sea water, they are widely dispersed and consist of particles embedded in a substrate. Formation of the outer periostracum involves the re-aggregation of the Golgi secretory particles into a dense sheet which exhibits a periodicity of 300 A. Viewed in transverse section the periostracum exhibits a lattice pattern suggestive of a crystalline substance. The outer layer eventually reaches a thickness of 4–5 μ. The inner layer is derived from the secretory granules of the dorsal gland. The formation of the inner layer occurs in a manner similar to that of the outer layer. It does not, however, exhibit a periodicity. In the mature state it attains a thickness of 0.4–0.5 μ. In addition to a protective function the periostracum provides a barrier between the sea water and the pallial space and also regulates the site and arrangement of mineral crystal formation at the growing margin of the shell.
Exercise-induced myocardial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease with and without angina

Abstract Left ventricular dysfunction during exercise is considered a relatively sensitive marker of ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise-induced myocardial dysfunction was more severe in patients with angina than in patients with ischemia without angina. Seventy-seven patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease and an abnormal left ventricular response to exercise were studied by means of gated blood pool imaging. The arteriographic and functional parameters of 24 patients with angina during exercise testing were compared with those of 53 patients who were pain free at the time of the test. Both groups were similar with regard to rate of multivessel disease (50% vs 51%, p = NS) and prior myocardial infarction (46% vs 51%, p = NS), as well as age, sex, and history of angina. Mean global ejection fraction remained unchanged (but abnormal) in both groups of patients during exercise. Furthermore, evidence of new regional asynergy during exercise assessed by a five-point scoring system was found to be equally abnormal in the two groups. Results of this study suggest that the severity of exercise-induced global and regional left ventricular dysfunction is independent of the presence or absence of angina during exercise testing.
Opaque phases in type-II chondrules from CR2 chondrites: Implications for CR parent body formation

Abstract We report the results of a detailed study of sulfide-bearing opaque assemblages from the MAC 87320, EET 92011, and Renazzo CR carbonaceous chondrites. The objectives of this study are to (1) characterize sulfide and associated phases within CR2 chondrites; (2) determine the petrographic relationship between sulfides, metals, and chondrules; (3) constrain the history of type-II chondrules; (4) ascertain the environments in which type-II chondrules formed and were altered; and (5) unravel the formation and alteration history of the CR parent body as recorded in sulfide-bearing assemblages. Sulfide-bearing opaque assemblages occur primarily within type-II (FeO-rich) chondrules. The sulfide assemblages are concentrated near the chondrule edges. Assemblages in MAC 87320 are composed of troilite, phosphate, and Ni-rich metal. EET 92011 contains assemblages composed of pentlandite, troilite, and Ni-rich metal. The assemblages in Renazzo contain tochilinite, magnetite, troilite, pentlandite, and phosphate. In all of the assemblages in Renazzo the tochilinite is fine grained and intimately mixed with troilite, pentlandite, or magnetite. Opaque assemblages in CR chondrites record a complex history that includes both high- and low-temperature processes. The morphology and composition of sulfides in CR2 chondrites suggests that the sulfide-bearing assemblages originally formed in gas–solid reactions in the nebula at temperatures above the Fe–FeS eutectic (988 °C). Many of the assemblages were subsequently aqueously altered on the CR-chondrite parent body to various degrees at temperatures from ∼50 to 200 °C. We combine these observations and interpretations to provide a detailed model of the history of the CR parent body.
Flavoenzyme-Catalyzed Atropo-Selective N,C-Bipyrrole Homocoupling in Marinopyrrole Biosynthesis

Axially chiral biaryl compounds are frequently encountered in nature where they exhibit diverse biological properties. Many are biphenols that have C–C or C–O linkages installed by cytochrome P450 oxygenases that control the regio- and stereoselectivity of the intermolecular coupling reaction. In contrast, bipyrrole-coupling enzymology has not been observed. Marinopyrroles, produced by a marine-derived streptomycete, are the first 1,3′-bipyrrole natural products. On the basis of marinopyrrole’s unusual bipyrrole structure, we explored its atropo-selective biosynthesis in Streptomyces sp. CNQ-418 in order to elucidate the N,C-bipyrrole homocoupling enzymology. Through a series of genetic experiments involving the discovery and heterologous expression of marinopyrrole biosynthesis genes, we report that two flavin-dependent halogenases catalyze the unprecedented homocoupling reaction.
Extensive intraalveolar pulmonary hemorrhage in infants dying after surfactant therapy.

To assess the possible relationship between exogenous surfactant therapy and pulmonary hemorrhage in premature infants, we compared autopsy findings in 15 infants treated with exogenous surfactant and in 29 who died before the introduction of surfactant therapy. Infants who met the following criteria were included: birth weight 501 to 1500 gm, survival 4 hours to 7 days, and no congenital anomalies. Average birth weight, gestational age, and age at death were equivalent for the two groups. High rates of pulmonary hemorrhage were present in both groups (treated 80% vs untreated 83%). The untreated group had higher incidences of interstitial hemorrhage and lung hematomas and significantly more large interstitial hemorrhages: 31% untreated versus 0% treated ( p p
Improving the Efficiency of Low Temperature Combustion Engines Using a Chamfered Ring-Land

In the present study a chamfered piston crown design was used in order to reduce unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) emissions from the ring-pack crevice. Compared to the conventional piston design, the chamfered piston showed 17%∼41% reduction in the crevice-borne UHC emissions in homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion. Through parametric sweeps 6 mm was identified to be a suitable chamfer size and the mechanism of the UHC reduction was revealed. Based on the findings in this study, the chamfered piston design was also tested in dual-fuel reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) combustion. In the tested RCCI case using the chamfered piston the UHC and CO emissions were reduced by 79% and 36%, respectively, achieving 99.5% combustion efficiency. This also improved gross indicated thermal efficiency from 51.1% to 51.8% in a 9 bar IMEP RCCI combustion case.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
In vitro activity of linezolid (U-100766) against Haemophilus influenzae measured by three different susceptibility testing methods.

Abstract Linezolid has excellent antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive organisms. Early in vitro investigations suggested that the compound also had activity against some Gram-negative species, including those commonly associated with community-acquired respiratory tract infections ( Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis ). Against 603 recent clinical isolates of H. influenzae from geographically diverse regions of the world, tested by the reference broth microdilution method (HTM), linezolid MIC values ranged from 2–64 μg/ml (MIC 50 and MIC 90 at 16 μg/ml and 32 μg/ml, respectively). A subset of 328 strains was also tested to compare broth microdilution and Etest (AB BIODISK, Solna, Sweden) methodologies. The Etest method produced slightly higher MIC results attributable to a growth-enhancing effect of the 5% CO 2 incubation used in the test procedure and pH changes. Linezolid activity versus H. influenzae was limited as evidenced by reference test results (susceptible breakpoints at ≤2 or ≤4 μg/ml) and variable endpoints were obtained when alternative methods were used such as the Etest or standardized disk diffusion procedures. Clinical laboratories should limit the testing of linezolid against Gram-negative species ( H. influenzae ).
Cells in Local Reaction to Experimental Staphylococcus aureus Infection in Bovine Mammary Gland

Blood cells infiltrating secretory parenchyma of bovine mammary glands experimentally infected with Staphylococcus aureus were studied. Quantitative cytology demonstrated lymphocytes, plasma cells, monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils more numerous in infected than control quarters and more prevalent at 10 than 2 days postinfection. These cells preferentially infiltrated the zone of the infected quarter closest to the gland cistern. Lymphocytes tended to remain associated with the epithelium, and many were within spaces between swollen secretory cells. Monocytes entered between alveolar epithelia and appeared to mature into macrophages and migrate to lumina where they contained milk constituents, degenerate neutrophils, and cocci. Neutrophils were observed primarily in alveolar lumina where many degenerated. Some neutrophils in various stages of degeneration also were lodged in the alveolar epithelium. Plasma cells were prevalent in infected tissue stroma, and most contained Immunoglobulin A which became more numerous as infection progressed. Our observations provide quantitative and ultrastructural information on cell types in bovine mastitis and are consistent with the concept of a cellular immune response to Staphylococcus aureus invasion.
MISOGYNY ON AND OFF THE “PITCH” The Gendered World of Male Rugby Players

From a feminist perspective and using an ethnographic methodology, this article explores the gendered world of male rugby players in terms of how they socially and relationally propagate gender roles. Rugby players' social reproduction of gender, ultimately grounded in misogyny, allows these men at the individual level to psychologically and sometimes physically dominate women. At the societal level, rugby, like many sporting practices, both reflects and supports a hierarchical ideology of masculinity and the subordination of women.
Equilibrium and kinetics of bromine chloride hydrolysis.

Aqueous-phase halogen reactions play an important role in tropospheric ozone depletion that is observed during Arctic sunrise where bromine chloride is a key intermediate. The temperature dependencies of BrCl(aq) equilibration with BrCl2-, HOBr(aq), Br2(aq), Cl2(aq), HOCl(aq), Br-, and other species (Br3-, Br2Cl-, Cl3-, OBr-, and OCl-) are determined as a function of Cl- concentration from pH 0 to pH 7. Values for K1 (=[BrCl2-]/([BrCl(aq)][Cl-])) at μ = 1.0 M are 3.8 M-1 at 25.0 °C, 4.7 M-1 at 10.0 °C, and 5.5 M-1 at 0.0 °C, with ΔH1° = −9.9 kJ mol-1 and ΔS1° = −22 J K-1 mol-1. BrCl(aq) hydrolysis equilibria have little or no temperature dependence with Kh1 (=[HOBr(aq)][Cl-][H+]/[BrCl(aq)]) = 1.3 × 10-4 M2 from 25.0 to 5.0 °C, μ = 1.0 M. When conditions are adjusted to give a rapid partial hydrolysis of BrCl in equilibrium with HOBr and Cl- at p[H+] 4.31, a relatively slow reaction (kobsd = 2.4 s-1) to form HOCl and Br- is observed. This takes place via BrCl reaction with Cl- to form Cl2, which hydrolyzes...
Posterior tongue grooving in deglutition and speech: preliminary observations.

Real-time ultrasound sector scanning was used to image the posterior tongue. Depth of tongue grooving and distance of the tongue surface from the transducer face were measured in 7 normal subjects, for vowels in a standardized speech context and for dry swallows. Tongue postures for the vowels |ae| or |e| were most similar to the maximum grooving found in deglutition, which occurred approximately 300 ms prior to ultrasound evidence of initiation of the reflexive pharyngeal phase of swallowing.
TRIF mediates Toll-like receptor 2-dependent inflammatory responses to Borrelia burgdorferi.

ABSTRACT TRIF is an adaptor molecule important in transducing signals from intracellularly signaling Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and TLR4. Recently, TLR2 was found to signal from intracellular compartments. Using a synthetic ligand for TLR2/1 heterodimers, as well as Borrelia burgdorferi, which is a strong activator of TLR2/1, we found that TLR2 signaling can utilize TRIF. Unlike TRIF signaling by other TLRs, TLR2-mediated TRIF signaling is dependent on the presence of another adaptor molecule, MyD88. However, unlike MyD88 deficiency, TRIF deficiency does not result in diminished control of infection with B. burgdorferi in a murine model of disease. This appears to be due to the effects of MyD88 on phagocytosis via scavenger receptors, such as MARCO, which are not affected by the loss of TRIF. In mice, TRIF deficiency did have an effect on the production of inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that regulation of inflammatory cytokines and control of bacterial growth may be uncoupled, in part through transduction of TLR2 signaling through TRIF.
Enhanced direction of arrival estimation via reassigned space-time-frequency methods

Two new space-time-frequency direction of arrival estimation algorithms are presented that decrease the estimation variance under specific conditions of narrow differential direction of arrival when multiple signals impinge upon the sensor array. The first algorithm, called Wide-Lane, provides a modest extension of existing space-time-frequency (STF) techniques by integrating a wide path along the signal's instantaneous frequency track through the time-frequency (TF) plane. The second algorithm, called Reassigned STF, utilizes the TF reassignment method to increase the signal's localization within the TF plane prior to estimating the direction of arrival with MUSIC. The performance variation of space-time MUSIC to a variety of signal structures is also presented.