cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Terminal synthesis of xanthommatin in Drosophila melanogaster . I. Roles of phenol oxidase and substrate availability

Eye color mutants of Drosophila melanogaster are known which block the conversion of 3-hydroxykynurenine to xanthommatin. It has been proposed that this reaction depends on the presence of 3-hydroxykynurenine and a redox system maintained by phenol oxidase activity. The mutants st and ltd lack throughout development detectable amounts of 3-hydroxykynurenine or its metabolic derivatives. When the substrate is fed or injected, these mutants fail to form xanthommatin even though phenol oxidase activity is normal. The mutant cd accummulates excessive amounts of 3-hydroxykynurenine, has normal phenol oxidase activity, but is also deficient in xanthommatin formation. Mutants are also known which lack phenol oxidase activity but nevertheless form xanthommatin. It is concluded that the proposed relationship between 3-hydroxy-kynurenine and phenol oxidase activity is not sufficient to explain the in vivo synthesis and regulation of synthesis of xanthommatin in Drosophila. The bearing of these findings on the actual mode of synthesis is discussed.
Explanatory Reduction, Conceptual Analysis, and Conceivability Arguments about the Mind

The current stand-off between reductionists and anti-reductionists about the mental has sparked a long-overdue reexamination of key issues in philosophical methodology. 1 The resulting debate promises to advance our understanding of how empirical discoveries bear on the numerous philosophical problems which involve the analysis or reduction of kinds. The parties to this debate disagree about how, and to what extent, conceptual facts contribute to justifying explanatory reductions. My aim here is threefold: ~a! to show that conceptual facts play a more significant role in justifying explanatory reductions than most of the disputants recognize, 2 ~b! to furnish an account of that role, and ~c! to trace the consequences of this account for conceivability arguments about the mind. I begin ~Section I! by sketching an initial argument for the thesis that all justification for explanatory reductions is based in conceptual facts, in that our concept of a kind determines what qualifies as evidence for a reduction of the kind. The middle sections of the paper ~Sections II-V! defend this thesis from recent influential objections. I extract from this defense a detailed model of how concepts contribute to explanatory reductions ~Section VI!. This model implies that reductionists cannot simply dismiss, as irrelevant, conceivability arguments against reductionism about the mind. In the final section ~Section VII! I rehearse a familiar brand of conceivability argument, and sketch the reductionist strategies for defusing this argument which remain available on the model of explanatory reduction defended here. I then describe the anti-materialist rejoinders which that model makes available. I do not take a side in the debate over mental reductionism. My point is that the viability of reductionism must be decided on conceptual grounds and that, therefore, conceivability arguments are crucially important in evaluating materialism about the mind.
Fuel efficiency of a Portable Powered Ankle-Foot Orthosis

A Portable Powered Ankle-Foot Orthosis (PPAFO) has been designed for gait assistance. The PPAFO can supply assistive torque at the ankle joint in plantarflexion and dorsiflexion using a bidirectional pneumatic actuator. Two control schemes have been developed to regulate timings of the assistive torques during different phases in the gait cycle. The Direct Event (DE) controller uses heel and toe force sensors to detect the start and end of key phases using specific events (e.g., heel strike and toe-off). The State Estimation (SE) controller finds the least-square-error between real-time sensor data and a reference model from training data to estimate the gait state and to detect phases based on this estimate. A pneumatic recycling scheme for improved fuel efficiency was also implemented. This scheme regenerates energy from plantarflexion exhaust gas to power dorsiflexion actuation. The objective of this study was to assess the fuel efficiency of these two controllers and pneumatic recycling scheme, as measured by fuel consumption and work output. Data were collected from 3 minute walking trials with the PPAFO by five healthy young control subjects. The SE with recycling (SER) scheme had an average fuel savings of 25% compared to the SE control scheme, and 24% compared to the DE controller. The SER controller allowed for comparable net work output to the SE controller which both did more net work than the DE controller. These observations can be applicable to other portable fluid-powered orthotics, prosthetics, and robotics in terms of potential impact of controller choice and energy regeneration on fuel consumption.
Selective muscle activation following electrical stimulation of the collateral ligaments of the human knee joint

The objective of this study was to establish the presence of a local neurosensory reflex are from mechanoreceptors in human collateral ligaments and joint capsule to knee muscles and to determine if these muscles could be selectively activated as varus or valgus stabilizers using randomized trials. All studies were performed in the research department laboratories. Eleven subjects were recruited from the university staff and students based on no prior history of knee ailments. Subjects laid supine on an experimentation table as a current-modulated electrical stimulation was provided through the medial (MCL) or lateral collateral (LCL) knee ligaments. Latency of activation was measured for seven muscles, four by surface electrodes (semitendinosus, biceps femoris long head, vastus medialis, and lateralis), and three by intramuscular electrodes (sartorius, gracilis, tensor fascia lata). In the protocol, selective activation was defined as the relative increase in the activity of four muscles with medial moment arms following MCL stimulation compared with corresponding activity following LCL stimulation. For lateral muscles, the opposite was assumed (ie, that more activity would follow LCL than MCL stimulation). Monte Carlo simulations were performed on the data to determine significant selective muscle activation (p < .05). Statistically significant increases in activation were observed, most consistently, in the vastus medialis following MCL stimulation and in the vastus lateralis following LCL stimulation. These results suggest that a neurosensory reflex are from ligament mechanoreceptors may provide varus and valgus stabilization and knee muscles may be selectively activated to counter varus or valgus loads.
COMPUTER APPLICATION TO THE VISIOPLASTICITY METHOD.

Abstract : Procedures for using a computer for the complete solution to plane strain as well as axisymmetric deformation problems have been developed. The velocity, strain rate, total effective strain, and stress distributions were obtained for two commercially pure lead specimens extruded in a forward extrusion process using white lead in oil as a lubricant. The axisymmetric extrusion was carried out at a speed of 1/8 in./min through a conical die having a 45 degrees half cone angle with a 2:1 extrusion ratio, and the plane-strain extrusion through a tapered die having a 45 degrees half taper angle with a 1.66:1 extrusion ratio. (Author)
Projection imaging of photon beams by the Čerenkov effect.

Purpose: A novel technique for beam profiling of megavoltage photon beams was investigated for the first time by capturing images of the induced Cerenkov emission in water, as a potential surrogate for the imparted dose in irradiated media. Methods: A high-sensitivity, intensified CCD camera (ICCD) was configured to acquire 2D projection images of Cerenkov emission from a 4 × 4 cm2 6 MV linear accelerator (LINAC) x-ray photon beam operating at a dose rate of 400 MU/min incident on a water tank with transparent walls. The ICCD acquisition was gated to the LINAC sync pulse to reduce background light artifacts, and the measurement quality was investigated by evaluating the signal to noise ratio and measurement repeatability as a function of delivered dose. Monte Carlo simulations were used to derive a calibration factor for differences between the optical images and deposited dose arising from the anisotropic angular dependence of Cerenkov emission. Finally, Cerenkov-based beam profiles were compared to a percent depth dose (PDD) and lateral dose profile at a depth of d max from a reference dose distribution generated from the clinical Varian ECLIPSE treatment planning system (TPS). Results: The signal to noise ratio was found to be 20 at a delivered dose of 66.6 cGy, and proportional to the square root of the delivered dose as expected from Poisson photon counting statistics. A 2.1% mean standard deviation and 5.6% maximum variation in successive measurements were observed, and the Monte Carlo derived calibration factor resulted in Cerenkov emission images which were directly correlated to deposited dose, with some spatial issues. The dose difference between the TPS and PDD predicted by Cerenkov measurements was within 20% in the buildup region with a distance to agreement (DTA) of 1.5–2 mm and ±3% at depths beyondd max . In the lateral profile, the dose difference at the beam penumbra was within ±13% with a DTA of 0–2 mm, ±5% in the central beam region, and 2%–3% in the beam umbra. Conclusions: The results from this initial study demonstrate the first documented use of Cerenkov emission imaging to profile x-ray photon LINAC beams in water. The proposed modality has several potential advantages over alternative methods, and upon future refinement may prove to be a robust and novel dosimetry method.
Breastfeeding Educational Interventions for Health Professionals: A Synthesis of Intervention Studies

PURPOSE. The purpose of this synthesis was to review intervention studies that focused on increasing the breastfeeding knowledge, self-confidence, and supportive behaviors of healthcare professionals. DESIGN AND METHODS. Fourteen articles were identified through database searches as the basis for this review. RESULTS. Breastfeeding education can be effective in increasing the knowledge and confidence of nurses. Duration and exclusivity rates for breastfeeding may also be improved. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Improving nurses' knowledge of breastfeeding is a modifiable factor that is important in supporting a mother in her decision to breastfeed.
Genetic Aspects of Grooming, a Socially Important Primate Behavior Pattern

Resume Le pansage veut dire une forme de comportement dont les traits essentiels sont l'examen et la manipulation de la peau et du poil d'un compagnon avec les doigts, l'enlevement des objets exterieurs, et le transport de ceui-ci a la bouche de celui qui pause, dont les levres et les mǎchoires auraient pu en attendant en motion, avec la production du son, comme avec l'articipation de quelque chose a avaler. Cette habitude se montre chez plusieurs primates. On ne l'a pas notee chez les Prosimiae. Elle paraǐt plus frequente chez les singes de l'Ancien Monde que chez ceux du Noveau Monde. Chez les anthropoides elle est tres developpee chez le chimpanze et relativement simple et infrequente chez le gorille et l'orang-outan. Il paraǐt qu'elle se trouve aussi chez l'homme, comme une forme primitive de service social. Les premiers essais de suivre l'ontogenese du pansage chez le chimpanze indiquent qu'il peut se montrer chez un jeune eleve depuis la naissance isole de son espece, sur lequel la tradition sociale...
Body mass index and neurocognitive functioning across the adult lifespan.

OBJECTIVE Cognitive dysfunction and structural brain abnormalities have been observed in obese versus lean individuals, but with variability across age and weight groups. The current study was designed to clarify the cognitive profile of obesity by examining performance across multiple cognitive domains in adults with wide-ranging age and weight status. METHOD Participants (N = 732; 61% women; ages 18-88; BMI range 19-75) underwent assessment of cognitive functioning and relevant medical/demographic covariates. Neuropsychological tests were grouped by cognitive domain (via confirmatory factor analysis), and standardized scores were averaged into composite variables. RESULTS Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed main effects for BMI on motor (ΔR2 = .02, β = -.15) and attention/processing speed (ΔR2 = .01, β = -.07), whereas a significant interaction between BMI and age was observed (ΔR2 = .01, β = -.08) for predicting executive functioning (p < .05). BMI was not independently associated with memory or language functioning and no interaction effects were observed for these variables. Although BMI was not independently related to executive dysfunction, a significant age × BMI interaction suggests that obesity-related executive deficits may increase with age. CONCLUSIONS Overall, these findings may support an independent association between obesity and a frontal-subcortical pathology, though prospective studies are needed to further clarify this possibility.
Replication of bacteriophage RNA: Some properties of the parental-labeled replicative intermediate

Certain properties are examined of the double-stranded replicative intermediate RNA synthesized during the replication of bacteriophage R17 RNA in Escherichia coli Hfr 1 . Double-stranded RNA containing labeled parental RNA is shown to yield, upon denaturation, parental-labeled RNA which has the same sedimentation rate as that of phage RNA. It is concluded that the replicative intermediate contains an intact strand of parental RNA. That this denaturation also yields a strand complementary to phage RNA is demonstrated by an annealing experiment with phage RNA. The annealed product has the expected resistance to RNase and sedimentation rate. By comparison with two calibrated DNA samples, values of 12·9 s and 14·0 s are obtained for the sedimentation coefficient of RNase-treated double-stranded RNA. These values would correspond, by analogy with DNA, to molecular weights of 2·0×10 6 and 2·6×10 6 .
Dependent Relationships and the Moral Standing of Nonhuman Animals

This essay explores whether dependent relationships might justify extending direct moral consideration to nonhuman animals. After setting out a formal conception of moral standing as relational, scalar, and unilateral, I consider whether and how an appeal to dependencies might be the basis for an animal’s moral standing. If dependencies generate reasons for extending direct moral consideration, such reasons will admit of significant variations in scope and stringency.
Solidification Pathways of Alloys in the Mg-Rich Corner of the Mg-Al-Ba Ternary System

An experimental investigation of the solidification reactions and microstructures of alloys in the Mg-rich corner of the Mg-Al-Ba ternary system has been conducted. Four distinct exothermic reactions involving the formation of α-Mg, Mg17Ba2, Mg17Al12, and a fourth phase designated as τ were observed and their onset temperatures were recorded as functions of composition. Using compositional and microstructural analysis, the Mg17Ba2 intermetallic was found to have significant solubility of Al, up to 20 at. pct. The solidification pathways of the investigated alloys involved both a Class I and Class II equilibrium reaction. A flow block diagram that outlines the observed solidification reactions is presented and discussed in reference to cast microstructures.
Immunolabeled microtubules and microfilaments are visible in multiple cell layers of rye root tip sections

A protocol was developed to observe plant microtubules and actin microfilaments in large tissue samples without physical sectioning. Rye (Secale cereale L. cv. Rymin) root tip pieces from two-day-old seedlings were fixed and processed for immunolabeling. Incubation times of 24–48 h were required to insure adequate penetration of fixatives, antibodies, and washing buffers. Clearing of the tissue with methyl salicylate reduced background auto-fluorescence that would otherwise interfere with the resolution of cytoskeletal structures. Microtubules or microfilaments in 5–7 cell layers were visualized using the optical-sectioning capability of laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and projected as three-dimensional images. The three-dimensional character of the cytoskeletal elements is retained when viewing stained cells of intact tissue. The net-like character of a microfilament array radiating out from a single point into the cytoplasm is maintained when the cells are stained in intact root tip pieces and imaging is accomplished in situ.
Turnaround as Reform: Opportunity for Meaningful Change or Neoliberal Posturing?.

This study explores the neoliberal agenda of turnaround school reform efforts in America by examining the application and transformation of a Midwest State Turnaround Schools Project for the public school system. Perceptions of administrators and state-level policy actors are considered. Data were collected from 13 participants during the implementation of the statewide turnaround program and the analysis focused on the neoliberal ideology during the implementation of the State Turnaround Schools Project. Corporate infiltration and funding leverage reflect the sticky web of policymakers and private corporations and their influence. District communication, support, and shared accountability underscore important lessons in leadership for turnaround school programs. Successful schools transformed the turnaround policy implementation by involving communities and restructuring their school district. However, the neoliberal agenda revealed the impact of government labeling, restructuring, and reallocating resources for under-performing schools and unveiling the infiltration of private corporations behind turnaround policy and student achievement. This alarming finding points to how turnaround school policy implementation weakens control of democratically elected authorities and stagnates critical thinking that challenges the interests behind turnaround school policy.
Preparation and use of α-maltosyl fluoride as a substrate by beta amylase

Abstract The preparation of pure (amorphous) α-maltosyl fluoride is described. A modification of the procedure of Brauns was used to obtain analytically pure, crystalline hepta- O -acetyl-α-maltosyl fluoride, the structure of which was assigned by 19 F-and 1 H-n.m.r. spectroscopy. α-Maltosyl fluoride was obtained by deacetylating the heptaacetate. It behaved as a single compound on thin-layer and paper chromatography, and was essentially completely hydrolyzed to maltose and hydrogen fluoride by 0.01 M sulfuric acid in 10 min at 100°. Crystalline beta amylase, likewise, catalyzed essentially complete hydrolysis of α-maltosyl fluoride to give maltose and hydrogen fluoride. The rates of hydrolysis catalyzed by beta amylase preparations from sweet potatoes and soybeans acting on a range of concentrations of the substrate produced linear curves for the relationship, 1/ v vs 1/ S ; reaction constants for crystalline, sweet-potato enzyme were K m 3.6 m M and V max ~ 2 μ mol/min/mg. The finding that α-maltosyl fluoride is hydrolyzed 30–60 times faster than maltotriose demonstrates for the first time that beta amylase is capable of effecting hydrolysis at an appreciable rate of a substrate having only two d -glucose residues.
Functional Polymers for Advanced Lithography

In nanotechnology, many scientists have been seeking for new functional polymers, which can replica nano-sized features to achieve improved performances of nano-devices. Soft lithography has been widely used in replica of small features as a low cost alternative to conventional UV photolithography. However, commercial silicon rubbers, PDMS polymers, which have been used in current soft lithography, show limitations, especially for nano-resolution soft lithography. These limitations have motivated us to develop a new version of PDMS polymers to overcome those limitations and thus to extend current technology in soft lithography to the advanced level. Since the resolution of soft lithography significantly relies on stamping performance, we designed a novel PDMS prepolymer, which has photocurable cross-linkers to enhance mechanical property to improve lithographic performance and also to create photocurable capability.
Health effects of swimmers and nonpoint sources of contaminated water

Microbiological contamination from nonpoint sources of pollution is usually related to animal faecal wastes through urban, pastureland and forest run-off of stormwater. Currently-used bacterial water quality indicators cannot discriminate between human and animal faecal contamination and, therefore, it is common practice to treat the risk associated with exposure to water polluted by animal or human wastes as equally hazardous. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a risk of gastrointestinal illness after a swimming exposure to water contaminated with animal faecal wastes. The health status and swimming activity of volunteer study participants was followed for 49 days during June, July and August. Multiple bacterial indicators of water quality were monitored daily during the course of the study. Swimming-associated symptomatic gastrointestinal illness was observed in individuals who swam in animal nonpoint source contaminated water. Swimmer illness was not associated with high densities of common faecal indicator bacteria or high volume rainy days. Swimmer illness was associated with high numbers of swimmers per day and high densities of staphylococci. The observed illnesses appeared to be caused by a swimmer to swimmer transmission via the water.
Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming: A Status Report and Comparison of Regular and Special Educators in New York and Massachusetts.

Four hundred regular and special educators from New York (a categorical labeling state) and Massachusetts (a noncategorical labeling state) were surveyed on their mainstreaming attitudes and perceptions of handicapped exceptional children. Among the topics investigated were educators' attitudes toward the effects on these children of different educational placements, their reactions to integrating these children into regular classrooms, their knowledge of their special education responsibilities, and their inclusions in their building-level special education processes. Results, implications, and future research directions are discussed, so that services to handicapped exceptional children can be improved and implemented.
UV Absorption Cross Sections of Nitrous Oxide (N2o) and Carbon Tetrachloride (Ccl4) Between 210 and 350 K and the Atmospheric Implications

Abstract. Absorption cross sections of nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) are reported at five atomic UV lines (184.95, 202.548, 206.200, 213.857, and 228.8 nm) at temperatures in the range 210–350 K. In addition, UV absorption spectra of CCl4 are reported between 200–235 nm as a function of temperature (225–350 K). The results from this work are critically compared with results from earlier studies. For N2O, the present results are in good agreement with the current JPL recommendation enabling a reduction in the estimated uncertainty in the N2O atmospheric photolysis rate. For CCl4, the present cross section results are systematically greater than the current recommendation at the reduced temperatures most relevant to stratospheric photolysis. The new cross sections result in a 5–7% increase in the modeled CCl4 photolysis loss, and a slight decrease in the stratospheric lifetime, from 51 to 50 years, for present day conditions. The corresponding changes in modeled inorganic chlorine and ozone in the stratosphere are quite small. A CCl4 cross section parameterization for use in atmospheric model calculations is presented.
Current status of conformal Weyl gravity

Fourth order conformal Weyl gravity has recently been advanced by Mannheim and Kazanas (for details and bibliography see Kazanas’s invited talk in the proceedings of this workshop) as a candidate alternative theory of gravity to the standard second order Einstein theory. In this short presentation we review its current status, discussing what has been achieved and what open questions remain.
Operative Failure in Minimally Invasive Parathyroidectomy Utilizing an Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Assay

Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) is a targeted operation to cure primary hyperparathyroidism utilizing intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring (IOPTH). The purpose of this study was to quantify the operative failure of MIP. Utilizing institutional parathyroid surgery database, demographic, operative, and biochemical data were analyzed for successful and failed MIP. Operative failure was defined as <6 months of eucalcemia after operation. Five hundred thirty-eight patients (96.6 %) had successful MIP with mean follow-up of 13 months, and 19 (3.4 %) had operative failure. The major cause of operative failure (11 of 19) was the result of surgeons’ inability to identify all abnormal parathyroid glands. The remaining eight operative failures were the result of falsely positive IOPTH results. Eleven of 19 patients whose MIP had failed underwent a second parathyroid surgery. All but one of these patients achieved operative success, and 9 patients had missed multigland disease. Only 46 (8.3 %) of 557 patients had conversion to bilateral cervical exploration (BCE). Eighty percent of patients had more than 70 % IOPTH decrease, and all had successful operations. Patients with a marginal IOPTH decrease (50–59 %) had a treatment failure rate of 20 %. The most common cause of operative failure in MIP utilizing IOPTH was the result of surgeons’ failure to identify all abnormal parathyroid glands. Falsely positive IOPTH is rare, and a targeted MIP utilizing IOPTH can achieve an excellent operative success rate without routine BCE. Selective BCE on patients with marginal IOPTH decrease may improve surgical outcome.
Inhibition of Nitric Oxide but Not Prostacyclin Prevents Poststenotic Dilatation in Rabbit Femoral Artery

Background —Poststenotic dilatation (PSD) occurs in a low-pressure region where recirculation eddies oscillate in size during the cardiac cycle. NO may be an important mediator of PSD. Methods and Results —Femoral arteries of 7 adult male New Zealand White rabbits were stenosed bilaterally to achieve a diameter reduction of 70.9±6.7% (n=14). At the time of stenosis, the adventitia of one of the arteries was coated with 1 mmol/L of N G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) in 22% (wt/vol) Pluronic gel, while the contralateral vessel was coated with gel without L-NAME. In stenosed femoral arteries that were treated with gel without L-NAME, a maximum PSD of 30.99±7.92% (n=7) was observed in polymer casts at 3 days relative to the mean proximal diameter of 1.57±0.25 mm at a position 12 mm upstream of each stenosis. In contrast, the vessels treated with L-NAME exhibited a maximum PSD of only 7.16±8.81% (n=7) relative to the mean proximal diameter of 1.55±0.16 mm. L-NAME caused a 76.9% reduction ( P <0.001, n=7) of PSD. Similarly, N G-monomethyl-l-arginine 1 mmol/L and N G-nitro-l-arginine 10 μmol/L attenuated PSD by 57.5% ( P <0.001, n=6) and 63.9% ( P <0.05, n=6), respectively. Indomethacin 10 μmol/L caused no reduction in PSD. Arterial rings obtained from the poststenotic region were more sensitive and responsive to acetylcholine than those obtained proximal to the stenosis. Conclusions —NO, but not prostacyclin, is a major mediator of PSD.
Effect of transmission through the Earth on neutrino oscillations.

Large transformation and regeneration phenomena are calculated to result from transmission through the Earth of neutrinos whose E(MeV)/\ensuremath{\Delta}${m}^{2}$(${\mathrm{eV}}^{2}$) lie in the vicinity of ${10}^{6}$--${10}^{7}$. As a result large time-of-night and seasonal variations are predicted for solar neutrinos in this parameter range.
Design of Wide Tuning-Range CMOS VCOs Using Switched Coupled-Inductors

Two designs of voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) with mutually coupled and switched inductors are presented in this paper to demonstrate that the tuning range of an LC VCO can be improved with only a small increase in phase noise and die area in a standard digital CMOS process. Particular attention is given to the layout of the inductors to maintain Q across the tuning range. In addition, different capacitive coarse-tuning methods are compared based on simulated and measured data obtained from test structures. Implemented in a 90 nm digital CMOS process, a VCO with two extra coupled inductors achieves a 61.9% tuning range with an 11.75 GHz center frequency while dissipating 7.7 mW from a 1.2 V supply. This VCO has a measured phase noise of -106 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the center frequency resulting in a higher figure-of-merit than other recently published VCOs with similar operating frequencies. In addition, the area overhead is only 30% compared to a conventional LC VCO with a single inductor.
Meta-Alignment with Crumble and Prune: Partitioning very large alignment problems for performance and parallelization

Continuing research into the global multiple sequence alignment problem has resulted in more sophisticated and principled alignment methods. Unfortunately these new algorithms often require large amounts of time and memory to run, making it nearly impossible to run these algorithms on large datasets. As a solution, we present two general methods, Crumble and Prune, for breaking a phylogenetic alignment problem into smaller, more tractable sub-problems. We call Crumble and Prune meta-alignment methods because they use existing alignment algorithms and can be used with many current alignment programs. Crumble breaks long alignment problems into shorter sub-problems. Prune divides the phylogenetic tree into a collection of smaller trees to reduce the number of sequences in each alignment problem. These methods are orthogonal: they can be applied together to provide better scaling in terms of sequence length and in sequence depth. Both methods partition the problem such that many of the sub-problems can be solved independently. The results are then combined to form a solution to the full alignment problem. Crumble and Prune each provide a significant performance improvement with little loss of accuracy. In some cases, a gain in accuracy was observed. Crumble and Prune were tested on real and simulated data. Furthermore, we have implemented a system called Job-tree that allows hierarchical sub-problems to be solved in parallel on a compute cluster, significantly shortening the run-time. These methods enabled us to solve gigabase alignment problems. These methods could enable a new generation of biologically realistic alignment algorithms to be applied to real world, large scale alignment problems.
Integrating monitoring and inspection with attached ultrasonic transducers

Ultrasonic methods are widely applied for nondestructive evaluation of structural components during both the manufacturing process and subsequent field inspections. The field inspections often require expensive teardown in order to access the back surfaces of critical components. Active ultrasonic methods are also a subject of ongoing research for structural health monitoring whereby transducers are permanently attached to a structure and signals are monitored to detect changes caused by structural damage. This paper presents a methodology for effectively combining ultrasonic monitoring and inspection. During the monitoring phase, detection and localization of possible damage is demonstrated on several specimens using attached transducers. This detection phase is followed by demonstration of a new inspection method referred to as Acoustic Wavefield Imaging (AWI) which utilizes the attached transducers as sources and a single externally scanned air-coupled transducer as a receiver. The acoustic wavefield images are useful for both checking the viability of the attached transducers and quantifying the extent of damage. The AWI method approaches the sensitivity of conventional through transmission ultrasonic methods but does not require access to both sides of structural components. Thus, it is very well suited for rapid field inspection of structural assemblies.
Approximate statistical tests for comparing supervised classification learning algorithms

This article reviews five approximate statistical tests for determining whether one learning algorithm outperforms another on a particular learning task. These test sare compared experimentally to determine their probability of incorrectly detecting a difference when no difference exists (type I error). Two widely used statistical tests are shown to have high probability of type I error in certain situations and should never be used: a test for the difference of two proportions and a paired-differences t test based on taking several random train-test splits. A third test, a paired-differences t test based on 10-fold cross-validation, exhibits somewhat elevated probability of type I error. A fourth test, McNemar's test, is shown to have low type I error. The fifth test is a new test, 5 × 2 cv, based on five iterations of twofold cross-validation. Experiments show that this test also has acceptable type I error. The article also measures the power (ability to detect algorithm differences when they do exist)...
Portacaval Shunts: Side-To-Side and End-To-Side

Indications: Bleeding esophageal or gastric varices (BEV or BGV) due to portal hypertension caused by cirrhosis, or, much less commonly, caused by other liver diseases (e. g., schistosomiasis) Bleeding from portal hypertensive gastropathy unresponsive to pharmacologic therapy Budd-Chiari syndrome with patent inferior vena cava (IVC) Intractable ascites unresponsive to nonsurgical therapy Failed transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic shunt (TIPS) Contraindications: Thrombosis of the portal vein without liver disease (extrahepatic portal hypertension) In patients with liver disease, thrombosis of the portal vein that is long-standing and not amenable to venous thrombectomy Occlusion of the hepatic artery (e. g., due to hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy)
Effect of Therapeutic Hypothermia on Survival to Hospital Discharge in Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Secondary to Nonshockable Rhythms

Objectives Therapeutic hypothermia has been shown to improve neurologic outcome and survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and current guidelines recommend therapeutic hypothermia for all comatose survivors of OHCA. However, recommendations for nonshockable rhythms are not as strongly supported. Our study aims to provide further evidence on the use of therapeutic hypothermia in nonshockable rhythms. Methods A multivariate analysis with propensity score matching was performed using a cardiac arrest registry maintained by the Houston Fire Department. The analysis was limited to adult patients achieving ROSC following OHCA secondary to nonshockable rhythm in Houston from 2007 to 2012 with definitive information regarding the implementation of therapeutic hypothermia. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Results Of 9,479 records identified for analysis, 7,839 had an initial nonshockable rhythm. Of these, 2,609 (33.3%) had sustained ROSC and 1,768 (22.6%) were admitted to the hospital. Data on therapeutic hypothermia use were available for 696 patients, with 335 (48.1%) receiving therapeutic hypothermia. Propensity score matching yielded 260 case/control pairs. The odds of survival to hospital discharge was an odds ratio of 1.07 (95% confidence interval = 0.71 to 1.60) for those in the therapeutic hypothermia group versus the nontherapeutic hypothermia group (p = 0.79). Conclusions Based on this retrospective study, therapeutic hypothermia is not associated with improved survival in patients with OHCA secondary to nonshockable rhythms. Given the limitations of our study, further prospective trials to assess the effect of therapeutic hypothermia for OHCA with nonshockable rhythms are warranted.
Students and the police in Ghana: mixed feelings

AbstractThis study examines university students’ perceptions of the Ghana police service in contrast with general population studies that explain citizens’ attitudes toward the police. Two research questions guided this study: (1) What are university students’ perceptions of the police? and (2) What factors influence university students’ perceptions of the police? Using data collected from one large university in Ghana between the months of December 2012 and February 2013, the study found several intriguing findings. First, students have moderate trust in the Ghana police. Second, students critically evaluated police procedural fairness and effectiveness. Multivariate regression models revealed that vicarious experiences of police corruption, marital status, level of education, and ethnicity predicted students’ trust in the police as well as influenced their perceptions of fairness and effectiveness. Policy implications of the findings are discussed.
Balancing Security and Human Rights: The Continuing Quest for Human Dignity

Mahmood considers why there remains relatively little prospect of eliminating all obstacles to protecting human rights in the twenty-first century. Applying universal human rights standards across the globe is fraught with risks and challenges. Mahmood argues that the current human rights campaign must come to grips with the question of how best to improve human rights in the developing world in light of the complexity and diversity of security as well as socioeconomic and cultural contexts.
INHIBITION OF ESTABLISHED TUBERCULIN HYPERSENSITIVITY BY METHOTREXATE.

SummaryActively or passively established tuberculin hypersensitivity in Strain 2 guinea pigs is suppressed by methotrexate treatment for as short a period as 15 days. The suppression of this immune response does not seem to be due to a lymphopenic or anti-inflammatory effect of the drug.
Which lower-extremity DVTs should be removed early?

This controversial therapy is best considered in cases of proximal deep vein thrombosis in younger patients.
Inexpensive Automated Atmospheric Measurements of Aerosol Optical Thickness, Ozone, and Temperature

An inexpensive platform has been developed for automated measurements of air quality. Low-cost sensors for aerosol optical thickness, ozone, temperature, relative humidity, and pressure were combined with a low-cost computer (Raspberry Pi) for automated monitoring. The Raspberry Pi is well-suited to automated measurements because of: (1) its low cost, (2) its low power consumption, (3) its ability to communicate over Ethernet or wireless networks and (4) its ability to interface with many sensors through analog-to-digital converters or directly through Universal Serial Bus (USB), serial port, Inter- Integrated Circuit (I^2C), and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI). This setup is appropriate for use in, e.g., undergraduate atmospheric research groups, where the cost of typical automated sensors is prohibitively expensive. We report measurements taken over a two-month period which includes evidence of high nighttime ozone due to being downwind of a forest fire. This platform can be expanded to enable other atmospheric measurements from a number of sensors.
Technological Choice,Institution and Economic Development

Lin(2003)argued that the failure of most developing countries to converge to the developed countries in terms of per-capita income can be explained largely by their governments' inappropriate development strategy(comparative-advantage-defying strategy).In this paper,we model Lin's idea by developing a technological selection model.In the model,we study the relationship between the development strategy,firm viability,and the trinity system of price distortion,planned resource allocation,and agents without decision rights.Based on the analysis,we further study the impact of the development strategy and the trinity system on economic convergence.
Elevated Prostate Health Index (phi) and Biopsy Reclassification During Active Surveillance of Prostate Cancer

The Prostate Health Index (phi) has been FDA approved for decision-making regarding prostate biopsy. Phi has additionally been shown to positively correlate with tumor volume, extraprostatic disease and higher Gleason grade tumors. Here we describe a case in which an elevated phi encouraged biopsy of a gentleman undergoing active surveillance leading to reclassification of his disease as high risk prostate cancer.
Modernism and the Reinvention of Decadence: The Codes of Decadence: Modernism and Its Discontents

On the first of January 1914, for the first number of The Egoist , which is arguably the first journal of a nascent literary modernism in England, Ezra Pound takes up the theme of first ness in introducing his group to London literary society. He is presenting these modernists of the 1910s, however, to a readership that still holds the memory of a preceding generation, the so-called decade of decadence, the 1890s. The rhetorical energy of the piece goes to differences. The oppositions are forcefully drawn: “A generation came down to London resolved to speak as they wrote.” For all that disastrous decade men spoke with the balanced sentence. There was great awe in the world. And then there came to London a generation that tries to write as it speaks – and these young men are termed petulant – a praise by faint condemnation? The difference Pound is claiming is a truism of literary history now. He is emphasizing the poetics of vital voice in his own decade against the artifice of written literature among Nineties poets. Those were writers, following the conceit that Max Beerbohm used to describe the style of Walter Pater, who are supposed to have wrapped their every sentence in a shroud; they interred their words in the stylized ritual of their written English. That was a manner characterized by Latinate syntax and vocabulary, not by idiomatic directness. Pound’s assertion of his poets’ difference from the writerly Nineties, however, comes through a fragment of syntactical parallelism – “a generation came down to London,” “there came to London a generation” – that adapts the grammar of the generation who “spoke with the balanced sentence.” Is this a heckling echo? Or involuntary homage? Or both?
Lack of a Relationship Between Urinary Calcium Excretion and Sodium Excretion in Stone Formers with High Fasting Calcium/Creatinine Ratios

The relationship between urinary calcium excretion (UCaV) and urinary sodium excretion (UNaV) found in animals (1) and man (2) has led to the proposal that abnormalities in sodium metabolism could play an etiologic role in idiopathic hypercalciuria. Two mechanisms have been proposed. Some have suggested that patients with idiopathic hypercalciuria have high dietary sodium intakes leading to hypercalciuria (3, 4). Others have proposed an abnormality in renal tubular sodium handling (5). We studied the relationship between UCaV and UNaV in groups of stone formers and nonstone-formers to examine these proposed mechanisms.
Frequency and survival pattern of in-hospital cardiac arrests: The impacts of etiology and timing☆☆☆★

Objective Define the frequency and survival pattern of cardiac arrests in relation to the hospital day of event and etiology of arrest.
Genetics of Unverricht-Lundborg Myoclonus Epilepsy

Clinical and molecular genetic data on a family from the United States in which four of five sibs were affected with progressive myoclonus epilepsy of Unverricht-Lundborg type are reported from the University of Helsinki, Finland; National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD; and the VA Hospital, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Surgical Versus Medical Therapy for Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis: A Meta-Analysis of 32 Studies.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is associated with significant morbidity, and the optimal treatment strategy has not been clearly defined. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 32 studies comparing valve reoperation and medical therapy was performed; it included 2,636 patients, with a mean follow-up of 22 months. A valve reoperation was associated with a lower risk of 30-day mortality, greater survival at follow-up, and a similar rate of PVE recurrence. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to clarify clinical decision-making regarding the timing and necessity of a valve reoperation, as opposed to treatment with medical therapy alone.
1948 Hormones and Behavior

Hormones, compounds that are secreted by glands, regulate behavioral expression. Hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and insulin, have effects on development, seasonal changes, and metabolism for many body functions. Sexual development, mating behavior, bonding, and parental care are all deeply affected by hormones.
Role of Human Endogenous Retroviruses in Lymphoma Pathogenesis and a Possible Biomarker of Disease

Actively replicating retroviruses entered hominid species millions of years ago and through mutations preventing replication now exist as 8% of the human genome. Active retroviral particles and antigens from the supposedly dormant human endogenous retrovirus, HERV-K (HML2), have been identified in several cancer cell lines. We have recently demonstrated very high RNA titers of HERV-K (HML2) in the plasma of HIV positive individuals by nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) and RT-PCR. We now demonstrate very high HERV-K (HML2) RNA titers in the plasma of patients with HIV positive and HIV negative non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and in Hodgkin Disease (HD), but not in normal individuals. Different copies of HERV-K (HML-2) present throughout the human genome exist as Type 1 viruses which encode a new oncoprotein, NP9, or as Type 2 viruses which encode a functional envelope (env) and express the Rec oncoprotein. Both Types 1 and 2 viruses appear in NHLs but only Type 1 appears in the plasma of those with HD. HERV-K (HML2) Env and Gag proteins, Env and Gag RNA, and Reverse Transcriptase (RT) activity are isolated from patients with a variety of NHLs, but not in normal controls or in patients with non-malignant diseases. Viral titers dramatically decrease, up to an approximately 7.5 log drop, when patients with NHL or HD go into remission following treatment. To further establish the presence of functional viruses in NHL and HD, immuno-gold electron microscopy allowed demonstration of HERV-K (HML2) particles in the plasma of lymphoma patients. Preliminary analysis of the effect of antiretroviral agents on cell lines infected with HERV-K (HML2) demonstrate a drug class-specific reduction in viral expression at drug concentration levels that range from 0.125 – 1 mcg/mL. In conclusion, we have demonstrated evidence that human endogenous retroviruses are found in the plasma of patients with NHL and HD, suggesting that these viruses, previously presumed to be inactive, may play a role in lymphoma pathogenesis. The observation that viral expression parallels declines in disease activity with treatment of disease may allow use of HERV-K (HML2) expression as a biomarker of lymphoma activity. The role of the HERV-K (HML2)-encoded oncoproteins in disease pathogenesis is under study, as is the potential role of antiretroviral therapy for these malignancies.
CONTRAST-INDUCED NEPHROPATHY FOLLOWING PERIPHERAL ANGIOGRAPHY WITH CARBON DIOXIDE VERSUS IODINATED CONTRAST MEDIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF CURRENT LITERATURE

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a known complication following endovascular procedures with iodinated contrast media (ICM). Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been employed as an alternative imaging medium as it is nontoxic to the kidneys. We conducted a meta analysis of available studies to
Recent and remote 30-day readmissions among cancer patients: Prevalence and association with overall survival.

e17716 Background: 30-day readmission has been shown to be an indicator of poor quality of care. However, it is largely unknown if readmission amongst cancer patients actively receiving treatment i...