cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Sequential Opioid Dose Reduction Interventions in a State Medicaid Program Between 2002 and 2017.

Abstract Policies that address opioid dose limits may help to decrease high-risk opioid prescribing. We evaluated 3 sequential and progressive decreases in high-dose (HD) opioid limits implemented by Massachusetts Medicaid over 15 years. The study population included members ages 18 to 64 years with ≥1 claim for a schedule II opioid between January 2002 and March 2017. The 3 interventions consisted of prior authorization requirements for prescriptions exceeding the morphine equivalent dose (MED) HD dose limits: >360 mg (intervention 1a and 1b), >240 mg (intervention 2), and >120 mg (intervention 3). A segmented regression evaluated the change in natural log of the average daily MED (AD_MED). The natural log of the AD_MED decreased during the 6 quarters after intervention 1a (P Perspective This study demonstrates the longitudinal impact of a prior authorization policy-based HD limit in a Medicaid population. This study contributes to options for policymakers and other Medicaid programs as a potential strategy to assist in addressing the opioid epidemic.
Fossil Calibration of Mitochondrial Phylogenetic Relationships of North American Pine Martens, Martes, Suggests an Older Divergence of M. americana and M. caurina than Previously Hypothesized

As molecularly derived phylogenies have become more prominent in determining evolutionary relationships, researchers have developed multiple methods of time-calibration to estimate ages of speciation or dispersal events. These methods, however, do not always arrive at congruent node ages. Fossil evidence is one of the most common forms of calibration for phylogenies, but age estimates can vary greatly depending on fossil choice, the taxa in question, and methodologies chosen. Using the North American pine martens, Martes americana and M. caurina, as exemplar taxa, previously calculated divergence dates derived from mutation rates and dates estimated using fossil-informed time-calibration are compared. Two fossil calibrated Bayesian phylogenies are generated: one constructed from cytochrome b; and another from a concatenated sequence matrix of 12S, 16S, cytochrome b, and Dloop. Both phylogenies are calibrated based on the fossil record of Martes at three nodes: divergence between ingroup and outgroup clades; node for crown M. americana; and node for crown M. caurina. Both phylogenies support the presence of two clades within Martes and estimate these clades, and thus species, diverged between 540 kya and 234 kya. This is approximately 200,000 years older than divergence ages calculated from mutation rates. The older dates generated here place Martes divergence within the Pre-Illinoan glacial episode instead of the younger Wisconsin glaciation as was previously hypothesized. The results of this study suggest that this clade likely evolved under the climatic influence of multiple glacial cycles throughout the Pleistocene.
(Why) Did Reconstruction Fail? Legislating and Constitutionalizing Civil Rights

The Thirty-ninth Congress, which was elected in November 1864 and began its first session in December 1865, undertook three tasks: to restore the Union after the Civil War, to amend the Constitutio...
Human Flow: Thinking with and through Ai Weiwei’s Defamiliarizing Gaze: Human Flow. Ai Weiwei, director. Produced by Ai Weiwei, Chin-chin Yap, and Heino Deckert, for Amazon Studios and Participant Media, USA, 2017; color, 140 mins. Available on BluRay, DVD, and digital streaming platforms.

Human Flow is one of a number of documentary films made about the global migrant and refugee crisis over the past four years. It stands out among the rest, however, for both its ambitious scale—the...
Abstract 108: Prevalence and Characteristics of Cardiac Rehabilitation Participants With Resistant Hypertension

Introduction: The prevalence of apparent treatment resistant hypertension (RH) varies based on the population studied. We sought to determine the prevalence and characteristics associated with RH a...
Comparing Outcomes for Patients with Clinical T1b Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated With Either Percutaneous Microwave Ablation or Surgery

ABSTRACT Objective To compare perioperative and oncologic outcomes for patients with clinical T1b renal cell carcinoma following treatment with microwave ablation (MW), partial nephrectomy (PN), or radical nephrectomy (RN). Methods Comprehensive clinical and pathologic data were collected for nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma patients with cT1b tumors following MW, PN, or RN from 2000 to 2018. Local recurrence-free, metastasis-free, cancer-specific and overall survival were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors for complications and survival were determined using logistic regression and Cox hazard models, respectively. Results A total of 325 patients (40 MW, 74 PN, and 211 RN) were identified. Patients treated with MW were older with higher Charlson comorbidity indices compared to surgical patients. Median length of hospitalization was shorter for MW compared to surgical patients (1 day vs 4 days, P Conclusion Microwave ablation is a feasible alternative to surgery in select comorbid patients with clinical T1b renal cell carcinoma.
Priests of the Law: Roman Law and the Making of the Common Law's First Professionals

Priests of the Law tells the story of the first people in the history of the common law to think of themselves as legal professionals: the group of justices who wrote the celebrated treatise known as Bracton. It offers a new interpretation of Bracton and its authors. Bracton was not so much an attempt to explain or reform the early common law as it was an attempt to establish the status and authority of the king’s justices. The justices who wrote it were some of the first people to work full-time in England’s royal courts, at a time when they had no obvious model for the legal professional. They found one in an unexpected place: the Roman-law tradition that was sweeping across Europe in the thirteenth century. They modelled themselves on the jurists of Roman law who were teaching in Italy and France. In Bracton and other texts they produced, the justices of the royal courts worked hard to establish that the nascent common-law tradition was just one constituent part of the Roman-law tradition. Through their writing, this small group of people, working in the courts of an island realm, imagined themselves to be part of a broader European legal culture. They made the case that they were not merely servants of the king. They were priests of the law.
Hepatitis C Virus in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Objective The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature to summarize recent demographic characteristics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection during pregnancy and the efficacy of risk-based versus universal screening. Study Design PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant studies. Studies that recognized hepatitis C as a primary or secondary outcome, with pregnant women as the population and written in English, were included. Studies were excluded if they were abstracts only, written in foreign language, or published prior to 1992. Two researchers independently screened all the studies by titles, abstracts, and full text. Conflicts were settled by a third researcher. Results A total of 698 studies were identified with 78 fitting inclusion criteria. In total, 69 epidemiologic and 9 comparison studies were found. Identified risk factors for HCV infection include intravenous or illicit drug use, sexually transmitted coinfection, high-risk behaviors in the partners, high parity, and history of miscarriages or abortions. Demographic characteristics associated with HCV include non-Hispanic white race, American Indian or Alaskan Native ethnicity, and increasing age. Providers may fail to adequately screen for each risk factor, and up to two-thirds of women with a known risk factor are not screened under current guidelines. Finally, up to 27% of HCV+ women have no identifiable risk factors for infection. Conclusion There is evidence that risk-based screening fails to identify a large proportion of HCV positive women in pregnancy and that pregnant women with HCV risk factors and consistent with current screening guidelines fail to be tested. We urge for the adoption of universal screening to identify these women and offer treatment.
Dust Absorption And The Ultraviolet Luminosity Density At z \approx 3 As Calibrated By Local Starburst Galaxies

We refine a technique to measure the absorption corrected ultraviolet (UV) luminosity of starburst galaxies using rest frame UV quantities alone, and apply it to U-dropouts at z ~ 3 found in the Hubble Deep Field. The method is based on an observed correlation between the ratio of far infrared (FIR) to UV fluxes with spectral slope \beta (a UV color). A simple fit to this relation allows the UV flux absorbed by dust to be calculated, and hence the dust-free UV luminosity to be determined. IUE spectra and IRAS fluxes of local starbursts are used to calibrate the ratio in terms of 1600 Angstrom absorption A_{1600}, and the transformation from broad band color to \beta. We show that the recent marginal and non-detections of HDF U-dropouts in the radio and sub-mm are consistent with our calculated A_{1600}. This is also true of observations of the ratio of optical emission line flux to UV flux density in the brightest U-dropouts. This latter ratio turns out not to be a good indicator of dust extinction. In U-dropouts, absolute magnitude correlates with \beta: brighter galaxies are redder, as is observed in local starburst galaxies. This suggests that a mass-metallicity relationship is in place by z ~ 3. The UV luminosity function of U-dropouts extends up to M_{1600,0} ~ -24 ABmag corresponding to a star formation rate ~ 200 \Msun/yr (H_0 = 50 km/s/Mpc, q_0 = 0.5). The absorption-corrected UV luminosity density at z ~ 3 is \rho_{1600,0} => 1.4x10^{27} erg/s/Hz/Mpc^3; still a lower limit since completeness corrections have not been done and because only galaxies with A_{1600} < ~3.6 mag are blue enough to be selected as U-dropouts. The luminosity weighted mean dust absorption factor of our sample is 5.4 +/- 0.9$ at 1600\AA (abridged).
Spatially resolved optical property measurements of microscale biological samples from 450nm to 1630nm

We present a simple and versatile approach to perform spatially resolved measurements of scattering and absorption properties of small biological samples (~ 1 mm in size) with high spatial resolution (~25µm) from 450nm to 1630nm.
Oxytocin and Food Intake Control: Neural, Behavioral, and Signaling Mechanisms.

The neuropeptide oxytocin is produced in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus and the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus. In addition to its extensively studied influence on social behavior and reproductive function, central oxytocin signaling potently reduces food intake in both humans and animal models and has potential therapeutic use for obesity treatment. In this review, we highlight rodent model research that illuminates various neural, behavioral, and signaling mechanisms through which oxytocin’s anorexigenic effects occur. The research supports a framework through which oxytocin reduces food intake via amplification of within-meal physiological satiation signals rather than by altering between-meal interoceptive hunger and satiety states. We also emphasize the distributed neural sites of action for oxytocin’s effects on food intake and review evidence supporting the notion that central oxytocin is communicated throughout the brain, at least in part, through humoral-like volume transmission. Finally, we highlight mechanisms through which oxytocin interacts with various energy balance-associated neuropeptide and endocrine systems (e.g., agouti-related peptide, melanin-concentrating hormone, leptin), as well as the behavioral mechanisms through which oxytocin inhibits food intake, including effects on nutrient-specific ingestion, meal size control, food reward-motivated responses, and competing motivations.
Practical Rules: When We Need Them and When We Don't

Rules proliferate; some are kept with a bureaucratic stringency bordering on the absurd, while others are manipulated and ignored in ways that injure our sense of justice. Under what conditions should we make exceptions to rules, and when should they be followed despite particular circumstances? The two dominant models in the literature on rules are the particularist account and that which sees the application of rules as normative. Taking a position that falls between these two extremes, Alan Goldman provides a systematic framework to clarify when we need to follow rules in our moral, legal and prudential decisions, and when we ought not to do so. The book distinguishes among various types of rules; it illuminates concepts such as integrity, self-interest and self-deception; and finally, it provides an account of ordinary moral reasoning without rules. This book will be of great interest to advanced students and professionals working in philosophy, law, decision theory and the social sciences.
Nonradiative Processes and Blue Emission in Nd:YLF

In addition to one-photon absorption and fluorescence in rare earth and transition metal ion-doped crystals and glasses, a number of other processes can occur such as two-step excitation and energy transfer which may affect laser operation. For example, concentration quenching in Nd3+ doped materials is an energy-transfer phenomenon, and energy transfer or two-step excitation can convert infrared photons to visible fluorescence [1] or visible lasers[2]. It has also been shown that energy-transfer upconversion (ETU), also known as Auger recombination, can increase laser threshold and change laser dynamics [3]. Both sequential two-photon excitation (STEP) and energy-transfer upconversion (ETU) have been identified in Nd3+ doped materials. These two processes are shown in Fig. 1. STEP involves absorption of one photon to an excited-state, followed by excited-state absorption (ESA) of a second photon to an even higher-lying level. In ETU, two nearby ions which are in excited-states interact causing one ion to relax while the other is simultaneously excited to a higher state. This is identical to concentration quenching except that one of the ions is in the ground state in concentration quenching. The transition rate for ESA increases with excited-state population density as does the rate for ETU. These processes may be especially important in resonant pumping because the excited-state densities can be quite high.
NASH: Navigation-assisted seamless handover scheme for LTE-A smallcell networks

The existing handover decision schemes in smallcell networks are mostly based on received signal strength (RSS) to make hangover decision. However, these schemes suffer from ping-pong effect and, as a result, perform unnecessary handovers incurring extra signaling overhead, which is even more exaggeratedly in the dense smallcell environment. Therefore, we propose a navigation-assisted seamless handover (NASH) scheme for reducing unnecessary handovers and ping-pong effect. We use the bicasting scheme with coordination multi-point (CoMP) and carrier aggregation (CA) techniques in handover procedure to avoid packet loss problem and enhance throughput. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme has the better performance in terms of handover latency, packet loss, network throughput, and the number of unnecessary handovers.
Empirical studies on software notices to inform policy makers and usability designers

We evaluate the usability of End User License Agreements (EULAs) of popular consumer programs. Results from an empirical evaluation of 50 popular programs show the lack of accessibility and readability of notices. Our data from a recent study with 64 users involved in installation tasks confirms the public perception that notice to and consent by the user is not achieved.
The Cuban alternative to neoliberalism: linkages between local production and tourism after 1990.

Purpose – In response to its profound economic crisis, in the 1990s Cuba adopted a tourism‐based development strategy. As an approach to development, tourism has been both heralded and critiqued. One concern is that for less diversified economies it has large imported input requirements. The purpose of this paper is to analyze Cuba's efforts to address this weakness.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on interviews conducted with Cuban policy makers and researchers working in the area of tourism, and one hotelier operating in Cuba. Also, extensive secondary data collected while conducting the fieldwork in Cuba and relevant existing literature are reviewed.Findings – It is found that Cuba has increased significantly its reliance on domestic production for inputs for its tourist sector since the mid‐1990s, thereby reducing its dependence on imported inputs.Practical implications – These findings suggest that, by reconfiguring domestic production to provide inputs for the tourism sector, foreign ex...
The Structure of Parallel Algorithms.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents many examples of parallel algorithms and studies them under a uniform framework. The chapter explains a parallel algorithm as a collection of independent task modules that can be executed in parallel and that communicate with each other during the execution of the algorithm. The chapter explains the three important attributes of a parallel algorithm and classifies parallel algorithms in terms of these attributes. Three orthogonal dimensions of the space of parallel algorithms: concurrency control, module granularity, and communication geometry. The classification of parallel algorithms corresponds naturally to that of parallel architectures. Algorithms for synchronous parallel computers are considered, where examples of algorithms using various communication geometries are presented. Algorithms for asynchronous parallel computers are also considered in the chapter. A number of techniques dealing with the difficulties arising from the asynchronous behavior of computation and the examples are mainly drawn from results in concurrent database systems. This chapter deals with the basic issues and techniques in designing parallel algorithms for various architectures. The chapter concludes that issues concerning algorithms for synchronous parallel computers are quite different from those for asynchronous parallel computers.
Effects of Simulated Scapular Protraction on Anterior Glenohumeral Stability

We evaluated the effect of simulated scapular protraction on anterior glenohumeral translation and in situ inferior glenohumeral ligament strain. Five fresh-frozen cadaveric glenohumeral joints were tested in the position of apprehension while simulating scapular protraction using a custom translation testing device and a differential variable reluctance transducer. The results showed a statistically significant decrease in anterior glenohumeral translation as the scapula was increasingly rotated to simulate 20 degrees of scapular protraction. With 15 N of thorax-based, anteriorly directed load, the mean anterior translation was 6.3 +/- 1.6 mm (mean +/- SEM). With 10 degrees of simulated scapular protraction, translation decreased to 4.1 +/- 1.0 mm; with 20 degrees of simulated scapular protraction, it decreased further to 2.5 +/- 0.5 mm. For each of the other anteriorly directed loads, translations also decreased when 20 degrees of scapular protraction was simulated. Concurrently for each of the anteriorly directed loads, there was increased in situ strain of the anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament with increased simulated scapular protraction. These results suggest that repetitive or chronic protraction of the scapula may result in excessive strain and, ultimately, insufficiency in the anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament.
Citizenship and Naturalization Patterns of Immigrants in the Southeastern United States And Their Political Consequences

This study examines naturalization rates in the southeastern United States and compares them to other regions while investigating some political consequences of naturalization. In terms of the number of naturalized citizens and naturalization rates, the Southeast lags behind states with long immigration histories. In all U.S. southeastern states, Asians comprise the largest group of naturalized citizens, but rates vary. Mexicans and Central Americans are the least likely to obtain citizenship in all southeastern states. The authors also find and discuss a small immigrant presence in the U.S. House of Representatives and a significant positive correlation between states' naturalization rates and the percentage of the state that voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.
The role of viruses in the development and exacerbation of atopic disease

Objective To examine data in support of the viral hypothesis of atopic disease. Data Sources We retrieved review articles and original research from MEDLINE, OVID, and PubMed (1950-June 2009) that addressed our topic of interest, using the terms respiratory virus, asthma, IgE, atopy , and viral-induced wheeze . Study Selection Articles were selected for their relevance to viruses and their role in asthma. Results Much of the data in support of the viral role in asthma focuses on rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus. Epidemiologic studies have used factors such as day-care and family size as surrogates for infection in studies that support and negate the role of viruses in the development of asthma. A large volume of literature supports the theory that virus exacerbates preexisting asthma by setting off the inflammatory cascade. No mechanistic studies fully explain how viral infections can translate or exacerbate atopic disease. We provide information from our mouse model that suggests that dendritic cells, IgE, and FcɛRI are critical to the induction of atopy. Studies of patients taking antiviral agents (eg, ribavirin or palvizumab) support the notion that interfering with respiratory viral infections may decrease the development of atopy. Conclusions Many studies suggest strongly that viral infections may predispose patients to the development of asthma and other atopic diseases. Further, mechanistic studies are necessary to allow for the development of targeted therapeutics to prevent the translation of viral into atopic disease.
Hardware-Constrained Hybrid Coding of Video Imagery

The design, implementation, and performance of a video bandwidth compression system is described. In this system, compression is obtained by several methods including the use of DCT/DCPM hybrid coding, frame rate reduction, and resolution reduction. The overall compression ratio is up to 1000:1. The hardware-constrained design of the DCT and the DPCM is described and a new method is derived to solve the optimum integer bit-assignment problem associated with the block quantization process in the DPCM. Computer simulation results are presented which predict that the performance of the system using the derived optimal bit assignment method is superior to those obtained by other bit assignment methods. The real-time hybrid coding system design is optimized for a set of ?modified? average statistics to compress a wide variety of input video images. This approach eliminates the problem of nonzero dc mean value which could otherwise cause serious degradations in the system performance. The compression system is fully implemented and the quality of the reconstructed video as predicted by computer simulation has been demonstrated by the actual hardware performance. The PSNR of the reconstructed imagery is in excess of 36 dB at 2 bits per pixel.
An evaluation of total parenteral nutrition in the management of inflammatory bowel disease.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is commonly used in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Claims of its effectiveness are conflicting, and most reports have been limited to short-term assessments. We undertook a nonrandomized prospective study of the effects of TPN on the course of IBD in 30 patients whose disease was refractory to medical therapy, 20 with Crohn's disease and 10 with ulcerative colitis. Parameters of nutritional improvement, subjective and objective clinical response during TPN, and long-term outcome were assessed. All but one of the patients gained weight. Seven of the 20 Crohn's patients, including 3 of 4 with fistulas, had no response to TPN. The other 13 had reduction of diarrhea, relief of abdominal pain, and an improved sense of wellbeing during TPN. On long-term follow-up, five of these patients relapsed and required surgery; five remain improved with active disease controlled by medication 2–24 months later, and three are symptom-free and off all medication 20–48 months later. Clinical improvement during TPN was observed in only four of the 10 ulcerative colitis patients; six required colectomy after 9–24 days of TPN. Of the four responders, one relapsed and had colectomy one month later, two continue to have active disease controlled by medication five and 43 months later, and one has been symptom-free and off all medication for over three years. We conclude that TPN is useful adjunctive therapy for IBD patients requiring bowel rest and nutritional repletion. Dramatic clinical improvement occurs in some patients but is unpredictable.
Optical and EPR spectroscopy of Zn:Cr:ZnSe and Zn:Fe:ZnSe crystals

Abstract Optical and EPR characterization of Cr and Fe doped ZnSe crystals annealed in Zn vapor revealed a strong bleaching of the divalent state of transition metal ions. Photo induced EPR kinetics were studied in 20–80 K temperature range. Analysis of time-dependent data reveals Cr1+ signal rise time decreases with increasing temperature. The non-exponential decay of Cr1+ concentration were analyzed using Auger-type recombination process. The photoluminescence quantum yield of Cr2+ ions at 5E(D) → 5T2(D) mid-IR transition excited via chromium ionization process was measured to be close to 100%.
A BEM for the modeling of unsteady propeller sheet cavitation inside of a cavitation tunnel

A boundary element method is applied to predict the unsteady cavitating performance of marine propellers subject to a non-axisymmetric inflow with the complete tunnel wall effect. The tunnel and propeller problem is solved directly to predict the fully unsteady performance of the cavitating propeller. The cavitation on blade and wake surface is determined by applying the dynamic and the kinematic boundary conditions on the cavity surface. The potential on the cavity surface is known from the dynamic boundary condition and the relation between cavitation number and cavity velocity. Once the boundary value problem is solved for the unknowns- the potentials on the wetted blade surface and the normal derivative of potentials on the cavity surface – the new cavity shape is adjusted by using the normal derivative of the potential. The potential on the new cavity surface is determined by using the kinematic boundary condition on the cavity. The procedure is repeated until the cavity shape converges and the pressure on the cavity becomes constant. To validate the present method, the effects of the number of blade panels and the dimensions of the tunnel walls on blade forces are presented. The predicted cavity patterns are compared with those observed from experiment.
Diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) resistance of Brassica napus and B. oleracea lines with differing leaf characteristics.

Canola quality oil produced from oilseed rape, Brassica napus L. (Brassicaceae), is a relatively new crop in the United States and is damaged by a number of insect pests, including the crucifer specialist diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). Greenhouse tests were performed to evaluate resistance in normal-leafed ('Bingo', 'Cobra', 'Oscar') and glossy-leafed B. napus plants ('glossy Bingo' and plant introductions (PI) 469895, 470055, 470055-2, and 470064) to identify potential resistant sources to diamondback moth. Normal-leafed PI 171538, originally described as B. napus and recently reclassified as B. oleracea, also was evaluated for resistance with B. napus plants and B. oleracea cultivars of broccoli, 'Green Comet', 'Green Valiant', and collard 'Vates'. Plants of Cornell line 92-8611, a broccoli with glossy-leaf type (glossy broccoli), were used as the resistant control in all trials. B. napus entries failed to show feeding nonpreference or antibiosis comparable to that of glossy broccoli, Furthermore, no significant differences were detected between normal and glossy-leafed B. napus lines for most of the parameters tested. Within the tested B. napus entries, PI 470055 exhibited low levels of feeding damage in the restricted-feeding test and some level of antibiosis against diamondback moth. However, B. oleracea entry PI 171538 showed a greater or comparable level of resistance to that of glossy broccoli. Nonpreference for larval feeding and adult oviposition were exhibited by PI 171538. In feeding tests, PI 171538 was less defoliated compared with other B. oleracea entries. Diamondback moth larvae reared on PI 171538 leaves for 5 d had a lower head capsule width compared with larvae reared on other entries. In an oviposition preference test, PI 171538 received 0.9% of eggs as compared with normal-leafed B. napus plants (2.1-4.4%) and glossy broccoli, which received 7.0% of eggs. The experiments indicate that the normal-leafed B. oleracea entry PI 171538 has considerable resistance against diamondback moth. PI171538 is a newly discovered source of resistance and has leaf characteristics that differ from the previously reported diamondback moth-resistant B. oleracea lines.
Cues for spontaneous alternation by gerbils

Twenty male Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were tested for spontaneous alternation behavior in a T-maze under five cue conditions: (1) all cues present, (2) only S’s own odor trail, (3) only orientation cues, (4) no cues, (5) only another S’s odor trail. Significant alternation was found only in the first two conditions, indicating that odor trail is the only alternation cue for gerbils under testing conditions which also yield considerable orientation alternation in rats. There was also a tendency for gerbils to “alternate” the odor trail left by the noncagemate, but to follow that of a cagemate. A previous failure to find evidence of alternation in gerbils may have been due to a lack of opportunity for the animals to engage in trail-marking behavior.
Five examples of assessment and expression of measurement uncertainty

It is a long-accepted tenet of scientific practice that every measurement result ought to include a statement of uncertainty associated with the measured value. Such uncertainty should also be propagated to functions of the measured values. It is also widely recognized that probability distributions are well suited to express measurement uncertainty and that statistical methods are the choice vehicles to produce uncertainty assessments incorporating information in empirical data as well as other relevant information, either about the quantity that is the object of measurement or about the techniques or apparatuses used in measurement. Statistical models and methods of statistical inference provide the technical machinery necessary to evaluate and propagate measurement uncertainty. Some of these models and methods are illustrated in five examples: (i) measurement of the refractive index of a glass prism (employing a venerable formula due to Gauss, as well as contemporary Monte Carlo methods); (ii) measurement of the mass fraction of arsenic in oyster tissue using data from an inter-laboratory study (introducing a Bayesian hierarchical model with adaptive tail heaviness); (iii) measurement of the relative viscosity increment of a solution of sucrose in water (using a copula); (iv) mapping measurements of radioactivity in the area of Fukushima, Japan (via both local regression and kriging, and explaining how model uncertainty may be evaluated); and (v) combining expert opinions about the flow rate of oil during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico (via linear or logarithmic pooling). Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of amino acid phenylthiohydantoins by multicomponent analysis of ultraviolet spectra

Abstract Mixtures of amino acid phenylthiohydantoins ( PTH s) can be identified and quantitated by multicomponent analysis of their ultraviolet spectra. For this analysis, the direct absorbance spectra were converted to their first derivatives. Then the multicomponent analysis routine resident in the spectrophotometer was used. The entire process requires less than one minute. Mixtures of two amino acid phenylthiohydantoins with extreme spectral similarity were accurately quantitated with the method. (We used mixtures of PTH-A sp- PTH-G lu and PTH-I le- PTH-L eu.) The ability to identify amino acid phenylthiohydantoins by analysis of their ultraviolet spectra may provide a simple method for confirmation of the identification of the amino acid PTH obtained during protein sequencing.
A Low-Complexity Preamble Detector for iNET-Formatted SOQPSK

This paper shows that preamble detectors, based on the mathematical and statistical properties of M-ary symbols in ISI-free environments, can provide reasonably good performance when operating on SOQPSK-TG samples in the presence of unknown ISI and a frequency offset. Of the preamble detectors examined in this paper, the preamble detector based on the concept of non-coherent post-detection integration (NCPDI) provides the best trade-off in terms of performance (measured by mean and variance) and computational complexity.
Utilizing Multitemporal Data by a Stochastic Model

In remote sensing, a principle objective is to produce an accurate ground cover thematic classification map. In this paper a new classifier which makes use of multitemporal data is described. Ground cover types are considered as stochastic systems with nonstationary Gaussian processes as input and temporal variation of reflected and emitted electromagnetic energy as output. Then, by assumption that the behavior of these stochastic systems are governed by first-order Markov processes, multitemporal information is utilized. As a result of this approach for characterizing multitemporal data, a new processor, the Markov classifier, is developed. Experimental results from Landsat MSS data are included.
MSE optimal bit-rate allocation in JPEG2000 Part 2 compression applied to a 3D data set

A bit rate allocation (BRA) strategy is needed to optimally compress three-dimensional (3-D) data on a per-slice basis, treating it as a collection of two-dimensional (2-D) slices/components. This approach is compatible with the framework of JPEG2000 Part 2 which includes the option of pre-processing the slices with a decorrelation transform in the cross-component direction so that slices of transform coefficients are compressed. In this paper, we illustrate the impact of a recently developed inter-slice rate-distortion optimal bit-rate allocation approach that is applicable to this compression system. The approach exploits the MSE optimality of all JPEG2000 bit streams for all slices when each is produced in the quality progressive mode. Each bit stream can be used to produce a rate-distortion curve (RDC) for each slice that is MSE optimal at each bit rate of interest. The inter-slice allocation approach uses all RDCs for all slices to optimally select an overall optimal set of bit rates for all the slices using a constrained optimization procedure. The optimization is conceptually similar to Post-Compression Rate-Distortion optimization that is used within JPEG2000 to optimize bit rates allocated to codeblocks. Results are presented for two types of data sets: a 3-D computed tomography (CT) medical image, and a 3-D metereological data set derived from a particular modeling program. For comparison purposes, compression results are also illustrated for the traditional log-variance approach and for a uniform allocation strategy. The approach is illustrated using two decorrelation tranforms (the Karhunen Loeve transform, and the discrete wavelet transform) for which the inter-slice allocation scheme has the most impact.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The VSC-HVDC electric power quality analysis and research

New energy technology application will occupy more and more of the important position in the future of the electric power development. Traditional transmission mode has become the bottleneck which restricts the mass construction of the new energy electric power plant. The flexible DC transmission technology has more advantage than the traditional transmission technology in the application of new energy and distributed energy electric power system.This paper is based on study of electric power quality in VSC-HVDC and synthetically analyses on the electric power quality suppression.This paper expounds the conventional HVDC electric power quality characteristics. Analysis the application of VSC-HVDC to implications electric power quality after through comparing measure data between VSC-HVDC put operation and no put operation. On the basis of the analysis this paper put forward improving suggestions. (4 pages)
Thyristor Devices for Electric Power Systems

Thyristors of higher voltage and current ratings containing new gate and self-protective features are being developed at General Electric with EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) support. Some of the more important of these are described in this paper. Devices include light triggered thyristors (LTT's), now at the 5 and 6KV level, and asymr metric light triggered thyristors (ALTT's) with 50% higher surge capability and 50% faster turn-off times than a regular thyristor. New features include "controlled turn-on", which protects thyristors from destructive di/dt during turn-on, and " voltage breakover" (VBO) protection, which prevents destructive avalanche current turn-on.
A diagnostic caution in screening for depressed college students.

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is the most frequently used research measure for selecting samples of depressed college students, and a cutoff score of 10 is most often used. Although previous studies have examined the diagnostic characteristics of subjects selected in this manner, these studies have been limited to examination of depressive diagnostic features and have focused on samples selected on the basis of a less commonly used cutoff score of 16. This study extends previous research by assessing a broad range of diagnostic characteristics of depressed college students identified using single (1-point) and dual (2-point) administrations of the BDI. Sixty-three college students meeting the BDI criterion for at least mild depression participated in structured interviews based on DSM-III. Results showed a high degree of diagnostic heterogeneity for both methods, although the 2-point criterion increased homogeneity marginally. The BDI screenings occasionally resulted in the selection of individuals with substance abuse disorders, precluding the diagnosis of an affective disorder. A second group of selected individuals contained students with past histories of psychiatric disorders, but no clinical symptoms at present. It is suggested that researchers carefully control for heterogeneity of student samples by following 2-point screening sessions with a brief diagnostic interview.
Paradoxic Vocal Fold Movement Disorder

Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement Disorder (PVFMD) is a cause of dyspnea that can mimic or occur alongside asthma or other pulmonary disease. Treatment with Laryngeal Control Therapy is very effective once the entity is properly diagnosed and contributing comorbidities are managed appropriately. In understanding the etiology of PVFMD, focus has broadened beyond psychiatric factors alone to include the spectrum of laryngeal irritants (laryngopharyngeal reflux, allergic and sinus disease, sicca, and possibly obstructive sleep apnea). The following is a discussion of the history, terminology, epidemiology, diagnosis, comorbid conditions, and treatment of this entity.
Structure of GaN films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire

GaN films grown by electron-cyclotron resonance plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy were studied by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Two sets of films were compared that were grown under identical conditions except for the ratio of the Ga to N flux. Films with a 30% higher Ga to N ratio (A films) were found to contain inversion domains (IDs). No IDs were found in films grown with a lower Ga to N ratio (B films), but instead the zinc-blende GaN was found near the film substrate interface. A narrower XRD rocking curve width along the (0002) direction and a broader rocking curve width along the asymmetric (1102) axis were found for A films compared to B films.
Multiplexed real-time PCR amplification of tlh, tdh and trh genes in Vibrio parahaemolyticus and its rapid detection in shellfish and Gulf of Mexico water.

In this study, we have developed a SYBR Green™ I-based real-time multiplexed PCR assay for the detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Gulf of Mexico water (gulf water), artificially seeded and natural oysters targeting three hemolysin genes, tlh, tdh and trh in a single reaction. Post-amplification melt-temperature analysis confirmed the amplification of all three targeted genes with high specificity. The detection sensitivity was 10 cfu (initial inoculum) in 1 ml of gulf water or oyster tissue homogenate, following 5 h enrichment. The results showed 58% of the oysters to be positive for tlh, indicating the presence of V. parahaemolyticus; of which 21% were positive for tdh; and 0.7% for trh, signifying the presence of pathogenic strains. The C t values showed that oyster tissue matrix had some level of inhibition, whereas the gulf water had negligible effect on PCR amplification. The assay was rapid (~8 h), specific and sensitive, meeting the ISSC guidelines. Rapid detection using real-time multiplexed PCR will help reduce V. parahaemolyticus-related disease outbreaks, thereby increasing consumer confidence and economic success of the seafood industry.
Essential Roles for Coiled-coil Domains in STIM1 Oligomerization and CRAC Channel Activation

The calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channel is activated by depletion of Ca2+ from the ER. Store depletion causes the ER Ca2+ sensor, STIM1, to translocate to sites of close ER-plasma membrane apposition, where it interacts with Orai1, the pore-forming subunit of the CRAC channel and activates Ca2+ entry. STIM1 self-associates in resting cells (Baba et al., PNAS 103:16704, 2006) and further oligomerizes after store depletion (Liou et al., PNAS 104:9301, 2007), an event that triggers the self-assembly and activation of STIM1-Orai1 clusters at ER-PM junctions (Luik et al., Nature 454:538, 2008). STIM1 has several protein interaction domains, including a lumenal sterile alpha motif (SAM) and two putative cytosolic coiled-coil regions. The isolated lumenal EF hand - SAM region is known to oligomerize upon Ca2+ removal in vitro (Stathopulos et al., JBC 281:35855, 2006), but the roles of the coiled-coil domains in the functions of STIM1 in situ are not as well understood. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, co-immunoprecipitation, and blue native PAGE analysis on truncated mutants of STIM1 we show that the two coiled-coil domains of STIM1 affect STIM1 oligomerization in different ways. The ER-proximal coiled-coil is sufficient for the self-association of STIM1 in resting cells but does not by itself support oligomerization in response to store depletion. The distal coiled-coil is required for depletion-induced oligomerization. Mutation of specific residues within the predicted hydrophobic interface of the distal coiled-coil prevents the formation of STIM1 puncta and the activation of CRAC channels. These results reveal an essential role for the distal coiled-coil of STIM1 in the oligomerization step that controls store-operated Ca2+ entry.
Distinct roles for B7 costimulation in contact hypersensitivity and humoral immune responses to epicutaneous antigen

Productive interactions between B7-1 and B7-2 costimulatory molecules on dendritic cells (DC) and CD28 on T cells are thought to be critical for successful antigen presentation. Epicutaneous application of haptens induces both contact hypersensitivity (CHS), an inflammatory cutaneous response mediated by CD8+ T cells, and an anti-hapten antibody response mediated by CD4+ helper T cells. The role of B7 costimulation in the immune response to oxazolone (Ox) was analyzed using mice lacking either B7-1 (B7-1-/-), B7-2 (B7-2-/-), or both (Db-/-) of these costimulatory molecules. The absence of both B7-1 and B7-2 results in diminished CHS. This inhibition is largely overcome at higher hapten sensitizing doses indicating the presence of compensatory pathways. In contrast, anti-Ox IgG1 and IgG2a responses were not detected in the absence of both B7-1 and B7-2, even at high sensitizing doses, indicating an obligatory role of B7 costimulation in IgG class switching. B7-1 and B7-2 have overlapping functions in both CHS responses and anti-hapten response. B7-2-/- mice demonstrated a modestly reduced CHS response only at very low doses of Ox (0.05%), but responded normally at higher Ox doses, and B7-1-/- mice had CHS responses indistinguishable from those of wild-type mice. Similarly, anti-Ox IgG responses were comparable in wild-type, B7-1-/- and B7-2-/- mice. Taken together, these studies reveal distinct roles for B7 costimulation in response to epicutaneous antigens with an obligatory role for IgG class switching and an important, but nonessential role for CHS responses.
DINC: A new AutoDock-based protocol for docking large ligands

Background Using the popular program AutoDock, computer-aided docking of small ligands with 6 or fewer rotatable bonds, is reasonably fast and accurate. However, docking large ligands using AutoDock's recommended standard docking protocol is less accurate and computationally slow.
Invited presentation: introns and modules in ancient conserved genes (abstract only)

We study the correlation between introns and modules, compact regions of protein structure, in genes whose products have a known 3-dimensional structre and which are homologous between bacteria and eukaryotes. Using two definitions of modules, we show that phase zero introns, those that lie between the codons, are significantly correlated with the boundaries of modules while introns that lie in phases one and two, that interrupt the codons are not so correlated. Furthermore, intron positions that are philogenetically ancient, matching between two kingdomes, are more correlated with module boundaries than are other positions. We will discuss the significance of these findings, which suggest that some of the phase zero introns are residues of the original construction of the genes while the phase one and two introns may have been added later in evolution.
Decarboxylation of 1,3-dimethylorotic acid revisited: Determining the role of N-1

Abstract The decarboxylation of 1,3-dimethylorotic acid was found to be only about two to three times as fast as that of citrazinic acid (1-deazaorotic acid). It is thus concluded that the positive charge development on the adjacent N-1 is not as important as previously proposed.