cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geographic Information Systems Mapping of Diabetic Retinopathy in an Ocular Telemedicine Network.

Importance Minimal information exists on the use of geographic information systems mapping for visualizing access barriers to eye care for patients with diabetes. Objective To use geographic information systems mapping techniques to visualize (1) the locations of patients participating in the North Carolina Diabetic Retinopathy Telemedicine Network, (2) the locations of primary care clinicians and ophthalmologists across the state, and (3) the travel times associated with traveling to the 5 primary care clinics in our study. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional study conducted from January 6, 2014, to November 1, 2015, at 5 Area Health Education Center primary care clinics that serve rural and underserved populations in North Carolina. In total, 1787 patients with diabetes received retinal screening photographs with remote expert interpretation to determine the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy. Participants included patients 18 years or older with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who presented to these 5 clinics for their routine diabetes care. Main Outcomes and Measures Development of qualitative maps illustrating the density of patients with diabetes and their distribution around the 5 North Carolina Diabetic Retinopathy Telemedicine Network sites by zip code and the density of ophthalmologists and primary care clinicians by zip code relative to US Census Urban Areas. A travel time map was also created using road network analysis to determine all areas that can be reached by car in a user-specified amount of time. Results Mean (SD) age of patients was 55.4 (12.7) years. Women made up 62.7% of the study population. The study included more African American patients (55.4%) compared with white (35.5%) and Hispanic (5.8%) patients. The mean (SD) hemoglobin A 1c level was 7.8% (2.4%) (to convert to proportion of total hemoglobin, multiply by 0.01), and the mean (SD) duration of diabetes was 9.2 (8.2) years. Whereas the clinics located in Greensboro, Asheville, and Fayetteville screened patients from more immediate surrounding areas, the Greenville site had the widest distribution of zip codes, suggesting that patients travel from greater distances to reach this facility. Primary care clinicians were spread somewhat uniformly across the state, whereas ophthalmologists were concentrated around urban centers. Also, the number and type of surface roads surrounding the clinics determined the distance and time patients must travel to receive care. Conclusions and Relevance Geographic information systems mapping is a useful technique for visualizing geographic access barriers to eye care for patients with diabetes and may help to identify underserved areas that would benefit from the expansion of retinal screening programs via telemedicine.
Abstract WP120: Measuring Carotid Stenosis With a Novel Non-contrast Enhanced MR Angiography Technique (SNAP): Comparison With Contrast-enhanced MR Angiography

Introduction: Contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) provides highly accurate measurement of carotid stenosis. But non-contrast techniques are desired as contrast agents may lead to anaphylaxis or nephrogenic system fibrosis. Recently, an inversion-recovery gradient echo sequence with phase-sensitive reconstruction was developed for assessment of lumen and intraplaque hemorrhage in one sequence - Simultaneous Noncontrast Angiography and intraPlaque hemorrhage (SNAP). Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that SNAP provides an accurate and reproducible assessment of carotid stenosis compared to CE-MRA. Methods: Fifty-eight subjects with 16-79% stenosis on ultrasound were scanned using a large-coverage (16 cm), isotropic-resolution (0.8 mm) SNAP sequence. Minimum intensity projections were generated at ten degrees increments to get 3D views of carotid arteries. Carotid stenosis was measured bilaterally according to the NASCET criteria by independent readers to estimate inter-reader reproducibility. To assess agreement between SNAP and CE-MRA, 24 subjects also underwent CE-MRA with same resolution (0.8 mm isotropic) after injection of gadolinium contrast (Magnevist). Maximum intensity projections were generated for CE-MRA and analyzed while blinded to SNAP data. Results: Of 116 carotid arteries imaged by SNAP, 10 (8.6%) were excluded by at least one reader due to poor image quality or insufficient coverage. Inter-reader reproducibility was high, yielding an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93, 0.96). When stenosis measurements were categorized as no/mild (0-29%), moderate (30-69%) and severe (70-99%), weighted kappa was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.88). In the 48 arteries with CE-MRA images, agreement between SNAP and CE-MRA was excellent (ICC: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92, 0.98; weighted kappa: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.00). Conclusions: SNAP can be used to obtain accurate and reproducible measurement of extracranial carotid artery stenosis without gadolinium contrast. The ability of SNAP to assess both traditional (stenosis) and emerging (intraplaque hemorrhage) risk factors may promote its use in clinical workup of carotid stenosis.
The role of endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatic disorders

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) represents one of the major advances in gastrointestinal endoscopy in the past 10 years. Originally designed to image mass lesions in the esophagus and stomach, the technique has been increasingly applied to a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders. Since the pancreas lies in such close proximity to the stomach and duodenum, imaging of the pancreas has become particularly successful. EUS imaging of the upper gastrointestinal tract has become possible with the development of small ultrasound probes that can be placed in the esophagus and stomach. Most commonly, EUS probes are located on the tips ofendoscopes, and imaging of the pancreas is possible from locations in the duodenum and stomach. The frequency of the ultrasound waves emitted and received by an ultrasound probe determines the depth of penetration and resolution; highfrequency waves produce high-resolution images with a shallow tissue penetration and low-frequency waves result in lower-resolution images. For optimal imaging of the pancreatic-biliary system, midrange
Is It Sprawling Yet? A Density-Based Exploration of Sprawl in the Urban Agglomeration Region Around the Mega City of Delhi

Sprawl is recognized as one of the distinctive features of the urbanizing landscape in almost all countries irrespective of their urban developmental status; but despite a growing volume of literature on this subject the concept continues to elude us. In the context of the changing urban landscape such as the declining growth rates of the metro cities, the spatial expansion of their peripheral urban land into the surrounding countryside, and the sudden growth of the newly reclassified former villages as ‘census towns’ in the last decade, sprawl studies—primarily in the context of individual city regions—have gained momentum in India in recent years. This paper aims to make a small contribution to the literature by focusing on the Delhi Urban Agglomeration (DUA), one of the dynamic city-regions of the world. Given the universal emphasis on density as one of the major dimensions of sprawl, we used a simple and measurable density index based on census data to compute the density levels of ‘census towns’ around the core city in the DUA during 2001–2011. The results show an incremental change towards scattered low-density settlements across the study area that may portend future sprawl. The study points to the suitability of using simple measurable indices based on easily available and nationally applicable data for detailed multi-dimensional empirical studies on sprawl. Apart from theoretical interest, such studies at national and regional scales across India would be of value to planners from the standpoint of sustainable development in the urban agglomeration regions of mega cities.
Design to Improve Player On-Boarding and Decision-Making Processes in Video Games: A Systematic Review:

Decision-making performance in video games play a vital role in player success and frustration. As video games become more complex, designers will need to develop appropriate methods to assist play...
Stored in Memory

Reports on events and meetings that were part of the 10th annual Special Interest Group for Computers, Information, and Society (SIGCIS) Conference was Stored in Memory. The Conference was held on October 14 in St. Louis, MO. The day was filled with provocative panels, papers, and discussions about how computers mediate history and memory, what it means to think critically about computer history, and how these histories are stored, retrieved, and (dis)entangled with systems of state, national, and global power.
9 – Device Synchronization Using an Optimal Linear Filter

To be convincing and natural, interactive graphics applications must correctly synchronize user motion with rendered graphics and sound output. We present a solution to the synchronization problem that is based on optimal estimation methods and fixed-lag dataflow techniques. A method for discovering and correcting prediction errors using a generalized likelihood approach is also presented. And finally, Music World, a simulated environment employing these ideas, is described.
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with untreated higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) receiving glasdegib + azacitidine (AZA).

7527Background: Glasdegib + AZA showed promising remission rates and overall survival in an analysis of BRIGHT MDS & AML 1012 in patients (pts) with MDS, AML and CMML. Here we assess the impact of ...
Radiation dynamics in X-ray binaries. I - Type 1 bursts. II - Type 2 bursts. III - Extremely compact objects

Equations describing the evolution of a thin, axisymmetric, viscous, relativistic, irradiated accretion disk are presented, as well as numerical solutions of these equations in the case where irradiation results from a thermonuclear flash on the surface of the accreting neutron star. These calculations verify the notion that the radiation torque induces a substantial increase in the accretion rate, during a type 1 X-ray burst, and provide insight into the factors which influence the dynamical response of the disk. A new model for the source XBT 1730-335, the rapid burster, is presented. Temporal and spectral properties are calculated. The rapid burster is found to be a nonmagnetic, 'critically compact', slowly rotating neutron star in a highly eccentric binary system with a period of 6 mo. The spectral modifications which arise from the scattering of photons by accretion disks around nonmagnetic neutron stars are calculated. The 'black hole candidates' are interpreted as extremely compact stars.
Loss of the conserved Alveolate kinase MAPK2 decouples Toxoplasma cell growth from the cell cycle

Abstract Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a conserved family of protein kinases that regulate signal transduction, proliferation, and development throughout eukaryotes. The Apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii expresses three MAPKs. Two of these, ERK7 and MAPKL1, have been respectively implicated in the regulation of conoid biogenesis and centrosome duplication. The third kinase, MAPK2, is specific to and conserved throughout Alveolata, though its function is unknown. We used the auxin-inducible degron system to determine phenotypes associated with MAPK2 loss-of-function in Toxoplasma. We observed that parasites lacking MAPK2 failed to duplicate their centrosomes and therefore did not initiate daughter-cell budding, which ultimately led to parasite death. MAPKL2-deficient parasites initiated, but did not complete DNA replication, and arrested prior to mitosis. Surprisingly, the parasites continued to grow in size and to replicate their Golgi, mitochondria, and apicoplasts. We found that the failure in centrosome duplication is distinct from the phenotype caused by depletion of MAPKL1. As we did not observe MAPK2 localization at the centrosome at any point in the cell cycle, our data suggest MAPK2 regulates a process at a distal site that is required for completion of centrosome duplication and initiation of parasite mitosis. Importance Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous intracellular protozoan parasite that can cause severe and fatal disease in immunocompromised patients and the developing fetus. Rapid parasite replication is critical for establishing a productive infection. Here, we demonstrate that a Toxoplasma protein kinase called MAPK2 is conserved throughout Alveolata and essential for parasite replication. We found that parasites lacking MAPK2 protein were defective in the initiation of daughter cell budding and were rendered inviable. Specifically, TgMAPK2 appears to be required for centrosome replication at the basal end of the nucleus, and its loss causes arrest early in parasite division. MAPK2 is unique to Alveolata and not found in metazoa, and likely is a critical component of an essential parasite-specific signaling network.
Selective disruption of trigeminal sensory neurogenesis and differentiation in a mouse model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11DS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with cranial nerve anomalies and disordered oropharyngeal function including pediatric dysphagia. Using the LgDel 22q11DS mouse model, we asked whether sensory neuron differentiation in the trigeminal ganglion (CNgV) , which is essential for normal orofacial function, is disrupted. We did not detect changes in cranial placode cell translocation or neural crest migration at early stages of LgDel CNgV development. As the ganglion coalesces, however, proportions of placode-derived LgDel CNgV cells increase relative to neural crest cells. In addition, local aggregation of placode-derived cells increases and aggregation of neural crest-derived cells decreases in LgDel CNgV. This change in cell-cell relationships was accompanied by altered proliferation of placode-derived cells at E9.5, and premature neurogenesis from neural crest-derived precursors, reflected by increased frequency of asymmetric neurogenic divisions for neural crest-derived precursors by E10.5. These early differences in LgDel CNgV genesis prefigure changes in sensory neuron differentiation and gene expression by P8, when early signs of cranial nerve dysfunction associated with pediatric dysphagia are observed in LgDel mice. Apparently, 22q11 deletion destabilizes CNgV sensory neuron genesis and differentiation by increasing variability in cell-cell interaction, proliferation, and sensory neuron differentiation. This early developmental divergence and its consequences may contribute to oropharyngeal dysfunction including suckling, feeding and swallowing disruptions at birth and additional orofacial sensory/motor deficits throughout life.
The Place of Fiction in Southern Africa: New Media, Print, and Local Literary Ecologies

Recent approaches to new media literature emphasize its ability to circumnavigate traditional geographic, institutional, and generic boundaries. Often, it is assumed that by writing and publishing online, a space envisioned as global and placeless, writers free themselves from the potential limitations of nationality or postcolonial status. For example, Adenekan and Cousins suggest that because African short stories published online are literally dis-placed into a cyberspace adrift from the material world they are fundamentally different from earlier print fiction where place, and its associated political and cultural specificities, predominated (203). / / This paper argues that while new media may alter the relationship between the writer and place, online writing must still be considered in relation to local literary ecologies. Drawing examples from southern Africa, I explore the ways that existing local patterns of print publication and circulation impact online writing formally and ideologically. While it is often assumed that new media give rise to increasingly short genres of fiction, Malawian writers are using online magazines to publish longer fiction to escape new word limits enforced by local print newspapers. Comparing Malawi to South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, this paper considers how new media are being used to address place-specific literary issues. /
Dashboard for CMOS Parametric Yield and Performance Monitoring in Semiconductor Manufacturing

This work describes different aspects of a dashboard for CMOS performance monitoring and parametric yield related data mining. This interactive data-driven dashboard based on a systematic strategy displays relevant metrics and trends influencing device performance at a single location. It significantly improves device performance control in a high-volume high mixing semiconductor fabrication facility.
Cultural Heritage Law Between Truth and Power: Law's Evolution and Our Collective Cultural Interest in an Informational Economy

Julie Cohen’s book, Between Truth and Power, analyzes our shift to an informational economy, the increasing presence of networked infrastructures that contest our traditional rule-of-law framework, and the important role transnational governance institutions play in this context. As subject-matter examples of the shift to an informational economy, Cohen spotlights labor, land, and money and inspires us to think about how tangible goods have become dematerialized and intangible and then reified again as information and how legal entitlements shape our complex interactions with these newly complex properties. Taking inspiration from Cohen’s spotlight on labor, land, and money, this Essay proposes cultural heritage as another subject matter worthy of the analysis Cohen frames in her book. Is cultural heritage law, as a legal system that mediates between the truth and power Cohen details, equipped to deal with heritage’s new essence as part of informational capitalism? Does our collective cultural interest, the bedrock of the classification of cultural property and the recognition of cultural heritage under the law, look different through the lens of these networked infrastructures on platforms? If cultural heritage is increasingly seen as information, as data to be consumed all over the world, how should cultural heritage law regulate this cultural information, if at all? Should cultural heritage law embrace technology as a complement to its legal framework? If so, what does this mean for traditional actors in the cultural heritage space, especially nation states?
Implicit bias reflects systemic racism

Implicit bias refers to automatically evoked mental associations about social groups. The idea has been influential across the social sciences as a way to explain persistent racial disparities amid changing self-report attitudes. Most research has treated implicit bias as an individual attitude. However, evidence suggests that it is neither a stable individual difference nor a strong correlate of individual behavior. Moreover, the individual-focused approach can lead researchers to neglect systemic racism as a cause of persistent disparities. We argue that implicit bias can be considered a cognitive reflection of systemic racism in the environment. In this view, implicit bias is an ongoing set of associations based on inequalities and stereotypes in the environment. As such, implicit bias changes when contexts change.
NYC WasteMatch – An online facilitated materials exchange as a tool for pollution prevention

Abstract New York City WasteMatch (NYCWM) is an online facilitated materials exchange, funded by the New York City Department of Sanitation and in operation since 1997 that promotes the diversion of reusable materials from the municipal solid waste stream. The exchange consists of an extensive online membership of donors and users and the presence of an active in-house brokering service helping with product placement. Operational data collected by the program between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2013, were used to quantify the values of the indices. The NYCWM diverts an average of 623 tons of office furniture, containers and packaging and electronics from terminal disposal every year. The exchanges are typically linear and one-way, with a focus on waste materials. During the study period, of the 1823 listings posted by donors 63% became complete exchanges (products that found users). The presence of a facilitator brokering and managing the exchanges was found to be essential to achieve large tonnage exchanges. Passive exchanges were substantially inferior in numbers and tonnage diverted from active exchanges throughout the study period. The geographic location of donors and users for 466 completed exchanges (42% of the diverted weight) revealed that the mean travel distance was 17.7 km ranging from “zero” (donor and user located with the same zip code area) to 80 km. Nearly 70% of the completed exchanges (half of the weight) occurred within a distance of 50 km. Any distances greater than 50 km involved wood pallets that were directed towards recycling by the users. The diversion goal of NYCWM, which focuses on tonnage diverted, strongly affects the quantity and type of resources exchanged, as well as the nature of the exchanges.
Soft-Biometrics and Reference Set Integrated Model for Tracking Across Cameras

Multi-target tracking in non-overlapping cameras is challenging due to the vast appearance change of the targets across camera views caused by variations in illumination conditions, poses, and camera imaging characteristics. Therefore, direct track association based on color information only is difficult and prone to error. In most previous methods the appearance similarity is computed either using color histograms directly or based on pre-trained Brightness Transfer Function (BTF) that maps color between cameras. In this chapter, besides color histograms, other soft-biometric features that are invariant to illumination and view changes are also integrated into the feature representation of a target. A novel reference set based appearance model is proposed to improve multi-target tracking in a network of non-overlapping video cameras. Unlike previous work, a reference set is constructed for a pair of cameras, containing targets appearing in both camera views. For track association, instead of comparing the appearance of two targets in different camera views directly, they are compared to the reference set. The reference set acts as a basis to represent a target by measuring the similarity between the target and each of the individuals in the reference set. The effectiveness of the proposed method over the baseline models on challenging real-world multi-camera video data is validated by the experiments.
Properties of exonuclease-resistant, psoralen-conjugated oligodeoxyribonucleotides in vitro and in cell culture.

We have prepared oligodeoxyribonucleotides that are modified at the 3′-terminal with N4-(4-aminobutyl)deoxycytidine and derivatized at the 5′-end with a 4′-([N-(aminoethyl)amino]methyl)-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, (ae)AMT, and whose sequences are complementary to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), N-protein mRNA, (ae)AMT-II, or VSV M-protein mRNA, (ae)AMT-III. (ae)AMT-II cross-links exclusively to VSV N-mRNA when a mixture of the oligomer and poly(A+) RNA from VSV-infected cells is irradiated in vitro with long wavelength UV light at either 20° or 37°C. N4-(4-Aminobutyl)deoxycytidine at the 3′-end of (ae)AMT-II does not appear to affect the binding or cross-linking of the oligomer to its target RNA. Oligomer (ae)AMT-II is completely resistant to hydrolysis by the 3′-5′-exonuclease activity found in fetal calf serum whereas a similar oligomer, (ae)AMT-I, which contains a 3′-terminal deoxycytidine, is hydrolyzed within 30 min when incubated at 37°C. Intact (ae)AMT-II was found in both the cell lysate and cell ...
Exclusion Cyclinders as a Means of Assessing Losses of Vegetation Due To Ground Squirrel Feeding

Exclusion cylinders were used to assess vegetation loss due to feeding activity of the Oregon ground squirrel, Spermophilus beldingi oregonus. Three hardware cloth cylinders were placed within a four-acre (1.62 hectare (ha)) squirrel colony for 44 days. Sample pairs included vegetation within a cylinder and a comparable area of vegetation near the cylinder-each clipped at ground level. Green and dry weights were taken of each sample to estimate hay production. The average dry weight difference between the excluded area and the grazed area was estimated to be 1790 lb/ acre (2005.9 kg/ha). Visual observations and a Lincoln Index estimated the squirrel colony population at 123 squirrels (adults and young) per acre (303.9 per ha). Visual observation and trapping resulted in no other animal significantly contributing to the assessed damage. This study indicated that exclusion cylinders are an effective means for assessing vegetation loss due to ground squirrel feeding activity.
New formulation of old aspirin for better delivery

For better use of cyclooxygenase dependent anti-inflammatory properties and mitochondrial activities of aspirin, new hydrophobic analogues of aspirin were developed and successfully encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). In vivo anti-inflammatory effects of these NPs using a mouse model demonstrated unique properties of an optimized aspirin analogue to inhibit production of pro-inflammatory and enrichment of anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Replication fork progression during re-replication requires the DNA damage checkpoint and double-strand break repair.

Summary Replication origins are under tight regulation to ensure activation occurs only once per cell cycle [1, 2]. Origin re-firing in a single S phase leads to the generation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and activation of the DNA damage checkpoint [2–7]. If the checkpoint is blocked, cells enter mitosis with partially re-replicated DNA that generates chromosome breaks and fusions [5]. These types of chromosomal aberrations are common in numerous human cancers, suggesting that re-replication events contribute to cancer progression. It was proposed that fork instability and DSBs formed during re-replication are the result of head-to-tail collisions and collapse of adjacent replication forks [3]. However, previously studied systems lack the resolution to determine whether the observed DSBs are generated at sites of fork collisions. Here, we utilize the Drosophila ovarian follicle cells, which exhibit re-replication under precise developmental control [8–10], to model the consequences of re-replication at actively elongating forks. Re-replication occurs from specific replication origins at six genomic loci, termed Drosophila amplicons in follicle cells ( DAFC s) [10–12]. Precise developmental timing of DAFC origin firing permits identification of forks at defined points after origin initiation [13, 14]. Here, we show that DAFC re-replication causes fork instability and generates DSBs at sites of potential fork collisions. Immunofluorescence and ChIP-seq demonstrate the DSB marker γH2Av is enriched at elongating forks. Fork progression is reduced in the absence of DNA damage checkpoint components and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ), but not homologous recombination. NHEJ appears to continually repair forks during re-replication to maintain elongation.
MicroRNAs, cancer and cancer stem cells

MicroRNAs regulate self-renewal, differentiation, and division of cells via post-transcriptional gene silencing. Aberrant microRNA levels, specifically an overall downregulation, are present in many cancers, as compared to their normal tissue counterparts. Therefore, a potential therapeutic use of microRNAs is to correct these aberrant transcript levels involved in the signaling pathways of cancer. This review focuses on the current knowledge of microRNAs and their involvement with cancer cells and cancer stem cells. The methods currently being used to develop miRNA-based cancer therapeutics are examined, and the limitations halting further progress are also discussed.
A time-implicit algorithm for solving the Vlasov-Poisson equation

Summary form is given. We present a new time-implicit algorithm solving for the Vlasov-Poisson equation in one phase space dimension. This method exhibits superior conservation properties; the two lowest-order Casimir invariants (particle number and integral of f2) are exactly conserved while the error in energy remains bounded. We demonstrate this algorithm for both the nonrelativistic and relativistic Vlasov equation. (Our interest in the relativistic system is motivated by our ultimate goal of applying this algorithm to the Maxwell-Vlasov system to study intense laser-plasma interactions.) A straightforward implementation of the implicit algorithm requires solving a large nonlinear system of equations at each time step. Operator splitting can be used to convert the nonlinear system to a collection of independent tri-diagonal linear systems that can be efficiently solved using the Thomas method. We present two versions of the algorithm, one based on the operator splitting method and one using a Newton-Krylov method to solve the nonlinear system. We consider a number of benchmark examples with both the full system as well as the linearized equations. We discuss the relative merits of the two implementations.
Novel silicon-on-insulator SP5T switch-LNA front-end IC enabling concurrent dual-band 256-QAM 802.11ac WLAN radio operations

An innovative SOI SP5T switch-LNA integrated circuit is presented. The switch-LNA consists of a diplexer that provides out-of-band rejection and enables dual-band concurrent operation, a dual-band LNA with bypass attenuators, and three high linearity transmit paths. Tx paths feature 0.1 dB compression at >33 dBm input power, with >35 dB Tx to Rx isolation, and 0.8 and 1.2 dB insertion loss for low and high bands respectively. Receive paths feature 12 dB gain with 2.5-2.8 dB NF. Cascading the design with a dual-band WLAN PA, a complex dual-band front-end module can be easily constructed in a 3 x 4 mm package, which demonstrates transmit and receive LNA linearity with EVM 16 dBm and > - 5dBm output power respectively and compliant with the linearity requirements of the 802.11ac standard up to of 256-QAM 80 MHz operations.
To upgrade or not to upgrade: impact of online upgrades across multiple administrative domains

Online software upgrades are often plagued by runtime behaviors that are poorly understood and difficult to ascertain. For example, the interactions among multiple versions of the software expose the system to race conditions that can introduce latent errors or data corruption. Moreover, industry trends suggest that online upgrades are currently needed in large-scale enterprise systems, which often span multiple administrative domains (e.g., Web 2.0 applications that rely on AJAX client-side code or systems that lease cloud-computing resources). In such systems, the enterprise does not control all the tiers of the system and cannot coordinate the upgrade process, making existing techniques inadequate to prevent mixed-version races. In this paper, we present an analytical framework for impact assessment, which allows system administrators to directly compare the risk of following an online-upgrade plan with the risk of delaying or canceling the upgrade. We also describe an executable model that implements our formal impact assessment and enables a systematic approach for deciding whether an online upgrade is appropriate. Our model provides a method of last resort for avoiding undesirable program behaviors, in situations where mixed-version races cannot be avoided through other technical means.
Effects of 17ß-estradiol on endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by acetylcholine in female rat aorta

Abstract Estrogens have been postulated to play an important role in modulation of vascular responses to endogenous reactive substances. The effects of chronic in vivo treatment with 17s-estradiol on relaxant responses to acetylcholine were investigated in the rat aorta isolated from prepubertal female rats. The selectivity of effects of 17s-estradiol on acetylcholine-induced relaxation was evaluated using histamine, another endothelium-dependent relaxant in the rat aorta. 17s-Estradiol significantly enhanced endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by acetylcholine, but did not alter the vascular responses to acetylcholine in endothelium-denuded aortic rings isolated from prepubertal female rats. In contrast, 17s-estradiol did not change endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by histamine in endothelium-intact aortic rings. The results of the present study demostrate that 17s-estradiol selectively enhanced acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation in the rat aorta.
The identification of antihistaminic agents.

Abstract The characteristic reactions of thirteen anti-histaminic agents with sulfuric acid, before and after dilution with water, serve to differ-entiate and identify each substance.
Influence of the Amino Substituents in the Interaction of Ethidium Bromide with DNA

A key step in the rational design of new DNA binding agents is to obtain a complete thermodynamic characterization of small molecule-DNA interactions. Ethidium bromide has served as a classic DNA intercalator for more than four decades. This work focuses on delineating the influence(s) of the 3- and 8-amino substituents of ethidium on the energetic contributions and concomitant fluorescent properties upon DNA complex formation. Binding affinities decrease by an order of magnitude upon the removal of either the 3- or 8-amino substituent, with a further order-of-magnitude decrease in the absence of both amino groups. The thermodynamic binding mechanism changes from enthalpy-driven for the parent ethidium to entropy-driven when both amino groups are removed. Upon DNA binding, fluorescence enhancement is observed in the presence of either or both of the amino groups, likely because of more efficient fluorescence quenching through solvent interactions of free amino groups than when buried within the intercalation site. The des-amino ethidium analog exhibits fluorescence quenching upon binding, consistent with less efficient quenching of the chromophore through interactions with solvent than within the intercalation site. Determination of the quantum efficiencies suggests distinct differences in the environments of the 3- and 8-amino substituents within the DNA binding site.
Qualitative concept development: implications for nursing research and knowledge

TOPIC. Qualitative concept development. PURPOSE. The purpose of this article is to analyze existing and emerging qualitative concept development approaches and discuss implications for nursing research and knowledge. SOURCE. Literature. CONCLUSIONS. Concept development is necessary to insure the ongoing emergence of nursing theory and knowledge. Investigators are urged to use empirical data and advanced qualitative research methods to move concept development forward. Although an inductive process is inherent to qualitative investigations, it is apparent that iterative movement between inductive and deductive approaches is needed to carry out concept development studies. Concepts used in nursing are complex and challenging to define. For this reason, concept development is a rigorous and time-intensive process, which requires commensurate financial and time commitments.
The isolation and characterization of a barley 1,3‐1,4‐β‐glucanase gene

The barley gene encoding isozyme I of 1,3-1,4-beta-glucanase was isolated and sequenced. The 6260-bp region sequenced included 1885 bp of the 5'-flanking region, the entire coding region, an intron of 2490 bp, and 792 bp of the 3'-flanking region. The 1,3-1,4-beta-glucanase mRNA was found to be regulated at the level of RNA accumulation by both gibberellins (positively) and abscisic acid (negatively) in barley aleurones. The mRNA for isozyme II preferentially accumulated (70%) relative to the mRNA for isozyme I (30%) in poly(A)-rich RNA isolated from material including both the aleurone and the scutellum tissues. The gene family encoding 1,3-1,4-beta-glucanase enzymes in barley was found to be comprised of two closely related genes, isozymes I and II, as well as several related sequences that could be identified by Southern blot analysis. The nucleotide sequence for the 5' untranslated leader and the coding region for the signal peptide of the isozyme II transcript were determined from a cDNA produced by the polymerase chain reaction. The structure of the protein encoded by the isozyme I gene is also discussed.
Regiospecific insertion into the Co–Co bond of the mixed-metal cluster Co2Rh2(CO)12 by an electron-poor alkyne: X-ray diffraction structure of the butterfly cluster Co2Rh2(CO)10(μ-HCCCO2Me)

Abstract The reaction between the mixed-metal tetrahedral cluster Co2Rh2(CO)12 (1) and the electron-poor alkyne methyl propiolate in hexane at room temperature furnishes a mixture of products consisting of Co3Rh(CO)12 (2), Co3Rh(CO)10(μ-HCCCO2Me) (3), Co2Rh2(CO)10(μ-HCCCO2Me) (4), and CoRh3(CO)9(μ-HCCCO2Me)3 (5). The isolation and solution spectroscopic data of these compounds are described, and the solid-state structure of Co2Rh2(CO)10(μ-HCCCO2Me) determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The title cluster crystallizes in the triclinic space group. The solid-state structure of Co2Rh2(CO)10(μ-HCCCO2Me) provides proof for the regiospecific insertion of the methyl propiolate ligand into the Co–Co bond of the starting cluster Co2Rh2(CO)12. The stability of clusters 3 and 4 in the presence of added methyl propiolate is discussed.
Dysregulation of Limbic and Auditory Networks in Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a common disorder characterized by ringing in the ear in the absence of sound. Converging evidence suggests that tinnitus pathophysiology involves damage to peripheral and/or central auditory pathways. However, whether auditory system dysfunction is sufficient to explain chronic tinnitus is unclear, especially in light of evidence implicating other networks, including the limbic system. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry, we assessed tinnitus-related functional and anatomical anomalies in auditory and limbic networks. Moderate hyperactivity was present in the primary and posterior auditory cortices of tinnitus patients. However, the nucleus accumbens exhibited the greatest degree of hyperactivity, specifically to sounds frequency-matched to patients' tinnitus. Complementary structural differences were identified in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, another limbic structure heavily connected to the nucleus accumbens. Furthermore, tinnitus-related anomalies were intercorrelated in the two limbic regions and between limbic and primary auditory areas, indicating the importance of auditory-limbic interactions in tinnitus.
CITIZEN GUN OWNERSHIP AND CRIMINAL DETERRENCE: THEORY, RESEARCH, AND POLICY

Research on the general and specific deterrents emanating from citizenowned firearms is examined under assumptions about deterrence. Only slight and indirect empirical evidence for deterrence exists in the area of citizen gun ownership. The crime-reducing effects associated with public policies that support civilian gun ownership are balanced in light of other, negative public health factors associated with citizen-owned guns.
A Medical Imaging Display System - Ultrasonography

The quality and convenience of the display of ultrasound B-scan images is critical to their diagnostic usefulness. The perceived dynamic range of present displays is too limited, and display artifacts are sometimes encountered. Many displays do not permit the user to optimize the image presentation by varying image parameters, to store and retrieve images, to display multiple images simultaneously, to label images easily, and to carry out other actions which increase the usefulness of a display system. And those that do have these capabilities are too expensive to be used routinely. This paper discusses the needs of a display system in detail and reports the design of a display system of reasonable cost which meets these needs. This system includes both a basic display module which is useful for many medical imaging applications and an inter-face between it and an ultrasonograph.
Projective clustering in high dimensions using core-sets

(MATH) Let P be a set of n points in $\Red, and for any integer 0 ≤ k ≤ d--1, let $\RDk(P) denote the minimum over all k-flats $\FLAT$ of maxpeP Dist(p,\FLAT). We present an algorithm that computes, for any 0 k-flat that is within a distance of (1 + $egr;) \RDk(P) from each point of P. The running time of the algorithm is dnO(k/e5log(1/e)). The crucial step in obtaining this algorithm is a structural result that says that there is a near-optimal flat that lies in an affine subspace spanned by a small subset of points in P. The size of this "core-set" depends on k and e but is independent of the dimension.This approach also extends to the case where we want to find a k-flat that is close to a prescribed fraction of the entire point set, and to the case where we want to find j flats, each of dimension k, that are close to the point set. No efficient approximation schemes were known for these problems in high-dimensions, when k>1 or j>1.
Undiagnosed maternal phenylketonuria: The need for prenatal selective screening or case finding

Abstract Objectives: The aims of this article are to report on a review of cases of maternal phenylketonuria in the International Maternal Phenylketonuria Collaborative Study that were initially diagnosed during or after a pregnancy, to alert health care practitioners to the possible existence of women with undiagnosed phenylketonuria whose fetuses are at risk, and to emphasize that not all adults with untreated phenylketonuria are mentally retarded. Study Design: The study was conducted through retrospective database review. Results: Of 414 women with live-born infants, 17 fulfilled our criteria. Six had phenylketonuria diagnosed after they had produced ≥1 affected offspring, 2 had phenylketonuria diagnosed as a result of transient postnatal hyperphenylalaninemia in an offspring, and 9 had phenylketonuria diagnosed by prenatal screening. Undiagnosed maternal phenylketonuria in North America and Europe is currently estimated at 1 case/100,000 births; this rate could be higher elsewhere. Conclusions: Physicians and midwives should consider a protocol of selective prenatal screening or case finding to detect undiagnosed phenylketonuria among their patients. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:986-94.)
Differentiation of medullary thyroid cancer by C-Raf-1 silences expression of the neural transcription factor human achaete-scute homolog-1

Background. Human achaete-scute homolog-1 (hASH1), a fetal neural transcription factor, is highly expressed in neuroendocrine tumors such as medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Although hASH1 probably plays a part in the growth and development of these tumors, its precise role and mechanism are unknown. Methods. To further elucidate the function and regulation of hASH1 in neuroendocrine tumor differentiation, we used a model of MTC tumor differentiation mediated by the ras/raf-1 signaling pathway. The MTC TT cells alone or transduced with a β-estradiol activatable raf-1 construct (TT:ΔRaf-1:ER) were treated with β-estradiol or carrier. Northern analysis and nuclear run-off assays were performed to determine the hASH1 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and transcription rate, respectively. Results. The TT:ΔRaf-1:ER cells treated with β-estradiol underwent marked biochemical and morphologic changes, including cell rounding, increase in calcitonin transcription, loss of RET proto-oncogene expression, and cessation of cell growth. During this differentiation process expression of hASH1 mRNA was silenced. Nuclear run-off experiments revealed that this decrease in steady-state hASH1 mRNA by raf-1 activation resulted predominantly from transcriptional inhibition. Conclusions. Silencing of hASH1 in parallel with loss of RET is associated with development of a mature C-cell differentiation pattern. Mechanisms leading to transcriptional silencing of hASH1 may be crucial in regulating the proliferative capacity or differentiation status of MTC. Downstream targets of hASH1 could play a role in C-cell proliferation and progression to MTC.
Welfare cost of import restraints in the presence of domestic taxes

Abstract This article provides a geometric analysis of the welfare consequences of import tariffs and quotas that takes into account the effect of domestic taxes that distort labor's choice between work and leisure. The model is applied to estimate the welfare cost of a uniform tariff set at the weighted average of the actual tariffs for Canada and for the United States. It is found that the effect of domestic taxes should loom large in the welfare calculations for import restraints and that, because they ignore this effect, the existing estimates are likely to be very misleading.
Bonding of H2, N2, ethylene, and acetylene to bivalent lanthanide metallocenes: Trends from DFT calculations on Cp2M and Cp*2 M (M = Sm, Eu, Yb) and experiments with Cp*2Yb

The results of DFT calculations have been used to define the trends in the interactions of H2, N2, C2H4, C2H2, and C2Me2 with the bivalent lanthanide metallocenes Cp2M (Cp = η5-C5H5) and Cp*2M (Cp* = η5-C5Me5), where M = Sm, Eu, Yb. These results, together with those previously published for the bonding of CO to Cp2M (M = Ca, Eu, Yb), suggest that the interaction of these ligands with the lanthanide metallocenes results from a subtle balance between attractive (dipole−dipole or dipole−induced dipole) and repulsive (electron−electron repulsion within the f shell) forces. The balance between the attractive and repulsive forces, and therefore the net bond energy, depends on the f-electron count in these bivalent lanthanide metallocenes. The computational results are compared with experimental observations on paramagnetic Cp*2Eu and diamagnetic ytterbocene, Cp*2Yb.
Effects of a short-term health promotion intervention for a predominantly African-American group of stroke survivors

Abstract Background: The study examined the effects of a 12-week health promotion intervention for a predominantly urban African-American population of stroke survivors. Design: A pre-test/post-test lag control group design was employed. Participants/Setting: Participants were 35 stroke survivors (9 male, 26 female) recruited from local area hospitals and clinics. Main Outcome Measures: Biomedical, fitness, nutritional, and psychosocial measures were employed to assess program outcomes. Results: Treatment group made significant gains over lag controls in the following areas: (1) reduced total cholesterol, (2) reduced weight, (3) increased cardiovascular fitness, (4) increased strength, (5) increased flexibility, (6) increased life satisfaction and ability to manage self-care needs, and (7) decreased social isolation. Conclusion: A short-term health promotion intervention for predominantly African-American stroke survivors was effective in improving several physiological and psychological health outcomes.
Shedding Light on the Dark Data in the Long Tail of Science

One of the primary outputs of the scientific enterprise is data, but many institutions such as libraries that are charged with preserving and disseminating scholarly output have largely ignored this form of documentation of scholarly activity. This paper focuses on a particularly troublesome class of data, termed dark data . “Dark data” is not carefully indexed and stored so it becomes nearly invisible to scientists and other potential users and therefore is more likely to remain underutilized and eventually lost. The article discusses how the concepts from long-tail economics can be used to understand potential solutions for better curation of this data. The paper describes why this data is critical to scientific progress, some of the properties of this data, as well as some social and technical barriers to proper management of this class of data. Many potentially useful institutional, social, and technical solutions are under development and are introduced in the last sections of the paper, but these solutions are largely unproven and require additional research and development.