cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multimodal sensor experiment for evaluating Motion Imagery in Activity-Based Intelligence

Activity Based Intelligence (ABI) is the derivation of information from the composite of a series of individual actions being recorded over a period of time. Due to its temporal nature, ABI is usually developed from Motion Imagery (MI) or Full Motion Video (FMV) taken from a given scene. One common misconception, is that ABI boils down to a simple resolution problem; more pixels at a higher frame rate is better. As part of this research an experiment was designed and performed to address this assumption; by analyzing varying temporal resolutions in conjunction with several modalities, a trade space for characterizing activities can be developed. Thermal Infrared (IR), multispectral, and polarimetric data were used to augment RGB MI. As these data are still being analyzed, this paper gives an update to the experiment and analysis process.
Femoral artery calcification as a determinant of success for percutaneous access for endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Objective This study was conducted to determine the outcomes and predictive factors for success during percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair (PEVAR) using vascular closure devices (VCDs). Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent PEVAR between 2005 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, body mass index, sheath size, device types, diameter of femoral arteries, and extent and location of femoral artery calcification were recorded. Included were all consecutive patients treated by PEVAR with sheath sizes ranging from 12F to 24F. End points were technical success, conversion to open femoral artery repair, and complications. Results During this period, 752 patients were treated by EVAR. Of these, 391 femoral arteries in 222 patients (29.5%; 197 men, 25 women), with a mean age of 74.8 years (range, 51-93.7 years), underwent PEVAR (169 bilateral and 53 unilateral percutaneous access). Patients with >50% anterior femoral artery calcifications or those with previous femoral artery reconstructions were not offered PEVAR. Technical success of PEVAR was 96.4% (377 of 391), with an average of two VCDs used per groin. Fourteen intraoperative failures were managed with open femoral conversion using primary repair (five) or patch angioplasty (nine). In nine patients, the procedure was converted from local to general anesthesia. Four patients required a perioperative blood transfusion. There were no significant differences in body mass index ( P = .26), femoral artery size preprocedure ( P = .33) or postprocedure ( P = .37), sheath size (≥20F vs ≤18F), or type of VCD used between the success and failure groups. Pairwise comparisons revealed increased failure rate ( P 50% posterior calcification. There was no significant difference ( P = .53) between patients with Conclusions PEVAR using VCDs can be performed with high technical success in patients with
P06-04. Using referrals from government health centers to expand an HIV discordant couple cohort in Lusaka, Zambia in preparation for vaccine efficacy trials

Background The Zambia Emory HIV Research Project (ZEHRP) uses Couples HIV Counselling and Testing (CHCT) centers to recruit a large cohort of discordant couples in preparation for HIV prevention and vaccine trials. In 2008–2009, the project shifted from operating 3 private CHCT centers to supporting CHCT at government health centers throughout Lusaka, casting a wider net for study recruitment while building a sustainable service.
Redefining psychological contracts with the U.S. work force: A critical task for strategic human resource management planners in the 1990s

The well-publicized waves of layoffs in recent years have destroyed the long-standing psychological contract between employees and their employers which promised pay, promotion, and job security in exchange for worker skills, effort, and loyalty. This article provides empirical support for the transformational effect layoffs have had on psychological contracts and discusses the critical role human resource management must play in establishing and developing new contracts to guide future employment relationships between employers and employees. Implications for both academics and practitioners are provided. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The spiral of Theodorus, numerical analysis, and special functions

Theodorus of Cyrene (ca. 460-399 B.C.), teacher of Plato und Theaetetus, is known for his proof of the irrationality of n, n=2,3,5,...,17. He may have known also of a discrete spiral, today named after him, whose construction is based on the square roots of the numbers n=1,2,3,.... The subject of this lecture is the problem of interpolating this discrete, angular spiral by a smooth, if possible analytic, spiral. An interesting solution was proposed in 1993 by P.J. Davis, which is based on an infinite product. The computation of this product gives rise to problems of numerical analysis, in particular the summation of slowly convergent series, and the identification of the product raises questions regarding special functions. The former are solved by a method of integration, in particular Gaussian integration, the latter by means of Dawson's integral und the Bose-Einstein distribution. Number-theoretic questions also loom behind this work.
Dose determination and efficacy of remotely delivered norgestomet implants on contraception of white-tailed deer

Management of overabundant wildlife populations using contraceptives is being considered with increasing frequency in many localities. A wide array of effective contraceptives is needed to meet a variety of management objectives. Therefore, we evaluated the synthetic progestin norgestomet for its efficacy and its minimum effective dose in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We evaluated two doses of norgestomet implants (14 and 42 mg) at a site in southern Connecticut during 1992–1995. Four doses (14, 21, 28, 42 mg) of norgestomet implants were tested at a site in northern Indiana during 1993–1996. The effectiveness of norgestomet implants in preventing pregnancy was similar for the 42 mg (92%), 28 mg (100%), and 21 mg (100%) doses. There was a significant decline in efficacy using the 14 mg (48%) dose. It appears that 21 mg is approximately the lowest dose that consistently prevents reproduction in adult white-tailed deer of various sizes and ages. Norgestomet implants show promise as a highly effective contraceptive agent that is safe to treated animals and secondary consumers and simple to deliver remotely. Zoo Biol 16:31–37, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Social breakdown in young adults: Keeping crises from becoming chronic

Chronic disability is not an inevitable consequence of chronic mental disorders. The risk of developing chronic disability is dependent upon the response of the Psychosocial environment, including the pattern of clinical care.
Development of Micrococcus lysodeikticus resistant to lysozyme.

CYTOCHROME c-like compounds have been found to be proximate to rat kidney lysozyme in fractions derived from ion-exchange chromatography on ‘Amberlite IRC-50’ resin1. This led to experiments designed to test the effects of cytochrome c upon bacterial lysis by lysozyme. Although under certain conditions oxidized cytochrome c was found to increase the initial rate of lysis by lysozyme, the pigment alone had no antibacterial activity in vitro. In testing the potential activity of cytochrome in vivo, M. lysodeikticus was grown in the presence of lysozyme in very low concentrations (0.1 µgm./ml.) as a control. In this way the production of resistant cells was first observed.
Memory formulas for perturbations in time-dependent density functional theory

Exact time-dependent density functionals depend on both the entire history of the density and the initial wave function. Recently we have shown that the two effects are entangled by an exact condition that should be useful as a test in building accurate memory-dependent functionals. Here we consider this condition for small perturbations and derive an exact relation connecting the exchange-correlation kernel with initial-state derivatives. We discuss other exact conditions on the initial-state derivatives which shed some light on the elusive memory-dependence in time-dependent density functional theory. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
4-Methoxy-N-[2-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-4-ylcarbamoyl]nicotinamide: A Potent and Selective Agonist of S1P1

The sphingosine-1-phosphate-1 receptor (S1P1) and its endogenous ligand sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) cooperatively regulate lymphocyte trafficking from the lymphatic system. Herein, we disclose 4-methoxy-N-[2-(trifluoromethyl)biphenyl-4-ylcarbamoyl]nicotinamide (8), an uncommon example of a synthetic S1P1 agonist lacking a polar headgroup, which is shown to effect dramatic reduction of circulating lymphocytes (POC = −78%) in rat 24 h after a single oral dose (1 mg/kg). The excellent potency that 8 exhibits toward S1P1 (EC50 = 0.035 μM, 96% efficacy) and the >100-fold selectivity that it displays against receptor subtypes S1P2–5 suggest that it may serve as a valuable tool to understand the clinical relevance of selective S1P1 agonism.
Mass transfer kinetics of adsorption on suspended solid particles

A theoretical kinetic model for adsorption from an agitated liquid phase to solid spherical particles suspended therein has been formulated, solved numerically and compared with the results of experiment. Important aspects of the model include the fact that it accounts for the influence of forced convection as well as the influence of adsorbate concentration changes in the bulk liquid on the mass transfer. The integration of the general equations has been carried out for systems in which equilibrium is described by Langmuir, Freundlich and linear adsorption isotherms. Results of the analysis are presented in the form of graphical relations between dimensionless quantities, which permit the description of concentration changes in the vessel vs time for systems under a wide range of conditions of practical interest. Results obtained theoretically have been applied to adsorption of dextrose and urea on ordinary and on oxidized active carbon from dilute aqueous solutions. Very good agreement between theory and experiment has been observed. Adsorption equilibrium of these systems and the influence of temperature on adsorption kinetics has been investigated as well. The adsorption of dextrose and urea are of practical importance because these substances occur as polutants in wastewater; adsorption of urea on active carbon is also of importance since this process can be applied to the removal of urea from dialysate in artificial kidney machines, thereby improving the speed and efficiency of treatment.
Arginine 132 of Cellular Retinoic Acid-binding Protein (Type II) Is Important for Binding of Retinoic Acid (∗)

Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein type II (CRABP-II) is one of two small molecular weight, cytosolic proteins which specifically bind retinoic acid (RA). Crystallographic and site-directed mutagenesis studies of several related proteins have indicated that either one or two conserved amino acid residues, homologous to positions Arg111 and Arg132 of CRABP-II, are important for the binding of the hydrophobic ligand. In this report we have prepared site-directed mutations of these two positions of CRABP-II, Arg111 and Arg132, as well as Lys82 to determine the role of these residues in the binding of RA. Recombinant wild type and mutant CRABP-II proteins were expressed and purified, and the affinity for retinoids was determined by fluorometric titration and binding of 3H-labeled compounds. K82A displayed an identical Kd for all-trans-RA as wild type CRABP-II and the Kd for all-trans-RA of R111A was only slightly higher. On the other hand, the two Arg132 mutants, R132A and R132Q, of CRABP-II demonstrated undetectable binding of all-trans-RA. Taken together these data demonstrate that Arg132 is a critical amino acid residue for the binding of RA by CRABP-II.
Adolescent pregnancy: factoring in the father of the baby.

Abstract The male contribution to adolescent pregnancy has long been overlooked. Although most fathers of infants born to adolescent mothers are not themselves teenagers, it has been suggested that these fathers are developmentally similar to adolescent males. This article reviews existing literature on the characteristics of fathers of infants born to adolescent mothers. Suggestions are made for considering the male influence on sexual and contraceptive behavior during adolescence. Clinical practice with adolescents and research on adolescent pregnancy prevention can be more effective when the male contribution is taken into account.
6-OHDA-treated weanling rats show normal neuroleptic sensitivity as adults on LHSS.

Abstract Weanling rats receiving 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) ICV on postnatal days 15–20 and tested as adults have normal lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation locus of rise (LOR) reward thresholds but significantly lower operant motor/performance (MAX) capacity when compared to vehicle-treated controls using the rate-frequency method. These results are comparable to those previously seen in adult rats treated with 6-OHDA on postnatal day 3. In a second test, day 15–20 6-OHDA treated rats were tested as adults with pimozide (0.125–1.0 mg/kg) and showed LOR shifts ranging from 0.06–0.32 log Hz and MAX shifts of 83-47% of baseline. These results were not significantly different at any dose when compared to day 15–20 vehicle-treated rats. This second result contrasts with the pimozide subsensitivity previously reported in day 3 6-OHDA treated rats and suggests that DA depletions made later in neonatal life may involve different forms of recovery than those seen with earlier dopamine depletions.
Plant Disease Resistance: Grand unification theory in sight

Molecular characterization of the components of signalling pathways that mediate disease resistance is at last providing a unified picture of how plants fight disease.
The Effect of Magnesium on Immune Response and Carcinogenesis

Abstract Chronic magnesium deficiency in rats and mice leads to the development of the morphological and functional abnormalities of the thymus gland (“alimentary thymectomy”), lymph nodes and spleen (“alimentary splenectomy”) with subsequent immune system failure and the bone marrow overproduction of leukocytes. The enhanced sensitivity to carcinogenic agents, chromosomal abnormalities and the increased incidence of neoplasia are other findings. Magnesium supplementation tends to inhibit carcinogenesis mainly through the reduction of carcinogen binding to cells and DNA. However, the relationships between magnesium and cancer are complex: both magnesium load and magnesium deficit may produce either anticarcinogenic and carcinogenic effects. Based on the above observations further studies are needed and expected to clarify the role, if any, of the disturbed magnesium homeostasis in the pathogenesis of human cancer. The eventual Mg supply in management of patients with malignant diseases should be cautious,...
The GABA ρ1 subunit interacts with a cellular retinoic acid binding protein in mammalian retina

Abstract Interactions between the intracellular domain of ligand-gated membrane receptors and cytoplasmic proteins play important roles in their assembly, clustering, and function. In addition, protein–protein interactions may provide an alternative mechanism by which neurotransmitters activate intracellular pathways. In this study, we report a novel interaction between the GABA ρ1 subunit and cellular retinoic acid binding protein in mammalian retina that could serve as a link between the GABA signaling pathway and the control of gene expression in neurons. The interaction between the intracellular loop of the human GABA ρ subunit and cellular retinoic acid binding protein was identified using a CytoTrap XR yeast two-hybrid system, and was further confirmed by co-precipitation of the human GABA ρ subunit and cellular retinoic acid binding protein from baboon retinal samples. The cellular retinoic acid binding protein binding domain on the human ρ1 subunit was located to the C-terminal region of human GABA ρ subunit, and the interaction of the human GABA ρ subunit with cellular retinoic acid binding protein could be antagonized by a peptide derived from within the binding domain of the ρ1 subunit. Since cellular retinoic acid binding protein is a carrier protein for retinoic acid, we investigated the effect of GABA on retinoic acid activity in neuroblastoma cells containing endogenously expressed cellular retinoic acid binding protein. In the absence of the ρ1 receptor, these cells showed enhanced neurite outgrowth when exposed to retinoic acid and GABA had no effect on their response to retinoic acid. In contrast, cells stably transfected with the human ρ1 subunit showed a significantly reduced sensitivity to retinoic acid when exposed to GABA. These results suggest that the GABA receptor subunit effectively altered gene expression through its interaction with the cellular retinoic acid binding protein pathway.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is Underrecognized in the Primary Care Setting

OBJECTIVES:The prevalence and disease burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are increasing. Nonetheless, little is known about the processes related to identification, diagnosis, and referral of patients with NAFLD in routine clinical care.METHODS:Using automated data, we isolated a ran
Economic incentives in software design

I examine the incentives for software providers to design appropriate user interfaces. There are two sorts of costs involved when one uses software: the fixed cost of learning to use a piece of software and the variable cost of operating the software. I show that a monopoly provider of software generally invests the right amount of resources in making the software easy to learn, but too little in making it easy to operate. In some extreme cases a monopolist may even make the softwaretoo easy to learn.
Integration technology: the reinvention of the linkage between information systems and computer science

Abstract The Computer Science (CS) and Information Systems (IS) fields are facing considerable challenges. At the same time, the Information Technology and Systems (ITS) community, which lies at the intersection of CS and IS, is uniquely positioned to address and solve important problems that are outside of the traditional domains of either CS or IS. An important development is the increasing criticality of Integration Technologies (IT) and the need for Integration Specialists (IS)1. Examples are given of aspplications-driven integration technology-intensive research needed by business to support globalization, increased productivity, and rapid adaptation.
Functionality of chemically modified wild-type, partial waxy and waxy starches from tetraploid wheats

Partial waxy (reduced-amylose) and fully waxy (amylose-free) tetraploid durum wheats (Triticum turgidum L. var durum) were developed by introgression of null alleles at the Wx-A1 and Wx-B1 loci from common hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Purified starches were obtained from each genotype, and chemically modified by: 1) cross-linking with phosphorus oxychloride, 2) substitution with propylene oxide, and 3) sequential cross-linking with phosphorus oxychloride followed by substitution with propylene oxide. Functional properties were compared to blends of waxy and wild-type durum starches of known amylose contents. Significant differences in functionality were observed amongst the genotypes and blends after each modification. Waxy (0% amylose) and wild-type (30% amylose) typically were at the extremes of the observed ranges of functional properties. In general, the functional properties of the chemically modified starches were dependent upon amylose content. Starches from Wx-B1 null lines (24% amylose), were an exception. After substitution, such starches had the significantly highest value for RVA final viscosity, and generally performed in a manner similar to starch blends of 12–18% amylose.
Democracy and Indigenous Rebellion in Latin America

This article investigates the structural causes of ethnic rebellion among the indigenous populations of Latin America. It aims to fill three important gaps in the current understanding of ethnic vi...
Dementia: Does vitamin D modulate cognition?

Epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that circulatory levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D below 50 nmol/l are associated with cognitive impairment and the development of dementia. A number of biochemical mechanisms could explain these effects; however, interventional studies to date have revealed disappointingly little.
Oil Windfalls in Ghana: A DSGE Approach

We use a calibrated multi-sector DSGE model to analyze the likely impact of oil windfalls on the Ghanaian economy, under alternative fiscal and monetary policy responses. We distinguish between the short-run impact, associated with demand-related pressures, and the medium run impact on competitiveness and growth. The impact on inflation and the real exchange rate could be moderate, especially if the fiscal authorities smooth oil-related spending or increase public spending's import content. However, a policy mix that results in both a fiscal expansion and the simultaneous accumulation of the foreign currency proceeds from oil as international reserves- to offset the real appreciation- would raise demand pressures and crowd-out the private sector. In the medium term, the negative impact on competitiveness resulting from "Dutch Disease" effects-could be small, provided public spending increases the stock of productive public capital. These findings highlight the role of different policy responses, and their interaction, for the macroeconomic impact of oil proceeds.
Ribavirin Therapy for Hantaan Virus Infection in Suckling Mice

We recently reported that ribavirin inhibited Hantaan virus (HV) replication in vitro. In the present study, we used the HV suckling mouse model to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with various doses of ribavirin. Beginning on day 10, untreated animals, infected with ten times the amount of HV (strain 76/118) required to kill 50% of the animals, lost weight; by days 15 to 18, they developed paralysis of both hind limbs, and they died between days 20 and 21. Treatment with 50 mg of ribavirin/kg per day begun on day 10-following onset of early clinical signs and demonstrable virus in serum and organs--saved 11 of 20 animals compared with 0 of 70 controls. Treated animals did not develop further signs of infection, and by day 22, survivors resumed normal weight gain. After ribavirin treatment, titers of virus decreased in serum, liver, and spleen by two days; in lung within six days; and in the kidney by eight days. By day 18, titers in organs of treated animals were 100-fold lower than in sham-treated animals, with the exception of the brain. Titers of virus in brain fell by day 20, when virus in untreated animals reached greater than 10(7) pfu/g. Treated survivors continued to have decreasing titers of virus in organs and were followed for 75 days with no sign of disease recurrence.
The p53 Inhibitor MDM2 Facilitates Sonic Hedgehog-Mediated Tumorigenesis and Influences Cerebellar Foliation

Disruption of cerebellar granular neuronal precursor (GNP) maturation can result in defects in motor coordination and learning, or in medulloblastoma, the most common childhood brain tumor. The Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway is important for GNP proliferation; however, the factors regulating the extent and timing of GNP proliferation, as well as GNP differentiation and migration are poorly understood. The p53 tumor suppressor has been shown to negatively regulate the activity of the Shh effector, Gli1, in neural stem cells; however, the contribution of p53 to the regulation of Shh signaling in GNPs during cerebellar development has not been determined. Here, we exploited a hypomorphic allele of Mdm2 (Mdm2puro), which encodes a critical negative regulator of p53, to alter the level of wild-type MDM2 and p53 in vivo. We report that mice with reduced levels of MDM2 and increased levels of p53 have small cerebella with shortened folia, reminiscent of deficient Shh signaling. Indeed, Shh signaling in Mdm2-deficient GNPs is attenuated, concomitant with decreased expression of the Shh transducers, Gli1 and Gli2. We also find that Shh stimulation of GNPs promotes MDM2 accumulation and enhances phosphorylation at serine 166, a modification known to increase MDM2-p53 binding. Significantly, loss of MDM2 in Ptch1+/− mice, a model for Shh-mediated human medulloblastoma, impedes cerebellar tumorigenesis. Together, these results place MDM2 at a major nexus between the p53 and Shh signaling pathways in GNPs, with key roles in cerebellar development, GNP survival, cerebellar foliation, and MB tumorigenesis.
Automatic microscopy for mitotic cell location.

Advances are reported in the development of an automatic microscope with which to locate hematologic or other cells in mitosis for subsequent chromosome analysis. The system under development is designed to perform the functions of: slide scanning to locate metaphase cells; conversion of images of selected cells into binary form; and on-line computer analysis of the digitized image for significant cytogenetic data. Cell detection criteria are evaluated using a test sample of 100 mitotic cells and 100 artifacts.
Sterol content of some plant oils; further observations on fast-reacting sterols.

Total and free sterols were measured by a modified Sperry-Webb procedure in raw and refined corn, cottonseed, safflower seed, linseed, soybean and wheat germ oils. Wheat germ and safflower seed oil sterols were relatively rich in fastreacting sterols, which predominated in the sterol ester fraction. Photometric constants following color reaction were obtained for cholesterol and plant sterols and applied to a procedure for analysis of cholesterol and plant sterols in mixtures thereof.
The effects of group heterogeneity on the self-perceived efficacy of group leaders

Abstract Using 68 work groups, including the group leader, this study explores the relationships among demographic diversity, evaluations of group performance, and leaders' self-perceived efficacy. Results show an indirect effect on leaders' self efficacy, mediated by leaders' estimation of group performance levels. Group heterogeneity is associated with more negative group performance, with a resultant decline in the leaders' self efficacy. In addition to this indirect effect, group heterogeneity has a direct and independent effect on leaders' self efficacy. Both effects are greater for self efficacy in charismatic domains than in transactional aspects of leadership. Research and practical implications for diversity and leadership are discussed.
A New Approach to IRMPD Using Selective Ion Dissociation in a Quadrupole Ion Trap

Infrared multiphoton photodissociation (IRMPD) in a quadrupole ion trap is not selective for a parent ion. Product ions are decreased in abundance by continuous sequential dissociation and may be lost below the low mass cut-off. The IRMPD process is made selective by resonantly exciting trapped ions into an axially offset laser path. Product ions form and collisionally relax out of the laser path to accumulate in the center of the trap. The technique, termed selective broadband (SB) IRMPD, limits sequential dissociation to preserve first generation product ion abundance. The abundances of larger product ions are maximized by completely dissociating the parent ion, but continuous sequential dissociation does not form small product ions below the low mass cut-off associated with conventional IRMPD. Smaller product ions are further increased in abundance in another tandem mass spectrum by performing sequential stages of SB-IRMPD, adjusting the trapping rf amplitude to dissociate larger product ions at the same qz range. Thermal assistance is used to perform SB-IRMPD at higher bath gas pressures for increased sensitivity.
Gunshot victims at a major level I trauma center: a study of 343,866 emergency department visits.

Abstract Background Disturbing trends regarding the sex, age, and race of gunshot victims have been reported in previous national studies; however, gunshot trends have not been well documented in individual cities in the southeastern United States. Objectives 1) Analyze trends in gunshot wounds, particularly the association between gunshot wounds and race, among victims presenting to a Level I Trauma Center in Middle Tennessee; 2) Compare specific characteristics of gunshot victims to the general Emergency Department (ED) population. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of 343,866 ED visits from 2004 to 2009. Results Compared to the general ED population, gunshot victims were more predominantly male (87.5% vs. 43.4%), black (57.6% vs. 29.5%), younger (47.8% under age 25 years vs. 31.6%), and demonstrated higher Medicaid enrollment (78.6% vs. 44.7%). The majority of black gunshot victims were aged 18–25 years (47.1%) and victims of assault (65.9%). Non-black gunshot victims suffered more unintentional (40.2% vs. 28.2%) and self-inflicted (9.1% vs. 0.4%) injuries and were more evenly distributed among ages 18–55 years. Black patients were 3.03 (95% confidence interval 2.93–3.14) times more likely to present to this ED for gunshot wounds than non-black patients, after controlling for age, sex, and insurance status ( p Conclusions Our study demonstrates that black patients between 18 and 25 years of age presenting to this trauma center are more likely to be victims of gun violence than their non-black counterparts. Our study evaluates trends in gun violence in the Southeast, particularly in relation to race, age, and insurance status.
Association of labor induction or stimulation with infant mortality in women with failed versus successful trial of labor after prior cesarean.

AbstractObjective: To compare infant mortality rates among women with a failed versus successful trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) following labor induction or stimulation.Study design: Using US linked birth and infant death cohort data (2000–2004), we identified women who delivered non-anomalous singleton births at 34–41 weeks with TOLAC whose labors were induced or stimulated. Multivariable log-binomial regression models were fitted to estimate the association between TOLAC success and infant mortality.Results: Of the 164,113 women who underwent TOLAC, 41% were unsuccessful. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, a failed TOLAC was associated with a 1.4 fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1, 1.7) increased risk of infant mortality.Conclusions: Among women undergoing labor induction or stimulation, a failed TOLAC is associated with higher likelihood of infant mortality.
A Structural Study of Ion Permeation in OmpF Porin from Anomalous X-ray Diffraction and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

OmpF, a multiionic porin from Escherichia coli, is a useful protypical model system for addressing general questions about electrostatic interactions in the confinement of an aqueous molecular pore. Here, favorable anion locations in the OmpF pore were mapped by anomalous X-ray scattering of Br– ions from four different crystal structures and compared with Mg2+ sites and Rb+ sites from a previous anomalous diffraction study to provide a complete picture of cation and anion transfer paths along the OmpF channel. By comparing structures with various crystallization conditions, we find that anions bind in discrete clusters along the entire length of the OmpF pore, whereas cations find conserved binding sites with the extracellular, surface-exposed loops. Results from molecular dynamics simulations are consistent with the experimental data and help highlight the critical residues that preferentially contact either cations or anions during permeation. Analysis of these results provides new insights into the mo...
Hl histones of various human organs and tumors

Abstract The histones of 75 human tissues were examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A new minor Hl histone called Hl h was found in every case and is proposed to be characteristic of human tissue. The previously described minor Hl histone, Hla, was not detectable in lymph nodes or spleen. The amount of Hl h and Hla relative to the principle Hl band varied from tissue to tissue. As compared to the normal tissue, the amount of Hl h was increased and the Hla decreased in cancers. The sole exception was one hepatocellular carcinoma in which the Hla was increased in the tumor. In two cases of carcinoma of the breast the Hla was decreased to an almost undetectable level. No changes in the other histones were found. These observations may be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of human malignant disease as well as in forensic medicine.
Studying functional dynamics in bio-molecules using accelerated molecular dynamics

Many biologically important processes such as enzyme catalysis, signal transduction, ligand binding and allosteric regulation occur on the micro- to millisecond time-scale. Despite the sustained and rapid increase in available computational power and the development of efficient simulation algorithms, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of proteins and bio-machines are generally limited to time-scales of tens to hundreds of nano-seconds. In this perspective article we present a comprehensive review of Accelerated Molecular Dynamics (AMD), an extended biased potential molecular dynamics approach that allows for the efficient study of bio-molecular systems up to time-scales several orders of magnitude greater than those accessible using standard classical MD methods, whilst still maintaining a fully atomistic representation of the system. Compared to many other approaches, AMD affords efficient enhanced conformational space sampling without any a priori understanding of the underlying free energy surface, nor does it require the specific prior definition of a reaction coordinate or a set of collective variables. Successful applications of the AMD method, including the study of slow time-scale functional dynamics in folded proteins and the conformational behavior of natively unstructured proteins are discussed and an outline of the different variants and extensions to the standard AMD approach is presented.
A formal method for analyzing software architecture models in SAM

The software architecture model (SAM) is a general software architecture model based on a dual formalism combining Petri nets and temporal logic. A SAM model contains a hierarchical set of compositions, each of which consists of a set of components, a set of connectors, and a set of constraints. This paper proposes a formal method for analyzing SAM models in both element (either component or connector) level and composition level. The basic idea is to simulate Petri net behaviors in terms of fair transition systems. The properties of individual components and connectors are verified either by deductive reasoning or model checking. The properties of the entire system is inferred from the properties of its constituents. A detailed case study of an electronic commerce system shows our approach to formally modeling, refining and analyzing software architecture models.
Endogenous Klebsiella endophthalmitis. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

Background: Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare complication of gram-negative sepsis. The diagnosis often is delayed unless a high index of suspicion exists. Familiarity with the clinical setting in which endogenous Klebsiella endophthalmitis occurs will hasten diagnosis and may improve outcome. Methods: The authors reviewed the medical literature and describe two patients with diabetes who lost vision from endogenous Klebsiella endophthalmitis. Findings: One patient lost all vision in both eyes before the diagnosis of sepsis was clinically suspected. In the other, endophthalmitis was the only clinical sign of septicemia 8 days after hospital discharge for treatment of a Klebsiella urinary tract infection. Survey of the literature showed an increase in the number of cases of endogenous Klebsiella endophthalmitis reported over the last 12 years. Sixty-one percent of the 44 patients reported in the literature since 1981 had diabetes, 68% had suppurative liver disease, and 16% had urinary tract infection. Conclusion: An important implication of these associations is that metastatic Klebsiella endophthalmitis must be considered when vitritis occurs in patients with diabetes, particularly in those with acute liver disease or a urinary tract infection, or in any patient with vitritis and suppurative liver disease.
Dynamic reconfiguration for fault tolerance for critical, real-time processor arrays

Real-time digital signal processing for critical applications demands that rapid successful reconfiguration techniques be employed to increase fault tolerance. To meet this need, we introduce and demonstrate a local area reconfiguration algorithm for a rectangular processor array that is very efficient, does not require a host processor, and will successfully reconfigure for a fault anywhere in the local area if there is an available spare. Further, if all the spares in a local area are used, areas can be combined in a software controlled process, preventing a system failure. >
Retrading, production, and asset market performance.

Prior studies have shown that traders quickly converge to the price–quantity equilibrium in markets for goods that are immediately consumed, but they produce speculative price bubbles in resalable asset markets. We present a stock-flow model of durable assets in which the existing stock of assets is subject to depreciation and producers may produce additional units of the asset. In our laboratory experiments inexperienced consumers who can resell their units disregard the consumption value of the assets and compete vigorously with producers, depressing prices and production. Consumers who have first participated in experiments without resale learn to heed their consumption values and, when they are given the option to resell, trade at equilibrium prices. Reproducibility is therefore the most natural and most effective treatment for suppression of bubbles in asset market experiments.
NPFXD-mediated Endocytosis Is Required for Polarity and Function of a Yeast Cell Wall Stress Sensor

The actin-associated protein Sla1p, through its SHD1 domain, acts as an adaptor for the NPFX(1,2)D endocytic targeting signal in yeast. Here we report that Wsc1p, a cell wall stress sensor, depends on this signal-adaptor pair for endocytosis. Mutation of NPFDD in Wsc1p or expression of Sla1p lacking SHD1 blocked Wsc1p internalization. By live cell imaging, endocytically defective Wsc1p was not concentrated at sites of endocytosis. Polarized distribution of Wsc1p to regions of cell growth was lost in the absence of endocytosis. Mutations in genes necessary for endosome to Golgi traffic caused redistribution of Wsc1p from the cell surface to internal compartments, indicative of recycling. Inhibition of Wsc1p endocytosis caused defects in polarized deposition of the cell wall and increased sensitivity to perturbation of cell wall synthesis. Our results reveal that the NPFX(1,2)D-Sla1p system is responsible for directing Wsc1p into an endocytosis and recycling pathway necessary to maintain yeast cell wall polarity. The dynamic localization of Wsc1p, a sensor of the extracellular wall in yeast, resembles polarized distribution of certain extracellular matrix-sensing integrins through endocytic recycling.
Using multiple methods to assess detection probabilities of forest‐floor wildlife

ABSTRACT Many previous comparisons of multiple sampling methods have assumed that detection probabilities for each method are either constant or equal to one. We used 4 sampling methods to estimate detection probabilities for forest-floor dwelling amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals. We investigated associations between seasonality and precipitation on species detection and explored sample design tradeoffs for future studies. Although we captured 25 species, we could reliably detect (detection probability >0.15) only northern short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda) and pygmy and masked shrews (Sorex spp.) using drift fences and red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) using visual encounter surveys (VES). The use of multiple sampling methods improved detection probabilities for only red-backed salamanders ( VES = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.24–0.38, allmethods = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.32–0.44). Parameter estimates indicated detection of both shrew species was positively related to increased precipitation. Detection ...
Bacterial persistence: Mathematical modeling and optimal treatment strategy

Bacterial persistence is an epigenetic phenomenon in which some bacteria cells become immune to antibiotic treatment without undergoing genetic mutation. In this paper, we develop a population dynamic model that captures both short term and long term persistence in bacteria. We subsequently pose the problem of designing an optimal treatment strategy, in terms of minimizing the number of persister cells that transition into long term dormancy. We find that the infinite time horizon optimal control strategy is not unique, and it can be expressed as a feedback law using the information about the population sizes of normal and persister cells. We also show the existence of a theoretical lower bound for the optimal cost value.
Clinical Management of Port-Wine Stain in Infants and Young Children Using the Flashlamp-Pulsed Dye Laser

The flashlamp-pulsed dye laser (FLPDL) at 585 nm, a wavelength well absorbed by oxyhemoglobin, causes highly selective vascular injury. In addition, the 450 microsecond pulse duration produced by this laser approximates the thermal relaxation time for dermal blood vessels thereby confining the energy to the target. This new laser effects excellent lightening of port-wine stain (PWS) in infants and young children without the adverse complications of hypertrophic scarring, permanent pigmentation abnormality, or textural changes, complications often seen with conventional laser systems. The FLPDL now permits treatment of this patient population expected to gain the most benefit from early laser therapy in a much safer manner, before the psychological complications of being a "marked" person develop. The purpose of this report is to: (1) describe the theoretical considerations behind achieving selective removal of PWS that can be understood and used by a nonsurgically-oriented practitioner; and (2) describe the practical application of the device used in the clinical management of infants and young children.
THE CULTIVATION OF ANAEROBIC TREPONEMATA ON THE SURFACE OF BLOOD AGAR PLATES

By a method of cultivation that proved successful with Bacterium pneumosintes, characteristic surface colonies of old saprophytic strains of Treponema pallidum and Treponema calligyrum have been obtained. The presence of two types of colony in the pallidum cultures requires explanation, but the fact of colony formation may point the way to new methods of isolation and identification and to the utilization of suspensions of treponemata, free from foreign proteins, for serological and immunological purposes.
RecA and RadA Proteins of Brucella abortus Do Not Perform Overlapping Protective DNA Repair Functions following Oxidative Burst

Very little is known about the role of DNA repair networks in Brucella abortus and its role in pathogenesis. We investigated the roles of RecA protein, DNA repair, and SOS regulation in B. abortus. While recA mutants in most bacterial species are hypersensitive to UV damage, surprisingly a B. abortus recA null mutant conferred only modest sensitivity. We considered the presence of a second RecA protein to account for this modest UV sensitivity. Analyses of the Brucella spp. genomes and our molecular studies documented the presence of only one recA gene, suggesting a RecA-independent repair process. Searches of the available Brucella genomes revealed some homology between RecA and RadA, a protein implicated in E. coli DNA repair. We considered the possibility that B. abortus RadA might be compensating for the loss of RecA by promoting similar repair activities. We present functional analyses that demonstrated that B. abortus RadA complements a radA defect in E. coli but could not act in place of the B. abortus RecA. We show that RecA but not RadA was required for survival in macrophages. We also discovered that recA was expressed at high constitutive levels, due to constitutive LexA cleavage by RecA, with little induction following DNA damage. Higher basal levels of RecA and its SOS-regulated gene products might protect against DNA damage experienced following the oxidative burst within macrophages.
Revisiting the pump–probe polarized transient hole-burning of the hydrated electron: Is its absorption spectrum inhomogeneously broadened?

Although simulations have predicted that the hydrated electrons absorption spectrum is inhomogeneously broadened, the experiments in the Literature that test this prediction have produced contradictory results. In this Letter, we describe new polarized transient hole-burning experiments on solvated electrons in both water and methanol. Although we chose excitation wavelengths that should have maximized any polarization dependence in the bleaching dynamics, we were unable to observe any anisotropy. We conclude that the absorption spectrum of the hydrated electron is more homogeneously broadened than suggested by the simulations, although the extent to which the band is inhomogeneously broadened remains an open question. 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
SEEDLING SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF THREE FOREST TREE SPECIES: THE ROLE OF SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY

Spatial heterogeneity in microenvironments may provide unique regeneration niches for trees and may promote forest diversity. We examined how heterogeneity in understory cover, mineral nutrients, and moisture and their interactions with canopy gaps contribute to the coexistence of three common, co-occuring tree species. We measured survival and height growth of 1080 seedlings of Acer rubrum (red maple), Liriodendron tulipifera (yellow poplar), and Quercus rubra (red oak) that were planted in one of five understory treatments: removal of understory vegetation, trenched, trenched plus removal of understory vegetation, fertilization, and a control. Understory treatments were replicated in 12 paired gap and canopy environments. Survivorship varied among species, with Q. rubra having the highest probability of surviving beyond the 1135-day experiment (probability = 0.64), followed by A. rubrum (probability = 0.27) and L. tulipifera (probability = 0.07). Although canopy gaps and understory treatments had large effects on survivorship, species survival rankings changed little across microenvironments; Q. rubra had the highest survival in all microenvironments. In contrast to survival, L. tulipifera had a relative growth rate for height that was three times greater than that of A. rubrum and Q. rubra in high-resource microenvironments. There was broad overlap among species in relative growth rates in the remaining seven microenvironments, with no clear top-ranked species. Differences in seedling growth and survival across these 10 microenvironments may contribute to the coexistence of two of the three species studied, L. tulipifera and Q. rubra, but not A. rubrum. Q. rubra had higher survival than A. rubrum and L. tulipifera in all microenvironments, but L. tulipifera tended to grow faster than A. rubrum and Q. rubra in high-resource microenvironments. Despite the generally poor performance of A. rubrum, it was the only surviving species in some quadrats at the end of the experiment, indicating that stochastic effects, in conjunction with broad niche overlap, may also contribute to species coexistence. The importance of stochastic effects will probably increase when differential fecundity across these three species is considered because the high fecundity of A. rubrum offsets survival and growth disadvantages of its seedlings through their greater total abundance.