cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the Size, Position, and Optical Properties of Breast Tumors in Vivo by Noninvasive Optical Methods

We present a method for the noninvasive determination of the size, position, and optical properties ~absorption and reduced scattering coefficients! of tumors in the human breast. The tumor is first detected by frequency-domain optical mammography. It is then sized, located, and optically characterized by use of diffusion theory as a model for the propagation of near-infrared light in breast tissue. Our method assumes that the tumor is a spherical inhomogeneity embedded in an otherwise homogeneous tissue. We report the results obtained on a 55-year-old patient with a papillary cancer in the right breast. We found that the tumor absorbs and scatters near-infrared light more strongly than the surrounding healthy tissue. Our method has yielded a tumor diameter of 2.1 6 0.2 cm, which is comparable with the actual size of 1.6 cm, determined after surgery. From the tumor absorption coefficients at two wavelengths ~690 and 825 nm!, we calculated the total hemoglobin concentration ~40 6 10 mM! and saturation ~71 6 9%! of the tumor. These results can provide the clinical examiner with more detailed information about breast lesions detected by frequency-domain optical mammography, thereby enhancing its potential for specificity. © 1998 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 170.3830, 300.0300, 300.1030, 290.0290.
Single-surgeon fully endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery: outcomes in three-hundred consecutive cases

The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes of endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery using a single-surgeon technique as an alternative to the more commonly employed two-surgeon, three-hand method. Three hundred consecutive endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures performed over a 5 year period from 2006 to 2011 were reviewed. All procedures were performed via a binasal approach utilizing a single surgeon two handed technique with a pneumatic endoscope holder. Expanded enodnansal cases were excluded. Surgical technique, biochemical and surgical outcomes, and complications were analyzed. 276 patients underwent 300 consecutive surgeries with a mean follow-up period of 37 ± 22 months. Non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) was the most common pathology (n = 152), followed by growth hormone secreting tumors (n = 41) and Rathke's cleft cysts (n = 30). Initial gross total cyst drainage based on radiologic criteria was obtained in 28 cases of Rathke's cleft cyst, with 5 recurrences. For NFPA and other pathologies (n = 173) gross total resection was obtained in 137 cases, with a 92% concordance rate between observed and expected extent of resection. For functional adenoma, remission rates were 30/41 (73%) for GH-secreting, 12/12 (100%) for ACTH-secreting, and 8/17 (47%) for prolactin-secreting tumors. Post-operative complications included transient (11%) and permanent (1.4%) diabetes insipidus, hyponatremia (13%), and new anterior pituitary hormonal deficits (1.4%). CSF leak occurred in 42 cases (15%), and four patients required surgical repair. Two carotid artery injuries occurred, both early in the series. Epistaxis and other rhinological complications were noted in 10% of patients, most of which were minor and diminished as surgical experience increased. Fully endoscopic single surgeon transsphenoidal surgery utilizing a binasal approach and a pneumatic endoscope holder yields outcomes comparable to those reported with a two-surgeon method. Endoscopic outcomes appear to be better than those reported in microscope-based series, regardless of a one or two surgeon technique.
Coagulation and autoimmunity in scleroderma interstitial lung disease.

Objectives Interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis (SSc-ILD) is often an irreversible and progressive fibrosing process that now is the leading cause of scleroderma-related deaths. In this review we present our current understanding of the role played by coagulation and particularly by thrombin in autoimmune-mediated tissue injury and fibrosis, mainly as it relates to SSc-ILD. Methods We used PubMed to search for articles published up to October 2010 for keywords referring to autoimmunity, coagulation, pulmonary fibrosis, and scleroderma. Results SSc-ILD is an autoimmune disease associated with lymphocyte activation and release of various cytokines and growth factors. The production of autoantibodies is a central feature in SSc. Activation of the coagulation cascade with release of thrombin is 1 of the earliest events following tissue injury. Thrombin contributes to autoimmune responses by activating of pathogenic Th2 lymphocyte profile in SSc. Thrombin also modulates tissue repair responses, stimulates transformation of epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts into myofibroblast phenotype, and induces secretion of several pro-immune and profibrotic factors, which serve as antigens for pathogenic autoantibodies production in SSc-ILD. Conclusions The identification of links between autoimmunity and coagulation would provide new insights into the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis associated with autoimmune diseases and further acknowledge the importance of thrombin in the development of SSc-ILD.
Bribery and implicit agreements: A reply to Philips

The author has elsewhere defended the view that accepting a bribe involves the violation of an implicit or explicit promise or understanding associated with an office or position that one occupies and that therefore it is prima facie wrong to accept a bribe. Michael Philips has criticized this position in a recent paper. He argues that (a) there are cases in which accepting a bribe violates no promises or agreements, and (b) there are cases in which there is no prima facie duty to refuse an offer of a bribe. The author offers replies to both of these objections.
Municipal solid waste to liquid transportation fuels – Part I: Mathematical modeling of a municipal solid waste gasifier

Abstract This paper presents a generic gasifier model towards the production of liquid fuels using municipal solid waste (MSW) as a feedstock. The MSW gasification has been divided into three zones: pyrolysis, oxidation, and reduction. The pyrolysis zone has been mathematically modeled with an optimization based monomer model. Then, the pyrolysis, oxidation, and reduction zones are defined with different chemical reactions and equations in which some extents of these reactions are not known a priori. Using a nonlinear parameter estimation approach, the unknown gasification parameters are obtained to match the experimental gasification results in the best possible way. The results suggest that a generic MSW gasifier mathematical model can be obtained in which the average error is 8.75%. The mathematical model of the MSW gasifier is of major importance since it can be a part of a process superstructure towards the production of liquid transportation fuels.
Immunological and Mass Spectrometric Assays of SHBG: Consistent and Inconsistent Metabolic Associations in Healthy Men

Context: SHBG concentrations correlate inconsistently with metabolic parameters. Hypothesis: SHBG assay platforms contribute to nonuniformities according to the literature. Design: The design of the study was a noninterventional quantification of SHBG by two immuno- and two mass spectrometric assays and abdominal visceral fat by computed tomography scan. Setting: The study was conducted at the Center for Translational Science Activities. Participants: Healthy men (n = 120) aged 18–80 years with a body mass index of 20–43 kg/m2 participated I the study. Outcomes: Outcomes of the study included a correlation of log SHBG with age, metabolic surrogates [body mass index, albumin, glucose, insulin, abdominal (total and visceral) fat, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index], sex steroids (estrone, 17β-estradiol, T, and dihydrotestosterone by mass spectrometry), and adipocytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12, TNF-α, and adiponectin). Results: By univariate regression, age (P < 10−4), dihydr...
Spatiotemporal patterns in migration timing of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) smolts in North America

The timing of ocean entry by salmon smolts is presumed adaptive to maximize survival during this critical life transition. We analyzed the peak timing, duration, and interannual variation in timing of smolt migrations for 53 coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) populations from central California to Kodiak Island, Alaska. The objective was to examine potential influences of both local watershed characteristics and larger-scale processes in the marine environment on smolt migration patterns. Multivariate analyses demonstrated a strong latitudinal gradient in migration patterns with trends toward later, shorter, and more predictable migrations with increasing latitude. Cluster analysis performed on migration descriptors indicated three major population groupings that coincide with major coastal oceanic regions in the northeast Pacific: a northern group from Kodiak Island to the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, a central group from the Queen Charlotte Islands south to the Columbia River, and a southe...
Observer analysis and its impact on task performance modeling

Fire fighters use relatively low cost thermal imaging cameras to locate hot spots and fire hazards in buildings. This research describes the analyses performed to study the impact of thermal image quality on fire fighter fire hazard detection task performance. Using human perception data collected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for fire fighters detecting hazards in a thermal image, an observer analysis was performed to quantify the sensitivity and bias of each observer. Using this analysis, the subjects were divided into three groups representing three different levels of performance. The top-performing group was used for the remainder of the modeling. Models were developed which related image quality factors such as contrast, brightness, spatial resolution, and noise to task performance probabilities. The models were fitted to the human perception data using logistic regression, as well as probit regression. Probit regression was found to yield superior fits and showed that models with not only 2 nd order parameter interactions, but also 3 rd order parameter interactions performed the best.
Efficient Cisplatin Pro‐Drug Delivery Visualized with Sub‐100 nm Resolution: Interfacing Engineered Thermosensitive Magnetomicelles with a Living System

Temperature-responsive magnetic nanomicelles can serve as thermal energy and cargo carriers with controlled drug release functionality. In view of their potential biomedical applications, understanding the modes of interaction between nanomaterials and living systems and evaluation of efficiency of cargo delivery is of the utmost importance. In this work, we investigate the interaction between the hybrid magnetic nanomicelles engineered for controlled platinum complex drug delivery and a biological system at three fundamental levels: subcellular compartments, a single cell and whole living animal. Nanomicelles with polymeric P(NIPAAm-co-AAm)-b-PCL core-shell were loaded with a hydrophobic Pt(IV) complex and Fe3O4 nanoparticles though self-assembly. The distribution of a platinum complex on subcellular level is visualized using hard X-ray fluorescence microscopy with unprecedented level of detail at sub-100 nm spatial resolution. We then study the cytotoxic effects of platinum complex-loaded micelles in vitro on a head and neck cancer cell culture model SQ20B. Finally, by employing the magnetic functionality of the micelles and additionally loading them with a near infrared fluorescent dye, we magnetically target them to a tumor site in a live animal xenografted model which allows to visualize their biodistribution in vivo.
Identity Development and Self-Esteem in Young Women

Summary Identity status and self-esteem were determined for 88 undergraduate college women. Identity status was measured two ways: with the sexual values questions included, and with the ORP (occupational goals, religious ideology, and political ideology) interview alone. Significant differences in self-esteem as measured by the Texas Social Behavior Inventory (TSBI) were found for women in the four identity statuses. These differences were significant on the basis of both methods of identity assessment. Achievement women scored higher than Moratorium and Diffusion women, but not Foreclosure women. Moratorium women had the lowest self-esteem in the sample. Results were discussed as supportive of the notion that achievement of identity is enhancing of self-esteem in women, and that nontraditional areas of identity development are becoming more important determiners of adjustment in women. The differential adaptability of Moratorium and Foreclosure statuses for women was discussed.
Direct Imaging of The Lattice In Poly(Phthalocyaninato-Germoxane) Single Crystals

Abstract Poly(phthalocyaninatogermoxane, [Ge(Pc)O]>n, was prepared from single crystals of the monomer phthalocyaninato-germanium dihydroxide, Ge(Pc)(OH)2, by thermal condensation polymerization in solid state. Direct imaging of (100) lattice planes containing the extended molecular chains in the polymer single crystals was achieved using transmission electron microscopy. A mosaic block structure and many lattice imperfections were recorded.
Analogue computer for flight simulator

IN THE FIELD of dynamics, problems concerned with aircraft motion are noted for their complexity. The ordinary differential equations which generally can be used to characterize the problems commonly are of order between 20 and 30 and, unless drastic assumptions are made, contain many nonlinear terms. Important nonlinear effects are introduced by the trigonometric effects associated with the motion of a rigid body with six degrees of freedom as well as by the nature of the aerodynamic forces and moments acting upon the aircraft. Also, if the aircraft is controlled automatically, the nonlinear properties of the controlling equipment are significant. The complexity of the problems is such that computing machines are required for their solutions.
Abstract 3031: HMGA2 promotes invasion and stemness in glioblastoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) causes the majority of brain tumor-related deaths in the United States. The high invasiveness of GBM prevents complete surgical resection, allowing tumor recurrence. The lack of curative treatment highlights a dire need to develop specific targeted therapeutics. Identifying and targeting novel molecular markers in glioma stem-like cells (GSCs), one of the major causes of tumor invasion and recurrence, could lead to development of better therapies. HMGA2, a non-histone transcriptional modulator, is a regulator of normal and cancer stem cells. The significance of HMGA2 as a potential therapeutic target in GBM has not been investigated. To elucidate the role of HMGA2 in GBM, we have used a combination of in vitro and in vivo techniques. We found increased HMGA2 expression in the mesenchymal subgroup of GBM tumors in the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and in a subset of primary human GBM tumors. HMGA2 is expressed in multiple patient-derived GBM neurosphere lines with increased expression in CD133+ neurospheres compared to CD133- neurospheres. Lentiviral short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated reduction of HMGA2 significantly inhibited invasion of GBM neurosphere lines (040821, 62% reduction with HMGA2 shRNA vs. control shRNA, P<0.001) in transwell invasion assays. Conversely, lentiviral-mediated overexpression of HMGA2 in GBM neurosphere lines increased invasion (GBM1 and 040821, 100-130% increase with HMGA2 overexpression vs. control vector, P<0.001) in transwell invasion assays. In addition, overexpression of HMGA2 increased clonogenicity of GBM neurosphere lines in vitro in soft agar and methylcellulose colony formation assays (40-60% increase with HMGA2 overexpression vs. control vector, P<0.001). Importantly, log-rank analysis of Kaplan-Meier plots showed increased survival of mice injected with GBM neurosphere lines transduced with HMGA2 shRNA compared to control shRNA (P<0.05) in an in vivo, orthotopic, intracranial mouse xenograft model. To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which HMGA2 promotes invasion and stemness in GBM, we performed mRNA expression profiling on GBM neurosphere lines lentivirally transduced to express HMGA2 or empty vector control. We found increased CD44 expression in HMGA2-overexpressing GBM neurosphere lines compared to control. Together, our results suggest an oncogenic role of HMGA2 in promoting GBM tumorigenicity by increasing invasiveness and a stem cell-like state, thereby suggesting that HMGA2 is a potential therapeutic target in GBM. Citation Format: Harpreet Kaur, Marianne Hutt, Xing-gang Mao, Brent A. Orr, Charles G. Eberhart, Eric H. Raabe. HMGA2 promotes invasion and stemness in glioblastoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3031. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3031
Correlation of thymidine-enhanced incorporation of ara-C in deoxyribonucleic acid with increased cell kill

The treatment of L1210 cells with 10−3 or 10−3 M thymidine prior to 1-β-d-arabinofurano-sylcytosine (ara-C) exposure increased significantly the incorporation of ara-C in DNA. Furthermore, the increased formation of (ara-C)DNA correlated with an enhanced loss of clonogenic survival (P < 0.0001). Thymidine pretreatment at either concentration for 16 hr was more effective than a 2-hr pretreatment. the results suggest that the increased formation of (ara-C)DNA is, in part, related to the enhancement of cells traversing through S-phase following thymidine exposure. These results extend our previous observations showing a highiy significant relationship between the extent of ara-C incorporation in DNA and loss of clonogenic survival. the incorporation of ara-C in DNA is a useful and easily measurable parameter for evaluating the effects of agents that modulate ara-C metabolism.
The perversity of preferences : GSP and developing country trade policies, 1976 - 2000

Industrial countries maintain special tariff preferences, namely the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), for imports from developing countries. Critics have highlighted the underachieving nature of such preferences, but developing countries continue to place the GSP at the heart of their agenda in multilateral negotiations. What effect do such preferences have on a recipient's own trade policies? The authors develop and test a simple theoretical model of a small country's trade policy choice, using a dataset of 154 developing countries from 1976 through 2000. They find that countries removed from the GSP adopt more liberal trade policies than those remaining eligible. The results, corrected for endogeneity and robust to numerous alternative measures of trade policy, suggest that developing countries may be best served by full integration into the reciprocity-based world trade regime rather than continued GSP-style special preferences.
Computed cranial tomography and radionuclide cisternography in hydrocephalus.

Computerized Cranial Tomographic scanning has replaced radionuclide cisternography in screening both adult and pediatric patients for hydrocephalus. Nevertheless, cisternography provides indispensable information about the CSF clearance capacity and remains a valuable adjunct to the excellent antomic detail provided by CCT scans. In patients without emergency symptoms, cisternography provides the best indication as to whether or not diversionary shunting is likely to relieve the patient's symptoms.
Theory of Pion Photoproduction in 12 C and 16 O

In a previous communication,1 we presented a calculation of the total cross section for π− photoproduction in 12C leading to the ground state of 12N. This theory was based on the elementary interaction Hamiltonian of Berends., 2 with the nuclear transition density being described by a Helm model fitted to inelastic electron scattering data. The distortion of the pion wave function was obtained from an optical potential as available at that time. The results were compared with experimental data near threshold by Bernstein.,3 and at higher energies by Epaneshnikov., and were found too low compared to the former, and too high compared to the latter. Here we present improved calculations which lead to considerably better agreement with both the threshold and the high-energy data.
0.5- mu m gate length self-aligned gate MODFET with reduced short-channel effects

Reduced short-channel effects were obtained by using a buried AlGaAs layer beneath the channel. A 0.5*10- mu m/sup 2/ MODFET was fabricated that had a peak transconductance of 264 mS/mm with a K-factor of 425 mA/V/sup 2/-mm. The measured output conductance was 2.37 mS/mm, a reduction from 18 mS/mm for a 0.5- mu m device without the buried layer. This combination of high transconductance and low output conductance makes the device ideal for high-speed analog and digital applications. The reduced output conductance gives a maximum gain of 110, compared with a more typical gain of 25 for a standard 0.5- mu m MODFET device. Threshold voltage dependence on gate length decreases from a 60-mV shift for 1.5- to 0.5- mu m gate length to 20 mV over the same range. The structure of the device, which was grown by molecular-beam epitaxy, consists of a five-period AlGaAs/GaAs superlattice and AlGaAs cap and spacer layers. The GaAs conducting channel is located between this charge control layer and a buried AlGaAs channel confinement buffer layer. This double heterostructure forms a quantum well in the channel region to further confine the quasi-two-dimensional electron gas. >
Differential Regulation of the Inhibitor of Apoptosis ch-IAP1 by v-rel and the Proto-Oncogene c-rel

The v-rel oncogene encoded by reticuloendotheliosis virus is the acutely transforming member of the Rel/NF-κB family of transcription factors. v-Rel is a truncated and mutated form of c-Rel and transforms cells by inducing the aberrant expression of genes regulated by Rel/NF-κB proteins. The expression of ch-IAP1, a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis family, is highly elevated in cells expressing v-Rel and contributes to the immortalization of cells transformed by this oncoprotein. In this study we demonstrate that the elevated expression of ch-IAP1 in v-Rel-expressing cells is due to an increased rate of transcription. The ch-IAP1 promoter was isolated, and four Rel/NF-κB binding sites were identified upstream of the transcription start site. Two κB sites proximal to the transcription start site were required for v-Rel to activate the ch-IAP1 promoter. While c-Rel also utilized these sites, a third more-distal κB site was required for its full activation of the ch-IAP1 promoter. Differences in the transactivation domains of v-Rel and c-Rel are responsible for their different abilities to utilize these sites and account for their differential activation of the ch-IAP1 promoter. Although c-Rel was a more potent activator of the ch-IAP1 promoter than v-Rel in transient reporter assays, cells stably overexpressing c-Rel failed to maintain high levels of ch-IAP1 expression. The reduction of ch-IAP1 expression in these cells correlated with the efficient regulation of c-Rel by IκBα. The ability of v-Rel to escape IκBα regulation allows for the gradual and sustained elevation of ch-IAP1 expression directly contributing to the transforming properties of v-Rel.
Identification of a Staphylococcal AgrB Segment(s) Responsible for Group-Specific Processing of AgrD by Gene Swapping

The four gene products of the accessory gene regulator (agr) P2 operon of Staphylococcus aureus assemble a quorum-sensing system: AgrA and AgrC resemble a two-component signal transduction system, and AgrB and AgrD are required to produce an autoinducing peptide. Upon activation, this quorum-sensing system positively regulates the transcription of the P2 operon as well as the P3 operon, whose transcript, RNAIII, regulates the expression of virulence genes. Four groups of S. aureus have been identified based on the agr sequences and the group-specific interaction between the autoinducing peptide and AgrC. AgrB is a transmembrane protein involved in the processing of AgrD propeptide, and its interaction with AgrD is also group specific. In this study, a series of chimeric AgrBs were constructed by swapping between group I and group II AgrBs, and these mutants were used to analyze the group-specific segment(s) in AgrB that was responsible for AgrD processing. Our results revealed that the first transmembrane α-helix and the extracellular loop 1 of group I AgrB were decisive in the specific processing of group I AgrD. In contrast, two hydrophilic segments of group II AgrB played a crucial role in the group-specific processing of group II AgrD. We also found that several chimeric AgrBs were capable of processing AgrD from both groups, suggesting that all AgrB homologues may utilize the same or a similar mechanism in the processing of AgrDs.
Three-phase bipolar mode active power filters

In this paper, a unified constant-frequency integration control method for a three-phase bipolar mode active power filter is proposed. The proposed control method eliminates the use of any multipliers, the need of sensing three-phase load current, and the nontrivial task of calculating the harmonies and reactive current components, as required by previously reported control methods. By applying one-cycle control and sensing the mains line current, unity power factor and low input current distortion can be realized by one integrator with reset along with a few linear components such as flip-flops, comparators, and clock. The proposed controller is simple, robust, and reliable. All findings are supported by simulation and experiments.
Interannual variation in pelagic juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) abundance – going with the flow

We report results from 28 yr of a midwater trawl survey of pelagic juvenile rockfish (Sebastes spp.) conducted off the central California coast. The fishery-independent survey is designed to provide pre-recruit indices of abundance for use in groundfish stock assessments. Standardized catch rate time series for 10 species were developed from delta-generalized linear models that include main effects for year, station, and calendar date. Results show that interannual fluctuations of all 10 species are strongly coherent but highly variable, demonstrating both high- and low-frequency components. A similarly coherent result is observed in the size composition of fish, with large fish associated with elevated catch rates. In contrast, spatial and seasonal patterns of abundance show greater species-specific differences. A comparison of the shared common trend in pelagic juvenile rockfish abundance, derived from principal components analysis, with recruitments from five rockfish stock assessments shows that the time series are significantly correlated. An examination of oceanographic factors associated with year-to-year variability indicates that a signature of upwelled water at the time of the survey is only weakly related to abundance. Likewise, basin-scale indices (the Multivariate El Nino-Southern Oscillation Index, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation, and the Northern Oscillation Index) are poorly correlated with abundance. In contrast, sea level anomalies in the months preceding the survey are well correlated with reproductive success. In particular, equatorward anomalies in the alongshore flow field following the spawning season are associated with elevated survival and poleward anomalies with poor survival.
Attention affects the recognition of briefly presented visual stimuli in infants: an ERP study.

This study examined the effect of attention in infants on the ERP changes occurring during the recognition of briefly presented visual stimuli. Infants at ages 4.5, 6 and 7.5 months were presented with a Sesame Street movie that elicited periods of attention and inattention, and computer-generated stimuli were presented overlaid on the movie for 500 ms. One stimulus was familiar to the infants and was presented frequently, a second stimulus was familiar but presented infrequently, and a set of 14 novel stimuli were presented infrequently. An ERP component labeled the ‘Nc’ (Negative Central, about 450–550 ms after stimulus onset) was larger during attention than inattention and increased in magnitude over the three testing ages during attention. Late slow waves in the ERP (from 1000 to 2000 ms post-stimulus onset) consisted of a positive slow wave in response to the infrequent familiar stimulus at all three testing ages. The late slow wave in response to the infrequent novel stimulus during attention was a positive slow wave for the 4.5-month-old infants, to a positive-negative slow wave for the 6-month-old infants and a negative slow wave for the 7.5-month-old infants. These results show attention facilitates the brain response during infant recognition memory and show that developmental changes in recognition memory are closely related to changes in attention.
Fast and Efficient Compression of Floating-Point Data

Large scale scientific simulation codes typically run on a cluster of CPUs that write/read time steps to/from a single file system. As data sets are constantly growing in size, this increasingly leads to I/O bottlenecks. When the rate at which data is produced exceeds the available I/O bandwidth, the simulation stalls and the CPUs are idle. Data compression can alleviate this problem by using some CPU cycles to reduce the amount of data needed to be transfered. Most compression schemes, however, are designed to operate offline and seek to maximize compression, not throughput. Furthermore, they often require quantizing floating-point values onto a uniform integer grid, which disqualifies their use in applications where exact values must be retained. We propose a simple scheme for lossless, online compression of floating-point data that transparently integrates into the I/O of many applications. A plug-in scheme for data-dependent prediction makes our scheme applicable to a wide variety of data used in visualization, such as unstructured meshes, point sets, images, and voxel grids. We achieve state-of-the-art compression rates and speeds, the latter in part due to an improved entropy coder. We demonstrate that this significantly accelerates I/O throughput in real simulation runs. Unlike previous schemes, our method also adapts well to variable-precision floating-point and integer data
Ethanol-Induced Fatty Liver: Effect of Intestinal Lymph Fistula

Previous studies have shown that intraduodenal ethanol enhanced the production of nondietary very low density lipoprotein by rat intestine. In this study, this source of endogenous lipid was examined in regard to its possible contributing role in the pathogenesis of ethanol-induced fatty liver. Rats received constant intraduodenal infusions of ethanol (5 g per kg) or isocaloric glucose during the 0 - to 8-hr interval. After intraduodenal ethanol, rats without lymph fistula developed the expected fatty liver at 24 hr. In marked contrast, fistula rats had virtually normal liver triglycerides at this time. The effect of lymph diversion was not due to lipid losses prior to ethanol, nor to minor lymphatic losses of ethanol during the experiment. A similar effect was present at 16 hr in some rats, but not in others. The basis for the variable response at this earlier time was not elucidated, but correlated with plasma free fatty acid concentration. Nondietary intestinal lipoproteins do not seem quantitatively sufficient, by themselves, to account for the ethanol-induced fatty liver. However, they play a significant role in the over-all lipid balance of the rat, and may contribute, with other endogenous sources, to hepatic lipid accumulation in this disorder.
Endothelial cell protrusion and migration in three‐dimensional collagen matrices

Many cells display dramatically different morphologies when migrating in 3D matrices vs. on planar substrata. How these differences arise and the implications they have on cell migration are not well understood. To address these issues, we examined the locomotive structure and behavior of bovine aortic endothelial cells (ECs) either inside 3D collagen gels or on 2D surfaces. Using time-lapse imaging, immunofluorescence, and confocal microscopy, we identified key morphological differences between ECs in 3D collagen gels vs. on 2D substrata, and also demonstrated important functional similarities. In 3D matrices, ECs formed cylindrical branching pseudopodia, while on 2D substrata they formed wide flat lamellae. Three distinct cytoplasmic zones were identified in both conditions: (i) a small, F-actin-rich, rapidly moving peripheral zone, (ii) a larger, more stable, intermediate zone characterized by abundant microtubules and small organelles, and (iii) a locomotively inert central zone rich in microtubules, and containing the larger organelles. There were few differences between 2D and 3D cells in the content and behavior of their peripheral and central zones, whereas major differences were seen in the shape and types of movements displayed by the intermediate zone, which appeared critical in distributing cell–matrix adhesions and directing cytoplasmic flow. This morphological and functional delineation of cytoplasmic zones provides a conceptual framework for understanding differences in the behavior of cells in 3D and 2D environments, and indicates that cytoskeletal structure and dynamics in the relatively uncharacterized intermediate zone may be particularly important in cell motility in general. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Partially-synchronized DEC-MDPs in dynamic mechanism design

In this paper, we combine for the first time the methods of dynamic mechanism design with techniques from decentralized decision making under uncertainty. Consider a multi-agent system with self-interested agents acting in an uncertain environment, each with private actions, states and rewards. There is also a social planner with its own actions, rewards, and states, acting as a coordinator and able to influence the agents via actions (e.g., resource allocations). Agents can only communicate with the center, but may become inaccessible, e.g., when their communication device fails. When accessible to the center, agents can report their local state (and models) and receive recommendations from the center about local policies to follow for the present period and also, should they become inaccessible, until becoming accessible again. Without self-interest, this poses a new problem class which we call partially-synchronized DEC-MDPs, and for which we establish some positive complexity results under reasonable assumptions. Allowing for self-interested agents, we are able to bridge to methods of dynamic mechanism design, aligning incentives so that agents truthfully report local state when accessible and choose to follow the prescribed "emergency policies" of the center.
Influence of Counterion on Thermal, Viscoelastic, and Ion Conductive Properties of Phosphonium Ionenes

Summary Anion metathesis enabled a systematic study focused on the thermal, viscoelastic, and conductivity properties of a 4P,12 phosphonium ionenes with various counterions. Aqueous size exclusion chromatography confirmed the well-defined synthesis of 4P,12-Br from the step-growth polymerization of 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino) butane and 1,12-dibromododecane at a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. Subsequent anion-exchange employing a dialysis method exchanged the Br- counterion to trifluoromethanesulfonate (TfO-), bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonimide (Tf2N-), and tetrafluoroborate (BF4-) counterion. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the 4P,12 ionenes showed a distinct upfield chemical shift for methylene protons adjacent to the phosphonium cation after anion-exchange. Thermal characterization using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry probed the thermal properties of the phosphonium ionenes. Counterion exchange to more bulky and delocalized anions led to improved thermal stabilities and lower glass transition temperatures. Rheological characterization facilitated the generation of time-temperature superposition (TTSp) master curves and pseudo-master curves for each 4P,12 ionene. TTSp revealed two distinct relaxation modes attributed to long-range segmental motion and electrostatic interactions. Anion-exchange resulted in a shift of these two modes of relaxation to higher shear rates. The calculated melt flow activation energy and thermal expansion coefficients were also observed to decrease and increase, respectively. Melt rheological characterization also probed the temperature dependence of the storage and loss moduli and suggested that the counterions have a plasticizing effect on the viscoelasticity of the 4P,12 ionene. Ionic conductivity increased with increasing size of the counterion (Br- < BF4-< TfO-< Tf2N-) and demonstrated the viability of these novel materials as potential anion-exchange ionomeric membranes.
Aflatoxicosis in turkey poults is prevented by treatment of naturally contaminated corn with ozone generated by electrolysis

Previous studies have demonstrated that a novel source of ozone gas (O3) maybe used to chemically degrade numerous mycotoxins, including aflatoxin (AF) B1. Subsequent in vitro analyses demonstrated detoxification of AFB1, suggesting a potential method of remediate AF-contaminated grain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capability of electrochemically produced ozone to degrade AFB1 in naturally contaminated whole kernel corn and confirm detoxification in turkey poults. Corn was procured from the southern coastal areas of Texas and HPLC revealed 1,220 +/- 73.3 ppb AFB1. Control and contaminated corn were treated for 92 h with O3 at 200 mg/min in 30 kg batches; greater than 95% reduction of AFB1 in contaminated corn was achieved. One-day-old female turkey poults were fed 1) control corn, 2) control corn + O3, 3) AFB1 corn, or 4) AFB1 corn + O3 mixed in rations (46% by wt.) and consumed ad libitum for 3 wk. When compared with controls, turkeys fed AFB1 corn had reduced body weight gain and relative liver weight, whereas turkeys fed control corn + O3 or AFB1 corn + O3 did not differ from controls. Furthermore, alterations in the majority of relative organ weight, liver discoloration, serum enzyme activity, hematological parameters, and blood chemistry caused by AFB1 were eliminated (no difference from controls) by treatment with O3. These data demonstrate that treatment of contaminated corn with electrochemically produced O3 provided protection against AFB1 in young turkey poults. It is important to note that treatment of control corn with O3 did not alter the performance of the turkey poults.
Evaluating text-based similarity measures for musical content

Different music information retrieval (MIR) techniques have been developed over time. This, in part is due to the fact that the variety of formats used to represent musical content creates the necessity of using specialized format-dependent algorithms. Nonetheless, techniques that are used in text information retrieval can be used as a starting point for the development of general systems that deal with musical content. In this paper three different information retrieval techniques are evaluated for the task of music information retrieval. Two of them are commonly used for text documents, while the other was designed specifically for musical content. As a first step, a general overview of a MIR system is given, and the concept of a music representation language is introduced. After this, the different techniques evaluated are discussed and explained. Finally, the test methodology and results are presented along with a discussion of the importance that text IR techniques might have on the field.
Adaptive Linking between Text and Photos Using Common Sense Reasoning

In a hypermedia authoring task, an author often wants to set up meaningful connections between different media, such as text and photographs. To facilitate this task, it is helpful to have a software agent dynamically adapt the presentation of a media database to the user's authoring activities, and look for opportunities for annotation and retrieval. However, potential connections are often missed because of differences in vocabulary or semantic connections that are "obvious" to people but that might not be explicit.ARIA (Annotation and Retrieval Integration Agent) is a software agent that acts an assistant to a user writing e-mail or Web pages. As the user types a story, it does continuous retrieval and ranking on a photo database. It can use descriptions in the story to semi-automatically annotate pictures. To improve the associations beyond simple keyword matching, we use natural language parsing techniques to extract important roles played by text, such as "who, what, where, when". Since many of the photos depict common everyday situations such as weddings or recitals, we use a common sense knowledge base, Open Mind, to fill in semantic gaps that might otherwise prevent successful associations.
Stability of Strain-Hardening Tubular Columns

The stability of elastic-linear strain-hardening tubular cantilever columns is analyzed by numerical integration of the nonlinear differential equation with the aid of parametric equations expressing the moment-thrust-curvature relationships. Equilibrium curves for cantilever columns subjected to arbitrary end loads are first constructed. The envelopes of these equilibrium curves are shown to be the interaction curves. Approximate equations for the latter are derived and used to analyze simply supported columns subjected to arbitrary end loads. Column curves are presented for aluminum columns of Alloy 6061-T6. The results obtained from this analysis are discussed in the light of the corresponding allowable loads given by suggested specifications for such structures.
Abstract 237: Predictive role of thyroid in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A single center retrospective study

Background: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a transient systolic dysfunction of the apical and/or mid segments of the left ventricle that mimics myocardial infarction (MI) but in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. The exact etiology of TC is unclear. Few isolated case reports have described association of TC with hyperthyroid state. The exact association of thyroid status and TC has never been studied so far. Method: This was a single center retrospective study. All the patients diagnosed with TC between January 2006 and December 2012 at our hospital were identified retrospectively. Mayo’s revised criteria for TC was used to confirm the diagnosis. Baseline paramenters including demographic profile, cardiac markers, thyroid studies, angiographic and echocardiographic findings were extracted and analysed using SPSSv19.0 Results: Seventy eight patient were identified as diagnosed with TC with 72 females (92.3%) and 6 males (7.6%) with mean age of 66.33 ± 13.37 years (range 23-91). Stressful event precipitating TC was identified only in 19 patients (24.36%) at the time of admission. Twenty seven patients (34.61%) had history of hypothyroidism and 25 patients (31.05%) were on levothyroxine replacement. Thyroid profile was available for 44 patients at the time of admission and 5 patients (11.36%) were found to be in a hyperthyroid state based on low TSH and/or high freeT4. During a mean follow up of 2.8 ± 1.5 years, 4 patients (5.13%) had episodes of recurrence. Mean length of stay (mLOS) was 4.4 ± 3.9 days (Median 3 days, Range 1 - 23 days). Both TSH level and ejection fraction had significant independent negative correlation with mLOS (p <0.05). Conclusion: Thyroid status/thyroid hormone replacement may have a significant role in the pathogenesis of TC. In this first retrospective study describing the association of TC with thyroid status, precipitating stress was identifiable in only 24% patients whereas 35% of the patients had a history of hypothyroidism with majority on levothyroxine replacement. Additionally, TSH level had an independent negative correlation with mLOS.
Ridership, Fare and On-Time Performance: A Granger Causality Analysis of Intercity Passenger Train in the Northeast Corridor

Many studies have regarded fare and on-time performances as directly factors affecting ridership of Intercity Passenger Train. Yet these relationships may become complicated when considering effect from alternative trains running in the same routes and thus make forecasting result spurious. This paper presents a granger causality analysis on ridership, fare and on-time performance of two types of intercity passenger trains running in the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in the United States – the Acela Express and the Northeast Regional. A monthly time-series data from January 2003 to November 2009 is introduced to the Vector Autoregression model (VAR). After dealing with stationary test, the result shows that (1) the ridership and fare is endogenous in the Acela Express while the ridership and on-time performance is endogenous in the Northeast Regional. (2) The cross-granger causality test shows that both ridership and fare of Acela Express and the Regional Train are highly endogenous. The results can be adopted to improve the accuracy of current forecasting. Hopefully it could bring new perspectives for future high-speed rail ridership forecasting in the United States.
Public health response to the London Polonium incident

791 Learning Objectives: 1. Explain the unique characteristics of Po-210 in its use as the assassination agent of Alexander Litvinenko. 2. Describe what effects Po-210 has on the body. 3. Explain the complications of this radionuclide detection. 4. Explain the role Public Health had and lessons learned from this event in November 2006. 5. Explain what problems the United States NRC may have if an event such as this were to occur here. Abstract Body: The 2006 poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko was an intentional radiological public health incident. Polonium-210, one of the most toxic naturally occurring radionuclides, presents a unique threat to public health because it emits alpha particles that are fatal when small doses are ingested, inhaled or absorbed. Further, Polonium-210 moves or “creeps” with time, contaminating its local environment. Public health responses to incidents involving Polonium-210 are of critical importance for future emergency preparedness training and planning. This paper documents public health’s response to the Litvinenko poisoning including risk assessment, surveillance, and risk communication- and further highlights lessons recognized from the incident.
Female Athlete Triad: Clinical Evaluation and Treatment

The passage of Title IX in 1972 resulted in a tremendous increase in the number of females participating in high school and collegiate athletics. This rise in female athletes sparked new focus area...
Concerning Velia Inveruglas Kirkaldy and Related Forms. (VeliidÆ-Hemiptera).

There are several closely related species of South American Velias that resemble superficially the Velia rivularum Fabr. and Velia currens Fabr. forms of Europe more closely than any of the other Velias of the western hemisphere. These western forms possess certain structural characters in common that set them apart from the European Velias and indeed from the western groups which I have listed in another paper. This group I have called the Velia inveruglas Kirkaldy group and have assigned to it the following: Velia boliviana Breddin, Velia albotrimaculata Kirkaldy, Velia osborniana Kirkaldy (= V. brunnea Osborn) and my Velia helenae . The last one tentatively, because I do not know the male.
The Use of Enterprise Social Network Sites for Knowledge Sharing in Distributed Organizations: The Role of Organizational Affordances

Enterprise social network sites (ESNSs) are increasingly being introduced into large multinational organizations. In this article, we consider their potential for supporting knowledge-sharing pract...