cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
158 AN ANALYSIS OF 5′ REGULATORY SEQUENCES AND EFFECT OF THE MoMSV ENHANCER ON EXPRESSION OF THE APRT GENE

The transcriptional unit of the CHO APRT gene was analyzed by deletional mutants at the 3′ and 5′ end of the gene, and by deletions in the intronic regions. Two sequences 5′ to the transcription start site are involved in gene regulation. One of these is a putative Spl binding region. The other region, within 52bp of the transcription start site, as measured by DNA footprinting experiments contains a second protein binding site of 22 bp conserved in both mouse and CHO aprt genes, suggesting that it could be functionally important. This region is being analyzed by in vitro mutagenesis. The aprt structural gene and promoter was fused to the Moloney Murine Sarcoma Virus (MoMSV) LTR. These sequences contain the viral promoter and enhancer signals. The 5′ non-coding region of the aprt gene supresses activity of the Mo-MSV LTR. Deletion of the native aprt promoter allows Mo-MSV enhancer activity when the cells are grown in sodium butyrate. Under such conditions aprt enzyme activity is enhanced 20-30 fold in both transient expression assays, and in stable transformants. The overproduction of APRT has no obvious detrimental effect on cell growth.
The use of local indicators of spatial association to improve LiDAR-derived predictions of potential amphibian breeding ponds

We examined whether spatially explicit information improved models that use LiDAR return signal intensity to discriminate in-pond habitat from terrestrial habitat at 24 amphibian breeding ponds. The addition of Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) to LiDAR return intensity data significantly improved predictive models at all ponds, reduced residual error by as much as 74%, and appeared to improve models by reducing classification errors associated with types of in-pond vegetation. We conclude that LISA statistics can help maximize the information content that can be extracted from time resolved LiDAR return data in models that predict the occurrence of small, seasonal ponds.
Comparison of air-kerma strength determinations for HDR (192)Ir sources.

Purpose: To perform a comparison of the interim air-kerma strength standard for high dose rate (HDR)192Ir brachytherapy sources maintained by the University of Wisconsin Accredited DosimetryCalibration Laboratory (UWADCL) with measurements of the various sourcemodels using modified techniques from the literature. The current interim standard was established by Goetsch et al. in 1991 and has remained unchanged to date. Methods: The improved, laser-aligned seven-distance apparatus of the University of Wisconsin Medical Radiation Research Center (UWMRRC) was used to perform air-kerma strength measurements of five different HDR192Ir sourcemodels. The results of these measurements were compared with those from well chambers traceable to the original standard. Alternative methodologies for interpolating the 192Ir air-kerma calibration coefficient from the NIST air-kerma standards at 137Cs and 250 kVp x rays (M250) were investigated and intercompared. As part of the interpolation method comparison, the Monte Carlo code EGSnrc was used to calculate updated values of A wall for the Exradin A3 chamber used for air-kerma strength measurements. The effects of air attenuation and scatter, room scatter, as well as the solution method were investigated in detail. Results: The average measurements when using the inverseN Kinterpolation method for the Classic Nucletron, Nucletron microSelectron, VariSource VS2000, GammaMed Plus, and Flexisource were found to be 0.47%, −0.10%, −1.13%, −0.20%, and 0.89% different than the existing standard, respectively. A further investigation of the differences observed between the sources was performed using MCNP5 Monte Carlo simulations of each sourcemodel inside a full model of an HDR 1000 Plus well chamber. Conclusions: Although the differences between the sourcemodels were found to be statistically significant, the equally weighted average difference between the seven-distance measurements and the well chambers was 0.01%, confirming that it is not necessary to update the current standard maintained at the UWADCL.
KYP lemma, state feedback and dynamic output feedback in discrete-time bilinear systems

Abstract This paper shows how a generalization of the Kalman-Yacubovitch-Popov (KYP) lemma can be built for discrete-time bilinear passive systems, and how the concepts of passivity and feedback equivalence can be applied to solve the problem of global stabilization via smooth state feedback, bounded state feedback and dynamic output feedback for a class of discrete-time bilinear systems. The results generalize some recent advances due to Gauthier and Kupka (1992) in continuous-time bilinear systems to their discrete-time counterparts.
A closer look at drawbacks of minimizing weighted sums of objectives for Pareto set generation in multicriteria optimization problems

A standard technique for generating the Pareto set in multicriteria optimization problems is to minimize (convex) weighted sums of the different objectives for various different settings of the weights. However, it is well-known that this method succeeds in getting points from all parts of the Pareto set only when the Pareto curve is convex. This article provides a geometrical argument as to why this is the case.
Assessment of the effect of dilution of blood samples with sodium heparin on blood gas, electrolyte, and lactate measurements in dogs

Objective—To evaluate the effect of dilution of blood samples with sodium heparin on blood gas, electrolyte, and lactate measurements in dogs. Sample Population—Venous blood samples collected from 6 adult dogs of various breeds. Procedure—Syringes were prepared with anticoagulant via 1 of 4 techniques, and the residual volume of liquid heparin in each type of prepared syringe was determined. Blood gas values and other selected clinicopathologic variables were measured in whole blood samples after collection (baseline) and after aliquots of the samples were diluted with heparin via 1 of the 4 manual syringe techniques. By use of a tonometer, whole blood samples were adjusted to 1 of 3 oxygen concentrations (40, 100, or 600 mm Hg) and the PO2 values were measured at baseline and subsequent to the 4 heparin dilutions. Results—The 4 syringe techniques resulted in 3.9%, 9.4%, 18.8%, and 34.1% dilutions of a 1-mL blood sample. Compared with baseline values, dilution of blood samples with liquid heparin signific...
Nonlocal Operators with Applications to Image Processing

We propose the use of nonlocal operators to define new types of flows and functionals for image processing and elsewhere. A main advantage over classical PDE-based algorithms is the ability to handle better textures and repetitive structures. This topic can be viewed as an extension of spectral graph theory and the diffusion geometry framework to functional analysis and PDE-like evolutions. Some possible applications and numerical examples are given, as is a general framework for approximating Hamilton–Jacobi equations on arbitrary grids in high demensions, e.g., for control theory.
Reporting of child maltreatment: a secondary analysis of the national incidence surveys

Reports to CPS agencies of child maltreatment cases come from a variety of community sources. Which kinds of cases are underreported, overreported, or not reported at all, and why? We address these questions by examining the discrepancies between cases known to CPS agencies and those known to professionals who regularly come into contact with children: teachers, hospital personnel, law enforcement officers, court personnel, and social service workers. The analysis is based on the 1980 and 1986 National Study of the Incidence and Prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect. Our research yielded three major findings. First, older victims were less likely than younger victims to be known to CPS agencies. Second, there is a hierarchy of type of abuse reported to CPS agencies, with sexual abuse being at the top of the list and educational neglect at the bottom of the list. Third, the victims' race, sex, and income did not play a role in whether or not a case was reported to CPS agencies.
Pyrite as a source of iron for plants.

Abstract Soybeans (Glycine max L. cv. PI 54619–5–1) were grown for 28 days in a glasshouse in calcareous Hacienda loam soil in pots to which had been banded in the center of 500 g pots the following iron amendments: control, 25 g of a commercial sulfur‐iron (8%) mixture*, 25 g sulfur, 20 g sulfur + 5 g iron sulfate, 25 g of a commercial iron oxide mixture**, 25 g iron pyrite***, 12.5 g each of iron pyrite and sulfur, 25 g iron sulfate, and 12.5 g each of iron oxide and sulfur. Most rapid and complete greening was with iron sulfate or iron oxide alone or in combinations. Sulfur and pyrite‐treated plants did not become green until about the 3rd week. Banding of all amendments increased Fe concentrations of leaves. Banding of sulfur did not result in increased Mn in leaves but pyrite resulted in some Mn toxicity and in increased Zn, Cu, Al, Ni and Pb in leaves with decreased leaf growth.
Breeding condors in captivity for release into the wild

Recognizing the decline of the South American Condor in some parts of its range and the highly endangered status of the California condor, the New York Zoological Society developed a captive-breeding program for South American condors. This program was designed to produce techniques applicable to hand-rearing of either species of condor. Once condors were successfully reared in captivity, it became imperative to develop techniques to ensure that captive-reared condor chicks could be released into the wild, could survive there, and could interact naturally with other wild condors. Captive-bred hand-reared condor chicks were taken to Northwestern Peru and successfully released into the wild.
Development and characterization of a human ovarian cancer cell line which clones without agar in vitro.

Abstract A new human ovarian cancer cell line has been initiated which clones without agar in vitro . The cell line has been characterized by growth of a tumor resembling the primary tumor in a nude mouse, by human lactic dehydrogenase isozyme pattern, by human karyotype, and by lack of contamination by other cell lines. Initial studies have demonstrated the presence of epidermal growth factor receptors in this cell line. The utility of this line for clonogenic studies is demonstrated by dose-response studies with doxorubicin, cis -platinum, and 13- cis -retinoic acid.
The characterization of aerosols distributed with respect to size and chemical composition

Abstract Aerosols are often distributed with respect to size and chemical composition, and these variables play an important part in determining the effects of the aerosol in air pollution and meteorology. The characteristics of such complex aerosols can be described by means of a probability density function, and an equation for the dynamics of the function can be derived. This equation provides a link between the aerosol, and gas phase chemical reaction and condensation processes. The development of information collecting and processing systems for the atmospheric aerosol makes it desirable to develop, in parallel, methods for defining the quantity of information. The unit of information, defined in terms of certain integral functions of the probability density function, is introduced and discussed.
Reliability via synthetic a priori: Reichenbach’s doctoral thesis on probability

Hans Reichenbach is well known for his limiting frequency view of probability, with his most thorough account given in The Theory of Probability in 1935/1949. Perhaps less known are Reichenbach’s early views on probability and its epistemology. In his doctoral thesis from 1915, Reichenbach espouses a Kantian view of probability, where the convergence limit of an empirical frequency distribution is guaranteed to exist thanks to the synthetic a priori principle of lawful distribution. Reichenbach claims to have given a purely objective account of probability, while integrating the concept into a more general philosophical and epistemological framework. A brief synopsis of Reichenbach’s thesis and a critical analysis of the problematic steps of his argument will show that the roots of many of his most influential insights on probability and causality can be found in this early work.
Child maltreatment and substance abuse among U.S. Army soldiers

Although substance abuse has consistently been linked to child maltreatment, no study to date has described the extent of substance abuse among child maltreatment offenders within the military. Analysis of U.S. Army data on all substantiated incidents of parental child maltreatment committed between 2000 and 2004 by active duty soldiers found that 13% of offenders were noted to have been abusing alcohol or illicit drugs at the time of their child maltreatment incident. The odds of substance abuse were increased for offenders who committed child neglect or emotional abuse, but were reduced for child physical abuse. The odds of offender substance abuse nearly tripled in child maltreatment incidents that also involved co-occurring spouse abuse. Findings include a lack of association between offender substance abuse and child maltreatment recurrence, possibly because of the increased likelihood of removal of offenders from the home when either substance abuse or spouse abuse were documented.
Full-dimensional quantum wave packet study of collision-induced vibrational relaxation between para-H2

Abstract An accurate quantum investigation of vibrational relaxation induced by collision: para -H 2 (v 1 =1, j 1 =0)+para -H 2 (v 2 =0, j 2 =0)→para -H 2 (v ′ 1 =0, j ′ 1 )+para -H 2 (v ′ 2 =0, j ′ 2 ) , is presented. The Hamiltonian within the coupled-states approximation is discretized in a mixed grid/basis representation and its action is computed in appropriate representations facilitated by a series of one-dimensional pseudo-spectral transformations. Furthermore, the parity and diatomic exchange symmetry are adapted to improve efficiency. S-matrix elements at numerous collision energies up to 2.2 eV are calculated from the Fourier transform of correlation functions obtained from the Chebyshev propagation. Partial wave contributions from J=0 to 90 are obtained explicitly. Finally, thermal rate constants are computed over a wide range of temperatures (0–3500 K) and compared with available experimental measurements. In addition, the effect of initial rotational excitation on the relaxation probability is investigated.
The Limitations of the Digitalized Pulse Timing Oculoplethysmography in the Diagnosis of Bilateral Significant Carotid Stenosis

To critically analyze the accuracy of the Zira-OPG unit in the diagnosis of carotid stenosis, 161 patients (309 carotid arteries) out of 2500 patients tested were reviewed in comparison with angiogram. For practical purposes these patients were divided into several groups: 92 out of 101 normal arteries by OPG were confirmed by angiogram (91% true negative). Fifty-three out of 61 arteries with significant unilateral stenosis by OPG were confirmed by angiogram (87% true positive). Thirty-two out of 40 patients with significant stenosis on one side and mild on the other were picked by the OPG (80% true positive). Fifteen out of 27 patients with bilateral significant stenosis were confirmed by OPG (56%). Twelve out of 13 completely occluded arteries were confirmed by OPG. This unit is practical in detecting normal arteries, unilateral significant stenosis and bilateral disease if one side is mild but very limited in bilateral significant stenosis.
Stereoselectivity of catecholamine uptake in noradrenergic and dopaminergic peripheral organs.

Abstract The stereoselectivity of noradrenaline uptake was studied in several adrenergically innervated peripheral organs of the rabbit and rat, as well as in the isolated rabbit retina. (−)- and (+)-noradrenaline bitartrate, and (−)- and (+)-amphetamine surfate, were compared as relative antagonists of the neuronal membrane catecholamine uptake mechanism in the various organs, in order to determine stereoselectivity at both the α and β carbons of noradremaline. It was not possible to demonstrate stereoselectivity unless optimal conditions prevailed. These included the use of finely divided tissues ( In the rabbit vas deferens and iris/ciliary, where noradrenaline is the predominant catecholamine and is present in high endogenous concentrations, there was a marked preference for (−)-noradrenaline and for (+)-amphetamine, in contrast with the rabbit retina where dopamine is the chief catecholamine and in which no stereoselectivity was demonstrable. These results confirmed earlier findings in the rat brain in which catecholamine uptake was stereoselective in noradrenergic brain regions but not in the corpus striatum, a dopaminergic region (Coyle and Snyder, 1969). Cardiovascular tissues of the rabbit exhibited a reversal of the usual stereoselectivity, i.e. (+)-noradrenaline had more affinity than (−)-noradrenaline in the rabbit atrium, left ventricle and thoracic aorta, and (−)-amphetamine was more potent an inhibitor of catecholamine uptake than (+)-amphetamine in the thoracic aorta, Amphetamine stereoisomers were equipotent in the tissues of the rabbit heart. Unlike cardiovascular tissues of the rabbit, ventricular slices of the rat displayed a marked preference for (−)-noradrenaline and for (+)-amphetamine.
Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with a Retroreflective Array Optical System

A retroreflective array (RRA) is an assembly of identical small corner-cube reflectors. An RRA breaks a beam of light into many sub-beams and redirects each of them back to itself, with only a small displacement. In effect, the RRA approximates a phase conjugator. It has the advantage of being completely passive and useable with incoherent light. Commercial corner-cube arrays are available with element apertures of approximately 0.15 mm, as well as larger sizes.
Current axial-flow devices--the HeartMate II and Jarvik 2000 left ventricular assist devices.

The increased applicability and excellent results with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have revolutionized the treatment options available for patients with end-stage heart failure. Until recently, most patients who have undergone LVAD implantation have been supported by pulsatile devices. Unfortunately, the use of the latter devices is associated with significant comorbidity, primarily as a result of their large size and limited durability. The HeartMate II and the Jarvik 2000 pumps, both of which incorporate axial-flow and rotary pump technology represent the next generation of devices. The clinical use of these newer axial-flow pumps have resulted in superior outcomes, including significantly reduced complication rates with improved durability. However, as with all new technology, axial-flow LVADs have also introduced a different set of management issues, as well as certain complications, into the mechanical circulatory support arena—issues and complications that were previously absent or unimportant with pulsatile LVADs. Concerns include the effects of continuous-flow on the systemic circulation and end-organ function, risk of thromboembolism and pump thrombosis, increased incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding and ventricular arrhythmias, as well as the effects of partial unloading on pulmonary hemodynamics. Different strategies are required to optimize outcomes with these newer devices.
Microsurgical reconstruction of the smile—contemporary trends

The treatment of facial palsy is a complex and challenging area of plastic surgery. Microsurgical innovation has introduced the modern age of dynamic reconstruction for facial palsy. This review will focus on microsurgical reconstruction for smile restoration in patients with long-standing facial palsy. The most common donor muscles and nerves will be presented. The advantages and disadvantages of single-stage versus multi-stage reconstruction will be discussed. Contemporary trends will be highlighted and the authors' preferred practice outlined.
A prospective study of 2 major age-related macular degeneration susceptibility alleles and interactions with modifiable risk factors.

Objectives To delineate the magnitude of susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) due to common variants in the gene for complement factor H ( CFH ) and the predicted gene LOC387715 and to determine whether these variants interact with modifiable risk factors. Methods We compared cases who developed AMD (n = 457) with 1071 age- and sex-matched control subjects in a prospective nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. We determined the incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for AMD for each genotype and examined the interactions with modifiable risk factors. Results Participants with 1 or 2 copies of the Y402H variant of CFH were, respectively, 1.98 (95% CI, 1.64-2.40) and 3.92 (95% CI, 2.69-5.76) times more likely to develop AMD, whereas the incident rate ratios (95% CIs) for 1 and 2 copies of LOC387715 A69S were 2.38 (1.92-2.96) and 5.66 (3.69-8.76), respectively. The fraction of AMD cases attributable to these 2 variants was 63% (95% CI, 58%-68%). Subjects homozygous for both risk alleles had a 50-fold increased risk of AMD (95% CI, 10.8-237), and cigarette smoking and obesity multiplied the risks associated with these variants. Conclusion Age-related macular degeneration has emerged as a paradigmatic example of a common disease caused by the interplay of genetic predisposition and exposure to modifiable risk factors.
Protection: principles and practice

The protection mechanisms of computer systems control the access to objects, especially information objects. The range of responsibilities of these mechanisms includes at one extreme completely isolating executing programs from each other, and at the other extreme permitting complete cooperation and shared access among executing programs. Within this range one can identify at least seven levels at which protection mechanisms can be conceived as being required, each level being more difficult than its predecessor to implement:1. No sharing at all (complete isolation).2. Sharing copies of programs or data files.3. Sharing originals of programs or data files.4. Sharing programming systems or subsystems.5. Permitting the cooperation of mutually suspicious subsystems---e.g., as with debugging or proprietary subsystems.6. Providing "memoryless" subsystems---i.e., systems which, having performed their tasks, are guaranteed to have kept no secret record of the task performed (an income-tax computing service, for example, must be allowed to keep billing information on its use by customers but not to store information secretly on customers' incomes).7. Providing "certified" subsystems---i.e., those whose correctness has been completely validated and is guaranteed a priori.
Differentiating Obstructive from Central and Complex Sleep Apnea Using an Automated Electrocardiogram-Based Method

Study Objectives: Complex sleep apnea is defined as sleep disordered breathing secondary to simultaneous upper airway obstruction and respiratory control dysfunction. The objective of this study was to assess the utility of an electrocardiogram (ECG)-based cardiopulmonary coupling technique to distinguish obstructive from central or complex sleep apnea.
Mental Health Benefits in Employer-sponsored Health Plans, 1997–2003

Data drawn from the Mercer National Survey of Employer-sponsored Health Plans in 1997 and 2003 indicate that a large majority of employers continue to provide some level of coverage for mental health (MH) services in their primary plans. However, a majority of plans continue to impose different benefit limitations for MH than for other medical treatment. Among plans with limitations on MH coverage, there was a sharp increase in the use of limits on inpatient days and outpatient visits between 1997 and 2003. The proportion of employers providing coverage for some MH services decreased; e.g., among small employers, 88% provided coverage for inpatient MH care in 2003, compared with 94% in 1997. These results suggest that parity legislation has had a noticeable but limited effect, but that, at least in the short-term, it is unlikely that universal parity in employer-based plans will be achieved through a legislative strategy.
Insider Threats to Cloud Computing: Directions for New Research Challenges

Cloud computing related insider threats are often listed as a serious concern by security researchers, but to date this threat has not been thoroughly explored. We believe the fundamental nature of current insider threats will remain relatively unchanged in a cloud environment, but the paradigm does reveal new exploit possibilities. The common notion of a cloud insider as a rogue administrator of a service provider is discussed, but we also present two additional cloudrelated insider risks: the insider who exploits a cloud-related vulnerability to steal information from a cloud system, and the insider who uses cloud systems to carry out an attack on an employer's local resources. We also characterize a hierarchy of administrators within cloud service providers, give examples of attacks from real insider threat cases, and show how the nature of cloud systems architectures enables attacks to succeed. Finally, we discuss our position on future cloud research.
Intersatellite bias of the high-resolution infrared radiation sounder water vapor channel determined using ISCCP B1 data

Information on the distribution and transport of upper tropospheric humidity helps our understanding of atmospheric circulation. However, efforts to develop a dataset that is not diurnally biased-that is, one that is based on geostationary data-have been hindered by a lack of intercalibration of the historical geostationary satellite water vapor channels. Toward this end, the high-resolution infrared radiation sounder (HIRS) intersatellite bias is determined by using collocated observations of geostationary and HIRS to compute monthly biases between HIRS instruments on different satellites. The resulting HIRS intersatellite bias then allows the construction of a temporally consistent HIRS record, from which geostationary satellite water vapor channels can be intercalibrated. This intercalibration will allow a uniform analysis of upper tropospheric water vapor.
Bivariate distributions in statistical spectroscopy studies: Fixed-J level densities, fixed-J averages and spin cut-off factors

Analytical studies with the TBRE ensemble, supplemented by numerical calculations with realistic interactions show that for large particle numbers, the bivariate cumulants (krs) defined for the Hamiltonian operator (H) and theJz operator, are very small; ∥krs∥≲0.3 for 3≦r+s≦6. As a result the expansions around a bivariate normal density are meaningful for the fixed-M densities (ρ(E,M)). We adopt a bivariate Edgeworth expansion forρ(E,M) and give a compact form for the same. Finally using thisρ(E,M) (which also define fixed-J densities uniquely), new series expansions are given for fixed-M (and hence for fixed-J) averages of the powers ofH and also for the spin cut-off factors.
Strategies for hyperspectral target detection in complex background environments

The capability to rapidly detect and identify ground targets hidden in natural and man-made clutter over broad areas remains of high interest for defense applications, and is emerging as a critical component to counter-terrorism and homeland security missions. Recognizing the difficulty in establishing such a capability based on traditional, panchromatic imaging sensors in the electro-optical and infrared spectral region, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has been investigating the added potential that spectral and polarimetric sensing methods provide. This has resulted in a variety of sensor system developments and baseline processing systems for real-time target detection and discrimination. Despite the success of this prior research, however, the emerging missions are expected to present situations for which the targets are smaller, more diverse, and more fleeting, while the background clutter is more complex. This is likely to severely limit the detection performance achievable with the current generation of processing algorithms based on standard statistical background models and require more sophisticated detection and discrimination algorithms. This paper provides an overview of some of the primary AFRL research interests and directions to address these limitations.
Adaptively choosing the best procedure for selecting the best system

The paper presents a method that uses initial sample data to choose between statistical procedures for identifying the simulated system with the best (maximum or minimum) expected performance. The method chooses the procedure that minimizes the additional number of simulation replications required to return a pre-specified probability guarantee. This problem may be encountered after a heuristic search procedure has been applied in a simulation-optimization context. In this setting, initial samples from each system may already have been taken, but because of stochastic variation, the system with the best sample mean at the end of the search procedure may not be the true best system encountered during the search. Empirical work in previous papers suggests that the relative number of additional replications required by existing procedures depends on factors such as the configuration of the systems' means and their variances that may be unknown prior to initial data collection. These results motivated the approach taken in the paper, where we postpone the choice between statistical procedures until after observing the initial data.
An evaluation of the tautomerism of cinchoninone and quinidinone made using a combination of 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopy

Abstract The Cinchona alkaloids cinchoninone and qiunidinone are the substrates for the cinchoninone: NADPH oxidoreductases I and II described previously. The in vitro assay of this activity is complicated by the tendency of the substrates in neutral aqueous solution to undergo mutarotation owing to tautomerism. The composition of such solutions at equilibrium has been determined using a combination of 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR spectroscopy and shown to contain the keto, enol and diol forms of both the 8 S and 8 R steric series. All these species exist at different concentrations. Furthermore, the position of the equilibrium favours the 8 S -isomers rather than the 8 R -form found in both the crystalline solid and the natural biosynthetic intermediate, cinchoninone.
Asian Adolescents Have a Higher Trunk:Peripheral Fat Ratio than Whites

Body fat, especially in the upper body, has been associated with increased risk of chronic disease among adults. Factors associated with these traits among ethnically diverse populations are not well studied. We examined factors influencing body fat and weight among Asian and White adolescent girls from the female adolescent maturation longitudinal study (initial exam plus 2-y follow-up examination) in Hawaii. The objective of this study was to identify and compare influences on and differences in body size and fat distribution among Asian and White adolescent girls. Subjects were identified among age-eligible members of a large HMO. Of the 214 girls recruited for Exam 1, 107 girls returned for Exam 2. The girls' age, ethnicity, a 3-d diet record, and physical activity recall were obtained by questionnaire at both times, and Tanner pubic hair stage and anthropometry were clinically measured by trained staff at both exams. The ethnic proportion of the study sample was 57% Asian and 43% White. Each girl's ethnicity was based on the ethnic proportion of each biologic parent. The percentage of body fat was measured by Lunar Prodigy dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the follow-up exam only. Among various measures of skeletal size and adiposity, only leg length (inversely) and DXA trunk:peripheral fat ratio (directly) were associated with proportion of Asian ethnicity, after adjusting for age, Tanner pubic hair stage, physical activity, and energy intake. In a multivariate analysis focusing on the trunk:peripheral fat ratio, this measure of central obesity was positively associated with proportion of Asian ethnicity (P = 0.001) and bi-iliac breadth (P = 0.002), and negatively associated with birth weight (P = 0.021), after adjustment for Tanner pubic hair stage, physical activity, energy intake, biacromial breadth, and height. In conclusion, Asian adolescents have a higher trunk:peripheral fat ratio than Whites. Adolescent bi-iliac breadth (positively) and birthweight (negatively) are associated with more body fat on the trunk vs. periphery during adolescence.
Modulation of leukaemia blast colony growth by steroid hormones

The effect of steroid hormones on in vitro colony growth of human myelogenous leukaemia cells was examined. beta-Oestradiol, testosterone and 5-beta-dihydrotesterone had little effect on HL60 promyelocytic leukaemia cells of blast colony forming cells (CFC) from eight patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia (ANLL). These compounds inhibited blast colony growth at very high concentrations (10(-6)-10(-4) M). In contrast, hydrocortisone (HC) had highly variable effects on blast colony growth. HL60 cells were resistant to HC at concentrations up to 10(-4) M but blast CFC showed a wide range of response. Some patients were resistant to HC at all concentrations treated, while others were inhibited by concentrations as low as 10(-8) M. The inhibitory effect of HC was also observed on 3H-TdR incorporation by stimulated peripheral blood blasts. Inhibition by HC was not blocked by progesterone, suggesting this effect was not mediated by specific hormone receptors. These data indicate differences in the response of blast cells in ANLL and normal progenitors to steroid hormones. Cells from patients with ANLL display variable inhibition by HC which is probably not mediated by specific receptors.
An interactive framework for raster data spatial joins

Many Geographic Information Systems (GIS) handle large geospatial datasets stored in raster representation. Spatial joins over raster data are important queries in GIS for data analysis and decision support. However, evaluating spatial joins can be very time intensive due to the size of these datasets. In this paper we propose a new interactive framework that allows users to get approximate answers in near instantaneous time, thus allowing for truly interactive data exploration. Our method utilizes two proposed statistical approaches: probabilistic join and sampling based join. Our probabilistic join method provides speedup of two orders of magnitude with no correctness guarantee, while our sampling based method provides an order of magnitude improvement over the full quad-tree join and also provides running confidence intervals. We propose a framework that combines the two approaches to allow end users to tradeoff speed versus bounded accuracy. The two approaches are evaluated empirically with real and synthetic datasets.
Asymptotic regulation of a one-section continuum manipulator

Continuum manipulators are robotic manipulators built using one continuous, elastic, and highly deformable "backbone" instead of multiple rigid links connected by joints. This paper extends a previous control result for planar continuum robots by proposing a new asymptotic convergence argument for a PD-plus-feedforward controller. The benefit of the asymptotic arguments is that the backbone bending stiffness can be adaptively updated by the controller if it is not known a priori.
Abdominal Pain and Leukocytosis in an Immunosuppressed Patient

1. What are the most striking clinical and laboratory findings? 2. How do you explain the most striking findings? 3. What is the organism recovered from the patient’s stool? 4. What other organisms must be ruled out to make a definitive diagnosis? 5. What is this patient’s most likely diagnosis? 6. What is the major clinical concern with this diagnosis? 7. What is the most appropriate treatment for this patient?
Private Equity in a Deleveraged Economy: Lessons from the Financial Crisis

Private Equity has been around for a number of decades but its sustainability as a model of business organization is often questioned, as its existence and functionality appears to have been inevitably tied to peculiar economic conditions. Though we never quite witnessed the eclipse of the public corporation as predicted by Michael Jensen in 1989, the period leading up to 2007 saw a tremendous rise in activities in the private equity market, resulting in an enormous amount of funds, devoted to private to public transactions. Undoubtedly, the period between 2004 and 2007 can be described as the zenith of the private equity story. The financial crisis of the last year and a half has been long drawn and intense. The systemic risk posed by the interdependency of the global financial institutions has made the stories of financial sectors in economies across varying jurisdictions very similar. We are at an era where the days of cheap and abundantly plentiful debt are over, excessive risk taking masked as financial innovation is sought to be clamped down on and “Regulation” and “Super Regulators” appear to be the buzz word. In light of the size and undeniable importance of private equity in the world economy, the present state of the private equity market is worth exploring. In particular, how the present financial climate has affected private equity transactions and how imminent regulatory changes or a fight for survival and relevance may affect the traditional model of the private equity market in the United States. The organizational structure, management compensation arrangement and the financing structure are fundamental to the PE model. The major theme to be explored in this article is therefore what changes are ongoing or imminent in these areas.
Utilization of extrapolated integrators and differentiators in digital controller design and analysis

Mathematical tools that transform a continuous system-model to its digital counterpart are introduced. The work presented applies Richardson's extrapolation integration technique in developing a discrete representation for integrators and differentiators that is less dependent on the sampling interval. An extrapolated integrator or differentiator element is related to a linear combination of trapezoidal rule or higher-order backward difference rule elements, respectively. The generalized integrators and differentiators are utilized to identify the transfer functions of extrapolated integrators and differentiators in the z domain. The discrete integrators and differentiators introduced are applied in the design of PID, PI, and PD digital controllers. >
Some Thoughts on How and When to Predict in Criminal Justice Settings

It is inconceivable that we would live our lives without predictions of “what will happen.” We get up and listen to the weather forecast to decide how we will get to work and what we will wear. We continue our day by making decisions based on the “likely” economic outlook and the prospects for the organization for which we work (e.g., the sales of our firm, or the student enrollment and likely funding of our university). We return home to discuss the “career outlook” with our children. It is clear that forecasts and predictions play major roles in our daily lives.
Immobilization With Resin-Impregnated Plaster Bandages

The performance of a resin-impregnated cast material has been studied in seventy-nine patients representing 118 applications. This material is a ready-to-use bandage of plaster-of-Paris, resin, and catalyst, bonded to crinoline. Characteristics in which this material differs from plain plaster are discussed. It is water-resistant and stands up well under hard wear. Its initial setting time is slower than that of plaster; it is more difficult to mold and to remove when dry. A unique property is its ability to "heal" after cracking or laminating, apparently without losing either its strength or its wearing quality. Specific problems for which the material was used are discussed and illustrative cases are presented.
Mechanical analysis of resorbable plates for long-term soft-tissue molding.

BACKGROUND Resorbable plates are used with increasing frequency in pediatric craniofacial surgery. A recent innovation has been the use of these plates in long-term soft-tissue molding. However, these plates were not designed for these applications, and an unanswered question remains the mechanical rigidity and stability of the plate when placed in a prolonged out-of-plane bend. METHODS Ten varieties of resorbable plates were folded to a right angle and subjected to a standardized 80-g load at body temperature over a duration of 2 weeks. Angle height was measured as an index of the ability of the plate to maintain its out-of-plane bend against an axial force. Each plate was subjected to 3 successive tests, after bending back to its original configuration. RESULTS All plates showed a progressive decrease in angle height over 2 weeks. Thickness of the plate appeared to correlate with mechanical rigidity and ability to maintain out-of-plane bend. The plates that performed the best were the Synthes PLGA (85/15) 1.2-mm and BioGeneral PLA (poly-D,L-lactic acid) 1.0-mm plates. Decrease in angle height occurred over shorter intervals in successive tests. CONCLUSIONS Of all the plates tested, none were able to maintain initial out-of-plane bend over 2 weeks of testing. Further research and development by industry are required to optimize mechanical properties of resorbable plates for applications in soft-tissue molding.
To Set Slope Stakes When the Surface is Steep but Slopes Uniformly

(1894). To Set Slope Stakes When the Surface is Steep but Slopes Uniformly. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 73-74.
Reproduction and Growth in a Murine Model of Early Life-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Studies in transgenic murine models have provided insight into the complexity underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a disease hypothesized to result from an injurious immune response against intestinal microbiota. We recently developed a mouse model of IBD that phenotypically and histologically resembles human childhood-onset ulcerative colitis (UC), using mice that are genetically modified to be deficient in the cytokines TNF and IL-10 (“T/I” mice). Here we report the effects of early life onset of colon inflammation on growth and reproductive performance of T/I mice. T/I dams with colitis often failed to get pregnant or had small litters with pups that failed to thrive. Production was optimized by breeding double homozygous mutant T/I males to females homozygous mutant for TNF deficiency and heterozygous for deficiency of IL-10 (“T/I-het” dams) that were not susceptible to spontaneous colon inflammation. When born to healthy (T/I-het) dams, T/I pups initially gained weight similarly to wild type (WT) pups and to their non-colitis-susceptible T/I-het littermates. However, their growth curves diverged between 8 and 13 weeks, when most T/I mice had developed moderate to severe colitis. The observed growth failure in T/I mice occurred despite a significant increase in their food consumption and in the absence of protein loss in the stool. This was not due to TNF-induced anorexia or altered food consumption due to elevated leptin levels. Metabolic studies demonstrated increased consumption of oxygen and water and increased production of heat and CO2 in T/I mice compared to their T/I-het littermates, without differences in motor activity. Based on the clinical similarities of this early life onset model of IBD in T/I mice to human IBD, these results suggest that mechanisms previously hypothesized to explain growth failure in children with IBD require re-evaluation. The T/I mouse model may be useful for further investigation of such mechanisms and for development of therapies to prevent reproductive complications and/or growth failure in humans with IBD.
Cancer Patterns of Four Ethnic Groups in Hawaii

Cancer risks were compared in the Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, and Filipino populations of Hawaii with those in the U.S. white population. The analysis used standardized incidence ratio(s) (SIR), based on the U.S. white incidence rates for 1970. In general, the risks for many major cancers in the Japanese, Chinese, and Filipinos were low in relation to U.S. whites, whereas those for Hawaiians were high. However, the SIR values for the various cancer sites and types varied considerably within each ethnic group. Ethnic-specific data on smoking, drinking, and dietary habits and on sociologic and demographic factors were examined in relation to the SIR findings. Some of the results were consistent with current etiologic hypotheses, whereas others suggested areas for further epidemiologic study.
On Optimization Design of Type JJ162/42-K Derrick Based on ANSYS

Updating finite element(FE)model is something of optimization.The purpose of model updating is to identify and correct uncertain parameters of FE model,which can lead to the better predictions of structural real dynamic and static behavior.In accordance with the modal data obtained from field tests of the model of Type JJ162/42-K Derrick,the optimization design principle based on the structural sensitivity analysis was used to update the ideal finite element model of the derrick.The results reflect the true state of derrick structure and actual work performance.
Multiple Approaches to Estimate the Population Size of Drug Users in A Municipality

Objective To develop a low-cost, convenient, accurate, and practical method to estimate the size of drug users in a municipality. Methods Simplified multiplier method and capture-recapture method were adopted to estimate the population size of drug users. Results The estimated number of drug users in this municipality was in the range of 34 145 to 87 469 by using the simplified multiplier method, and 63 030 to 105 609 by using the capture-recapture method. The median size of drug users of these 2 methods was 68 616,with 38 082 were injection drug users. Conclusion Combination of simplified multiplier method and capture-recapture method is an accurate and practical approach to estimate the size of drug users.
Investigation and analysis of emotion, behaviors and personality of middle school students

Objective To investigate the emotion, behaviors and personality of middle school students in Pingyuan County. Methods 1500 students in four middle schools of Pingyuan County were investigated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire(SDQ) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ), and final results were analyzed. Results There was significant difference in the SDQ and EPQ results of students with different sex and grade. The difficulty score in SDQ was relatively high in middle school students. There was a correlation between the SDQ factors and personality traits in middle school students. Conclusion The mental status of middle school students in Pingyuan is not healthy and their psychological health education should be strengthened.
Effects of positive pressure ventilation on cerebral blood flow in the newborn infant.

Considerable data suggest both a direct and indirect effect of positive pressure ventilation on cerebral blood flow and volume, and there is general agreement that the presence of cerebral arterial or venous hypertension predisposes premature infants to subependymal capillary rupture. The authors examine this information to determine whether modification of techniques of assisted ventilation could reduce the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage in infants with idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome.