cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Basin hopping as a general and versatile optimization framework for the characterization of biological macromolecules

Since its introduction, the basin hopping (BH) framework has proven useful for hard nonlinear optimization problems with multiple variables and modalities. Applications span a wide range, from packing problems in geometry to characterization of molecular states in statistical physics. BH is seeing a reemergence in computational structural biology due to its ability to obtain a coarse-grained representation of the protein energy surface in terms of local minima. In this paper, we show that the BH framework is general and versatile, allowing to address problems related to the characterization of protein structure, assembly, and motion due to its fundamental ability to sample minima in a high-dimensional variable space. We show how specific implementations of the main components in BH yield algorithmic realizations that attain state-of-the-art results in the context of ab initio protein structure prediction and rigid protein-protein docking. We also show that BH can map intermediate minima related with motions connecting diverse stable functionally relevant states in a protein molecule, thus serving as a first step towards the characterization of transition trajectories connecting these states.
Place Attributes in a Migration Decision Context

The research reported in this paper used four different survey methods to elucidate the importance of thirteen place attributes in the decision to migrate to Columbus, Ohio; (1) a Likert-type assessment of the general importance of each attribute; (2) a paired-comparison technique for ascertaining attribute trade-off possibilities; (3) measures of saliency and satisfaction with each attribute in the former place of residence, in the town that was the second choice for migration, and in Columbus, the migration destination; and (4) open-ended self-reports of reasons for moving. Use of these varying methodological approaches allows observations both on research strategies for migration studies and on substantive findings concerning place attributes. Relative to the latter, a two-step process is proposed.The first stage of the migration process is identifying a set of alternative destinations in comparison with the former place of residence. Although all thirteen attributes are important in the abstract, hous...
Early mobilization using dynamic splinting with acute triceps tendon avulsion.

Abstract Avulsion of the triceps tendon is rare, and no previous report of a completed dynamic splinting rehabilitation plan was found in the literature. A case of a military member and power weightlifter who sustained a triceps tendon avulsion and repair is presented with a six-month follow-up. The rehabilitation program included early active elbow flexion and passive extension using a dynamic elbow splint. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) 1 , 2 , 3 questionnaire was used to monitor the patient's use of his right dominant arm while in the dynamic splint. The DASH scores indicated that he experienced improved use of his affected arm during the splinting period. The end result was a good return of function within 13 weeks and full resumption of work and bodybuilding activities in six months, three months earlier than others reported in the literature who were immobilized after surgery. 4 , 5
Temperature Response Characteristics of Various Vibration Isolators

Four types of vibration isolators were characterized to determine whether the system using them could survive Arctic operation. Previous operation in a desert environment had been performed without difficulty. It was predicted that Arctic operations would be successful based on desert and laboratory information. Data at various temperatures were gathered in the lab, and power spectral density (PSD) data, transfer functions, and fatigue ratios were used to predict responses at Arctic temperatures. Predicted Arctic responses exceeded desert responses in some frequency regions, and it was determined that additional testing at Arctic temperatures was warranted.
Indium labeled particles for lung imaging: Homogeneous and heterogeneous phase reactions

The labeling of microspheres with In, intended as potential lung and capillary-bed imaging agents, was studied using an EDTA-exochelator to specifically bind indium. Incubation of the azo-phenyl-EDTA-microsphere with indium, resulted in an unstable preparation which primarily localized in the liver and spleen. When, however, 111In was reacted with the diazo-phenyl-EDTA in solution, and this complex then coupled to the microspheres, excellent binding resulted. Similarly, complexing of In to azo-phenyl-EDTA-albumin in solution followed by aggregation, also yielded radiolabeled particles which were resistant to washing and localized over 90% in the lung, immediately upon injection to rats. These results have been rationalized by proposing a mechanism where the kinetics of homogeneous and heterogeneous phase reactions account for the nature of the different products formed. The present study, while it leads to better indium microspheres and aggregates than recorded in the literature, above all points out to the need of a better understanding of reaction kinetics in the preparaation of such radiopharmaceuticals.
DNA topoisomerase II distribution in mouse preimplantation embryos.

DNA topoisomerase II (topo II) is an essential enzyme that mediates a variety of chromosome activities including DNA replication, transcription, recombination, and chromosome condensation and segregation. Isoform-specific anti-topo II antibodies were used to determine the distribution of topo II α and β in mouse gametes and embryos. Immunoblot analysis with two anti-topo IIα antibodies revealed that a 170 kDa topo IIα band was present in ovary and testis. Mature sperm exhibited an 89 kDa band only, which may be a degradation product of topo IIα. Immunoblots probed with a monoclonal antibody that recognizes both isoforms, showed bands at 170 and 180 kDa, which correspond to topo IIα and β, respectively. An additional 100 kDa band was also present in ovary and testis. Mature sperm did not exhibit staining with this antibody. We also localized topo II in mouse gametes and embryos up to the blastocyst stage using immunofluorescence microscopy. While both isoforms were found in nuclei and nucleoli of germinal vesicle oocytes, topo IIα localized to metaphase chromosomes during meiosis, and only to nucleoli during embryonic interphase. Topo IIβ was absent from chromosomes of metaphase II oocytes, but localized to embryonic interphase nuclei. Both full-length isoforms were absent from sperm, indicating topo II is stored maternally. These results identify topo II as an important component of mouse oocyte and embryonic chromatin, and suggest its involvement in oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryonic development. The different immunofluorescent staining patterns indicate topo IIα and β may serve different roles during the embryonic cell cycle. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 61: 335–346, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Prediction models for estimating total heights of trees from diameter at breast height measurements in Nepal's lower temperate broad-leaved forests

Abstract Multiple linear regression models are presented for predicting total heights of trees from diameter at breast height (dbh) measurements in Nepal's lower temperate broad-leaved forests. In addition to a general prediction model based on all trees in the sample, specific models are presented for three classes of anthropogenic disturbance levels (light, moderate, and heavy), and for two dominant taxa, Schima wallichii and the genus Castanopsis. The models were derived from dbh and total heights measured on 2361 trees encountered on 170 survey plots across five forests ranging from relatively light to heavy levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Fifty-six tree species and 32 families were represented in the sample. Cross-validation results indicate good predictive ability, and reliability and validity of the models. Predictive ability and reliability and validity of the models were better for forests with lower levels of anthropogenic disturbance. These models are recommended for general use in Nepal's lower temperate broad-leaved forests, particularly in forests dominated by the Schima-Castanopsis association, which generally tend to be under heavy cutting and lopping pressure from subsistence farmers.
GNAZ in human fetal cochlea: expression, localization, and potential role in inner ear function.

Abstract Dissociation of an activated α-subunit from the β-γ complex directly regulates secondary messenger proteins. To address the potential role of G proteins expressed in human fetal cochlea, degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to the 3′-end of the conserved region of α-subunits were used for polymerase chain reaction amplification of reverse-transcribed total human fetal cochlear mRNAS; GNAZ and GNAQ were isolated. These two G proteins are unique among the G-protein family because they lack a typical pertussis modification site. GNAZ is expressed in high levels in neural tissue while GNAQ is ubiquitously expressed. We characterized GNAZ expression using Northern blots, tissue in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry techniques to elucidate the potential role of this protein in inner ear function. Our data suggest that GNAZ may play a role in maintaining the ionic balance of perilymphatic and endolymphatic cochlear fluids.
The relationship of sleepiness and blood pressure to respiratory variables in obstructive sleep apnea.

As a follow-up to a previous assessment of complications of sleep-disturbed breathing in 265 patients, we have reevaluated measures of sleepiness and hypertension in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (n=518), central sleep apnea (n=50), and subclinical sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) (n=107). Both subjective and objective (multiple sleep latency test [MSLT]) measures indicated that OSA patients were sleepier than those with subclinical SDB. The OSA patients weighed significantly more than the patients with central sleep apnea or subclinical SDB. They had a higher proportion of men, described more habitual sleepiness, and had a higher likelihood of feeling unrefreshed in the morning compared with the group with subclinical SDB. Among the OSA patients, there was a significant correlation between subjective and objective assessment of sleepiness, but this relationship was quantitatively very small. A forward stepwise regression analysis revealed that weight, and to a lesser degree waking time after sleep onset, could account for 65.5% of the variance in subjective sleepiness. Seventy-five percent of the variance of the mean sleep latency in the MSLT could be accounted for by the mean minimum arterial oxygen saturation in non-REM sleep and the nocturnal sleep latency. Diastolic BP was significantly higher in OSA patients compared with the patients with central sleep apnea and subclinical SDB. When covarying for weight, age, and gender, this effect lost significance. Among OSA patients taken by themselves, 98.3% of the variance in diastolic blood pressure could be accounted for by the mean minimum arterial oxygen saturation in non-REM sleep, with very small additional contributions of apnea/hypopnea index, weight, and age. In summary, among patients across a spectrum of SDB, differences in diastolic BP were primarily associated with weight, age, and gender. Among OSA patients, perhaps because of a more limited variance in weight, diastolic BP was associated with measures of SDB.
Hexacorals (Anthozoa: Actiniaria, Zoanthidea) from hydrothermal vents in the south-western Pacific

Abstract Four new species of sea anemones are described from the Eastern Lau Spreading Center, with notes on three additional Hexacorallia. Cyananthea hourdezi sp. nov. and Alvinactis chessi sp. nov. (Actinoscyphiidae) extend the range of the two previously monotypic, vent-endemic genera from the East Pacific Rise. Chondrophellia orangina sp. nov. (Hormathiidae) is the third species of its genus; it inhabits both hydrothermal vents and non-venting sites. Similarly, Sagartiogeton erythraios sp. nov. (Sagartiidae) was collected from non-vent settings, but is documented on video from near diffuse-flow hydrothermal vents. In addition, we report two species from families Actinostolidae and Hormathiidae whose identity could not be established based on the existing material, and provide a new record of a member of order Zoanthidea from a hydrothermal vent. The ecological context of the sites at the Eastern Lau Spreading Center containing sea anemones is described.
Legionella pneumonia presenting as a bulging fissure on chest roentgenogram.

We report a case of Legionella pneumonia presenting as a bulging interlobar fissure on the lateral chest roentgenogram. This microorganism should be added to the list of etiologic agents producing a bulging fissure on chest roentgenogram. (Chest 1991; 100:567-68)
Adhesive interactions in angiogenesis and metastatasis

A variety of adhesive interactions must take place between the tumor cell and the host vasculature in order to potentiate both tumor expansion and metastatic tumor spread. The study of tumor cell and blood vessel adhesive interactions becomes essential for our understanding of the malignant process, especially with regard to organ-specific tumor metastasis. In this article we will review recent progress made in our understanding of the nature of (i) receptor mediated adhesion of endothelial cells to extracellular matrix components and (ii) adhesion of tumor cells to endothelial adhesion molecules and to components of the subendothelial basement membrane.
The Relationship of the Size of the Bursa of Fabricius to Antibody Production

Abstract THE objective of this experiment was to study the possible relationship of bursa size to antibody production. Previous reports have revealed the antibody role of the bursa, e.g., Glick et al. (1956) and Chang et al. (1957), and have suggested a relationship between bursa size and antibody production, Glick (1956). MATERIALS AND METHODS The size of the bursa of Fabricius from 10 different families of a strain cross Single Comb White Leghorn was determined at hatching and at two weeks of age. Families were eliminated which had a poor hatch, uneven sex ratio, or incomplete records. Each family saved had 12 male and 12 female chicks per age group. The families that produced chicks at hatching and 2 weeks with the smallest bursae (“low” line) and largest bursae (“high” line) were picked for antibody comparisons. All birds were raised on litter. At 4 weeks of age, 12 birds from each …
Structure and Function of Starch and Resistant Starch from Corn with Different Doses of Mutant Amylose-Extender and Floury-1 Alleles

Four corn types with different doses of mutant amylose-extender (ae) and floury-1 (fl1) alleles, in the endosperm, including no. 1, aeaeae; no. 2, fl1fl1fl1; no. 3, aeaefl1; and no. 4, fl1fl1ae, were developed for use in making Hispanic food products with high resistant starch (RS) content. The RS percentages in the native starch (NS) of 1-4 were 55.2, 1.1, 5.7, and 1.1%, respectively. All NS were evaluated for pasting properties with a rapid viscoanalyzer (RVA) and for thermal properties with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). NS 1 had a low peak viscosity (PV) caused by incomplete gelatinization, whereas NS 3 had the greatest PV and breakdown of all four starch types. On the DSC, NS 2 had the lowest onset temperature and greatest enthalpy. NS 1 and 3 had similar onset and peak temperatures, both higher than those of NS 2 and 4. The gel strength of NS heated with a RVA was evaluated by using a texture analyzer immediately after RVA heating (fresh, RVA-F) and after the gel had been stored at 4 degrees C for 10 days (retrograded, RVA-R). NS 1 gel was watery and had the lowest strength (30 g) among starch gel types. NS 3 gel, although exhibiting syneresis, had greater gel strength than NS 2 and 4. The structures of the NS, the RS isolated from the NS (RS-NS), the RS isolated from RVA-F (RS-RVA-F), and the RS isolated from RVA-R (RS-RVA-R) were evaluated by using size exclusion chromatography. NS 1 had a greater percentage of amylose (AM) (58.3%) than the other NS (20.4-26.8%). The RS from all NS types (RS-NS) had a lower percentage of amylopectin (AP) and a greater percentage of low molecular weight (MW) AM than was present in the original NS materials. The RS-RVA-R from all starches had no AP or high MW AM. The percentages of longer chain lengths (DP 35-60) of NS were greater in 1 and 3 than in 2 and 4, and the percentages of smaller chain lengths (DP 10-20) were greater in 2 and 4 than in 1 and 3. In general, NS 3 seemed to have inherited some pasting, thermal, and structural characteristics from both NS 1 and 2, but was distinctly different from 4.
Distributed multirate interacting multiple model fusion (DMRIMMF) with application to out-of-sequence GMTI data

This note develops a distributed approach for fusing ground moving target indicator data with out-of-sequence (OOS) measurements. A multirate interacting multiple model (MRIMM) fusion algorithm is developed for effectively fusing multirate information. The multirate approach provides an excellent framework for efficient information retrodiction and forward update. A multirate interacting multiple model filter is employed locally to track a target with or without maneuvering behavior. The combination of global MRIMM fusion and local MRIMM tracking proves to be powerful for tracking and fusing maneuvering and nonmaneuvering targets in an environment of OOS measurement reporting.
From Theory to Practice Optimizing the Efficiency of an Inefficient Circulation

to explore the complexrelationship between blood flow, arterial and venous oxygencontent, and tissue oxygenation in patients with a bidirec-tional cavopulmonary shunt (BCPS). The BCPS is a uniqueand inherently inefficient circulatory arrangement that is usedin the staged palliation of complex, functionally univentric-ular heart defects. In this circulation, pulmonary blood flow(Q
Children’s Vulnerability To Toxic Chemicals: A Challenge And Opportunity To Strengthen Health And Environmental Policy

A key policy breakthrough occurred nearly twenty years ago with the discovery that children are far more sensitive than adults to toxic chemicals in the environment. This finding led to the recognition that chemical exposures early in life are significant and preventable causes of disease in children and adults. We review this knowledge and recommend a new policy to regulate industrial and consumer chemicals that will protect the health of children and all Americans, prevent disease, and reduce health care costs. The linchpins of a new US chemical policy will be: first, a legally mandated requirement to test the toxicity of chemicals already in commerce, prioritizing chemicals in the widest use, and incorporating new assessment technologies; second, a tiered approach to premarket evaluation of new chemicals; and third, epidemiologic monitoring and focused health studies of exposed populations.
USE OF CONTRAST-ENHANCED COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY TO STUDY THE CRANIAL MIGRATION OF A LUMBOSACRAL INJECTATE IN CADAVER DOGS

Volumes used in lumbosacral epidural injections for anesthesia have remained unchanged since the 1960s. The goals of this cross-sectional observational study were to characterize the three-dimensional spread of a lumbosacral epidural injection, as well as confirm that the commonly used volume of 0.2 ml/kg injected into the lumbosacral epidural space reaches the thoracolumbar (TL) junction in the majority (≥80%) of dogs. Ten clinically normal, adult, nonpregnant, mixed-breed dogs were obtained within five minutes of euthanasia and 0.2 ml/kg of radiopaque contrast medium was injected into the lumbosacral epidural space. A computed tomography scan of the TL spine was performed immediately following the injection. Migration of contrast reached the TL junction in 8 of 10 (80%) dogs. Contrast was well visualized in all epidural planes with contrast travelling predominantly in the dorsal epidural space in 7 of 10 (70%) dogs. There was no significant difference in the weight of dogs where the epidural injectate reached the TL junction and those where it did not (P = 0.16), or in the weight of dogs where the cranial-most point of the contrast column was in the dorsal versus the ventral epidural space (P = 0.32). This preliminary study supports the use of computed tomography to characterize injectate distribution in the canine thoracolumbar epidural space and provides evidence that a 0.2-ml/kg volume is likely to reache the TL junction in most dogs. Further studies are needed in live dogs to determine if variables affecting human epidural injectate doses have similar effects in the dog.
Bovine Aspergillosis Produced by the Inoculation of Conidiospores of Aspergillus fumigatus into a Mesenteric or Jugular Vein.

Conidiospores of Aspergillus fumigatus were inoculated during the second trimester of pregnancy into a mesenteric vein of 14 heifers and into a jugular vein of three additional heifers. Heifers wer...
High Incidence of Telaprevir-associated Severe Rash Leading to Discontinuation.

To the Editor, Telaprevir postmarketing experience is accumulating after more than one year of use since approval by the FDA. The clinical trials had revealed skin rash as one of the most characteristic side effects of telaprevir. Although mild-to-moderate rash was frequent, only was severe enough to cause discontinuation in 5–7% of patients in those trials.1-4 In my practice, the incidence of severe telaprevir-associated rash has been much higher. The first thirty-three patients treated with telaprevir along with pegylated interferon and ribavirin were evaluated. Of them, 23 (70%) were male; 16 (48.5%) white, 15 (45.5%) black, 1 (3%) Native American and 1 (3%) Asian; three were HIV-co-infected; and the age range was 28–70 yearsold. Severe rash was defined as that involving more than 50% of body surface or rash with the appearance of major systemic signs or symptoms. Out of the 33 patients, three (9.3%) developed a severe telaprevir-associated severe rash leading to telaprevir discontinuation within the first week of therapy (cases 1–3 of Table 1). Of note, severe rash within the first few days of telaprevir was more frequent among females (2/10, 20%) compared to males (1/23, 4.3%). Three other patients developed severe rash between weeks 6–12 (cases 4–6 of Table 1). All in all, the total incidence of severe rash leading to telaprevir discontinuation was 18% (6/33). The allergic reaction resolved after telaprevir discontinuation in all cases. Additional information is included in Table 1. Therefore, this severe side effect was much more frequent in this small series than previously reported. It is unclear if the high incidence of rash in females within the first week of therapy, which in the two cases had manifestations beyond the skin, represents a true association or it is a spurious finding. It is unknown if drug allergic reactions early into treatment have the same mechanism as late rashes. The higher incidence of severe rash in our series is not explained by disparity in the proportion of females since it was comparable to the trials (29–45%).1–4 Given the negative consequences of severe rash (risks to the patients, treatment failure, increased costs), it would be helpful to be able to predict it based on factors. Additional data from larger series are awaited. Table 1 Characteristics of patients who developed severe telaprevir-associated severe rash leading to discontinuation.
Biological research: Rethink biosafety.

Tim Trevan calls on those working with organisms that are hazardous, or could be so, to take lessons from the nuclear industries, hospitals and other sectors that have established a safety culture.
Contested Meanings of Freedom: Workingmen's Wages and the Company Store System, and the Godcharles v. Wigeman Decision

In 1886, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in Godcharles v. Wigeman struck down a law that prohibited employers from paying wages in company store scrip and mandated monthly wage payments. The Court held that the legislature could not prescribe mandatory wage contracts for legally competent workingmen. The decision quashed over two decades of efforts to end the “truck system.” While legislators had agreed that wage payments redeemable only in company store goods appeared antithetical to the free labor wage system, two obstacles complicated legislative action. Any law meant to enhance laborers’ rights could neither favor one class over another nor infringe any workingman’s ability to make free contracts; however, in the 1870s and 1880s, these categories were not as rigid as conventionally depicted by historians and legal scholars. Advocates of protective labor legislation presented principles of equity and fairness that complicated the existing categories of class legislation and contract freedom. This essay explores the evolving notions of liberty espoused by both sides of the “anti-truck” debate and how interaction with the courts shaped those ideas. The Godcharles ruling rejected the use of equity principles to justify labor legislation affecting wages and, instead, encouraged arguments for strengthening state police powers to protect workers’ safety, morals, and health. Ironically, the police powers rationale led to more particularized labor laws, contrary to the fear of class legislation. Ultimately, the ruling and those that followed fragmented the laboring class by allowing only piecemeal labor laws – a hallmark of the “liberty of contract” era that stretched into the twentieth century.FULL TEXT AVAILABLE HERE: http://journals.cambridge.org/repo_A89MHpX9
The transition from nauplii to copepodites: susceptibility of developing copepods to fish predators

Escape success of copepod nauplii (N5–6) of the copepod Acartia tonsa was signiﬁ-cantly lower than that of copepodites (C1–2) when exposed to a coral reef ﬁshAcanthemblemaria paula, but no difference was observed when exposed to the sea-horse Hippocampus zosterae. The addition of low level turbulence inhibited feedingby the seahorse but did not affect overall capture success in A. paula, although ashift in predator behavior occurred. This study highlights the importance of con-sidering predatory mode and behavior in the context of planktonic predator–preydynamics.KEYWORDS: copepod; Acartia tonsa; development; escape; ﬁsh predationCopepods are subject to high predation rates and theserates are often greatest for the younger, developingstages (Sell et al., 2001).Earlier developmental stages arepresumably less capable of detecting a potential preda-tor, and when a predator is detected, the escaperesponse of a young copepod is less effective comparedwith that of later stages (Sell et al., 2001; Titelman2001). However, the ability to produce an escape jumpis present in even the earliest naupliar stage (N1)(Buskey, 1994). However, the escape is produced by adifferent set of appendages than in the adult and manyof the mechanoreceptors for the hydrodynamic sensingof an approaching predator are missing in the youngeststages (Mauchline, 1998). During an escape, copepodsare propelled forward by metachronal strokes of thethoracic pereiopods (Strickler, 1985) and can achievespeeds over 500 body lengths per second (Buskey et al.,2002; Lenz et al., 2004). However, the mechanism forescape differs for naupliar stages. Nauplii lack pereio-pods, so instead they must use the ﬁrst and secondantennae to generate escapes (Gauld, 1958). The devel-opment of pereiopods in copepodites results in anescape that is faster (Bradley, 2009). With each sub-sequent molt from C1 to C5, a new pair of pereiopodsemerge and older ones become larger (Dahms, 1990)and presumably more powerful.The molt from the N6 naupliar stage to the C1 cope-podite stage is arguably the most signiﬁcant. Duringthis molt, the copepod’s change in mass proportional toother molts is small (Leandro et. al., 2006), yet there is a
Beliefs about the causes of obesity in a national sample of 4th year medical students

Abstract Objective Physician knowledge of the complex contributors to obesity varies. We do not know whether today’s medical students are graduating with deep understanding of the causes of obesity. Our objective was to assess beliefs about causes of obesity in a national sample of 4th year medical students. Method We randomly selected 2000 4th year students from a random sample of 50 U.S. medical schools and asked them to rate the importance of several factors as causes of obesity. Of those invited, 1244 (62%) responded. We conducted latent class analysis to identify groups with similar response patterns. Results Most students demonstrated knowledge that obesity has multiple contributors. Students fell into 1 of 4 classes: (1) more likely to endorse all contributors (28%), (2) more likely to endorse physiological contributors (27%), (3) more likely to endorse behavioral or social contributors (24%), and (4) unlikely to endorse contributors outside of overeating and physical activity (22%). Conclusion Though students were generally aware of multiple causes, there were 4 distinct patterns of beliefs, with implications for patient care. Practice implications Targeted interventions may help to improve depth of knowledge about the causes of obesity and lead to more effective care for obese patients.
On-Body Inertial Sensing and Signal Processing for Clinical Assessment of Tremor

Tremor, the most common form of movement disorder, is an often debilitating condition that adversely affects an individual's ability to maintain functional independence. Efforts to study, diagnose, and treat such movement disorders are complicated by a dearth of quantitative, precise, or accurate methods for motion data collection and assessment. To address this deficiency, this paper provides two contributions: 1) the design of a body-area inertial sensing system and 2) the evaluation of postcapture, on-body signal-processing algorithms that transform sensed inertial data into clinically significant information pertaining to tremor symmetry. For the former, we present our technology that meets requirements for wearability, fidelity, battery life, and interoperability. For the latter, we demonstrate the efficacy of using filter-bank analysis and cross correlation to interpret tremor frequency and energy. We extend the previous work by presenting a wireless body-area inertial sensing technology and a method to reduce, by up to 30 times, the computational demands of cross correlation on such a resource-constrained technology. These efforts lay the foundation for real-time, on-body assessment of tremor as well as more intelligent and energy-efficient data transmission and storage decisions.
Is early commitment in plan generation ever a good idea

Partial-Order Causal Link planners typically take a "least-commitment" approach to some decisions (notably, step ordering), postponing those decisions until constraints force them to be made. However, these planners rely to some degree on early commitments in making other types of decisions, including threat resolution and operator choice. We show why existing planners cannot support full least-commitment decisionmaking, and present an alternative approach that can. The approach has been implemented in the Descartes system, which we describe. We also provide experimental results that demonstrate that a least-commitment approach to planning can be profitably extended beyond what is done in POCL and similar planners, but that taking a least-commitment approach to every planning decision can be inefficient: early commitment in plan generation is sometimes a good idea.
IRON FORMULATION AFFECTS IN VITRO STORAGE OF HOPS: AN IMAGE ANALYSIS

Summary In vitro-stored plant germplasm is usually evaluated by visual analysis of the plant based on subjective characters. To reduce the variability in these evaluations, we developed a digital-image evaluation system for in vitro-stored plantlets. This study compares the standard visual evaluation system with a digital analysis system to determine if digital analysis can effectively quantify the health of diverse Humulus germplasm. Eight cultivars of Humulus lupulus L. were stored on standard Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with iron alone (EDTA chelated) and on MS iron with 100 or 200mgl 21 sequestrene 138 iron (EDDHA chelated). Digital images of the upper two nodes of each plantlet were evaluated for red, green, blue, green/red ratio, and modified normalized difference vegetation index (MNDVI ¼ R 2 G/R þ G). Evaluation of each plantlet for MNDVI values showed consistent significant differences for all treatments only at the upper node. Significant differences for visual and the MNDVI values among the three iron treatments were observed at the upper node of most of the eight hop cultivars. Regression analysis of the upper node MNDVI values vs. whole-plant visual ratings showed positive correlations for most cultivars. Effects of iron treatments on storage duration were also analyzed for both visual and digital systems. There were significant differences among MNDVI values for plantlets stored on medium with standard MS iron alone (EDTA chelated) and with the addition of sequestrene 138 iron. In general, the MNDVI value of the upper node correlated well with visual ratings and could be used to determine the health of in vitro stored hops.
A paradoxical decline: intracranial lesions in two HIV-positive patients recovering from cryptococcal meningitis

Cryptococcal immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (C-IRIS) is an increasingly important manifestation among patients with HIV/AIDS, especially as the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is expanding worldwide. Cryptococcus and associated C-IRIS are common causes of meningitis. While intracranial lesions are common in HIV/AIDS, they are rarely due to cryptococcosis or C-IRIS. We describe two cases of paradoxical C-IRIS associated with the development of intracranial cryptococcomas in HIV/AIDS. Both patients had an initial episode of cryptococcal meningitis treated with antifungal therapy. At the time, they had initiated or modified ART with subsequent evidence of immune reconstitution. Two months later, they developed aseptic meningitis with intracranial lesions. After exhaustive work ups, both patients were diagnosed with paradoxical C-IRIS and biopsy confirmed intracranial cryptococcomas. We review the important clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of cryptococcomas associated with C-IRIS in HIV/AIDS.
The Original Web of Hate: Revolution Muslim and American Homegrown Extremists

Before the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leveraged the Internet into a truly modern quasi-state propaganda machine through horrendous online videos, travel handbooks, and sophisticated Twitter messengering, more humble yet highly effective precursors targeted youthful Western Muslims for radicalism, during a time when home grown plots peaked. These brash new entrants into the crowded freewheeling world of extremist cyber-haters joined racists, religious extremists of other faiths, Islamophobes, single issue proponents, as well as anti-government rhetoriticians and conspiracists. The danger from these evolving new provocateurs, then and now, is not that they represent a viewpoint that is widely shared by American Muslims. However, the earlier successful forays by extremist Salafists, firmly established the Internet as a tool to rapidly radicalize, train and connect a growing, but small number of disenfranchised or unstable young people to violence. The protections that the First Amendment pro...
An Energy-Based Approach in Predicting Failure of the Glazing Systems Subjected to Blast Loads

In an air blast, building windows break into high-velocity flying shards (annealed glass windows) or fragments (fully tempered windows) that are a primary source of injury to the buildings occupants. In order to successfully design these glazing systems against air blast loading, there should be a balance between the safety and security of the window panel and considerations for the physical appearance and cost-effectiveness, based on the proposed level of security and previous lessons learned. Better understanding of the glazing systems' failure due to the blast load characteristics is an important step forward in mitigating injuries. In this paper, glass failure dynamics is studied using energy methods and brittle failure theories combined with finite element simulations and techniques. Because both methods take into account glass panel characteristics and blast load intensities, employing explicit nonlinear finite element methods with analytical energy methods to model the brittle failure of the conventional building glazing systems is the superior strategy. The results of this study will be beneficial in development of more comprehensive blast- resistance design guidelines and a glazing injury model that will enhance the security of the buildings and improve the safety of the occupants during an air blast.
Analysis on the types and the sedimentation mechanism of the abandoned channel in meandering river

Based on the analysis of the sedimentary evolution characteristics of Yakeshi segment of Hailaer river,the sedimentation mechanism of the abandoned channel is analyzed in detailed.It is shown that,after the curved segment of the channel is cutoff and the channel becomes more direct,the relative height between the water level in active channel and the bar of the direct segment determines the connection state between the abandoned segment of the river and the active channel and the variation of the grain size of the deposition in abandoned channel.The difference of the lithology and the physical property between the abandoned channel and its surrounding sandbodies leads to the formation of a continuous closed wall-like barrier belt.The meander belt sandbody can be divided into a set of point bars by the barrier-belt.According to the processes of natural cutoff,the abandoned channel is classified four types:chute cutoff,neck cutoff,crevasse cutoff and cross cutoff.Based on the fluvial sedimentology,the abandoned channel is identified from the logging curve and the seismic section under the condition of dense well pattern.The GH2 well area in Gangdong Oilfield is taken as an example,and the platform and shielding effect of abandoned channel is described.
Heritabilities and genetic correlations for postweaning growth and feed intake of beef bulls and steers.

Data from studies conducted at Miles City, MT and Lethbridge, AB were pooled to evaluate genetic and environmental variation in feed intake (MEI), growth rate (ADG), MEI-to-gain ratio (M/G), final weight (FWT), and fat thickness (FAT). A total of 124 sires with an average of 4.25 progeny each were represented in the data. Restricted maximum likelihood methods were used to estimate within and between paternal half-sib estimates of variance and covariance. Heritabilities and genetic, phenotypic, and environmental correlations with inference to populations at 365 d of age were calculated from the estimates. Heritabilities were as follows: ADG, .38 +/- .16; MEI, .45 +/- .17; M/G, .26 +/- .15; FWT .25 +/- .15; and FAT .52 +/- .17. The genetic correlation of MEI with ADG was large (.73 +/- .13) and antagonistic to genetic improvement of M/G through selection for ADG. Efficient genetic improvement in M/G was found to depend on using either MEI or an indicator of composition of gain as selection criteria in addition to ADG. Selection to improve M/G using an index that included FWT and FAT, in addition to MEI and ADG, resulted in greater predicted response in ADG and lesser predicted response in MEI than the index of ADG and MEI alone.
Understanding Vision: Common Sense Vs. Science

Inquirers engaged in the scientific enterprise search for facts and laws in a methodical and deliberate way. Their claims to know are controlled by the requirements of empirical testing and logical reasoning. But not all our knowledge is scientific; a great deal of it consists of the casual and unmethodical acquisition of information as we go about our daily tasks. This common sense knowledge is directed not only at particular facts. We also acquire general views about things. Without a substantial stock of generalizations in our possession, we would be at a loss to know how to interpret and make sense out of the variety of particular facts that flood in upon us at every moment of our waking lives. If we think of theories as sets of generalizations used for interpretive and explanatory purposes, then we are theoreticians whether we know it or not. We find ourselves with general views, and in many cases we do not know how we have arrived at them.
BASIC FLOW PHENOMENA

To properly understand MR angiography and its artifacts, one needs to be firmly grounded in the basic physics of MR flow. Concepts such as "flow-related enhancement" are crucial to a proper understanding of time-of-flight MR angiography. Phase contrast MR angiography draws from the same principles used to explain "even echo rephasing." This article not only provides a physical basis for MR angiography but also explains the flow phenomena observed on routine MR images.
Decadal changes in zooplankton abundance and phenology of Long Island Sound reflect interacting changes in temperature and community composition.

Abstract Between 1939 and 1982, several surveys indicated that zooplankton in Long Island Sound, NY (LIS) appeared to follow an annual cycle typical of the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America. Abundance peaked in both early spring and late summer and the peaks were similar in magnitude. In recent decades, this cycle appeared to have shifted. Only one large peak tended to occur, and summer copepod abundance was consistently reduced by ∼60% from 1939 to 1982 levels. In other Mid-Atlantic coastal systems such a dramatic shift has been attributed to the earlier appearance of ctenophores, particularly Mnemiopsis leidyi, during warmer spring months. However, over a decade of surveys in LIS have consistently found near-zero values in M. leidyi biomass during spring months. Our multiple linear regression model indicates that summer M. leidyi biomass during this decade explains Acartia tonsa in 2010–2011 appeared to be present all year long, it was no longer the dominant summer zooplankton species. Warmer summers have been associated with an increase in cyanobacteria and flagellates, which are not consumed efficiently by A. tonsa . This suggests that in warming coastal systems multiple environmental and biological factors interact and likely underlie dramatic alterations to copepod phenology, not single causes.
Experimental investigation of the effect of vegetation on soil, sediment erosion, and salt transport processes in the Upper Colorado River Basin Mancos Shale formation, Price, Utah, USA

Abstract Because of concerns about salinity in the Colorado River, this study focused on saline and sodic soils associated with the Mancos Shale formation with the objective of investigating mechanisms driving sediment yield and salinity loads and the role of vegetation in altering soil chemistry in the Price-San Rafael River Basin. Rainfall simulations using a Walnut Gulch rainfall simulator were performed at two study sites (Ferron and Price, Utah) across a range of slope angles and rainfall intensities to evaluate the relationship between sediment yield, salinity transport processes, and rainfall-induced changes in soil chemistry. Soil at Ferron had substantially greater salinity than Price as expressed in evaluated sodium absorption ratio, cation exchange capacity in soil, sediment, and total dissolved solids (TDS) in runoff. Principal component analysis and t-tests revealed that the two sites have different runoff and soil chemistry ions. Greater concentrations of K+, NO3−, and Cl− were present in soil-under-vegetation microsites compared to interspace soil areas. Soil soluble phase ions generally increased with depth and underwent vertical fluxes at rates proportional to rainfall intensity. Vegetation appears to have a protective effect on the soils from increasing rainfall intensity. Mat-forming saltbush found at Ferron was related most strongly to soil protection. The dissolution of sediment particles in runoff may be a key component of salinity transport processes on the Mancos Shale. Plot-averaged sediment and TDS had a positive linear relationship. The Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model successfully predicted TDS in runoff derived from these upland rangelands in central Utah.
Specific GI Motility Disorders

Motility disorders of the GI tract involve the smooth muscle and/or neurological component necessary for successful peristalsis. These disorders often complicate chronic medical diseases or surgical interventions, and can lead to significant morbidity, and chronic malabsorption. This chapter reviews the current recommended medications for various motility disorders.
Control system optimization using genetic algorithms within the SoftLab toolkit

This paper presents techniques for using genetic algorithms within the SoftLab software environment to automate the optimization of control systems. SoftLab is a framework for the design and simulation of control systems, using soft computing components. It allows users to construct systems by connecting computational modules into dataflow networks. We discuss the set of modules provided for implementing genetic algorithms and demonstrate how even the problem-specific aspects of the genetic algorithm can be easily specified through interpreted scripts, avoiding the need to compile or link in order to set up a new test problem.
Towards cross-layer design of communication network for smart grid with real-time pricing

The efficiency of the emerging smart power grid infrastructure critically depends on the ability of the communication network to deliver real-time energy prices to the consumers. This paper's contribution is twofold. First, it derives the relevant Quality of Service (QoS) communication requirements and proposes the corresponding overall performance criterion for the communication network, which quantifies the negative effect of delaying energy pricing information on the grid operations. Second, this paper demonstrates that the conventional Network Utility Maximization (NUM) based cross-layer optimization framework can be enhanced to incorporate the specific requirements of the smart power grid infrastructure. The conventional NUM based cross-layer network optimization balances tradeoffs between bandwidth requirements of multiple users, given limited network resources. The proposed enhanced NUM also allows the system to balance user requirements for (a) communication reliability by taking advantage of multipath routing in presence of network outages, and (b) communication delays by taking advantage of priority packet scheduling. Future research should quantify advantages of the proposed robust and QoS-aware NUM as compared to the conventional NUM for specific operation scenarios of the smart power grid infrastructure.