cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Volume Analysis of Arthroscopic Capsular Shift

Purpose: To determine how much volume reduction can be obtained with varying amounts of arthroscopic capsular plication. Methods: Six fresh-frozen, cadaveric specimens were used. Specimens were rejected if a rotator cuff tear was present. The volume of each shoulder joint was measured under 3 conditions: no capsular shift, 5-mm capsular shift, and 10-mm capsular shift. For each shift, 4 sutures were placed arthroscopically, 2 anteriorly and 2 posteriorly. Repeated measures were used to confirm the validity of the measurements. Data were analyzed with parametric and nonparametric tests. Results: The average percentage of volume reduction at 5 mm of capsular plication from control was 16.2% (range, 9.7% to 21.5%). The percentage of volume reduction from control to 10 mm of capsular plication averaged 33.7% (range, 25.3% to 44.6%). Statistical significance was found with both parametric ( P P Conclusions: The current study found that capsular volume reduction was related to the amount of capsular plication with reproducible results. Capsular plication can produce volume reduction comparable to other techniques. Clinical Relevance: The data could be used to determine the potential number of sutures and amount of tissue plication needed for the amount of laxity found at surgery.
INHIBITION OF PLATELET SEROTONIN UPTAKE BY CYTOCHROME P450 INHIBITORS MICONAZOLE AND ECONAZOLE

Serotonin uptake in human platelets was inhibited by cytochrome P450 inhibitors such as miconazole and econazole but not clotrimazole. There was a correlation between inhibition of serotonin uptake and inhibition of imipramine binding, suggesting that these P450 inhibitors may inhibit serotonin uptake via direct binding to the transporter. P450 inhibitor effects on serotonin uptake did not seem to be related to the effects of these compounds on intracellular calcium mobilization. Additionally, nitric oxide pathway stimulation does not appear to be involved.
Temperature Measurements in Noctilucent Clouds

Mesospheric temperature possible relationship to occurence of noctilucent clouds studied using rocket soundings
In situ hybridization of human kidney tissue reveals cell-type-specific expression of the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene

The cell-type-specific expression of human O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (O6-MT) was determined in paraffin-embedded sections of human kidney. A 39 base oligomer complementary to O6-MT cDNA was labeled with digoxigenin and visually detected in situ using an alkaline phosphatase-conjugated anti-digoxigenin antibody. This allowed direct determination of O6-MT-specific mRNA levels, while simultaneously identifying the structures and cell types in the kidney section. Expression of O6-MT was high in distal tubular and glomerular epithelial cells and low in the cells of the Bowman's capsule, collecting and proximal tubular cells. Hybridization of the oligomer was specific to RNA, since RNase and not DNase eliminated the signal. Expression was uniform in all the cell types, except the glomerular cells exhibited varying levels of high intensity. Cell-specific expression was constant between tissue sections from the same and different kidney tissues. These data may help explain the differential response of various cell types to alkylating agents.
An Example of Breast Cancer Regression on Imaging

Controversy exists as to whether some breast cancers spontaneously regress without treatment. Regression of malignant breast neoplasms contradicts the long-accepted natural history of the disease and may have implications on the efficacy of breast cancer screening programs. We present a case in which a breast cancer regressed following cessation of hormone replacement therapy and consider the biologic basis and implications of breast neoplasms that depart from the accepted model of progressive tumor growth.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Challenging Behavior and Individuals with Developmental and Physical Disabilities

The goal of the Journal of Physical and Developmental Disabilities’ 2013 special issue is to highlight recent works in the assessment and treatment of challenging behavior in the area of developmental and physical disabilities. The special issue is comprised of literature reviews on as well as evaluations of novel approaches to the treatment of challenging behavior that utilize antecedent and consequence-based methods. Extensions of antecedent-based approaches are included in the areas of response blocking and fading; noncontingent reinforcement (NCR); and the incorporation of choice. Extensions of consequence-based approaches are included in the areas of functional communication training (FCT); and differential reinforcement (DRO) and self-monitoring.
Post-resuscitation hemodynamics and relationship to the duration of ventricular fibrillation

Summary Objective We have observed consistent hemodynamic patterns after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest. We sought to characterize the time-course of these patterns, and to determine whether these differed based on duration of the VF insult. Methods We performed a retrospective review of data from a randomized animal experiment that was conducted in an AAALAC-approved animal laboratory. We used mixed-breed domestic swine of either sex. Animals were anesthetized and instrumented for continuous recording of ECG and blood pressures. VF was induced electrically and allowed to progress for various times ranging from brief (22s) to moderate (less than 3min) to prolonged (3–10min). All animals were initially shocked (150J) up to three times. If ROSC was not achieved on the three initial shocks, a standardized treatment protocol was followed. We defined cardiovascular collapse as a SBP 3min duration. Data were analyzed with Fisher's exact test and survival analysis. Results A hyperdynamic phase, consisting of very high-blood pressures and tachycardia, was seen in all animals immediately after ROSC. This lasts from 1 to 4min. Post-resuscitation cardiovascular collapse occurred in 2/7 (29%) animals in the 3min group (93%) p =0.006. Onset of cardiovascular collapse was highly related to duration of VF (log-rank p =0.004). Conclusions There are two distinct phases of hemodynamic change after resuscitation of VF. The first phase is a brief hyperdynamic phase. The second phase is either stabilization or cardiovascular collapse. When VF is brief, blood pressures often return to normal without exogenous support. When VF was prolonged animals were rescued with exogenous pressor. Healthcare providers should be prepared to provide pressor support for patients having ROSC after prolonged VF.
The Roman Propaganda Fide Archives: An Overflow and Assessment

JOHN B. MCGLOIN, S.J., University of San Francisco In 1908-09 Professor Carl Russell Fish of the University of Wisconsin was commisioned as a Research Associate by the Carnegie Institution of Washington, D.C., and sent abroad to visit and assess the materials for American history to be found in the various archives of Italy. Out of his labors, done with the precision of a trained historian, came a volume which has long been a standard tool for students and researchers in this field: Fish's Guide to the Materials for American History in Romana and Other Italian Archives, published in 1911 by the Carnegie Institution. Pages 119-95 are devoted to an analysis of those archives of the Catholic Church which are commonly called the Archives of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide in Rome. Fish's analysis is preceded by a brief historical account of this important arm in the ordinary government of the Catholic Church from 1622 (the date of its establishment) until 1911. Since the Propaganda Fide still has jurisdiction over all the Catholic missionary activities of the world, it is evident that it still plays a most important and integral part in the daily government of the Catholic Church. Professor Fish finishes his brief analysis with a statement which is as true today as when he wrote it over sixty years ago: "It is obvious that, for the direct relationship of the Catholic Church with America after 1622, the Archives of the Propaganda are more important than all others taken together. It is fortunate that these archives have always been preserved with especial care."' Actually, from 1622 until 1908, when the Catholic Church in the United States was considered to be sufficiently developed to be removed from the jurisdiction of Propaganda, all of the important business of the American branch of the Catholic Church was transacted through this Congregation in Rome. To its palace, erected on the Piazza di Spagna in 1633, went literally hundreds of letters from American Bishops and from the offices of this building went forth other hundreds of answers to perplexities innumerable and problems incalculable which attended the growth of Catholicism in America. These incoming letters and copies of the outgoing ones have all been kept, and they constitute this important and essential font emphasized by Professor Fish. It was the Cardinals of Propaganda who, in plenary sessions which were preceded by more specialized examinations, chose the bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States, and the present writer must own to a sense of awe when the present Archivist of Propaganda led him into the meeting room which is still used each week for similar discussions and decisions and remarked:
Gridlock: UNESCO, global conflict and failed ambitions

AbstractDeliberations over World Heritage designation increasingly provide a platform for new political alliances, international tensions and challenges to global cooperation. How has this situation arisen in UNESCO, an organization dedicated to fostering peace, tolerance and international co-operation? Since we now face an ever more interconnected world and our problems are more global they require solutions that traverse nation-states and require them to work effectively together. Yet any decision to act or protect, especially during conflict, inevitably leads to multi-polarity, fragmentation and impasse. Drawing on Hale and Held’s theory of gridlock that underscores the failures of multilateralism across the UN generally, I suggest that World Heritage provides a salient example. Since UNESCO relies on the consent and participation of sovereign nations, their decisions often mirror the very lowest level of ambition to prevail. Case studies are drawn from recent conflict over World Heritage sites in Mali...
Chromatographic investigation of the effect of dissolved carbon dioxide on the glass transition temperature of a polymer and the solubility of a third component (additive)

The effect of dissolved carbon dioxide on the glass transition temperature of a polymer, PMMA, has been investigated using molecular probe chromatography. The probe solute was iso-octane, and the specific retention volumes of this solute in pure PMMA and mixtures of PMMA with CO2 were measured over a temperature range of 0 to 180°C and CO2 pressures from 1 to 75 atm. The amount of CO2 dissolved in the polymer was calculated from a model fit to previously published solubility data determined chromatographically. Classical van't Hoff-type plots were used to determine the glass transition temperature of CO2-impregnated PMMA from low pressure up to 46 atm of CO2. Solvent-induced plasticization was observed with the glass transition temperature decreasing by about 40°C. At some pressures, glass transitions at low temperatures could not be determined from the van't Hoff plots because of the proximity of the polymer glass transition temperature to the gas–liquid transition temperature for CO2. For these pressures, a new method was developed to determine the glass transition composition. The glass transition pressure was then calculated from the measured composition and temperature using an isotherm model. In every case, the glass transition temperature decreased linearly with increasing concentration of CO2 in the polymer. However, at higher compositions, the glass transition pressure decreased with increasing composition and decreasing temperature. The observed retention volume of iso-octane with PMMA in a glassy state was correlated with an adsorption model developed from a theory for liquid–solid chromatography derived by Martire. This model accurately described the observed decrease in retention of iso-octane by adsorption on the surface of glassy PMMA with increasing concentration of CO2 dissolved in the polymer. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. B Polym. Phys. 36: 2537–2549, 1998
Clastogenicity evaluation of seven chemicals commonly found at hazardous industrial waste sites.

Abstract 7 chemicals commonly found at the industrial waste sites were tested with the Tradescantia-Micronucleus (Trad-MCN) assay to evaluate their clastogenic potential. Chemicals selected from the US EPA Superfund Priority 1 list were: aldrin, arsenic trioxide, 1,2-benz[a,h]anthracene, dieldrin, heptachlor, lead tetraacetate and tetrachloroethylene. Results of repeated tests for clastogenicity yielded the minimum effective dose (MED) for clastogenicity of 0.44 ppm for lead tetraacetate, 1.88 ppm for heptaclor, 3.81 ppm for dieldrin and arsenic trioxide and 1,2-benz[a,h]anthracene yielded positive responses at the MED of 3.96 ppm and 12.50 ppm respectively. Aldrin and tetrachloroethylene were considered to be immiscible with water, and the tests yielded negative responses. Tetrachloroethylene in gaseous state was also used to treat the flower buds. Results of tetrachloroethylene vapor phase treatment yielded a positive response at the MED of 30 ppm/min after a 2-h exposure. 5 chemicals determined to be clastogens by this test were ranked according to their MED in the descending order of potency as follows: lead tetraacetate, heptachlor, dieldrin, arsenic trioxide and1,2-benz[a,h]anthracene. Results of this study indicate that the Trad-MCN bioassay could be effectively utilized for assessing the potential clastogenicity of the chemicals commonly found at the industrial hazardous waste sites.
Developing mindfulness in college students through movement-based courses: Effects on self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, stress, and sleep quality.

Abstract Objective: This study examined whether mindfulness increased through participation in movement-based courses and whether changes in self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, and perceived stress mediated the relationship between increased mindfulness and better sleep. Participants: 166 college students enrolled in the 2007–2008 academic year in 15 week classes in Pilates, Taiji quan, or GYROKINESIS. Methods: At beginning, middle, and end of the semester, participants completed measures of mindfulness, self-regulatory self-efficacy, mood, perceived stress, and sleep quality. Results: Total mindfulness scores and mindfulness subscales increased overall. Greater changes in mindfulness were directly related to better sleep quality at the end of the semester after adjusting for sleep disturbance at the beginning. Tiredness, Negative Arousal, Relaxation, and Perceived Stress mediated the effect of increased mindfulness on improved sleep. Conclusions: Movement-based courses can increase mindfulness. Increase...
The Role of Ego Enhancement and Perceived Message Exposure in Third-Person Judgments Concerning Violent Video Games:

Ego enhancement has been offered as the psychological mechanism that drives differences in judgments about effects on self and others. This study employs a three-cell (ego threat, ego enhancement, and control) experimental design to test the validity of the ego-enhancement argument in explaining the third-person perception and related outcomes (e.g., support for government control). Findings indicate that although ego enhancement does not appear to directly influence either third-person perception or its relationship to support for government control, it does play a moderating role in regulating the relationship between perceived effects and support for controls, especially in the case of perceived effects on others. Specifically, the ego-enhancement condition effectively muted the relationship between estimates of effects and support for government control. Implications of these findings and directions for further research are also discussed.
Reflecting on Some Past Predictions

Are computer security experts good futurists? This article examines some of the predictions from 2002 from practitioners, researchers, and corporate managers, and then assesses how well they did at guessing the state of security in 2012.
Validation of a measurement to predict upper airway collapsibility during sedation for colonoscopy.

Techniques to quantify the effects of sedation on upper airway collapsibility have been used as research tools in the laboratory and operating room. However, they have not been used previously in the usual clinical practice environment of colonoscopy sedation. The propensity for upper airway collapsibility, quantified as the critical pharyngeal pressure (Pcrit), was hypothesized to correlate with the need for clinical intervention to maintain ventilation. Twenty patients scheduled for colonoscopy with sedation were prospectively recruited to undergo measurement of upper airway collapsibility using negative airway pressure (NAP) provocation with a minimum pressure of −18 cmH2O. The Pcrit was the negative pressure that collapses the airway, either directly or by extrapolation from the pressure-flow relationship. An exponential transformation was applied to the Pcrit data for statistical analysis. A clinical intervention score (CIS) was used to quantify required interventions by the sedation nurse. The measurement of the Pcrit during sedation was significantly larger (less negative) than both the baseline (“awake”) (P = 0.0029) and late recovery (P = 0.01) values. The CIS was not predicted by the transformed baseline or sedated Pcrit with or without including demographics associated with sleep apnea syndrome. Although the NAP technique showed the expected changes with sedation in this clinical situation, we did not find that it predicted the need for clinical intervention during endoscopy. Our study was not large enough to test for subpopulations in which the test might be predictive; further studies of these particular groups are needed to determine the clinical utility of the NAP measurement.
War Film Bibliography

(1990). War Film Bibliography. Journal of Popular Film and Television: Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 72-79.
Appalachian Women's Perceptions of Their Community's Health Threats

ABSTRACT: Context:Decades of behavioral research suggest that awareness of health threats is a necessary precursor to engage in health promotion and disease prevention, findings that can be extended to the community level. Purpose: We sought to better understand local perspectives on the main health concerns of rural Appalachian communities in order to identify the key health priorities. While Kentucky Appalachian communities are often described as suffering from substandard health, resource, and socioeconomic indicators, strong traditions of community mobilization make possible positive, home-grown change. Methods: To assess what women, the key health gatekeepers, perceive as the most significant health threats to their rural communities, 10 focus groups were held with 52 Appalachian women from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Tape-recorded narratives were content analyzed and a codebook was developed. Measures designed to increase data trustworthiness included member checks, negative case evidence, and multiple coding. Findings: The following rank-ordered conditions emerged as posing the greatest threat to the health of rural Appalachian communities: (1) drug abuse/medication dependence; (2) cancer; (3) heart disease and diabetes (tied); (4) smoking; (5) poor diet/overweight; (6) lack of exercise; and (7) communicable diseases. These health threats were described as specific to the local environment, deriving from broad ecological problems and were connected to one another. Conclusion: Drawing on participants' community-relevant suggestions, we suggest ways in which rural communities may begin to confront these health concerns. These suggestions range from modest, individual-level changes to broader structural-level recommendations.
An Exploratory Case Study of Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are a growing area of research in business information systems. The primary purpose of this research was to test the effect of ERP implementation on users. We used the implementation and performance stage model and studied issues related to adaptation, acceptance, and routinization stages. An exploratory case study was conducted to study these research issues. The case study consisted of a survey and interview of 25 employees at one organization. The results provide data analysis findings from the survey and qualitative findings from the interview. The findings of the case study point to a positive user climate during transition to SAP, increased user productivity, and improved job understanding through the use of SAP software.
Aromatase, breast cancer and obesity: a complex interaction.

Obesity has been associated with abnormally high expression of the enzyme aromatase in the breast, increased local estrogen production, and predisposition to breast hyperplasia and cancer. Increased adiposity in postmenopausal women may trigger signaling pathways that induce aromatase expression. In breast adipose fibroblasts, increased TNF production may induce the distal aromatase promoter, whereas increased local PGE2 production may induce the proximal promoter region. We review here the mechanisms that control aromatase gene expression in breast adipose tissue, and the paracrine interactions between malignant breast epithelial cells and the surrounding adipose fibroblasts. Systematic characterization of these signaling pathways will facilitate the identification of potential drug targets to selectively reduce aromatase expression and excessive estrogen production, with therapeutic benefit.
An efficient approach to quantify the impact of Cu residue on ELK TDDB

In this study, Triangular Voltage Sweep (TVS) is shown to be an effective way for quantifying the amounts of free Cu ions in porous low-k film. Free Cu ions at the interface that correlate with the Inter-Metal Dielectric (IMD) TDDB lifetime is also discussed. Adding a thermal treatment after the Chemical Mechanical Polish (CMP) process shows that the IMD TDDB lifetime can be improved by at least 2 orders of magnitude with a decrease in Cu ions at the interface. This study also proves that the TVS method can be used to evaluate Cu ions as well as Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOFSIMS).
Gradient evolution for potential vorticity flows

Two-dimensional unsteady incompressible flows in which the potential vorticity (PV) plays a key role are ex- amined in this study, through the development of the evolu- tion equation for the PV gradient. For the case where the PV is conserved, precise statements concerning topology- conservation are presented. While establishing some intu- itively well-known results (the numbers of eddies and saddles is conserved), other less obvious consequences (PV patches cannot be generated, some types of Lagrangian and Eulerian entities are equivalent) are obtained. This approach enables an improvement on an integrability result for PV conserv- ing flows (if there were no PV patches at time zero, the flow would be integrable). The evolution of the PV gradient is also determined for the nonconservative case, and a plausi- ble experiment for estimating eddy diffusivity is suggested. The theory is applied to an analytical diffusive Rossby wave example.
Adaptive non-linear least squares for inverse kinematics

The use of an adaptive non-linear least squares algorithm to solve the inverse kinematic problem for robotic manipulators is proposed. The algorithm uses the Gauss-Newton model of the direct kinematic function with the Levenberg-Marquardt iteration. This first-order approximation is supplemented with a quadratic model in certain situations. If required the algorithm can converge to singular configurations, and hence is especially useful when the desired end-effector position is outside the reachable workspace of the manipulator. The authors prove that the task space error function has no local minimizers. >
Implementing multiplication with split read-only memory

In look-up table-based multiplication schemes, techniques based on tables of squares require less memory than techniques based on direct implementations. In this paper, we present a method to realize an n-bit multiplier using a table of squares for n-bit integers. A new technique to store tables of squares is also presented. The new scheme is shown to compare favorably, in terms of storage requirements, with a scheme wherein the entire table of squares is stored directly. The addressing requirements of the new storage technique are also discussed. >
Patterns of HIV Infection Among Spousal and Cohabiting Sexual Partnerships in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Background: The reasons behind the differences in the levels of discordancy (that is one partner testing HIV positive while the other testing HIV negative) among spousal and cohabiting partnerships affected by HIV across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remain inadequately understood. Recently, many randomized clinical trials have shown substantial efficacies for several prevention interventions among these partnerships. Moreover, there has been an intense debate about the priority of HIV prevention interventions among discordant couples relative to other prevention approaches such as among commercial sex networks. Objective: To describe and explain patterns of HIV infection among spousal and cohabiting sexual partnerships, across a range of settings in SSA. Methods: Demographic health survey (DHS) data for 20 countries in SSA were used to estimate the prevalence of HIV sero-discordancy among stable partnerships with at least one HIV-infected individual in the partnership (P), prevalence of discordancy a...
Group-based key predistribution for wireless sensor networks

Many key predistribution techniques have been developed recently to establish pairwise keys between sensor nodes in wireless sensor networks. To further improve these schemes, researchers have also proposed to take advantage of the sensors' expected locations and discovered locations to help the predistribution of the keying materials. However, in many cases, it is very difficult to deploy sensor nodes at their expected locations or guarantee the correct location discovery at sensor nodes in hostile environments. In this article, a group-based deployment model is developed to improve key predistribution. In this model, sensor nodes are only required to be deployed in groups. The critical observation in the article is that the sensor nodes in the same group are usually close to each other after deployment. This deployment model is practical; it greatly simplifies the deployment of sensor nodes, while still providing an opportunity to improve key predistribution. Specifically, the article presents a novel framework for improving key predistribution using the group-based deployment knowledge. This framework does not require the knowledge of the sensors' expected or discovered locations and is thus suitable for applications where it is difficult to deploy the sensor nodes at their expected locations or correctly estimate the sensors' locations after deployment. To seek practical key predistribution schemes, the article presents two efficient instantiations of this framework, a hash key-based scheme and a polynomial-based scheme. The evaluation shows that these two schemes are efficient and effective for pairwise key establishment in sensor networks; they can achieve much better performance than the previous key predistribution schemes when the sensor nodes are deployed in groups.
Cancellous and Cortical Bone Mechanical Properties and Tissue Dynamics During Pregnancy, Lactation, and Postlactation in the Rat

There are substantial changes in maternal skeletal dynamics during pregnancy, lactation, and after lactation. The purpose of this study was to correlate changes in cortical and cancellous bone mass, structure, and dynamics with mechanical properties during and after the first reproductive cycle in rats. Rats were mated and groups were taken at parturition, end of lactation and 8 wk after weaning, and were compared with age-matched, nulliparous controls. Measurements were taken on femoral cortical bone and lumbar vertebral body cancellous bone. At the end of pregnancy, there was an increase in cortical periosteal bone formation and an increase in cortical volume, but a suppression of turnover in cancellous bone with no change in cancellous or cortical mechanical properties. Lactation was associated with a decrease in cortical and cancellous bone strength with a decrease in bone volume, but an increase in turnover on cancellous and endocortical surfaces. After lactation, there was a partial or full restoration of mechanical properties. This study demonstrates substantial changes in bone mechanics that correlate with changes in bone structure and dynamics during the first reproductive cycle in rats. The greatest changes were observed during the lactation period with partial or full recovery in the postlactational period.
Recent publications on organized crime

A list of publications on organized crime including one by Zhivan J. Alach on the taxonomy organized crime, one by Edward R. Kleemans on human trafficking and one by Andrea Lange on using a call center to help female victims of human trafficking.
Heme transfer from streptococcal cell surface protein Shp to HtsA of transporter HtsABC

Human pathogen group A streptococcus (GAS) can take up heme from host heme-containing proteins as a source of iron. Little is known about the heme acquisition mechanism in GAS. We recently identified a streptococcal cell surface protein (designated Shp) and the lipoprotein component (designated HtsA) of an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter made by GAS as heme-binding proteins. In an effort to delineate the molecular mechanism involved in heme acquisition by GAS, heme-free Shp (apo-Shp) and HtsA (apo-HtsA) were used to investigate heme transfer from heme-containing proteins (holo proteins) to the apo proteins. In addition, the interaction between holo-Shp and holo-HtsA was examined using native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Heme was efficiently transferred from holo-Shp to apo-HtsA but not from holo-HtsA to apo-Shp. Apo-Shp acquired heme from human hemoglobin, and holo-Shp and holo-HtsA were able to form a complex, suggesting that Shp actively relays heme from hemoglobin to apo-HtsA. These findings demonstrate for the first time complex formation and directional heme transfer between a cell surface heme-binding protein and the lipoprotein of a heme-specific ABC transporter in gram-positive bacteria.
Adaptive Frequency Synchronization for Collaborative Communication Systems

Cooperative diversity systems are wireless communication systems designed to exploit cooperation among users to mitigate the effects of multipath fading. In fairly general conditions, it has been shown that these systems can achieve the diversity order of an equivalent MISO channel and, if the node geometry permits, virtually the same outage probability is achieved as that of the equivalent MISO channel for a wide range of applicable SNR. However, much of the prior analysis has been performed under the assumption of perfect timing and frequency offset synchronization. In this paper, we derive the estimation bounds and associated maximum likelihood estimators for frequency offset estimation in a cooperative communication system. The cooperative nature of the system is utilized to reduce the estimation error with respect to standard (non-cooperative) frequency estimation algorithms. For a worst case frequency offset distribution among the nodes, we show that this estimator is optimal in the sense of estimation error variance.
Cloud Vertical Structure and Its Variations from a 20-Yr Global Rawinsonde Dataset

Abstract A global cloud vertical structure (CVS) climatic dataset is created by applying an analysis method to a 20-yr collection of twice-daily rawinsonde humidity profiles to estimate the height of cloud layers. The CVS dataset gives the vertical distribution of cloud layers for single and multilayered clouds, as well as the top and base heights and layer thicknesses of each layer, together with the original rawinsonde profiles of temperature, humidity, and winds. The average values are cloud-top height = 4.0 km above mean sea level (MSL), cloud-base height = 2.4 km MSL, cloud-layer thickness = 1.6 km, and separation distance between consecutive layers = 2.2 km. Multilayered clouds occur 42% of the time and are predominately two-layered. The lowest layer of multilayered cloud systems is usually located in the atmospheric boundary layer (below 2-km height MSL). Clouds over the ocean occur more frequently at lower levels and are more often formed in multiple layers than over land. Latitudinal variations o...
Convection over the Pacific Warm Pool in relation to the Atmospheric Kelvin-Rossby Wave

Abstract Deep convection over the western tropical Pacific warm pool is analyzed in terms of its relation to the atmospheric Kelvin–Rossby wave, which dominates the large-scale flow during the austral summer. The study uses Doppler radar data collected by aircraft and ship radars during different time periods in the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment to characterize the mesoscale circulations of organized convective cloud systems occurring throughout the season. The study focuses on convection in two contrasting phases of the wave: the “westerly onset region” just west of the point within the wave where low-level easterlies change to westerlies, and the “strong westerly region” (or “westerly wind burst”) lying between the large-scale counterrotating gyres of the Kelvin–Rossby wave. In the westerly onset region the zonal wind component had midlevel easterlies overlying low-level westerlies. In the strong westerly region a deep layer of westerlies extended from the...
Assurance on Environmental Performance and Investor Judgments: The Impact of Environmental Attitudes

This study extends prior research by investigating and finding that nonprofessional investors’ attitudes regarding environmental sustainability affect their views on the relative importance of environmental versus financial performance and whether environmental performance affects firm investment returns. It also investigates how these views moderate the influence of environmental performance and assurance information on investor judgments. Environmental performance has a positive effect on the investment desirability and amount judgments of nonprofessional investors who find environmental performance relatively more important, and assurance has a positive effect on the investment desirability judgments of this same group of investors. However, neither environmental performance nor assurance affects the investment judgments of nonprofessional investors who believe that environmentally responsible companies yield higher returns. The results suggest that investors’ environmental attitudes are important in influencing the effects of environmental performance information on investment judgments.
The disability system and programs to promote employment for people with disabilities

This paper examines employment-focused interventions within the US disability system. Our review illustrates the challenges of developing and implementing these types of initiatives, despite substantial policy interest. Our findings indicate that none of the demonstrations we reviewed have the potential to lead to substantial caseload reductions that could reverse program growth. However, they can inform future designs, particularly the importance of customizing supports to very well-defined target populations. D04
Distal and Proximal Factors in Domestic Violence: A Test of an Integrated Model

We employed 4,095 couples from both waves of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) to test a model of couple violence drawn from several theoretical perspectives. The outcome distinguishes among nonviolent couples and those experiencing either physical aggression or intense male violence. According to the model, background characteristics of couples are related to relationship stressors, which affect the risk of violence via their tendency to promote verbal conflict. Considerable support for the model was found. Couples were at higher risk for one or both forms of violence if they were younger at union inception, had been together for less time, were both in their first union, had only one partner who was employed, had a nontraditional woman paired with a traditional man, had at least one partner who abused substances, had more children, had more frequent disagreements, exhibited a more hostile disagreement style, or lived in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood. Moreover, the effects of stressors such as the number of children and couples' employment status disparities appear to be mediated by disagreement frequency and disagreement style.
Measurement of Anti-Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent IgG4 Antibody as an Indicator of Antibody-Mediated Pure Red Cell Aplasia

Patients treated with erythropoietin-based erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) can develop a rare but life-threatening condition called antibody-mediated pure red cell aplasia (amPRCA). The antibody characteristics in a nephrology patient with amPRCA include high antibody concentrations with neutralizing activity and a mixed IgG subclass including anti-ESA IgG4 antibodies. In contrast, anti-ESA IgG4 antibody is generally not detected in baseline samples and antibody-positive non-PRCA patients. Therefore, we validated a highly sensitive immunoassay on the ImmunoCAP 100 instrument to quantitate anti-ESA IgG4 antibodies using a human recombinant anti-epoetin alfa (EPO) IgG4 antibody as a calibrator. The biotinylated ESA was applied to a streptavidin ImmunoCAP, and bound anti-ESA IgG4 antibodies were detected using a β-galactosidase-conjugated mouse anti-human IgG4 antibody. The validated assay was used to detect anti-ESA IgG4 in amPRCA and non-PRCA patients. The immunoassay detected 15 ng/ml of human anti-EPO IgG4 antibody in the presence of a 200 M excess of human anti-ESA IgG1, IgG2, or IgM antibody and tolerated 2 μg/ml of soluble erythropoietin. All patient samples with confirmed amPRCA had measurable anti-ESA IgG4 antibodies. In addition, 94% (17/18) of non-PRCA patient samples were antibody negative or had below 15 ng/ml of anti-ESA IgG4 antibodies. This novel immunoassay can measure low-nanogram quantities of human anti-ESA IgG4 antibodies in the presence of other anti-ESA antibodies. An increased concentration of anti-ESA IgG4 antibody is associated with the development of amPRCA. We propose that the measurement of anti-ESA specific IgG4 antibodies may facilitate early detection of amPRCA in patients receiving all ESAs structurally related to human erythropoietin.
Electrons are spin 1/2 charged photons generating the de Broglie wavelength

The Dirac equation electron is modeled as a helically circulating charged photon, with the longitudinal component of the charged photon's velocity equal to the velocity of the electron. The electron's relativistic energy-momentum equation is satisfied by the circulating charged photon. The relativistic momentum of the electron equals the longitudinal component of the momentum of the helically-circulating charged photon, while the relativistic energy of the electron equals the energy of the circulating charged photon. The circulating charged photon has a relativistically invariant transverse momentum that generates the z-component of the spin ħ / 2 of a slowly-moving electron. The charged photon model of the electron is found to generate the relativistic de Broglie wavelength of the electron. This result strongly reinforces the hypothesis that the electron is a circulating charged photon. Wave-particle duality may be better understood due to the charged photon model—electrons have wavelike properties because they are charged photons. New applications in photonics and electronics may evolve from this new hypothesis about the electron.
ITALIAN RESEARCH AND INVENTION IN THE AGE OF WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY

The early history of the practical development of wireless communication is reviewed. While the enterprise was truly an international one, it is clear that the special, courageous activities which characterized Marconi’s work proved to be essential for the rapid development which occurred in the decade between 1895 and 1905. He in turn was aided by many sources, not least by highly competent and imaginative engineers of the Italian Navy.
The Multiple Origins of Complex Multicellularity

Simple multicellularity has evolved numerous times within the Eukarya, but complex multicellular organisms belong to only six clades: animals, embryophytic land plants, florideophyte red algae, laminarialean brown algae, and two groups of fungi. Phylogeny and genomics suggest a generalized trajectory for the evolution of complex multicellularity, beginning with the co-optation of existing genes for adhesion. Molecular channels to facilitate cell-cell transfer of nutrients and signaling molecules appear to be critical, as this trait occurs in all complex multicellular organisms but few others. Proliferation of gene families for transcription factors and cell signals accompany the key functional innovation of complex multicellular clades: differentiated cells and tissues for the bulk transport of oxygen, nutrients, and molecular signals that enable organisms to circumvent the physical limitations of diffusion. The fossil records of animals and plants document key stages of this trajectory.
Story similarity measures for drama management with ttd-mdps

In interactive drama, whether for entertainment or training purposes, there is a need to balance the enforcement of authorial intent with player autonomy. A promising approach to this problem is the incorporation of an intelligent Drama Manager (DM) into the simulated environment. The DM can intervene in the story as it progresses in order to (more or less gently) guide the player in an appropriate direction. Framing drama management as the selection of an optimal probabilistic policy in a Targeted Trajectory Distribution Markov Decision Process (TTD-MDP) describing the simulation has been shown to be an effective technique for drama management with a focus on replayability. One of the challenges of drama management is providing a means for the author to express desired story outcomes. In the case of TTD-MDP-based drama management, this is generally understood to involve defining a distance measure over trajectories through the story. While this is a central issue in the practical deployment of TTD-MDP-based DMs, it has not been systematically studied to date. In this paper, we present the results of experiments with distance measures in this context, as well as lessons learned. This paper's main contribution is presenting empirically-founded practical advice for those wishing to actually deploy drama management based on TTD-MDPs on how best to construct a similarity measure over story trajectories. We also validate the effectiveness of the local probabilistic policy optimization technique used to solve TTD-MDPs in a regular but extremely large synthetic domain.
New Approaches to Preventing Financial Exploitation: A Focus on the Banks

An 84-year-old man with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease can no longer manage his money or even shop at the local grocery store, but when taken to a bank, he signs a notarized reverse mortgage and loses $240,000 to his handyman who has secretly befriended the man over a 6-month period. What is needed for the financial services industry to help prevent financial exploitation of this type while simultaneously not infringing upon the rights of its customers? The largest increase in the older adult population in U.S. history is something to celebrate—yet, at the same time, current and future trends signal that financial exploitation is, and will continue to be, a significant threat for older adults. Intergenerational wealth is being transferred now at the highest rate in our history, which is a good indicator that the current older generation has significant wealth. Although anyone can be the victim of financial exploitation, declining cognition and early dementia are two of the greatest risk factors. The collision between an increasingly older population with high prevalence of cognitive impairment (Plassman et al., 2008) and those seeking to financially exploit them is rapidly increasing. Stiegel (2012) vividly described the fact that financial capacity and financial exploitation are connected. That is, that older adults’ vulnerability is twofold: (1) the potential loss of financial skills and financial judgment and (2) the inability to detect and therefore prevent financial exploitation. Dong (2014) argued that accurate assessment of financial capacity, and financial decision-making capacity in particular, is the cornerstone assessment in many cases of financial exploitation.
Drosophila Brat and Human Ortholog TRIM3 Maintain Stem Cell Equilibrium and Suppress Brain Tumorigenesis by Attenuating Notch Nuclear Transport

Cancer stem cells exert enormous influence on neoplastic behavior, in part by governing asymmetric cell division and the balance between self-renewal and multipotent differentiation. Growth is favored by deregulated stem cell division, which enhances the self-renewing population and diminishes the differentiation program. Mutation of a single gene in Drosophila, Brain Tumor (Brat), leads to disrupted asymmetric cell division resulting in dramatic neoplastic proliferation of neuroblasts and massive larval brain overgrowth. To uncover the mechanisms relevant to deregulated cell division in human glioma stem cells, we first developed a novel adult Drosophila brain tumor model using brat-RNAi driven by the neuroblast-specific promoter inscuteable Suppressing Brat in this population led to the accumulation of actively proliferating neuroblasts and a lethal brain tumor phenotype. brat-RNAi caused upregulation of Notch signaling, a node critical for self-renewal, by increasing protein expression and enhancing nuclear transport of Notch intracellular domain (NICD). In human glioblastoma, we demonstrated that the human ortholog of Drosophila Brat, tripartite motif-containing protein 3 (TRIM3), similarly suppressed NOTCH1 signaling and markedly attenuated the stem cell component. We also found that TRIM3 suppressed nuclear transport of active NOTCH1 (NICD) in glioblastoma and demonstrated that these effects are mediated by direct binding of TRIM3 to the Importin complex. Together, our results support a novel role for Brat/TRIM3 in maintaining stem cell equilibrium and suppressing tumor growth by regulating NICD nuclear transport. Cancer Res; 76(8); 2443-52. ©2016 AACR.
Gender-Technology Relations in the Various Ages of Information Societies

From “domination” to empowerment, gendered uses of information technologies appear in a variety of situations and interpretations. What is added to the history of technology by their social studies, and what is offered otherwise by the critical input of feminism on this field, is the idea that relations between humans and technologies (gender relations among them) are never set in advance but instead the object, as much as the end game of the analysis, as shown by Judy Wajcman. Yet the “seamless fabric” (with reference to Hughes’ work) interweaving the social and the technological and tying together gender and power relations is enduring; the role of historians is to acknowledge its lasting existence.
Precision half-life measurement of the β + decay of K 37

Potassium-37 is one of several isotopes that could be used to directly test the standard model weak interaction.