cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circular arrangements and cyclic broadcast scheduling

Motivated by a scheduling problem in multicast environments, we consider the problem of arranging a weighted graph around a circle so as to minimize the total weighted arc length. We describe the first polynomial-time approximation algorithms for this problem, and specifically an O(log n)- approximation algorithm for undirected circular arrangements and an O(√n)-approximation algorithm for directed circular arrangements. We will also conduct an experimental evaluation of our algorithms and show that a simple heuristic has the best performance in simulations based on busy Web server logs.
Placental site trophoblastic tumor presenting as an intramural mass with negative markers: an opportunity for novel diagnosis and treatment with robotic hysterectomy

A patient presented with persistent levels of quantitative human chorionic gonadotropin despite therapy with methotrexate. A dilation and curettage procedure did not provide a pathologic diagnosis. Gestational trophoblastic disease was suspected, but serum biomarkers were unable to provide a pre-operative diagnosis. A mass was found in the uterus by ultrasound and subsequent computed tomography scans. There was no evidence of extrauterine disease, but the uterine mass was continuous with the endometrial cavity, evoking the suspicion of an invasive endometrial mass. The patient underwent robotic hysterectomy for both therapy and diagnosis of suspected gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD). The final pathologic diagnosis was placental site trophoblastic tumor. The robotic approach allows for a minimally invasive surgical procedure with thorough examination of the pelvic cavity and adnexae and does not require a uterine manipulator which may be contra-indicated in the setting of uterine GTD. For patients with suspected persistent uterine GTD who are otherwise candidates for minimally invasive surgery, a robotic procedure offers advantages when compared to traditional laparoscopy or vaginal hysterectomy.
Thinking- is -moving: dance, agency, and a radically enactive mind

Recently, in cognitive science, the enactivist account of cognition has been gaining ground, due in part to studies of movement in conjunction with thought. The idea, as Noe (2009), has put it, that “cognition is not something happening inside us or to us, but it’s something we do, something we achieve,” is increasingly supported by research on joint attention, movement coordination, and gesture. Not surprisingly, therefore, enactivists have also begun to look at “movement specialists”—dancers—for both scientific and phenomenological accounts of thinking with and through movement. In this paper, I argue that a serious exploration of dance and movement does not merely bolster the enactivist view, but rather, it suggests a radical enactivism, as envisaged by, e.g., Hutto (2011). To support this claim, I examine an account of “Thinking in Movement” provided by Maxine Sheets-Johnstone (1981, 2009) in order to highlight the ways in which intentional agency and meaning-making occur in improvisational dance. These processes, I further argue, closely mirror some of the key components of participatory sense making, as described by De Jaegher and Di Paolo (Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences 6(4):485–507, 2007). This is beneficial to my case, because it permits a discussion of “thought-full action” that does not depend upon standard cognitivist frameworks for explanation. By carefully focusing on how agency can help to separate mere “thrashing about” from meaningful movement, this paper aim to strengthen the position of radical enactivism from the unique perspective and dance and sense-making.
As Long As They Don't Move Next Door: Segregation and Racial Conflict in American Neighborhoods

Despite the commonly held perception that most northern citizens embraced racial equality, As Long As They Don't Move Next Door graphically demonstrates the variety of methods-including violence and intimidation, unjust laws, restrictive covenants, discrimination by realtors and mortgage lenders, and white flight to suburban enclaves-used by whites to thwart the racial integration of their neighborhoods. Author Stephen Grant Meyer offers the first full length national history of American race relations examined through the lens of housing discrimination, and he forces readers to confront and re-evaluate the deep and enduring division between the races. Although this is a discomforting analysis, which concludes that housing discrimination still exists, it is only a clearer understanding of our shared racial past that will enable Americans to create a successful prescription for fighting intolerance. An original and captivating study that illuminates overlooked groups and individuals committed to the national struggle for civil rights, this is important reading for anyone interested in African-American history.
Mechanism of class 1 (glycosylhydrolase family 47) {alpha}-mannosidases involved in N-glycan processing and endoplasmic reticulum quality control

Quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) determines the fate of newly synthesized glycoproteins toward either correct folding or disposal by ER-associated degradation. Initiation of the disposal process involves selective trimming of N-glycans attached to misfolded glycoproteins by ER alpha-mannosidase I and subsequent recognition by the ER degradation-enhancing alpha-mannosidase-like protein family of lectins, both members of glycosylhydrolase family 47. The unusual inverting hydrolytic mechanism catalyzed by members of this family is investigated here by a combination of kinetic and binding analyses of wild type and mutant forms of human ER alpha-mannosidase I as well as by structural analysis of a co-complex with an uncleaved thiodisaccharide substrate analog. These data reveal the roles of potential catalytic acid and base residues and the identification of a novel (3)S(1) sugar conformation for the bound substrate analog. The co-crystal structure described here, in combination with the (1)C(4) conformation of a previously identified co-complex with the glycone mimic, 1-deoxymannojirimycin, indicates that glycoside bond cleavage proceeds through a least motion conformational twist of a properly predisposed substrate in the -1 subsite. A novel (3)H(4) conformation is proposed as the exploded transition state.
Does essential hypertension lead to renal failure

Systemic hypertension can lead to renal failure in blacks. The key lesion is severe intimal thickening in interlobular arteries without fibrinoid necrosis. Hypertensive endothelial injury is the likely root cause of the intimal thickening. High potassium diets prevent wall thickening of small renal arteries and arterioles in hypertensive Dahl S rats and also greatly reduce both medial and intimal thickening of the aorta and mesenteric and carotid arteries in spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats. In view of this, it is quite likely that the low potassium diet characteristically seen in blacks exaggerates the hypertensive intimal thickening. A high potassium diet could possibly preserve these arteries and avert much renal failure.
Scatter correction using beam stop array algorithm for cone-beam CT breast imaging

In flat-panel detector-based cone-beam CT breast imaging (CBCTBI), scatter is an important factor that degrades image quality. It has been shown that despite the use of a large air gap, scatter still causes problems when imaging a large breast phantom with our CBCTBI prototype. The SPR at the center region near the chest wall of a C-cup phantom is about 0.5, and this value goes up to 0.9 for the D-cup phantom. As a result, the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) distortion and reduced contrast were obvious in the reconstruction slices. To conquer the scattering problem, the beam-stop array (BSA) algorithm was presented in previous papers by our group. Since the breast is nearly axially symmetric, only one or two more projections for scatter images are required for the BSA algorithm. Therefore, the angular interpolation part in the algorithm could be simplified. The accuracy of the BSA algorithm is evaluated with a water phantom and the error of LAC reconstruction is proven to be less than 2%. The results of a C-cup phantom study shows that the LAC distortion in CBCT breast imaging could be corrected, and the CNR of target tumors is increased by a small amount. The number of sampled scattering patterns for CBCTBI is also discussed. The results showed that the BSA algorithm worked well for our CBCTBI prototype system. It could remove the scatter efficiently and improve the image quality.
Child care subsidy patterns: Are exits related to economic setbacks or economic successes? ☆

Abstract Using a recent cohort of single mothers who received child care subsidies, this study explores the extent to which low-income families utilize subsidies, factors associated with subsidy exit, and whether these factors have differential influences on the various types of exit from the subsidy program (i.e., exit with high earnings, low earnings, or job loss). The study uses Wisconsin administrative data and explores five years of subsidy receipt by families who began receiving subsidies between March 2000 and February 2001. Separate analyses are conducted for mothers with pre-school-age children and mothers with school-age children. Using discrete-time event-history models, the analyses find that subsidy spells tend to end relatively quickly; 55% of mothers with pre-school-age children and 75% of mothers with school-age children left the program within one year after they began receiving subsidies, and most exits are for economic setbacks (job loss or low earnings). The analyses also find that human capital factors, characteristics that represent demand for child care, and contextual factors are all significantly related to subsidy exits, but in different ways for different exit types. The study also highlights differences in subsidy patterns between mothers with pre-school-age and school-age children. Policy and practice implications are discussed.
DSP based inverter control for alternate energy systems

This paper presents a DSP based algorithm to control inverters used in interfacing alternate energy systems with the electric utility. Since a constant and ripple free dc bus voltage is not ensured at the output of alternate energy sources, the main aim of the proposed algorithm is to make the output of the inverter immune to the fluctuations in the dc input voltage. In this paper a modified space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique is proposed which will maintain the quality of the ac output of the inverter, regardless of the ripple present at the inverter input. The principle is explained qualitatively and extensive experiments have been carried out to verify and validate the proposed algorithm. A 16-bit fixed-point C2000 family DSP from Texas Instruments was used as the controller to implement the proposed control algorithm.
Infrared spectra of glass network formers and their interpretations

Abstract The theoretical characterization of the optical spectra of simple glasses is not presently possible. However, considerable infrared data, exists in the literature, and attempts have been made to interpret these data by two approximate methods: 1) localized model, assume a vibrating unit and treat it in a rigid environment; 2) lattice model, assume a vibrating unit and treat it as one would the unit cell in the plane-wave method. The physical reality of these two approaches will be discussed in light of recent experimental and theoretical developments.
Over-utilization of cesarean sections and misclassification error

This paper develops a model for defining Cesarean sections’ over- and under-utilization as deviations from clinically appropriate treatment due to non-clinical factors. Physician decisions can be affected by both monetary and non-monetary incentives, and the perception of the patient’s medical information and preferences. This structural model elucidates the physician decision-making process and identifies and tests for the degree of deviation from appropriate treatment (over- and under-utilization). The model is applied to estimate over-utilization of Cesarean section deliveries performed in the state of New Jersey during the 1999–2002 period. Non-clinically appropriate Cesarean sections occur at a moderate but growing rate of roughly 3.2 %. The growth of the Cesarean section rate in New Jersey over these years was explained mainly by non-clinical factors.
Quantum Efficiency Measurements on Several Phosphors under Excitation in the Extreme Ultraviolet

The response of several inorganic phosphors to radiation in the wavelength range of 275 A to 1715 A has been explored. The chief apparatus employed was a grazing incidence vacuum grating monochromator, using both a hydrogen arc source and an air spark source. Sodium salicylate, whose quantum efficiency is reportedly almost independent of wavelength, was used as a reference phosphor; therefore, excitation spectra are given in terms of quantum efficiency relative to sodium salicylate. Excitation spectra for CaMg(SiO3)2:Ti, CaSiO3:Mn:Pb and 3Ca3(PO4)2·Ca(F,Cl)2:Mn:Sb are limited to a range from 1026 A to 1640 A, and all show a simple decline with decreasing wavelength. CaWO4:Pb and Mg2WO5:[W] show a minimum in quantum efficiency at about 1000 A; whereas Zn3(PO4)2:Mn has a minimum at about 700 A. All of the latter three phosphors exhibit marked increases in quantum efficiency with decreasing wavelength in the extreme ultraviolet.
Carnap and translational indeterminacy

InWord and Object W. V. Quine argues that there is no uniquely correct way to assign referents to the terms of a language; any claim about the reference of a term is implicitly relative to a manual of translation. To Rudolf Carnap this must have seemed familiar. BeforeWord and Object was written Carnap had been saying the same thing inMeaning and Necessity: under the assumption of the method of the name-relation, any claim about the reference of a term is implicitly relative to what Carnap calls a “conception of the name-relation.” Yet Carnap is often taken to be a victim of Quine's relativistic notion of reference. Drawing on Carnap's discussion of the name-relation inMeaning and Necessity, it is argued that Carnap's and Quine's views on reference are not so far apart as is usually perceived.
Morse-Potential Evaluation of Second- and Third-Order Elastic Constants of Some Cubic Metals

The second- and third-order elastic constants of Al, Cu, Ag, Au, Na, and K have been calculated in the framework of a central-force model. The interatomic potential was expressed in terms of the Morse potential. The parameters in the potential were determined by using the lattice parameter, bulk modulus, and cohesive energy. The range of the interatomic potential was cut off after 176 and 168 neighbors in the case of face-centered and body-centered cubic metals, respectively. The evaluated second- and third-order elastic constants were used to calculate the pressure derivatives of the second-order elastic constants. These pressure derivatives compare fairly well with the experimental values. The agreement between experimental values and theoretical values of third-order elastic constants is less satisfactory. Theory predicts ${\mathrm{C}}_{123}$ to be positive for all the fcc metals and negative for bcc metals. The available experimental data on the third-order elastic constants of Cu, Ag, and Au show that ${\mathrm{C}}_{123}$ is positive for Ag and negative for Cu and Au. The possible implications of this result are discussed.
Windows into the lives of the men who developed quantum physics

Will readers 80 years from now be interested in the lives and times of the scientists winning today’s Nobel Prizes and Fields Medal? I ask this rhetorical question because over 80 years have passed since the scientists who developed quantum physics did their work, and still we are interested in reading about not only their work but also their colorful, sometimes tragic, lives, as well as the politically volatile times in which many of them actively participated. As the three books under consideration here attest, even at a time when book publishing is retrenching, one highly regarded academic press, one distinguished press associated with T. S. Eliot (a Nobel laureate poet who may well have rubbed shoulders at the Institute for Advanced Study with some of the quantum scientists), and a fledgling literary press with the mission of publishing ‘‘books at the intersection of the arts and sciences,’’ have all devoted their resources to biographical works focused on the group of scientists whose theoretical work has led to the development of lasers, medical imaging, and transistors, among other things. All three biographers have done extensive research in the kinds of primary documents that deepen our understanding of their subjects. Sheilla Jones’s collective biography of the eponymous group that the jacket blurb calls ‘‘the ten key figures who wrestled with the mysteries of the new science of the quantum’’
Intellectual property rights and sovereign claims; water, diamonds and rights in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve

This article explores the history of claims to intellectual cultural property as they relate to claims to sovereignty in settler societies by Indigenous groups. The recent Southern African legal vi...
A mathematical expression for %DD accurate from Co-60 to 24 MV.

Obtaining accurate %DD values for routine treatment calculations is essential in radiation therapy. Many papers have presented expressions to calculate this or related parameters but these expressions often required that the parameters needed by the equation be determined for each individual treatment unit. This paper presents an expression that calculates %DD values with a mean‐square accuracy of ∼1.0% versus measured values. The expression is applicable to beam energies ranging from Co‐60 to 24 MV, field sizes from 4×4 to 40×40 cm2, and depths from 1 cm deeper than d max to 30 cm. The only information required by this expression that is machine specific is the ionization ratio.
The Passage of Photoelectrons Through Metals

Synopsis.\char22{}Theoretical expressions are derived giving the rate of escape of photo-electrons from the surface of a thin metallic film as a function of its thickness. These expressions result from various assumptions regarding the probability of escape of an electron photoelectrically excited at a given depth within the metal.
Named entity extraction with conditional Markov models and classifiers

Our approach to multilingual named entity (NE) recognition in the context of the CoNLL Shared Task consists of the following ingredients:Feature engineering A human expert (though not necessarily a language expert) determines relevant features to be used to determine whether or not a word is part of a named entity.
Opening Up Lines of Communication for Building Controls

Discusses the recent trend of computer intelligence in building control systems, and identifies the viability of manufacturers′ controls to communicate with one another as a constant drawback. Suggests that a solution lies with new software called Facility Manager, which uses Apex communication drivers to allow different manufacturers′ controllers to talk to one another, yet maintain confidentiality. Describes the development of this software and its operation.
A review of the common principles approach to integration of psychotherapies

Goldfried (1980) recommended that a consensual approach to psychotherapy be based on principles of change that cut across existing therapeutic systems. This paper reviews the common principles approach and suggests that commonalities identified so far represent neither meaningful consensus nor adequate guidelines for research. Instead of researching common principles to obtain consensus, we might do well to conduct therapy research within existing orientations but with flexibility in regard to what techniques are studied.
Crystal Structure of a Complex Between the Phosphorelay Protein YPD1 and the Response Regulator Domain of SLN1 Bound to a Phosphoryl Analog

The crystal structure of the yeast SLN1 response regulator (RR) domain bound to both a phosphoryl analog [beryllium fluoride (BeF(3)(-))] and Mg(2+), in complex with its downstream phosphorelay signaling partner YPD1, has been determined at a resolution of 1.70 A. Comparisons between the BeF(3)(-)-activated complex and the unliganded (or apo) complex determined previously reveal modest but important differences. The SLN1-R1 x Mg(2+) x BeF(3)(-) structure from the complex provides evidence for the first time that the mechanism of phosphorylation-induced activation is highly conserved between bacterial RR domains and this example from a eukaryotic organism. Residues in and around the active site undergo slight rearrangements in order to form bonds with the essential divalent cation and fluorine atoms of BeF(3)(-). Two conserved switch-like residues (Thr1173 and Phe1192) occupy distinctly different positions in the apo versus BeF(3)(-)-bound structures, consistent with the "Y-T" coupling mechanism proposed for the activation of CheY and other bacterial RRs. Several loop regions and the alpha 4-beta 5-alpha 5 surface of the SLN1-R1 domain undergo subtle conformational changes ( approximately 1-3 A displacements relative to the apo structure) that lead to significant changes in terms of contacts that are formed with YPD1. Detailed structural comparisons of protein-protein interactions in the apo and BeF(3)(-)-bound complexes suggest at least a two-state equilibrium model for the formation of a transient encounter complex, in which phosphorylation of the RR promotes the formation of a phosphotransfer-competent complex. In the BeF(3)(-)-activated complex, the position of His64 from YPD1 needs to be within ideal distance of and in near-linear geometry with Asp1144 from the SLN1-R1 domain for phosphotransfer to occur. The ground-state structure presented here suggests that phosphoryl transfer will likely proceed through an associative mechanism involving the formation of a pentacoordinate phosphorus intermediate.
Physicians in the USA: Attendance, Beliefs and Patient Interactions

While much religion-health research depends on social support explanations, little is known about whether religious support is also a part of clinical interactions. How many physicians include religious/spiritual topics in clinical conversations? What characteristics are related to inclusion or avoidance? Using a national sample (n = 1,144), this study provides an overview of religious beliefs and practices of physicians in the USA and their patient interactions. Physician attendance rates are related to the inclusion of religious/spiritual topics, but the religious/spiritual orientation of physicians more closely relates to religious/spiritual patient interactions. Further, some physician specialties have more religious/spiritual physicians than others, providing additional reason to think religious/spiritual patient conversations are not equally distributed throughout the medical landscape.
Quasi-Experimental Estimates of the Effects of a Preschool Intervention Psychometric and Econometric Comparisons

Estimates of program effects from a compensatory preschool intervention were investigated using several contemporary techniques of bias reduction. These included econometric simulta neous modeling, latent-variable structural modeling, and ordinary least squares regression. These techniques were applied to longitudinal data from Chicago's Child Parent Center preschool program, a Head Start-type intervention. Analyses of 806 Black children followed from kindergarten to Grade 6 indicated that the techniques, by and large, produced similar estimates of program impact on school achievement test scores. Effect sizes ranged from .43 to .67 at school entry to .24 to .30 at Grade 6 (7 years postprogram). These findings were robust across different model specifications and similar to those of randomized studies. The only differences among methods occurred at Grade 3. Findings suggest that different quasi-experi mental estimation methods that attempt to control for selection bias can generate similar estimates of th...
Estimation of standard-state entropies of association for aqueous metal-organic complexes and chelates at 25°C and 1 bar

Abstract Linear correlations between entropies of association for metal-organic complexes and chelates (ΔS r ) and standard partial molal entropies of aqueous cations ( S ⊸ M ) at 25°C and 1 bar are identified to estimate the temperature dependence for association constants of aqueous metal-organic complexes and chelates. The correlations are systematically dependent on ligand structure and cation coordination number as revealed by common slopes of −0.15, −0.32, −0.84, and −0.92 for complexes of monocarboxylate ligands, dicarboxylate ligands, and ligands consisting of three and four carboxyl groups, respectively. The grouping of different types of ligands allows the use of structural considerations in the correlation methods, which provide rapid estimation of the temperature dependence of association constants. These developments expand the number and variety of metal-organic complexes and chelates that can be included in theoretical models of the distribution, transport, and bioavailability of metals in geochemical and environmental processes.
Carotene in the Ration of Dairy Cattle. I. The Influence of Long Periods of Suboptimal Carotene Intake on the Carotene and Vitamin A Values of the Blood, Liver, and Milk Fat of Dairy Cows,

Summary Blood plasma, liver, and milk fat analyses for carotene and vitamin A in Jersey and Holstein cows on normal and suboptimal carotene rations were compared. Suboptimal carotene rations fed prenatally and over long periods of time after birth resulted in low liver vitamin A and carotene values, which failed to respond to carotene supplementation as high as 330 γ per kilogram of body weight. Repeated injections every 5 days of either 250,000 or 1,250,000 I.U. of vitamin A ester failed to result in any appreciable increase of liver vitamin A or carotene in cows on a suboptimal carotene ration.
Applying matrix divide in APL and J

This paper shows two generalisations of the APL2 domino function. Domino has two roles, first the solution of non-degenerate systems of linear equations, and secondly the estimation of linear least squares fits. There is an inherent duality between these, since the first consists of finding a series of x-values to fit a set of fixed c's (coefficients), whereas the second consists of finding a series of c's to fit a set of fixed x- and y-values. This duality is exploited in extending both roles of domino using Newton-Raphson iteration to find roots of non-linear systems on the one hand, and to perform non-linear curve fitting on the other. The nature of the problem is such that it is natural to write APL2 solutions using operators rather than functions, and in each case a corresponding J solution is given. Further simple idioms involving domino give the consequent fitted values and Analysis of Variance calculations. The paper concludes with a compact tool-kit showing in parallel columns both the APL2 and J codes needed to achieve these extensions. The brevity of the J code speaks for itself.
Seismoelectric measurements in rock samples and borehole models

A seismic wave propagating in a fluid-saturated porous rock generates relative movement between the rock matrix and the fluid. Because of the electric double layer between fluid and rock, the moving charge produces an electric field. The magnitude of the induced electric field (i. e. seismoelectric conversion) depends on rock and fluid properties, pore geometry, and seismic wave frequency. To study the seismoelectric coupling coefficients, we conducted a series of laboratory experiments in several kinds of rock samples using transient seismic waves and measuring the electric field. Experimental results show that borehole acoustic waves generate seismoelectric fields in fluid-saturated formations. The seismoelectric fields can be detected by an electrode in the borehole. The amplitude of the seismoelectric field is related not only to the seismic wave, but also to the properties of formation such as permeability, conductivity, etc. For example, the seismoelectric conversion increases as the porosity and permeability of the rock samples increase. Seismoelectric and seismomagnetic fields generated by seismic waves in fluid-saturated fractured borehole models are experimentally investigated with an electrode and a Hall-effect sensor. In a borehole with a horizontal fracture, the Stoneley waves induce seismoelectric and seismomagnetic fields in the borehole and an electromagnetic wave propagates at light speed along the borehole.
Enhanced Late Holocene ENSO/PDO expression along the margins of the eastern North Pacific

Abstract Pacific climate is known to have varied during the Holocene, but spatial patterns remain poorly defined. This paper compiles terrestrial and marine proxy data from sites along the northeastern Pacific margins and proposes that they indicate 1) suppressed ENSO conditions during the middle Holocene between ∼8000 and 4000 cal BP with a North Pacific that generally resembled a La Nina-like or more negative PDO phase and 2) a climate transition between ∼4200 and 3000 cal BP that appears to be the teleconnected expression to a more modern-like ENSO Pacific. Compared to modern day conditions, the compiled data suggest that during the middle Holocene, the Aleutian Low was generally weaker during the winter and/or located more to the west, while the North Pacific High was stronger during the summer and located more to the north. Coastal upwelling off California was more enhanced during the summer and fall but suppressed during the spring. Oregon and California sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were cooler. The Santa Barbara Basin had an anomalous record, suggesting warmer SSTs. Late Holocene records indicate a more variable, El Nino-like, and more positive PDO Pacific. The Aleutian Low became more intensified during the winter and/or located more to the east. The North Pacific High became weaker and/or displaced more to the south. Coastal upwelling off California intensified during the spring but decreased during the fall. Oregon and California SSTs became warmer, recording the shoreward migration of sub-tropical gyre waters during the fall, while spring upwelling (cooler SST) increased in the Santa Barbara Basin. The high-resolution proxy records indicate enhanced ENSO and PDO variability after ∼4000 cal BP off southern California, ∼3400 cal BP off northern California, and by ∼2000 cal BP in southwestern Yukon. A progressively northward migration of the ENSO teleconnection during the late Holocene is proposed.
Attenuation of heat shock-induced cardioprotection by treatment with the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone.

Whole body hyperthermia induces heat shock proteins (HSPs), which confer cardioprotection. Several opioid receptor subtypes are expressed in the heart and are linked to cardioprotection; however, n...
Modeling time and space metering of flights in the national airspace system

Metering flights at key points such as sector crossings is an important operational procedure in mitigating National Airspace System (NAS) traffic congestion due to high demand or changing weather conditions. The authors combine a mathematical model for minutes-in-trail or miles-in-trail (MIT) metering with discrete event simulation in a newly developed tool that can be used by analysts to examine or predict existing or developing bottlenecks within NAS. We define a penalty function recursively in terms of MIT delays between leading and following flights. With discrete event simulations, it is possible to examine the anticipated MIT delays for all the flights scheduled to arrive at any crossing point. Impacts of flight cancellations, route changes, and additional enroute delays as results of airport or sector congestion can all be evaluated during each simulation by updating the scheduled flight crossing times and the expected MIT delay penalties for all the trailing flights.
Development of an automatic quantification method for cancer tissue microarray study

Clinical Histopathology is based on the analysis of immunohistochemistry (IHC) stained tissue images. Selection of antibodies for detecting the presence, type, and grade of cancerous tissue has a great influence on the diagnostic potential of IHC tests. Automated evaluation methods for tissue microarrays applied to many combinations of antibody and tissue type can speed development of new clinical assays. We present an automatic method that successfully quantifies stain intensity, fraction of cells stained and sub-cellular location of staining in tissue microarray images. The method combines an opponent color preprocessor and a novel statistical approach for identifying brown and blue staining, followed by multilevel morphological processing. We verify the capability of our method by comparing the results to manually annotated image databases. We also demonstrate cross-tissue robustness using two clinical case study data.
School, cultural diversity, multiculturalism, and contact

The basic assumption of this paper is that school’s potential to improve cross-cultural relations, as well as interpersonal relations in general, is enormous. This assumption is supported by a number of theoretical considerations and by the analysis of data we obtained from a study we conducted on the attitudes toward diversity and multiculturalism of pupils attending Italian schools. Our research findings indicate that both teachers and pupils seldom perceive school as a place that can provide this positive and significant opportunity. Many of the difficulties in pupils’ relationships with culturally diverse peers at school coincide with, or are very similar to, the difficulties in their relationships with peers in general, thus supporting the assumption that there are some common basic motivations underlying the acceptance or the rejection of ‘the other,’ be ‘the other’ culturally diverse or not. Depending on the cases, cross-cultural relations among pupils at school can be characterized by empathy, cur...
Airborne particles, their use in the respiratory system to measure air flow, function, and clearance

Nonhygroscopic monodisperse particles can be used to estimate airway dimensions within chosen regions of the respiratory tract. These dimensions correspond well with those measured in inflation-fixed lungs. The dispersion of a bolus of airborne particles on inhalation and exhalation is very sensitive to the dimensions of the airways through which the bolus passes, yielding indices of dispersion that provide sensitive indicators of changes in airway dimensions, eg, with smoking. The rates of clearance of particles from the lungs are determined using gamma-labelled particles whose lung retention is determined by external measurements. There are major differences between the deep lung and the ciliated airways. Changes in clearance rates are caused by disease or inhaled intoxicants such as cigarette smoke. At lower levels of irritant exposure, an acceleration of clearance rate is observed, while higher doses and longer periods of exposure produce decreased rates. It is suggested that aerosol techniques may have useful clinical applications; approaches are suggested for such applications.
The health hazards of saunas and spas and how to minimize them.

BACKGROUND: The rapidly increasing number of spas, hot tubs, and saunas intensifies the potentials for deaths from hyperthermia and drowning. METHODS: I analyzed 54 such deaths reported to me by 55 medical examiners and coroners in the United States and 104 deaths reported to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). RESULTS: Only seven of the 158 deaths analyzed occurred in saunas. All of the remaining deaths occurred in spas, jacuzzis, or hot tubs, which were far more numerous. The chief risk factors identified were alcohol ingestion, heart disease, seizure disorders, and cocaine ingestion (alone or in combination with alcohol ingestion). These factors accounted for 71 or 44.7% of the 159 fatalities. Of these risk factors, alcohol represented 38%; heart disease, 31%; seizure disorders, 17%; and cocaine ingestion, alone or in combination with alcohol, 14%. Sixty-one of the 151 spa-associated deaths occurred in children under 12 years of age. Accidental drownings from uncovered or improperly cover...
Histology of the porcine mandibular distraction wound

The purpose of this study was to document the progression and pattern of endosteal bone formation in a porcine mandibular distraction wound. Bone formation was assessed in a 0-day latency model (n = 24 pigs) using distraction rates of 1, 2, or 4 mm/day to create a 12-mm gap. Macro-radiographs and sagittal histologic sections, from the center of the mandible, were evaluated by computer morphometrics (%bone fill) and by a semi-quantitative bone formation score. Mean percent area of new bone was 12.4% (0-25.9%), 7.5% (0-21.3%) and 3.8% (0-10.5%) in mandibles distracted at 1, 2 or 4 mm/day respectively. At all time points, percent area of new bone was highest in mandibles distracted at 1 mm/day. Bone was deposited from the margins of the osteotomy toward the center of the wound and occurred first around the inferior alveolar canal and tooth bud regions. New bone formed by intramembranous ossification alone. The results of this experiment document the contribution of endosteal bone formation in this model of distraction osteogenesis.
Vibrio fischeri genes hvnA and hvnB encode secreted NAD(+)-glycohydrolases.

The light organ symbiosis between Vibrio fischeri and the Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, is a stable, benign bacterial colonization of host tissue in which both partners recognize, signal, and influence the other (48). V. fischeri triggers developmental changes in the tissues of this organ, including apoptosis, cell swelling, microvillar proliferation, and repression of oxidative stress (11, 27, 31, 34, 38, 51), sparking interest in discovering the molecular mechanisms mediating this signaling. Two proposed signaling molecules are halovibrin α (HvnA) and halovibrin β (HvnB), proteins secreted by V. fischeri (46, 47). HvnA and HvnB catalyzed transfer of ADP-ribose (ADPr) from NAD+ to the synthetic polypeptide polyarginine (46, 47), a reaction catalyzed by certain secreted bacterial mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase (ARTase) toxins (e.g., cholera toxin) that interact with host tissues. These data led to speculation that HvnA and HvnB mediate symbiotic signaling through mechanisms that parallel ARTase toxin modification of host targets (32, 33, 46, 47, 49). To assess the potential role(s) of HvnA and HvnB as interspecies signals, the nature of HvnA- and HvnB-catalyzed ribosylation requires clarification. Although HvnA and HvnB catalyze the transfer of radiolabel from [32P]NAD+ to polyarginine (46, 47), either of two distinct classes of enzymes, ARTases and NAD+-glycohydrolases (NADases), can mediate this process. ARTases directly ribosylate protein targets, often at an arginine residue, using NAD+ as a substrate. In contrast, NADases cleave NAD+, producing free nicotinamide and ADPr, the latter of which spontaneously forms covalent bonds with a variety of substrates (21, 22, 26), including polyarginine (21). Thus, the assay used to identify HvnA and HvnB did not distinguish between ARTase or NADase activity. Secreted bacterial ARTases clearly mediate defined effects on certain animal host cells (15, 39–41), but the role, if any, of secreted NADases in bacterium-host interactions is unknown beyond the observations that clinical streptococcal isolates and Vibrio cholerae secrete NADases (24, 52). We present here (i) the characterization of hvnA and hvnB from an E. scolopes light organ isolate, (ii) the disruption of these genes in this wild-type V. fischeri strain, (iii) biochemical data supporting a reclassification of HvnA and HvnB as NADases rather than as ARTases, and (iv) evidence that HvnA and HvnB are not required to initiate the V. fischeri- E. scolopes symbiosis.
Access to Care Vs. Access to Coverage: What Can We Learn from the Louisiana State Hospital Model?

Louisiana consistently prefers to address the needs of the uninsured through a direct access-to-care model based on a public institutional safety net rather than a Massachusetts-style universal insurance coverage scheme. Louisiana’s access-to-care model is far from perfect. Since 1997, the state hospital system has instituted a series of innovations meant to improve its capabilities. This paper will describe the development of these initiatives. First I review what the state health care policy literature says about access-to-care versus access-to-coverage approaches. Then I briefly describe this institutional configuration, the state hospital system, on which Louisiana has become dependent for safety-net care. The heart of the paper describes the state hospital system’s campaign for health care effectiveness, the set of improvements put into place over the last 12 years to capitalize on its breadth and depth and improve the quality of patient care. Final I weigh the strengths and weaknesses of this model as it works in Louisiana.
An initial test of inconsistent nurturing as control theory: how partners of drug abusers assist their partners' sobriety

Inconsistent nurturing as control (INC) theory asserts that because of competing goals of nurturing and controlling, par tners of drug-dependent (or otherwise nonfunctioning) individuals will unintentionally encourage the very behavior they are trying to extinguish through inconsistent manifestations of reinforcement and punishment (Le Poire, 1992, 1995). The findings of this first test (N = 52 couples) indicate that partners of alcoholics or otherwise drug-dependent indreiduals reinforcc the substance-abusive behavior more before, and punish the substance-abusive behavior more after, they label the behavior problematic. More importantly, results also indicate that consistently punishing substance abusive behavior while simultaneously reinforcing alternative behavior predicts significantly lesser amounts of relapse Thus, it is clear from these findings that partners of substance abusive individuals can have an impact on the substance abusive behaeior of their partners. Finally, with regard to mental health outcomes, functional partners with partners who relapsed less were less depressed.
Helicobacter pylori Peptidoglycan Modifications Confer Lysozyme Resistance and Contribute to Survival in the Host

ABSTRACT The prominent host muramidase lysozyme cleaves bacterial peptidoglycan (PG), and the enzyme is abundant in mucosal secretions. The lytic enzyme susceptibility of Gram-negative bacteria and mechanisms they use to thwart lytic enzyme activity are poorly studied. We previously characterized a Helicobacter pylori PG modification enzyme, an N-deacetylase (PgdA) involved in lysozyme resistance. In this study, another PG modification enzyme, a putative PG O-acetyltransferase (PatA), was identified. Mass spectral analysis of the purified PG demonstrated that a patA strain contained a greatly reduced amount of acetylated muropeptides, indicating a role for PatA in H. pylori PG O-acetylation. The PG modification mutant strains (pgdA, patA, or pgdA patA) were more susceptible to lysozyme killing than the parent, but this assay required high lysozyme levels (up to 50 mg/ml). However, addition of host lactoferrin conferred lysozyme sensitivity to H. pylori, at physiologically relevant concentrations of both host components (3 mg/ml lactoferrin plus 0.3 mg/ml lysozyme). The pgdA patA double mutant strain was far more susceptible to lysozyme/lactoferrin killing than the parent. Peptidoglycan purified from a pgdA patA mutant was five times more sensitive to lysozyme than PG from the parent strain, while PG from both single mutants displayed intermediate sensitivity. Both sensitivity assays for whole cells and for purified PGs indicated that the modifications mediated by PgdA and PatA have a synergistic effect, conferring lysozyme tolerance. In a mouse infection model, significant colonization deficiency was observed for the double mutant at 3 weeks postinoculation. The results show that PG modifications affect the survival of a Gram-negative pathogen. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic bacteria evade host antibacterial enzymes by a variety of mechanisms, which include resisting lytic enzymes abundant in the host. Enzymatic modifications to peptidoglycan (PG, the site of action of lysozyme) are a known mechanism used by Gram-positive bacteria to protect against host lysozyme attack. However, Gram-negative bacteria contain a thin layer of PG and a recalcitrant outer membrane permeability barrier to resist lysis, so molecular modifications to cell wall structure in order to combat lysis remain largely unstudied. Here we show that two Helicobacter pylori PG modification enzymes (PgdA and PatA) confer a clear protective advantage to a Gram-negative bacterium. They protect the bacterium from lytic enzyme degradation, albeit via different PG modification activities. Many pathogens are Gram negative, so some would be expected to have a similar cell wall-modifying strategy. Understanding such strategies may be useful for combating pathogen growth.
Switching language switches mind: linguistic effects on developmental neural bases of ‘Theory of Mind’

Theory of mind (ToM)—our ability to predict behaviors of others in terms of their underlying intentions—has been examined through false-belief (FB) tasks. We studied 12 Japanese early bilingual children (8−12 years of age) and 16 late bilingual adults (18−40 years of age) with FB tasks in Japanese [first language (L1)] and English [second language (L2)], using fMRI. Children recruited more brain regions than adults for processing ToM tasks in both languages. Moreover, children showed an overlap in brain activity between the L1 and L2 ToM conditions in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Adults did not show such a convergent activity in the mPFC region, but instead, showed brain activity that varied depending on the language used in the ToM task. The developmental shift from more to less ToM specific brain activity may reflect increasing automatization of ToM processing as people age. These results also suggest that bilinguals recruit different resources to understand ToM depending on the language used in the task, and this difference is greater later in life.
On the Paradox of Cognitive Relativism

Defense du relativisme contre l'objection (que l'A. appelle "paradoxe du relativisme cognitif") selon laquelle le relativisme doit supposer la verite objective de sa position contradictoirement. Aucune circularite n'est impliquee si l'on accepte l'idee d'une verite relative.
A discrete state-space model for linear image processing

The linear time-discrete state-space model is generalized from single-dimensional time to two-dimensional space. The generalization includes extending certain basic known concepts from one to two dimensions. These concepts include the general response formula, state-transition matrix, Cayley-Hamilton theorem, observability, and controllability.
Spectral Element Methods for Transitional Flows in Complex Geometries

We describe the development and implementation of an efficient spectral element code for simulating transitional flows in complex three-dimensional domains. Critical to this effort is the use of geometrically nonconforming elements that allow localized refinement in regions of interest, coupled with a stabilized high-order time-split formulation of the semi-discrete Navier–Stokes equations. Simulations of transition in a model of an arteriovenous graft illustrate the potential of this approach in biomechanical applications.