cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Troglitazone decreases adrenal androgen levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract Objective To determine whether amelioration of insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with the insulin sensitizer troglitazone (TGZ) decreases circulating adrenal androgens (AAs), as reflected by DHEAS levels. Design Prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Setting Multicenter study. Subject(s) Three-hundred five women with PCOS. Intervention(s) Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (PBO; n=73) or TGZ in doses of 150 mg/day (TGZ-150; n=78), 300 mg/day (TGZ-300; n=77), or 600 mg/day (TGZ-600; n=77) for 20 weeks. Blood was sampled before (week 0) and at week 20 of treatment. Main outcome measure(s) DHEAS, insulin, and glucose levels were determined in the blood samples. Result(s) There were no differences in age, body mass, or racial composition among the groups. Our results indicate that basal insulin declined in a dose-related fashion. Likewise, TGZ administration caused a dose-related decrease in DHEAS levels. To detect extreme effects, we subsequently subdivided patients receiving PBO or TGZ-600 into tertiles according to initial DHEAS levels. Patients receiving PBO in the lowest (n = 27) and highest (n = 22) DHEAS tertiles experienced a 16.8% ± 62.0% and a −11.1% ± 17.4% change in DHEAS levels during the study, respectively. Alternatively, patients with PCOS receiving TGZ-600 in both the lowest (n = 29) and the highest (n = 23) DHEAS tertiles experienced a drop in DHEAS levels (−18.7% ± 27.2% and −26.4% ± 17.2%, respectively), a significant difference from PBO. Conclusion(s) In conclusion, improving the insulin resistance–related hyperinsulinemia of PCOS with TGZ results in a decrease in DHEAS levels, regardless of initial DHEAS level. Whether the observed suppression is the direct result of decreased insulin levels or whether it reflects other direct and indirect effects of TGZ remains to be determined.
The effects of size of conflict and sex of experimenter upon interpersonal bargaining

Abstract This study investigated the effects of two variables upon interpersonal bargaining: (1) the size of the conflict confronting the Ss (manipulated by varying the length of a one-lane path through which both Ss of a pair had to pass in order to reach their destinations) and (2) the sex of the experimenter (half of the Ss were run by a male and the other half by a female). Measures such as mean joint payoff, frequency of maximum losses, and frequency of mutually positive outcomes indicated that as conflict size increased, bargainers had more difficulty in reaching a mutually beneficial solution. Also, male Ss run by female E were more competitive than those run by a male E.
Effect of bombesin on behaviors associated with ethanol satiation and blood ethanol levels

Abstract The behavioral specificity and physiological significance of bombesin-induced inhibition of ethanol intake were assessed in water-deprived rats. The behavioral display accompanying suppression of 5% ethanol intake by bombesin tetradecapeptide (BBS-14, 1–4 μg/kg) was measured with an instantaneous time-sampling technique. Blood ethanol levels were measured after peripheral BBS-14 and bombesin nonapeptide (BBS-9) administration, and after either oral self-administration or peripheral injection of ethanol. The display accompanying BBS-14-reduced ethanol consumption differed from control in that less drinking and feeding behaviors were observed and resting increased, dose-dependently. The typical behavioral sequence of ethanol satiation was observed in all conditions. Both BBS-14 and -9 reduced blood ethanol levels when oral intake was suppressed, and BBS-14 did not affect blood ethanol levels or elimination rate when ethanol was injected. The results are compatible with an hypothesis of a functional role for endogenous bombesin-like peptides and receptors in a neuropeptide control of ethanol intake and energy balance.
Hazard identification for equipment-related fatal incidents in the U.S. underground coal mining

Based on the number of fatalities per year, a persistent area of concern in mine safety continues to be equipment related. Data from the period 1995 through 2007 were studied in order to identify major hazards for underground mining equipment-related fatal incidents and to perform an analysis of those that occurred over the last 13 years. Reports on equipment-related fatal incidents were obtained from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The results show that underground mining equipment including continuous miner, shuttle car, roof bolter, load-haul-dump (LHD), longwall and hoisting contributed to a total of 69 mining-related fatalities. The study reveals that the major hazard for continuous mining equipment-related fatal incidents is “Failure of victim to respect equipment working area”, while the highest number of fatalities for shuttle car is attributed to the hazard “Failure of mechanical components.” The study further reveals that the highest number of fatalities for roof bolter, LHD, and longwall are attributed to the hazards “Working under unsupported roof”, “Failure of management to provide safe working conditions”, and “Failure of mechanical components”, respectively. It is determined that one fatality for the hoisting system is attributed to the hazard “Failure of mechanical components” and one to the hazard “Failure to follow safe maintenance procedure”. Finally, approaches to prevention were also discussed in this paper.
Age-Associated Changes in Bovine Muscle Connective Tissue. III. Rate of Solubilization at 100°Ca

SUMMARY The rate of solubilization of insoluble connective-tissue residues obtained from the loose connective-tissue network within bovine biceps femoris muscle was studied in phosphate-buffered (pH 7.0) aqueous medium at 100°C. Eleven animals from four age groups were used: Group I, three veal calves, 40–49 days old; Group II, three steers, 403–495 days old; Group III, three cows, 4 years, 8 months to 5 years, 5 months old; Group IV, two cows, 10 years, 2 months and 10 years, 5 months old. The conditions under which the samples were heated resulted in the solubilization of 95–100% of the hydroxyproline and 72–94% of the protein in the samples within 240 min. The release of soluble protein and soluble hydroxyproline indicated that collagen from the younger animals was solubilized (i.e. converted to gelatin) much more rapidly than collagen from the older animals. The low hydroxyproline content of the soluble protein released from the Group I samples was discussed, and it was suggested that these samples contained some reticulin. The average molecular weight of the soluble protein decreased with increasing age. The findings were discussed with relation to the results reported in two previous papers and the extent and strength of cross-linkages in collagen from animals of different ages. It was suggested that the number and strength of cross-linkages in collagen may play an important role in meat tenderness.
The metallochromic indicator dye Arsenazo III forms 1: 1 complexes with caffeine

Abstract The metallochromic indicator dye, Arsenazo III, forms a 1:1 complex with caffeine, a methylxanthine. Binding is accompanied by a wavelength-dependent shift in the absorption spectrum of the dye. The magnitude of the absorption change is significant at wavelengths typically used to monitor intracellular calcium ion. The equilibrium constant for the caffeine-dye reaction is approx. 20 mM. The complex has a differential molar extinction coefficient of −5.05 · 103 M−1 · cm−1 at 630 nm.
In-situ Casing Consolidation by Electrokinetic and Electrochemical Methods

Companies drilling in the unconsolidated sea-floor mud and shallow over-pressurized zones of the Gulf of Mexico are encountering cement wash-out problems while setting the initial structural casing (0-300 ft depth). Jet-drilled casings can fail due to insufficient frictional bearing capacity. This paper presents a method of increasing the bearing capacity of a jet-drilled (or pile-driven) casing in-situ by applying a potential difference such that the casing is anodic compared to a remote cathode. It has been shown experimentally that clayey formations will swell and stick to a simulated anodic casing by the combined electrokinetic processes of electroosmosis and electrophoresis. Any cavities around the casing are eliminated and the formation is flush against the metal surface, increasing bearing capacity. The formation around the casing dries out due to electroosmotic migration of water away from the anode and shear strengh is further increased. Increases of 50% to 1000% in shear strength and bearing capacity were achieved in a matter of hours in the laboratory, depending on the type and water content of the surrounding soil formation. In addition, it was found that there exists an optimum level of electrical treatment for each formation type, beyond which the shear strength begins to degrade. The process has a modest power requirement and is not expected to cause safety or environmental problems.
Electromagnetic tracking in the clinical environment

When choosing an electromagnetic tracking system (EMTS) for image-guided procedures several factors must be taken into consideration. Among others these include the system’s refresh rate, the number of sensors that need to be tracked, the size of the navigated region, the system interaction with the environment, whether the sensors can be embedded into the tools and provide the desired transformation data, and tracking accuracy and robustness. To date, the only factors that have been studied extensively are the accuracy and the susceptibility of EMTSs to distortions caused by ferromagnetic materials. In this paper the authors shift the focus from analysis of system accuracy and stability to the broader set of factors influencing the utility of EMTS in the clinical environment. The authors provide an analysis based on all of the factors specified above, as assessed in three clinical environments. They evaluate two commercial tracking systems, the Aurora system from Northern Digital Inc., and the 3D Guidance system with three different field generators from Ascension Technology Corp. The authors show that these systems are applicable to specific procedures and specific environments, but that currently, no single system configuration provides a comprehensive solution across procedures and environments.
The consequences of hierarchy for modeling in forest ecosystems

An overview of forest ecosystem models in the context of hierarchies is presented, considering spatiophysical, mechanistic, temporal, usage, and range resolutions. We argue that models of forest ec...
Well-posedness, bornologies, and the structure of metric spaces

Given a continuous nonnegative functional λ that makes sense defined on an arbitrary metric space (X, d), one may consider those spaces in which each sequence (xn) for which lim n→∞λ(xn) = 0 clusters. The compact metric spaces, the complete metric spaces, the cofinally complete metric spaces, and the UC-spaces all arise in this way. Starting with a general continuous nonnegative functional λ defined on (X, d), we study the bornology Bλ of all subsets A of X on which limn→∞λ(an) = 0 ⇒ (an) clusters, treating the possibility X ∈ Bλ as a special case. We characterize those bornologies that can be expressed as Bλ for some λ, as well as those that can be so induced by a uniformly continuous λ.
Growth factor regulation of cyclin D1 mRNA expression through protein synthesis-dependent and -independent mechanisms

Overexpression of the cyclin D1/PRAD1 oncogene has been observed in a number of tumorigenic cell lines, suggesting that regulation of D1 expression may represent an important step in the control of cellular proliferation. We have examined the mRNA expression of cyclin D1, as well as two related D-type cyclins, D2 and D3, in response to defined growth factors that control the growth of Balb/c-3T3 fibroblasts. Transcripts for all three D-type cyclins were expressed during the G1 phase of the Balb cell cycle, however only D1 and D3 exhibited periodic induction. Although redundantly expressed, message levels of cyclin D1 and D3 were differentially regulated in regard to kinetics of induction; a modest increase in D3 mRNA was detected near the G1/S boundary, 12 h after serum stimulation of quiescent cells, while abundance of D1 transcript increased 20 to 30-fold, peaking 6 h after addition of serum. Factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) that induce competence formation in Balb cells, increased D1 message and protein levels to the same extent as serum but did not affect expression of cyclin D3 and did not stimulate entry into S phase. Progression factors contained within platelet-poor plasma stimulated D1 expression only weakly but acted synergistically with low concentrations of PDGF to increase D1 mRNA to maximum levels. Depletion of protein kinase C severely reduced the ability of PDGF and serum to induce D1 mRNA. PDGF- and serum-mediated elevation of steady-state D1 message levels was in part because of a transcriptional activation of the D1 gene that was independent of protein synthesis. However, protein synthesis was required 3-4 h after serum stimulation for the shut down of D1 transcription leading to the normal decline in message levels after peak induction. Our results indicate that overexpression of cyclin D1 message may result from a disruption of negative regulatory events that repress D1 transcription.
Intrinsic stability of temporally shifted spike-timing dependent plasticity.

Spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP), a widespread synaptic modification mechanism, is sensitive to correlations between presynaptic spike trains and it generates competition among synapses. However, STDP has an inherent instability because strong synapses are more likely to be strengthened than weak ones, causing them to grow in strength until some biophysical limit is reached. Through simulations and analytic calculations, we show that a small temporal shift in the STDP window that causes synchronous, or nearly synchronous, pre- and postsynaptic action potentials to induce long-term depression can stabilize synaptic strengths. Shifted STDP also stabilizes the postsynaptic firing rate and can implement both Hebbian and anti-Hebbian forms of competitive synaptic plasticity. Interestingly, the overall level of inhibition determines whether plasticity is Hebbian or anti-Hebbian. Even a random symmetric jitter of a few milliseconds in the STDP window can stabilize synaptic strengths while retaining these features. The same results hold for a shifted version of the more recent “triplet” model of STDP. Our results indicate that the detailed shape of the STDP window function near the transition from depression to potentiation is of the utmost importance in determining the consequences of STDP, suggesting that this region warrants further experimental study.
Preserving visual information in low resolution images during navigation of visually impaired

This paper presents several important issues related with the preservation and analysis of important image information needed by a visually impaired individual for safe navigation in an indoor environment. The image information is provided to a visually impaired individual, via a 2D Vibration Array (VA), which is part of the Tyflos navigation system and is attached on the individual's abdomen. The system is also consisted of two micro-cameras (hidden in a pair of dark glasses), headphone, microphone and a portable computer. The cameras capture video from the 3D surrounding environment and after stereo vision processing 3D representations are created. These representations are projected on the VA whose 4x4 vibration elements vibrate in various levels corresponding to the distances of the surrounding objects. During this projection appropriate high-to-low resolution algorithms are used in order to make the image mapping onto the VA.
The Social Aspect of Huron Property

OWNERSHIP patterns found among the cultures of the world have interested anthropologists almost as long as there has been a science of that name. However, most students have confined their attention to certain traditional questions, particularly the size and composition of the group in physical possession of land, capital goods, and items of personal use. This is not an adequate conception of the problem since not only the form of ownership patterns, but their interrelationships with other aspects of the culture, have been found to vary markedly between different societies. A full understanding of the institution of property therefore requires an investigation of the social setting in which it functions, or what Hallowell has called the "social aspect of property" (Hallowell 1955:238). The ownership rights of individuals or groups can be encompassed within the socially recognized power to acquire, use, dispose of, or destroy property. In no known instance is an owner given completely free rein in the exercise of these rights. There are usually numerous customs, not all directly related to legal ownership, which limit and direct the owner's behavior and determine his attitudes with respect to property. In other words, ownership in the social sense can best be understood as a more or less interrelated collection of culturally prescribed rights, duties, and beliefs concerning property.2 A systematic review of the material on the seventeenth-century Huron acquisition, use, and disposal of food and certain of the goods circulating in the fur trade (particularly wampum, furs, and small items of French manufacture) reveals an integration of these activities with aspects of culture not generally discussed in connection with property relationships in the anthropological literature. The resulting analysis is presented below to illustrate by a concrete example the manner in which such interrelationships may operate, and to suggest their broader applications in the study of property rights. Following an introductory discussion of Huron trade, the material is organized by the types of occasion on which substantial transfers of ownership took place-informal gift-giving, formal presentations, curing and burial ceremonies, theft, and gambling. In addition, two factors motivating the disposition of property, the sense of communal responsibility and the importance of generous gift-giving in determining social status and power, are discussed separately. HURON TRADE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
A Lambert W function approach for decay function estimation in linear time delay systems

The estimation of the decay function (i.e. Keαt Φ) for time delay systems has been a long-standing problem. Most existing methods focus on dominant decay rate estimation based on either matrix measure/norm or Lyapunov function approaches and lead to conservative estimation. A new Lambert W function based approach for estimation of the decay function for time delay systems is presented. Using the proposed approach, the optimal decay rate and an estimate of the corresponding factor K can be obtained. Less conservative estimates of the decay function can lead to more accurate description of the exponential behavior of time delay systems, and more effective control design based on those results. The method is illustrated with a numerical example, and results compare favorably to other methods for decay function estimation.
The role of socially prescribed perfectionism in the link between perceived racial discrimination and African American adolescents' depressive symptoms.

Research examining the social origins of perfectionism has focused on negative evaluative experiences in the family, with less attention to negative social evaluations in other contexts and situations relevant for African American adolescents. The experience of racial discrimination is common for African American youth, and may trigger maladaptive perfectionistic beliefs if the youth perceive that they do not meet others’ standards (socially prescribed perfectionism) or internalize discriminatory messages. Thus, the present study examined longitudinal associations among racial discrimination, socially prescribed perfectionism, and depressive symptoms among a community sample of urban and predominantly low income African American adolescents (n = 492; 46.7 % female). In each of grades 7, 8 and 9, participants reported their experiences with racial discrimination, perfectionistic beliefs, and depressive symptoms. Analyses revealed that experiences with racial discrimination in grade 7 were associated with socially prescribed perfectionism in grade 8 which, in turn, was linked with depressive symptoms in grade 9. Results suggest that prospective associations between the experience of racial discrimination and depressive symptoms are due, in part, to increased socially prescribed perfectionism. Implications for interventions targeting depression in African American are discussed.
Drifter: An Exploration into a Classical Criminological Construct

Multiple criminological perspectives have focused on drifters—individuals who travel about without concrete plans for housing or gainful employment. Drawing on data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), the current study provides a large-scale epidemiological investigation of drifters. Logistic regression and latent class analyses revealed evidence of 1) normative, 2) psychologically distressed, and 3) comorbid antisocial drifters. Normative drifters differ from the general population by their alcohol and drug abuse and somewhat elevated antisocial behavior. Psychologically distressed drifters were predominately female, involved in domestic violence, were at highest odds of being diagnosed with a mental health disorder, and were characterized by poor health and disability. Finally, comorbid antisocial drifters were substantially more likely to be engaged in all forms of violent and non-violent antisocial behavior, substance abuse, and were the most dangerous. Implications for theory and research are discussed.
Estimation of Iddq for early chip and technology design decisions

Quiescent chip current (Iddq) has been known for many years, but its role has changed in just the past few years from a valuable means to screen for reliability to a demon threatening to derail the industry's phenomenal march of VLSI performance advances. Iddq originates with a phenomenon that is well-understood at the level of an individual transistor. However, at the chip level, both inter-chip and intra-chip process skew introduce wide and unexpected variation in Iddq. Despite these effects, meaningful predictions of Iddq can still be made at different points in the chip design cycle.
Hydrological controls on chemical weathering rates at the soil-bedrock interface

Chemical weathering of bedrock is critical to maintaining terrestrial life, and climate, typically as manifested by precipitation, is often identified as having a first-order control on rates of chemical weathering. The ability of precipitation to dissolve rock, however, is modulated by the properties of the overlying soil that influence the contact time between water and minerals. Flume experiments were conducted to investigate the hydrological controls on rates of chemical weathering. Solute concentrations of runoff flowing across synthetic bedrock overlain by nonreactive pseudosoils of differing hydraulic conductivities were measured to examine the role of seepage velocity in influencing weathering rates on steep slopes. The results suggest that, where weathering is not limited by the supply of fresh minerals, weathering rates should increase with decreasing hydraulic conductivity. In addition, a mathematical relationship between hydraulic conductivity and chemical weathering on hillslopes is introduced to explore the hydrological controls on feldspar and calcite dissolution rates. The mathematical model supports the results from the experiments.
Involvement of Domain 3 in Oligomerization by the Protective Antigen Moiety of Anthrax Toxin

Protective antigen (PA), a component of anthrax toxin, binds receptors on mammalian cells and is activated by a cell surface protease. The resulting active fragment, PA63, forms ring-shaped heptamers, binds the enzymic moieties of the toxin, and translocates them to the cytosol. Of the four crystallographic domains of PA, domain 1 has been implicated in binding the enzymic moieties; domain 2 is involved in membrane insertion and oligomerization; and domain 4 binds receptor. To determine the function of domain 3, we developed a screen that allowed us to isolate random mutations that cause defects in the activity of PA. We identified several mutations in domain 3 that affect monomer-monomer interactions in the PA63 heptamer, indicating that this may be the primary function of this domain.
Double-Blind, Randomized Trial Comparing the Efficacy and Tolerability of Fulvestrant Versus Anastrozole in Postmenopausal Women With Advanced Breast Cancer Progressing on Prior Endocrine Therapy: Results of a North American Trial

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of fulvestrant (formerly ICI 182,780) with anastrozole in the treatment of advanced breast cancer in patients whose disease progresses on prior endocrine treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group study, postmenopausal patients were randomized to receive either an intramuscular injection of fulvestrant 250 mg once monthly or a daily oral dose of anastrozole 1 mg. The primary end point was time to progression (TTP). Secondary end points included objective response (OR) rate, duration of response (DOR), and tolerability. RESULTS: Patients (n = 400) were followed for a median period of 16.8 months. Fulvestrant was as effective as anastrozole in terms of TTP (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95.14% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 1.14; P = .43); median TTP was 5.4 months with fulvestrant and 3.4 months with anastrozole. OR rates were 17.5% with both treatments. Clinical benefit rates (complete response + partial response + stable ...
Toward noninvasive 3-D imaging of the time course of cortical activity: investigation of the depth of the event-related optical signal.

The event-related optical signal (EROS) has been recently proposed as a method for studying noninvasively the time course of activity in localized cortical areas (G. Gratton and M. Fabiani, 1998, Psychonomic Bull. Rev. 5: 535-563). Previous data have shown that EROS has very good temporal resolution and can provide detailed surface activity maps. In the present study we investigated whether the depth of the active area can also be estimated. Nine subjects were run in a study in which the eccentricity of the visual stimuli was varied, and EROS was recorded from medial occipital areas using multiple source-detector distances. Seven of the same subjects were also run through a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study using the same protocol. The fMRI data indicated that the depth from the head surface to the cortical area activated increased systematically with the eccentricity of the visual stimuli. The EROS recording indicated a response with a latency of 60-80 ms from stimulation. This response varied systematically with eccentricity, so that the greater the eccentricity of the stimuli, the longer the source-detector distance (and thus the depth) at which the EROS effect was observed. The depth of the brain area generating the EROS effect was estimated using a simple algorithm derived from phantom studies on homogeneous media. The average depth estimates for each eccentricity condition obtained with EROS corresponded with those obtained with fMRI, with discrepancies of less than 1 mm. These data demonstrate that multiple source-detector distances can be used to estimate the depth of the cortical areas responsible for the EROS effects.
CommGuard: Mitigating Communication Errors in Error-Prone Parallel Execution

As semiconductor technology scales towards ever-smaller transistor sizes, hardware fault rates are increasing. Since important application classes (e.g., multimedia, streaming workloads) are data-error-tolerant, recent research has proposed techniques that seek to save energy or improve yield by exploiting error tolerance at the architecture/microarchitecture level. Even seemingly error-tolerant applications, however, will crash or hang due to control-flow/memory addressing errors. In parallel computation, errors involving inter-thread communication can have equally catastrophic effects. Our work explores techniques that mitigate the impact of potentially catastrophic errors in parallel computation, while still garnering power, cost, or yield benefits from data error tolerance. Our proposed CommGuard solution uses FSM-based checkers to pad and discard data in order to maintain semantic alignment between program control flow and the data communicated between processors. CommGuard techniques are low overhead and they exploit application information already provided by some parallel programming languages (e.g. StreamIt). By converting potentially catastrophic communication errors into potentially tolerable data errors, CommGuard allows important streaming applications like JPEG and MP3 decoding to execute without crashing and to sustain good output quality, even for errors as frequent as every 500μs.
Fracture of the lateral process of the talus associated with snowboarding

Snowboarding is one of the fastest-growing winter sports and is associated with a relatively high rate of ankle injuries. Presented is a patient who, after falling while snowboarding, complained of lateral ankle pain and was misdiagnosed with an ankle sprain. Further workup revealed a lateral process of the talus fracture, an injury that is rare outside of snowboarding. A lateral process of the talus fracture should be suspected when there is a history of inversion with dorsiflexion and there is tenderness over the lateral process of the talus. Results of plain films are negative up to 40% of the time, and therefore a computed tomographic scan is the imaging modality of choice. Treatment includes immobilization and not bearing weight for 4 to 6 weeks for nondisplaced fractures or open reduction and fixation for displaced fractures. Up to two thirds of patients with lateral process of the talus fractures report chronic pain. Early recognition may decrease this relatively high rate of morbidity.
Theory and measurement of the electron cloud effect

Photoelectrons produced through the interaction of synchrotron radiation and the vacuum chamber walls can be accelerated by a charged particle beam, acquiring sufficient energy to produce secondary electrons (SEs) in collisions with the walls. If the secondary-electron yield (SEY) coefficient of the wall material is greater than one, a runaway condition can develop. In addition to the SEY, the degree of amplification depends on the beam intensity and temporal distribution. As the electron cloud builds up along a train of stored bunches, a transverse perturbation of the head bunch can be communicated to trailing bunches in a wakefield-like interaction with the cloud. The electron cloud effect is especially of concern for the high-intensity PEP-II (SLAC) and KEK B-factories and at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. An initiative was undertaken at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) storage ring to characterize the electron cloud in order to provide realistic limits on critical input parameters in the models and improve their predictive capabilities. An intensive research program was undertaken at CERN to address key issues relating to the LHC. After giving an overview, the recent theoretical and experimental results from the APS and the other laboratories are discussed.
System Support for Efficient Dynamically-Configurable Multi-Party Interactive Multimedia Applications

An important new class of communication-oriented applications are described as multi-party interactive multimedia applications. In this paper, we examine the programming abstractions, system support and communication services required by these applications; evaluate existing support; and propose strategies for improving support by combining current systems with new designs. We have taken a holistic approach to this problem by considering the local system and communication architecture together in deciding where to implement each service, and in designing interfaces between components.
Assessing the clinical utility of in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 serodiscordant couples: report of 113 consecutive cycles.

Abstract Objective To assess the utility and safety of in vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) serodiscordant couples. Design Retrospective study. Setting University-based practice. Patient(s) HIV-1 seropositive men and seronegative women undergoing IVF-ICSI. Intervention(s) IVF-ICSI, HIV testing of female partner and infants. Main outcome measure(s) IVF performance, pregnancy rates, and HIV-1 seroconversion rate. Result(s) We initiated 113 IVF cycles in 61 serodiscordant couples. Due to poor ovarian response, 11.5% of cycles were canceled. The number of oocytes collected per retrieval was 17.11 ± 9.52 (2 to 47), yielding 13.90 ± 8.12 (1 to 42) mature oocytes suitable for ICSI, and 9.34 ± 5.45 (0 to 24) normal fertilized oocytes. We transferred 3.54 ± 1.09 (1 to 6) embryos. The overall clinical pregnancy rate was 44.8% per embryo transfer (ET); ongoing/delivered pregnancy rate was 36.5% per ET, with a 57.1% multiple gestation rate. Cumulatively, 50.8% of couples achieved a successful pregnancy through IVF-ICSI, 54.1% when including frozen ET cycles. There were no HIV-1 seroconversions in patients or delivered babies. Conclusion(s) HIV-1 serodiscordant couples who undergo IVF-ICSI to avoid disease transmission experience high rates of success, but also encounter complications from assisted reproductive technology similar to traditional patients. The best candidates appear to be younger women without strong risk factors for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
The White Girl’s Burden:

Sociologist Amy C. Finnegan provides a critical analysis of the movement behind the Kony 2012 campaign and how this unique form of activism coalesces with the biographies of the activists, who are ...
Toward a model-based Bayesian theory for estimating and recognizing parameterized 3-D objects using two or more images taken from different positions

A parametric modeling and statistical estimation approach is proposed and simulation data are shown for estimating 3-D object surfaces from images taken by calibrated cameras in two positions. The parameter estimation suggested is gradient descent, though other search strategies are also possible. Processing image data in blocks (windows) is central to the approach. After objects are modeled as patches of spheres, cylinders, planes and general quadrics-primitive objects, the estimation proceeds by searching in parameter space to simultaneously determine and use the appropriate pair of image regions, one from each image, and to use these for estimating a 3-D surface patch. The expression for the joint likelihood of the two images is derived and it is shown that the algorithm is a maximum-likelihood parameter estimator. A concept arising in the maximum likelihood estimation of 3-D surfaces is modeled and estimated. Cramer-Rao lower bounds are derived for the covariance matrices for the errors in estimating the a priori unknown object surface shape parameters. >
A Centralized Control Algorithm for Target Tracking with UAVs

Due to their wide range of practical applications, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) have recently attracted consid- erable attention in the research community. In this paper, we focus on their use in a simple target tracking application, and take advantage of their maneuverability to improve tracking performance. A centralized control point is used to command the headings of the UAVs in order to minimize a target localization criterion based on the Kalman filter. A practical model for the system's architecture is presented, along with simulation results that show the algorithm significantly improves estimation of the target's parameters compared with the uncontrolled system. target's position and velocity. The base then gives heading commands to each UAV in order to minimize some function of the EKF error, and hence more accurately track the target. In effect, the maneuverability of the UAVs provide the base with an EKF whose parameters are tunable to minimize the target state estimation error. Our approach can be considered to be a special but more tractable case of the sensor management
Aging and the biophysical properties of cell membranes.

Abstract Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to examine the biophysical characteristics of human platelet membranes as a function of subject age. The structural order of membrane lipid domains was determined with the use of 1,6 - diphenyl - 1,3,5 - hexatriene (DPH), a fluorescent probe that preferentially localizes in the hydrocarbon core of synthetic and biological membranes. Over the age range of subjects examined (17 to 86 years) the structural order of platelet membranes, as reflected by the steady-state fluorescence polarization of DPH, increased substantially. The magnitude of the observed increase in membrane structural order is sufficient to affect membrane-related cell functions including platelet aggregation. A major contributor to the increase in structural order of platelet membranes may have been an increase in the concentration of cholesterol in serum and tissue with age. The changes observed here in platelet membranes may be a general phenomenon of aging, as changes of similar type and magnitude have been observed in lymphocyte membranes and brain with age in order studies.
Polarization-preserving single-layer-coated beam displacers and axicons.

A design procedure is described to determine the thicknesses of single-layer coatings of a given dielectric on a given metallic substrate so that any input polarization of light is preserved after two reflections at the same angle of incidence from a parallel-mirror beam displacer or an axicon. This is achieved by equalizing the net complex p and s reflection coefficients (also called the radial and azimuthal eigenvalues of an axicon) after two reflections. The net polarization-independent reflectance (insertion loss) of the device is computed and found to exceed the net minimum parallel reflectance of the uncoated device for incidence above a certain angle. Thus the dielectric films serve (1) protective, (2) polarization-corrective, and (3) reflectance-enhancement functions simultaneously. The sensitivity of the designs (deviation from the condition of polarization preservation) to small film-thickness and angle-of-incidence errors is examined. Results are presented graphically and in tables of applications of the method to beam displacers and axicons for He–Ne laser light, λ = 0.6328 μm, using Al2O3 (or Si2O3)/Al and MgF2/Al film–substrate systems, and for CO2 laser light, λ = 10.6 μm, using ZnS or ThF4 films on an Ag substrate.
Development and implementation of optimization algorithm for small computers: Prototype simulation and animation on small computers

Prototyping is the rapid development of solutions or mock solutions to a problem through high level techniques. General purpose spreadsheet software packages can be used effectively for this purpose and can, in addition, provide the user with animations of prospective solutions. In this paper we discuss the development and analysis of backup methods for preserving logical data in a distributed database system, using these methods. The specific database system which this research focuses on is an Advanced Tactical Battle Management Database System to support command and control in the future. The following discussion describes the environment in which this database system will operate.
A Cultural Turn: Reflections on Recent Historical and Legal Writing on the Second Amendment

Critically reviews selected recent legal and historical scholarship on the Second Amendment.
Electrodispersion for supercritical CO2-water phase contact

Supercritical carbon dioxide is a preferred solvent substitute in the chemical process industries, but processing that requires contact between CO 2 and an aqueous phase has been hindered by the inefficient phase contact and high capital cost of conventional contactors. We examine the phase-contact performance of an electrodispersion contactor in this service. We have dispersed droplets of aqueous phases into supercritical CO 2 using pulsed, high-intensity electric fields. Using small-angle laser light scattering, we characterized the mean droplet size as a function of operating conditions (liquid flow rate, field strength, frequency, temperature, and pressure) and observed operating regions that yield submicron-sized droplets. The effects of temperature and pressure on droplet size were correlated with the interfacial tension. Then, using the extraction of ethanol from a water-ethanol solution as a test system, we attempted to characterized mass transfer performance, but under maximum CO 2 flow rate conditions of the downstream liquid condensers, mass transfer was equilibrium-limited in all cases. Because of the small droplet size and high interfacial area, the electrodispersion contactor offers the potential for achieving excellent mass transfer performance. The submicron-sized droplets were efficiently coalesced electrostatically, and negligible entrainment was observed. We anticipate that initial commercial applications might arise in the processing of small volumes of high-value substances in aqueous media such as might be found, for instance, in the pharmaceutical industry.
Phase II clinical trial of pasireotide long-acting repeatable in patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors

Pasireotide long-acting repeatable (LAR) is a novel somatostatin analog (SSA) with avid binding affinity to somatostatin receptor subtypes 1, 2, 3 (SSTR1,2,3) and 5 (SSTR5). Results from preclinical studies indicate that pasireotide can inhibit neuroendocrine tumor (NET) growth more robustly than octreotide in vitro. This open-label, phase II study assessed the clinical activity of pasireotide in treatment-naive patients with metastatic grade 1 or 2 NETs. Patients with metastatic pancreatic and extra-pancreatic NETs were treated with pasireotide LAR (60 mg every 4 weeks). Previous systemic therapy, including octreotide and lanreotide, was not permitted. Tumor assessments were performed every 3 months using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), overall radiographic response rate (ORR), and safety. Twenty-nine patients were treated with pasireotide LAR (60 mg every 4 weeks) and 28 were evaluable for response. The median PFS was 11 months. The most favorable effect was observed in patients with low hepatic tumor burden, normal baseline chromogranin A, and high tumoral SSTR5 expression. Median OS has not been reached; the 30-month OS rate was 70%. The best radiographic response was partial response in one patient (4%), stable disease in 17 patients (60%), and progressive disease in ten patients (36%). Although grade 3/4 toxicities were rare, pasireotide LAR treatment was associated with a 79% rate of hyperglycemia including 14% grade 3 hyperglycemia. Although pasireotide appears to be an effective antiproliferative agent in the treatment of advanced NETs, the high incidence of hyperglycemia raises concerns regarding its suitability as a first-line systemic agent in unselected patients. SSTR5 expression is a potentially predictive biomarker for response.
January Morning: An Autoethnographic Poem.

January morning:the sound of birdsas cars pass by—enjoying timewithoutmy smartphone,I cultivateawarenessof the naturalworld.Following autoethnographic poet Mary Weems (2013), I assert that my life ...
Effects of early life stress on amygdala and striatal development

Species-expected caregiving early in life is critical for the normative development and regulation of emotional behavior, the ability to effectively evaluate affective stimuli in the environment, and the ability to sustain social relationships. Severe psychosocial stressors early in life (early life stress; ELS) in the form of the absence of species expected caregiving (i.e., caregiver deprivation), can drastically impact one's social and emotional success, leading to the onset of internalizing illness later in life. Development of the amygdala and striatum, two key regions supporting affective valuation and learning, is significantly affected by ELS, and their altered developmental trajectories have important implications for cognitive, behavioral and socioemotional development. However, an understanding of the impact of ELS on the development of functional interactions between these regions and subsequent behavioral effects is lacking. In this review, we highlight the roles of the amygdala and striatum in affective valuation and learning in maturity and across development. We discuss their function separately as well as their interaction. We highlight evidence across species characterizing how ELS induced changes in the development of the amygdala and striatum mediate subsequent behavioral changes associated with internalizing illness, positing a particular import of the effect of ELS on their interaction.
Physical Restraint Techniques and Immobilization Equipment

The art of safe and effective restraint of non-domestic patients can aid in their management and facilitate their health care delivery. This article discusses some of the strategies and basic equipment required in handling these unique patients more commonly seen by veterinary practitioners. These restraint procedures may offer an alternative to anesthesia for minor, less stressful procedures that do not involve pain.
AORTIC REGURGITATION : IDENTIFYING AND TREATING ACUTE AND CHRONIC DISEASE

Aortic regurgitation is a serious disorder that can challenge the best clinicians in terms of both diagnosis and management. The chronic form requires valve replacement when patients have symptoms or show evidence of left ventricular dysfunction. The acute form requires urgent aortic valve replacement. In all cases, medical management is only a temporizing procedure that can potentially mask the progression of left ventricular dysfunction. Endocarditis prophylaxis for indicated procedures is mandatory for all patients.
Transmural metabolic heterogeneity at high cardiac work states.

This study compared the transmural distribution of high-energy phosphate (HEP) depletion during oxidative stress induced by pacing- and dobutamine-induced tachycardia in myocardium perfused by a fl...
Global Military Revolutions

The premise that a Military Revolution impelled European powers into an era of global hegemony during the Early Modern period is not supported by contemporary events. The conquest of Mexico and Peru, the two most important colonial acquisitions by a European state during that era, were accomplished without the application of the technology or tactics that are usually associated with the Military Revolution. On the other hand, Japan, Korea, some Indian states, and the Ottoman Empire implemented military reforms, both tactical and technological, that are commonly associated with what was considered an exclusively Western approach to warfare.
The Times of Francis Galton

Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet (22 February 1796–17 February 1874) was a contemporary of Gauss who also directed an observatory, in Brussels, Belgium, 300 miles to the west of Gottingen. Born in Ghent, then part of Napoleon’s French Republic, to a city agent, Francois-Augustin-Jacques-Henri Quetelet, and Anne Francoise Vandervelde, Adolphe lost his father when he was only seven years old. He channeled that loss into his studies.