cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reliable immobility and activity enhancement are produced by a fear CS

Extinction test presentations of a CS previously paired with shock produced initial immobility, which quickly yielded to activity enhancement when these comparisons were made with either a pre-CS activity measure or the activity of a nonshocked control. An explanatory model with two activity modifying factors was proposed.
Application of silica-based hyper-crosslinked sulfonate-modified reversed stationary phases for separating highly hydrophilic basic compounds

The separation and determination of hydrophilic basic compounds are of great importance in many fields including clinical and biological research, pharmaceutical development and forensic analysis. However, the most widely used analytical separation technique in these disciplines, reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), usually does not provide sufficient retention for several important classes of highly hydrophilic basic compounds including catecholamines, many drug metabolites and many drugs of abuse. Commonly eluents having little or no organic modifier and/or strong ion pairing agents must be used to achieve sufficient retention and separation. Use of highly aqueous eluents can lead to column failure by dewetting, resulting in poor retention, low selectivity and irreproducibility and slow recovery of performance. The use of a strong ion pairing agent to increase retention renders the separation incompatible with mass spectrometric detection and complicates preparative separations. This paper describes the successful applications of a novel type of silica-based, hyper-crosslinked, sulfonate-modified reversed stationary phase, denoted as (-)SO(3)-HC-C(8)-L, for the separation of highly hydrophilic cations and related compounds by a hydrophobically assisted cation-exchange mechanism. Compared to conventional reversed-phases, the (-)SO(3)-HC-C(8)-L phase showed significantly improved retention and separation selectivity for hydrophilic amines. Concurrently, due to the presence of both cation-exchange and reversed-phase retention mechanisms and the high acid stability of hyper-crosslinked phases, the separation can be optimized by changing the type or concentration of ionic additive or organic modifier, and by varying the column temperature. In addition, gradients generated by programming the concentration of either the ionic additive or the organic modifier can be applied to reduce the analysis time without compromising resolution. Furthermore, remarkably different chromatographic selectivities, especially toward cationic solutes, were observed upon comparing the (-)SO(3)-HC-C(8)-L phase with conventional reversed-phases. We believe that the combination of these two types of stationary phases will be very useful in two-dimensional liquid chromatography.
Processors for wavelet analysis and synthesis: NIFS and TI-C80 MVP

Two processors are considered for image quadrature mirror filtering (QMF). The neuromorphic infrared focal-plane sensor (NIFS) is an existing prototype analog processor offering high speed spatio-temporal Gaussian filtering, which could be used for the QMF low- pass function, and difference of Gaussian filtering, which could be used for the QMF high- pass function. Although not designed specifically for wavelet analysis, the biologically- inspired system accomplishes the most computationally intensive part of QMF processing. The Texas Instruments (TI) TMS320C80 Multimedia Video Processor (MVP) is a 32-bit RISC master processor with four advanced digital signal processors (DSPs) on a single chip. Algorithm partitioning, memory management and other issues are considered for optimal performance. This paper presents these considerations with simulated results leading to processor implementation of high-speed QMF analysis and synthesis.
Adoption of assistive technology for computer access among college students with disabilities.

Purpose : Fourteen college students with disabilities identified factors that influenced them to adopt or reject Assistive Technology (AT) for the personal computer in order to assess the effectiveness of a college course on adapted computer use. Method : Forty-eight items were developed for a Q sort to represent both positive and negative statements in each of the three areas of Scherer's 1 model (milieu, person and technology). The model was modified to include specific statements about the training experience. A series of three interviews were administered to the students during the year following completion of the class. Results : Factor analysis of the Q sorts indicated that the participants had a unanimously positive experience. Three factors ('a positive experience', 'I'm OK, you're not OK', and 'support') emerged from the Q sort analysis. The training programme, the technology provided, and the characteristics of the individuals in the class all seemed to contribute to the success of the experienc...
Platelet-activating factor (PAF) accumulation correlates with injury in the cornea

This study reports the accumulation of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in corneas injured with either 0·1 n NaOH or 1 n NaOH. The degree of injury in corneas exposed to alkali for 5, 10, 20, or 60 sec was assessed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. PAF accumulation in vivo increased with time (up to 24 hr) after injury and also according to the severity of the alkali injury. PAF was isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and assayed by platelet aggregation of the HPLC fraction containing PAF. The specificity of the aggregating bioactivity was ascertained from inhibition of platelet aggregation by selective PAF antagonists. BN 50726, a new synthetic PAF antagonist, applied in vivo topically or subconjunctivally, was effective in inhibiting PAF formation. Because PAF is accumulated in vivo as soon as 30 min after corneal injury, this lipid mediator seems to be synthesized by corneal cells and not by recruited inflammatory cells, since they arrive later. Moreover, if the injury causes stromal edema and endothelial damage, the amount of PAF accumulated is even greater. Results from isolated corneas stimulated in vitro with calcium ionophore A23187 suggest that PAF synthesis is the result of stimulation of phospholipase A2 to form lyso-PAF and subsequent activation of an acetyltransferase.
Nanoscale cavities in ionomer membrane for the formation of nanoparticles

Abstract Silver nanoparticles of a relatively narrow size distribution were prepared in the structural cavities of the commercial ionomer membrane thin film Nafion. UV–vis absorption, X-ray powder diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy methods were used in the characterization of the nanoparticle–Nafion composite thin films. The population of silver nanoparticles in the membrane structure could be varied by changing the preparation conditions, but the sizes of the nanoparticles were found to remain generally similar. The results were explained in terms of the hosting of the silver nanoparticles in homogeneously distributed structural domains in the membrane structure, where each domain is probably a group of interconnected reverse micelle-like ion clusters according to the ion cluster model for ionomer membranes already in the literature.
Detection and analysis of polymerase chain reaction products by mass spectrometry

The accurate measurement of the molecular weight of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) oligomers is of great importance inmany disciplines ranging from molecular biology and medical diagnostics to agriculture and forensic sciences. Widely-used assays encode biological information, such as the presence of a normal or altered gene, identity of a criminal or
Neuroprotective signal transduction in model motor neurons exposed to thrombin: G‐protein modulation effects on neurite outgrowth, Ca2+ mobilization, and apoptosis

Thrombin, the ultimate protease in the blood coagulation cascade, mediates its known cellular effects by unique proteolytic activation of G-protein-coupled protease-activated receptors (PARs), such as PAR1, PAR3, and PAR4, and a “tethered ligand” mechanism. PAR1 is variably expressed in subpopulations of neurons and largely determines thrombin's effects on morphology, calcium mobilization, and caspase-mediated apoptosis. In spinal cord motoneurons, PAR1 expression correlates with transient thrombin-mediated [Ca2+]i flux, receptor cleavage, and elevation of rest [Ca2+]i activating intracellular proteases. At nanomolar concentrations, thrombin retracts neurites via PAR1 activation of the monomeric, 21 kDa Ras G-protein RhoA, which is also involved in neuroprotection at lower thrombin concentrations. Such results suggest potential downstream targets for thrombin's injurious effects. Consequently, we employed several G-protein-specific modulators prior to thrombin exposure in an attempt to uncouple both heterotrimeric and monomeric G-proteins from motoneuronal PAR1. Cholera toxin, stimulating Gs, and lovastatin, which blocks isoprenylation of Rho, reduced thrombin-induced calcium mobilization. In contrast, pertussis toxin and mastoparan, inhibiting or stimulating Go/Gi, were found to exacerbate thrombin action. Effects on neuronal rounding and apoptosis were also detected, suggesting therapeutic utility may result from interference with downstream components of thrombin signaling pathways in human motor neuron disorders, and possibly other neurodegenerative diseases. Published 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 48: 87–100, 2001
Geographic Variation and Taxonomy of Colorado and Hopi Chipmunks (Genus Eutamias)

Geographic variation of Colorado and Hopi chipmunks ( Eutamias q. quadrivittatus and E. q. rufus , respectively) was studied to determine the significance of differences in their bacula. The two forms are narrowly allopatric or parapatric across western Colorado and northern Arizona. Specimens collected in areas of juxtaposition show no evidence of intergradation in bacular morphology, despite considerable overlap in cranial and pelage characters. Contrasting patterns of bacular and cranial data are demonstrated using discriminant function analyses, which show rufus to be as distinct from quadrivittatus in bacular morphology as is E. canipes . Bacular data thus support the specific distinction of the western race (i.e., Eutamias rufus Hoffmeister and Ellis, 1979). However, the name rufus was proposed to replace an earlier name, E. hopiensis , because of presumed intergradation between Colorado and Hopi chipmunks at the type locality of hopiensis , Keam Canyon, Arizona. This situation was reexamined in a 1980 collecting trip to Keam Canyon, where only typical E. q. quadrivittatus was found, and by study of the baubellum. Baubella obtained from paratypes of hopiensis indicate that it is a composite of both quadrivittatus and rufus; both species were apparently present at Keam Canyon in 1894. Because the holotype of hopiensis cannot be reliably referred to either species, the name E. hopiensis Merriam, 1905, is considered a nomen dubium , either a junior synonym of E. q. quadrivittatus or a senior synonym of E. rufus .
The problem of refolding and reassembling recombinant vicilin subunits

The reassociation of a storage protein (pea (Pisum sativum L) vicilin) expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae MC16 (ade 2–1, leu 2–3, lys 2–1, his 4–712FS, SUF 2)) was investigated. The corresponding protein in French, bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L), termed phaseolin, was used as a model to produce a methodology for the refolding of the recombinant protein. Phaseolin was successfully renatured from its dissociated state in 5 M guanidinium chloride. Application of this rationale to yeast-derived vicilin proved unsuccessful. The nature of the yeast vicilin and its failure to refold and reassemble correctly are discussed together with the further experimental approaches required.
Instabilities and multiplicities in non-isothermal blown film extrusion including the effects of crystallization

Abstract Stable operating regions for blown film extrusion are mapped using a dynamic model that includes the effect of crystallization on the rheological properties of the polymer. In the computations, the bubble air mass and take-up ratio were held constant, and the machine tension and bubble inflation pressure were treated as dependent variables. For a given bubble air mass, the take-up ratio was used as the continuation parameter for mapping steady-state solutions. The take-up ratio varies smoothly, but not necessarily monotonically, with the machine tension. Curves of either blow-up ratio or thickness reduction versus take-up ratio reveal that there are take-up ratios where no, one, or multiple solutions exist. The heat transfer coefficient from the polymer film to the external air and surroundings has a marked influence on the qualitative and quantitative features of the blow-up ratio versus thickness reduction curves. Generalized eigenvalue analysis of the linearized blown film equations indicates that increasing the heat transfer rate increases the stability of operations. A corresponding decline occurs, however, in the thickness reduction of the blown film for a given blow-up ratio.
Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Elderly Patients With Medically Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer.

OBJECTIVES People over the age of 75 years account for approximately 40% of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, many with comorbidities that may limit their treatment options. This study reports on the use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty consecutively treated patients over the age of 75 with pathologically proven localized pancreatic cancer were included in this retrospective review. All had been evaluated by a multidisciplinary team as unable to tolerate surgery or combined chemoradiation therapy. Patient outcomes were analyzed to determine the safety and efficacy of SBRT in this elderly cohort. RESULTS The median age was 83.2 years (minimum 77 y, maximum 90 y). Eighteen patients were treated at time of initial diagnosis, and 2 for recurrence after surgery. Eleven (55%) of the patients had an Adult Comorbidity Evaluation-27 comorbidity index score of 3 (severe) and 6 (30%) had a score of 2 (moderate). Fourteen patients were treated with 35 Gy in 5 fractions, 5 with 30 Gy in 5 fractions, and 1 patient with 36 Gy in 3 fractions. Seven (35%) patients had common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) V4.0 toxicity grade of 1-2, and 3 patients had a CTCAE V4.0 toxicity grade of 3-4, 2 with dehydration, and 1 had episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding. Three patients recurred locally, 10 had distant metastases, 4 of whom were found on the first posttreatment scan. Median overall survival was 6.4 months (95% confidence interval, 3.5-10.8 mo). Median recurrence-free survival was 6.8 months (95% confidence interval, 1.3-23.5 mo). Two patients survived >23 months. CONCLUSION SBRT for pancreatic cancer appears to be a safe and effective method for treatment of elderly patients, even in the setting of severe comorbidities.
Mechanism of Algal Aggregation by Bacillus sp. Strain RP1137

ABSTRACT Alga-derived biofuels are one of the best alternatives for economically replacing liquid fossil fuels with a fungible renewable energy source. Production of fuel from algae is technically feasible but not yet economically viable. Harvest of dilute algal biomass from the surrounding water remains one of the largest barriers to economic production of algal biofuel. We identified Bacillus sp. strain RP1137 in a previous study and showed that this strain can rapidly aggregate several biofuel-producing algae in a pH- and divalent-cation-dependent manner. In this study, we further characterized the mechanism of algal aggregation by RP1137. We show that aggregation of both algae and bacteria is optimal in the exponential phase of growth and that the density of ionizable residues on the RP1137 cell surface changes with growth stage. Aggregation likely occurs via charge neutralization with calcium ions at the cell surface of both algae and bacteria. We show that charge neutralization occurs at least in part through binding of calcium to negatively charged teichoic acid residues. The addition of calcium also renders both algae and bacteria more able to bind to hydrophobic beads, suggesting that aggregation may occur through hydrophobic interactions. Knowledge of the aggregation mechanism may enable engineering of RP1137 to obtain more efficient algal harvesting.
Blackbody Infrared Radiative Dissociation of Bradykinin and Its Analogues: Energetics, Dynamics, and Evidence for Salt-Bridge Structures in the Gas Phase

Blackbody infrared radiative dissociation (BIRD) spectra of singly and doubly protonated bradykinin and its analogues are measured in a Fourier-transform mass spectrometer. Rate constants for dissociation are measured as a function of temperature with reaction delays up to 600 s. From these data, Arrhenius activation parameters in the zero-pressure limit are obtained. The activation parameters and dissociation products for the singly protonated ions are highly sensitive to small changes in ion structure. The Arrhenius activation energy (Ea) and pre-exponential (or frequency factor, A) of the singly protonated ions investigated here range from 0.6 to 1.4 eV and 105 to 1012 s-1, respectively. For bradykinin and its analogues differing by modification of the residues between the two arginine groups on either end of the molecule, the singly and doubly protonated ions have average activation energies of 1.2 and 0.8 eV, respectively, and average A values of 108 and 1012 s-1, respectively, i.e., the presence of ...
Black out of the blue light: An analysis of Kmart store closing decisions

Abstract We investigate the spatial and economic factors that influenced Kmart's decision to close about 600 under-performing stores as part of its Chapter 11 financial objectives review in 2002 and 2003. We develop a theoretical model of retail store location and estimate an empirical counterpart using a Logit model to investigate the economic and spatial factors that influenced this decision, including the degree and proximity of competition in the local market as well as local demographic characteristics. In general, our empirical results offer statistical support for the accepted paradigm, but our model offers modest predictive ability as to which stores were actually closed. One interesting extension is a discussion of the potential implications of store closing on the local population, especially with respect to low-income households’ access to discount stores.
The effect of clonazepam (Ro 5-4023) in the syndrome of infantile spasms with hypsarrhythmia and in petit mal variant of Lennox syndrome. Preliminary report.

From a material of 179 cases of various forms of childhood epilepsy treated with clonazepam (Ro 5-4023) the results in 79 cases with two major forms—syndrome of infantile spasms with hypsarrhythmia and petit mal variant or Lennox-syndrome—are presented. The overall effect was complete clinical and EEG control in about one third of the cases, and partial improvement of seizure and/or hypersynchronous EEG activity in a large part of the cases. Clonazepam can therefore be considered as a very important new anti-epileptic medicament for treatment of these forms of severe childhood epilepsy.
Palomar prime-focus infrared camera (PFIRCAM)

In a joint effort between engineers and scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology, a near-infrared (0.8 – 2.6 µm) direct imaging system has been developed and integrated into the Caltech Palomar Observatory detector series. The camera system has been tested and operated in a science mode at the prime-focus (f/3.3) of the Hale 5-m Telescope. This paper outlines the system components and performance, including discussion of the detector linearity.
A Further Study of Comma Cloud Development in the Eastern Pacific

Abstract In a companion paper the authors presented a case study of the development of a comma-shaped cloud pattern and associated small cyclone that formed in a cold air mass over the eastern Pacific. This paper confirms the reproducibility of the previous analysis by documenting a second, similar case. A schematic model of comma cloud development appearing in the companion paper is based in part on this second example. An added feature of the present paper is a detailed examination of the physical processes responsible for the enhanced convective activity that occurred during the intensifying stage of the disturbance. It is found that the lifted index decreased markedly in the vicinity of the developing comma and that the decrease was associated with warming and moistening of the surface air and cooling of the air at 500 mb. Sensible and latent heat fluxes from the surface of approximately 100 and 300 W m−2, respectively were essential to the low-level warming and moistening. Amplification of an upper-l...
3H-Estradiol: In Vitro Binding to Macromolecules from the Rat Hypothalamus, Anterior Pituitary and Uterus

The in vitro interaction of 3H-estradiol with macromolecules from various organs was studied. Tissues from ovariectomized rats were homogenized in Tris-HCl containing EDTA and radioactive estradiol mixed with the 100,000 × g supernatants. After incubation macromolecular bound radioactivity was separated by gel filtration. Higher concentrations of radioactive estradiol were found in the macromolecular fractions from the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and uterus than from the cerebrum, cerebellum, heart or plasma. The binding molecules from the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and uterus were found to have the following properties. Nonradioactive estradiol (10−7m) reduced binding, whereas progesterone or testosterone (10−5m) did not. Intravenous injection of nonradioactive estradiol decreased subsequent binding of 3H-estradiol in vitro. The binding molecules contain protein and appear to have sulfhydryl groups that influence the interaction with estradiol. (Endocrinology 86: 1313, 1970)
Guru: A Computer Program for Analyzing Categorized Data

Abstract : The objective of the present effort was to develop an efficient computer program to analyze the data generated by use of semi-structured data collection techniques such as ECHO. A review of software packages, both those developed at NAVPERSRANDCEN and those available commercially, revealed that no program existed which satisfied the project requirements. Therefore, the development of a comprehensive computer program was undertaken. This program was designed to satisfy the data analysis requirements of the ongoing ECHO project and to be useful to other investigators employing open-ended question techniques such as ECHO. A computer program called GURU was developed. The program provides extensive descriptive statistics of categorized data and allows great flexibility in comparing various groups of respondents as well as different classifications of the same data.
Preparation of methyl cis-9,cis-12-octadecadienoate-16,16,17,17-d4

Abstract An eight-step synthesis is described which gives an overall yield of ∼30% methyl cis -9, cis -12-octadecadienoate-16,16,17,17- d 4 . The preparation utilizes easily obtainable starting materials. Tris(triphenylphosphine)chlororhodium (I) catalyst is used for incorporation of the deuterium isotopes. The double bond in the 9 position is created by the Wittig coupling of 1-non-3-enyl- d 4 -triphenylphosphonium bromide to methyl 8-formyloctanoate. Various methods for preparation of the intermediate and final products are discussed. Partial argentation resin chromatography was used to remove the ∼9% trans/cis , cis/trans , and trans/trans isomers also produced. Analysis of the final product by mass spectrometry (MS) indicated 96%- d 4 .
Speak Now Against The Day: The Generation Before the Civil Rights Movement in the South

The compelling story of the earliest calls for desegregation and racial justice in the South. "Make room on your library shelf ...for John Egerton's magnificent Speak Now Against the Day . His book is a stunning achievement: a sprawling, engrossing, deeply moving account of those Southerners, black and white, who raised their voices to challenge the South's racial mores...[This] is an eloquent and passionate book, and ...one we cannot afford to forget."--Charles B. Dew, New York Times Book Review "A rich and inspiring story...[Egerton] has uncovered a buried treasure."--Studs Terkel "[A] superb book, measured but eloquent."--Dan T. Carter, Washington Post Book World |The traditional understanding of American constitutional law is that the Revolution caused a shift in the conception of the constitution from merely a description of governmental roles to a set of restrictions on the power of the state. Hulsebosch complic
Delay spread calculation from coherence bandwidth measurements on a OFDM based mobile communication system

This paper presents the results of an experimental work where coherence bandwidth of an urban environment was measured in order to estimate the delay spread of this channel. An OFDM mobile communication system was assembled and the level of the pilot carriers was individually measured to produce the coherence bandwidth. The results have shown the expected difference between the delay spread on line-of-sight and non line-of-sight routes and a good agreement with other results of the literature for similar environments.
Architectural scoring framework for the creation and evaluation of System-Aware Cyber Security solutions

As cyber security threats have evolved, system protection strategies have been forced to as well. The field of System-Aware Cyber Security has introduced a variety of protection strategies and this has prompted the need for a decision support tool set to provide guidance to the system designers. This paper outlines an architectural scoring framework that supports the design and selection of architectural candidates and provides a rigorous quantitative method for the evaluation to aid in the selection of a final architecture. Additionally, this paper outlines the recognized limitations of the proposed approach and provides a brief overview of how those areas for improvement are guiding future research.
Studies on the absorption spectra of plant pigments in estuaries

Absorption spectra of acetone-soluble plant pigments were obtained from several sources, including the overlying waters, epibenthic layers and sediments of two New England estuaries, the remains of Zostera marina and its epiphytes, and pure cultures of marine diatoms. Comparisons of the absorption spectra and various absorbance ratios revealed no significant differences in the extracts of pigments sampled from the overlying waters and epibenthic layers; the extracts from both layers differed significantly, however, from the extracts of sedimentary pigments. Unacidified extracts of pigments from healthy diatom cultures and detritus rich in epiphytic diatoms resembled those of the overlying waters and epibenthic layers; acidified extracts from the above two sources and unacidified and acidified extract from non-living detritus resembled those of the sediments. Good correlations between field and laboratory studies are indicated, and the uses of absorbance ratios as ecological indicators are discussed.
Bivariate quantile smoothing splines

It has long been recognized that the mean provides an inadequate summary whereas the set of quantiles can supply a more complete description of a sample. We introduce bivariate quantile smoothing splines, which belong to the space of bilinear tensor product splines, as nonparametric estimators for the conditional quantile functions in a two-dimensional design space. The estimators can be computed by using standard linear programming techniques and can further be used as building-blocks for conditional quantile estimations in higher dimensions. For moderately large data sets, we recommend penalized bivariate B-splines as approximate solutions. We use real and simulated data to illustrate the methodology proposed.
ε Expansion for the Conductivity of a Random Resistor Network

We present a reanalysis of the renormalization-group calculation to first order in e=6−d, where d is the spatial dimensionality, of the exponent, t, which describes the behavior of the conductivity of a percolating network at the percolation threshold. If we set t=(d−2)νp+ζ, where νp is the correlation-length exponent, then our result is ζ=1+(e/42). This result clarifies several previously paradoxical results concerning resistor networks and shows that the Alexander-Orbach relation breaks down at order e.
Impact of Body Mass Index on Clinical Outcomes in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with poorer outcomes in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. This association is not well established for women with triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). In this study, the prognostic effects of body mass index on clinical outcome were evaluated in patients with TNBC. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 418 patients who were treated between July 1996 and July 2010 for TNBC. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated in relation to body mass index (BMI) after controlling for clinically significant variables. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four patients (29.7%) were normal/underweight (BMI ≤24.9 kg/m2), 130 patients (31.1%) were overweight (BMI from 25 to 29.9 kg/m2), and 164 patients (39.2%) were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). At a median follow-up of 37.2 months, there were 105 recurrences (25.1%) and 87 deaths (20.8%). Compared with normal/underweight patients, the multivariate hazard ratio (HR) for RFS was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-1.34) for obese patients. Similarly, OS was not associated with BMI category; obese patients had an HR of death of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.54-1.64) compared with normal/underweight patients. A Cox regression analysis identified the receipt of chemotherapy (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.12-0.52), ductal histology (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25-0.97), stage III disease (HR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.35-9.06), and increasing tumor size (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.09-1.3) as independent prognostic factors for OS. CONCLUSIONS: No significant relation between obesity and RFS or OS emerged in patients with TNBC after controlling for clinically significant factors. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Performance evaluation of vector accesses in parallel memories using a skewed storage scheme

This paper presents and evaluates a scheme for reducing the average memory access time in a vector processing architecture. This scheme uses data skewing to distribute vectors among the modules of a parallel memory system in such a way that, for typical vector access patterns, the average number of memory conflicts is reduced. It also employs both address and data buffers in each module to smooth out the transient irregularities that occur in some vector access patterns.Most previous data skewing techniques were developed to provide conflict-free access for a limited set of access strides. While the proposed scheme does not eliminate all conflicts, it improves the average performance over non-skewed parallel memories by significantly reducing the number of conflicts for a wide range of strides. Also, this effect is much less dependent on the number of memory modules than the skewing schemes used to obtain conflict-free access.
Topical microbicides become topical.

A recent study performed with the use of a nonhuman primate model of sexual transmission suggests that it may be possible for topical microbicides to halt the transmission of HIV-1.
Correction: Duke, S.O., et al., Modes of Action of Microbially- Produced Phytotoxins. Toxins 2011, 3, 1038-1064

The authors are sorry to report that the structure of rhizobitoxine in Figure 2 in their published paper [1] was incorrect. [...]
Large deviations of renewal processes

Abstract Limit theorems for large deviations of renewal processes are presented. One result is for a terminating renewal process with small probability of terminating. These theorems are analogous to the classical Cramer and Feller large deviation theorems for sums of independent random variables.
PKU, Learning, and models of mental retardation

Experimental phenylketonuria was induced in male rats by daily injections of alpha-methylphenylalanine and phenylalanine on postnatal Days 3-31. Beginning at 8 weeks of age, the animals were subjected to a test of observational learning followed by a test of latent learning (two tests of "advantageous" learning). The animals subjected to the PKU treatment early in life showed significant learning deficits in both tests. The importance of these studies lies in the fact that unlike conventional tests of learning, tests of advantageous learning are sensitive to the kinds of biological insults which cause mental retardation in humans. This differential sensitivity evident in studies of animal models of cognitive pathology is analogized to the areas of dysfunction which characterize human mental retardation. Suggestions for the development of appropriate models of intellectual development are made.
Large amounts of deoxyphenylalanine in the hydrolysate of melanosomes from Harding-Passey mouse melanoma.

Large Amounts of Deoxyphenylalanine in the Hydrolysate of Melanosomes from Harding–Passey Mouse Melanoma
Characterization of adaptive optics at Keck Observatory

In this paper, the adaptive optics (AO) system at Keck Observatory is characterized. The AO system is described in detail. The physical parameters of the lenslets, CCD and deformable mirror, the calibration procedures and the signal processing algorithms are explained. Results of sky performance tests are presented: the AO system is shown to deliver images with an average Strehl ratio of up to 0.37 at 1.59 {micro}m using a bright guide star. An error budget that is consistent with the observed image quality is presented.
How temperature, humidity, and burrow selection affect evaporative water loss in desert tortoises

Abstract By combining field behavior and microclimate measurements with biophysical models, I assessed the value of underground burrows as thermal refuge for desert tortoises ( Gopherus agassizii ) and their additional advantage for water conservation. Between 1000–1200 h, humidity was significantly higher and temperature and predicted evaporative water loss (EWL) lower inside burrows than on the surface. Greater burrow length and smaller entrances were correlated with greater burrow humidity. Furthermore, the range of variation in humidity, temperature and EWL over 24 h was greater on the surface than inside burrows. Thus, surface conditions would be more favorable during certain times of day.
Stability of neural networks for slightly perturbed training data sets

Abstract In learning models of artificial neural networks, that randomness comes from the distribution of the training data. We show individual observations do not affect excessively for a neutral network modeling, provided that it has adequate nodes on the hidden layer and proves that the empirical error of a neural network with p number of weights converges to the expected error when where m is the size of the perturbed training data.
Fisheries harvest and standing stock in a Hawaiian Bay

Abstract An 18-month study at Hanalei Bay, Kauai provided unusually valuable quantitative fishery data and concurrent estimates of natural density of reef fish for a complete, small, subsistence/recreational/artisanal fishery on a small, remote island in the tropical mid-Pacific. Catch and effort data were collected using a stratified random sampling design. The commercial surround net fishery targeted mainly coastal pelagic species and accounted for over 70% of the catch. Most other fishing was for recreation or subsistence. Line fishing from shore and boats accounted for much of the effort but produced some of the lowest catches per unit effort (CPUE). The cast net and spear fisheries had CPUE values of more than 1 kg per gear-hour and caught a wide diversity of reef-associated species. Standing stock of reef-associated fishes was estimated from 516 underwater visual censuses. Mean biomass ranged from over 16 kg/100 m 2 in shallow complex habitats to less than 1 kg/100 m 2 in monotypic reef flat habitats. These densities, which are higher than those reported from some more populated, similar areas in Hawaii, may reflect lower fishing pressure in Hanalei. Yield estimates from Hanalei Bay are very low compared to those from many other locations in the Pacific. The small fraction of the overall standing stock that is harvested annually (~ 1.3%) suggests that most of the fish community is not being severely overfished. Parrotfishes, goatfishes, and surgeonfishes were important components of the fisheries and of the censused communities, suggesting that these target species have not been seriously depleted. The small sizes at which some valued species are caught is a matter of concern for management of these stocks.
Prejudice, Reason and Force.

Perhaps no other aspect of Hans-Georg Gadamer's Wahrheit und Methode has generated more controversy and caustic criticism than his attempt to defend the role of ‘prejudice’ (Vorurteil) in human understanding. Gadamer's goal in challenging what he calls ‘the Enlightenment's prejudice against prejudice’ is not to defend irresponsible, idiosyncratic, parochial or otherwise self-willed understanding in the human sciences, but to argue that all human cognition is ‘finite’ and ‘limited’ in the sense that it always involves, to borrow Polanyi's phrase, a ‘tacit dimension’ of implicit judgments, concerns, or commitments which shape definitively our grasp of the subject matter in ways we cannot anticipate or control. This implies a ‘finite’ or ‘limited’ view of human understanding in at least two ways. First, Gadamer seems to use the word ‘finite’ in conscious opposition to Hegel's notion of an ‘infinite’ intellect. For Hegel the ‘infinite’ was the ‘unconditioned’ and ‘self-determining’. An ‘infinite’ intellect would be its own master, an autonomous, spontaneous source of all its essential activities and contents.
Stable isotopes as one of nature's ecological recorders

Analyses of the natural variation in stable isotopes of components of ecological systems have provided new insights into how these systems function across paleoecological to modern timescales and across a wide range of spatial scales. Isotope abundances of the molecules in biological materials and geochemical profiles are viewed as recorders that can be used to reconstruct ecological processes or to trace ecological activities. Here, we review key short-, medium- and long-term recording capacities of stable isotopes that are currently being applied to ecological questions. The melding of advances in genetics, biochemical profiling and spatial analysis with those in isotope analyses and modeling sophistication opens the door to an exciting future in ecological research.
FEATURE LOGIC WITH WEAK SUBSUMPTION CONSTRAINTS

In the general framework of a constraint-based grammar formalism often some sort of feature logic serves as the constraint language to describe linguistic objects. We investigate the extension of basic feature logic with subsumption (or matching) constraints, based on a weak notion of subsumption. This mechanism of one-way information flow is generally deemed to be necessary to give linguistically satisfactory descriptions of coordination phenomena in such formalisms. We show that the problem whether a set of constraints is satisfiable in this logic is decidable in polynomial time and give a solution algorithm.
Elastase-Induced Suppression of Endothelin-Mediated Ca2+ Entry Mechanisms of Vascular Contraction

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is associated with increased endothelin (ET-1), both systemically and locally in the aorta. Also, elastase activity is increased in human AAA, and elastase perfusion of the aorta induces aneurysm formation in animal models of AAA. However, whether elastase directly affects the ET-1-induced mechanisms of aortic smooth muscle contraction is unclear. Isometric contraction and 45 Ca 2+ influx were measured in aortic strips isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats and treated with elastase (5 U/mL). To avoid degradation of the extracellular matrix proteins by elastase, experiments were performed in the presence of elastin (10 mg/mL). In normal Krebs solution (2.5 mmol/L Ca 2+ ), ET-1 (10 −7 mol/L) caused contraction of aortic strips that was inhibited by elastase (5 U/mL). The elastase-induced inhibition of ET-1 contraction was slow in onset (4.6±0.4 minutes), time-dependent, complete in 34±3 minutes, and reversible. In Ca 2+ -free Krebs solution, caffeine (25 mmol/L) caused a small contraction that was not inhibited by elastase, suggesting that elastase does not inhibit Ca 2+ release from the intracellular stores. Membrane depolarization by 96 mmol/L KCl, which stimulates Ca 2+ entry from the extracellular space, caused a contraction that was inhibited by elastase in a concentration-dependent, time-dependent, and reversible fashion. The reversible inhibitory effects of elastase, particularly in the presence of elastin, suggest that they are not due to dissolution of the extracellular matrix or smooth muscle contractile proteins. Elastase also inhibited ET-1 and KCl-induced 45 Ca 2+ influx. Thus, elastase directly inhibits ET-1-induced Ca 2+ entry mechanisms of vascular smooth muscle contraction, which may explain the role of elastase and ET-1 during the development of AAA.
A First-Order Smoothing Technique for a Class of Large-Scale Linear Programs

We study a class of linear programming (LP) problems motivated by large-scale machine learning applications. After reformulating the LP as a convex nonsmooth problem, we apply Nesterov's primal-dual excessive-gap technique. The iteration complexity of the excessive-gap technique depends on a parameter $\theta$ that arises because we must bound the primal feasible set, which is originally unbounded. We also dynamically update $\theta$ to speed up the convergence. The application of our algorithm to two machine learning problems demonstrates several advantages of the excessive-gap technique over existing methods.
Block processing for rank order filtering using the rank order state machine architecture

Rank order filters are nonlinear filters which choose an output based on its rank within a one-dimensional window of sample inputs determined by sorting the inputs. These filters are constructed using running order sorter architectures which utilize the overlap between consecutive outputs to maintain a sorted list of the inputs within the sample window. Additional speedup can be achieved in the rank order filter structures using block processing techniques. Block processing transforms a single-input single-output structure into a parallel-input parallel-output structure. It is difficult to apply block processing to most running order sorters because of the inherent feedback in their structures. A new class two architecture for rank order filtering, the rank order state machine, has been introduced. The authors discuss how block processing can be effectively applied to the rank order state machine architecture. They also extend this architecture to support block structures for stack filtering. Several architectures for rank order filtering and stack filtering using the rank order state machine architecture are presented. >
Should we link payment to quality

The movement to improve the quality of medical care is accelerating as payers and patients demand greater accountability. Recently, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) increased the quality assessment stakes even further with a proposal to link hospitals' reimbursement rates to their "performance" on specific quality-of-care indicators. While many clinicians would generally agree with the concept that providing better medical care should be rewarded, putting the idea into practice poses a challenge.
The Temporal Relationship Between the Preovulatory Estrogen Peak and the Optimal Mating Period in Rhesus and Bonnet Monkeys

The optimal mating period was determined for rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata) using the preovulatory estrogen peak as the point of reference. Blood samples were drawn twice daily and total plasma estrogens were determined by rapid radioimmunoassay. The animals were mated before, at or after the estrogen peak. Of the four rhesus monkeys that conceived during the study, two were bred 12.5 h post-estrogen peak. The precise temporal relationship between the estrogen peak and breeding could not be determined for two of the rhesus monkeys; there is, however, good evidence that breeding occurred within 18-24 h post-estrogen peak. Fertile matings in four bonnet monkeys occurred at 8.0 h pre-peak and 7.5, 12.0, and 12.5 h post-peak. The optimal mating period for both macaque species appears to be limited to an approximately 24 h period at and immediately after the estrogen peak. The temporal position of the preovulatory estrogen peak in relation to the fertile period of the menstrual cycle makes it an excellent indicator for use in detecting an impending fertile period. The apparent brevity of the optimal breeding period and its occurrence 24-36 h prior to the reported time of ovulation suggest temporal relationships regarding breeding, ova and sperm transport, gamete viability, and fertilization which were previously unknown.
Cell survival and architectonic differentiation of the hypothalamic mamillary region of the newborn mouse in culture

The development of the hypothalamic mamillary region of the newborn mouse has been studied in 519 cultures. The nuclear groups of the mamillary configuration as well as the infundibular nucleus may survive for at least 50 days. The surviving neuronal groups undergo in culture a further cytological and structural organization. The presence of ependymal tissue at the surface of the substrate enhances ependymal-glial proliferation and this in turn supports the survival and new growth of the nerve cells in the adjacent areas. On the other hand, degeneration of white matter, especially if it occurs between the substrate and the overlying neuronal groups, has a highly detrimental effect leading to a profound regional neuronal loss. The survival of neuronal groups, the new axonal growth and the preservation of the cellular architectonics, which make possible their identification in culture, indicate that the mamillary complex has a capacity for regeneration during its development in isolation. The mamillary region and the infundibular nucleus display different developmental patterns and different structural organizations of their cells and axons. As a result, the culture seems to be divided morphologically into two distinctly separate regions.
High-performance microfabricated capillary array electrophoresis systems for DNA analysis

The microfabrication of DNA sample preparation, electrophoretic separation and detection devises is making possible a new generation of high-speed, high-throughput DNA analysis systems. HIgh quality DNA fragment sizing and short tandem repeat analyses have been preformed on microfabricated capillary electrophoresis devices that are 10-100 times faster than conventional electrophoretic separations. Microfabricated capillary array electrophoreses (CAE) plates increase the throughput of these devices by permitting the analysis of multiple samples in parallel. The practical utility of these devices has been improved by developing elastomer sample well and electrode arrays with standard microtiter dish spacings. We initially developed a CAE microplate that can analyze 48 samples using an array of 12 capillaries. More recently, we have developed an improved microplate with an array of 48 capillaries capable of analyzing up to 96 DNA samples in < 8 minutes. These highly parallel, miniaturized DNA analysis systems are a significant step toward fast and inexpensive genetic analysis.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.