cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IL‐36 Induces Bisphosphonate‐Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw‐Like Lesions in Mice by Inhibiting TGF‐β‐Mediated Collagen Expression

Long-term administration of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates can induce detrimental side effects such as bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) in human. Although inflammation is known to be associated with BRONJ development, the detailed underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we report that the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-36α is, in part, responsible for the BRONJ development. We found a notably higher level of IL-36α and lower level of collagen in the BRONJ lesions in mice. We also found that IL-36α remarkably suppressed TGF-β-mediated expression of Collα1 and α-Sma via the activation of Erk signaling pathway in mouse gingival mesenchymal stem cells. When IL-36 signaling was abrogated in vivo, development of BRONJ lesions was ameliorated in mice. Taken together, we showed the pathologic role of IL-36α in BRONJ development by inhibiting collagen expression and demonstrated that IL-36α could be a potential marker and a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of BRONJ. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
A Role for Splicing Factors and R-Loop Formation in the Pathophysiology of Fanconi Anemia.

Abstract 3371 Introduction: Fanconi anemia(FA) is an autosomal and X-linked recessive genetic disorder characterized by congenital defects, aplastic anemia, and a predisposition to cancer. At the cellular level, patients with FA display hypersensitivity to DNA crosslinking agents and increased levels of chromosomal instability. Because of these cellular phenotypes, the FA pathway has been thought to function in DNA maintenance and repair. Our data suggest that RNA and R-loop formation may account for at least part of the genomic instability seen in FA cells. Methods: Nuclear extracts were incubated with ribohomopolymers to determine whether FANCD2 is able to bind RNA. In vitro binding assays were performed to determine whether FANCD2 is able to bind R-loop nucleic acid structures. siRNA transfections were used to reduce protein levels of splicing factors. Survival assays were performed to determine cell sensitivity to the interstrand crosslinking drug mitomycin C (MMC) and the topoisomerase I inhibiting drug camptothecin (CPT). Result: In vitro binding studies with ribohomopolymers revealed that the non-ubiquitylated form of FANCD2 is able to bind polyG RNA preferentially. Because G-rich RNA is associated with R-loop formation at IgG switch regions (Yu et al, Nat. Immunology, 2003), we wanted to determine whether FANCD2 is also able to bind R-loops. A human recombinant protein complex containing FANCD2, FANCI, and FANCE was shown to bind R-loop structures in vitro. Since depletion of the splicing factor ASF/SF2 has been demonstrated to increase cellular genomic instability through the formation of increased levels of R-loop structures (Li et al, Cell, 2005), we next wanted to determine what effect depletion of ASF/SF2 would have on the FA pathway. siRNA mediated knock down of ASF/SF2 protein levels resulted in decreased levels of FANCD2 ubiquitylation following treatment with MMC. As FANCD2 ubiquitylation is often considered a marker of activation of the FA pathway, this result suggests that depletion of ASF/SF2 inhibits activation of the FA pathway. siRNA mediated knock down of ASF/SF2 also increased cellular sensitivity to MMC and CPT. siRNA mediated knock down of the splicing factor SC35 yielded a similar result, inducing an increase in sensitivity to MMC and CPT and reducing levels of FANCD2 ubiquitylation. However, siRNA mediated knock down of a third splicing factor, SRp55, had no effect on FANCD2 ubiquitylation or cellular sensitivity to MMC and CPT. Conclusion: These results suggest that R-loop formation may be a source of some of the genomic instability present in FA cells. We also demonstrate that splicing factors may play a role in activation of the FA pathway. These findings may potentially provide new targets for therapeutic treatments for FA. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Reassortment between Swine H3N2 and 2009 Pandemic H1N1 in the United States Resulted in Influenza A Viruses with Diverse Genetic Constellations with Variable Virulence in Pigs.

Repeated spillovers of the H1N1 pandemic virus (H1N1pdm09) from humans to pigs resulted in substantial evolution of influenza A viruses infecting swine, contributing to the genetic and antigenic diversity of influenza A viruses (IAV) currently circulating in swine. The reassortment with endemic swine viruses and maintenance of some of the H1N1pdm09 internal genes resulted in the circulation of different genomic constellations in pigs. Here, we performed a whole-genome phylogenetic analysis of 368 IAV circulating in swine from 2009 to 2016 in the United States. We identified 44 different genotypes, with the most common genotype (32.33%) containing a clade IV-A HA gene, a 2002-lineage NA gene, an M-pdm09 gene, and remaining gene segments of triple reassortant internal gene (TRIG) origin. To understand how different genetic constellations may relate to viral fitness, we compared the pathogenesis and transmission in pigs of six representative genotypes. Although all six genotypes efficiently infected pigs, they resulted in different degrees of pathology and viral shedding. These results highlight the vast H3N2 genetic diversity circulating in U.S. swine after 2009. This diversity has important implications in the control of this disease by the swine industry, as well as a potential risk for public health if swine-adapted viruses with H1N1pdm09 genes have an increased risk to humans, as occurred in the 2011-2012 and 2016 human variant H3N2v cases associated with exhibition swine. IMPORTANCE People continue to spread the 2009 H1N1 pandemic (H1N1pdm09) IAV to pigs, allowing H1N1pdm09 to reassort with endemic swine IAV. In this study, we determined the 8 gene combinations of swine H3N2 IAV detected from 2009 to 2016. We identified 44 different genotypes of H3N2, the majority of which contained at least one H1N1pdm09 gene segment. We compared six representative genotypes of H3N2 in pigs. All six genotypes efficiently infected pigs, but they resulted in different degrees of lung damage and viral shedding. These results highlight the vast genetic diversity of H3N2 circulating in U.S. swine after 2009, with important implications for the control of IAV for the swine industry. Because H1N1pdm09 is also highly adapted to humans, these swine viruses pose a potential risk to public health if swine-adapted viruses with H1N1pdm09 genes also have an increased risk for human infection.
Imaging TMS: antidepressant mechanisms and treatment optimization

With the antidepressant efficacy of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation well-established by several meta-analyses, there is growing interest in its mechanism of action. TMS has been shown to engage, and in some cases, normalize functional connectivity and neurotransmitter levels within networks dysfunctional in the depressed state. In this review, I will suggest candidate biomarkers, based on neuroimaging, that may be predictive of response to TMS. I will then review the effects of TMS on networks and neurotransmitter systems involved in depression. Throughout, I will also discuss how our current understanding of response predication and network engagement may be used to personalize treatment and optimize its efficacy.
An investigation into the applicability of the semiempirical method PM7 for modeling the catalytic mechanism in the enzyme chymotrypsin

The catalytic cycle for the serine protease α-chymotrypsin was investigated in an attempt to determine the suitability of using the semiempirical method PM7 in the program MOPAC for investigating enzyme-catalyzed reactions. All six classical intermediates were modeled using standard methods, and were characterized as stable minima on the potential energy surface. Using a modified saddle point optimization method, five transition states were located and verified both by vibrational and by intrinsic reaction coordinate analysis. Some individual features, such as the hydrogen bonds in the oxyanion hole, the nature of various electrostatic interactions, and the role of Met192, were examined. This involved designing and running computational experiments to model mutations that would allow features of interest, in particular the energies involved, to be isolated. Three features within the enzyme were examined in detail: the reaction site itself, where covalent bonds were made and broken, the electrostatic effects of the buried aspartate anion, a passive but essential component of the catalytic triad, and the oxyanion hole, where hydrogen bonds help stabilize charged intermediates. With one minor exception, all phenomena investigated agreed with previously-reported descriptions. This result, along with the fact that all the techniques used were relatively straightforward, leads to the recommendation that PM7 and related methods, such as PM6-D3H4, are appropriate for modeling similar enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
Implicit bias in letters of recommendation for an undergraduate research internship

Letters of recommendation are commonly used to assess the potential of undergraduate students to be successful undergraduate research assistants/interns or their potential as graduate students. How...
Fuzzy Logic for Image Quality Control of a Field Crop Imaging Sensor

Abstract A fuzzy logic controller (FLC) is proposed for automatic adjustment of the camera parameters to compensate the changes of ambient illumination in a vision-based crop monitoring sensor. The implemented controller is to provide consistent performance of a multi-spectral imaging sensor for nitrogen assessment of corn crops. With no dynamic model available for camera performance, the FLC is applied to control an exposure and gain and thus to obtain desired image quality. Experimental studies shows the FLC performs well in controlling camera parameters. The development of this fuzzy image quality controller enhances the reliable performance of the field crop sensing system.
Dynamic indoor navigation with bayesian filters

Indoor space navigation has always been an issue without GPS localization. Especially for complicated cases such as emergency evacuation and dynamic navigation, there is no existing efficient solution to the best of our knowledge. Localization in indoor spaces has to rely on sensing devices (e.g., Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) readers, WiFi routers, bluetooth beacons) rather than GPS, and indoor floor plans are more complicated than road networks. Consequently, existing spatial outdoor query techniques are not suitable for this new challenge. However, raw data generated by sensing devices suffers from false negatives and errors. As a result, filtering methods are necessary for accurate localization.We propose a novel dynamic shortest path navigation strategy to enable efficient navigation for emergency evacuation in indoor spaces. This strategy achieves optimal time efficiency by: 1) using a Bayesian inference based concurrent model, which integrates dynamic shortest path searching into the filtering process, thus achieving an efficient and accurate search for any time-sensitive situation; 2) storing alternative parent nodes along the shortest path search for a fast, dynamic search.We use both particle filters and the Kalman filter to study which one is more suitable for dynamic environments. In general, we develop an innovative, dynamic shortest path navigation solution based on Bayesian inference localization.
What is Old is New Again: A Systemic Approach to the Challenges of Calculus Instruction

In the abstract for Calculus for a New Century: A Pump, Not a Filter, Lynn Steen wrote: “The authors agree on the forces that are reshaping calculus, but disagree on how to respond to these forces....
Kernelized Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test for Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio

Spectrum sensing in next-generation wireless radio networks is considered a key technology to overcome the problem of spectrum scarcity. Unfortunately, many approaches to spectrum sensing do not work well in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) environments. This paper proposes and analyzes a new algorithm named kernelized generalized likelihood ratio test (KGLRT) for spectrum sensing in cognitive radio systems to overcome this problem. Effectively, KGLRT uses a nonlinear kernel to map input data onto a high-dimensional feature space; then, the widely accepted (linear) generalized likelihood ratio test is used for hypothesis testing. This new algorithm gives a gain of 4 dB in SNR over its linear counterpart. A theoretical analysis for this algorithm is given for the first time and is shown analogous to algorithms used in image signal processing. The detection metrics are found to be concentrated random variables; furthermore, the probability distributions of the detection metrics are proved to follow the F -distributions, which agree with the results obtained using the concentration inequality. The analytical thresholds are derived for target false-alarm probabilities. The thresholds are independent of noise power; thus, the proposed algorithm can overcome noise uncertainty issues at very low SNR levels. Simulations validate the theoretical results.
High Temperature Deformation and Fracture Phenomena of Polyphase Si3N4 Materials

Three factors are currently hindering progress in adapting structural ceramics to high performance engineering practice: (1) variable strength, (2) lack of in-depth design practice, and (3) degradation of high temperature mechanical properties. The problem of strength variability is directly linked to fabrication and machining, both of which introduce the wide distribution of flaws and cracks responsible for failure. Directions to overcome this most important problem have been identified and within the next five years, one might expect significant progress on the commercial scale (pending market applications). In-depth design practice requires experience which can only be gained, as it has in the last ten years, mainly by directed trial and error, i. e., programs do need failures from which one can learn. Degradation of material properties at high temperatures, the subject of this review, is not a serious problem for certain structural ceramics, e. g., some forms of SiC. But for dense Si3N4 ceramics, which can better minimize thermal stresses due to lower thermal expansion and elastic modulus, high temperature degradation has limited the material’s appeal to those who were led to expect too much without further materials understanding and development.
In situ dissection of RNA functional subunits by domain-specific chromatin isolation by RNA purification (dChIRP)

Here we describe domain-specific chromatin isolation by RNA purification (dChIRP), a technique for dissecting the functional domains of a target RNA in situ. For an RNA of interest, dChIRP can identify domain-level intramolecular and intermolecular RNA-RNA, RNA-protein, and RNA-DNA interactions and maps the RNA's genomic binding sites with higher precision than domain-agnostic methods. We illustrate how this technique has been applied to the roX1 lncRNA to resolve its domain-level architecture, discover its protein- and chromatin-interacting domains, and map its occupancy on the X chromosome.
Probability and Materials: Data Subjective and Objective Modeling

A brief synthesis is presented for the contributed papers of Session A on “Data: Subjective and Objective Modeling” of the International Workshop PROBAMAT. Then, some of the critical issues of geotechnical site data modeling are discussed.
MXenes for nanophotonic and metamaterial devices (Conference Presentation)

MXenes are a recently discovered family of two-dimensional nanomaterials formed of transition metal carbides and carbon nitrides with the general chemical form Mn+1XnTx, where ‘M’ is a transitional metal, ‘X’ is either C or N, and ‘T’ represents a surface functional group (O, -OH or -F). MXenes are derived from layered ternary carbides and nitrides known as MAX (Mn+1AXn) phases by selective chemical etching of the ‘A’ layers and addition of functional groups ‘T’. In our work, we focus on one of the most well studied MXene, titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx). Single to few layer flakes of Ti3C2Tx (in a solution dispersed form) are used to create a continuous film on a desired substrate by using spin coating technique. Losses inherent to the bulk MXene and existence of strong localized SP resonances in Ti3C2Tx disks/pillar-like nanostructures at near-IR frequencies are utilized to design an efficient broadband absorber. For Ti3C2Tx MXene disk array sitting on a bilayer stack of Au/Al2O3, high efficiency (>90%) absorption across visible to near-IR frequencies (bandwidth ~1.55 μm), is observed experimentally. We also experimentally study random lasing behavior in a metamaterial constructed by randomly dispersing single layer nanosheets of Ti3C2Tx into a gain medium (rhodamine 101, R101). Sharp lasing peaks are observed when the pump energy reaches the threshold value of ~ 0.70 μJ/pulse. This active metamaterial holds a great potential to achieve tunable random lasing by changing the optical properties of Ti3C2Tx flakes.
Lattice extraction of K→ππ amplitudes to next-to-leading order in partially quenched and in full chiral perturbation theory

We show that it is possible to construct ${ϵ}^{\ensuremath{'}}/ϵ$ to next-to-leading order (NLO) using partially quenched chiral perturbation theory (PQChPT) from amplitudes that are computable on the lattice. We demonstrate that none of the needed amplitudes require 3-momentum on the lattice for either the full theory or the partially quenched theory; nondegenerate quark masses suffice. Furthermore, we find that the electro-weak penguin ($\ensuremath{\Delta}I=3/2$ and $1/2$) contributions to ${ϵ}^{\ensuremath{'}}/ϵ$ in PQChPT can be determined to NLO using only degenerate (${m}_{K}={m}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}$) $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}$ computations without momentum insertion. Issues pertaining to power divergent contributions, originating from mixing with lower dimensional operators, are addressed. Direct calculations of $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ at unphysical kinematics are plagued with enhanced finite volume effects in the (partially) quenched theory, but in simulations when the sea quark mass is equal to the up and down quark mass the enhanced finite volume effects vanish to NLO in PQChPT. In embedding the QCD penguin left-right operator onto PQChPT an ambiguity arises, as first emphasized by Golterman and Pallante. With one version [the ``PQS'' (patially quenched singlet)] of the QCD penguin, the inputs needed from the lattice for constructing $K\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ at NLO in PQChPT coincide with those needed for the full theory. Explicit expressions for the finite logarithms emerging from our NLO analysis to the above amplitudes also are given.
Graph Networks as a Universal Machine Learning Framework for Molecules and Crystals

Graph networks are a new machine learning (ML) paradigm that supports both relational reasoning and combinatorial generalization. Here, we develop universal MatErials Graph Network (MEGNet) models ...
Endovascular retrieval of difficult to remove port-a-caths

Abstract Long dwelling central venous lines develop intravenous adhesions or a calcified fibrous sheath causing difficulties in removal. Although such cases are rare, a few cases of endovascular retrieval have been reported in pediatric literature. We report our experience with 6 cases in children with port-a-caths. Transfemoral snare technique was effective in all but 1 patient. The mean age of the in dwelling port-a-caths was 5 years. One patient whose catheter could not be removed has developed no complications after a follow-up of 5 years. Review of literature suggests that while endovascular retrieval is not without risks, leaving a central line in situ has no major disadvantages. Heroic measures to remove such lines should be pursued only when absolutely necessary as in the case of an infected line.
A Practical Guide to the Measurement and Analysis of DNA Methylation

DNA methylation represents a fundamental epigenetic mark that is associated with transcriptional repression during development, maintenance of homeostasis, and disease. In addition to methylation-s...
The Geographic Distribution of Fentanyl-Involved Overdose Deaths in Cook County, Illinois

Objectives. To contrast the geographic distribution of fentanyl-involved and non–fentanyl-involved fatal overdoses between 2014 and 2018 in Cook County, Illinois.Methods. We conducted a spatial ana...
Optimized EEG Classification Accuracy of Motor-Imaginary Motions using Genetic Algorithms

Electroencephalography (EEG) based brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are rapidly being investigated for use in biomedical applications due in part to them being relatively inexpensive and minimally intrusive. These interfaces are useful for systems that users can input data and get stimuli as outputs. However, there is a significant drawback in that EEG signals can be easily contaminated from other brain activity not pertaining to the task at hand. If too much contamination exists, the signal could be miscategorized and lead to errors or undesirable outputs for the user. In this paper, we are using a genetic algorithm to optimize the 10–20 electrode system for each user to minimize contamination and maximize the classification accuracy of an artificial neural network classifier. This was accomplished by using a neural network on each electrode to classify its signal into one of three imaginary motions. Afterward, all the electrode classifications were fused using a majority voting fusion algorithm. A genetic algorithm was then guided by the results to identify which electrodes will increase accuracy. The average accuracy for the three subjects attained by the genetic algorithm was 84.34%.
Multi-sensor prognostics modeling for applications with highly incomplete signals

Multi-stream degradation signals have been widely used to predict the residual useful lifetime of partially degraded systems. To achieve this goal, most of the existing prognostics models assume th...
Of economic whips and political necessities: a contribution to the international political economy of uneven and combined development

After being recovered and expanded by Justin Rosenberg almost two decades ago, Trotsky’s concept of Uneven and Combined Development (UCD) has inspired many articles, dissertations and books, becomi...
The Simulated TDR Impedance In PCB Material Characterization

High-speed PCB design for signal integrity (SI) is about feasible material selection, trace geometry determination and optimization of discontinuities, where the accurate PCB material characterization is essential since incorrect material properties may lead to misleading results and wrong design descisions. The previous studies have revealed that the simulated time-domain reflectometry (TDR) impedance in material characterization, which is based upon the transmission-line-based methods, is erroneous when compared to the measured value, although a good agreement between simulation and measurement in the frequency domain can always be reached. In addition, it is also shown that achieving a satisfactory correlation in both transmission phase and trace impedance is a challenge for SI engineers. This implies that the transmission-line-based approaches, which are widely used in industries, are not perfect and that the extracted PCB material properties are not accurate enough. In this paper, a step-by-step investigation is performed and demonstrated to disclose the root causes of the TDR impedance discrepancy. It is found that the disagreement in TDR impedance is contributed by multiple factors which need to be taken into consideration during material characterization. The improved simulation result exhibits excellent consistency with the measured trace impedance. The suggestions to hardware designers on how more accurate PCB dielectric properties can be obtained are given by addressing the TDR impedance discrepancy issue.
Microbial communities associated with sinking particles across an environmental gradient from coastal upwelling to the oligotrophic ocean

Abstract Complex interactions between microbial communities in the epipelagic and mesopelagic ocean drive variability in sinking carbon flux as part of the biological carbon pump. To investigate the relative contribution of dominant prokaryotic, protistan, and phytoplankton taxa to sinking particles, we used 16S/18S rRNA gene sequencing of particles collected in sediment traps and water column communities. Comparisons were done across a coastal upwelling-to-oligotrophic environmental gradient in the southern California Current Ecosystem to assess effects of natural environmental variability on taxon-specific contributions to sinking particle export. Particle-associated microbial assemblages differ from ambient mixed-layer communities. Gammaproteobacteria, dinoflagellates, and rhizarians were dominant microbes associated with sinking particles at all sampling locations, with diatoms increasing significantly at the inshore mesotrophic site. Parasitic groups, syndiniales and apicomplexans, were also major particle-associated taxa. Relative sequence abundance on exported particles from the mesotrophic inshore site more closely resembled the water-column dominants (especially diatoms) found above, while oligotrophic communities exhibited greater dissimilarity between the microbial communities on sinking particles and in the mixed layer. Protists generally showed greater similarity between mixed-layer and sinking particle communities than prokaryotes. Synechococcus was over-represented on sinking particles (relative to eukaryotic phytoplankton and other cyanobacteria) only in oligotrophic areas. Diatoms were the only phytoplankton group consistently over-represented on sinking particles across the region. Our results highlight important variability in microbial contributions to export that seem to align with differences in dominant grazing pathways. At the upwelling influenced site where export was primarily due to the fecal pellets of large copepods, diatoms were dominant contributors to export and protistan communities on sinking particles resembled those in the water column above. When doliolids were abundant, dinoflagellates contributed substantially to export, while the dominant picoeukaryote (Ostreococcus) was only a minor contributor. In oligotrophic areas, where grazing pathways were dominated by protists and sinking particles were primarily amorphous aged aggregates, there was little similarity between mixed layer and sinking particle communities.
Social Systems in the Context of Ecological Fields

The previous chapter presented a cognitive system through which an observer can build mental models of ecological fields. This discussion purposely avoided a detailed examination of social systems and their relationship to each other in the context of the environments they inhabit. As a matter of fact, that discussion “sidestepped” the issue of how social systems in contrast to individual organisms are viewed as elements in ecological fields and concentrated on simplified biological examples to illustrate concepts. This was done to allow ecological fields to be defined in the most general terms, without the discussion becoming mired down in details that pertain to the various forms that systems take.
Linear Systems: Solutions

The subject of this chapter is linear systems. This subject was considered previously in Chapter 7. The emphasis in Chapter 7 was on whether the linear system is consistent, that is, whether it has solutions, whereas the emphasis in the present chapter is on the solutions themselves. The presentation makes heavy use of the results of Chapters 9 and 10 (on generalized inverses and idempotent matrices).
Drug effects on multiple and concurrent schedules of ethanol- and food-maintained behaviour: context-dependent selectivity

Background and Purpose Drugs that more potently or effectively reduce ethanol-maintained behaviour versus an alternative are considered selective and are considered promising pharmacotherapies for alcoholism. Such results are often obtained using separate groups or multiple schedules where ethanol and the alternative are available alone or sequentially. Recently, we observed that when ethanol and food were available sequentially under a multiple schedule, fluvoxamine and varenicline were selective; yet this selectivity disappeared when ethanol and food were concurrently available. Experimental Approach We examined the generality of these findings by comparing doses of several drugs required to decrease ethanol- and food-maintained responding under a multiple schedule and under a concurrent schedule. Effects were determined for chlordiazepoxide, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI), meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP), morphine, naltrexone and d-amphetamine. Key Results Under the multiple schedule, ED50 values for decreases in ethanol-maintained responding were significantly different and lower than ED50s for decreases in food-maintained responding (demonstrating selectivity) for each drug except for chlordiazepoxide (which was equipotent) and naltrexone (which did not affect responding). However, this selectivity vanished or even inverted under the concurrent schedule, such that ED50 values for decreasing ethanol- and food-maintained responding were not different (or, following DOI, the ED50 for food-maintained responding was lower than for ethanol-maintained responding). Conclusions and Implications Results are consistent with those seen following fluvoxamine and varenicline administration, and suggest that selectivity is assay-dependent. These results indicate the need for careful interpretation of selective drug effects, especially when obtained in situations where ethanol or the alternative is the only programmed reinforcement available.
On some classical, bootstrap and transformation confidence intervals for estimating the mean of an asymmetrical population

This paper considers and compares Classical (Student-t, Johnson-t, Median-t, Mad-t), Bootstrap (Bootstrap-t, Bias- corrected Accelerated Bootstrap) and Transformations (T1,T3, Median T1 and Median T3) approaches to find confidence intervals for estimating the mean of an asymmetrical distribution with unknown standard deviation. A simulation study has been made to compare the performance of the interval estimators by using average widths and coverage probabilities as performance estimators. For highly skewed distributions T1, Median T1, T3 and Median T3 outperform other intervals in terms of coverage probability attaining the nominal. However, Mad-t, Mad T1, Mad T3, bootstrap-t and BCA performed better compared to others in the sense of shorter widths. It is also noted that the proposed Median T1, Median T3, Mad t, Mad T1 and Mad T3 intervals are handy and easy to implement compared to others. Some health related data are considered to illustrate the findings of the paper. This paper gives more choices to use best possible interval estimators among many that have been used by several researchers.
Novel Approach to Construct Absent Intrapericardial Branch Pulmonary Arteries

Unilateral or bilateral absence of branch pulmonary arteries is a rare congenital heart defect. Various reconstructive techniques have been previously described, each with its inherent limitations. We present a novel technique of constructing a branch pulmonary artery that maintains potential for growth.
Toward a trophic theory of species diversity.

Efforts to understand the ecological regulation of species diversity via bottom-up approaches have failed to yield a consensus theory. Theories based on the alternative of top-down regulation have fared better. Paine’s discovery of keystone predation demonstrated that the regulation of diversity via top-down forcing could be simple, strong, and direct, yet ecologists have persistently failed to perceive generality in Paine’s result. Removing top predators destabilizes many systems and drives transitions to radically distinct alternative states. These transitions typically involve community reorganization and loss of diversity, implying that top-down forcing is crucial to diversity maintenance. Contrary to the expectations of bottom-up theories, many terrestrial herbivores and mesopredators are capable of sustained order-of-magnitude population increases following release from predation, negating the assumption that populations of primary consumers are resource limited and at or near carrying capacity. Predation sensu lato (to include Janzen–Connell mortality agents) has been shown to promote diversity in a wide range of ecosystems, including rocky intertidal shelves, coral reefs, the nearshore ocean, streams, lakes, temperate and tropical forests, and arctic tundra. The compelling variety of these ecosystems suggests that top-down forcing plays a universal role in regulating diversity. This conclusion is further supported by studies showing that the reduction or absence of predation leads to diversity loss and, in the more dramatic cases, to catastrophic regime change. Here, I expand on the thesis that diversity is maintained by the interaction between predation and competition, such that strong top-down forcing reduces competition, allowing coexistence.
Potential Health Issues Associated With Blue-Green Algae Blooms in Impoundments, Ponds, and Lakes

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are the most primitive group of algae. Although they are most closely related to other bacteria, they have the same pigment for photosynthesis that other algae and plants have. They are simple but remarkably successful organisms. Individually, they are microscopic; however, large clusters of cells are easily visible as a surface scum (a type of algal bloom) on any stable body of water. Some kinds of blue-green algae produce natural toxins. Unfortunately, no visual technique can distinguish between toxin-producing blue-greens and those that are harmless. Ingestion of these toxins has caused the poisoning of domestic animals, sometimes resulting in death. These include cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, ducks, dogs, and wildlife. Human exposure and toxicity, ranging from intestinal problems to liver damage and fatalities has only recently been documented. Keywords: algae bloom; anatoxin; blue-green algae; cyanobacteria; cylindrospermopsin; hepatotoxins; microcystin; neurotoxins; nutrient enrichment; saxitoxin; toxins
Artificial intelligence and simulation (tutorial)

Some of the major concepts of artificial intelligence (AI) are presented and the author illustrates their applicability to simulation using examples drawn from recent knowledge-based simulation research. He focuses on the present state of the art, current problems and limitations, and future directions and possibilities. It is pointed out that the major impact of AI research on simulation is to encourage the use of additional kinds of modeling based on inferencing, reasoning, search methods; and representations that have been developed in AI. This natural extension of simulation can produce behavioral models that answer questions beyond 'what-if?'. The result is sometimes referred to as knowledge-based simulation. >
Industrial Geography: Introduction to the Special Issue

Industrial geography has expanded beyond manufacturing, and various systems frameworks have been proposed to organize research. Industrial systems, urban and regional systems, and the world system all have some degree of applicability as explanatory devices. The papers in this issue of Environment and Planning A are introduced within the context of recent research in industrial geography.
Conducting Collaborative Abortion Research in International Settings

Nearly 20% of the 208 million pregnancies that occur annually are aborted. More than half of these (21.6 million) are unsafe, resulting in 47,000 abortion-related deaths each year. Accurate reports on the prevalence of abortion, the conditions under which it occurs, and the experiences women have in obtaining abortions are essential to addressing unsafe abortion globally. It is difficult, however, to obtain accurate and reliable reports of attitudes and practices given that abortion is often controversial and stigmatized, even in settings where it is legal. To improve the understanding and measurement of abortion, specific considerations are needed throughout all stages of the planning, design, and implementation of research on abortion: Establishment of strong local partnerships, knowledge of local culture, integration of innovative methodologies, and approaches that may facilitate better reporting. This paper draws on the authors' collaborative research experiences conducting abortion-related studies using clinic- and community-based samples in five diverse settings (Poland, Zanzibar, Mexico City, the Philippines, and Bangladesh). The purpose of this paper is to share insights and lessons learned with new and established researchers to inform the development and implementation of abortion-related research. The paper discusses the unique challenges of conducting abortion-related research and key considerations for the design and implementation of abortion research, both to maximize data quality and to frame inferences from this research appropriately.
Molecular mechanism of domain swapping in proteins: an analysis of slower motions.

Domain swapping is a structural phenomenon that plays an important role in the mechanism of oligomerization of some proteins. The monomer units in the oligomeric structure become entangled with each other. Here we investigate the mechanism of domain swapping in diphtheria toxin and the structural criteria required for it to occur by analyzing the slower modes of motion with elastic network models, Gaussian network model and anisotropic network model. We take diphtheria toxin as a representative of this class of domain-swapped proteins and show that the domain, which is being swapped in the dimeric state, rotates and twists, in going from the “open” to the “closed” state, about a hinge axis that passes through the middle of the loop extending between two domains. A combination of the intra- and intermolecular contacts of the dimer is almost equivalent to that of the monomer, which shows that the relative orientations of the residues in both forms are almost identical. This is also reflected in the calculated B-factors when compared with the experimentally determined B-factors in x-ray crystal structures. The slowest modes of both the monomer and dimer show a common hinge centered on residue 387. The differences in distances between the monomer and the dimer also shows the hinge at nearly the same location (residue 381). Finally, the first three dominant modes of anisotropic network model together shows a twisting motion about the hinge centered on residue 387. We further identify the location of hinges for a set of another 12 domain swapped proteins and give the quantitative measures of the motions of the swapped domains toward their “closed” state, i.e., the overlap and correlation between vectors.
Modeling turbulent flow over fractal trees with renormalized numerical simulation

High-Reynolds number flow over tree-like fractals is considered, with emphasis on the drag forces produced. Fractal objects display large scale-disparity and complexity while being amenable to a simple and standardized description. Hence, they offer an elegant idealization of the actual boundaries in practical applications where turbulence interacts with boundaries that are characterized by multiple length-scales. First, using large-eddy-simulation of flow over prefractal shapes with increasing numbers of branch generations, the dependence of the tree drag on the inner cutoff-scale of the fractal is studied. It is found that the convergence of the drag coefficient towards a value that is independent of inner cutoff-scale is very slow. In order to address this fundamental difficulty and avoid the need to resolve all the small-scale branches of the fractal, a new numerical modeling technique called renormalized numerical simulation (RNS) is introduced. RNS models the drag of the unresolved branches using drag coefficients measured from both resolved branches and unresolved branches as modeled in previous iterations of the procedure. The RNS technique and its convergence properties are tested by means of a series of simulations using different levels of resolution. Then, RNS is used to investigate the influence of the tree fractal dimension on the drag coefficient. The increase of the drag with fractal dimension is quantified for two types of tree geometry, in two flow configurations. Results illustrate that RNS enables numerical modeling of physical processes associated with fractal geometries using affordable computational resolution.
Erythropoietin-dependent transformation of myelodysplastic syndrome to acute monoblastic leukemia.

Acute monoblastic leukemia (acute myeloid leukemia [AML], French-American-British type M5a) with leukemia cutis developed in a patient 6 weeks after the initiation of erythropoietin (EPO) therapy for refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts. AML disappeared from both marrow and skin after the discontinuation of EPO. Multiparameter flow cytometric analysis of bone marrow cells demonstrated coexpression of the EPO receptor with CD45 and CD13 on the surface of blasts. The incubation of marrow cells with EPO, compared to without, resulted in 1.3- and 1.6-fold increases, respectively, in tritiated thymidine incorporation and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into CD13 + cells. Clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with the EPO-dependent transformation of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) to AML. It is concluded that leukemic transformation in patients with MDS treated with EPO may be EPO-dependent and that management should consist of the discontinuation of EPO followed by observation, if clinically feasible.
Exposing image forgery with blind noise estimation

Noise is unwanted in high quality images, but it can aid image tampering. For example, noise can be intentionally added in image to conceal tampered regions and to create special visual effects. It may also be introduced unnoticed during camera imaging process, which makes the noise levels inconsistent in splicing images. In this paper, we propose a method to expose such image forgeries by detecting the noise variance differences between original and tampered parts of an image. The noise variance of local image blocks is estimated using a recently developed technique, where no prior information about the imaging device or original image is required. The tampered region is segmented from the original image by a two-phase coarse-to-fine clustering of image blocks. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively detect image forgeries with high detection accuracy and low false positive rate both quantitatively and qualitatively.
American Exceptionalism and Racialized Inequality in American Capital Punishment

Despite several erroneous capital convictions at home and a worldwide movement to abolish it, the death penalty remains hale and hearty in the United States both as state policy and as a widely discussed topic in academics, law, politics, and culture. Recently, a scholarly debate has emerged over whether or not the somewhat puzzling retention of capital punishment can be explained by "American Exceptionalsm," meaning deep, long-standing cultural differences between the United States and Western Europe that equate to very different understandings of the death penalty. Two recent books make this claim: Franklin E. Zimring's (2003) The Contradictions of American Capital Punishment and James Q. Whitman's (2003) Harsh Justice: Criminal Punishment and the Widening Divide between America and Europe. Using approaches as innovative as they are different, Zimring and Whitman each illuminate an apparently unique disjuncture in the United States. between public discourse about the death penalty and the day-to-day practice of execution.
Natural convection in horizontal-layered porous annuli

Numerical results are reported for natural convection in a horizontal porous annulus comprising two sublayers. Attention is focused on the effects of permeability contrast and thermal conductivity ratio on the heat transfer results. Calculations have covered a wide range of the governing parameters, i.e., 0.01 {le} K{sub 1}/K{sub 2} {le} 100, 0.5 {le} k{sub 1}/k{sub 2} {le} 2 and 10 {le} Ra{sub 1} {le} 500. It is found that the normalized Nusselt number of a layered annulus with K{sub 1}/K{sub 2} 1. The feasibility of using an effective permeability (either based on a geometric mean or arithmetic mean) in the calculation of heat transfer results of a non-uniform system is also investigated. It is found that, for a Rayleigh number in the range between 10 and 1,000, the heat transfer prediction using a geometric average permeability usually gives a better result than that of using an arithmetic average. However, as the permeability contrast increases (i.e., K{sub 1}/K{sub 2} 1), calculationsmore » based on an effective permeability, either arithmetic average or geometric average, can not produce accurate results. The results obtained are useful for engineers in the design of insulation systems and nuclear waste repositories. Although each application may have a different emphasis (e.g., minimal heat loss for pipe insulation and least contamination for waste disposal), the present results suggest that, by a careful selection of the sublayer materials, most requirements can be met easily.« less
Reproductive and menopausal factors and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus in women.

Objective Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) occurs predominantly in women, and hormones may play a role in its etiology. This study was carried out to examine associations between female reproductive and menopausal factors and the development of SLE. Methods A cohort of 238,308 women was prospectively examined. Subjects were older women (ages 30–55 years at start) and younger women (ages 25–42 years at start) from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and NHSII cohorts. Incident SLE diagnosed between 1976 and 2003 was confirmed by medical record review. The relative risk (RR) of SLE was estimated separately in each cohort using Cox proportional hazards models, and then pooled using meta-analysis random effects models. Results Two hundred sixty-two incident cases of SLE were confirmed among the women. In multivariable models adjusted for reproductive and other risk factors, age ≤10 years at menarche (pooled RR 2.1, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.4–3.2), oral contraceptive use (pooled RR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.1), and use of postmenopausal hormones (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–3.1) significantly increased the risk of SLE. An elevation of SLE risk was observed among postmenopausal women primarily after surgical menopause (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2–4.5), and also among women with earlier age at natural menopause (P for trend < 0.05). Menstrual irregularity was associated with an increased risk of SLE among women in the younger (NHSII) cohort. Age at first birth, parity, and total duration of breastfeeding were not associated with SLE. Conclusion Early age at menarche, oral contraceptive use, early age at menopause, surgical menopause, and postmenopausal use of hormones were each associated with an increased risk of SLE. These associations may point to the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of SLE.