cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Segmentation of lung lesions on CT scans using watershed, active contours, and Markov random field.

Purpose: Lung lesions vary considerably in size, density, and shape, and can attach to surrounding anatomic structures such as chest wall or mediastinum. Automatic segmentation of the lesions poses a challenge. This work communicates a new three-dimensional algorithm for the segmentation of a wide variety of lesions, ranging from tumors found in patients with advanced lung cancer to small nodules detected in lung cancer screening programs. Methods: The authors’ algorithm uniquely combines the image processing techniques of marker-controlled watershed, geometric active contours as well as Markov random field (MRF). The user of the algorithm manually selects a region of interest encompassing the lesion on a single slice and then the watershed method generates an initial surface of the lesion in three dimensions, which is refined by the active geometric contours. MRF improves the segmentation of ground glass opacity portions of part-solid lesions. The algorithm was tested on an anthropomorphic thorax phantom dataset and two publicly accessible clinical lung datasets. These clinical studies included a same-day repeat CT (prewalk and postwalk scans were performed within 15 min) dataset containing 32 lung lesions with one radiologist's delineated contours, and the first release of the Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) dataset containing 23 lung nodules with 6 radiologists’ delineated contours. The phantom dataset contained 22 phantom nodules of known volumes that were inserted in a phantom thorax. Results: For the prewalk scans of the same-day repeat CT dataset and the LIDC dataset, the mean overlap ratios of lesion volumes generated by the computer algorithm and the radiologist(s) were 69% and 65%, respectively. For the two repeat CT scans, the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.998, indicating high reliability of the algorithm. The mean relative difference was −3% for the phantom dataset. Conclusions: The performance of this new segmentation algorithm in delineating tumor contour and measuring tumor size illustrates its potential clinical value for assisting in noninvasive diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, therapy response assessment, and radiation treatment planning.
Information used by the perceptual and oculomotor systems regarding the amplitude of saccadic and pursuit eye movements.

Abstract Measures were designed to assess the steady-state information about amplitude of eye movement used for performance of a visual localization task and for control of voluntary saccades. Each measure was applied to four experimental eye movement situations: a saccade in the dark, a saccade to a visible target, a single half-cycle, and the last of 5 half-cycles of pursuit of a target moving in a straight path with sinusoidal velocity at 0.33 Hz. The data indicate that, concerning a just-completed eye movement, (1) information available for control of voluntary saccades is no different from that used to perform a visual localization task, (2) pursuit of a target moving repetitively over a path is subject to considerable underestimation (33%) compared to pursuit of a single sweep of target motion (11% underestimation) and (3) retinal information concerning “intended” saccade amplitude is utilized in judging the amplitude of the saccade which actually occurs. The ERS alone, however, is quite accurate and underestimates saccade amplitude by less than 4%.
Revisiting the structural flexibility of the complex p21ras‐GTP: The catalytic conformation of the molecular switch II

The hydrolysis of GTP in p21ras triggers conformational changes that regulate the ras/ERK signaling pathway. An important active site residue is Gln61, which has been found to be mutated in 30% of human tumors. The dynamics of the active site conformation is studied by using molecular dynamics simulation of two independent structures of the GTP-bound uncomplexed enzyme. Two distinct conformations of the enzyme are observed, in which the side-chain residue Gln61 is in different orientations. Essential dynamics analysis is used to describe the essential motions in the transition between the two conformations. Results are compared with earlier simulations of p21ras and its complex with GTPase activating protein p21-GAP. Proteins 2001;45:297–312. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Estrogen-induced protection against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis is abrogated in the absence of B cells.

Increased remissions in multiple sclerosis (MS) during pregnancy suggest that elevated levels of sex steroids exert immunoregulatory activity. Estrogen (E2=17β-estradiol) protects against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), but the cellular basis for E2-induced protection remains unclear. Studies demonstrate that depletion of B cells prior to induction of EAE exacerbates disease severity, implicating regulatory B cells. We thus evaluated pathogenic and E2-induced protective mechanisms in B-cell-deficient (μMT−/−) mice. EAE-protective effects of E2 were abrogated in μMT−/− mice, with no reduction in disease severity, cellular infiltration or pro-inflammatory factors in the central nervous system compared to untreated controls. E2 treatment of WT mice selectively upregulated expression of PD-L1 on B cells and increased the percentage of IL-10-producing CD1dhighCD5+ regulatory B cells. Upregulation of PD-L1 was critical for E2-mediated protection since E2 did not inhibit EAE in PD-L1−/− mice. Direct treatment of B cells with E2 significantly reduced proliferation of MOG35–55-specific T cells that required estrogen receptor-α (ERα). These results demonstrate, for the first time, a requirement for B cells in E2-mediated protection against EAE involving direct E2 effects on regulatory B cells mediated through ERα and the PD-1/PD-L1 negative co-stimulatory pathway. E2-primed B cells may represent an important regulatory mechanism in MS and have strong implications for women receiving current MS therapies that cause B-cell depletion.
Surgical Management of Wilms Tumor with Intravascular Extension: A Single-Institution Experience

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes of children with Wilms tumor (WT) and intravascular extension who were treated at a single institution. A retrospective review was conducted of medical records of all children with Wilms tumor and intravascular extension treated at Virgen del Rocio Children's Hospital between 1992 and 2010. Seven patients (median age 3.4 years, range 2–8.1 years) were identified. At diagnosis, 6 of the 7 patients (85.7%) presented with tumor thrombus that reached the right atrium (RA) and 1 patient with infrahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombus. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (SIOP 2001 protocol) with vincristine, doxorubicin, and actinomycin D. Regression of the intravascular extension of the tumor was documented in all patients. Postchemotherapy level of extension was suprahepatic IVC in 1 patient, infrahepatic IVC in 2 patients, renal vein (RV) in 1 patient, and RA in 3 patients. Nephrectomy ...
Collagen synthesis is not altered in women with stress urinary incontinence.

Aims The objective of this study was to demonstrate that weakened pelvic floor support of the lower genitourinary tract in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is due, in part, to decreased collagen synthesis and secretion and/or an altered ratio of collagen III/I synthesis by the fibroblasts of the endopelvic fascia and skin compared to that of women without evidence of pelvic floor weakening. Methods Endopelvic fascia and skin biopsies were obtained from women with SUI (n = 14) and women without evidence of SUI or genital prolapse (n = 12). Fibroblast cultures established from the biopsies were incubated with 3H-proline in medium containing ascorbic acid for 3 hr. Conditioned medium was collected and cells were harvested. The radiolabeled collagens were precipitated and digested with collagenase. The collagen synthesized (as a percent of total protein) was determined. Collagen α1(III) was separated from collagen α1(I) and α2(I) by interrupted SDS-PAGE and the amount of 3H-proline in each band was determined. Results Collagen synthesis, expressed as percent of total protein synthesis, was not significantly different between fibroblasts obtained from women with or without SUI. The mean of collagen III/I synthesized in fibroblasts was not significantly different between fibroblasts obtained from women with or without SUI. Conclusions These data suggest that the lower collagen content in the endopelvic fascia and skin of women with SUI is not due to reduced collagen synthesis or selective reduction in synthesis of either collagen I or collagen III, compared to women without pelvic floor weakening. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The electron capture decay of125I and145Pm

The productPKωK of theK-capture probability and theK-fluorescence yieldωK was measured in the EC decay of 17.7 y145Pm and 60.14d125I by means ofK x-ray-γ-ray coincidences with semiconductor detectors. Accepting a best value ofωK=0.920 forZ=60 from the literature, values ofPK=0.606±0.025 and 0.554±0.025 for decay of145Pm to the 67.2 and 72.4 keV levels in145Nd, respectively, were determined, from which the application of EC theory givesQEC=153±4 keV to the ground state. ThePKωK ratio to the 67.2 and 72.4 keV levels also was determined independently to be 1.11±0.01, which serves as a good check on theγ-ray-gatedPK values. Theγ-ray energies were determined more accurately to be 72.4±0.1 and 67.2±0.1 keV, together with a ratio of their relative intensities,I72.4/I67.2=3.35±0.09. In the decay of125I, a value ofPKωK=0.699±0.030 was measured, and by using an independent determination ofQEC=178±2 keV to the ground-state from the literature, a value ofPK=0.801 is calculated from allowed EC theory, from whichωK=0.873±0.017 atZ=52 is obtained. This value is in good agreement with theoretical values and with a value of 0.875±0.028 predicted by the best fit curve of Bambyneket al.
Reliability of Bracken School Readiness Assessment, Third Edition Scores With Young Children in Mumbai, India

To effectively provide early interventions to children, identifying those who are in need of these interventions is essential. In India, several problems hinder the process of early identification, including a lack of standardized measures for assessment. This study investigates the utility of the Bracken School Readiness Assessment, Third Edition (BSRA-3; Bracken, 2007) with an urban sample of children ages 3 to 5 years (N = 254) attending school in Mumbai, India. Reliability of BSRA-3 scores was assessed using coefficient alpha and split-half coefficients. Potentially problematic or biased items were identified using item analysis indexes of difficulty and discrimination. The BSRA-3 test scores with the Indian (Mumbai) population were reliable, and raw score means and rank orders were comparable with those for the U.S. normative sample. None of the test items on the test function differently with the Mumbai, India sample, thus providing initial evidence of BSRA-3's applicability with the Indian population.
Stem cells: a review and implications for urology.

OBJECTIVE The promise of stem cells is to provide a source of non-diseased material for the generation of patient-specific cells or tissue for replacement and reconstruction. This review will provide a broad perspective on stem cell research, from the sentinel discoveries to recent developments, and also discuss translational implications. METHODS We performed internet-based Pubmed database searches to identify recent articles and review papers pertaining to stem cell research and urologic applications. RESULTS Depending on their source, stem cells have a varied capacity to self-renew and divide and to differentiate into a desired phenotype. Pluripotent stem cells can potentially be differentiated into any cell type and multipotent stem cells are variably lineage restricted. In the urologic literature, stem cell derived smooth muscles have been produced and may be useful for tissue-engineered constructs. CONCLUSIONS The future of reconstructive surgery will surely incorporate a number of these stem cell based technologies in revolutionary ways that may improve and extend lives. However, the ultimate utility and clinical applicability of the different types of stem cells will depend on a complex synthesis of further basic research, future clinical trials, and ethical and regulatory reconcilement.
Data-driven motion estimation with low-cost sensors

Motion capture can produce high quality data for motion generation. However, professional motion capture is expensive, and imposes restrictions on the capturing environment. We propose a motion estimation framework that utilizes a small set of low-cost, 3D acceleration sensors. We use a data-driven approach to synthesize realistic human motion comparable in quality to the motion generated by the professional motion capture systems. We employ eight 3D accelerometers - four Nintendo© Wii controllers - attached to a performer's body as the input signal, which is used to synthesize high quality motion from a statistical model learned from a high quality motion capture database. The proposed system is inexpensive and is easy to setup.
Predicting protected steel member fire endurance using spread-sheet programs

The simple method of computing the time-temperature response of protected steel members that has been recommended by the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) is presented in this paper. The method is a one-dimensional heat flow approach that explicitly accounts for the thickness and thermal properties of the insulation as well as the area and perimeter of the steel section.
Mesoporous Carbons Synthesized by Imprinting Ordered and Disordered Porous Structures of Silica Particles in Mesophase Pitch

A novel method for imprinting porous silica particles with ordered and disordered structures in mesophase pitch particles is proposed. It is shown that the particle-imprinted carbons may possess ordered or disordered porous domains depending on the porous structure of the silica particles used in the imprinting process.
Management of acute and chronic respiratory tract infections

Pharyngitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia represent the most common respiratory tract infections. With a view to establishing effective management strategies, the origins of these illnesses and the diagnostic techniques that have been developed to discover them are reviewed. Therapeutic regimens with documented efficacy are outlined with emphasis on specific rather than empiric treatment. Although many respiratory tract pathogens remain exquisitely sensitive to penicillin, the emergence of resistant strains underscores the need for safe and effective alternative therapies.
A new method to evaluate the nutritional composition of marine mammal diets from scats applied to harbor seals in the Gulf of Alaska

Abstract The nutritional profile of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina Linnaeus, 1758) diets was determined from scats using a new diet formulation software program and a prey nutritional database developed from proximate analyses of various prey found in Alaskan waters. Scats were collected from Tugidak Island, Alaska, during summers from 2001 to 2009 and prey composition of the diet was estimated using split-sample frequency of occurrence (ssFO) and biomass reconstruction (BR). While 60 different prey items were identified across the collection period, only 21 were found in > 10% of scats during at least one sampling period, and an average of 2.6 prey species were identified per scat. Diet diversity was consistently lower in the breeding season than in the molting season. The estimated relative importance of some prey items was significantly different between methods; however, there were no significant differences in the overall estimated protein, lipid, or gross energy composition of the diets. The diet formulation software allows evaluation of the nutritional composition of free-ranging diets using the non-invasive collection of scat. Results from combining the prey database and nutritional composition of diets across years suggest that harbor seals have flexible diets and can maintain nutritional input by taking advantage of seasonally or periodically abundant prey.
P02.173. Objective and subjective adherence in mindfulness meditation trials

Purpose Home practice is frequently prescribed as part of mindbody medicine interventions although rarely objectively measured. As part of our ongoing mind-body medicine research program, we created iMINDr, a custom monitoring software program to collect objective adherence data. The goals for these analyses were to assess: 1) any differences in objective versus subjective adherence, and 2) which baseline measures predict adherence in ongoing mindfulness meditation randomized clinical trials being conducted at our lab.
Local structure in the Li-ion battery cathode material Lix(MnyFe1−y)PO4 for 0 < x ≤ 1 and y = 0.0, 0.5 and 1.0

Abstract Infrared and Raman spectroscopy have been used to investigate the Li-ion battery cathode materials Li x (Mn y Fe 1− y )PO 4 for 0 x ≤ 1 and y = 0.0, 0.5 and 1.0. In the Raman spectrum of Li(Mn 0.5 Fe 0.5 )PO 4 , the frequency of the P O 4 3 − symmetric stretching mode is very similar to that found in LiFePO 4 and LiMnPO 4 , suggesting that the P–O bond lengths are similar across the entire Li(Mn y Fe 1− y )PO 4 solid-solution series. The more localized ν 1 and ν 3 bands (symmetric and antisymmetric P O 4 3 − stretching modes, respectively) in the infrared spectra exhibit two-mode behavior for all three Li(Mn y Fe 1− y )PO 4 compositions studied, whereas the P O 4 3 − antisymmetric bending modes (ν 4 ) and the Li + cage mode frequencies vary with Mn 2+ concentration. The vibrational modes in Li x (Mn 0.5 Fe 0.5 )PO 4 are sensitive to lithium content ( x ) and are, thus, used to investigate changes in the (Mn 0.5 Fe 0.5 )PO 4 framework under cycling. The lack of spectral changes during the Fe 2+ /Fe 3+ redox couple (3.7 V versus Li + /Li) suggests that the P O 4 3 − anions have similar local environments in Li(Mn 0.5 (II) Fe 0.5 (II) )PO 4 and Li 0.5 (Mn 0.5 (II) Fe 0.5 (III) )PO 4 . Two-phase behavior is confirmed during the Mn 2+ /Mn 3+ redox couple (4.2 V), and the infrared spectrum for (Mn 0.5 (III) Fe 0.5 (III) )PO 4 is similar to that of FePO 4 since both phases contain P O 4 3 − anions coordinated only to trivalent transition metal ions. However, the P O 4 3 − anions are much more distorted in (Mn 0.5 (III) Fe 0.5 (III) )PO 4 compared to FePO 4 , probably as a result of deformation of the MnO 6 octahedra induced by Jahn–Teller active Mn 3+ ions in the (Mn 0.5 (III) Fe 0.5 (III) )PO 4 structure. Raman spectra suggest that the carbon layer coating the Li(Mn 0.5 Fe 0.5 )PO 4 particles (to improve electronic contact between particles) is predominantly composed of sp 2 -hybridized carbon atoms.
Reconstruction of the late Pleistocene grassland of the Columbia basin, Washington, USA, based on phytolith records in loess

Abstract Silica phytoliths preserved in three loess sections in southeastern Washington State revealed a 100 000-year history of the Columbia Basin grassland. Changes in the proportion of different morphotypes indicate large shifts in vegetation composition during the last 100 ka. A low-elevation section (677 m asl) near the center of the basin provided a record of alternating xeric Festuca–Poa and mesic Festuca–Koeleria grassland. The middle-slope section (1095 m asl) supported Picea–Abies or Pinus ponderosa forest or non-analog parkland at different times. Some trees were present at or near the site even during the Last Glacial Maximum. The highest site (1220 m asl) supported Stipa-, Festuca- and Poa-dominated grassland with some Artemisia shrub during most of the late Pleistocene, but supports a coniferous forest today. Variations in vegetation can be explained as a response to changes in large-scale climatic controls. Grasslands and shrub steppe were apparently more widespread and forests more restricted than today during the marine isotope stages 2 and 4, probably as a result of cooler and drier conditions. The three new records are well correlated with previously published paleo-reconstructions based on phytolith, cicada burrow and stable isotope data from a nearby KP-1 loess section, Carp Lake pollen record, and global ice volume variations.
Leader LPC scores: attitude dimensions and behavioral correlate.

(1970). Leader Lpc Scores: Attitude Dimensions and Behavioral Correlates. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 207-212.
Settlement and resettlement of armenian immigrants in Sydney

Summary The pattern of Armenian settlement in Sydney was principally influenced by the residential locations of earlier settlers when the large influx of Armenian immigrants occurred in 1963–4, by the location of the early Armenian institutions—especially Armenian churches —and by the location of the government's migrant hostels. Although no solid Armenian neighbourhoods or enclaves have developed, areas of residential concentration have occurred in North, South and West Sydney. Although, over time, Armenians have tended to become more widely dispersed, both within and outside their areas of principal settlement, the basic pattern of settlement has changed relatively little.
CRM shifts the paradigm

In today's environment, companies of all sizes need to practice customer relationship marketing to gain a competitive edge. This is feasible if CRM becomes an integrated part of the marketing management paradigm. The paper suggests adding a fifth P to the marketing mix framework to seek such integration. The fifth P refers to profiling the customer. A managerial model of CRM is presented with propositions for future research on the subject.
The effect of retinoic acid on thymidine incorporation and morphology of corneal stromal fibroblasts.

The effect of retinoic acid on DNA synthesis and cell morphology was studied using corneal stromal fibroblasts in culture. All-trans retinoic acid induces an increase in DNA synthesis after 24 hours of exposure. Autoradiographic studies of 3H-thymidine incorporation into corneal stromal cells exposed to 10−6 M retinoic acid for 24 hours showed an increase in labeling which ranged from 19.2% to 67.6% over control cultures. Scintillation analysis of labeled cultures also showed an increase in incorporation of 3H-thymidine into cells treated with 10−6 M retinoic acid, with increases ranging from 21.8% to 114.7% above control cultures. Exposure of cultured corneal stromal cells to 10−6 M retinoic acid resulted in a dramatic change in cell morphology such that they changed from spindle-shaped to round, flattened cells which were epithelioid in appearance. These data demonstrate the biological activity of retinoic acid in stromal fibroblasts and imply a role for vitamin A in maintenance of stroma structure and ...
Cooling effect of continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients

Hypothermia is reported to increase intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. The heat loss that occurs during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) favors the development of hypothermia. In an effort to assess the influence of CRRT on body temperature, we reviewed the records of 72 consecutive ICU patients treated with CRRT and further prospectively studied the temperature in the inlet and outlet lines for blood and dialysate of 27 other patients at various flow settings during continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD). Among the 72 retrospective cases, 36 episodes of hypothermia (core body temperature <35.5 degrees C) occurred and persisted for a mean of 2.6+/-1.8 days. It was more frequent during venovenous than arteriovenous modalities (31 of 67 v5 of 20, respectively); no patients developed hypothermia during arteriovenous slow continuous ultrafiltration (AVSCUS), whereas 48% of the patients undergoing CVVHD became hypothermic, occurring earlier in the therapy course (days 2 to 4). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) tended to increase after CRRT initiation, but absolute changes were not statistically significant. In the prospective arm, the CVVHD circuit temperatures were directly measured. Whereas no attempt was made to change body temperature, stepwise changes in blood (Qb) and dialysate flow rate (Qd) produced venous circuit temperature changes: the higher the Qb, the smaller the arteriovenous temperature differences independent of changes in Qd (P < 0.001). Also, venous circuit temperature varied directly with Qd at fixed Qb (P < 0.001). This relationship also held for temperature conversion to lost energy units per minute. Using room temperature dialysate, CRRT may significantly lower patients' core temperatures. Although the clinical significance of this effect is not clear at this point, energy loss during CVVHD may be important in hemodynamic stability or patient prognosis.
Blue mahoe, a case of incipient plant domestication

Domestication is an evolutionary process experienced by species populations in culturally modified environments. A domesticated plant is a biological and cultural accomplishment. The early evolutionary stages prior to the accomplishment of domestication may be thought of as incipient domestication with the understanding that the same biological mechanisms and cultural activities by which domestication occurs operate continuously, although variably, throughout the time-span under consideration. Domestication, then, may be defined as a process involving the transmission of prized characteristics from one generation to the next and the accumulation thereby of these characteristics through time. The biological mechanisms involved in domestication are the same as those by which adaptations originate in plants. Mutations and gene flow produce variability in species populations, while selection and drift sort the variability and establish new types (Grant 1963:150). Man may be involved in the domestication process at either or both of two levels. He may modify the environmental characteristics by changing the habitat. By so doing, man manipulates the natural selection factors which in turn operate by eliminating some of the plants and, therefore, their genetic material from the population. Man also directly modifies plants by the selection of desirable propagules which are either cuttings for vegetative reproduction or seeds for seed repro-
Fast communication: Mixed linear system estimation and identification

We consider a mixed linear system model, with both continuous and discrete inputs and outputs, described by a coefficient matrix and a set of noise variances. When the discrete inputs and outputs are absent, the model reduces to the usual noise-corrupted linear system. With discrete inputs only, the model has been used in fault estimation, and with discrete outputs only, the system reduces to a probit model. We consider two fundamental problems: estimating the model input, given the model parameters and the model output; and identifying the model parameters, given a training set of input-output pairs. The estimation problem leads to a mixed Boolean-convex optimization problem, which can be solved exactly when the number of discrete variables is small enough. In other cases, when the number of discrete variables is large, the estimation problem can be solved approximately, by solving a convex relaxation, rounding, and possibly, carrying out a local optimization step. The identification problem is convex and so can be exactly solved. Adding @?"1 regularization to the identification problem allows us to trade off model fit and model parsimony. We illustrate the identification and estimation methods with a numerical example.
Race Versus Class in the Health Care of African-American Elderly

This paper uses various kinds of data to investigate the effects of race and class on the health care of African-American elderly in the city-county area of St. Louis, Missouri, It documents the continued segregation into a limited set of nursing homes and hospitals of African-American elderly, who are also disadvantaged by economic and health status. An analysis of nursing home and hospital use patterns by race is conducted to assess theories of class, income, culture, and race as explanations of the racial patterns. Racial factors are shown to have an effect independent of class factors.
Perceptions of Body Hair on White Women: Effects of Labeling:

This study examined 118 college students' perceptions of a White woman with body hair as a function of two different possible attributions. Participants reacted to a video of a young woman described as being either a feminist or as having a medical condition that hindered shaving. Students rated the woman on a variety of interpersonal traits. Analysis showed a main effect for body hair and for description but no interaction. The woman with body hair, whether for feminist or alternative reasons, was rated as significantly less friendly, moral, and relaxed, as well as more aggressive, unsociable, strong, nonconformist, dominant, assertive, independent, and in better physical condition than the same woman without body hair. Implications and directions for research are suggested.
Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship study on cyclic urea derivatives as HIV-1 protease inhibitors: application of comparative molecular field analysis.

Three-dimensional quantitative structure−activity relationship (3D-QSAR) models have been developed using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) on a large data set (118 compounds) of diverse cyclic urea derivatives as protease inhibitors against the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). X-ray crystal structures of HIV-1 protease bound with this class of inhibitors were used to derive the most probable bioactive conformations of the inhibitors. The enzyme active site was used as a constraint to limit the number of possible conformations that are sterically accessible. The test sets have been created keeping in mind structural diversity as well as the uniform simple statistical criteria (mean, standard deviation, high and low values) of the protease inhibitory activities of the molecules compared to the training sets. Multiple predictive models have been developed with the training sets (93 compounds in each set) and validated with the corresponding test sets (25 compounds in each set). All th...
Energy transfer from self-trapped excitons in NaCl to physisorbed C2H2

Abstract Here we explore self-trapped excitons (STEs) in NaCl crystallites that are roughly cubic and ≈ 100 nm on a side. Following excitation of the crystallites at 150 K with 192 nm laser pulses, luminescence in the UV and visible is observed. Based on the wavelength similarities and lifetime decay characteristics of this luminescence with previous studies with large, high purity single crystals of NaCl, we assign the sources of these emissions as the 1 ∑ + u and 3 ∑ + u STE states. On adsorption of C 2 H 2 to the surface of these crystallites the triplet STE emission is quenched but the singlet emission is not. We propose an energy transfer from the triplet STE to a near-resonant excited triplet state of C 2 H 2 . Our study shows that energy stored in the metastable (triplet) STE of NaCl can be efficiently transferred to a surface bound molecule.
Forecasting real exchange rates

Abstract Considerable evidence supports the view that real exchange rates do not have unit roots but rather show mean reversion. This is the first paper to present systematic results on if and how this mean reversion is useful for forecasting real rates. Longer time horizons improve the performance of the estimated forecast models relative to the benchmark driftless random walks. Longer estimation periods particularly improve performance relative to the benchmark. The forecasting ability in simple statistical models seems genuine, but the models resolve only a small part of the uncertainty regarding the revolution of real exchange rates.
Complementary effects of clusters and networks on firm innovation: A conceptual model

We develop a conceptual model that explains how a firm's cluster and network complement each other in enhancing the firm's likelihood of technological innovations. We identify critical innovation catalysts-awareness and motivation-and innovation barriers-resource constraints, organizational rigidity, and uncertainty. Our conceptual model explains how various factors in the cluster such as competitive intensity, social interaction intensity, and cluster vitality and network factors such as resource potential, acquisition orientation, co-development orientation, and network vitality impact innovation catalysts and barriers and subsequently the firm's likelihood of generating incremental and breakthrough innovations. We discuss several promising avenues for future research.
Continuous Vacuum Foam Drying of Whole Milk Under Simulated Commercial Scale Conditions

Abstract This paper reports studies that tested the technical feasibility of vacuum foam drying of whole milk under simulated commercial-scale production. The tests showed that the scale-up ratio from pilot to commercial size is valid and that the feed nozzle will deliver a smooth and continuous ribbon of foam to the belt at commercial rates. They also showed that the agitated-film, vacuum evaporator will operate for at least 12 hours before shutdown for cleaning becomes necessary. A multiple-blade doctoring system was designed, built, installed and tested that permits satisfactory continuous removal of product from belt for at least five consecutive days. Other important observations were that temperature of the gas-containing concentrate and its dwell time from the gas disperser through the nozzle to the belt have significant effects on the behavior of foam as it leaves the nozzle and as it reacts to heat on the belt. It is concluded that insofar as a pilot-scale can predict, the vacuum foam-dried whole milk process is ready for commercialization.
A simple approach to a sensitive two-point boundary value problem

Abstract A well-known sensitive two-point boundary value problem is solved by two very simple shooting methods. The origin of the problem and some properties of the solution are discussed.
Cost-effectiveness inferences from bootstrap quadrant confidence levels: three degrees of dominance.

ABSTRACT When with at least 95% confidence a new treatment is shown to be not only less costly (LC), but also more effective (ME), than a current treatment, that new treatment can be said to “strictly dominate” the current treatment statistically. But what can be said when head-to-head treatment comparisons turn out to be less clear-cut than this? Here, we propose two additional sets of specific LC and/or ME confidence thresholds to define the concepts of “some dominance” and “much dominance.” Confidence levels associated with entire quadrants of the incremental cost–effectiveness (ICE) plane are easily computed using the same bootstrapping techniques used to estimate an “acceptability curve.” Our two proposed additional “degrees” of dominance, although less stringent than strict dominance, are nevertheless more stringent than commonly accepted approaches using ICE ratio or net benefit calculations. To illustrate analysis concepts, we use data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active comparato...
Occipito-cervical instrumentation failure after radio-chemotherapy for axis solitary plasmacytoma: a case-based update.

Introduction Axis solitary plasmacytoma is a rare cause of cranio-vertebral junction instability and atlanto-axial subluxation. Occipito-cervical instrumentation through lateral mass screws fixation is commonly used to obtain an internal stabilisation through a posterior approach in the management of axis tumours. Although radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been strongly advocated for treatment of spinal solitary plasmacytoma, their role in determining failure of instrumented fusion has not yet been emphasised.
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the floor of the mouth: A case report

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a neoplasm composed of striated muscle. One of the most common types of soft tissue mesenchymal tumors in infants, children, and adolescents, rhabdomyosarcoma was considered an almost uniformly fatal cancer as recently as 30 years ago. Presently a multimodal approach consisting of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy has significantly improved the outlook for the patient with rhabdomyosarcoma. This article presents a case of intraoral rhabdomyosarcoma that was initially poorly controlled because of a lack of patient compliance. After proper treatment, the cancer went into remission. The patient remained cancer-free for 7 years, albeit with significant morbidity. This case demonstrates the significantly improved prognosis achieved with multimodal therapy.
Performance Evaluation of SIMD Processor Architectures Using Pairwise Multiplier Recoding

Research in the area of massively parallel processing with a focus on processor architecture is presented. Multiplication using conventional techniques and a modified multiplier recoding scheme for 2's complement fixed-point multiplication is used to evaluate different SIMD architectures. Recoding is facilitated by a small amount of hardware which can be included at each processor even when the size of the individual processor is small. Performance figures are measured for 20-bit and 32-bit fixed-point multiplies, and for generation of Mandlebrot images using 20 bits and 32 bits of precision. Results indicate that although the 1 bit system has the highest cycle count for individual multiplies, this system also achieves the largest aggregate Mops rate when the systems are given equivalent processing power.
PET imaging of HER1-expressing xenografts in mice with 86Y-CHX-A″-DTPA-cetuximab

Purpose Cetuximab is a recombinant, human/mouse chimeric IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/HER1). Cetuximab is approved for the treatment of patients with HER1-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer. Limitations in currently reported radiolabeled cetuximab for PET applications prompted the development of 86Y-CHX-A″-DTPA-cetuximab as an alternative for imaging HER1-expressing cancer. 86Y-CHX-A″-DTPA-cetuximab can also serve as a surrogate marker for 90Y therapy.
From association to causality: the new frontier for complex traits

Technological and analytical advances have led to an unprecedented catalog of genomic regions associated with a broad range of clinically relevant phenotypes in humans. However, some examples notwithstanding, the causes of the overwhelming majority of genetic diseases remain obscure. More importantly, an emerging lesson from genome-wide association studies is that, in most instances, the resolution necessary for identifying actual genes that underlie the phenotype is limited, as is our ability to develop mechanistic, testable disease models from such studies. These new realities will probably necessitate a paradigm shift in our approach to complex traits, for which the combinatorial application of genomic and functional studies will be necessary to understand the mechanism and pathology of genetic disease. Here I will discuss these issues and highlight how additional sequencing and genotyping of ever-increasing cohort sizes without functional interpretation is unlikely to improve our ability to dissect the genetic basis of complex traits.
Comparison of alteration of cell surface carbohydrates of the chinchilla tubotympanum and colonial opacity phenotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae during experimental pneumococcal otitis media with or without an antecedent influenza A virus infection.

Experimental and clinical studies suggest that influenza A virus promotes Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced otitis media; however, the mechanism underlying this synergistic interaction has not been completely defined. In this study, glycoconjugate expression patterns were evaluated on the cell surface in the chinchilla eustachian tube (ET) lumen of a cohort challenged intranasally (i.n.) with S. pneumoniae type 6A, which is predominantly transparent and a cohort with an antecedent influenza A virus infection, followed by i.n. inoculation with S. pneumoniae. The labeling patterns obtained with six lectin probes revealed that the binding of Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin II, succinylated wheat germ agglutinin, and peanut agglutinin were significantly increased in the lumenal surface of the ET in the cohort infected with both pathogens compared to the cohort inoculated with only S. pneumoniae, which indicated that N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and D-galactose residues were exposed. A significant decreased labeling with Sambucus nigra agglutinin in the combined influenza A virus and pneumococcus infection cohort suggested that there were few sialic acid residues remaining in the ET epithelium. In addition, the colonial opacity of S. pneumoniae during the disease course was examined. The opaque phenotype was predominant among the pneumococcus isolates from the middle-ear fluid in the cohort infected with the both pathogens. Together, these data suggest that the synergic effect of influenza A virus and S. pneumoniae on the changes of the carbohydrate moieties in the ET epithelium and that the selection of the opaque variant may facilitate the pneumococcal invasion of the middle ear.
Manic-depressive Variant Syndrome of Childhood Diagnostic and Therapeutic Considerations

A case is described of manic-depressive variant syndrome of childhood in a ten-year-old boy. Children with manic-depressive variant syndrome frequently have signs and symptoms of hy peractivity and are often first seen by their pediatrician. The diagnoses of attention deficit disorder, organic mental disorder, borderline personality disorder, and childhood schizophre nia, are discussed with relation to their differentiation from the manic-depressive variant syn drome of childhood. The discussion further describes the early onset of symptoms in this boy and points out how a consideration of this diagnosis might be possible in early childhood, allowing for early inauguration of lithium therapy.
Quantum theory of the complex dielectric constant of free carriers in polar semiconductors

The optical constants and reflectivity of a semiconductor are known as functions of the real and imaginary parts of the complex dielectric constant. The imaginary part of the complex dielectric constant e 2 is proportional to the optical conductivity, which has recently been calculated from the quantum density matrix equation of motion. The expression obtained for e 2 reduces to the Drude result, as obtained from the quasi-classical Boltzmann transport equation, in the limit of low frequencies and elastic scattering mechanisms, and to the quantum result found using time dependent perturbation theory in the limit of high frequencies. This paper derives the real part of the complex dielectric constant e 1 for a III-V or II-VI semiconductor with the band structure of the Kane theory, using the quantum density matrix method. The relation of e 1 to the second order perturbation energy of the system is shown, and the reflectivity is a minimum when the second order perturbation energy vanishes. The quantum calculation for e 1 gives approximately the same result as the Drude theory, except near the fundamental absorption edge, and reduces to the Drude result at low frequencies. Using the complex dielectric constant, the real and imaginary parts of the complex refractive index, the skin depth, the surface impedance, and the reflectivity are found. The plasma resonance is examined. The surface impedance and the skin depth are shown to reduce to the usual classical result in the limit that e_{1} = 0 and w\tau \ll 1 , where w is the angular frequency of the applied field and τ is the electron scattering time.
Computing with Dendrodendritic Synapses in the Olfactory Bulb

Decades of work in vivo and in vitro have provided a wealth of data on the properties of the reciprocal dendrodendritic synapses that connect olfactory bulb mitral and granule cells. However, hypotheses about the function of these connections have changed relatively little. These synapses are believed to mediate recurrent and lateral inhibition and thus, by analogy with lateral inhibition in other systems, have been proposed to play a role in sharpening mitral cell receptive fields and in generating oscillatory spiking in mitral cells. This description is likely to be partially accurate, but is likely to be a rather simplified and incomplete account of the function of these connections. In particular, current hypotheses about the function of dendrodendritic circuits do not account for some of the unusual features of reciprocal synapses that may allow olfactory bulb circuits to perform special functions. Here we review recent work on the physiology and function of olfactory bulb circuits and try to link the physiological properties of reciprocal synapses particular computations that the olfactory bulb may perform.
AGU Will Present Edmond M. Dewan Scholarship If Fund Reaches Goal

AGU will present the Edmond M. Dewan Scholarship for the first time at the 2014 Fall Meeting if the scholarship fund reaches the goal of $25,000 by the end of 2013. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to deserving graduate students of atmospheric sciences or space physics and will serve as a tribute to Edmond Dewan, a distinguished scientist and dedicated member of the Union.
Adaptive Wavetable Oscillators

An adaptive oscillator is a system that can lock on to a time-varying input signal, synchronizing its output to both the frequency and phase of the input. A wavetable oscillator generates a periodic output by indexing into a lookup table that stores a single period of the waveform. An adaptive wavetable oscillator (AWO) combines these two ideas in a technique which separates the periodic output waveform from the parameters that control the adaptation of the frequency and phase of the waveform. This separation is advantageous because it decouples the state of the oscillator from the dynamics of the adaptation, allowing the process of synchronization to be interpreted as a simple gradient optimization on a cost function. The oscillations remain stable over a large and easily described range of parameter values, and analysis of the synchronization can proceed along lines familiar from standard adaptive systems. Key issues in the design of AWOs are: the class of admissible inputs, the shape of the wavetable, the parameters that will be controlled, and the adaptive algorithm that adjusts the parameters. This paper examines these issues through analysis and simulation, focusing on conditions that achieve the desired synchronization between output and input.
Interpersonal relationships and irrationality as predictors of life satisfaction

This study examined the association among interpersonal relationships, irrational beliefs, and life satisfaction. Twenty-eight psychotherapy clients and 207 college undergraduates completed measures of interpersonal relations (Outcome Questionnaire; Lambert et al., 1996), irrationality (Rational Behavior Inventory; Shorkey & Whiteman, 1977), and life satisfaction (The Satisfaction with Life Scale; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985). Results indicated that interpersonal relations predicted life satisfaction, whereas global irrationality was indirectly related to life satisfaction. Specifically, interpersonal relations mediated the association between global irrationality and life satisfaction. Clinicians aiming to foster life satisfaction in their patients are encouraged to carefully assess their social functioning and utilize relationship-enhancing treatments. Targeting irrational thinking may also be necessary to set the stage for and support such interventions.