cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The limited universe of exons

The catalogue of mosaic proteins showing evidence of exon-shuffling continues to expand. The repeated use of exon modules suggests that current protein diversity could have been generated from a finite set of such exon modules, and that the size and character of this underlying exon universe can still be glimpsed in extant proteins.
Highly integrated millimeter-wave passive components using 3-D LTCC system-on-package (SOP) technology

In this paper, we demonstrate the development of advanced three-dimensional (3-D) low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) system-on-package (SOP) passive components for compact low-cost millimeter-wave wireless front-end modules. Numerous miniaturized easy-to-design passive circuits that can be used as critical building blocks for millimeter-wave SOP modules have hereby been realized with high-performance and high-integration potential. One miniaturized slotted-patch resonator has been designed by the optimal use of vertical coupling mechanism and transverse cuts and has been utilized to realize compact duplexers (39.8/59 GHz) and three- and five-pole bandpass filters by the novel 3-D (vertical and parallel) deployment of single-mode patch resonators. Measured results agree very well with the simulated data. One multiplexing filter, called the directional channel-separation filter, that can also be used in mixer applications shows insertion loss of <3 dB over the bandpass frequency band and a rejection /spl sim/25 dB at around 38.5 GHz over the band-rejection section. LTCC fabrication limitations have been overcome by using vertical coupling mechanisms to satisfy millimeter-wave design requirements. Lastly, a double-fed cross-shaped microstrip antenna has been designed for the purpose of doubling the data throughput by means of a dual-polarized wireless channel, covering the band between 59-64 GHz. This antenna can be easily integrated into a wireless millimeter-wave link system.
Elastic network models capture the motions apparent within ensembles of RNA structures

The role of structure and dynamics in mechanisms for RNA becomes increasingly important. Computational approaches using simple dynamics models have been successful at predicting the motions of proteins and are often applied to ribonucleo-protein complexes but have not been thoroughly tested for well-packed nucleic acid structures. In order to characterize a true set of motions, we investigate the apparent motions from 16 ensembles of experimentally determined RNA structures. These indicate a relatively limited set of motions that are captured by a small set of principal components (PCs). These limited motions closely resemble the motions computed from low frequency normal modes from elastic network models (ENMs), either at atomic or coarse-grained resolution. Various ENM model types, parameters, and structure representations are tested here against the experimental RNA structural ensembles, exposing differences between models for proteins and for folded RNAs. Differences in performance are seen, depending on the structure alignment algorithm used to generate PCs, modulating the apparent utility of ENMs but not significantly impacting their ability to generate functional motions. The loss of dynamical information upon coarse-graining is somewhat larger for RNAs than for globular proteins, indicating, perhaps, the lower cooperativity of the less densely packed RNA. However, the RNA structures show less sensitivity to the elastic network model parameters than do proteins. These findings further demonstrate the utility of ENMs and the appropriateness of their application to well-packed RNA-only structures, justifying their use for studying the dynamics of ribonucleo-proteins, such as the ribosome and regulatory RNAs.
The Synthesis of Aldehydes from Carboxylic Acids

The Rosenmund reduction of acid chlorides to the corresponding aldehydes was discussed in volume 4 of this series. There are a number of other less direct methods by which carboxylic acids can be converted into aldehydes and the purpose of this chapter is to consider the more useful of these procedures. Three of these methods, the hydrolytic decomposition of Reissert's compounds, the method of Grundmann, and the reductive desulfurization of thiol esters require acid chlorides as intermediates and in the respect are competitive with the Rosenmund reduction of acid chlorides. In the fourth method method, the McFadyen and Stevens synthesis, acid chlorides may be used for the preparation of the intermediate acyl hydrazides. Two additional methods, (Sonn and Muller, and Stephen) are based on the intermediate imido chlorides. These methods listed appear to be the one ones developed to the point where further discussion is profitable. Keywords: aldehydes; carboxylic acids; Reissert's compounds; Grundman method; reductive desulfurization; thio esters; McFadyen and Stevens method; Sonn and Muller method; Stephen method; nitriles; controlled reduction; amides; lithium aluminum hydride
Water's two height scales: The moist adiabat and the radiative troposphere

SUMMARY The temperature structure of the tropical troposphere resembles a moist adiabat, with a lapse-rate transition toward dry adiabatic where water becomes scarce at an altitude Hma N 8 km (350 hPa). Infrared emission by water vapour cools a deeper layer, extending up to Hd - 14 km (160 ma). Five consequences of these unequal heights are reviewed. 1. Upper-tropospheric relative humidity is often low, highly variable, and bimodal, due to the rapidity of drying by radiative subsidence. 2. Large-scale divergent circulations (e.g. equatorial u wind) exhibit a two-celled vertical structure, with an elevated convergence layer near 8-10 km in the rising branch. 3. The dominant deep convective heating process changes from latent heating at low levels to eddy heat-flux convergence in the upper troposphere. This requires a substantial updraught-environment temperature difference, which leads to large entrainment near Hma, yielding stratiform anvil clouds which also contribute radiative heating. 4. The rising branches of deep (- Hd) vertical circulations export more heat than they import as moisture, so that large-scale tropical dynamics can be characterized by a ‘gross moist stability’. 5. Divergent motions with a vertical wavelength -8 km, corresponding to Kelvin or gravity wave speeds of -15 m s-’, are excited by simple (e.g. uniform) heating profiles extending through the lapse-rate change near Hma.
Electric Field Manipulation of Phospholipid Tubules: Optical Birefringence Measurements

Abstract The polymerizable phospholipid DC23PC forms straight, hollow cylinders in water. Using ac electric fields it is possible to achieve significant orientation of these structures. A birefringence method was used to obtain the effective electric susceptibility anisotropy ΔχE, the value of which is in good agreement with that obtained earlier from light scattering measurements.
Historical explanation, folk psychology, and narrative

Abstract This paper argues that history differs from natural science in relying on folk psychology and so narrative explanations. In narratives, actions, beliefs, and pro‐attitudes are joined by conditional and volitional connections. Conditional connections exist when beliefs and pro‐attitudes pick up themes from one another Volitional connections exist when agents command themselves to do something having decided to do it because of a pro‐attitude they hold. The paper defends the epistemic legitimacy of narratives by arguing we have legitimate grounds for postulating conditional and volitional connections since they are given to us by a folk psychology we accept as true.
Case Report: Giant Dorsal Neurofibroma in a Young Male

CASE REPORT A 26-year-old man was referred from an outlying rural area with an extremely large pigmented mass involving soft tissues of the back from the neck to the iliac crests (vertically) and from one mid-axillary line to another (horizontally) (Fig. la,b). He reported that he had had the lesion since birth when it began as a 'small brown spot'. The area had grown steadily into a mass and became very uncomfortable while sleeping and a source of embarrassment. Initial physical examination demonstrated no other physical stigmata of neurofibromatosis Lisch nodules or axillary freckling) and the patients history failed to reveal a first degree relative with neurofibromatosis. Examinations were undertaken in order to plan an excision of as much of the soft tissue mass as possible. An angiogram was performed in order to define the vascular supply of the tumour. The findings included multiple hypertrophied intercostal and lumbar arteries along with an irregular and disorganized pattern of vascularity (Fig. lc). It was though at this time that the appearance of the hypertrophied lumbar arteries along with the associated disorganized vascularity could be suggestive of a true arteriovenous malformation contained within the soft tissue tumour. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained to further elucidate the extent of soft tissue involvement and to search for additional occult lesions. MRI showed a highly vascular mass of the posterior thoracic tissues whose appearance was highly suggestive of an arteriovenous malformation. The soft tissue surrounding the vascular structures was not typical of the usual signal characteristics seen in a neurofibroma (Fig. ld,e). The remainder of the study did not disclose any other discrete masses or vascular anomalies. The patient subsequently had the tumour debulked. During the initial surgical procedure, approximately one-seventh of the soft tissue tumour was resected. The second episode of surgery resulted in the successful removal of the remainder of the tumour (weighing 28kg). The resultant large wound was covered with split-thickness skin grafts from the tumour itself and from the thighs of the patient. The resected specimen demonstrated typical features of a neurofibroma with diffuse and plexiform types (Fig. 2). The smaller skin nodules
Variation in BAS-BIS Profiles across Categories of Cigarette Use

Cigarette smoking is a major health concern, especially among college students. Research suggests a number of individual difference variables may be useful for identifying people at risk of becoming smokers and their likelihood of successfully quitting. The current study focuses on individual differences relating to Behavioral Inhibition System sensitivity (BIS) and the fun seeking, reward responsiveness, and drive aspects of Behavioral Approach System sensitivity (BAS). The former relates to mitigation of potential threat, whereas the latter three relate to different motivations for approach. Noting that existing literature suggests the considerations influencing whether a person experiments with cigarettes differ from those influencing who becomes a habitual smoker which in turn differ from those influencing whether a person quits smoking, we hypothesized that never smokers, experimenters, smokers, and former smokers would differ from each other on BIS, fun seeking, reward responsiveness, and drive in predictable ways. Moreover, we predicted these groups would differ from each other in terms of member profiles across these four variables. We assessed these predictions in a sample of college students from geographically diverse institutions within the United States (N=1840). The profile for never smokers was characterized by high BIS and low fun seeking, that of experimenters by moderately high BIS, high fun seeking, and moderate reward responsiveness, and that of former smokers by moderate BIS, high fun seeking, high reward responsiveness, and high drive. Contrary to expectations, current smokers were low on all four of these characteristics.
Innovations in endoscopic imaging for bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer, from diagnosis to death, is the most expensive to treat of all malignancies diagnosed in the United States. This is due to the high annual incidence and prevalence, the high rate of recurrence after transurethral resection (TUR) and intravesical therapy, and the necessity for frequent endoscopic exams to monitor for recurrence. White light cystoscopy (WLC) remains the imaging modality that is the gold standard for primary diagnosis and management of bladder cancer. Traditional imaging techniques, such as ultrasonography, excretory urography, and computed tomography, lack the resolution to detect small papillary and flat lesions. Consequently, direct visual inspection via cystoscopy and histopathologic examination through tumor biopsy continue to be the mainstays of bladder cancer management. Enhancements to endoscopic imaging offer the hope of more precise characterization of dysplastic and malignant lesions in the bladder, and several technologies have or will come online in the near future. These include fluorescence cystoscopy (also referred to as photodynamic diagnosis [PDD]), optical coherence tomography (OCT), narrow band imaging, and confocal microscopy (reviewed by Goh and Lerner [1]). PDD offers the ability to augment detection of neoplastic tissue through fluorescent enhancement. As applied to urology, this technology may allow identification of urothelial lesions that are not readily visualized with conventional WLC, namely, small papillary transitional cell carcinomas and carcinoma in situ (CIS). Early detection and treatment of these lesions may result in decreased rates of recurrence and improved clinical outcomes. PDD has been in use in Europe for the past 15 years with the protoporphyrin 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and, more recently, with the hexyl ester derivative of ALA (hexylaminolevulinic acid [HAL]; Hexvix, Photocure, Oslo, Norway) following European Union regulatory approval in 2005. PDD
Practical observers for unmeasured states in turbocharged gasoline engines

Turbocharged gasoline engines are becoming more common in production vehicles as consumers demand improved fuel economy with uncompromised performance. Controlling this complex system to meet these and other competing objectives is a challenging task. Knowledge of exhaust manifold pressure and turbocharger speed can be important to success. Physical conditions of the system, however, make measurement impractical and costly, compelling manufacturers to implement some form of on-line estimation. Additional constraints imposed by computational resources and calibration processes limit application of a traditional state observer. In this paper, singular perturbation concepts are employed in concert with the reduced order observer to develop more practical estimates of exhaust manifold pressure and turbocharger speed. Simulation results show excellent observer performance with a significant reduction in calibration complexity.
Laparoscopic repair of vesicoureteral reflux utilizing the Lich-Gregoir technique in the pig model.

ABSTRACTTo date, laparoscopic urological surgery has largely been limited to diagnostic or ablative procedures. Herein we report our experience with laparoscopic reconstructive surgery to perform an extravesical ureteral reimplantation. Seven anesthetized pigs with iatrogenic ureteral reflux underwent a laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation. The newly created ureteral tunnel varied from 2 to 4 cm. In 3 pigs, the tunnel was created with tacking staples, while in the other 4 pigs, the tunnel was created with intracorporeal suturing techniques using a 3-zero polyglyconate running suture. The procedure required an average of 132 minutes. There was one anesthetic death. There were no urinary tract infections. At 3 to 8 weeks after reimplantation, the cystograms were repeated on 5 pigs. One of 2 stapled reimplant pigs still had reflux; 1 of 3 sewn reimplant pigs had reflux. At 6 months following the reimplantation, only 1 pig had residual grade I reflux and this was a sutured reimplantation. None of...
Early complications after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) has been established as an effective therapeutic modality for patients with both acute and end-stage liver disease. It remains, however, a very complex procedure in an ill patient population and is, therefore, attended by significant morbidity and mortality. The early postoperative course ranges in complexity from routine to extremely complicated. The preoperative status of the recipient, donor liver quality, and technical aspects of the operation are the most critical determinants of early outcome. A high index of suspicion, rapid diagnostic assessment of the alterations from normal postoperative course, and timely intervention are the critical factors in minimizing morbidity and mortality.
Targeting virulence: salmochelin modification tunes the antibacterial activity spectrum of β-lactams for pathogen-selective killing of Escherichia coli

New antibiotics are required to treat bacterial infections and counteract the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Pathogen-specific antibiotics have several advantages over broad-spectrum drugs, which include minimal perturbation to the commensal microbiota. We present a strategy for targeting antibiotics to bacterial pathogens that utilises the salmochelin-mediated iron uptake machinery of Gram-negative Escherichia coli. Salmochelins are C-glucosylated derivatives of the siderophore enterobactin. The biosynthesis and utilisation of salmochelins are important for virulence because these siderophores allow pathogens to acquire iron and evade the enterobactin-scavenging host-defense protein lipocalin-2. Inspired by the salmochelins, we report the design and chemoenzymatic preparation of glucosylated enterobactin-β-lactam conjugates that harbour the antibiotics ampicillin (Amp) and amoxicillin (Amx), hereafter GlcEnt-Amp/Amx. The GlcEnt scaffolds are based on mono- and diglucosylated Ent where one catechol moiety is functionalized at the C5 position for antibiotic attachment. We demonstrate that GlcEnt-Amp/Amx provide up to 1000-fold enhanced antimicrobial activity against uropathogenic E. coli relative to the parent β-lactams. Moreover, GlcEnt-Amp/Amx based on a diglucosylated Ent (DGE) platform selectively kill uropathogenic E. coli that express the salmochelin receptor IroN in the presence of non-pathogenic E. coli and other bacterial strains that include the commensal microbe Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Moreover, GlcEnt-Amp/Amx evade the host-defense protein lipocalin-2, and exhibit low toxicity to mammalian cells. Our work establishes that siderophore-antibiotic conjugates provide a strategy for targeting virulence, narrowing the activity spectrum of antibiotics in clinical use, and achieving selective delivery of antibacterial cargos to pathogenic bacteria on the basis of siderophore receptor expression.
Ways of Knowing about Birth in Three Cultures

This study reanalyses Brigitte Jordans concept of authoritative knowledge through an examination of how authoritative knowledge is displayed in birthing systems in 1) a Maya village in Yucatan Mexico where technology is low and infrequently used; 2) a public general hospital in Texas where technology is extremely advanced and widely used; and 3) a public maternity hospital in Kingston Jamaica where both technology and traditional ways of knowing have been lost. The study focuses on 1) the relationship between the hierarchial distribution of knowledge about birth and the reliance on technology during labor and delivery 2) the relative valuation of biomedical and alternative knowledge about birth in the three systems and 3) the relationship between the expression of authoritative knowledge and authority positions (the distribution of power among the pregnant women and their assistants). The paper opens with a review of Jordans work and presentation of the argument that while authoritative knowledge is possessed by those who control the artifacts and accomplish the work (as Jordan theorized) it is also contingent on shared experience and social status. Other topics include the role of social interaction in the valuation of knowledge and variations in acceptable ways of knowing about birth. The paper provides case studies of home birth in Yucatan hospital birth in Texas involving Spanish-speaking women who underwent cesarean section without interpreters and poorly attended hospital births in a depleted hospital in Jamaica. It is concluded that these cases validate and extend Jordans arguments to suggest that one aspect of the constitution of authoritative knowledge is the distribution of social power. The Jamaican case in particular illustrates how the cultural authority of biomedicine can persist without its defining technology.
Performance of UWB communications with imperfect channel estimation

In this paper, we examine the performance of diversity combining with imperfect channel estimation when the channel is comprised of diffuse as well as specular, or nonfading, components. It is shown that the presence of specular components under certain conditions can reduce the combining loss incurred by large-bandwidth systems when employing imperfect channel estimates and combining a significant number of resolvable paths.
Identification of parvovirus-like virus particles in intestinal crypt epithelial cells of pigs with diarrhea.

8and in Japan. 16 This communication presents morphologic evidence of a naturally occurring enteric infection of a nursing piglet by a parvovirus-like virus. In August 1988, specimens from 2 15-day-old nursing piglets from a 400-sow breeding herd located in northeast Nebraska were submitted by a local veterinarian to the Veterinary Diagnostic Center for laboratory examination. During the previous month, diarrhea had occurred in piglets 7-10 days of age, and morbidity and mortality were approximately 40% and 30%, respectively. Treatment had consisted of supportive oral fluid and antibiotic therapy. Pregnant animals had been vaccinated with a commercial product for prevention of swine colibacillosis and clostridial and rotavirus enteritis. Clinical signs of diarrhea and dehydration were seen in 1 piglet, and nervous signs and pneumonia were observed in the other. The 2 piglets were euthanized, and samples of heart, lung, liver, small intestine, spleen, and kidney were fixed in 10% buffered formalin. Samples of heart and small intestine were also submitted chilled on ice for diagnostic examination. Histopathologic examination of hematoxylin and eosin (HE)-stained sections of small intestine revealed severe diffuse necrosis of the cells of the crypts of Leberkuhn with collapse of the lamina propria and denudation of intestinal
A shock capturing application of the finite element method

The paper is concerned with the development of finite element algorithms for the solution of viscous compressible flow problems with possible embedded shocks and recirculation regions. As a first step, the calculation in Cartesian coordinates of uniform flow on a rectangular region which encounters an embedded oblique shock with known turning angle is considered. A code is developed which is then used for computation of the boattail plume simulator problem in cylindrical coordinates. Oblique shock calculations are performed and the results are compared with a known finite difference solution.
A BAYESIAN FRAMEWORK FOR THE ANALYSIS OF COSPECIATION

Information on the history of cospeciation and host switching for a group of host and parasite species is contained in the DNA sequences sampled from each. Here, we develop a Bayesian framework for the analysis of cospeciation. We suggest a simple model of host switching by a parasite on a host phylogeny in which host switching events are assumed to occur at a constant rate over the entire evolutionary history of associated hosts and parasites. The posterior probability density of the parameters of the model of host switching are evaluated numerically using Markov chain Monte Carlo. In particular, the method generates the probability density of the number of host switches and of the host switching rate. Moreover, the method provides information on the probability that an event of host switching is associated with a particular pair of branches. A Bayesian approach has several advantages over other methods for the analysis of cospeciation. In particular, it does not assume that the host or parasite phylogenies are known without error; many alternative phylogenies are sampled in proportion to their probability of being correct.
Early deglacial onset of southwestern Greenland ice-sheet retreat on the continental shelf

Abstract The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) advanced onto the continental shelf during the last glacial period. While deglacial records for when the GrIS withdrew onto the modern coastline are relatively abundant, the timing of early GrIS retreat on the shelf is poorly constrained. Here we use planktic foraminiferal δ 18 O, sediment grain size, sedimentation rates, and 14 C ages in southeastern Davis Strait core HU87033-008 to develop an early deglaciation chronology of the southwestern GrIS while on the continental shelf. Sedimentation rates, and especially silt and clay fractions, are high between ∼20.5 and ∼17.1 ka, suggesting that the southwestern GrIS margin was near or at the shelf break, where it released subglacially derived sediment-laden meltwater. A peak in sedimentation rates of ∼110 cm ka −1 between ∼19.3 ka and ∼18.6 ka, combined with an initial decrease in planktic δ 18 O of ∼0.5 per mil, suggests an early deglacial pull back of the GrIS margin from the shelf break with a concurrent increase in surface ocean meltwater discharge. A subsequent planktic δ 18 O decrease of ∼1.0 per mil combined with a drop in silt and clay sedimentation rates at 18–17 ka likely record further GrIS retreat inland from the shelf break. Terrestrial 10 Be surface exposure ages indicate that the GrIS margin remained on the continental shelf until ∼11 ka, yet the cause of this subsequent ice-margin stability on the inner shelf is not known. Our new records provide the first evidence that the southwestern GrIS margin may have begun to deglaciate at the same time as other Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. As Labrador Sea water temperatures likely remained near glacial values until ∼15 ka, we suggest that initial southwestern GrIS retreat was in response to rising global sea level from retreat of other ice sheets and/or the initial deglacial rise in boreal summer insolation.
A Simple Polynomial Time Algorithm for a Convex Hull Problem Equivalent to Linear Programming

Over the rationals, the general linear programming problem is equivalent to the convex hull problem of determining if a given m × n matrix H has a nontrivial nonnegative zero. We give a polynomial time algorithm that either finds a nontrivial nonnegative zero of H, or it obtains a hyperplane separating the column vectors of H from the origin. In particular, the algorithm provides an alternate proof of a strengthened version of Gordan’s duality theorem, previously proved by the author. The algorithm which is motivated by this duality theorem is analogous to Karmarkar’s algorithm but its analysis is much simpler.
Age-related changes in effects of insulin-like growth factor I on human osteoblast-like cells

The role of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in extracellular matrix metabolism was studied in both proliferating and confluent human osteoblast-like cultures derived from donors of different ages. In proliferating cultures, recombinant human (rh)IGF-I was found to increase the incorporation of [3H]thymidine in a dose- and age-dependent manner. To study cell proliferation dynamically, continuous growth curves with and without rhIGF-I were modelled by a modified logistic function. Increasing doses of rhIGF-I decreased the lag time and maximal growth rates, whereas plateau values decreased only at the highest dose (100 ng/ml). In post-proliferative cell strains, rhIGF-I (0.1-100 ng/ml) increased levels of type I collagen, biglycan and decorin, and to a smaller extent fibronectin and thrombospondin, whereas it decreased the levels of hyaluronan and a versican-like proteoglycan when protein and proteoglycan metabolism were followed by steady-state radiolabelling with [3H]proline, [3H]glucosamine or [35S]sulphate. These responses to rhIGF-I were found to be age-dependent, with osteoblast-like cells derived from younger patients being more responsive to rhIGF-I. When extracellular matrix turnover was analysed by pulse-chase experiments, rhIGF-I had no effect. The steady-state levels of collagen, decorin, hyaluronan and a versican-like proteoglycan for bone cells treated with rhIGF-I on day 7 in culture were equivalent to levels of these matrix components in untreated osteoblasts grown for 14 days. These results are consistent with rhIGF-I's altering cellular proliferative capacity and matrix synthesis, causing a change in the osteoblast differentiated state.
Efficient indexing and retrieval of large-scale geo-tagged video databases

We are witnessing a significant growth in the number of smartphone users and advances in phone hardware and sensor technology. In conjunction with the popularity of video applications such as YouTube, an unprecedented number of user-generated videos (UGVs) are being generated and consumed by the public, which leads to a Big Data challenge in social media. In a very large video repository, it is difficult to index and search videos in their unstructured form. However, due to recent development, videos can be geo-tagged (e.g., locations from GPS receiver and viewing directions from digital compass) at the acquisition time, which can provide potential for efficient management of video data. Ideally, each video frame can be tagged by the spatial extent of its coverage area, termed Field-Of-View (FOV). This effectively converts a challenging video management problem into a spatial database problem. This paper attacks the challenges of large-scale video data management using spatial indexing and querying of FOVs, especially maximally harnessing the geographical properties of FOVs. Since FOVs are shaped similar to slices of pie and contain both location and orientation information, conventional spatial indexes, such as R-tree, cannot index them efficiently. The distribution of UGVs' locations is non-uniform (e.g., more FOVs in popular locations). Consequently, even multilevel grid-based indexes, which can handle both location and orientation, have limitations in managing the skewed distribution. Additionally, since UGVs are usually captured in a casual way with diverse setups and movements, no a priori assumption can be made to condense them in an index structure. To overcome the challenges, we propose a class of new R-tree-based index structures that effectively harness FOVs' camera locations, orientations and view-distances, in tandem, for both filtering and optimization. We also present novel search strategies and algorithms for efficient range and directional queries on our indexes. Our experiments using both real-world and large synthetic video datasets (over 30 years' worth of videos) demonstrate the scalability and efficiency of our proposed indexes and search algorithms.
Realizing Our Inner Elderchild: Toward the Possible Huxman

Much is written today on the necessity for therapy and personal growth work to address the needs of the inner child. A large part of such work is self help and self directed. Yet little is mentioned about what part of the self guides such intense therapeutic effort. The vast majority of the psychology literature and therapy focuses on the first half of life and does not acknowledge or describe growth in the second half. The gerontology literature focuses on late life pathology or, at best, normal aging but largely does not consider exceptional aging/'agers." Two new constructs, the inner elder and the Elder Child, are introduced and proposed to introduce the discipline of transpersonal gerontology, to guide inner child work, to add to the understanding and practice of personal growth throughout the life span, to transform images and expectations of aging and of the later years, and to provide a model of the possible human.
Evaluations of Digital Imagery Processed by Enhancement/Restoration Techniques

This paper investigated the efficacy of digital image enhancement/restoration processes as measured by human performance. The human performance measures consisted of an information extraction task and a subjective scaling task. Various enhancement/restoration processes which addressed image degradations of poor contrast, blur, and noise were selected and evaluated.The digital images consisted of military and civilian scenes, each of which were degraded by different levels of blur and noise. Ten Air Force photointerpreters participated in the investigation. The photointerpreters viewed the images on CRTs and performed both tasks.The results indicated that image degradations deterred the quality of digital imagery for interpretation. However, the addition of enhancement/restoration processing improved information extraction performance by 12%. On the other hand, subjective scaling results revealed that processing did not improve nor worsen perceived interpretability of the images.
Abstract A14: Qualitative study of African American smokers regarding lung cancer

Background: The differences in mortality and incidence for lung cancer in African Americans are well-documented; however, the underlying reasons for these disparities are not well-delineated. The role that patient preferences and knowledge play in exploring these patterns among African American patients is unclear. This qualitative study was designed to explore potential themes involving treatment, and assess the level of general knowledge about lung cancer in African Americans. Methods: 32 African American smokers with ages ranging from 26 to 70 years of age, (mean, 47.5 years), who did not have a cancer diagnosis were recruited to a series of focus groups held in a Boston housing complex. Four focus groups were held over an 8-week period. The groups were evenly divided between men and women. Focus groups were facilitated by a trained qualitative researcher and the sessions were audio taped. The data was transcribed and analyzed using standard anthropology coding and thematic formulation processes. Results: Participants understood the link between smoking and lung cancer, as well as the common signs and symptoms of the disease. Regarding prevention, participants wanted the information to be in-depth, and tailored to their situation. They were familiar with the lethality of lung cancer, and had a good working knowledge of the treatment modalities. The impact of patient preferences and mistrust on treatment choice was minimal. When asked specifically about the role of race in getting appropriate treatment for lung cancer; most participants felt that insurance and socioeconomic factors were more important than race. Conclusions: This study suggests that African American smokers are informed about the link between smoking and lung cancer, and have a good working knowledge of the disease. Participants did not feel that their race prevented them from accessing high-quality cancer care, but were concerned about the effect of socioeconomic status and insurance on this process. Our study suggests that African Americans are interested in access to quality cancer treatment and information, and that patient preferences and mistrust of clinicians may not be major factors in lung cancer treatment disparities. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):A14.
Estimating parameters of software reliability models by ant colony algorithm

It is difficult to estimate the parameters of software reliability models,since most of them are non-linear models.The most widely used methods for parameters estimating of software reliability models have been summarized,and a new approach based on ant colony algorithm was proposed.The experiments with three typical models,G-O model,Weibull model and M-O model,show that this algorithm demonstrates good applicability.And the results demonstrate that the proposed method has solved the nonconvergent problem that resulted from traditional methods.Compared with Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO),the method given in this paper shows up to two times faster convergence rate,and for some subjects,the new method shows ten times higher precision.
Spectral analysis of radiation material on combustor in micro-thermophotovoltaic system

The optical radiation curves of SiC and Al_2O_3 micro combustors at different temperatures were tested and the radiation energy spectrum of external wall surface with affecting factors kept constant was analyzed.Test results showed that,in the wavelength scope of photoelectrons efficiently absorbed by the GaSb cell,the Al_2O_3 micro combustor showed a more significant role in improving the thermoelectric transformation efficiency of a Micro Thermophotovoltaic(MTPV) at the accessible temperature scope,which was difficult to be determined in the test.According to its characteristics of small sample and poor information,the gray theory was used to establish a gray prediction model,concluding that the transformation efficiency of Al_2O_3 micro combustor was higher than that of SiC micro combustor at 1 418 K.
Frontal and Temporal Structural Connectivity Is Associated with Social Communication Impairment Following Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objectives: Although it has been well documented that traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in communication impairment, little work to date has examined the relationship between social communication skills and structural brain integrity in patients with TBI. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between self- and other-perceived communication problems and white matter integrity in patients with mild to severe TBI. Methods: Forty-four individuals (TBI=24) and people with whom they frequently communicate, as well as demographically matched normal healthy comparisons (NC) and their frequent communication partners, were administered, respectively, the La-Trobe Communication Questionnaire Self form (LCQ-SELF) and Other form (LCQ-OTHER). In addition, diffusion tensor imaging data were collected, and fractional anisotropy (FA) measures were extracted for each lobe in both hemispheres. Results: Within the TBI group, but not within the NC group, participants who were perceived by their close others as having more communication problems had lower FA in the left frontal and temporal lobes (p<.01), but not in other brain regions. Conclusions: Frontotemporal white matter microstructural integrity is associated with social communication abilities in adults with TBI. This finding contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms leading to communication impairment following TBI and can inform the development of new neuromodulation therapies as well as diagnostic tools. (JINS, 2016, 22, 705–716)
Ecstatic Landscapes: The Manifestation of Psychedelic Art:

"Psychedelic art" can be defined as artwork manifested in the context of the ingestion of LSD-type drugs and related substances. There is a long history of such work dating back to ancient times (p...
Attenuation corrected tensor tomography - attenuation helps in the case of insufficient measurements

This study was performed to investigate whether knowledge of the attenuation distribution is helpful in reconstruction of a symmetric second order tensor field (three unknown components for every point in two-dimensional (2D) Euclidean space and six unknown components in three-dimensional (3D) Euclidean space ) from fewer than three directional measurements of attenuated projections in 2D space and fewer than six directional measurements in 3D space. A least-squares method was adopted to reconstruct the tensor field in 2D space from one directional measurement instead of three. With the prior information of the attenuation distribution a better reconstruction could be expected, compared to the situation where attenuation was assumed to be absent. As a second example, diffusion tensor tomography MM was simulated to show that knowledge of the attenuation distribution helps in the reconstruction of a tensor field from fewer projections of attenuated directional measurements. If attenuation is known, the algorithm was able to accurately reconstruct all six unknown components of the tensor field from six directional projections. For the reconstruction of only five directional measurements involving insufficient measurements, a better reconstruction of the components of the tensor field was obtained for the case of a constant attenuator greater than zero than for the case with a constant attenuator equal to zero. This presents an intriguing inverse problem where attenuation seems to help in the solution of an underdetermined inverse problem.
Phase I Trial: SABR and Ipilimumab-Response.

We thank Hiniker and colleagues for their interest in our work ([1][1]). We are delighted to hear that their patient continues to maintain a prolonged disease-free interval for now >5 years ([2][2]). We have also read with great interest their recent article reporting on the combination of
Multiple Perspectives on the Self in SLA (Vol. 73), by Mercer, S. & Williams, M. (Eds.).

Focusing on the unity of competing theories to conceptualize self, in this book, Mercer and Williams compile a wide variety of different perspectives and bring a different insight to the field of s...
An Attack-Resilient Middleware Architecture for Grid Integration of Distributed Energy Resources

In recent years, the increasing penetration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) has made an impact on the operation of the electric power systems. In the grid integration of DERs, data acquisition systems and communications infrastructure are crucial technologies to maintain system economic efficiency and reliability. Since most of these generators are relatively small, dedicated communications investments for every generator are capital cost prohibitive. Combining real-time attack-resilient communications middleware with Internet of Things (IoTs) technologies allows for the use of existing infrastructure. In our paper, we propose an intelligent communication middleware that utilizes the Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics to complement the conventional Quality of Service (QoS) evaluation. Furthermore, our middleware employs deep learning techniques to detect and defend against congestion attacks. The simulation results illustrate the efficiency of our proposed communications middleware architecture.
Iptycene-Containing Azaacenes with Tunable Luminescence

An optimized route toward iptycene-capped, p -dibromo-quinoxalinophenazine was developed, increasing the yield significantly from literature procedures. New iptycene-containing symmetrical aza­acenes were synthesized from this intermediate using Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling, and their photophysical properties were evaluated. Tuning the substituents allows modulating emission wavelengths across the visible spectrum. Substitution with 3-methoxy-2-methylthiophene exhibits a quantum yield of 35%. The (triisopropylsilyl)acetylene product has a quantum yield of 38% and serves as a model compound for the synthesis of polymers based on this electrooptically active molecular motif.
Linear functional response by two pupal Drosophila parasitoids foraging within single or multiple patch environments.

Functional response describes the number of prey or hosts attacked by a predator or parasitoid as a function of prey or host density. Using three different experimental designs, we found a linear functional response by two insect parasitoids (the pteromalid Pachycrepoideus vindemiae and the diapriid Trichopria drosophilae) to their hosts (the drosophilids Drosophila suzukii and D. melanogaster). A linear function response is considered unusual for insect parasitoids. The first design was a ‘fixed time within patch experiment’ where individual parasitoids were exposed to a range of host densities for 24 h; the second two designs were a ‘variable time functional response’ and a ‘selective functional response’ experiments where individual parasitoids were presented with a range of host patches and allowed to freely select and explore only one patch (variable time) or forage for 24 h (selective). In all experimental designs, the number of hosts parasitized increased linearly until reaching an upper limit. Under the laboratory conditions used, the functional response of P. vindemiae was limited by its egg supply and time (host handling time) whereas T. drosophilae was limited by time only. The linear functional response by both parasitoids likely resulted from a constant attack rate and an incremental foraging strategy where the parasitoids left a poor (low density) host patch or remained in a higher quality host patch when there was successful oviposition and adequate host density.
A Community-Based Study of Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization and Molecular Characterization Among Men Who Have Sex with Men.

Abstract Purpose: The aims of this cross-sectional study were to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization, evaluate community-related behavioral risk factors, and utiliz...
Me and I Are Not Friends, Just Aquaintances: on Thought Insertion and Self-Awareness

A group of philosophers suggests that a sense of mineness intrinsically contained in the phenomenal structure of all conscious experiences is a necessary condition for a subject to become aware of himself as the subject of his experiences i.e. self-awareness. On this view, consciousness necessarily entails phenomenal self-awareness. This paper argues that cases of delusions of thought insertion undermine this claim and that such a phenomenal feature plays little role in accounting for the most minimal type of self-awareness entailed by phenomenal consciousness. First, I clarify the main view endorsing this claim i.e. the Self-Presentational View of Consciousness and formulate the challenge from thought insertion. After, I offer a systematic evaluation of all the strategies used by the advocates of this view to deal with this challenge. Finally, I conclude that most of these strategies are unsatisfactory for they rest in unwarranted premises, imprecisions about the agentive nature of cognitive experiences, and especially, lack of distinction between the different ways in which subjects can become aware of their own thoughts.
Perceptions, Motivations, and Concerns About Living Organ Donation Among People Living With HIV

Recent changes to United States law now permit people living with HIV (PLWH) to donate organs to HIV-infected (HIV+) recipients under research protocols. PLWH may have unique motivations for and concerns about living donation and understanding them is critical to ensuring the integrity of this novel approach to organ transplantation. We conducted in-depth interviews with PLWH from an urban HIV clinic who had previously indicated their willingness to be a living donor. Interviews elicited information on their motivations, perceived benefits, and concerns regarding living donation. Codes were identified inductively and then organized into themes and subthemes. Two coders independently analyzed the interviews and reconciled differences in coding by consensus. Thematic saturation was reached after 20 interviews. Motivations for living donation among PLWH included an altruistic desire to help others as well as HIV-specific motivations including solidarity with potential recipients and a desire to overcome HIV-related stigma. Perceived benefits of living donation included gratification from saving or improving the recipient's life and conferring a sense of normalcy for the HIV+ donor. Concerns about donation included the possibility of a prolonged recovery period, organ failure, and transmission of another strain of the virus to the recipients. PLWH had unique motivations, perceived benefits, and concerns about living donation in addition to those previously identified in the general population. These unique factors should be addressed in research protocols, informed consent processes, and the education and training of independent living donor advocates so that these endeavors are ethically sound.
HDAC4: A corepressor controlling bone development

RUNX2 is a transcription factor with a well-characterized role in bone development. In this issue of Cell, Vega and colleagues (Vega et al., 2004) show that HDAC4 interacts with RUNX2 and impacts upon chondrocyte hypertrophy and bone formation.