cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alteration of the threshold stimulus for intraoperative brain mapping via use of antiepileptic medications

Abstract Intraoperative seizures during awake craniotomy with cortical and subcortical mapping are a common occurrence. Patients are routinely treated preoperatively with anti-convulsive medications to reduce seizure occurrence. Historically these drugs have not been believed to significantly affect awake craniotomy procedures. We report a patient undergoing intraoperative mapping with differential response and seizure occurrence based upon antiepileptic drug usage. A 43 year old female presented with history of seizures, right sided hemiparesis, electrical sensations, and difficulty with language function. She was determined to have a mass lesion involving the left frontal and temporal lobes and subsequently elected to undergo resection by awake craniotomy with intraoperative mapping. A first attempt at lesion resection was performed after a missed dose of anti-convulsant medication (levetiracetam) and was subsequently aborted because of repeated seizure activity. The threshold for seizure generation (1.75 mA) was observed to be significantly lower than expected. Therapy was begun with both levetiracetam and phenytoin prior to a second attempted resection one week later. Thresholds for cortical motor response in the second operation were significantly higher than expected (> 9.0 mA), and no intraoperative seizure activity was observed. To our knowledge this is the first quantitative example of antiepileptic drugs affecting the current required for intraoperative mapping. This case highlights the potential for higher current requirements in patients preoperatively treated with high doses of antiepileptic drugs, as well as the importance of confirming adequate dosage of antiepileptic drugs in patients at an increased risk of seizure generation.
Comprehensive outpatient approach to stroke rehabilitation

The purpose of this study was to describe the outcome of stroke rehabilitation in a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility. The study consisted of 115 stroke patients, seen during a 3-year period, who were treated with outpatient Physiatric services, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, and social work services. Patient progress was measured by an Individual Functional Profile in the areas of mobility, self-care, communication, and social function. Improvements were shown from admission to discharge, in mobility by 73% of the patients, in activities of daily living (ADL) by 81%, in communication by 82%, and in social function by 58% of the patients. Maintenance of function was reported by telephone 3 months post-discharge, in mobility by 75% of the patients, in ADL by 75%, in communication by 88%, and in social function by 73%. In addition, improvements were shown by 4% in mobility, 12% in ADL, 7% in communication, and 14% in social function at 3 months. The study suggests that a comprehensive team approach in an outpatient setting for stroke rehabilitation is beneficial for a majority of the patients.
Diary vs. representative checklist assessment of productive vocabulary

Twenty-four infants were followed longitudinally from 1.2 to 1.10. Parents maintained diaries of the child's spoken words and at two-month intervals completed a representative checklist of words produced. There was good agreement across the two instruments and robust month-to-month correlations for both. However, the overall pattern of results suggests that the diary method is more effective during the early emergence of language and the representative checklist method is more effective late in the second year when vocabulary size becomes relatively large. Accurate longitudinal assessment of vocabulary may require a combination of the diary and checklist approaches.
Integrating developmental instruction in four sustainability contexts into an undergraduate engineering design curriculum: Level three

Developmental instruction in four sustainability contexts (environmental, social, economic, technical) in an engineering design curriculum offers a strong foundation and framework upon which to build an engineering program that teaches students the necessary methodologies for designing for sustainability. Instruction in sustainability contexts described in the current paper employs a developmental approach using Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, which is a way to classify instructional activities or questions as they progress in cognitive difficulty. Our objective in this paper and presentation is to detail an instructional methodology (and results of a case study and focused group assessment) that integrates sustainability instruction in four contexts into the fifth and sixth classes in our six-course design curriculum using a developmental approach. This effort is funded by National Science Foundation IEECI Grant #0933948 and National Science Foundation CCLI Grant #0837465.
A Social Work Practice Model of Case Management: The Case Management Grid

Case management is a major component of the current mainstream of social work practice. Nevertheless, the field has failed to adequately conceptualize case management. The first step in defining case management practice is to separate it from the administrative structure that forms the context of practice. The next step is to delineate the two basic dimensions of case management--enabling and facilitating. The role of the social work case manager is to integrate formal systems of care with the activities of families and primary groups. Case management practice focuses on enabling individuals and primary groups to reach their full potential and on facilitating more effective interaction with the larger social environment. The case management grid illustrates how social work practitioners integrate enabling and facilitating into their practice approaches.
Abstract 1478: The role of ERBIN in suppressing migration in colon cancer.

The LAP (leucine-rich repeat (LRR) and PDZ domain) family protein, ERBIN, is basolaterally localized protein that has previously been identified as a regulator of epithelial cell polarity and an ERBB2/HER2 binding protein. In addition, ERBIN inhibits RAF activation by disrupting by the RAS/RAF interaction. However, the functional importance of ERBIN in cancer remains elusive. In this study, we examined the role of ERBIN in regulating colon cancer progression and metastasis. Stable colon cancer cell lines, including SW480, LIM2405, and Caco2, were generated using lentiviral shRNA to deplete endogenous ERBIN expression. Our results showed that knockdown of ERBIN induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype as marked by spindle-like morphology, a decrease in E-cadherin and an increase in vimentin expression. Moreover, the overall rate of cell migration was significantly increased in ERBIN knockdown cells as determined using Transwell assays. When tracking the movement of individual cells using live cell imaging, we found that ERBIN knockdown cells were considerably more motile with faster migrating speed when compared to control cells. Mechanistically, knockdown of ERBIN expression resulted in an increase in both Akt and ERK signaling activation. Taken together, we have identified a novel role of ERBIN in suppressing EMT and cell motility in colon cancer cells. Citation Format: Payton D. Stevens, Mike Yang, Tianyan Gao. The role of ERBIN in suppressing migration in colon cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1478. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1478
Investigation of Noise Sources in Turbulent Hot Jets using Large Eddy Simulation Data

Through the use of Lighthill’s acoustic analogy, the aim of this paper is to investigate the noise sources of turbulent heated round jets using previously simulated Large Eddy Simulation (LES) data. Two heated and one unheated jet are considered to study the e ects of heating on the noise source contributions to the far-field. Firstly, the computed overall sound pressure level (OASPL) and spectra are in good agreement with the prediction obtained from the porous Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FWH) surface integral method. Like the FWH prediction, however, the computed OASPL over-predicts the experiments by approximately 3dB but the trends agree reasonably well with the experimental results. Through decomposition of the Lighthill source term we obtain such sources as shear, self and entropy noise. An important finding is that when a high speed subsonic compressible jet is heated while keeping the ambient jet Mach number constant, significant cancellations occur in the far-field between the shear and entropy noise. In addition, heating a jet reduces the intensity of the nonlinear self noise terms compared to an unheated jet. For a low speed heated jet, the main contributing source is the entropy noise source while the shear and self noise sources hardly contribute to the far-field noise.
Study on culex tritaeniorhynchus carrying japanese encephalitis virus in Ningbo

Objective:To study molecular epidemiology of Japanese encephalitis virus(JEV) from culex tritaeniorhynchus in Ningbo.Methods:Totally 5400 mosquitoes have been collected from June to September in 2007.JEV in mosquitos were identified by Real-Time PCR,and positive specimens were inoculated to C6/36 monolayer cells to isolate virus.The nucleotide fragment in E gene was amplified for sequencing,and results were analyzed by BIOEDIT and MEGA software.Results:Two strains of Japanese encephalitis virus were isolated from mosquito and both were identified as genotype I.Sequence analysis showed that the amino acid homeology between the two strains of encephalitis virus and the strain of vaccine SA 14-14-2 was 96% and 97%,respectively.Conclusion:Culex Tritaeniorhynchus in Ningbo has genotype I JEV.
Comprehensive depiction of configuration-dependent performance anomalies in distributed server systems

Distributed server systems allow many configuration settings and support various application workloads. Often performance anomalies, situations where actual performance falls below expectations, only manifest under particular runtime conditions. This paper presents a new approach to examine a large space of potential runtime conditions and to comprehensively depict the conditions under which performance anomalies are likely to occur. In our approach, we derive our performance expectations from a hierarchy of sub-models in which each submodel can be independently adjusted to consider new runtime conditions. We then produce a representative set of measured runtime condition samples (both normal and abnormal)with carefully chosen sample size and anomaly error threshold. Finally, we employ decision tree based classification to produce an easy-to-interpret depiction of the entire space of potential runtime conditions. Our depictions can be used to guide the avoidance of anomaly-inducing system configurations and it can also assist root cause diagnosis and performance debugging. We present preliminary experimental results with a real J2EE middleware system.
Investigation of the Origin of Aronia mitschurinii using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis

Aronia Medik., commonly known as chokeberry, is a genus of deciduous, multistemmed, rosaceous shrubs native to eastern North America. Three species of chokeberry are commonly accepted, A. arbutifolia (L.) Pers., red chokeberry, A. melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott, black chokeberry, and A. prunifolia (Marshall) Rehder, or purple chokeberry. In Europe, a fourth species of human origin is recognized as Aronia mitschurinii A.K.Skvortsov & Maitul. In North America this type of Aronia is described as cultivars of A. melanocarpa, including 'Viking', 'Nero', and 'Aron'. This species is characterized by near homogeneity of the population, tetraploidy, and a distinct morphology with more robust stems, wider leaf blades, and larger fruits than wild populations of A. melanocarpa. It has been proposed that this genotype originated from Russian pomologist Ivan Michurin's early 20th century experiments involving Aronia × Sorbus hybridization. In this study we used amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) markers to elucidate the relationships of A. mitschurinii to wild North American Aronia, ×Sorbaronia C.K. Schneid, Sorbus L., and six additional genera from subtribe Pyrinae (Rosaceae). Data from seven primer combinations were interpreted by the NTSYSpc software package into a similarity matrix using Jaccard's coefficient. Clustering of AFLP similarity data using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) identified A. mitschurinii as distinct from wild Aronia, grouping it close to ×Sorbaronia fallax C. K. Schneid. and ×Sorbaronia 'Ivan's Beauty'. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) also demonstrated a relationship between A. mitschurinii, ×Sorbaronia fallax, a ×Sorbaronia × Aronia backcross and compound-leaved Sorbus.
Mid-Holocene cultural dynamics in southeastern North America

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the cultural dynamics as a result of climatic changes in the Southeastern region of North America. During the middle Archaic period in the Southeast, corresponding to the mid-Holocene era, from 8000 to 5000 14C yr BP, monumental construction began in a number of areas. The mid-Holocene was a period of dramatic cultural change in the Midsouth and in the immediately adjacent lower Midwest. During this period ceremonial shell/earthen mound construction was initiated, long-distance exchange networks spanning much of the region appeared, new tool forms such as bannerstones and grooved axes were adopted, and there was increased evidence for interpersonal violence or warfare. These trends are attributed to climate change and continued and even accelerated during the ensuing Late Archaic, and it was at the very start of this period, soon after 5000 14C yr BP (ca. 5750 cal yr BP), that pottery appeared. During the mid-Holocene, use of the southeastern coastal plain decreased dramatically, and extensive use of shellfish resources appeared for the first time along the major rivers of the interior and in coastal areas. With the onset of essentially modern climate and resource structure after 5000 14C yr BP (ca. 5750 cal yr BP), a dramatic increase in regional population levels is indicated. The social complexity observed over the mid-Holocene Southeast North America is related to differences in regional physiography, resource structure, climate, intensity of intergroup interaction, and the historical traditions prevalent in each region.
On a class of nonlinear Schro¨dinger equations

This paper concerns the existence of standing wave solutions of nonlinear Schrodinger equations. Making a standing wave ansatz reduces the problem to that of studying the semilinear elliptic equation: (*) $$ - \Delta u + b(x)u = f(x, u), x \in \mathbb{R}^n .$$ The functionf is assumed to be “superlinear”. A special case is the power nonlinearityf(x, z)=∥z∥ s−1 z where 1<s<(n+2)(n−2)−1. Making different assumptions onb(x), mainly at infinity, various sufficient conditions for the existence of nontrivial solutionsu ∈W 1,2(ℝ n ) are established.
Assessment of Ge n-MOSFETs by quantum simulation

Quantum simulations of ultra-thin-body (UTB), double-gate (DG), end of the ITRS-2001 roadmap germanium n-MOSFETs are performed using the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. Ballistic simulations show that Ge (111) n-MOSFETs suffer from high source-to-drain tunneling in the off-state and low semiconductor capacitance in the on-state. However, devices fabricated on Ge (100) wafers perform better compared to their silicon counterparts. Design optimization studies show that a stiff tolerance for body thickness variations and a super-steep source-drain doping gradient are necessary to optimize the device performance. Finally, it was observed from quantum scattering simulations that the source-drain series resistance limits the otherwise near-ballistic intrinsic device operation.
Cancer Risk after Fat Transfer: A Multicenter Case-Cohort Study.

Background:Fat transfer is an increasingly popular method for refining postmastectomy breast reconstructions. However, concern persists that fat transfer may promote disease recurrence. Adipocytes are derived from adipose-derived stem cells and express adipocytokines that can facilitate active breas
QCD tests with polarized beams

We present three QCD studies performed by the SLD experiment at SLAC, utilizing the highly polarized SLC electron beam. We examined particle production differences in light quark and antiquark hemispheres, and observed more high momentum baryons and K−'s than antibaryons and K+'s in quark hemispheres, consistent with the “leading particle” hypothesis. We performed a search for jet handedness in light q- and q¯-jets. Assuming Standard Model values of quark polarization in Z0 decays, we have set an improved upper limit on the analysing power of the handedness method. We studied the correlation between the Z0 spin and the event-plane orientation in polarized Z0 decays into three jets. The CP-even and T-odd triple product S → Z ⋅ ( k → 1 × k → 2 ) formed from the two fastest jet momenta, k → 1 and k → 2 , and the Z0 polarization vector S → Z , is sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model.
The log-convexity of the fubini numbers

Let $f_n$ denotes the $n$th Fubini number. In this paper, first we give upper and lower bounds for the Fubini numbers $f_n$. Then the log-convexity of the Fubini numbers has been obtained. Furthermore we also give the monotonicity of the sequence ${sqrt[n]{f_n}}_{nge 1}$ by using the aforementioned bounds.
Powder roll-compaction process for controlling grain orientation texture and size in spark plasma sintered carbides

Abstract The objective of this work is to develop and evaluate a powder roll-compaction procedure for fabricating cemented carbides that enables control over its surface/sub-surface grain orientation texture and grain size. The primary motivation for this work is to gain the ability to impart spatial material (property) gradients in bulk hard materials and composites for the realization of bio-inspired designs of material-systems. For this study, measured mixtures of tungsten carbide (WC) and cobalt (Co) powders were subjected to pressurized roll-compaction operations to create (malleable) thin sheets, which were then stacked and spark plasma sintered to obtain bulk cemented WC-Co specimens. When using this procedure, it was observed through XRD results that the basal plane orientation texture was increased by about 21%, and that transitions in layer-by-layer carbide grain sizes could be reliably achieved.
Novel slot and phase insulation options for machines fed from voltage converters

Recent advances in low voltage motor designs and their control by power electronics, as well as rapid expansion of the electric motor technology into passenger vehicle e-mobility, have driven innovation efforts at the level of electrical insulation components by many suppliers.
Substance Use Disorder Screening Capacity Lags Behind Depression Screening Capacity in Community Health Centers

Despite their prevalence, screening for depression and substance use disorder (SUD) is often not routinely practiced in primary care. This study uses a survey of community health centers to identif...
Pythagorean orthogonality of compact sets

The Hausdorff metric h is used to define the distance between two elements of ℋ(ℝn), the hyperspace of all nonempty compact subsets of ℝn. The geometry this metric imposes on ℋ(ℝn) is an interesting one — it is filled with unexpected results and fascinating connections to number theory and graph theory. Circles and lines are defined in this geometry to make it an extension of the standard Euclidean geometry. However, the behavior of lines and segments in this extended geometry is much different from that of lines and segments in Euclidean geometry. This paper presents surprising results about rays in the geometry of ℋ(ℝn), with a focus on attempting to find well-defined notions of angle and angle measure in ℋ(ℝn).
Convective suppression before and during the United States Northern Great Plains flash drought of 2017

Abstract. Flash droughts tend to be disproportionately destructive because they intensify rapidly and are difficult to prepare for. We demonstrate that the 2017 US Northern Great Plains (NGP) flash drought was preceded by a breakdown of land–atmosphere coupling. Severe drought conditions in the NGP were first identified by drought monitors in late May 2017 and rapidly progressed to exceptional drought in July. The likelihood of convective precipitation in May 2017 in northeastern Montana, however, resembled that of a typical August when rain is unlikely. Based on the lower tropospheric humidity index ( HIlow ), convective rain was suppressed by the atmosphere on nearly 50 % of days during March in NE Montana and central North Dakota, compared to 30 % during a normal year. Micrometeorological variables, including potential evapotranspiration ( ETp ), were neither anomalously high nor low before the onset of drought. Incorporating convective likelihood to drought forecasts would have noted that convective precipitation in the NGP was anomalously unlikely during the early growing season of 2017. It may therefore be useful to do so in regions that rely on convective precipitation.
Let Steadfastness Have Its Full Effect: (Re)Membering (Re)Search and Endarkened Feminisms From Ananse to Asantewaa:

In this article, I return to a previously published work to reflect on the moral, methodological, and spiritual imperatives of qualitative inquiry for Black feminist researchers. Marshaling the Wes...
Public Leaders Are Gendered: Making Gender Visible in Public Affairs Leadership Education

For too long, public leadership scholarship has overlooked women as leaders in the United States as well as the gender dimension of leadership. This paper will argue that public affairs leadership ...
Dermatological Uses of Cyclosporin

Numerous dermatoses have been successfully treated with cyclosporin. This review summarises much of the literature describing cyclosporin therapy for conditions other than psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. The disorders that respond to cyclosporin are inflammatory in nature and appear to be mediated by T cells or other cells (such as mast cells) affected by cyclosporin. Indeed, if a dermatosis that is thought not to be mediated by ? cells responds to cyclosporin, a search for immune aspects of the disorder should be undertaken. Short term treatment with cyclosporin is recommended because of the side effects that may occur with prolonged use. Unfortunately, the disease usually recurs when cyclosporin therapy is stopped.
Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy

In recent years, ultrasonography has become an essential component of most interventional radiology departments. Ultrasonography provides effective and efficient guidance for biopsy procedures. Needle-guidance systems can simplify biopsy procedures for radiologists with limited experience by enabling the radiologist to maintain the needle’s path within the ultrasound beam at all times. In this manner, the needle can be advanced on target with confidence. Experienced interventional radiologists can use the freehand technique that allows greater flexibility with respect to skin puncture and needle path, allowing for creativity in reaching difficult targets. The most important advantage of ultrasonography over computed tomography in image-guided biopsy is the ability to visualize the needle tip at all times during insertion and sampling process. Ultrasonography has limited use in guiding biopsies in obese patients, when lesions are very deep or when highly reflective surfaces (e.g., bone or gas-filled bowel) obscure the view of the lesion. This chapter outlines the equipment, advantages, disadvantages, applications, and techniques used in ultrasound-guided biopsies.
Diverse light responses of cyanobacteria mediated by phytochrome superfamily photoreceptors

Cyanobacteria are an evolutionarily and ecologically important group of prokaryotes. They exist in diverse habitats, ranging from hot springs and deserts to glaciers and the open ocean. The range of environments that they inhabit can be attributed in part to their ability to sense and respond to changing environmental conditions. As photosynthetic organisms, one of the most crucial parameters for cyanobacteria to monitor is light. Cyanobacteria can sense various wavelengths of light and many possess a range of bilin-binding photoreceptors belonging to the phytochrome superfamily. Vital cellular processes including growth, phototaxis, cell aggregation and photosynthesis are tuned to environmental light conditions by these photoreceptors. In this Review, we examine the physiological responses that are controlled by members of this diverse family of photoreceptors and discuss the signal transduction pathways through which these photoreceptors operate. We highlight specific examples where the activities of multiple photoreceptors function together to fine-tune light responses. We also discuss the potential application of these photosensing systems in optogenetics and synthetic biology.
Native American Genomic Diversity through Ancient DNA

Ancient DNA is a powerful tool to understand the evolutionary dynamics of both current and ancestral populations. Posth et al. use ancient DNA to elucidate important questions surrounding the peopling of Central and South America, giving us greater insights into the ancestry of genetically understudied populations.
The Dating and Domestic Violence App Rubric: Synthesizing Clinical Best Practices and Digital Health App Standards for Relationship Violence Prevention Smartphone Apps

ABSTRACTSmartphones are used to both perpetrate and intervene in dating and domestic violence (DV). However, existing DV literature primarily evaluates technology as a tool for perpetration and eme...
A Systematic Review of the Treatment of Superficial Leiomyosarcoma With Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

BACKGROUNDWide local excision (WLE) with 2 to 5 cm margins has been conventionally used for the treatment of superficial leiomyosarcoma (LMS). Because margin control is the strongest predictor of clinical recurrence, many dermatologic surgeons have recently recommended Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS
Putting space into modeling landscape and water quality relationships in the Han River basin, South Korea

Abstract When examining the relationship between landscape characteristics and water quality, most previous studies did not pay enough attention to the spatial aspects of landscape characteristics and water quality sampling stations. We analyzed the spatial pattern of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and suspended solids (SS) in the Han River basin of South Korea to explore the role of different distance considerations and spatial statistical approaches to explaining the variation in water quality. Five-year (2012 through 2016) seasonal averages of those water quality attributes were used in the analysis as the response variables, while explanatory variables like land cover, elevation, slope, and hydrologic soil groups were subjected to different weighting treatments based on distance and flow accumulation. Moran's Eigenvector-based spatial filters were used to consider spatial relations among water quality sampling sites and were used in regression models. Distinct spatial patterns of seasonal water quality exist, with the highest concentrations of TN, TP, COD, and SS in downstream urban areas and the lowest concentrations in upstream forest areas. TN concentrations are higher in dry winter than the wet summer season, while SS concentrations are higher in wet summer than the dry season. Spatial models substantially improved the model fit compared to aspatial models. The flow accumulation-based models performed best when the spatial filters were not used, but all models performed similarly when spatial filters were used. The distance weighting approaches were instrumental in understanding watershed level processes affecting source, mobilization, and delivery of physicochemical parameters that flow into the river water. We conclude that a consideration of the spatial aspects of sampling sites is as important as accounting for different distances and hydrological processes in modeling water quality.
Why Kindergarten is the Model English Learner Educational Environment

Kindergarten classrooms present a wide range of support for students, and when teaching English learners’ (EL), support is vital to everyone’s learning. Therefore, similar to a kindergarten classroom, K-12 classrooms should offer a language rich classroom setting that is geared towards assisting and supporting students that are learning English as a second language. The K-12 teacher is expected to facilitate and promote language learning through the application of specific multilingual strategies and to provide an accepting multilingual and multicultural educational environment. Teachers who have not taught kindergarten may not be familiar with the educational methods utilized in this classroom environment and may not be able to connect this methodology to first through twelfth grade classroom settings; however, by observing an exceptional multilingual and multicultural kindergarten classroom all teachers will be able to comprehend how this is conducive to teaching ELs in all grades.
A central limit theorem for descents and major indices in fixed conjugacy classes of Sn

Abstract In this paper, we show that the joint distribution of descents and major indices in conjugacy class is asymptotically bivariate normal. This generalizes the authors' previous work on the asymptotical normality of descents in conjugacy classes, where the asymptotic parameters depended only on the density of fixed points. The result is achieved by two key ingredients; one is a variation of the continuity theorem in which the region of pointwise convergence of moment generating functions (m.g.f.s) can be chosen arbitrarily, and the other is a uniform estimate on the m.g.f.s of the descents/major-index pairs in conjugacy classes. As a byproduct, the authors obtain a generating function for the descents and major indices of a given conjugacy class.
High similarity among ChEC-seq datasets

Abstract ChEC-seq is a method used to identify protein-DNA interactions across a genome. It involves fusing micrococcal nuclease (MNase) to a protein of interest. In principle, specific genome-wide interactions of the fusion protein with chromatin result in local DNA cleavages that can be mapped by DNA sequencing. ChEC-seq has been used to draw conclusions about broad gene-specificities of certain protein-DNA interactions. In particular, the transcriptional regulators SAGA, TFIID, and Mediator are reported to generally occupy the promoter/UAS of genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II in yeast. Here we compare published yeast ChEC-seq data performed with a variety of protein fusions across essentially all genes, and find high similarities with negative controls. We conclude that ChEC-seq patterning for SAGA, TFIID, and Mediator differ little from background at most promoter regions, and thus cannot be used to draw conclusions about broad gene specificity of these factors.
Threshold Concepts in Preclinical Medical Education: Students’ Perceptions

Threshold concepts are those ideas that learners often find difficult, but must understand in order to master a discipline. Nearly all research into threshold concepts has been from the perspective of teachers. We argue that the students’ perspectives can also be helpful. In this commentary, we explore this issue and inform the debate by drawing on insights from a pilot study in which medical students articulated their own views on what constituted threshold concepts from recent learning experiences in physiology. Combining insights, from teachers and students, into candidate threshold concepts could be used to improve the medical curriculum.
Poverty-related bandwidth constraints reduce the value of consumption

Poverty confers many costs on individuals, primarily through direct material deprivation. We hypothesize that these costs may be understated: poverty may also reduce human welfare by decreasing the experiential value of what little the poor are able to consume via reduced bandwidth (cognitive resources)-exerting a de facto "tax" on the value of consumption. We test this hypothesis using a randomized controlled trial in which we experimentally simulate key aspects of poverty that impair bandwidth via methods commonly used in laboratory studies (e.g., memorizing sequences) and via introducing stressors commonly associated with life in poverty (e.g., thinking about financial security and experiencing thirst). Participants then engaged in consumption activities and were asked to rate their enjoyment of these activities. Consistent with our hypothesis, the randomly assigned treatments designed to reduce bandwidth significantly and meaningfully reduced ratings of the consumption activities, with the strongest effects on the consumption of food. Our results shed additional light on how the consequences of poverty on human welfare may compound and motivate future work on the full scope of returns to poverty alleviation efforts.
Capacity-Augmenting Schema Changes on Object-Oriented Databases: Towards Increased Interoperability

The realization of capacity-augmenting schema changes on a shared database while providing continued interoperability to active applications has been recognized as a hard open problem. A novel three-pronged process, called transparent object schema evolution (TOSE), is presented that successfully addresses this problem. TOSE uses the combination of views and versioning to simulate schema changes requested by one application without affecting other applications interoperating on a shared OODB. The approach is of high practical relevance as it builds upon schema evolution support offered by commercial OODBMSs.
Using tunable optical transceivers for reducing the number of ports in WDM/TDM networks

We consider the benefits of using tunable transceivers for reducing the required number of ports in WDM/TDM optical networks. We show that tunable transceivers can be used to efficiently "groom" subwavelength traffic and significantly reduce the number of ports compared to the fixed tuned case. We provide a new formulation for this "tunable grooming" problem and develop algorithms for designing such networks.
Labeling and radiopurity of lipids.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a survey of the methods of labeling lipid molecules with radioactive elements by organic synthesis, biosynthesis, and isotope-exchange techniques. It also discusses procedures that can be employed for establishing the purity of lipid compounds. Chromatographic procedures are used to establish both radioactive and chemical purities of lipids for biological experiments. Thin-layer chromatography and gas–liquid chromatography complement each other very well when used to check lipid purity, as the former separates lipids into classes by adsorption processes and the latter can separate the resulting individual lipid classes into homologs by partition processes. In this way, for instance, fatty acids can be isolated from monoglycerides, diglycerides, and triglycerides by thin-layer chromatography; then, the constituent fatty acids of each of these classes can be defined by gas–liquid chromatography.
From Public Housing to Public-Private Housing

Problem, research strategy, and findings: American public housing since 1937 is often viewed as a single failed experiment of architecture, management, and policy. This view masks a much more highl...
An Experimental Assessment of Turbulence Production, Reynolds Stress and Length Scale (Dissipation) Modeling in a Swirl-Supported DI Diesel Engine

Simultaneous measurements of the radial and the tangential components of velocity are obtained in a high-speed, direct-injection diesel engine typical of automotive applications. Results are presented for engine operationwith fuel injection, but without combustion, for three different swirl ratios and four injection pressures. With the mean and fluctuating velocities, the r-θ plane shear stress and the mean flow gradients are obtained. Longitudinal and transverse length scales are also estimated via Taylor's hypothesis. The flow is shown to be sufficiently homogeneous and stationary to obtain meaningful length scale estimates. Concurrently, the flow and injection processes are simulated with KIVA-3V employing a RNG k-e turbulence model. The measured turbulent kinetic energy k, r-θ plane mean strain rates ( , , and ), deviatoric turbulent stresses ( , - 2/3k, and -2/3k), and the r-θ plane turbulence production terms are compared directly to the simulated results. The model predicts the qualitative trends in k well, but under-predicts the magnitude of the late-cycle turbulence at the higher swirl ratios. The mean strain rates, turbulent stresses, and turbulence production terms generally agree qualitatively. Both the experimental and the simulated results indicate that redistribution of the mean flow angular momentum by the fuel injection event is an important source of late-cycle turbulence. This redistribution enhances r-θ plane turbulence production at low swirl ratios through formation of unstable mean flow distributions with negative radial gradients in mean flow angular momentum. Additionally, r-z plane vortical flow structures are formed by a competition between the inward displacement of high angular momentum fluid by the fuel jets and the centrifugal forces acting to force the high momentum fluid back to the bowl periphery. Model results indicate that these flow structures can also be important sources of turbulence at higher swirl ratios. The measured length scales, mean strain rates, and turbulent kinetic energy are used to assess directly the validity of the isotropic eddy viscosity hypothesis. This modeling hypothesis is found to provide good estimates of and -2/3k, despite the high levels of flow swirl. However, the data indicate that the modeled is underestimated when unstable mean flow distributions exist. Further, under some conditions, no model based solely on local flow properties is likely to predict the measured . Poor agreement is found between the measured and modeled -2/3k. The under-prediction of k at high swirl, coupled with the generally good agreement in , , and P r θ , suggest that the under-prediction of k is predominantly due to an over-estimation of e after the injection event. This suggestion is further supported by a comparison of the temporal evolution of the measured and modeled length scales.
A Solution to Fulfill the Underwriter's Constant Need for Accurate Property Valuations: A True Sales Price

Current technology allows many analysts to use regularly a complete population of sold prices of all property types derived from courthouse deed recordings. Access to the complete population of current and historic prices eliminates the need for samples, which minimizes use of much of the statistics material taught to students and practitioners. The impact is a major change in the use of the statistical paradigm learned by market research specialists, as well as its applications by real estate industry professionals. Mortgage lenders in general and underwriters in particular must learn about these new methods and data sources. By recognizing their use provides a more accurate and reliable property valuation report, real estate finance professionals insisting on their use will greatly mitigate unnecessary market and financial risks for their firms and shareholders.
The Egyptian economy in 1999: An input-output study

Abstract An input–output model is outlined and constructed to provide a quantitative basis for the study of possible scenarios that might be followed by the Egyptian economy. The economy of 1979 is depicted and compared with the projected economies of 1989 and 1999. Specifically, the input–output model is formulated as a set of linear equations which are used to project: (a) sales of products of nine producing sectors; (b) private and public household purchases; (c) capital equipment expenditures; and (d) exports and imports by each sector. To project changes in the Egyptian economy over a period of 20 years, from a representative base year 1979 to an arbitrary target yeat 1999, three possible scenarios are presented. They differ in their underlying assumptions. The 1973 Egyptian input–output table is updated to 1979, using a modified Stone's RAS method. Changes over time in the structural coefficients are considered and each equation in the system can be transformed to explain the linear relation of particular variables. The numerical results presented may enable policy makers to compare the alternative scenarios that might be followed up to the end of the century.
A reconfigurable low-power high-performance matrix multiplier architecture with borrow parallel counters

A novel run-time reconfigurable matrix processor and its prototype implementation with new circuits, called borrow parallel counters, achieving low power, high speed, simple inter-connections and extra compact design, are presented. For typical graphics and image applications, the multiplier can produce in parallel the products of four 4/spl times/4 matrix pairs of 8-bit data, or two matrices X(4/spl times/4) and Y(4/spl times/4) of 16-bit data, or two matrices X(4/spl times/4) and Y(4/spl times/4) of 32-bit data, or two 64-b numbers. The proposed parallel counters utilize 4-bit 1-hot integer encoding and borrow bits, i.e. input bits of weight 2, effectively merging type-conversions and additions through using a unique embedded full adder circuit.
An agent-based model for Leishmania major infection

Leishmania are protozoan parasites transmitted by bites of infected sandflies. Over 20 species of Leishmania, endemic in 88 countries, are capable of causing human disease. Disease is either cutaneous, where skin ulcers occur on exposed surfaces of the body, or visceral, with near certain mortality if left untreated. C3HeB/FeJ mice are resistant to L. major, but develop chronic cutaneous lesions when infected with another species L. amazonensis. The well-characterized mechanism of resistance to L. major depends on a CD4+ Thl immune response, macrophage activation, and elimination of the parasite [Sacks 2002]. The factors that account for host susceptibility to L. Amazonensis, however, are not completely understood, despite being generally attributed to a weakened Th1 response [Vanloubbeck 2004].
Tartrates and Instabilities

Tartaric acid (H2T) and its salts, potassium bitartrate (KHT) and calcium tartrate (CaT), are normal constituents of juice and wines and important to stability. The formation of crystalline deposits is a phenomenon of wine aging, although it generally does not meet with consumer acceptance. Thus, winemakers strive to reduce the potential for bottle precipitation.
Identification of Erwinia stewartii by a ligase chain reaction assay.

Abstract A PCR-coupled ligase chain reaction (LCR) assay was developed to distinguish the plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia stewartii from other erwiniae. This new technique allows discrimination to the species level on the basis of a single-base-pair difference in the 16S rRNA gene which is unique to E. stewartii. Portions of the 16S rRNA genes of E. stewartii and the closely related Erwinia herbicola were sequenced. From comparison of the two 16S rRNA gene regions, two primer pairs were constructed such that only E. stewartii DNA gave a product in the LCR assay. The ligated product was separated from the radioactively labelled primers by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized by autoradiography. Twenty-four different Erwinia species and strains were tested by PCR-coupled LCR to verify the specificity of the assay, and only E. stewartii strains gave a positive reaction. In addition, infected and healthy plant material was also assayed. E. stewartii was detected in infected plant material, even when large populations of epiphytic bacteria were present. No enrichment was necessary for detection of the pathogen in corn leaves. This assay has potential as a diagnostic technique for the detection of E. stewartii in infected plant and vector material.
A hotel restaurant brand alliance model: Antecedents and consequences

ABSTRACT Brand alliance involves the combination of two well-known brands. It has evolved as an alternative to brand extensions or stand-alone branding strategies. In the hotel restaurant context, the benefits of brand alliance to both partners include financial, managerial, and marketing aspects. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model of brand alliance applicable to the hospitality industry. The conceptual framework is composed of (a) two broad categories (partner characteristics and consumer characteristics) as antecedents of brand alliance, (b) perceived fit between partners, (c) psychological and behavioral consequences, and (d) a moderator (consumer's motivation). Partner characteristics consist of the perceived quality of partnering brands (brand strength), the status each partner has within its competitive set (direction), and the partners' portfolio of brands (brand breadth). Consumer characteristics include prior attitude and familiarity. These antecedents may interact with ea...
Scalable performance measurement and analysis

Concurrency levels in large-scale, distributed-memory supercomputers are rising exponentially. Modern machines may contain 100,000 or more microprocessor cores, and the largest of these, IBM's Blue Gene/L, contains over 200,000 cores. Future systems are expected to support millions of concurrent tasks. In this dissertation, we focus on efficient techniques for measuring and analyzing the performance of applications running on very large parallel machines. Tuning the performance of large-scale applications can be a subtle and time-consuming task because application developers must measure and interpret data from many independent processes. While the volume of the raw data scales linearly with the number of tasks in the running system, the number of tasks is growing exponentially, and data for even small systems quickly becomes unmanageable. Transporting performance data from so many processes over a network can perturb application performance and make measurements inaccurate, and storing such data would require a prohibitive amount of space. Moreover, even if it were stored, analyzing the data would be extremely time-consuming. In this dissertation, we present novel methods for reducing performance data volume. The first draws on multi-scale wavelet techniques from signal processing to compress systemwide, time-varying load-balance data. The second uses statistical sampling to select a smallmore » subset of running processes to generate low-volume traces. A third approach combines sampling and wavelet compression to stratify performance data adaptively at run-time and to reduce further the cost of sampled tracing. We have integrated these approaches into Libra, a toolset for scalable load-balance analysis. We present Libra and show how it can be used to analyze data from large scientific applications scalably.« less