cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Novel Helix Termination Mutation in Keratin 10 in Annular Epidermolytic Ichthyosis, a Variant of Bullous Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythroderma

Annular epidermolytic ichthyosis is a distinct phenotypic variant of bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma that has recently been described in two separate kindreds. Individuals with this variant present with bullous ichthyosis in early childhood and hyperkeratotic lichenified plaques in the flexural areas and extensor surfaces at later ages. Characteristically, they also develop intermittent bouts of annular and polycyclic, erythematous, scaly plaques on the trunk and proximal extremities. We now describe a third kindred with annular epidermolytic ichthyosis. Molecular analysis of this family revealed a novel mutation resulting in an isoleucine to threonine substitution at residue 107 (codon 446) within the highly conserved helix termination motif at the end of the rod domain of keratin 10.
Fidelity of Homologous Recombination in Vaccinia Virus DNA

Abstract The fidelity of homologous recombination in vaccinia virus (VV) DNA was examined by constructing a viral recombinant whose genome contained a copy of the Escherichia coli lac z gene in which the central third of the gene was repeated on either side of the VV thymidine kinase ( tk ) gene. In this virus, homologous DNA recombination and consequent excision of the tk gene were necessary to restore the open reading frame for β-galactosidase and thereby to confer a lac z + phenotype. Imprecise recombination was predicted to increase the frequency of lac z - virus. However, after several passages during which almost every viral genome underwent homologous recombination, the frequency of lac z - plaques was indistinguishable from that of a control virus that could express β-galactosidase without prior recombination. We conclude that homologous recombination in VV DNA occurs with perfect fidelity at least 99% of the time.
National Character and Tipping Customs: The Needs for Achievement, Affiliation and Power as Predictors of the Prevalence of Tipping

Abstract Tipping is a widespread custom in which service patrons give sums of money above and beyond the contracted prices of those services to the workers who have served them. This study found that, tipping is more prevalent in countries characterized by strong needs for achievement and power than in countries where these needs are weaker. One simple and plausible explanation for these results is that achievement- and power-oriented consumers support tipping more than do others because they value its roles as an incentive/reward more than do others. Hospitality managers should keep this possibility in mind when considering, or implementing, counter-normative tipping policies at their properties.
Survey of spinning test particle orbits in Kerr spacetime

We investigate the dynamics of the Papapetrou equations in Kerr spacetime. These equations provide a model for the motion of a relativistic spinning test particle orbiting a rotating (Kerr) black hole. We perform a thorough parameter space search for signs of chaotic dynamics by calculating the Lyapunov exponents for a large variety of initial conditions. We find that the Papapetrou equations admit many chaotic solutions, with the strongest chaos occurring in the case of eccentric orbits with pericenters close to the limit of stability against plunge into a maximally spinning Kerr black hole. Despite the presence of these chaotic solutions, we show that physically realistic solutions to the Papapetrou equations are not chaotic; in all cases, the chaotic solutions either do not correspond to realistic astrophysical systems, or involve a breakdown of the test-particle approximation leading to the Papapetrou equations (or both). As a result, the gravitational radiation from bodies spiraling into much more massive black holes (as detectable, for example, by LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) should not exhibit any signs of chaos.
DETECTION OF CORRELATED TIME SERIES IN A NETWORK OF SENSOR ARRAYS

This paper considers the problem of testing for the independence among multiple random vectors with each random vector representing a time series captured at one sensor. Implementing the Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test involves testing the null hypothesis that the composite covariance matrix of the channels is block-diagonal through the use of a generalized Hadamard ratio. These results are then extended to the problem of detecting the presence of correlated time series when several observers each employ an array of sensors. Assuming wide-sense stationary processes in both time and space, results on large block-Toeplitz matrices suggest the use of a broadband integral of a frequency-wavenumber dependent Hadamard ratio as an alternative test statistic.
Frequency of Outpatient Antibiotic Prescription on Discharge to Hospice Care

The use of antibiotics is common in hospice care despite limited evidence that it improves symptoms or quality of life. Patients receiving antibiotics upon discharge from a hospital may be more likely to continue use following transition to hospice care despite a shift in the goals of care. We quantified the frequency and characteristics for receiving a prescription for antibiotics on discharge from acute care to hospice care. This was a cross-sectional study among adult inpatients (≥18 years old) discharged to hospice care from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012. Data were collected from an electronic data repository and from the Department of Care Management. Among 62,792 discharges, 845 (1.3%) patients were discharged directly to hospice care (60.0% home and 40.0% inpatient). Most patients discharged to hospice were >65 years old (50.9%) and male (54.6%) and had stayed in the hospital for ≤7 days (56.6%). The prevalence of antibiotic prescription upon discharge to hospice was 21.1%. Among patients discharged with an antibiotic prescription, 70.8% had a documented infection during their index admission. Among documented infections, 40.3% were bloodstream infections, septicemia, or endocarditis, and 38.9% were pneumonia. Independent risk factors for receiving an antibiotic prescription were documented infection during the index admission (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=7.00; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=4.68 to 10.46), discharge to home hospice care (AOR=2.86; 95% CI=1.92 to 4.28), and having a cancer diagnosis (AOR=2.19; 95% CI=1.48 to 3.23). These data suggest that a high proportion of patients discharged from acute care to hospice care receive an antibiotic prescription upon discharge.
Carbon‐13 NMR characterization of DGEBPA epoxy resins

Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used to investigate the structure and character of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBPA) epoxy resins more thoroughly than previously reported in the literature. It is shown that spectra, when run under quantitative conditions, can detect the loss of epoxides at the end groups by reactions such as hydrolysis. The products of acid hydrolysis of a DGEBPA resin are observed and assigned. It is further shown that the possibility of epoxide hydrolysis and impurities or structural irregularities can lead to inaccuracies in epoxy equivalent weight (EEW) calculations using a previously reported methodolgy. A new method is employed which can take into account loss of end group epoxides. Part of this new method consists of a measure of the epoxide to end group ratio (EER) which sheds light on the final possible quality of the cured resin. The EER value is shown to be in many ways more informative than the EEW measure which has the built-in assumption that there is an epoxide group for each end group.
Forward or inversely planned segmental multileaf collimator IMRT and sequential tomotherapy to treat multiple dominant intraprostatic lesions of prostate cancer to 90 Gy

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the technical feasibility of using forward or inversely planned segmental multileaf collimator (SMLC) intensity-modulated radiotherapy and sequential tomotherapy (ST) to escalate to a dose of 90 Gy to multiple dominant intraprostatic lesions within the prostate gland while delivering a dose of 75.6 Gy to the remaining prostate. Methods and Materials: A selected case with one dominant intraprostatic lesion located at the left base and a second dominant intraprostatic lesion at the right apex of the prostate was planned using three different intensity modulation techniques. Two plans were generated with inverse treatment planning, using either SMLC or ST with a special multivane collimator. The third plan also employed SMLC but was generated using forward planning. All three plans were compared based on dose-volume histograms, isodose distributions, and doses to sensitive normal structures. Results: All three plans meet and exceed the desired dose constraints, limiting doses to the rectum and bladder to an estimated RTOG Grade 2 complication rate of Conclusions: Using any of the three intensity-modulated techniques, it is technically feasible to concurrently treat multiple selected high-risk regions within the prostate to 90 Gy and the remaining prostate to 75.6 Gy, while keeping the doses to the rectum and the bladder significantly lower than those associated with a Grade 2 complication rate of 10%.
Anisotropic growth during the coarsening of platinum catalyst particles on flat oxide substrates

Abstract A coarsening study was conducted on Pt particles supported on flat, polycrystalline alumina at 1273 K for times up to 100 h. The coarsening kinetics of the Pt particles were obtained by TEM observations and were determined via averages of at least 800 particles for each coarsening treatment. The shapes of the particles were found to change dramatically from equiaxed to large hexagonal or trigonal plates. The average radii of the particles did not follow any established growth law based upon classical ripening. The abnormal particles were found to contain defects which suggested that interface controlled growth, or coarsening mechanisms, governed the observed anisotropic growth.
ANALYSIS OF INTENT TO BREAST FEED: THE GEORGIA EXPERIENCE 725

PURPOSE: It has been clearly demonstrated that breast feeding is superior to formula feeding in it's nutritional and psychological benefits to the infant. We investigated variables associated with intent to breast feed in a population of Georgian mothers.
The Korean War, 1950–53: from maneuver to stalemate

Abstract The Korean War is an immensely important event in twentieth century history. The first shooting war of the Cold War, the first United Nations War, and the only time that two major military powers have clashed on the battlefield since World War II, it has been largely forgotten by all—save for the Koreans, for whom the war continues. Although it began in June 1950, its roots extend back to the Japanese takeover of Korea in 1910 and the partition of the Peninsula at the end of World War II. In this concise yet analytical account, the author discusses the inability of the major powers to agree on a Korean government and the partition of Korea into two hostile regimes. He treats the factors prompting the North Korean invasion and the reasons for Soviet and Chinese support, the military balance at the start of the war, the factors prompting U.S. intervention, and the course of the war to include the Chinese intervention and the transition from a war of maneuver into one of stalemate. He also addressed...
The Locus-specific Enhancer Activity of the Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Interferon-responsive Element Is Associated with a γ-Interferon (IFN)-inducible Factor Distinct from STAT1α, p48, and IFN Regulatory Factor-1

Abstract Recent analyses of the upstream regulatory regions of the class I major histocompatibility complex genes in higher primates provided a generalized structural basis for the differential expression of A- and B-locus gene products in response to specific physiological stimulus. Among the regulatory sequences that differ between the loci is the interferon-responsive element (IRE). While the B-IRE is conserved, the A-IREs have species-specific sequence variation. We previously demonstrated that the B-IRE was an interferon (IFN)-inducible enhancer, whereas none of the A-IREs were functional. In the present study, we examined the biochemical basis for the enhancer activity of the conserved B-IRE and found that this may be attributed to a novel γ-IFN-inducible factor. This factor accumulated in nuclei of cells within minutes of exposure to γ-IFN. Its appearance was independent of de novo protein synthesis. However, it was not detected in nuclei of cells treated with herbimycin A, suggesting that its appearance depends on a protein kinase activation pathway. Supershift assays indicated that it was distinct from STAT1α, IFN regulatory factor-1, and p48, transcription factors known to bind IRE-like sequences found in regulatory regions of many non-major histocompatibility complex γ-IFN-responsive genes. Competition assays show that this novel factor bound B-IRE with relatively high affinity, about 100-fold more than that for the A-IRE sequence. This factor was also present in STAT1α and p48 somatic mutants that also exhibited B-IRE enhancer activity in reporter gene bioassays in a manner similar to those seen with wild type cells. These observations indicate the existence of a novel γ-IFN-dependent transcriptional activation pathway that correlates with the differential enhancer activity of the HLA-B IRE.
Kinetics of 3-methylproline inhibition of actinomycin biosynthesis

Abstract Kinetic experiments suggest that 3-methyl- dl -proline may competitively inhibit incorporation of proline into actimomycin. In addition to proline and certain of its analogues, chloramphenicol, under certain conditions, also reversed the inhibition due to 3-methylproline. Moreover, when antibiotic synthesis was blocked, enhanced incorporation of labeled amino acids into cellular proteins was observed; this effect may be abolished by addition of actinomycin D. Studies with tritium-labeled cis -and trans -3-methylproline revealed that both isomers were incorporated into cellular proteins, whereas only the trans compound was incorporated into actinomycin.
The Classic: Bone Morphogenetic Protein

This Classic Article is a reprint of the original work by Marshall R. Urist and Basil S. Strates, Bone Morphogenetic Protein. An accompanying biographical sketch of Marshall R. Urist, MD is available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-1067-4; a second Classic Article is available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-1069-2; and a third Classic Article is available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-1070-9. The Classic Article is © 1971 by Sage Publications Inc. Journals and is reprinted with permission from Urist MR, Strates BS. Bone morphogenetic protein. J Dent Res. 1971;50:1392–1406.
A Value for the Tension at the Surface of a Myxomycete

It has appeared of interest to obtain a value for the tension at the surface of a myxomycete∗ in view of the fact that these organisms exhibit relatively rapid protoplasmic streaming. The method used was the oil drop one of Harvey and Marsland.1 An oil droplet is injected into the organism and is then pulled out by centrifugal force while under observation in the microscope-centrifuge. The buoyant force of the oil is equated to the tension around the circumference of a neck of protoplasm of the same diameter as the oil drop.Where D = diameter of oil globule, T = tension in dynes, Vo = volume of oil droplet, Δρ = difference in density between oil and medium, C = centrifugal force in times gravity, G = force of gravity, 980.The criterion of recovery was protoplasmic streaming after the experiment. It was noted that centrifuging apparently stimulates streaming. In almost all of the experiments, as the oil pulled out, a very thin pellicle was visible at the surface of the myxomycete through which the oil pass...
Exact results on stationary turbulence in 2D: consequences of vorticity conservation

We establish a series of exact results for a model of stationary turbulence in two dimensions: the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation in a periodic domain with stochastic force white-noise in time. Essentially all of our conclusions follow from the simple consideration of the simultaneous conservation of energy and enstrophy by the inertial dynamics. Our main results are as follows: (1) we show the blow-up of mean energy as ∼l02eν for ν→0 when there is no IR-dissipation at the large length-scale l0; (2) with an additional IR-dissipation, we establish the validity of the traditional cascade directions and magnitudes of flux of energy and enstrophy for ν→0, assuming finite mean energy in the limit; (3) we rigorously establish the balance equations for the energy and vorticity invariants in the 2D steady-state and the forward cascade of the higher-order vorticity invariants assuming finite mean values; (4) we derive exact inequalities for scaling exponents in the 2D enstrophy range, as follows: if 〈|Δlω|p〉 ∼ lζp, then ζ2 ≤ 23 and ζp ≤ 0 for p ≥ 3. If the minimum Holder exponent of the vorticity hmin < 0, then we establish a 2D analogue of the refined similarity hypothesis which improves these bounds. The most novel and interesting conclusion of this work is the connection established between “intermittency” in 2D and “negative Holder singularities” of the vorticity: we show that the latter are necessary for deviations from the 1967 Kraichnan scaling to occur.
Oral Administration versus Intra-peritoneal Injection of Pb Affects Its Concentration in Selected Rat Tissues.

Abstract During studies in our laboratory, a significant difference in Pb concentration was observed depending upon Pb administration: rats that were given Pb by intra-peritoneal injection showed a higher concentration of Pb and smaller relative errors compared to their oral counterparts. The relative percent changes in several tissues between oral and IP groups were calculated to determine whether Pb concentrations were statistically significant or not.
Priming and the Predictability of Contextual Information

Past research has indicated that repetition priming is disrupted by variable contextual information such as word-to-word changes in voice. In three experiments, we examined whether subjects' prediction of contextual changes could attenuate this effect. Predictability of contextual changes was accomplished either by presenting speakers' voices in a fixed sequential order or by giving subjects prior knowledge of which voice would produce the next word. In these experiments, predictability attenuated the disruptive effect that changes in voice had on priming, suggesting the processes which underlie this memory phenomenon are modulated by expectations that selectively optimize subjects' processing of incoming information.
Are the clouds of venus sulfuric acid

It is shown that strong aqueous sulfuric acid solutions have the right refractive index and freeze at Venusian cloud temperature, explain the dryness of the Venusian stratosphere, are consistent with some features of the Venusian IR spectrum, and do not absorb in highly reflecting areas of Venus. It is also indicated that such solutions should be produced by reactions between known atmospheric constituents and most sulfur-bearing rock at the Venusian surface temperature, and require only small amounts of sulfur consistent with its cosmic abundance and with the amounts of other volatile elements present in the atmosphere. It is believed therefore that the clouds of Venus consist of sulfuric acid solutions.
Reader Identification and Alienation in the Legal Rhetoric of the Pentateuch

Three voices dominate Pentateuchal discourse in turn: the omniscient narrator relates the stories of Genesis and Exodus, YHWH delivers the laws of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, and Moses combines narrative and law in the rhetoric of Deuteronomy. These three dominant voices of the Pentateuch are interdependent and almost interchangeable: the anonymous narrator, like Moses the scribe, requires both divine inspiration and reader acceptance for authorization of the story; the divine lawgiver requires reader acceptance of human mediation of the commandments; the prophetic scribe depends on authority delegated by both God and readers to interpret the stories, the laws, and the sanctions. The Pentateuch leaves the unification of speaking voices incomplete, however, and as a result divides the audience in two. God and Moses (or, at least, God through Moses) address the people in the wilderness and also the readers who overhear their speeches. Their audience comprises Israel throughout time, from Sinai to the present, as Deuteronomy makes explicitly clear. The narrator, by contrast, addresses only the readers through a discourse lying outside the story being narrated. Thus the Pentateuch's use of a third-person omniscient and impersonal narrator resists the unifying rhetoric of the divine and human speeches which it contains. By providing knowledge unavailable to the Israelites in the story, the narrator persuades readers to both identify with and to alienate themselves from aspects of wilderness Israel.
The use of extracorporeal circulation in cardiac surgery.

This brief review serves to emphasize the ever-broadening scope of cardiac surgery brought about in great measure by the proper application of extracorporeal circulation. Now that the technics have been improved and standardized, proper selection of patients will determine to a great extent the success or failure of this method of treatment.More than half of the patients we have operated on have had either a ventricular septal defect or the tetralogy of Fallot. We have discussed criteria for selection of patients with these and other conditions.
Orientation of Shear Bands in Frictional Soils

The elastoplastic MohrCoulomb MC model is shown to overestimate the inclination of shear bands in granular materials. An extended MohrCoulomb EMC model is proposed to get a more accurate analytical...
RGK protein-mediated impairment of slow depolarization- dependent Ca2+ entry into developing myotubes

Three physiological functions have been described for the skeletal muscle 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor (Ca(V)1.1):(1) voltage-sensor for excitation-contraction (EC) coupling, (2) L-type Ca(2+) channel, and (3) voltage-sensor for slow depolarization-dependent Ca(2+) entry. Members of the RGK (Rad, Rem, Rem2, Gem/Kir) family of monomeric GTP-binding proteins are potent inhibitors of the former two functions of Ca(V)1.1. However, it is not known whether the latter function that has been attributed to Ca(V)1.1 is subject to modulation by RGK proteins. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine whether Rad, Gem and/or Rem inhibit the slowly developing, persistent Ca(2+) entry that is dependent on the voltage-sensing capability of Ca(V)1.1. As a means to investigate this question, Venus fluorescent protein-fused RGK proteins(V-Rad, V-Rem and V-Gem) were overexpressed in “normal” mouse myotubes. We observed that such overexpression of V-Rad, V-Rem or V-Gem in myotubes caused marked changes in morphology of the cells. As shown previously for YFPRem,both L-type current and EC coupling were also impaired greatly in myotubes expressing either V-Rad or V-Gem. There ductions in L-type current and EC coupling were paralleled by reductions in depolarization-induced Ca(2+) entry. Our observations provide the first evidence of modulation of this enigmatic Ca(2+) entry pathway peculiar to skeletal muscle.
Perceptions of Substance Abuse on College Campuses: Proximity to the Problem, Stigma, and Health Promotion

For college students recovering from substance addiction, the path to sobriety is fraught with challenges. Many campuses offer recovery support resources, but students indicate stigma associated with recovery prevents them from using these services. This problem could be ameliorated through communication campaigns addressing misperceptions of substance abuse and recovery. The purpose of this study was to understand how students’ perceptions of addiction and recovery vary based on their experience and background. A quantitative survey was employed to examine stigma beliefs among 2 subpopulations of college students at a large Southwestern university. Findings indicate students with exposure to issues surrounding substance abuse and recovery held fewer stigmatized beliefs, emphasizing the importance of identifying and researching a target audience before developing a health promotion campaign.
Group testing for sensor networks: the value of asking the right questions

Sharing of information is crucial in sensor networks to allow collective processing of observations made by distributed sensors. Our goal is to efficiently retrieve the distributed sensor measurements at a central processor or to share the information among all sensors. To achieve this goal with a minimum number of channel accesses, it naturally involves the compression of the distributed source data and an optimal scheduling of the transmissions to reduce the number of redundant transmissions. In this paper, we utilize a content-based group testing approach to derive a joint source coding and multiple access scheduling method without the initial knowledge of the statistics of the sensor field. The group testing multiple access (GTMA) scheme proposed in this paper is obtained by choosing groups through a tree splitting algorithm that adapts the branching of the tree according to the progressively estimated statistics of the sensor field. We show that this method overcomes the difficulty of applying the algebraic distributed source coding schemes to a large number of sensors and for arbitrary or unknown statistics of the sensor field.
EphB4 activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase to limit vein graft thickening

METHODS: Intrathoracic inferior vena cava was harvested from wild-type (WT) or eNOS knockout (KO) mice and placed as an interposition vein graft into the infrarenal aorta of WT mice. Vein grafts were harvested and analyzed after 3 weeks. EphB4 was activated in mouse lung endothelial cells (EC) in vitro using the bivalent ligand Ephrin-B2/Fc. In some experiments EphB4 was clustered by pretreatment with anti-Fc. eNOS activation was assessed by eNOS phosphorylation on Western blot analysis.
Go with the flow: profiling copies to find runtime bloat

Many large-scale Java applications suffer from runtime bloat. They execute large volumes of methods, and create many temporary objects, all to execute relatively simple operations. There are large opportunities for performance optimizations in these applications, but most are being missed by existing optimization and tooling technology. While JIT optimizations struggle for a few percent, performance experts analyze deployed applications and regularly find gains of 2x or more.Finding such big gains is difficult, for both humans and compilers, because of the diffuse nature of runtime bloat. Time is spread thinly across calling contexts, making it difficult to judge how to improve performance. Bloat results from a pile-up of seemingly harmless decisions. Each adds temporary objects and method calls, and often copies values between those temporary objects. While data copies are not the entirety of bloat, we have observed that they are excellent indicators of regions of excessive activity. By optimizing copies, one is likely to remove the objects that carry copied values, and the method calls that allocate and populate them.We introduce copy profiling, a technique that summarizes runtime activity in terms of chains of data copies. A flat copy profile counts copies by method. We show how flat profiles alone can be helpful. In many cases, diagnosing a problem requires data flow context. Tracking and making sense of raw copy chains does not scale, so we introduce a summarizing abstraction called the copy graph. We implement three clients analyses that, using the copy graph, expose common patterns of bloat, such as finding hot copy chains and discovering temporary data structures. We demonstrate, with examples from a large-scale commercial application and several benchmarks, that copy profiling can be used by a programmer to quickly find opportunities for large performance gains.
Renal bleeding in early pregnancy associated with an undiagnosed hemoglobinopathy

Abstract A 16-year-old black female presented with painless genitourinary tract bleeding of 3 days duration. She suspected pregnancy and examination revealed a 10-week-old intrauterine gestation. Hemoglobin sickle cell disease was diagnosed by hemoglobin electrophoresis. The patient's renal anatomy was normal and no obstruction was seen on ultrasound. She was admitted to the hospital for rest, hydration, and monitoring. Renal bleeding stopped spontaneously after 4 days of hospitalization. Her renal bleeding was probably triggered by the increased metabolic and hemodynamic demands of early pregnancy.
Adjunctive Intracolonic Vancomycin for Severe Clostridium difficile Colitis: Case Series and Review of the Literature

Successful treatment of severe Clostridium difficile colitis has been reported with the use of adjunctive intracolonic vancomycin (ICV) therapy. We report a descriptive case series and review the literature on patients with C. difficile colitis who received adjunctive ICV therapy. Nine patients received antibiotics within 6 weeks prior to presentation. Complete resolution of the clinical presentation occurred in 8 patients (88.9%), and eradication of C. difficile cytotoxin production was documented in 3 (75%) of 4 patients who were tested after the completion of adjunctive ICV therapy. One patient (11.1%) died as a result of progressive multisystem organ failure. In the 6 weeks after the completion of treatment for C. difficile colitis, no patient had recurrent disease, required surgical intervention, or experienced complications from adjunctive ICV therapy. In this case series, administration of adjunctive ICV therapy appeared to be a safe, practical, and effective adjunctive therapy for severe C. difficile colitis.
When High-Powered People Fail Working Memory and “Choking Under Pressure” in Math

We examined the relation between pressure-induced performance decrements, or "choking under pressure," in mathematical problem solving and individual differences in working memory capacity. In cognitively based academic skills such as math, pressure is thought to harm performance by reducing the working memory capacity available for skill execution. Results demonstrated that only individuals high in working memory capacity were harmed by performance pressure, and, furthermore, these skill decrements were limited to math problems with the highest demands on working memory capacity. These findings suggest that performance pressure harms individuals most qualified to succeed by consuming the working memory capacity that they rely on for their superior performance.
Perforated dried blood spots: a novel format for accurate microsampling

Dried blood spots (DBS) in their current format encounter challenges in bioanalysis using fixed areas, including but not limited to, waste of DBS samples (only a fraction is used for analysis), the need for sample punching leading to concerns of sample carryover, uncertainty for accurate recovery assessments and hematocrit (HCT) effects. Here we describe a novel concept, namely perforated dried blood spots (PDBS), for accurate microsampling that addresses previous challenges. PDBS discs were prepared from regular filter paper, with a diameter of 6.35 mm and a thickness of 0.83 mm. An accurate amount of blood sample (5–10 µl), was deposited, dried and stored on the PDBS discs. Upon sample analysis, PDBS samples are simply pushed by single-use pipette tips into 96-well plates. The proof-of-concept study was carried out on a PDBS LC–MS/MS assay development and validation under GLP criteria for the quantitation of lansoprazole in human whole-blood (K3EDTA). Particularly, the effect of HCT on the accuracy of q...
The Statistical Production Function

Introduction: experimental determination of a theoretical production function, 543. — Imperfect markets and disequilibrium situations, 546. — Delayed adjustments, 548. — Other reasons why actual observations will not show adjustments envisaged by static equilibrium theory, 548. — Functions based upon short-run adjustments, 549. — Transitions, 550. — Time-series and cross-section studies, 551. — Homogeneity, 552. — The data as measurements: industries vs. firms, 553; factors of production, 553; capital, 554; depreciation, 556; sampling, 560. — Conclusion, 562.
Oscillations of a layer of viscoelastic fluid under steady forcing

We study the dynamics of a layer of viscoelastic fluid, in the Stokesian regime, that is driven from below by a 4 � 4 checkerboard pattern of rotating and counter-rotating disks. At low disk rotation rate (low Weissenberg number) the fluid flow response is slaved to the geometry of this forcing and divides into many steadily rotating cells, each contained within invariant manifolds issuing from hyperbolic stagnation points. As the rotation rate increases these fluid cells begin to oscillate periodically in a synchronized fashion. At a yet higher rotation rate, this temporally periodic flow disappears and is replaced by a richer, ‘‘turbulent’’ dynamics where the flow is delocalized from the forcing and has fluid cells that are continuously destroyed and reformed. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Tigecycline for the Treatment of Severe and Severe Complicated Clostridium difficile Infection

Introduction Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Metronidazole and vancomycin are the primary treatment options for CDI, but increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance and severe, refractory disease have prompted the need for alternative agents. Tigecycline has previously demonstrated favorable in vitro activity against C. difficile isolates, but clinical data on its use in the treatment of CDI are severely lacking. The objective of this study was to describe our experience using tigecycline in the treatment of severe and severe complicated CDI.
Using multiple cues for hand tracking and model refinement

We present a model based approach to the integration of multiple cues for tracking high degree of freedom articulated motions and model refinement. We then apply it to the problem of hand tracking using a single camera sequence. Hand tracking is particularly challenging because of occlusions, shading variations, and the high dimensionality of the motion. The novelty of our approach is in the combination of multiple sources of information, which come from edges, optical flow, and shading information in order to refine the model during tracking. We first use a previously formulated generalized version of the gradient-based optical flow constraint, that includes shading flow i.e., the variation of the shading of the object as it rotates with respect to the light source. Using this model we track its complex articulated motion in the presence of shading changes. We use a forward recursive dynamic model to track the motion in response to data derived 3D forces applied to the model. However, due to inaccurate initial shape, the generalized optical flow constraint is violated. We use the error in the generalized optical flow equation to compute generalized forces that correct the model shape at each step. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated with experiments on a number of different hand motions with shading changes, rotations and occlusions of significant parts of the hand.
Biasing emitter location estimates via false location injection

We consider the problem of a rogue introducing bias into a network estimating location under the time difference of arrival (TDOA) method. In particular we consider how a rogue by injecting only a single false sensor position can drive the network's location estimate a specified distance away from the true value. The least squares (LS) residuals is minimized to find the false location to inject given the rogue's desired distance offset. In order to illustrate the success of our method, we consider the statistical tools that the locating network might employ to handle our false information injection including least squares and in the presence of outliers robust least median squares (LMS). We show that our method can successfully bias the location estimate of an estimating network when both LS and LMS methods are used.
Characterization of cyclostationary random signal processes

Many communication and control systems employ signal formats that involve some form of periodic processing operation. Signals produced by samplers, scanners, multiplexors, and modulators are familiar examples. Often these signals are appropriately modeled by random processes that are cyclostationary (CS), i.e., processes with statistical parameters, such as mean and autocorrelation, that fluctuate periodically with time. In this paper we examine two methods for representing nonstationary processes that reveal the special properties possessed by CS processes. These representations are the harmonic series representation (HSR) and the translation series representation (TSR). We show that the HSR is particularly appropriate for characterizing the structural properties of CS processes and that the TSR provides natural models for many types of communication signal formats. The advantages gained by modeling signals as CS processes rather than stationary processes is illustrated by consideration of the optimum filtering problem. We present general solutions for filters that minimize mean-square error for continuous-waveform estimation, and we discuss several specific examples for the particular case of additive noise. These examples demonstrate improvement in performance over that of filter designs based on stationary models for the signal processes.
Contact Toxicities of Ten Insecticides to Connecticut Populations of the Colorado Potato Beetle

Pennethrin was quite toxic to Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say).; aldicarb, endosulfan, and ox amyl were moderately toxic, but azinphosmethyl, carbaryl, carbofuran, malathion, metharnidophos, and phosmet were essentially nontoxic.
Catalytic insights into acid/base conjugates: highly selective bifunctional catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of lactide

Herein, we report the use of acid/base complexes for the ring opening polymerization of (L)-lactide. The salt formed from an equimolar reaction of benzoic acid and DBU produced a catalyst capable of controlled polymerizations allowing for targeted molecular weights and narrow polydispersities. The use of computational analysis suggests a bifunctional catalytic mechanism wherein both the monomer and propagating hydroxyl group are activated toward polymerization.
Influence of price on consumer meal choice in a bundling context.

This study investigated the joint effects of component pricing and bundle pricing on consumers' choice processes. Specifically, consumer preferences were examined for various menu options in the context of fixed menu pricing. Findings suggest that consumers attach larger utilities to highly priced appetizers and entrees. Consistent with prior research, this study shows that consumers are more likely to choose a bundle that provides the highest value (i.e., the highest savings between the bundle price and the sum of its individual components). Managerial implications of these findings will be briefly discussed.
Report on the international workshop on next generation linear colliders

The main goals of the Linear Collider (LC) Workshop were to discuss research programs of the various laboratories around the world, to identify common areas of interest in the various next-generation LC designs, and to advance these programs by collaboration. The following issues are reviewed here: damping rings and sources, beam dynamics and wakefields, RF power sources, RF structures, instrumentation, and final focus. The outlook in this field is briefly discussed. >
Siderotic nodules at MR imaging: regenerative or dysplastic?

Objective: To determine if iron containing siderotic nodules detected at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are regenerative (RN) or dysplastic (DN) and to attempt to identify features that may distinguish them. Material and Methods: MR imaging (1.5 T) was performed on 77 cirrhotic patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation within 0-117 days (mean 30 days) of MR imaging. Two readers retrospectively evaluated breath-hold gradient-echo pulse sequences (echo time ≥9.0 ms, flip angle ≤45°) for the presence of hypointense nodules, which were classified as micronodular (≤3 mm), macronodular (>3 mm), or mixed. Nodule distribution was classified as focal ( 20) per slice. Thin section pathologic correlation was available in all cases, and Prussian blue iron stains were performed. Results: Of 35 patients with pathologically proven siderotic nodules, 10 (29%) had at least 2 siderotic DN. MR detected siderotic nodules in 10 of 10 (100%) patients with siderotic DN and RN, and in 18 of 25 patients (72%) with siderotic RN only. Conclusion: Siderotic RN cannot be reliably distinguished from siderotic DN with MR imaging, and therefore the widely used term siderotic regenerative nodule should be avoided and replaced by siderotic nodule.
Resolving database incompatibility: an approach to performing relational operations over mismatched domains

A solution to the problem of supporting relational database operations despite domain mismatch is presented. Mismatched domains occur when information must be obtained from databases that were developed independently. Domain differences are resolved by mapping conflicting attributes to common domains by means of a mechanism of virtual attributes and then applying a set of extended relational operations to the resulting values. When one-one mappings cannot be established between domains, the values that result from attribute mappings may be partial. A set of extended relational operators that formalize operations over partial values and thus manipulate the incomplete information that results from resolving domain mismatch is defined. >
Protective effects of prostaglandin E1 on acute lung injury of caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

Infusion of a supramaximally stimulating dose of the pancreatic secretagogue caerulein (10 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) for 4 h induces interstitial edematous acute pancreatitis in rats. This model of acute pancreatitis is associated with evidence of acute lung injury, including sequestered neutrophils within the pulmonary microvasculature, increased microvascular permeability, and interstitial pulmonary edema. Infusion of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1; 50 ng.kg-1.min-1) along with caerulein does not alter the severity of secretagogue-induced pancreatitis, but it does reduce the severity of pancreatitis-associated acute lung injury. The rise in lung weight, lung water content, and pulmonary microvascular permeability and the sequestration of neutrophils within the pulmonary microvasculature that accompany secretagogue-induced pancreatitis are all reduced by infusion of PGE1. Infusion of PGE1 does not interfere with polymorphonuclear neutrophil sequestration in the pancreas or reduce the enhanced expression of CD11b/c receptors on circulating neutrophils. Our observations indicate that PGE1 reduces the severity of pancreatitis-associated acute lung injury by preventing neutrophil sequestration within the lung. We speculate that PGE1 interferes with neutrophil sequestration by dilating pulmonary vasculature, increasing pulmonary flow rate, and reducing neutrophil-endothelial cell interaction and attachment.
A Statistical Analysis of Wiretap Evidence

A court-approved wiretap was used to monitor the telephone conversations of an alleged supplier of LSD. To minimize the invasion of privacy, the monitoring agents were required to terminate the recording of irrelevant calls. When the transcripts of the recorded conversations were compared with synopses of the same calls written by the listening agents, discrepancies were noted. The nature of these discrepancies suggested that the agents had listened to the entirety of every conversation, contrary to judicial mandate and their own testimony. A statistical analysis was used to show that the pattern of discrepancies was unlikely to have occurred by chance. It was inferred, instead, that the pattern was most likely caused by surreptitious monitoring. The relevant statistical logic and assumptions are explained, and the certainty of the conclusion is discussed. More traditional trial evidence became available, and it confirmed the results of the statistical analysis.
Decaying Potential Fields Neural Network: An Approach for Parallelizing Topologically Indicative Mapping Exemplars

Mapping methodologies aim to make sense or connections from hard data. The human mind is able to efficiently and quickly process images through the visual cortex, in part due to its parallel nature. A basic Kohonen self-organizing feature map (SOFM) is one example of a mapping methodology in the class of neural networks that does this very well. Optimally the result is a nicely mapped neural network representative of the data set, however SOFMs do not translate to a parallelized architecture very well. The problem stems from the neighborhoods that are established between the neurons, creating race conditions for updating winning neurons. We propose a fully parallelized mapping architecture based loosely on SOFM called decaying potential fields neural network (DPFNN). We show that DPFNN uses neurons that are computationally uncoupled but symbolically linked. Through analysis we show this allows for the neurons to reach convergence with having only a passive data dependency on each other, as opposed to a hazard generating direct dependency. We have created this network to closely reflect the efficiency and speed of a parallel approach, with results that rival or exceed those of similar topological networks such as SOFM.
S-100-positive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder. A case report and review of the literature.

The authors describe a patient with a S-100-positive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, characterized by clinically aggressive behavior, with leukemic dissemination and death within 1 year of the onset of symptoms. The neoplastic cells had abundant amphophilic cytoplasm, suggestive of plasmacytoid differentiation, but demonstrated a mature T-cell immunophenotype characteristic of the suppressor-cytotoxic subset. In addition, the cells expressed the S-100 protein within the cytoplasm. Genotypic studies were performed by Southern blot analysis, which demonstrated β-chain T-cell receptor gene rearrangement, further confirming the T-cell nature of this disorder. This case had futures very similar to those of the seven cases previously reported
Energy Management Strategy for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles via Bidirectional Vehicle-to-Grid

As a paradigm of the incoming smart grid, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) has been proposed as a promising solution to increase the adoption rate of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). In this paper, we investigate the energy management strategies for PHEVs via bidirectional V2G. We first follow a cost-conscious approach from the PHEV owner point of view. To minimize the daily energy cost, we formulate the energy management problem via dynamic programming (DP). However, the “well-known” complexity in solving DP poses a computational challenge even for a small number of iterations. Therefore, we propose a state-independent four-threshold $(s,S,s^{\prime},S^{\prime})$ battery charging/discharging policy and theoretically prove the optimality of the proposed energy management strategy based on stochastic inventory theory. A backward iteration algorithm is further developed to practically implement the $(s,S,s^{\prime},S^{\prime})$ feedback policy. Second, from the distribution system operator's perspective, we aim to shave the peak load and flatten the overall load profile. To this end, we propose an optimal PHEV charging scheme and further derive a reminiscent “water-filling” solution for this scenario. Realistic PHEV battery models, time-of-use electricity pricing rate, and real data of household demand are integrated into our formulated V2G system model. The theoretical analysis and proofs are instrumental to the future large-scale PHEV adoption in smart grids.