cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Farnesyl:protein transferase inhibitors as potential agents for the management of human prostate cancer.

The effects of farnesyl:protein transferase inhibitors (FTIs) were evaluated against hormone-dependent and hormone-independent prostate cancer cell lines harboring mutant and wild type Ras. The combinations of the FTI with hormones and chemotherapy were explored. The effect of FTI on the growth of human prostate cancer lines was examined under anchorage-dependent and -independent conditions. Changes in Ras processing and cellular localization were examined by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. Hormone-dependent (LNCaP) and -independent (TSU-Pr1, PC3 and DU145) human prostate cancer cell lines were growth-inhibited by the FTI L-744,832 at concentrations ranging from 100 nM to 20 mM. The inhibition was accompanied by loss of protein farnesylation and with the accumulation of Ha-Ras as its unprocessed, cytosolic form. No effect on N- and Ki-Ras processing was observed. The transformed phenotype of TSU-Pr1 cells, which possess a Ha-Ras Gly-12-Val activating mutation, reverted following FTI treatment. Enhanced antitumor effects were observed when the FTI was combined with gamma-radiation, etoposide, doxorubicin, cisplatin, estramustine and the antihormone bicalutamide. In particular, the combination of taxol and FTI was synergistic for DU145 cells, a cell line that is only marginally sensitive to the FTI alone. The sensitivity of human prostate cancer cell lines to the FTI is independent of the presence of mutations of tumor suppressors, cell cycle regulators and of the activation of a variety of oncogenes, including Ras. A cell line expressing mutated Ha-Ras is particularly sensitive. Enhanced antitumor effects were observed with an anti-androgen, gamma-irradiation, and several chemotherapeutic agents. These findings support the clinical evaluation of FTIs alone or in combination as treatment for this disease. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2001) 4, 33-43
Mound building and prestige goods exchange : Changing strategies in the Cahokia chiefdom

I examine the shift, at about A.D. 1200 in the Mississippi River Valley Cahokia polity, from emphasizing the status and prestige of communal groups through monumental constructions to displaying and maintaining the status and prestige of individual elites using prestige goods. I interpret this transformation as a change from a “corporate” to a “network” leadership strategy. Archaeologically, these alternative strategies show up as differences in monumental construction, wealth differentiation, craft production, and exchange networks. The Moorehead phase (A.D. 1200-1275) is typically characterized as the time of Cahokia’s decline because of decreased mound building and population levels. My examination of archaeological indicators of household status and craft production reveals maximal differences between household units in status and marine shell working after A.D. 1200, with increased centralization of shell working and more intensive production by higher-status households. I argue that elite control of craft production, if present, was a late phenomenon. Rather than a decline at A.D. 1200, changes in the archaeological indicators of complexity reflect changes in the ways that power was expressed and maintained by elites in Cahokian society.
Studying Transfer Students: Part I: Instrument Design and Implications.

The experience of community college transfer students at four-year institutions has been well documented by studies characterizing their adjustment process as “transfer shock.” A popular paradigm, the transfer shock concept only describes the cognitive outcome of students’ academic adjustment as measured by GPA. Numerous researchers have utilized various instruments to collect data from transfer students to assess their experiences at four-year institutions. Many of these studies have focused on traditional outcome measures such as levels of engagement, involvement with faculty and campus life, and satisfaction. Only recently have researchers been interested in attempting to uncover the psychosocial experiences of transfer students at four-year institutions. The objective of this article is to add to the literature by describing the Laanan-Transfer Students’ Questionnaire (L-TSQ)©, which can be utilized as a data collection tool to better understand transfer students’ adjustment process at four-year insti...
Stability analysis of hybrid ALOHA

We perform stability analysis of a recently proposed MAC protocol, hybrid ALOHA, based on the multipacket reception (MPR) model. Hybrid ALOHA distinguishes from conventional slotted ALOHA by allowing conditional collision-free channel estimation and simultaneous transmissions, and hence improves the MPR capability of the system. The stability analysis of the two-user case (N = 2) has been conducted in our previous work. In this paper, we study the stability region of hybrid ALOHA for the general Nuser (N < 2) system. By using themethod of stochastic dominance and mathematical induction, we obtain the sufficient condition for the stability of hybrid ALOHA. As an illustration, we characterize the stability inner bounds for the N = 3 case. In this particular situation, the results are derived by solving a nonhomogeneous Riemann-Hilbert problem. Potentially, the mathematical tools used in this paper can be exploited for obtaining closed-form results in stability analysis of wireless networks.
Unpacking the semantics of source and usage to perform semantic reconciliation in large-scale information systems

Semantic interoperability is a growing challenge in the United States Department of Defense (DoD). In this paper, we describe the basis of an infrastructure for the reconciliation of relevant, but semantically heterogeneous attribute values. Three types of information are described which can be used to infer the context of attributes, making explicit hidden semantic conflicts and making it possible to adjust values appropriately. Through an extended example, we show how an automated integration agent can derive the transformations necessary to perform four tasks in a simple semantic reconciliation.
A 7Li NMR Study of Capacity Fade in Metal-Substituted Lithium Manganese Oxide Spinels

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques have been used to determine dominant failure modes of LiMn 2 O 4 -based positive electrode materials for lithium rechargeable batteries, and to elucidate the role of metal-for-manganese substitution in the stabilization of the material toward electrochemical cycling on the 4 V plateau. Various compositions were cycled galvanostatically (C/15 rate) from 3.3 to 4.4 V vs. Li metal at room temperature using a 1 M LiPF 6 in ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate (1:2) electrolyte. A rapid capacity fade was observed for LiMn 2 O 4 , which was mitigated to varying extents by substitution of some of the Mn by other metals After cycling, the 7 Li magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR peaks broadened, and the peaks assigned to lithium near defects increased in relative intensity. These changes were most pronounced for the poor-performing LiMn 2 O 4 , and were almost undetectable in the most robust compositions. The results for the cycled electrodes were compared to results for electrodes which had been exposed to model degradation processes chosen so as to mimic failure by one of the possible mechanisms proposed in the literature. This comparison provided substantial evidence that manganese dissolution and concomitant Li-for-Mn ion exchange at the end-of-discharge is the dominant mode of failure on the 4 V plateau. Cr substitution effectively mitigated this failure mode.
Gibbs sampling methods for stick-breaking priors

A rich and flexible class of random probability measures, which we call stick-breaking priors, can be constructed using a sequence of independent beta random variables. Examples of random measures that have this characterization include the Dirichlet process, its two-parameter extension, the two-parameter Poisson–Dirichlet process, finite dimensional Dirichlet priors, and beta two-parameter processes. The rich nature of stick-breaking priors offers Bayesians a useful class of priors for nonparametric problems, while the similar construction used in each prior can be exploited to develop a general computational procedure for fitting them. In this article we present two general types of Gibbs samplers that can be used to fit posteriors of Bayesian hierarchical models based on stick-breaking priors. The first type of Gibbs sampler, referred to as a Polya urn Gibbs sampler, is a generalized version of a widely used Gibbs sampling method currently employed for Dirichlet process computing. This method applies t...
Viscosity of Liquid He 3 - B near the Superfluid Transition

The normal-fluid viscosity of liquid $^{3}\mathrm{He}$-$B$ has been determined in the neighborhood of the superfluid transition using the torsional-oscillator technique of Andronikashvili. In the pressure range from 11.90 to 19.64 bars and for reduced temperatures $t\ensuremath{\equiv}\frac{T}{{T}_{c}}g0.98$, the $B$-phase viscosity may be described by $\frac{\ensuremath{\eta}}{{\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}}=1\ensuremath{-}[A{(1\ensuremath{-}t)}^{\frac{1}{2}}\ensuremath{-}B(1\ensuremath{-}t)]$, where ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$ is the value of the viscosity at the transition temperature. $A$ and $B$ have the values 6.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 and 20.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0, respectively.
Sedimentological and micropaleontological detection of turbidite muds in hemipelagic sequences: An example from the late Pleistocene levee of Monterey Fan, central California continental margin

Abstract Undetected turbidite muds in hemipelagic sequences confound biostratigraphic and paleo-oceanographic interpretation of continental margins. We show that turbiditic muds can be distinguished from hemipelagic muds sedimentologically based on recognition of grading in mean silt particle-size, coarseness of silt mean size, and particle-size frequency distributions of the silt fraction. Further we show that the fossil assemblages in turbidite muds are hydraulically sorted and subtly altered. Lastly, we demonstrate that inclusion of sorted fossil faunas in high resolution biostratigraphy and paleo-oceanography leads to incorrect interpretation. Ten-mg samples were taken at one-cm intervals from beneath to above the megascopic portion of the five turbidites from the western levee of Monterey Fan of the central Californian continental margin. The silt fraction was analyzed in an electronic particle counter to determine the particle-size distribution. Four turbidites grade upward from visually distinct, well-sorted silt layers (Bouma T d ), through megascopically unrecognizable, fining-upward turbiditic muds ranging from 5.2 to 6.4 ϕ in mean diameter, to an ungraded hemipelagic interval that ranges in mean size from 6.4 to 6.7 ϕ. Hemipelagic mud directly overlies the turbiditic silt of one turbidite. Foraminifers were picked from three samples taken from bottom to top of each turbidite unit. The specimens were measured for length of long, intermediate, and short axes to determine shape and size. Results indicate that benthonic and planktonic foraminifers are hydraulically sorted in turbiditic muds. Hemipelagic muds contain benthonic tests that are large and variable in size, whereas turbiditic muds and silts contain specimens that are small and similar in size. Planktonic foraminifers also are sorted by size in turbiditic samples. The sorting subtly alters the relative species frequencies in turbiditic assemblages compared to those in hemipelagic muds. Biostratigraphic samples in a piston core from the fan levee were tested using silt size parameters to determine if any samples lay within undetected turbiditic muds. We recognized seven such turbiditic samples and successfully resolved two latest Pleistocene datums after rejecting the sorted fossil faunas.
Towards Understanding Large-Scale Adaptive Changes from Version Histories

A case study of three open source systems undergoing large adaptive maintenance tasks is presented. The adaptive maintenance task involves migrating each system to a new version of a third party API. The changes to support the migration were spread out over multiple years for each system. The first two systems are both part of KDE, namely KOffice and Extragear/graphics. The adaptive maintenance task, for both systems, involves migrating to a new version of Qt. The third system is OpenSceneGraph that underwent a migration to a new version of OpenGL. The case study involves sifting through tens of thousands of commits to identify only those commits involved in the specific adaptive maintenance task. The object is to develop a data set that will be used for developing automated methods to identify/characterize adaptive maintenance commits.
StoryMat: a play space with narrative memories

In this paper, we present the design and the prototype of a work-in-progress, StoryMat: a soft intelligent play mat that records and recalls children's storytelling activities.
Antiidiotype Antibodies As Surrogates for Polysaccharide Vaccines

In past studies we demonstrated that monoclonal antibody 6F9 is a surrogate image of the meningococcal C capsular polysaccharide. These studies indicated that immunization with this anti-id resulted in a T-dependent antibody response. In the studies reported in this paper, we show that the response which is elicited is protective. Using a model of meningococcal infection in BALB/c mice in which the animals are rendered susceptible with iron dextran, we studied the ability of this anti-id to protect adult mice against challenge. These studies encompassed the ability of 6F9 to prime neonatal mice and provide them with protection to later challenge. Adult BALB/c mice immunized with 6F9 had a 100% survival and a significantly reduced level of bacteremia at 24 hours. Neonatal mice primed within 24 hours of birth and immunized at 4 weeks of age with 6F9 had a 100% survival and cleared their bacteremia by 8 hours. Neonatal mice primed with 6F9 and challenged at 5 weeks had a 90% survival. These data indicate that anti-id 6F9 is a surrogate antigen for the meningococcal C polysaccharide and is capable of inducing protective immunity in immunologically mature as well as immature animals.
Phase II study of intravenous 6-thioguanine in patients with advanced carcinoma of the pancreas

In a phase II study, 32 patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma were treated with intravenous 6-thioguanine. A 30-min infusion of 55 mg/m2 (starting dose) was administered once a day for 5 consecutive days, the course being repeated every 5 weeks. A median of two courses (range, 1–10) was administered. Among the 32 patients, 30 having measurable cancer and optimum follow-up were fully assessable for response. One patient achieved a partial response of extensive liver metastases (12 + months), and another patient had a transient minor response (5 weeks). Cancer in 27 of 30 assessable patients progressed during intravenous 6-thioguanine treatment. Myelosuppression, although frequent, was mild to moderate at these doses and did not result in significant morbidity. Nonhematologic toxicities were also mild. Our data suggest that intravenous 6-thioguanine given at this schedule is ineffective in previously untreated patients with advanced carcinoma of the pancreas.
Secretion of Lipovitellin into Serum Following Induction of Synthesis in the Liver by Estradiol-17β1

Administration of estradiol-17β to male Xenopus laevis resulted in an elevation of 3H-leucine incorporation into soluble proteins of the liver within 12 hr although the specific activity of the total serum proteins of these animals remained unchanged during the 36 hr in which this study was conducted. However, isotopic immunochemical analyses of the labeled serum proteins revealed that lipovitellin, a yolk protein synthesized in the liver, is released into the serum within 12 hr after administration of estradiol-17β. These data along with results already published suggest that secretion of lipovitellin occurred within 3 hr following induction of protein synthesis by estradiol-17β. (Endocrinology 93: 256, 1973)
On a locally minimum cost forwarding game

We consider the problem of all-to-one (reverse multicast) selfish routing in the absence of a payment scheme in wireless networks, where a natural model for cost is the power required to forward. Whereas each node requires a path to the destination, it does not care how long that path is, so long as its own individual or local forwarding cost is minimized. Thus, we refer to this setting as a Locally Minimum Cost Forwarding Game (LMCF). From a system-wide perspective, short paths are clearly desirable, yielding two related social objectives of finding topologies that minimize: (i) the maximum stretch factor, and (ii) the directed weighted diameter. We prove that Nash equilibria always exist for LMCF, in particular the directed MST always being one, and we analyze the ratio of the social cost of Nash equilibria to the global optimum. The worst (maximum) possible value of this ratio is called the price of anarchy (PoA), and the best (minimum) possible value is called the price of stability (PoS). For the maximum stretch factor we present a Ω(n) worst-case bound on PoA and PoS, and for the directed weighted diameter we present a Ω(nc) worst-case bound on PoA and PoS for all c
Fluid force activated spacecraft dynamics driven by gravity gradient and jitter accelerations

Using as an example the liquid helium dewar of the Gravity Probe-B spacecraft, the dynamics of liquid motions in a slowly rotating, partially liquid fill tank are investigated under the combined action of gravity gradients and £-jitter accelerations. The equilibrium configuration of the liquid interface, which is controlled by centripetal acceleration and surface tension, is a torus. Three different cases of liquid responses are examined: 1) when gravity gradient is the dominant driving acceleration, 2) wheng jitter is the dominant acceleration, and 3) wheng-jitter and gravity gradient accelerations are comparable. For case 1, the vapor bubble responds in an asymmetric oscillation in which the part of the bubble on one side of the centerline rises while the other side sinks (one-up, one-down oscillation). For case 2, the bubble responds in a combined up-and-down and side-to-side oscillation. The response for case 3 is a combination of the responses for cases 1 and 2. The motion-induced forces and torques are also computed for these cases to quantify the effects on spacecraft control.
Modeling and process evaluation of membrane bioreactor for removing biodegradable organic matter from water

Abstract A membrane bioreactor (MBR) process was employed for removing biodegradable organic matter (BOM) and ozonation disinfection byproducts (DBPs) exemplified by total aldehydes from ozonated potable water. The BOM removal was to prevent or reduce microbial regrowth in water distribution systems and to reduce DBP forming potential after ozonation. A mathematical modeling approach was used as a tool for performance prediction and process design with implication to process upscaling. The modeling protocol integrated adsorption and biodegradation in liquid and adsorbent phases with model parameters obtained from independent experiments. The BOM was expressed as biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC), assimilable organic carbon (AOC), and total aldehydes. The MBR studies demonstrated the process effectiveness in removing AOC, BDOC and total aldehydes, and validated the model's predictive capability. Sensitivity studies qualitatively evaluated parameters influencing process dynamics. The simulation studies were unique in examining shutdown and startup effects on process dynamics and process recovery.
Some characteristics of mixing and relaxation in Co2 gas-dynamic laser with selective excitation

It is demonstrated by numerical simulation using the simplified Navier-Stokes equations that the geometric arrangement of the nozzle apparatus affects the energy characteristics of a gas-dynamic laser with parallel supersonic mixing of the components.
Satellite-derived Surface Latent Heat Fluxes in a Rapidly Intensifying Marine Cyclone

The aim of this article is to estimate surface latent heat fluxes in the vicinity of a rapidly deepening cyclone before and during its period of most rapid intensification. This is done with a bulk parameterization scheme and remotely sensed input data. A method for estimating the difference in specific humidity between the surface and a 10-m height is investigated using the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager-observed integrated water vapor field and a sea surface temperature analysis. The surface latent heat flux fields generally have estimated errors below 40 percent south of 40 deg N and outside the region of high integrated water vapor values associated with frontal bands. The method of estimating surface latent heat fluxes for the case study was found to be usable in most regions of the northwest Atlantic Ocean except for those locations directly adjacent to coastlines in instances of offshore flow and in the vicinity of surface fronts.
Suspended-matter sampling and current observations in the vicinity of Hunters Point, San Francisco Bay

In connection with hydraulic model studies of proposed structures at Hunters Point in San Francisco Bay, extensive observations were made on suspended-matter concentration, current velocity and direction, and bottom material composition. Because this information may be of value in connection with future investigations on harbor installations, sewage disposal plants, and other works, the data are summarized as a matter of record. The various observations were taken over approximately a 92-hour period on April 14–18, 1945. As mentioned above, these observations included suspended matter and bottom sampling; current velocities and directions, as well as a continuous record of the stage of tide, by a tide machine, at Point Avisadero (see Fig. 1). Shown on Figure 1 are the locations of the nine stations at which continuous observations were taken. Eight of the stations were anchored boats, and one was on shore at Point Avisadero. The boats were provided and operated by the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Observations aboard boats were made by personnel provided by the United States Navy, Twelfth Naval District. Equipment and supervision for the current observations were provided by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.
Macroergonomic analysis of formalization in a dynamic work system

Planning systems are widely accepted and used for organizational decision making, but do planning systems actually work? A simulation-based experiment was used to develop a set of indicators to measure and analyze formal and informal planning strategies. Seventy-two subjects participated. Eight planning groups of three members were assigned to a low formalization, high formalization and a control condition. Following planning strategy training, groups performed an organizational decision-making task for four simulated years. While differences in performance were not significant, significant differences in strategy were found and an interesting temporal effect was detected. In a dynamic environment, the groups exhibiting highly formalized strategies migrated in the direction of lower formalization. Results supported are discussed in terms of Mintzberg's [The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, 1994, The Free Press, New York] fallacies of planning.
The relation between the azimuthal component of the interplanetary magnetic field and the geomagnetic field in the polar caps

The recently discovered relation between the azimuthal component of the interplanetary magnetic field and magnetic variations in the Earth’s polar caps is reviewed. When the IMF azimuthal component is positive (typical of an interplanetary sector with magnetic field directed away from the Sun) geomagnetic perturbations directed away from the Earth are observed within 8° from the corrected geomagnetic pole. When the IMF azimuthal component is negative (typically within toward sectors) the geomagnetic perturbations are directed towards the Earth at both poles. These perturbations can also be described by an equivalent current flowing at a constant magnetic latitude of 80°–82° clockwise around the magnetic poles during toward sectors and counterclockwise during away sectors. This current fluctuates in magnitude and direction with the azimuthal component of the IMF, with a delay time of the order of 20 min. The importance of this effect for our understanding of both solar magnetism and magnetospheric physics is stressed in view of the possibility for investigating the solar sector structure during the last five sunspot cycles.
How factors secreted from astrocytes impact myelin repair.

Over a century ago, hypertrophy of astrocytes was noted as a pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS) and was hypothesized to play an important role in this disease, yet the contribution of astrocytes has been largely underemphasized in the pathophysiology of CNS demyelination. Astrocytes perform many homeostatic functions within the developing and adult CNS, including enhancing formation and maintenance of the blood–brain barrier, moderating neuronal connections through the tripartite synapse, and perhaps evenoffering intercellular communication independently of neurons. Although there is a significant body of literature characterizing different types of MS lesions, the inflammatory demyelination in an active MS lesion is accompanied by the presence of macrophages, lymphocytes, and large reactive astrocytes. The astrocyte has long been viewed as a cell that promotes inflammation and demyelination, while also forming the glial scar, thus hindering remyelination and axon growth. Renewed interest in the astrocyte has been brought about by recent studies demonstrating that astrocytes can also function as cellular mediators of CNS myelination by promoting oligodendrocyte progenitor migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Thus, refining our knowledge of astrocytic functions in the regulation of CNS myelination may help us to better understand why remyelination fails in MS. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Psychiatric episodes in women with young children.

Abstract An historical cohort study was performed. Subjects were 118 pregnant women or mothers of children of
Studies in the replication of viral RNA.

Experiments will be described which demonstrate that the product of purified “Qβ-replicase” is fully competent to serve both as a template and as a program for the synthesis of complete virus particles. The use of mutant RNA has permitted the demonstration that nucleic acid is the instructive agent in the replication process and hence satisfies the definition of a self-duplicating entity. Methods have been devised to examine the product both physically and biologically with a minimum of manipulation and with complete recovery of product and input template. A detailed analysis of every interval of synthesis has thus become possible. These technical advances have permitted us to demonstrate the existence of a latent period prior to the appearance of the first new complete infectious RNA molecules. Further, this latent period is accompanied by an eclipse of the input templates as infectious agents. The use of electrophoretic separation on acrylamide gels has yielded a detailed account of both templates and early product during the latent period, with the consequent identification of the intermediate stages. The resulting data and their implications for the mechanism of RNA replication will be discussed.
A distributed algorithm for knot detection in a distributed graph

Knot detection in a distributed graph is an important problem and finds applications in several areas such as packet switching, distributed simulation, and distributed database systems. The paper presents a distributed algorithm to efficiently detect the existence of a knot in a distributed graph. The algorithm requires 2e messages and a delay or 2(d+1) message hops to detect if a node in a distributed graph is in a knot (e is the number of edges in the reachable part of the distributed graph and d is its diameter). A significant advantage of this algorithm is that it not only detects if a node is in a knot but also finds exactly which nodes are involved in the knot.
Effect of viewing smoking in movies on adolescent smoking initiation: a cohort study

Summary Background Exposure to smoking in movies has been linked with adolescent smoking initiation in cross-sectional studies. We undertook a prospective study to ascertain whether exposure to smoking in movies predicts smoking initiation. Method We assessed exposure to smoking shown in movies in 3547 adolescents, aged 10‐14 years, who reported in a baseline survey that they had never tried smoking. Exposure to smoking in movies was estimated for individual respondents on the basis of the number of smoking occurrences viewed in unique samples of 50 movies, which were randomly selected from a larger sample pool of popular contemporary movies. We successfully re-contacted 2603 (73%) students 13‐26 months later for a follow-up interview to determine whether they had initiated smoking. Findings Overall, 10% (n=259) of students initiated smoking during the follow-up period. In the highest quartile of exposure to movie smoking, 17% (107) of students had initiated smoking, compared with only 3% (22) in the lowest quartile. After controlling for baseline characteristics, adolescents in the highest quartile of exposure to movie smoking were 2·71 (95% CI 1·73‐4·25) times more likely to initiate smoking compared with those in the lowest quartile. The effect of exposure to movie smoking was stronger in adolescents with non-smoking parents than in those whose parent smoked. In this cohort, 52·2% (30·0‐67·3) of smoking initiation can be attributed to exposure to smoking in movies. Interpretation Our results provide strong evidence that viewing smoking in movies promotes smoking initiation among adolescents.
An underlay for sensor networks: localized protocols for maintenance and usage

We propose localized and decentralized protocols to construct and maintain an underlay for sensor networks. An underlay lies in between overlay operations (e.g., data indexing, multicast, etc.) and the sensor network itself. Specifically, an underlay bridges the gap between (a) the unreliability of sensor nodes and communication and availability of only approximate location knowledge, and (b) the maintenance of a virtual geography-based naming structure that is required by several overlay operations. Our underlay creates a coarse naming scheme based on approximate location knowledge, and then maintains it in an efficient and scalable manner. The underlay naming can be used to specify arbitrary regions. The overlay operations that can be executed on the underlay include routing, aggregation, multicast, data indexing, etc. These overlay operations could be region-based. The proposed underlay maintenance protocols are robust, localized (hence scalable), energy and message efficient, have low convergence times, and provide tuning knobs to trade convergence time with overhead and with underlay uniformity. The maintenance protocols are mathematically analyzed by characterizing them as differential equation systems. We present microbenchmark results from a NesC implementation, and results from a large-scale simulation of a Java implementation. The latter experiments also show how routing using the underlay would perform
Association of left ventricular function with bone mineral density in older women: a population-based study.

Due to the increasing mortality and disability rates associated with hip and vertebral fractures in older age, research is currently focusing on “new” determinants of osteoporosis in elderly subjects. Most recently, low bone mineral density (BMD) has been repeatedly reported in patients with end-stage heart failure. We assessed the association, if any, of BMD with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in a general older population. We assessed the association of LVEF with T score, Z score, and stiffness index in all 312 subjects aged 75 and over living in Tuscania, Italy. Among women, LVEF was associated with T score (β = 0.02, 95% CI 0.01–0.05; P = 0.033), Z score (β = 0.02, 95% CI 0.01–0.04; P = 0.038), and stiffness index (β = 0.25, 95% CI 0.02–0.48; P = 0.036) in multivariable linear regression analysis, after adjusting for lifestyle habits, demographic variables, comorbid conditions, polypharmacy, and objective measurements. No significant associations were observed in men. In linear discriminant analysis, the LVEF cutoff level that best predicted osteoporosis was ≤49%. Left ventricular function is directly and independently associated with all of the ultrasonographic BMD parameters in older women. As left ventricular dysfunction, often asymptomatic, is a prevalent finding in older women, this association and its potential therapeutic implications should be assessed in dedicated studies.
Interplay between membrane cholesterol and ethanol differentially regulates neutrophil tether mechanics and rolling dynamics.

Using microfluidic assays at a 100 s −1 wall shear rate, we examined the effects of ethanol on cholesterol-loaded neutrophils with respect to: (1) collision efficiency and membrane tethering to P-selectin-coated microbeads, (2) rolling on P-selectin-coated surfaces, and (3) primary and secondary interactions with neutrophils pre-adhered to intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Using methyl-β-cyclodextrin:cholesterol complexes, membrane cholesterol was increased over control by 4.6-fold (no ethanol), 3.6-fold (0.3% ethanol pre-loading), and 1.6-fold (0.3% ethanol post-loading). These treatments did not alter CD11b expression; however, PSGL-1 and L-selectin were lowered by cholesterol enrichment (±ethanol). Cholesterol enrichment enhanced microbead collision efficiency, which was abrogated by ethanol. Ethanol had no effect on elevation of tethering fraction by cholesterol enrichment. Incubation of cholesterol-loaded neutrophils with ethanol resulted in significantly longer membrane tethers, due to tether lifetime enhancement. On P-selectin-coated surfaces, cholesterol-enriched neutrophils exposed to ethanol rolled faster and with more variability than cholesterol-enriched neutrophils. Ethanol reduced homotypic collision efficiency of cholesterol-loaded neutrophils without effect on tethering fraction or secondary collision efficiency. Tether length during cholesterol-loaded neutrophil homotypic collisions was enhanced by ethanol, in part due to increased L-selectin/PSGL-1 bond tether lifetime. Overall, ethanol attenuated cholesterol-induced adhesion increases while increasing membrane fluidity as indicated by tether length.
Cost-Effectiveness of Ranolazine Added to Standard-of-Care Treatment in Patients With Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris

Ranolazine has been shown to decrease angina pectoris frequency and nitroglycerin consumption. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of ranolazine when added to standard-of-care (SoC) antianginals compared with SoC alone in patients with stable coronary disease experiencing ≥3 attacks/week. A Markov model utilizing a societal perspective, a 1-month cycle length, and a 1-year time horizon was developed to estimate costs (2013 US$) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for patients receiving and not receiving ranolazine. Patients entered the model in 1 of the 4 angina frequency health states based upon Seattle Angina Questionnaire angina frequency (SAQAF) scores (100=no; 61 to 99=monthly; 31 to 60=weekly; and 0 to 30=daily angina) and were allowed to transition between states or to death based upon probabilities derived from the Efficacy of Ranolazine in Chronic Angina and other studies. Patients not responding to ranolazine in month 1 (not improving ≥1 SAQAF health state) were assumed to discontinue ranolazine and behave like SoC patients. Ranolazine patients lived a mean of 0.700 QALYs at a cost of $15,661. Those not receiving ranolazine lived 0.659 QALYs and at a cost of $14,321. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the addition of ranolazine was $32,682/QALY. The ICER was most sensitive to ranolazine cost but only exceeded $50,000/QALY when the cost of ranolazine increased >32% above base case. The ICER remained <$50,000/QALY when indirect costs were excluded, and mortality rates were assumed equivalent between SAQAF health states. Monte Carlo simulation found ranolazine cost-effective in 97% of 10,000 iterations at a $50,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold. In conclusion, ranolazine added to SoC is cost-effective in patients with weekly or daily angina.
Dissipative Phenomena in Quark Gluon Plasmas

Transport coefficients of small-chemical-potential quark-gluon plasmas are estimated and dissipative corrections to the scaling hydrodynamic equations for ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions are studied. The absence of heat-conduction phenomena is clarified. Lower and upper bounds on the shear-viscosity coefficient are derived. QCD phenomenology is used to estimate effects of color-electric and -magnetic shielding, and nonperturbative antiscreening. Bulk viscosity associated with the plasma-to-hadron transition is estimated within the relaxation-time approximation. Finally, effects of dissipative phenomena on the relation between initial energy density and final rapidity density are estimated.
Hydrodynamic theory of photon drag

We derive and evaluate a hydrodynamic theory of photon-drag effects in simple metals. Considering a jellium surface obliquely illuminated by monochromatic light, we calculate both the steady surface-parallel current and the emf induced along the surface normal. The sizes of these effects are estimated with a variety of approaches, ranging from momentum-balance arguments, through sum rules, to detailed microscopic calculations using a hydrodynamic description of the electrons' dynamics. Comparisons between the sometimes different results help clarify the physical origin of the phenomena, in particular, the extent to which effects are surface sensitive. We also outline a calculational approach that should allow a tractable incorporation of quantum-mechanical dynamics.
Approximate dynamic programming using Bellman residual elimination and Gaussian process regression

This paper presents an approximate policy iteration algorithm for solving infinite-horizon, discounted Markov decision processes (MDPs) for which a model of the system is available. The algorithm is similar in spirit to Bellman residual minimization methods. However, by using Gaussian process regression with nondegenerate kernel functions as the underlying cost-to-go function approximation architecture, the algorithm is able to explicitly construct cost-to-go solutions for which the Bellman residuals are identically zero at a set of chosen sample states. For this reason, we have named our approach Bellman residual elimination (BRE). Since the Bellman residuals are zero at the sample states, our BRE algorithm can be proven to reduce to exact policy iteration in the limit of sampling the entire state space. Furthermore, the algorithm can automatically optimize the choice of any free kernel parameters and provide error bounds on the resulting cost-to-go solution. Computational results on a classic reinforcement learning problem indicate that the algorithm yields a high-quality policy and cost approximation.
Fast scan technology for digital video tape recorders

A solution to the problems of implementing trick play on a compressed digital VTR (video tape recorder) is described. Because of loss of data in the fast-forward/fast-reverse playback, it is difficult to decode a useful image from the data recovered, and image quality is poor. The authors' proposal reserves an area on the tape which will be traversed during trick playback; a subset of the bitstream which is specifically adapted to trick play in this track is recorded. Thus, good-quality trick play is achieved without impact on normal playback and without decoding and recording the compressed bitstream. >
In vivo kinetics of a covalent growth hormone-binding protein complex

Abstract The biologic function of the newly recognized binding proteins (BP) for human growth hormone (hGH) in human plasma is largely unknown; hGH circulates in part in complexed form in association with the BP. In a previous study we showed that the in vivo kinetics of hGH were altered in the presence of the BP. However, that study gave only qualitative information because the BP was present in excess and the complex was subject to dissociation in vivo. To gain more quantitative information about the in vivo behavior of complexed hGH, metabolic clearance (MCR), distribution volume (Vd), and degradation rate of a covalently crosslinked, stoichiometrically correct, chemically stable hGH-BP complex were measured. The MCR and the degradation rate of complexed hGH were tenfold lower than those of free hGH (P
A software GPS receiver for weak signals

The paper reports the approach and results of a stand alone software Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The receiver is specially designed to receive weak signals without aids from other information sources. The approaches for the acquisition, first navigation phase detection, and tracking are discussed. The different kinds of thresholds with different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are developed. Under the best operating condition a signal can be 15 dB below the normal noise level and still be processed.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Security Using Recursive Parameter Estimation

The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) brings about many new security concerns. A common concern with UAV security is for an intruder to take control of a UAV, which leads for a need for a real time anomaly detection system. This research resulted in a prototype UAV monitoring system that captures flight data, and then performs real time estimation and tracking of the airframe and controller parameters. The aforementioned is done by utilizing the Recursive Least Squares Method (RLSM). Using statistical validation and trend analysis, parameter estimates are critical for the detection of cyber attacks and incipient hardware failures that can invariably jeopardize mission success. The results demonstrate that achieving efficient anomaly detection during flight is possible through the application of statistical methods to profile system behavior. The anomaly detection system that was designed can be performed in real time while the UAV is in flight, constantly verifying its parameters.
Analysis of an Axisymmetric Bluff Body Wake using Fourier Transform and POD

The data from u nforced and open loop forced simulations of the wake behind an axisymmetric bluff body at Re D=1,500 is analyzed to explore the effect of forcing. In the unforced wake, because of the axial symmetry of the body , structures do no t maintain a constant azimuthal phase over time , which leads to inaccurate predictions of the flow field when applying POD . Forcing inside the “lock -in” region in amplitude -frequency space with a fixed azimuthal phase is therefore introduced to study the w ake in detail. The resulting flow field is analyzed using three methods , namely an azimuthal Fourier transform, a moment of inertia calculation, and a velocity vector histogram, to determine the a zimuthal phase of the wake structures . The overall goal is t o minimize the necessary data volume to analyze the flow for eventual implementation in real time feedback flow control experiments. It is shown that the methods used to determine the azimuthal phase all yield a measure of the phase angle of the symmetry p lane in the wake .
Can KAATSU Exercise Cause Rhabdomyolysis

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in using low-load resistance exercise in combination with a reduction in blood flow to promote muscle adaptation (ie, blood flow-restricted exercise or KAATSU exercise). There has been 1 case study reported in the literature of this type of exercise resulting in exertional rhabdomyolysis, and herein, we report the second case of exertional rhabdomyolysis. In this case, a 20-year-old man performed 6 sets of blood flow-restricted exercise (3 sets of knee-extension and 3 sets of elbow-flexion exercise). The subject presented with high levels of delayed onset muscle soreness in the days after the exercise bout exhibited high levels of creatine kinase (peak recorded: 36 000 IU/L), and was hospitalized for exertional rhabdomyolysis. We urge that investigators and practitioners use caution with blood flow-restricted exercise protocols and to begin these exercise programs modestly and gradually progress them with time.
Association between survival time and ordinal covariates

SUMMARY An application of the method of rank correlation is proposed for testing independence between a censored survival time and an ordinal covariate. The test statistic counts the number of concordances minus the number of discordances at each time with event(s) and adds across times; it is expressible as a score statistic within the proportional hazards framework. The proposed test includes, as a special case, a generalization of Jonckheere's test against ordered alternatives and as applied to the analysis of categorical data, it can be seen as a generalization of the Mantel-Haenszel procedure.
Electrical conductivity to predict body composition of mammals and the effect of gastrointestinal contents

We evaluated electrical conductivity to predict composition of live prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) with the Small Animal Body Composition Analyzer (EM-SCAN®, Inc.; Models SA-2 and SA-3044). By using both captive and field-caught voles, we examined the validity of predictive equations for animals that varied widely in their mass of lipid. The two-stage model predicted fat-free mass (and therefore mass of lipid) with an average error of 1.06 g for the Model SA-2 and 1.64 g for the SA-3044. This level of resolution was sufficient for estimating body composition of captive prairie voles with moderate-to-high levels of fat (5–14 g or 20% fat) but not for wild-caught voles, whose level of fat was much lower (1–3 g or 4% fat). We also examined effect of gastrointestinal contents on estimates of body composition provided by conductive measurements. We killed 15 voles and obtained measures of conductivity before and after injection of 5 g of food into the peritoneal cavity. Results showed that contents of the gastrointestinal tract were read in a manner indistinguishable from other fat-free components.