cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
debCAM: a bioconductor R package for fully unsupervised deconvolution of complex tissues.

Summary We develop a fully unsupervised deconvolution method to dissect complex tissues into molecularly distinctive tissue or cell subtypes based on bulk expression profiles. We implement an R package, deconvolution by Convex Analysis of Mixtures (debCAM) that can automatically detect tissue/cell-specific markers, determine the number of constituent subtypes, calculate subtype proportions in individual samples and estimate tissue/cell-specific expression profiles. We demonstrate the performance and biomedical utility of debCAM on gene expression, methylation, proteomics and imaging data. With enhanced data preprocessing and prior knowledge incorporation, debCAM software tool will allow biologists to perform a more comprehensive and unbiased characterization of tissue remodeling in many biomedical contexts. Availability and implementation http://bioconductor.org/packages/debCAM. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Summary and Recapitulation

At the global level, new system leaders emerge from periods of global war at their peak positional standing. Their leadership is predicated on being the system’s center of technological innovation, leading the winning war coalition and possessing a predominant share of capabilities of global reach. Generally, system leaders are strong at the outset with powers that decay with the erosion of material resource control and legitimacy. Significant erosion leads to the emergence of challengers and the search for alliance partners for the next showdown period (global war) which will determine the identity of the next system leader. At least this is the way it has worked in the past half-millennium. Whether the processes will continue to work this way depends on whether a single center of technological innovation emerges. It may also depend on whether global war is no longer conceivable. In the absence of clear centrality and a catalytic global war, systemic leadership in the future may simply be less evident.
Identification of Subclinical Myocardial Dysfunction and Association with Survival after Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair.

Background Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) using edge-to-edge mitral valve clip is effective for patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) and high or prohibitive surgical risk. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) allows evaluation of subclinical myocardial dysfunction, but its incremental clinical utility into risk stratification, beyond traditional clinical parameters, is unknown in patients treated with TMVr. We sought to evaluate the association of baseline GLS with 1-year all-cause mortality in patients treated with TMVr using edge-to-edge mitral valve clip. Methods We analyzed 155 patients who underwent transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve clip implantation (mean age, 83 ± 7 years; 48% were women; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 56% ± 10%, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality score for repair, 6.62% ± 5.22%). Baseline left ventricular GLS was obtained by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography, averaging 18 segments from three apical views. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to assess the GLS cut point associated with all-cause mortality. Multivariable models with Cox regression tested its relationship after adjustment for baseline comorbidities. Results During a median follow-up of 316 days, all-cause deaths occurred in 30 patients at a median of 156 days after TMVr. The area under the curve of preoperative GLS associated with the outcome was 0.60, with a cutoff point of −14.5%. Baseline GLS > −14.5% was associated with 1-year mortality (hazard ratio = 2.50; 95% CI, 1.20-5.21; P = .02) before and after adjustment for baseline characteristics. After accounting for baseline characteristics, patients with GLS > −14.5% had worse 1-year mortality than those with GLS ≤ −14.5% (χ2 P Conclusions Baseline GLS is independently associated with 1-year all-cause mortality in patients who undergo TMVr, and its assessment improves risk stratification in these patients.
Identification of olive oil adulteration by gas chromatograph combined with data analysis software

Objective To identify olive oil adulteration by gas chromatography combined with data analysis software. Methods Five kinds of olive oil were selected to adulterate with other 5 vegetable oils(from sunflower, soybean, rapeseed, corn and peanut) in different proportion. The content of fatty acid methyl ester(FAME) was detected in the simulated sample by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector(GC-FID). The prediction model was established using the data analysis software(mass profiler professional, MPP) and partial least square-discrimination analysis(PLS-DA) method. Results The results showed that the prediction accuracy was more than 90% in the identification of 1% adulterated samples. Conclusion Different kinds of adulterated olive oils can be identified well by this established method.
Teaching the social determinants of health through medical legal partnerships: a systematic review.

Background Undergraduate and graduate medical education often includes the social determinants of health, but questions remain regarding how best to ensure that trainees become empowered to take action on the social determinants of health in their future practice. The authors conducted a systematic review to better define the impact that educational programs centered on medical legal partnerships have on trainees' knowledge, attitudes and future practice. The authors sourced data from PubMed, Web of Science, Index to Legal Periodicals, LegalTrac, Google Scholar, Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, SocINDEX, SSRN, and Proquest Social Sciences. Selected studies included those centered on Medical Legal Partnerships in undergraduate or graduate medical education and that measured outcomes of the participating trainees. Two abstractors independently extracted information about the study population, setting, design, intervention and outcomes. Results Six out of 483 studies met the inclusion criteria. One study highlighted four different MLPs, thus nine total MLP programs were included. Trainees included medical students as well as interns and residents from pediatrics, family medicine and internal medicine. Interventions ranged from didactic sessions, to advocacy projects, to hands-on community-based learning, to poverty simulation trainings. Benefits to trainees were wide in scope but all programs showed improvements in participants' understanding, comfort, confidence, and/or abilities in identifying and intervening on the social determinants of health in their patients. Conclusion As medical schools and residency programs are increasingly considering how to effectively teach trainees to understand and address the social determinants of health, the findings in this systematic review suggest that inclusion of Medical Legal Partnerships into training programs is an effective approach.
The Integrated Game Transformation Framework and Cyberwar: What 2×2 Games Tell Us About Cyberattacks

We apply a game theory framework to cyber war in the areas of Cyber Influence Operations (CIOs), Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), and Traditional Cyber Attacks (TCAs). For greater generalizability, we rely on a set of actor typologies based on posture rather than individual countries. Our findings suggest that cyberwar will remain problematic going forward, especially with respect to APTs and that great powers will be the most likely offenders. They will also be the most stubborn actors when it comes to diminishing cyberwar in general, even when the base game can be transformed into one that favors cooperation over conflict.
The in-space rescue capability gap

Abstract The United States government and commercial spaceflight providers have no plans in place to conduct a timely rescue of a crew from a distressed spacecraft in low Earth orbit, or anywhere else in space. Without rescue plans and dedicated resources, today's space travelers will journey at their own risk. U.S. rules and regulations governing commercial spaceflight simply require launch service and space travel providers to inform the crew and passengers that there are risks. The United States, however, as the world's greatest space faring nation, has the wherewithal to develop and employ effective in-space rescue capabilities if it chooses to do so. This paper seeks to raise awareness of the need to revisit space rescue policies and close capability gaps through historical analogs such as the ancient maritime explorers that embarked upon epic journeys with multiple ships, effective submarine rescue operations, and the rich history of human spaceflight. Potential solutions to improve safety during space travel are identified and policy options are discussed.
Guided tour of hidden tracts in the pelvis: exploring pelvic fistulas.

BACKGROUND Fistulas are an abnormal connection between two or more epithelial surfaces. When fistulization between adjacent structures occurs in the pelvis, there is almost invariably significant associated morbidity and impact on a patient's quality of life. Imaging may aid in the diagnosis of pelvic fistulas and is essential to identify any associated pathology, define the course of the fistula, and aid in pre-surgical planning. PURPOSE This article aims to review the wide array of clinical and imaging presentations of fistulas in the pelvis, with a focus on the radiologists' role in managing this challenging entity. METHODS This article will review each classification type of fistula. RESULTS Pelvic fistula is a devastating condition that causes significant morbidity and evaluation can be challenging. CONCLUSIONS Imaging, and particularly MRI, plays a vital role in the diagnosis, characterizing the course of a fistula and demonstrating associated complications, which are essential to guide treatment decisions.
Cu-catalyzed coupling of vinylidene cyclopropanes with allyl and allenyl boronates.

The development of Cu-catalyzed coupling of vinylidene cyclopropanes with allyl or allenyl boronates is reported. The reaction forms a C–C bond at the terminal carbon atom of the allene moiety of vinylidene cyclopropanes with concurrent opening of the cyclopropane ring. In addition, the resulting Cu-enolate intermediate can be intercepted by external electrophiles.
A novel bus transfer mode (AS transfer) and a performance evaluation methodology

This paper proposes an innovative on-Chip bus transfer mode - the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) state transfer (AS) and a performance evaluation methodology to estimate the transfer performance. By modeling and collecting several performance metrics including bus latency, bandwidth, valid bandwidth, power and energy consumption using the methodology, it enhances fidelity of the performance analysis and evaluation. As a case study, we formally complete the hardware implementation flow on Advanced High-Performance Bus (AHB), Advanced eXensible Interface 4 (AXI4) and AS bus (ASBUS) DMA, and demonstrate high estimation accuracy by comparing all the experimental results. Both static analysis and hardware implementation results show that the data transfer latency is close to 29% of AHB and 58% of AXI4 by using the AS transfer. Moreover, it is observed that this high-efficiency transfer mode of ASBUS helps to enhance the valid data bandwidth to around 3.4 times that of AHB and 1.7 times that of AXI4, and the energy consumption of ASBUS is only a half of AHB and AXI4. Furthermore, the proposed evaluation methodology is effectively used with sufficient accuracy (the average estimation error: 3.3%) in the design flow. A high-performance on-Chip bus transfer- the AES state transfer (AS) is proposed.The ASBUS is suitable to IoT devices which should be low-cost and low-energy.An on-chip bus performance evaluation methodology is proposed.The methodology helps architects to runtime estimate transfer performance.
Dynamics of Rule Revision and Strategy Revision in Legislative Games

Many legislative games of interest defy classical assumptions and techniques; they tend to be open-ended, with weakly defined objectives, and either noncompetitive or pseudo-competitive. We introduce a conceptual and mathematical framework for grappling with such systems. Simulation results are presented for basic specifications of the framework that exhibit a number of qualitative phenomena overlapping with real-world dynamics across a broad spectrum of settings, including aspects of financial regulation and academic decision procedures, that as we demonstrate, may be viewed through the lens of our framework.
Evaluation of Intergenerational Programs: Why and How?.

Summary This paper presents a rationale for evaluating intergenerational programs and describes some of the unique considerations and basic components inherent in these evaluations. It systematically describes strategies and methodologies associated with this process and concludes with a statement of some insights that can result from careful and serious evaluation efforts.
The Problems on Interrelations between Grammar and Literary Layers of the Languages

Many times a single word in the process of Grammar and Literary layers of the languages shows that we need several words in order to translate the source language. Based on the characteristic of the languages which happen in several surface structures, lexical items (forms) will find their meanings. Hence, other features of languages that one form will be applied to express many selective meanings (Austin, 1962). We shall observe a primary meaning – the one which usually follows the extra meanings which word has in context with primary meaning. When we talk about the meaning, we should regard that each language goes to its own specific forms to show the meaning. Furthermore, the same meaning could be expressed very differently in another language during translation. As the form of target language is different from the form of source language, we will see unnatural translation in second language. (Ladmiral, 1972). Therefore, the role of meaning must be more important than the form.
Uridine diphosphate galactose-4-epimerase, a developmentally regulated enzyme in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract The activity of UDP-galactose-4-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.2) has been detected in lysates of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. It is apparently part of a pathway leading from glucose 1-phosphate to an acid mucopolysaccharide uniquely associated with the spores. The enzyme was found to accumulate and then disappear at different stages of fruiting body construction. The accumulation could be prevented by cycloheximide or actinomycin D. During the latter stages of morphogenesis, epimerase activity can be detected extracellularly and appears to be preferentially released by the cells. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to possible existence of intracellular organelles and their relation to the biosynthesis of the mucopolysaccharide in D. discoideum.
Conjugacy classes in semisimple algebraic groups

Review of semisimple groups Basic facts about classes and centralizers Centralizers of semisimple elements The adjoint quotient Regular elements Parabolic subgroups and unipotent classes The unipotent variety and the flag variety Nilpotent orbits and unipotent classes Finite groups of Lie type Springer's Weyl group representations Complements References Index.
Phycocyanin aggregation. A small angle neutron scattering and size exclusion chromatographic study.

Abstract The influence of environmental factors on the aggregation properties of phycocyanin from Synechocystis 6701 was studied by small angle neutron scattering and high-pressure size-exclusion liquid chromatography. Phycocyanin was found to exist in a reversible equilibrium between the monomer, trimer and hexamer forms. The distribution of the protein between these oligomers is determined by the pH, buffer composition and ionic strength of the medium, and protein concentration. Phycocyanin was in a stable hexameric state at pH 5.0 to 6.0 at a concentration of 1 to 10 mg/ml, and was primarily in a trimeric state at pH 8.0 at a concentration of about 5 mg/ml. Comparison of the small angle scattering data with the computed scattering curve for a hollow cylinder was used to determine the dimensions of the best-fit model by a least-squares fitting procedure. The outer radius, inner radius and height of the phycocyanin hexamer were found to be 54.1, 12.0 and 61.4 A (1 A = 0.1nm), respectively, and the corresponding dimensions for the trimer were 54.5, 14.0 and 33.0 A. The molecular weight ratio for phycocyanin hexamer was determined to be 217,000. The dimensions and molecular weight ratios of phycocyanin from Synechocystis 6701 obtained by solution scattering are similar to the values for Mastigocladus laminosus obtained by X-ray crystallography.
A new collider scheme at LBL

This paper presents current ideas from Berkeley concerning a possible new facility for studying the phase transition from hadronic matter to quark matter. The physics ideas have evolved over a period of more than five years, the VENUS concept for a 25 GeV/nucleon colliding beam facility having been presented in 1979. The concept for the Minicollider has been, like that of VENUS, the work of Hermann Grunder and Christoph Leemann.
Gravitational radiation sources for acoustic detectors

When completed, the gravitational wave detectors now proposed or under construction will provide us with a perspective on the Universe fundamentally different from any we have come to know. With this new perspective comes the hope that new insights and understandings of Nature will emerge. The proposed acoustic detectors, with spherical geometries and operating at millikelvin temperatures, are particularly well-suited to study gravitational radiation in the 1--3 KHz band. In this brief report I review some sources of particular interest for these detectors.
The divergent 5' termini of the alpha human folate receptor (hFR) mRNAs originate from two tissue-specific promoters and alternative splicing: characterization of the alpha hFR gene structure.

The human KB cell or α folate receptor (α hFR) is a membrane glycoprotein of 42 kDa that participates in the internalization of folates and antifolates. Seven independent α hFR cDNA isoforms have been reported that contain unique 5‘ termini but share a common open reading frame (ORF). To investigate the molecular basis of these heterogeneous 5‘ sequences, we determined the sequence of the α hFR gene from two clones isolated from a human lymphocyte λ DASH genomic library. The gene is composed of seven exons that span 6.8 kb. The ORF is encoded by exons 4 through 7 while the reported 5‘ termini of the cDNA isoforms (including two novel cDNAs designated KB2 and KB4) are encoded by exons 1 through 4. Using RNase protection assays, we demonstrate that transcripts corresponding to the KB1 and KB4 cDNAs originate from promoters upstream from exon 1 and exon 4, designated P1 and P4, respectively, and that these mRNA isoforms are the most abundant transcripts expressed in KB cells and selected normal tissues (incl...
Background free imaging of single mRNAs in live cells using split fluorescent proteins

We describe a technique for imaging single mRNAs in living cells based on fluorescent protein (FP) complementation. We employ the high affinity interaction between the bacterial phage MS2/PP7 coat proteins and their respective RNA binding motifs as an RNA scaffold to bring two halves of a split-FP together to image single reporter mRNAs without background fluorescence.
Examining the efficacy of a brief mindfulness-based stress reduction (Brief MBSR) program on psychological health.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine potential psychological health benefits of participating in a brief (5-week) mindfulness-based stress reduction (brief MBSR) program integrated into an academic course. Participants: Participants were 119 undergraduate students (treatment: n = 72; control: n = 47) enrolled in elective academic courses on addictive behaviors, between January 2010 and May 2012. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design comparing changes in psychological health between brief MBSR treatment and parallel control groups. Baseline and follow-up data were collected synchronously across semesters for both groups. Results: Analysis of covariance revealed significant improvements in psychological health, measured by mindfulness (Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale: p ≤ .001; Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Scale: p ≤ .001) and self-compassion (Self-compassion Scale: p ≤ .001), among brief MBSR participants compared with the parallel control coho...
Handling Class Overlap and Imbalance to Detect Prompt Situations in Smart Homes

The class imbalance problem is a well-known classification challenge in machine learning that has vexed researchers for over a decade. Under-representation of one or more of the target classes (minority class(es)) as compared to others (majority class(es)) can restrict the application of conventional classifiers directly on the data. In addition, emerging challenges such as overlapping classes, make class imbalance even harder to solve. Class overlap is caused due to ambiguous regions in the data where the prior probability of two or more classes are approximately equal. We are motivated to address the challenge of class overlap in the presence of imbalanced classes by a problem in pervasive computing. Specifically, we are designing smart environments that perform health monitoring and assistance. Our solution, ClusBUS, is a clustering-based under sampling technique that identifies data regions where minority class samples are embedded deep inside majority class. By removing majority class samples from these regions, ClusBUS preprocesses the data in order to give more importance to the minority class during classification. Experiments show that ClusBUS achieves improved performance over an existing method for handling class imbalance.
Source localization in a waveguide with unknown large inclusions

In this paper, we combine the matched-field method with the boundary integral equation method from inverse scattering theory to study a sound source localization problem in a shallow ocean with an unknown large inclusion. We assume that there is an unknown inclusion embedded in a shallow water waveguide. To localize a continuous wave (CW) source, we send in a number of 'mode waves', which scatter off the unidentified inclusion and are received by a hydrophone array. Combining the information of these scattered waves and the signal from the point source, we present an algorithm to estimate the location of the CW source. A numerical simulation using this method is presented.
Identification and Biosynthetic Origins of Sterols in the Marine Bryozoan Bugula neritina

The sterols of Bugula neritina have been isolated and characterized spectroscopically. Cholesterol was found to be the predominant sterol with C28, C29, and C30 sterols recovered as minor components. In vivo biosynthetic experiments revealed that cholesterol is the only sterol produced by de novo biosynthesis, indicating that the other sterols are of dietary origin. Further, biosynthetic experiments using in vitro techniques indicated that 24-alkylated sterols (4, 5, 7, and 8) are produced by alkylation of dietary sterols, while others are exclusively of dietary origin.
Nanocomposite Development with Organically Modified Clay through In Situ Polymerization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)

In situ polymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) organo-montmorillonite clay nanocomposites was investigated in terms of the natures of organic clay modifiers and their affinities with PET, esterification versus polycondensation mode of clay addition, time and temperature of polymerization, ethylene glycol/terephthalic acid (E/T) ratio, and other process modifications such as foam and diethylene glycol suppression, reactor pressure, and variations in catalyst, antioxidant, and metal stabilizer. The nanocomposites were found to degrade during polymerization. This degradation increased diethylene glycol concentrations and reduced melting temperatures. It also increased carboxyl and decreased hydroxyl end group concentrations from normal PET values, which caused reduced rates of nanocomposite solid-state polymerization. Cloisite 30B had the best affinity with PET as a result of the hydroxyl groups present in both PET and the organic clay modifier. Polycondensation of Cloisite 30B nanocomposites at 270°C from bis(2-hydroxyethyl)terephthalate, with an E/T ratio of 1.2:1, yielded the most fully exfoliated nanostructures as verified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy evaluations. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Technol 2013, 32, 21342; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21342
Symptoms research: a fertile field.

Symptoms are the principal reason for clinic visits in about half of all outpatient encounters, yet biomedical research has typically focused on specific diseases rather than generic symptoms. The ...
Semantic information extraction from multispectral geospatial imagery via a flexible framework

Identification and automatic labeling of facilities in high-resolution satellite images is a challenging task as the current thematic classification schemes and the low-level image features are not good enough to capture complex objects and their spatial relationships. In this paper we present a novel algorithm framework for automated semantic labeling of large image collections. The framework consists of various segmentation, feature extraction, vector quantization, and Latent Dirichlet Allocation modules. Initial experimental results show promise as well as the challenges in semantic classification technology development for nuclear proliferation monitoring.
QT Measurement: A Comparison of Three Simple Methods

Background: QT interval and QT dispersion are useful noninvasive measurements in clinical cardiology and can be measured by several methods. The comparative variability of these methods, however, is not well defined. Methods: We evaluated the intra- and interobserver variability of three simple methods of QT measurement: (1) ruler method: use of a 0.5-mm scale precision ruler to measure QT with end of T wave determined by extrapolating its slope to baseline; (2) caliper method: use of a standard electrocardiogram (ECG) caliper and the standard ECG paper scale with QT determined by visual inspection; (3) computer method: use of a digitized computer software program with QT determined by cursor set manually by the user. QT intervals from 11 patients (total 44 ECG leads) in sinus rhythm without conduction defect were measured by five blinded, trained observers at two time points (a week apart) in a crossover manner. Results: The mean difference in intraobserver measurements were 6 ± 2, 12 ± 12, and 27 ± 2 ms by the ruler, caliper, and computer methods, respectively (P > 0.01, ruler vs caliper or computer). The mean differences in interobserver measurements were 13 ± 3, 16 ± 4, and 29 ± 3 ms for the same methods, respectively (P > 0.01, ruler vs caliper, computer). Enlargement of the ECG to 200% did not reduce the measurement variability. Conclusion: The ruler method as described yielded the lowest variability in QT measurement.
Radiation Dose Fractionation and DNA Replication

IT has been shown that the magnitude of depression of DNA synthesis following radiation can be altered by altering the dose-rate1. These preliminary results suggest that the total dose alone may be inadequate in the assessment of the effects of radiation on DNA synthesis. Dose-rate and the duration of radiation are additional factors which might be needed for an adequate assessment of the effects of radiation on this key biological process. This investigation was carried out on a synchronous population of hepatocytes, near the mid-point of the 8-h replication period following partial hepatectomy. A subsequent investigation was made into the dependence of DNA depression on dose-rate both in synchronous liver cells and in asynchronous cells of the first part of the small intestine2. These two series of experiments have permitted comparison of the effects of localized radiation on DNA synthesis both in synchronous liver cells and in asynchronous intestinal cells in the same animal. The curves describing the depression in the two organs were similar in character; however, the magnitude of the depression in the intestines, initially, was greater than in the liver.
Infrared laser induced chemistry: Reactions of difluoromethane

Abstract Reactions of CH2F2 excited in its C-F strecthing mode by a TEA CO2 laser have been investigated. Chemical reactions of the excited species in the neat show evidence of the difluorocarbene radical involvement. Reactions with molecular chlorine display at least two distinct mechanisms at different pressure regimes. Comparisons are made with other unimolecular dissociations and bimolecular reactions induced by multiphoton absorptions from similar laser sources.
Molecular structure and pseudorotational motion of bromocyclopentane as determined by gas-phase electron diffraction

Abstract The molecular structure and pseudorotational motion of bromocyclopentane has been studied at a nozzle temperature of 333 K. A pseudorotational potential function of the form V(φ)=(V 1 /2)(1+ cos φ)+(V 2 /2)(1+ cos 2φ), where φ is the phase angle, and V1=0.74(40) kcal/mol and V2=0.42(85) kcal/mol gave the best agreement with the experimental data. The conformer with cyclopentane adopting an envelope form with the bromine atom located in the axial position is more stable than the form with the bromine located in the equatorial site by 0.74(40) kcal/mol. The thermal averaged puckering amplitude, ρ, for the five-membered ring and the averaged C–C bond length were found to be 0.37(2) and 1.540(2) A, respectively.
Pulsed Ultrasonic Transit Time Flowmeter

The difference in effective velocity of sound pulses propagated alternately upstream and downstream through moving blood is a measure of the blood velocity. A blood flowmeter based on this principle has been developed and employed in routine experiments over a period of four years. The travel time of sound pulses passing diagonally through the blood vessel is measured by gating a ramp voltage generator during the transit of each sound pulse from the transmitter crystal to the receiver crystal. The peak voltage attained by the ramp is stored and compared with the peak voltage attained by the subsequent ramp when the direction of propagation is reversed. The cycle is repeated 400 times each second so that a 400 cps carrier is formed. The amplitude of the carrier is proportional to the magnitude of the flow, and the phase of the carrier indicates direction of flow. The total PP noise and long-term drift is less than 7(10)-11sec difference in transit time over a four-hour measurement period, under optimal conditions. Here a demodulator limited the rise time of the instrument to 20 msec. Each upstream-downstream measurement requires only 240 ?sec of the total available 2500 ?sec, so that a time sharing technique may be used to operate many flowmeters simultaneously without mutual interference. The transducers are light (about 5 grams) and economical to construct.
Evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of a severe sepsis tool utilized at a community hospital in Miami, FL

Since the initial development of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines outlining the management of severe sepsis, there has been an absolute discount on the management of septic patients in medical surgical units. In efforts to improve severe sepsis, a community hospital in Miami adopted a severe sepsis screening tool (SSST) to rapidly identify severe septic patients in medical surgical units. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the SSST.
Chromatin control of herpes simplex virus lytic and latent infection

Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) can undergo a lytic infection in epithelial cells and a latent infection in sensory neurons. During latency the virus persists until reactivation, which leads to recurrent productive infection and transmission to a new host. How does HSV undergo such different types of infection in different cell types? Recent research indicates that regulation of the assembly of chromatin on HSV DNA underlies the lytic versus latent decision of HSV. We propose a model for the decision to undergo a lytic or a latent infection in which HSV encodes gene products that modulate chromatin structure towards either euchromatin or heterochromatin, and we discuss the implications of this model for the development of therapeutics for HSV infections.
Vapor recognition with small arrays of polymer-coated microsensors. A comprehensive analysis.

A comprehensive analysis of vapor recognition as a function of the number of sensors in a vapor−sensor array is presented. Responses to 16 organic vapors collected from six polymer-coated surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors were used in Monte Carlo simulations coupled with pattern recognition analyses to derive statistical estimates of vapor recognition rates as a function of the number of sensors in the array (≤6), the polymer sensor coatings employed, and the number and concentration of vapors being analyzed. Results indicate that as few as two sensors can recognize individual vapors from a set of 16 possibilities with 5 × LOD for the array. At lower concentrations, a minimum of three sensors is required, but arrays of 3−6 sensors provide comparable results. Analyses also revealed that individual-vapor recognition hinges more on the similarity of the vapor response patterns than on the total number of possible vapors considered. Vap...
Emerging options with coxib therapy.

Future clinical applications of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2–selective inhibitors (coxibs) are likely to extend beyond their current use as oral analgesics in high-risk arthritis patients. The clinical utility of coxibs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is under investigation. Epidemiological surveys, preclinical studies, and preliminary clinical trials with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have suggested that inflammatory mechanisms play a role in the neurodegeneration of AD. Clinical trials are currently being conducted to determine the effect of coxibs on the rate of AD progression. The use of coxibs as chemopreventive agents in colorectal cancer (CRC) is also under investigation. The chemopreventive benefits of coxibs to promote cell death (apoptosis) and inhibit angiogenesis in CRC have been shown in tumor cell lines and in animal and human models. In addition, palliative care clinicians and oncologists are increasingly including coxibs in their management of cancer pain. Coxibs are utilized for their opioid-sparing effect in the management of cancer pain, without impairing wound healing, or promoting bleeding diathesis (antiplatelet effects) or adverse gastrointestinal effects in patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment.
SATDSK: A numerical simulation of the magnetic field due to saturated iron in cyclotron poletips

SATDSK is a computer program, written in FORTRAN, which calculates the median plane magnetic field due to fully saturated iron poletips. Optionally, SATDSK calculates the magnetic field due to disks of magnetic charge, which can simulate the effect of holes in the iron poletip, or circular trim rods embedded in the poletip. SATDSK is intended for poletip geometries that are both symmetric about the median plane, and have azimuthal sector symmetry. Thus, the program is primarily designed to simulate the magnetic field due to iron poletips in superconducting cyclotrons.
Identification of Volatile Flavor Compounds of Fresh, Frozen Beef Stew and a Comparison of These with Those of Canned Beef Stew

The volatile flavor compounds of fresh, frozen beef stew were isolated, fractionated and identified by standard methodology. A total of 132 compounds was either positively or tentatively identified. A comparison of the volatile compounds and their relative amounts in the fresh, frozen stew with those previously identified in canned stew demonstrated both qualitative and quantitative differences between the volatiles of the two stews. This difference was due mostly to the greater number and amounts of the oxygen-containing compounds such as alcohols, 2-alkenals, esters, lactones, and ionones found in the fresh, frozen stew as compared with the greater number and amounts of hydrocarbons and nitrogen and/or sulfur-containing heterocycles found in the canned stew.
Video Analysis for Performance Modeling in Real Environments: Methods and Lessons Learnt

Widely available video recording technologies have made the use of video recording a primary choice of data gathering tools in the study of performance in complex and dynamic environments, both real and simulated. This paper describes an 8-year research program based on video recording in a medical domain. Data extraction and analysis techniques used in the program are outlined along with solutions to logistic problems, in the hope that other researchers of performance can draw lessons from our efforts.
Characterization of a polysaccharide from Carthamus tinctorius that cross reacts with type III pneumococcal polysaccharide.

A water soluble polysaccharide from Carthamus tinctorius flowers was found to react with antisera specific to Types III and VIII Streptococcus pneumoniae. Intraperitoneal inoculation of mice with the polysaccharide caused the generation of splenic antibody-forming cells which were similar in specificity to those detected following immunization with Type III pneumococcal polysaccharide. Antiserum reactive to Type III pneumococcal polysaccharide was prepared by immunizing rabbits with the C. tinctorius polysaccharide. Chemical analysis of the polysaccharide showed it to consist mainly of xylose, fructose, galactose, glucose, arabinose, rhamnose, and uronic acid.
Lead Neurotoxicity: Heme Oxygenase and Nitric Oxide Synthase Activities in Developing Rat Brain

Chronic lead (Pb) exposure has been shown to result in cognitive deficits in children. Diffusible nitric oxide (NO) is a biological messenger known to regulate longterm potentiation (LTP) in the developing nervous system. Carbon monoxide (CO), as in the case of NO was shown to be a messenger molecule in the brain. Our previous studies indicated significant changes in neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the developing rat brain following Pb-exposure [Chettyet al. (2001)Int. J. Toxicol. 20, 113–120]. In the present study, we investigated the effects of perinatal Pb-exposure on the activity of heme oxygenase (HO), the enzyme that produces CO by the catabolism of heme. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0.2% Pb-acetate gestationally and lactationally up to postnatal day (PND) 21. The specific activity of HO was determined in the hippocampus and the cerebellum of rat brain at PND 7, 14, 21 and 35. HO activity was higher in the hippocampus as compared to the cerebellum at any postnatal age. HO activity increased progressively up to PND 21 followed by a marginal decrease at PND 35. Perinatal Pb-exposure did not induce any significant change in HO activity as compared to control rats. However,in vitro treatment of microsomal supernatant fractions prepared from the cerebellum and the hippocampus to different (5–50 μM) concentrations of Pb increased HO activity whereas the activity decreased at 100 μM. The selective NOS inhibitors, nitroarginine (NA) and nitroindazole (NI) had no significant effect on HO activity; however, nNOS activity was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, the selective HO-inhibitor, zinc protoporphyrin-IX (ZnPP) inhibited both HO and nNOS activity levels. The NO-donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) did not alter HO activity except at a higher (100 μM) concentration. These data suggest that Pb-exposure selectively modulates nNOS but not HO in the developing rat brain.
Cognitive Differences in Dream Content Between Japanese Males and Females Using Quantitative Content Analysis

This study asked the question, “Are there significant content differences between male and female dream reports obtained in dream seminars conducted in Japan?” Each of the 100 female and 100 male research participants contributed 1 recent dream report during dream seminars that were held in Japan be
Upper tropospheric equatorial waves in ECMWF analyses

An observational study is presented of travelling waves in the near-equatorial upper tropospheric wind field as revealed in operational analyses produced by the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) over the years 1980-1987. Space-time spectra are presented that reveal the seasonal and interannual variability of traveling waves in the tropical wind fields. The zonal wind spectra exhibit a majority of power in the lowest resolved frequencies, and there is a lack of notable spectral peaks. The upper tropospheric meridional wind spectra show maxima for westward-propagating zonal waves 4-7 with 6- to 10-day periods. The events are also longitudinally localized, with a preference for westward-propagating waves occurring over the eastern Pacific Ocean during August-September. The waves exhibit maximum amplitudes in the upper troposphere and weak coherence with the near-surface layers of the atmosphere.
Biology of Oxyeleotris heterodon and its major prey, Ophieleotris aporos , two floodplain sleepers (Pisces: Eleotrididae) of the Sepik River fishery, northern Papua New Guinea

Oxyeleotris heterodon attains 483 mm standard length (1.83 kg) and Ophieleotris aporos 245 mm (0.171 kg). Both species feature significantly in the local fishery in lowlands. Ophieleotris aporos is approximately one hundred times more abundant than Ox. heterodon in catches and landings which were influenced by river flood conditions in both species. Oxyeleotris heterodon is predominantly piscivorous but also eats Macrobrachium spp. prawns; fish prey consumed are almost exclusively Op. aporos. Ophieleotris aporos is omnivorous and feeds mainly on aquatic insects. Condition, fat deposition, feeding and reproduction in Op. aporos were related to the flood cycle with increases in the flood season; in Ox. heterodon variations in these factors related more to the availability of Op. aporos, seasonal changes being less marked. Ophieleotris aporos matures at a small size, has large gonads, small eggs and is highly fecund; Ox. heterodon exhibited opposite trends in these life-history characteristics by comparison. Reproductive styles adopted by the two species are interpreted in relation to the different predation pressures they experience. Oxyeleotris heterodon may not be adapted to high adult mortality and the fisheries implications of this are discussed.
A scalable comparison-shopping agent for the World-Wide Web

The WorldWideWeb is less agent-friendly than we might hope. Most information on the Web is presented in loosely structured natural language text with no agent-readable semantics. HTML annotations structure the display of Web pages, but provide virtually no insight into their content. Thus, the designers of intelligent Web agents need to address the following questions: (1) To what extent can an agent understand information published at Web sites? (2) Is the agent's understanding sufficient to provide genuinely useful assistance to users? (3) Is site-specific hand-coding necessary, or can the agent automatically extract information from unfamiliar Web sites? (4) What aspects of the Web facilitate this competence? In this paper we investigate these issues with a case study using ShopBot, a fully-implemented, domainindependent comparison-shopping agent. Given the home pages of several online stores, ShopBot autonomously learns how to shop at those vendors. After learning, it is able to speedily visit over a dozen software and CD vendors, extract product information, and summarize the results for the user. Preliminary studies show that ShopBot enables users to both find superior prices and substantially reduce Web shopping time. Remarkably, ShopBot achieves this performance without sophisticated natural language processing, and requires only minimal knowledge about different product domains. Instead, ShopBot relies on a combination of heuristic search, pattern matching, and inductive learning techniques. PERMISSION TO COPY WITHOUT FEE ALL OR OR PART OF THIS MATERIAL IS GRANTED PROVIDED THAT THE COPIES ARE NOT MADE OR DISTRIBUTED FOR DIRECT COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGE, THE ACM copyRIGHT NOTICE AND THE TITLE OF THE PUBLICATION AND ITS DATE APPEAR, AND NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT COPYING IS BY PERMISSION OF ACM. To COPY OTHERWISE, OR TO REPUBLISH, REQUIRES A FEE AND/OR SPECIFIC PERMISSION. AGENTS '97 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, COPYRIGHT 1997 ACM.
The insider problem revisited

The "insider problem" is considered the most difficult and critical problem in computer security. But studies that survey the seriousness of the problem, and research that analyzes the problem, rarely define the problem precisely. Implicit definitions vary in meaning. Different definitions imply different countermeasures, as well as different assumptions.
Glomerular Disease in Two Patients With Urticaria-Cutaneous Vasculitis and Hypocomplementemia

We assessed the clinical, serologic, and renal abnormalities of two patients with the syndrome of hypocomplementemia, vasculitis, and urticaria. Both patients presented with recurrent urticaria and were found subsequently to have glomerulonephritis. Both manifested depletion of the early complement (C) components, and their Cl inhibitor levels were normal. Circulating immune complexes were detected by two of three assays in both patients. One patient had a high titer of Sm antibodies. The detectable immune complexes were of high molecular weight, and were more suggestive of classical lupus erythematosus than the low molecular weight (7S) Clq precipitins which characterize some cases of hypocomplementemia-vasculitis-urticaria syndrome. Biopsy of the skin lesions in both patients revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis with immunoglobulin and C deposits at the dermal-epidermal junction. Renal biopsy specimens showed segmental or diffuse proliferative mesangial glomerulonephritis. The results suggest that patients with this syndrome do not conform to a discrete entity but rather exhibit a spectrum of diseases ranging from systemic lupus erythematosus to the syndrome of urticaria, hypocomplementemia, and low molecular weight Clq precipitins.
Bmi-1 dependence distinguishes neural stem cell self-renewal from progenitor proliferation

Stem cells persist throughout life by self-renewing in numerous tissues including the central and peripheral nervous systems. This raises the issue of whether there is a conserved mechanism to effect self-renewing divisions. Deficiency in the polycomb family transcriptional repressor Bmi-1 leads to progressive postnatal growth retardation and neurological defects. Here we show that Bmi-1 is required for the self-renewal of stem cells in the peripheral and central nervous systems but not for their survival or differentiation. The reduced self-renewal of Bmi-1-deficient neural stem cells leads to their postnatal depletion. In the absence of Bmi-1, the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor gene p16Ink4a is upregulated in neural stem cells, reducing the rate of proliferation. p16Ink4a deficiency partially reverses the self-renewal defect in Bmi-1-/- neural stem cells. This conserved requirement for Bmi-1 to promote self-renewal and to repress p16Ink4a expression suggests that a common mechanism regulates the self-renewal and postnatal persistence of diverse types of stem cell. Restricted neural progenitors from the gut and forebrain proliferate normally in the absence of Bmi-1. Thus, Bmi-1 dependence distinguishes stem cell self-renewal from restricted progenitor proliferation in these tissues.