cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intergenerational equity: sup, inf, lim sup, and lim inf

We study the problem of intergenerational equity for utility streams and a countable set of agents. A numerical social welfare function is invariant to ordinal transformation, satisfies a weak monotonicity condition, and an invariance with respect to concatenation of utility streams if and only if it is either the sup, inf, lim sup, or lim inf.
Adaptive reflector antenna using smart resistive sheets

Resistive sheets with electrically adjustable conductivity are used to modify scattering from portions of a reflector surface in order to adaptively place nulls in the far-field patterns of two- and three-dimensional reflector antennas.
From restricted to full omniscience

Some, notably Peter van Inwagen, in order to avoid problems with free will and omniscience, replace the condition that an omniscient being knows all true propositions with a version of the apparently weaker condition that an omniscient being knows all knowable true propositions. I shall show that the apparently weaker condition, when conjoined with uncontroversial claims and the logical closure of an omniscient being's knowledge, still yields the claim that an omniscient being knows all true propositions.
Bilingual Spelling Patterns in Middle School: It is More than Transfer

This study examined the Spanish and English spelling patterns of bilingual adolescents, including the cross-linguistic effects of each language, by applying a fine-grained measure to the differences in spelling in naturalistic writing. Spelling errors were taken from narrative and expository writing samples provided by 20 Spanish–English bilingual adolescents (n = 160). Errors were coded by categories (phonological, orthographic, and morphological) and specific linguistic features affected and then analyzed by language and genre. Descriptive analyses noted similarities and differences among error patterns in both languages as well as language transfer (i.e., borrowings and code-switching). Statistical analyses revealed language differences in proportions of misspellings across linguistic categories. More fine-grained analyses indicated linguistic feature patterns that were shared across languages and unique to each language. Finally, borrowing, while infrequent, was noted more frequently in English compos...
Genome-wide screening and identification of antigens for rickettsial vaccine development.

The capacity to identify immunogens for vaccine development by genome-wide screening has been markedly enhanced by the availability of microbial genome sequences coupled to proteomic and bioinformatic analysis. Critical to this approach is in vivo testing in the context of a natural host-pathogen relationship, one that includes genetic diversity in the host as well as among pathogen strains. We aggregate the results of three independent genome-wide screens using in vivo immunization and protection against Anaplasma marginale as a model for discovery of vaccine antigens for rickettsial pathogens. In silico analysis identified 62 outer membrane proteins (Omp) from the 949 predicted proteins in the A. marginale genome. These 62 Omps were reduced to 10 vaccine candidates by two-independent genome-wide screens using IgG2 from vaccinates protected from challenge following vaccination with outer membranes (screen 1) or bacterial surface complexes (screen 2). Omps with broadly conserved epitopes were identified by immunization with a live heterologous vaccine, A. marginale ss. centrale (screen 3), reducing the candidates to three. The genome-wide screens identified Omps that have orthologues broadly conserved among rickettsial pathogens, highlighted the importance of identifying immunologically sub-dominant antigens, and supported the use of reverse vaccinology approaches in vaccine development for rickettsial diseases.
Acid aerosol measurements at a suburban Connecticut site

Abstract Atmospheric acidity data were gathered during a year-long field project investigating the possible health effects of acid aerosol in a rural community in southwestern Connecticut. This site was chosen because the air quality is frequently influenced by pollutants transported from the New York-New Jersey corridor as well as from the Midwest U.S. An annular denuder filter-pack system utilized to obtain daily measurements of gaseous HNO 3 , HONO, SO 2 , and NH 3 ; plus fine particle SO 4 2− , NO 3 − , and H + . Fine particle mass ( d ⩽ 2.1 μm ) and PM10 (particles d ⩽ 10 μm ) were also measured. Ozone concentrations and basic meteorological data were also obtained continuously. The atmosphere was acidic with average concentrations of HONO (16 nmol m –3 ), HNO 3 (42 nmol m −3 ), and H + (42 nmol m −3 ), observed from May to September 1988. Atmospheric ammonia concentrations were fairly low averaging 34 nmol m −3 during the same period, and suggesting the neutralizing capacity of the air was significant to neutralize all the acidic species present. Neutralization of acidic particles by reactions on the filter media after collection resulted in a loss of approximately 10% of the measured particle strong acidity for the summertime period investigated. Concentrations of ozone and acidic gases tended to peak with mixed layer flow from the south-southwest while particulate acidity was highest with flow predominantly from the west-soutwest. Hourly ozone concentrations greater than 100 ppb were observed on 31 different days during the monitoring, and concentrations greater than 150 ppb measured on 14 days. HNO 3 and aerosol strong acidity (H + ) concentrations reached 174 and 199 nmol m −3 , respectively during the summer months.
Synchronous EMG Activity in the Piper Frequency Band Reveals the Corticospinal Demand of Walking Tasks

Evidence indicates that the frequency-domain characteristics of surface electromyogram (EMG) signals are modulated according to the contributing sources of neural drive. Modulation of inter-muscular EMG synchrony within the Piper frequency band (30–60 Hz) during movement tasks has been linked to drive from the corticospinal tract. However, it is not known whether EMG synchrony is sufficiently sensitive to detect task-dependent differences in the corticospinal contribution to leg muscle activation during walking. We investigated this question in seventeen healthy older men and women. It was hypothesized that, relative to typical steady state walking, Piper band EMG synchrony of the triceps surae muscle group would be reduced for dual-task walking (because of competition for cortical resources), similar for fast walking (because walking speed is directed by an indirect locomotor pathway rather than by the corticospinal tract), and increased when taking a long step (because voluntary gait pattern modifications are directed by the corticospinal tract). Each of these hypotheses was confirmed. These findings support the use of frequency-domain analysis of EMG in future investigations into the corticospinal contribution to control of healthy and disordered human walking.
Spatial variability of permafrost active-layer thickness under contemporary and projected climate in Northern Alaska

The active layer plays an important role in the functioning of environmental ecosystems and affects many human activities in the polar regions. Regional assessments and predictions of this parameter are critical for many physical and social applications. Large heterogeneity in near-surface permafrost characteristics, including the active layer, even over small distances, creates serious constraints to their evaluation across large geographic extents. Discrepancies between modeled climatic fields add to the uncertainties associated with predicting active-layer thickness (ALT) at regional scales. This study uses a stochastic approach, in combination with an equilibrium permafrost model, to map the geographic distribution of ALT and near-surface permafrost temperature on the North Slope of Alaska. GIS techniques are used to determine the spatial variabilityof ecosystem factors controlling the ground thermal regime within each grid cell of the permafrost model. To incorporate the uncertainty associated with t...
Nonlinear Analysis of Parallel Dc-Dc Converters:

We develop analytic methodologies for stability analysis of a parallel dc-dc converter using its switching model, discrete model (based on nonlinear map) and averaged model. We use these methodologies to investigate the dynamics of an interleaved and a synchronized parallel dc-dc buck converter. Using the switching and discrete models we show the mechanism and boundaries of fast-scale and slow-scale instabilities. We show the difference in mechanism of fast-scale instability between the interleaved and a synchronized converter. The averaged model does not show this difference. It also differs considerably (from the other two models) in prediction of instability boundaries.
Reactive processing of environmentally conscious, biomorphic ceramics from natural wood precursors

Environmentally conscious, biomorphic ceramics (Ecoceramics) are a new class of materials that are manufactured from renewable resources and wastes. In this study, silicon carbide and oxide-based biomorphic ceramics have been fabricated from pine and jelutong wood precursors. A carbonaceous preform is produced through wood pyrolysis and subsequent infiltration with oxides (ZrO2 sols) and liquid silicon to form ceramics. These biomorphic ceramics show a wide variety of microstructures, densities, and hardness behavior that are determined by the type of wood and infiltrants selected.
Insulin reverses ammonia-induced anorexia and experimental cancer anorexia.

Abstract Previous experiments suggest that experimental cancer‐induced anorexia is associated with hyperammonemia and that daily injections of insulin may attenuate the anorexia for several days. In the present study, we determined whether similar daily insulin treatments would correct anorexia induced by the infusion of ammonium salts and compared this feeding response with that of insulin‐treated tumor‐bearing (TB) rats. Daily treatment of control and anorectic TB rats with systemically administered insulin for six days increased feeding in all control rats and 40% of the TB rats. All insulin‐treated groups exhibited equal degrees of hypoglycemia irrespective of anorexia. Basal concentrations of lactate and glucagon were elevated in saline‐treated TB rats. Plasma lactate levels were normalized by insulin treatment, whereas glucagon was normalized only in the TB rats that fed to insulin and increased further in TB rats that did not feed to insulin. Elevated hypothalamic tyrosine was reduced in insulin‐tr...
Response of cartilage and meniscus tissue explants to in vitro compressive overload.

Summary Objective To examine the relative susceptibility of cartilage and meniscus tissues to mechanical injury by applying a single, controlled overload and observing cellular, biochemical, and mechanical changes. Design Cartilage and meniscus tissue explants in radial confinement were subjected to a range of injury by indenting to 40% strain at three different strain rates: 0.5%/s (slow), 5%/s (medium), or 50%/s (fast). Following injury, samples were cultured for either 1 or 9days. Explants were assayed for cell metabolic activity, water content, and sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) content. Mechanical properties of explants were determined in torsional shear and unconfined compression. Conditioned medium was assayed for sGAG and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Results Peak injury force increased with strain rate but both tissues displayed little to no macroscopic damage. Cell metabolism was lowest in medium and fast groups on day 1. Cell lysis increased with peak injury force and loading rate in both tissues. In contrast, sGAG content and release did not significantly vary with loading rate. Additionally, mechanical properties did not significantly vary with loading rate in either tissue. Conclusion By use of a custom confinement chamber, large peak forces were obtained without macroscopic destruction of the explants. At the loads achieved in this studied, cell damage was induced without detectable physical or compositional changes. These results indicate that sub-failure injury can induce biologic damage that may not be readily detected and could be an early event in osteoarthritis genesis.
Efficient omnidirectional couplers achieved by anisotropic photonic crystal waveguides

Photonic crystals (PCs) have many potential applications because of their ability to control light-wave propagation. We have investigated omnidirectional couplers in two-dimensional anisotropic PC structures. The anisotropic PC coupler composed of an anisotropic-dielectric cylinder in air is studied by solving Maxwell's equations using the plane wave expansion method and finite-difference time-domain method. The photonic band structures are found to exhibit absolute bandgaps for the square lattices. Numerical simulations show that the incident light-waves at both transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes have efficient coupling in anisotropic PC coupler with square lattices. The guided modes and coupling length are analyzed by considering various line defect anisotropic PC waveguides and interaction regions of couplers. Such a mechanism of omnidirectional coupling should open up a new application for designing components in photonic integrated circuits.
The role of the pion factory in elementary particle physics

A very relevant question concerns the usefulness of the pion factory. Some light is shed on this question by considering 1) the mechanism of production of pion beams and 2) the research requirements to complete programs in elementary particle physics. This paper presents a brief review of these two considerations. Some conclusions are reached concerning the desired energy and current of the pion factory.
Causal Attributions and the Significance of Self-Efficacy in Predicting Solutions to Poverty

Abstract Attributions about the causes of poverty in America and perceptions concerning viable solutions to poverty in America should be related. People who believe that the causes of poverty lie within the individual (i.e., make an internal attribution) should be supportive of the individual taking responsibility for his or her economic situation as the solution to poverty. In contrast, people who believe that the causes of poverty lie outside the control of the individual (i.e., make an external attribution) should perceive governmental assistance programs as a viable solution to poverty. In addition, it is possible that an individual's level of self-efficacy moderates the relationship between attributions as to the causes of poverty and proposals about solutions to poverty. Data used for this investigation were obtained from the Great Lakes Poll, a large-scale telephone survey of residents in the Midwest of the United States and the province of Ontario, Canada. Statistical analysis of the data via OLS ...
Constancy of RAPD primer amplification strength among distantly related taxa of flowering plants

A survey of 480 10-mer primers for RAPD markers revealed general consistency in primer amplification strength among the flowering plant generaDatisca, Helianthus andYucca. Six characteristics of primer base sequences were analyzed: total (G+C) content; the amounts of G, A, C, and T taken separately; and the (G+C) content in the last four bases of the 3′ end. Of these, total (G+C) content showed the most value in predicting primer amplification strength. Since the consistency of amplification strength is true only globally, there are still many primers showing high variation in amplification strength among genera, most probably due to DNA sequence differences, but perhaps also resulting from experimental artifact. Nevertheless, we suggest that this survey be used as a rough guide for prioritizing primer deployment in RAPD studies involving plants in the hope of improving efficiency during the search for adequate levels of polymorphism, with the understanding that taxon-specific differences in primer amplification strength are bound to occur.
Factors related to pharmacists' care of migraineurs.

Abstract Background Migraine is a common, disabling, and underdiagnosed condition. Pharmacists are in an excellent position to help improve migraineur outcomes. The Pharmacists Care of Migraineurs Scale (PCMS) may be useful for documenting migraineur care and in the design and targeting of interventions aimed at improving care. Objectives (1) To identify personal and situational work variables associated with pharmacists' provision of care to migraineurs that is measured using the PCMS; and (2) to determine which of these same variables are associated with each domain of care composing the PCMS. Methods The PCMS is a 41-item measure eliciting pharmacists' frequencies of engagement in certain care behaviors comprising 7 unique domains. A survey questionnaire was mailed to a nationwide random sample of 6000 community pharmacists containing the PCMS and other items measuring personal and situational work variables. Factor scores of responses from a principal axis factoring procedure composing the PCMS were saved as dependent variables. Respondents' composite PCMS scores and each of the 7 factor scores were regressed over the personal and situational work variables in 8 unique stepwise regression procedures to identify those variables significant in explaining pharmacists' care of migraineurs. Results The 3 independent study variables most closely related to provision of care to migraineurs were self-assessed knowledge of migraine, perceived difficulty (lack of), and caring ability. Models for individual PCMS domains were similar; however, some models included extroversion and pharmacy organizational culture variables, such as patient orientation and quality focus. Conclusions Self-assessed knowledge of migraine, perceived lack of difficulty, and caring ability are important determinants in the level of care provided to migraineurs by pharmacists. Future study should further delineate the role of the pharmacy's work environment and pharmacists' training needs in elevating levels of care. Comprehensive continuing education programs on migraine management would appear advisable.
Regulation of Spontaneous Intestinal Tumorigenesis Through the Adaptor Protein MyD88

Inflammation is increasingly recognized as an important component of tumorigenesis, although the mechanisms and pathways involved are not well understood. Tumor development is regulated by products of several modifier genes, but instructions for their tumor-specific expression are currently unknown. We show that the signaling through the adaptor protein MyD88 has a critical role in spontaneous tumor development in mice with heterozygous mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. We found that MyD88-dependent signaling controls the expression of several key modifier genes of intestinal tumorigenesis and has a critical role in both spontaneous and carcinogen-induced tumor development. This study thus reveals the important role of an innate immune signaling pathway in intestinal tumorigenesis.
Occurrence of RNA in Glyoxysomes From Castor Bean Endosperm

The finding that in the endosperm of germinating castor bean, the enzymes of the glyoxylate cycle were housed in a special organelle, the glyoxysome (1,2) raised the question of its biogenesis. We have shown that glyoxysome protein increases strikingly during the early stages of germination and concluded that rapid formation of new organelles occurs at this time (8). When the individual organelle fractions separated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation (2) were examined, RNA was shown to be present in mitochondria, proplastids, and glyoxysomes. In this report results are presented on the nucleic acid content of glyoxysomes subjected to further purification by means of flotation gradients.
Reexamining the ethnic hierarchy of locational attainment: Evidence from Los Angeles

Abstract Because of a lack of data, the locational attainment literature has not incorporated documentation status into models examining group differences in neighborhood quality. I fill this void by using the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey, which permits the identification of undocumented respondents, allowing a reexamination of the ethnic structure of locational attainment in this important immigrant-receiving city. Results first suggest that while undocumented Latinos live in the poorest quality communities, blacks live in neighborhoods that are similar to native-born Latinos and better than foreign-born Asians and Latinos. Second, the effects of education are strongest for blacks, allowing the highly educated an opportunity to reside in communities that are of better quality than educated Latinos and Asians. Thus, undocumented Latinos replace blacks at the bottom of the locational attainment hierarchy, allowing educated blacks in Los Angeles to reside in better neighborhoods than blacks in the nation at large.
Deuterium pumping and erosion behavior of selected graphite materials under high flux plasma bombardment in PISCES-A — effects of surface pores and machined grooves

Abstract The deuterium plasma recycling and chemical erosion behavior of selected graphite materials have been investigated using the PISCES-A facility. These materials include: Pyro graphite; 2D-graphite weave; 4D-graphite weave; and POCO graphite. Deuterium plasma bombardment conditions are: fluxes around 7 × 10 17 ions s −1 cm −2 ; exposure time in the range from 10 to 100 s; bombarding energy of 300 eV; and graphite temperatures between 20 and 120 °C. To reduce deuterium plasma recycling, several approaches have been investigated. Erosion due to high-fluence helium plasma conditioning significantly increases the surface porosity of POCO graphite and 4D-graphite weave whereas little changes for 2D-graphite weave and Pyro graphite. The increased pore openings and refreshed in-pore surface sites are found to reduce the deuterium plasma recycling and chemical erosion rates at transient stages. It is also found that deuterium recycling even at the steady state tends to be suppressed as the surface porosity increases by materials selection. Surface topographical modification by machined-grooves noticeably reduces the steady state deuterium recycling rate and the impurity emission from the surface. These surface topography effects are attributed to continuous co-deposition of reemitted deuterium, chemically sputtered hydrocarbon and physically sputtered carbon under deuterium plasma bombardment. The co-deposited groove surface exhibits a characteristic morphology with dens-packed dendritic microstructures.
Views of office data

Office applications will eventually be defined and executed by office personnel rather than professional programmers. There are many scientific disciplines and technologies that are contributing to this goal. This panel will explore a few of these areas: databases, artificial intelligence, and linguistics. Today the active database research areas are in highly distributed, real-time transaction oriented systems, and dynamic expressive data organizations such as the relational model. The extending of the database models to cover the requirements of the office is a major concern in office systems research. Artificial Intelligence has been directly involved with the problems of interfacing with end-users for a considerable period of time. The AI knowledge base systems are much closer in spirit to the way humans accumulate and use partial knowledge to solve problems than the database models. Using AI techniques, expert systems have been built for various application areas. One can envision the use of expert office systems to help in solving business and organizational problems. Much of the communications done in the office is in terms of natural language. Linguistics is concerned with the structure of language and how people generate it and understand it. The greater the extent that an office system can deal with natural languages, the more useful that system will be to end-users.This panel will discuss how intelligent the next generation of office systems can become using these technologies.
B to A Transition of DNA on the Nanosecond Time Scale

A 3.5-ns atomic-level computer simulation of a DNA solution was performed. We found that a dodecamer of DNA, which contains the recognition site for Eco RI endonuclease, transforms from B-form to A-form in 0.45 M salt water. This supports an earlier proposal on the A-DNA binding site for transcription factor IIIA.
Clustering, Jamming and Segregation in Cohesive Granular Materials

We present a series of experiments to investigate the stability, flow and segregation when liquid bridges or magnetic attraction forces between grains are present. Quantitative data is obtained by high speed and high resolution imaging. First, we measure the angle of repose of a granular pile formed by pouring wet grains in to a quasi-two dimensional silo and compare them to existing models. Second, we measure the size separation of bi-disperse grains as a function of size ratio and viscosity of the liquid. Finally, we introduce a vibro-fluidized system of magnetized particles to study the effect of cohesive forces and inelastic collisions on the formation of clusters and velocity distributions.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Crustal Structure and Tectonic Development of Gulf of Guinea Cul-de-Sac from Integrated Interpretation of New Aeromagnetic and Existing Geophysical Data: ABSTRACT

Data-acquisition difficulties and propriety restrictions on industry data have necessitated liberal extrapolations and generalizations in previous tectono-structural studies of the Gulf of Guinea cul-de-sac. This region is the locus of a postulated Late Cretaceous triple junction whose arms were the transform-dominated Equatorial Atlantic, the northward-propagating South Atlantic, and the Benue Trough aulacogen. Oceanic crust has been inferred to underlie most of the thick sedimentary wedge of the oil-prolific Niger Delta basin. Integrated interpretation of new aeromagnetic data of the Geological Survey of Nigeria and existing geophysical data corroborates previous work on the general structure of the marginal basins. New aeromagnetic data, however, reveal a detail structure more complex than previously known. Low-frequency magnetic anomalies over the Niger delta indicate that oceanic crust extends northward to about Onitsha. From Onitsha, the edge of oceanic crust trends southwestward along the Benin hinge line (an apparent continental continuation of either the Chain fracture zone or a new Okitipupa fracture zone) and also wiggles southeastward (adjoined by a wide margin of transitional crust) toward the shelf break off Cameroon. Linear magnetic anomalies trending northeast indicate about 7 fracture zones b neath the Niger Delta basin. The region of high-frequency magnetic anomalies west of the Niger delta represent the Okitipupa basement ridge complex, which separates the Niger Delta basin from the Dahomey embayment. In this embayment, 2 wide bands of intervening high- and low-frequency aeromagnetic anomalies are interpreted to represent a basement high or ridge and a fault-bounded trough, respectively. The change in the directions of fracture-zone trends (from east-northeast in the southeast, to northeast in most of the Niger delta area, and then to a more easterly direction over most oceanic areas) indicates 3 phases of tectonic evolution recorded as changes in sea-floor spreading directions in the Gulf of Guinea cul-de-sac. End_of_Article - Last_Page 235------------
Comparative enzyme kinetics of influenza neuraminidases with the synthetic substrate methoxyphenylneuraminic acid

Abstract The synthetic substrate 2-(3′-methoxyphenyl)- N -acetyl-α-neuraminic acid provides a simple, rapid, and precise assay for neuraminidases from viral and bacterial sources. The affinity ( K m ) of neuraminidases for this substrate can be used as a genetic marker in recombinant viruses when the Michaelis constants of the parents differ.
Permissive Secondary Mutations Enable the Evolution of Influenza Oseltamivir Resistance

The His274→Tyr274 (H274Y) mutation confers oseltamivir resistance on N1 influenza neuraminidase but had long been thought to compromise viral fitness. However, beginning in 2007–2008, viruses containing H274Y rapidly became predominant among human seasonal H1N1 isolates. We show that H274Y decreases the amount of neuraminidase that reaches the cell surface and that this defect can be counteracted by secondary mutations that also restore viral fitness. Two such mutations occurred in seasonal H1N1 shortly before the widespread appearance of H274Y. The evolution of oseltamivir resistance was therefore enabled by “permissive” mutations that allowed the virus to tolerate subsequent occurrences of H274Y. An understanding of this process may provide a basis for predicting the evolution of oseltamivir resistance in other influenza strains.
Mechanism of CREB recognition and coactivation by the CREB-regulated transcriptional coactivator CRTC2

Basic leucine zipper (bZip) transcription factors regulate cellular gene expression in response to a variety of extracellular signals and nutrient cues. Although the bZip domain is widely known to play significant roles in DNA binding and dimerization, recent studies point to an additional role for this motif in the recruitment of the transcriptional apparatus. For example, the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)-regulated transcriptional coactivator (CRTC) family of transcriptional coactivators has been proposed to promote the expression of calcium and cAMP responsive genes, by binding to the CREB bZip in response to extracellular signals. Here we show that the CREB-binding domain (CBD) of CRTC2 folds into a single isolated 28-residue helix that seems to be critical for its interaction with the CREB bZip. The interaction is of micromolar affinity on palindromic and variant half-site cAMP response elements (CREs). The CBD and CREB assemble on the CRE with 2:2:1 stoichiometry, consistent with the presence of one CRTC binding site on each CREB monomer. Indeed, the CBD helix and the solvent-exposed residues in the dimeric CREB bZip coiled-coil form an extended protein–protein interface. Because mutation of relevant bZip residues in this interface disrupts the CRTC interaction without affecting DNA binding, our results illustrate that distinct DNA binding and transactivation functions are encoded within the structural constraints of a canonical bZip domain.
The prognostic importance of the number of involved lymph nodes in esophageal cancer: implications for revisions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system.

Objective The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for esophageal cancer is controversial because it relies on arbitrary definitions of the anatomic location of lymph nodes to establish N and M status. It has been proposed that the number of involved lymph nodes may better predict survival. We reviewed our experience to determine the prognostic impact of the number of involved nodes and the extent of lymphadenectomy on the current staging system. Methods Records of all patients who underwent resection of previously untreated adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction were reviewed. Overall survival according to the AJCC staging system and the number of involved lymph nodes was analyzed by the method of Kaplan and Meier and by recursive partitioning methods. Results Data were available on 336 patients operated on between January 1996 and September 2003. Recursive partitioning analysis using AJCC staging variables reproduced the AJCC staging system. When the number of involved lymph nodes is added, patients with more than 4 involved lymph nodes have survival similar to that of patients with M1 disease, and patients with no involved lymph nodes have the best prognosis. Recursive partitioning analysis identified 18 lymph nodes as the minimal number required for accurate staging. In patients who have 18 or more lymph nodes removed, survival is only predicted by the presence of nodal involvement and M1 disease. Conclusion Our analysis suggests that revisions of the current AJCC staging system for esophageal cancer should include N staging based on the number of involved lymph nodes and minimal requirements for the extent of lymphadenectomy.
Sport is arbitrary, and that's ok.

International elite sport is a terrible venue in which to try to sort out the historically complex scientific and social vagaries of sex distinction, as Karkazis and colleagues (2012) make clear in...
Cube Summing, Approximate Inference with Non-Local Features, and Dynamic Programming without Semirings

We introduce cube summing, a technique that permits dynamic programming algorithms for summing over structures (like the forward and inside algorithms) to be extended with non-local features that violate the classical structural independence assumptions. It is inspired by cube pruning (Chiang, 2007; Huang and Chiang, 2007) in its computation of non-local features dynamically using scored k-best lists, but also maintains additional residual quantities used in calculating approximate marginals. When restricted to local features, cube summing reduces to a novel semiring (k-best+residual) that generalizes many of the semirings of Goodman (1999). When non-local features are included, cube summing does not reduce to any semiring, but is compatible with generic techniques for solving dynamic programming equations.
Calcium-mediated mitochondrial movement in ascidian sperm during fertilization.

Sperm of the solitary ascidian Ascidia ceratodes shed their mitochondria on contact with the chorion. The mitochondrion forms a sphere which slides down the sperm tail ultimately to be released in about 2 min. During this process the sperm emits acid into the surrounding seawater, lowering the pH. Raising the external pH to 9.5 stimulates the shedding process in the absence of eggs. This requires Ca2+ but not Na+. Removal of Na+ from the medium also induces the reaction in the presence of Ca2+. Sperm freshly diluted in pH 9.5 seawater require 2.5 min for 50% fertilization, while the same sperm 13 min later require only 1 min, suggesting that mitochondrial shedding is rate limiting in fertilization. Acid release can be induced by diluting the sperm in Na+-free seawater containing Ca2+ or by the ionophores A23187 or Nigericin. The necessity of Ca2+ for both acid release and the morphological changes suggests that an exchange of Ca2+ for H+ may be occurring which triggers the shedding process.
Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain 2 Protein Suppresses Hypoxia-Induced Endothelial Cell Proliferation

Prolyl hydroxylase domain 2 protein (PHD2) signals the degradation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha by hydroxylating specific prolyl residues located within oxygen-dependent degradation domains. As expected, endothelial cells (ECs) overexpressing PHD2 had reduced HIF-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor-A expression and failed to accelerate their proliferation in response to hypoxia. Surprisingly, although these cells displayed further reductions in HIF-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor-A expression when cultured under normoxia, there was no further reduction in EC proliferation. Thus, there seemed to be no consistent correlation between PHD2 hydroxylase-mediated suppression of HIF-1alpha expression and inhibition of EC growth. Indeed, overexpression of a mutant PHD2 lacking hydroxylase activity also greatly diminished EC response to hypoxia-induced increase in proliferation, in spite of the fact that hypoxia-induced HIF-1alpha accumulation was not affected by mutant PHD2. These data strongly suggest the existence of a hydroxylase-independent mechanism for PHD2-mediated inhibition of EC proliferation under hypoxia. In support of a physiological relevance of PHD2 overexpression, we found that endogenous PHD2 expression was significantly upregulated by hypoxia and that silencing of the Phd2 gene by RNA interference significantly enhanced hypoxia-induced EC proliferation. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that PHD2 may act as a negative feedback regulator to antagonize hypoxia-induced EC proliferation.
A Case for Optimistic Coordination in HPC Storage Systems

High-performance computing (HPC) storage systems rely on access coordination to ensure that concurrent updates do not produce incoherent results. HPC storage systems typically employ pessimistic distributed locking to provide this functionality in cases where applications cannot perform their own coordination. This approach, however, introduces significant performance overhead and complicates fault handling. In this work we evaluate the viability of optimistic conditional storage operations as an alternative to distributed locking in HPC storage systems. We investigate design strategies and compare the two approaches in a prototype object storage system using a parallel read/modify/write benchmark. Our prototype illustrates that conditional operations can be easily integrated into distributed object storage systems and can outperform standard coordination primitives for simple update workloads. Our experiments show that conditional updates can achieve over two orders of magnitude higher performance than pessimistic locking for some parallel read/modify/write workloads.
Revisiting the Phoenix TECP data: Implications for regolith control of near-surface humidity on Mars

Abstract We analyze the recalibrated in situ humidity measurements by the Phoenix lander, which landed at 68.2°N, 234.3°E and operated from Ls 78° through Ls 148°, ∼152 sols. Vapor pressures demonstrate significant day–night variations with values ranging from 0.005 Pa to 0.37 Pa, an order of magnitude lower than previously reported, and evening derived enthalpies less than that for a purely ice deposition-driven process, suggesting other water vapor sinks may contribute to the near-surface humidity at the martian polar regions.
Error and Bias in Comparative Judgment: On Being Both Better and Worse than We Think We are

People believe that they are better than others on easy tasks and worse than others on difficult tasks. Previous attempts to explain these better-than-average and worse-than-average effects have invoked bias and motivation as causes. This paper develops a more parsimonious account, the differential information explanation, which assumes only that people typically have better information about themselves than they do about others. When one's own performance is exceptional (either good or bad), it is often reasonable to assume others' will be less so. Consequently, people estimate the performance of others as less extreme (more regressive) than their own. The result is that people believe they are above average on easy tasks and below average on difficult tasks. These effects are exacerbated when people have accurate information about their performances, increasing the natural discrepancy between knowledge of self and others. The effects are attenuated when people obtain accurate information about the performances of others.
DNS of homogenous shear turbulence revisited with the lattice Boltzmann method

Direct numerical simulations (DNSs) of homogenous shear turbulence are performed using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). This problem is revisited for two principle reasons: (i) to establish the validity of the LBM as an effective computational tool for turbulence; and (ii) to perform a detailed investigation of the dependence of the asymptotic state of turbulence on the initial Reynolds number and strain rate. We first demonstrate that Reynolds stress anisotropy evolution obtained by the LBM is in excellent agreement with classical experimental data and Navier–Stokes DNS (NS-DNS) results. Our results indicate that the asymptotic state depends weakly on initial shear but strongly on initial Reynolds number in the low Reynolds number regime. The Reynolds number dependence appears to diminish with increasing Reynolds number.
Satiation and the rate of lapse of verbal meaning.

(1958). Satiation and the Rate of Lapse of Verbal Meaning. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 79-85.
A Systematic Computational Method to Predict and Enhance Antibody-Antigen Binding in the Absence of Antibody Crystal Structures

Structure-based design efforts on antibodies are frequently hamstrung by the general difficulty of crystallizing antibody molecules. Computational approaches are getting more success and playing a very important role in protein structure prediction and design. A combined platform with both computational predication and experimental verification would have a transformative research capability on antibody engineering. We have been developing and integrating RosettaAntibody (homology modeling and H3 loop modeling), RosettaDock (SnugDock and EnsembleDock) and RosettaDesign (non-canonical amino acids design) into a systematic computational pipeline. Using the targets of M18/Anthrax complex, which has solved crystal structure, and anti-MS2/MS2 complex, whose antibody structure is not available, the new pipeline is capable of building homology models for antibody from its sequence, and predicting the docked antibody-antigen structures. The correct antigen epitope can be identified by iteratively refining the predicted candidates with experimental verifications such as interface alanine scanning. This is followed by computational CDR designs utilizing non-canonical amino acids, which can form covalent bonds with epitope residues. Along with experimental confirmations, the incorporation of the systematical computational method was proved to significantly facilitate the epitope identification and non-canonical amino acid designs. These efforts eventually substantially increased the antibody-antigen binding affinity of the two targets.
A novel CD44 v3 isoform is involved in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression

OBJECTIVES: CD44 comprises a family of isoforms involved in tumorigenesis. Here we investigate the role of CD44 isoforms in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression.MATERIALS AND METHODS: HNSCC specimens underwent reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by Southern blot analysis. After surface biotinylation, FaDu (hypopharyngeal HNSCC) and CD44v3-transfected COS-7 cells were CD44 antibody-precipitated and compared by Western blot analysis. FaDu cells underwent double immunofluorescence staining and growth assays.RESULTS: Southern blot analysis suggested differential CD44v3 isoform expression in tumor and normal tissue. Cloning and sequencing revealed 2 novel CD44v isoforms. Western blot analysis suggested CD44v3 expression in COS-7 transfectants and FaDu. Double immunofluorescence staining revealed colocalization of CD44v3 and actin in FaDu projections. Anti-CD44v3 antibody decreased FaDu growth.CONCLUSION: HNSCC tissue and FaDu appear to express CD44v3 isoforms....
Full and Partial Deuterium Solvent Isotope Effect Studies of α-Thrombin-Catalyzed Reactions of Natural Substrates

Proton inventory studies of the thrombin-catalyzed fibrinogen activation to fibrinopeptide A are most consistent with a two-proton bridge forming at the transition state probably between Ser195 OγH and His57 Ne2 and His57 Nδ1 and Asp102 COOβ- at the active site, with fractionation factors 0.66 ± 0.03 under enzyme saturation with substrate and 0.64 ± 0.03 at fibrinogen concentration at 0.2 Km, at pH 8.0, pD 8.6, and 25.0 ± 0.1 °C. Strongly inverse solvent isotope effects (SIEs) result from inverse lag times and maximal slopes of blood clotting plots, which are also anion and cation dependent. The blood clot is much coarser in D2O, as indicated in clotting curves with 3−9 times shorter lag time and steeper slopes with respect to H2O. The finer the particles, the weaker the H-bonds interlocking the fibrin mesh and/or in water structure around fibrin. Proton inventories of inverse lag times and maximal slopes of blood clotting curves in buffers containing Na+ and Cl- ions give the best fit to an exponential d...
Accelerator Test Facility for Muon Collider and Neutrino Factory R&d

Over the last decade there has been significant progress in developing the concepts and technologies needed to produce, capture, accelerate and collide high intensity beams of muons. At present, a high-luminosity multi-TeV muon collider presents a viable option for the next generation lepton-lepton collider, which is believed to be needed to fully explore high energy physics in the era following LHC discoveries. This article briefly reviews the needs and possibilities for a Muon Collider beam test facility to carry out the R&D program on the collider front-end and 6D cooling demonstration experiment.
Adjuvant effects of tilorone hydrochloride (analog 11,567) with inactivated Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus vaccine.

AbstractTilorone analog 11,567 (BDD) was demonstrated to immunopotentiate Formalin-inactivated Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) TC-83 vaccine in mice and monkeys. The dosage of BDD required for adjuvant effects was different in mice and monkeys. In monkeys, primary and secondary antibody responses were increased (4- and 12-fold greater titers, respectively) when 10 mg/kg of BDD was given with VEE vaccine; however, 100 mg/kg of BDD had no adjuvant effect. Mice given 62 or 250 mg/kg of BDD with undiluted vaccine developed 3- and 4-fold greater antibody titers, respectively, than vaccine controls. The immunopotentiation effect of BDD was most dramatically demonstrated when graded doses (7 to 500 mg/kg) were given with a marginally antigenic dose of VEE vaccine (diluted 1:4). The BDD-vaccine combination induced antibody production, while vaccine administered without adjuvant did not. Antibody titers were significantly higher when 125 (P < 0.001) or 250 (P < 0.05) mg/kg of BDD were given with the dilu...
Stabilization of underwater vehicle dynamics with symmetry-breaking potentials

We show how to stabilize, in stages, arbitrary steady translations of an underwater vehicle with feedback that derives from a potential and deliberately breaks symmetry in the dynamics. First, rotational symmetry is broken to ensure stability in the momentum parameters. Then, translational symmetry is broken to prevent drift. Stability of the closed-loop system is proved using the energy-Casimir method. A resulting property of the control law is robustness to model parameter uncertainty.
Indirect Readout of DNA Sequence at the Primary-kink Site in the CAP-DNA Complex: DNA Binding Specificity Based on Energetics of DNA Kinking

The catabolite activator protein (CAP) makes no direct contact with the consensus base-pair T:A at position 6 of the DNA half-site 5'-A(1)A(2)A(3)T(4)G(5)T(6)G(7)A(8)T(9)C(10)T(11)-3' but, nevertheless, exhibits strong specificity for T:A at position 6. Binding of CAP results in formation of a sharp DNA kink, with a roll angle of approximately 40 degrees and a twist angle of approximately 20 degrees, between positions 6 and 7 of the DNA half-site. The consensus base-pair T:A at position 6 and the consensus base-pair G:C at position 7 form a T:A/G:C step, which is known to be associated with DNA flexibility. It has been proposed that specificity for T:A at position 6 is a consequence of formation of the DNA kink between positions 6 and 7, and of effects of the T:A(6)/G:C(7) step on the geometry of DNA kinking, or the energetics of DNA kinking. In this work, we determine crystallographic structures of CAP-DNA complexes having the consensus base-pair T:A at position 6 or the non-consensus base-pair C:G at position 6. We show that complexes containing T:A or C:G at position 6 exhibit similar overall DNA bend angles and local geometries of DNA kinking. We infer that indirect readout in this system does not involve differences in the geometry of DNA kinking but, rather, solely differences in the energetics of DNA kinking. We further infer that the main determinant of DNA conformation in this system is protein-DNA interaction, and not DNA sequence.