cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative transcriptomics reveal different mechanisms for hyphal growth across four plant-associated dimorphic fungi

Fungal dimorphism is a phenomenon by which a fungus can grow both as a yeast form and a hyphal form. It is frequently related to pathogenicity as different growth forms are more suitable for different functions during a life cycle. Among dimorphic plant pathogens, the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis serves as a model organism to understand fungal dimorphism and its effect on pathogenicity. However, there is a lack of data on whether mechanisms elucidated from model species are broadly applicable to other fungi. In this study, two non-model plant-associated species in the smut fungus subphylum (Ustilaginomycotina), Tilletiopsis washingtonensis and Meira miltonrushii, were selected to compare dimorphic mechanisms in these to those in U. maydis. We sequenced transcriptomic profiles during both yeast and hyphal growth in these two species using Tween40, a lipid mimic, as a trigger for hyphal growth. We then compared our data with previously published data from U. maydis and a fourth but unrelated dimorphic phytopathogen, Ophiostoma novo-ulmi. Comparative transcriptomics was performed to identify common genes upregulated during hyphal growth in all four dimorphic species. Intriguingly, T. washingtonensis shares the least similarities of transcriptomic alteration (hyphal growth versus yeast growth) with the others, although it is closely related to M. miltonrushii and U. maydis. This suggests that phylogenetic relatedness is not correlated with transcriptomic similarity under the same biological phenomenon. Among commonly expressed genes in the four species, genes in cell energy production and conversion, amino acid transport and metabolism and cytoskeleton are significantly enriched. Considering dimorphism genes characterized in U. maydis, as well as hyphal tip-associated genes from the literature, we found only genes encoding the cell end marker Tea4/TeaC and the kinesin motor protein Kin3 concordantly expressed in all four species. This suggests a divergence in species-specific mechanisms for dimorphic transition and hyphal growth.
Engagement and Adherence with a Web-Based Prehabilitation Program for Patients Awaiting Abdominal Colorectal Surgery.

Background Understanding the drivers of patient engagement and adherence is critical to developing and implementing preoperative optimization programs. The aim of this project is to determine whether existing health beliefs are associated with engagement and adherence in a home-based online prehabilitation program. Methods Patients undergoing abdominal colorectal operations were enrolled in an online nutrition and exercise program. We collected baseline health beliefs and mindsets, daily exercises, and weekly diet recalls. Multivariable binary logistic regression predicted engagement, multivariable ordinary least squares regression predicted diet adherence, and generalized linear models with a binomial distribution predicted engagement and exercise adherence. Results Of the 227 patients who agreed to participate, 75% activated their accounts; of those, 75% used the program. Engagement with the program was unrelated to health beliefs or mindsets. Positive diet-related health beliefs and a growth mindset were associated with positive diet behaviors and inversely associated with negative diet behaviors. Exercise-related health beliefs and mindsets were not associated with exercise adherence. Patients enrolled within 4 weeks of surgery used the program more than those enrolled more than 4 weeks from surgery. Conclusions This app-based prehabilitation program demonstrated moderate acceptability, engagement, and adherence. Addressing health beliefs and mindsets may be an effective way of increasing adherence to diet recommendations. To increase adherence to exercise recommendations, further assessment of potential barriers is critical. While an online platform is a highly promising scalable strategy, more customization and user engagement are necessary to make it an effective way of delivering a preoperative health behavior change intervention.
International authority and national regulation

The paper presents an analysis of relations between international authority and national systems for the public regulation of professionals. It emphasizes the value of the cross-national comparative study of the organization of professions, and stresses the political role of the professions as diplomatic negotiations affect their domains. At issue is the equivalence of registration requirements. The E.E.C. objective of aiding migration through harmonization of registration requirements encounters opposition from national interests associated with professions and their regulation. Their reconciliation is a precondition for implementation of the European interest of a freer labor market for professionals. The paper demonstrates how the various national professional associations, international liaison committees linking such groups, national regulatory agencies, other departments of national governments, and the units of the Community's own structure, help to shape or block realization of this objective. It concludes with a discussion of the conditions for development of international public policy concerning the professions.
TU-EF-204-10: A Preliminary Study Evaluating Calculation Variations of Local Noise Power Spectra for CT Simulation in Radiation Therapy

Purpose: Local noise power spectrum (NPS) properties are significantly affected by calculation variables and CT acquisition and reconstruction parameters, but a thoughtful analysis of these effects is absent. In this study, we performed a complete analysis of the effects of calculation and imaging parameters on the NPS. Methods: The uniformity module of a Catphan phantom was scanned with a Philips Brilliance 64-slice CT simulator using various scanning protocols. Images were reconstructed using both FBP and iDose4 reconstruction algorithms. From these images, local NPS were calculated for regions of interest (ROI) of varying locations and sizes, using four image background removal methods. Additionally, using a predetermined ground truth, NPS calculation accuracy for various calculation parameters was compared for computer simulated ROIs. A complete analysis of the effects of calculation, acquisition, and reconstruction parameters on the NPS was conducted. Results: The local NPS varied with ROI size and image background removal method, particularly at low spatial frequencies. The image subtraction method was the most accurate according to the computer simulation study, and was also the most effective at removing low frequency background components in the acquired data. However, first-order polynomial fitting using residual sum of squares and principle component analysis provided comparable accuracy under certain situations. Similar general trends were observed when comparing the NPS for FBP to that of iDose4 while varying other calculation and scanning parameters. However, while iDose4 reduces the noise magnitude compared to FBP, this reduction is spatial-frequency dependent, further affecting NPS variations at low spatial frequencies. Conclusion: The local NPS varies significantly depending on calculation parameters, image acquisition parameters, and reconstruction techniques. Appropriate local NPS calculation should be performed to capture spatial variations of noise; calculation methodology should be selected with consideration of image reconstruction effects and the desired purpose of CT simulation for radiotherapy tasks.
Graph search with appearance and shape information for 3-D prostate and bladder segmentation

The segmentation of soft tissues in medical images is a challenging problem due to the weak boundary, large deformation and serious mutual influence. We present a novel method incorporating both the shape and appearance information in a 3-D graph-theoretic framework to overcome those difficulties for simultaneous segmentation of prostate and bladder. An arc-weighted graph is constructed corresponding to the initial mesh. Both the boundary and region information is incorporated into the graph with learned intensity distribution, which drives the mesh to the best fit of the image. A shape prior penalty is introduced by adding weighted-arcs in the graph, which maintains the original topology of the model and constraints the flexibility of the mesh. The surface-distance constraints are enforced to avoid the leakage between prostate and bladder. The target surfaces are found by solving a maximum flow problem in low-order polynomial time. Both qualitative and quantitative results on prostate and bladder segmentation were promising, proving the power of our algorithm.
Neuronal acid‐induced [Zn2+]i elevations calibrated using the low‐affinity ratiometric probe FuraZin‐1

The experiments were carried out on primary cultures of murine cortical neurons from cryopreserved preparations obtained from embryonic-day-16 fetuses. To calibrate acid-induced intracelluar [Zn(2+) ] ([Zn(2+) ]i ) elevations, a low affinity (Kd = 39 μM at pH 6.1) ratiometric Zn(2+) probe, FuraZin-1, was used. A pHi drop from 7.2 to 6.1 caused [Zn(2+) ]i elevations reaching 2 μM; when the thiol-reactive agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) was subsequently applied, [Zn(2+) ]i increased further to 5.6 μM; analogous acid- and NEM-induced [Zn(2+) ]i elevations could also be detected but not calibrated, using the high affinity Zn(2+) probe FluoZin-3. The data indicate that NEM causes Zn(2+) release from ligands that chelate Zn(2+) at pH 6.1. ATP could also chelate Zn(2+) at pH 6.1 because its pKa is about 6.8. Therefore, it was tested whether an ATP depletion affects the acid-induced [Zn(2+) ]i elevations. The ATP depletion was induced by inhibiting mitochondrial and glycolytic ATP production. Interestingly, an almost complete ATP depletion (confirmed using a luciferin/luciferase assay) failed to affect the acid-induced [Zn(2+) ]i increases. These data suggest that the total amount of Zn(2+) accumulated in intracellular ATP-dependent stores (Zn(2+) -ATP complexes and organelles that accumulate Zn(2+) in an ATP-dependent manner) is negligible compared to the amount of Zn(2+) accumulated in the acid-sensitive intracellular ligands. In vitro, upon acidification, Zn(2+) -cysteine complexes release Zn(2+) and ATP chelates the released Zn(2+) . However, in vivo (cultured neurons), an ATP depletion failed to enhance acid-induced [Zn(2+) ]i elevations. These [Zn(2+) ]i elevations were calibrated using a low affinity ratiometric probe FuraZin-1; they reached 2 µM levels and increased to 5 µM when a thiol-reactive agent, N-ethylmaleimide, compromised Zn(2+) binding by cysteines.
Generalized consensus computation in networked systems with erasure links

We study consensus problems in networked systems with unreliable links. Our contributions are two-fold. First, we derive a family of decentralized consensus algorithms for minimizing a sum of convex functions, /spl Sigma//sub i=1//sup N/f/sub i/(x), where each function f/sub i/ only depends on information at one node in the network. Computing the consensus average is a special case in this setting. Then, we construct a modified algorithm which is resilient in situations where the channels between nodes act as binary erasure channels. The flexibility and efficacy of our approach is demonstrated through an application of robust estimation.
An application of two sided power distribution in Bayesian analysis of paired comparison of relative importance of predictors in linear regression models

The purpose of determining the relative importance of predictors is to expose the extent of the individual contribution of a predictor in the presence of other predictors within a selected model. The goal of this article is to expand the current research practice by developing a statistical paired comparison model with Two Sided Power (TSP) link function in the Bayesian framework to evaluate the relative importance of each predictor in a multiple regression model. Results from simulation studies and empirical example reveal that the proposed Two Sided Power link function provides similar conclusions as the commonly used logit link function, but has more advantages from both practical and computational perspectives.
A study of a bowtie antenna integrated into a high-impedance ground plane

The performance of a bowtie antenna placed in the plane of a high-impedance ground plane (HIGP) is examined. The antenna and HIGP are individually optimized to operate at the same frequency. Computational results are presented for the antenna gain and input impedance. Additional results are presented in which the antenna input impedance has been matched to the characteristic line impedance through post processing of the data. The antenna gain, input impedance, and return loss are used as figures of merit to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated HIGP antenna. Results show that the interaction between the antenna and HIGP shifts the intended resonant frequency and reduces the bandwidth.
Received voltage and power for an arbitrary element of infinite planar arrays

For an arbitrary element of an infinite planar array, the received voltage and the power delivered to the load under plane-wave illumination are found in terms of transmitting performance parameters under the corresponding scan condition. In the process, the vector effective height is defined and a new directivity for quantifying the directive nature of radiation is introduced. Unlike previously reported expressions, the results are applicable to both unidrectional and bidirectional element patterns.
Endoderm-derived Fgf3 is necessary and sufficient for inducing neurogenesis in the epibranchial placodes in zebrafish

In vertebrates, epibranchial placodes are transient ectodermal thickenings that contribute sensory neurons to the epibranchial ganglia. These ganglia innervate internal organs and transmit information on heart rate, blood pressure and visceral distension from the periphery to the central nervous system. Despite their importance, the molecular mechanisms that govern the induction and neurogenesis of the epibranchial placodes are only now being elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that endoderm is required for neurogenesis of the zebrafish epibranchial placodes. Mosaic analyses confirm that endoderm is the source of the neurogenic signal. Using a morpholino knockdown approach, we find that fgf3 is required for the majority of placode cells to undergo neurogenesis. Tissue transplants demonstrate that fgf3 activity is specifically required in the endodermal pouches. Furthermore, ectopic fgf3 expression is sufficient for inducing phox2a -positive neurons in wild-type and endoderm-deficient embryos. Surprisingly, ectodermal foxi1 expression, a marker for the epibranchial placode precursors, is present in both endoderm-deficient embryos and fgf3 morphants, indicating that neither endoderm nor Fgf3 is required for initial placode induction. Based on these findings, we propose a model for epibranchial placode development in which Fgf3 is a major endodermal determinant required for epibranchial placode neurogenesis.
Is Postoperative Intrathecal Catheter Use Associated with Central Nervous System Infection

BACKGROUND Continuation of intrathecal anesthesia into the postoperative period has been limited by important safety concerns. Principal among these has been the assumption that extended intrathecal therapy leads to spinal (epidural and intrathecal) space infections. To address the role of extended intrathecal catheter therapy as a cause of infections, we cultured all intrathecal catheters used to provide postoperative analgesia. METHODS All intrathecal catheters were inserted in the operating room using sterile technique. The catheters were used either for the duration of the patients stay in the intensive care unit or until they were no longer judged to provide a therapeutic advantage. They were removed without skin preparation. The distal 2-3 cm of the catheters was cultured using semiquantitative culture methods. Results were divided into four groups: group 1, negative culture results; group 2, ten or fewer colonies of growth; group 3, more than 10 colonies on initial plates and/or growth from broth cultures; and group 4, any bacterial growth, along with evidence of local or central nervous system infections. RESULTS Cultures were obtained from 139 patients with a mean indwelling catheter time of 66.1 h. Group 1 (102 patients) had a mean indwelling duration of 55 h. Group 2 (26 patients) and group 3 (11 patients) had significantly longer indwelling duration (83.2 h P = .0023, 129.6 h P = < .0001, respectively) than group 1. Cultures of cerebrospinal fluid obtained simultaneously with catheter cultures in 9 cases (5 in group 2 and 4 in group 3) showed no growth. No patient had evidence of local or central nervous system infection. Difficulty of catheter placement (number of attempts made and the number of levels explored), antibiotic administration, the composition of the postoperative infusions and the number of catheter breaks in the postoperative period were similar in each group. With the exception of two catheters in group 3, (cultured at 49 and 54 h), significant bacterial growth (more than ten colonies) was observed only after more than 96 h of indwelling duration. CONCLUSIONS Application of semiquantitative culture methods assisted in explaining the results seen in group 2 as secondary to contamination of the catheter that occurred on removal. Higher numbers of bacteria (group 3) may define a population at increased risk for infectious complications. The results of this study do not absolutely resolve the issue of infectious risk associated with postoperative intrathecal catheter use, nor do they define a safe period beyond which the risk of continued catheter use would be unacceptable. However, it appears that limited periods of use (96 h or less) is not associated with either frequent local or spinal infections. Semiquantitative culture methods may help identify individuals (with catheter cultures yielding more than ten colonies) at increased risk for infectious complications and in need of closer observation.
AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR ESTIMATING EFFICACY OF THE AN1792 VACCINE FOR ALZHEIMER DISEASE

Koepsell et al.1 suggest an alternative method for analyzing the phase 2a AN1792 studies.2,3 The original analysis compared immunized patients who mounted a prospectively defined antibody response (titer greater than or equal to 1:2,200) to all placebo-treated patients. The authors propose that these immunized antibody responders be compared to hypothetical responders in the placebo group (patients who would have responded to therapy if treated with AN1792). In this comparison, the authors assumed that the mean outcome among the hypothetical nonresponders in the placebo-treated group is equivalent to the mean outcome in immunized nonresponders (immunized patients with antibody titers less than 1:2,200). This assumption requires that there were no biological treatment effects in the immunized nonresponders on the outcomes being compared. However, as the authors acknowledge, the assumption of no biological effects in the immunized nonresponders is questionable. Based upon preclinical and early clinical data, patients in the original phase 2a study were defined as antibody responders if a titer of at least 1:2,200 occurred, but it cannot be assumed that lower titers yielded no biological activity in immunized patients.2 We reported significant correlations of neuropsychological tests and measures of brain volume with antibody titers below 1:2,200 (dose-response).2–3 Moreover, some …
Technology design for pediatric asthma management

Asthma affects a significant number of children, families, and health care systems. In this work, I discuss the challenges that these stakeholders may face, and present system that may help address some of these challenges. Finally, I highlight the expected contributions of this work.
Practical pharmacokinetics of ventricular antiarrhythmic therapy.

Abstract An increasing number of antiarrhythmic agents have become avaiable for the treatment of ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Appropriate application of pharmacokinetic principles is essential to determine dosage amount and frequency, particularly because of the life-threatening consequences of inadequate therapy. Therefore absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of antiarrhythmic agents must be considered in their use. Although some may be given intramuscularly, antiarrhythmic drugs are usually administered either intravenously for rapid onset of action or orally during long-term therapy. Distribution of antiarrhythmic drugs may be influenced by physicochemical properties of the drug (i.e., protein binding) or by tissue blood flow. Drug interactions and half-life are also important considerations. Finally, the major routes of elimination of antiarrhythmics are hepatic metabolism and renal and biliary excretion. The pharmacokinetic profiles of drugs used for the treatment of ventricular tachyarrhythmia, all of which are types I and III antiarrhythmic agents, are discussed.
Does Pond Water Reflectance Influence Double-crested Cormorant Selection of Aquaculture Ponds?

Double-crested cormorants, Phalacrocorax auritus, are a frequent and major avian predator on channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, and other aquaculture species throughout the southeastern USA. Although cormorant movements and occurrence within the aquaculture production region are understood, no studies have focused on the mechanisms utilized by these avian predators to select foraging sites within these high-density aquaculture systems. The objective of this study was to determine if cormorant abundance is associated with specific (ultraviolet to visible) light reflectance spectra within commercial catfish ponds. Three commercial farms were used in this study; each farm had four ponds classified as "preferred" and another four ponds classified as "avoided" based on observing cormorant numbers for 3 mo prior to reflectance measures (>100 h observation for each pond). Reflectance and pond turbidity were measured weekly for 7 wk during the period of maximal over-wintering cormorant numbers. Water samples were collected at the surface (1 cm depth) and secchi depth (10-41 cm) at two locations (upwind and downwind sides) within each pond to determine spectral reflectance and turbidity. Average pond reflectance values were not significantly different between ponds preferred and avoided by cormorants; however, upwind reflectance significantly differed from downwind reflectance between cormorant use groups. Using cross-validation discriminant analysis, the accuracy of separating upwind ponds preferred and avoided by cormorants was over 62%. Repeated measures ANOVA identified the reflectance at 370, 380, 460, 500, 510, and 620 nm as significantly different between ponds preferred and avoided by cormorants. The lower wavelengths (380-410 nm) correspond to known UV-A sensing compounds in cormorants and the other wavelengths share characteristics associated with algal biomass. Cormorants utilize ponds that have lower algal biomass when compared with avoided ponds.
Recovery and Characterization of a Rotavirus Outer Capsid Protein Expressed in a Recombinant Insect Cell System

Abstract Recombinant OSU VP4 protein, an outer capsid antigen of porcine rotavirus, was purified to a high level from the spent broth of baculovirus-infected Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells. Initial clarification of the broth with a 0-60% ammonium sulfate cut retained 93% of the total VP4. Q-sepharose ion exchange chromatography performed at pH 6.5 yielded 67% of the initial amount of VP4 in the pooled fractions, with more than four times the purity of the original sample. Gel filtration chromatography followed ion exchange. VP4 eluted from this column at a volume corresponding to a protein of a molecular weight of approximately 85 kDa, the single chain molecular weight of VP4. This step retained 34% of the initial VP4, with a 28-fold purification. Affinity chromatography, using heparin and glycophorin as ligands, was chosen as a final polishing step. The selective binding of VP4 to the two ligands suggested that VP4 may play a role during in vivo rota-viral infection. These specific interactions based on the biological properties of rotaviruses achieved a VP4 purity level of 85-95%. The overall purification scheme recovered about 1.5 mg per liter of VP4 spent broth from about 50 mg/liter (5% of total protein) present initially in the broth.
Empowerment evaluation in Brazil: building capacity and facilitating self-determination

mpowerment evaluation is a global phenomenon. It is being practiced in the United States, Finland, United Kingdom, South Africa, Japan, and Brazil, among many other countries.1 Dr. Thereza Penna Firme recently invited Dr. Fetterman to discuss the most recent developments in empowerment evaluation and provide an empowerment evaluation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, December 2004. The effort was sponsored by Cesgranrio Foundation. Ana Carolina Letichevsky and Angela Dannemann helped organized the conference. This brief discussion highlights the three steps of empowerment evaluation and the 10 principles guiding the approach.
The economic effects of harmful algal blooms in the United States: Estimates, assessment issues, and information needs

During the last several decades, harmful algal bloom (HAB) events have been observed in more locations than ever before throughout the United States. Scientists have identified a larger number of algal species involved in HABs, more toxins have been uncovered, and more fisheries resources have been affected. Whether this apparent increase in HAB events is a real phenomenon or is the result of increased sampling and monitoring is a topic of intense discussions within the scientific community. We also have an inchoate understanding of the reasons for the apparent increase, particularly concerning the role of anthropogenic nutrient loadings as a causal factor. Whatever the reasons, virtually all coastal regions of the U.S. are now regarded as potentially subject to a wide variety and increased frequency of HABs. It is important to begin to understand the scale of the economic costs to society of such natural hazards. It is a common, but not yet widespread, practice for resource managers and scientists in many localities to develop rough estimates of the economic effects of HAB events in terms of lost sales in the relevant product or factor markets, expenditures for medical treatments, environmental monitoring and management budgets, or other types of costs. These estimates may be invoked in policy debates, often without concern about how they were developed. Although such estimates are not necessarily good measures of the true costs of HABs to society, they may help to measure the scale of losses and be suggestive of their distribution across political jurisdictions or industry sectors. With adequate interpreta- tion, our thinking about appropriate policy responses may be guided by these estimates. Here we compile disparate estimates of the economic effects of HABs for events in the U.S. where such effects were measured during 1987-1992. We consider effects of four basic types: public health, commercial fisheries, recreation and tourism, and monitoring and management. We discuss many of the issues surrounding the nature of these estimates, their relevance as measures of the social costs of natural hazards, and their potential for comparability and aggregation into a national estimate.
Comments on the Hopf lagrangian and fractional statistics of solitons

Abstract We show that the nonlocal Hopf lagrangian in a model for solitons obeying fractional statistics, namely the (2 + 1)-dimensional O(3) nonlinear σ-model, can be written in a local form and is locally a total divergence. With these properties the effects of this lagrangian are converted to a multi-valued phase of the wave functional. In doing so we make it clear why an arbitrary nontopological or nonlocal lagrangian does not determine statistics at all.
The Reliability of Cecal Landmarks During Colonoscopy

Confirming colonoscopic intubation of the cecum can be a laborious, time-consuming, and often frustrating endeavor. Anatomic landmarks may offer visual clues of cecal intubation, but the predictability of this evidence is unclear. The presence of three cecal landmarks, alone and in combination, were evaluated to precisely define their reliability. Between February and October of 1991, 601 of 708 (85%) consecutive colonoscopic examinations were able to be completed to the cecum as confirmed by fluoroscopy. All three cecal landmarks studied were present in 64% (386/601), two cecal landmarks in 32% (189/601), and one cecal landmark in 4% (26/601) of the patients. Therefore, at least two cecal landmarks were identified in 96% (575/601) of the patients. The ileocecal sphincter was identified in 98% (591/601) of patients overall, in 98% (185/189) of patients and 2 cecal landmarks, and in 77% (20/26) of patients with 1 cecal landmark. The appendiceal orifice was seen in 87% (524/601) of patients overall and in 72% (137/189) of patients with 2 cecal landmarks. Transillumination through the abdominal wall was possible in 74% (447/601) of patients overall and in 30% (56/189) of patients with 2 cecal landmarks. In summary, the ileocecal sphincter is the most reliable cecal landmark and is invariably visualized, even when all other landmarks are obscure. While other cecal landmarks, such as the appendiceal orifice and transillumination, are consistently identified, they are most valuable when found in association with the ileocecal sphincter.
Current and Remote Blood Pressure and Cognitive Decline

ContextPrevious studies raise the possibility that blood pressure (BP) in middle age predicts later cognitive decline.ObjectiveTo examine prospectively the relationship of BP with level of and change in cognitive function in the elderly.DesignLongitudinal, population-based study comprising subjects enrolled in the East Boston component of the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (EPESE) (1982-1983) and the Hypertension Detection and Follow-Up Program (HDFP) (1973-1974).SettingEast Boston, Mass.ParticipantsOf the 3657 participants in the EPESE with baseline BP measurements, 2068 also participated in the HDFP. Subjects were aged 65 to 102 years at baseline in the EPESE and had mental status and memory assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 years.Main Outcome MeasuresNumbers of errors on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire and the East Boston Memory Test and rates of change in these numbers of errors. Subjects had BP measured both at baseline in the EPESE and 9 years before, as part of the HDFP.ResultsIn analyses adjusted for age, sex, and education, there was no strong linear association between BP and cognition. The associations found were fairly small in magnitude, and varied according to which test was used to measure cognition. There was little evidence for an effect of BP on change in cognitive function with either test, or for an effect on level of function on the memory test. In analyses of level of mental status questionnaire performance, however, elevated systolic BP (≥160 mm Hg) 9 years before baseline was associated with a 14% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4%-25%) increase in error rate, relative to the referent (130-139 mm Hg). Baseline systolic BP had a U-shaped association with the number of errors; error rates were 9% higher compared with the referent group among those with systolic BP lower than 130 mm Hg (95% CI, 1%-17%) and 7% greater (95% CI, 0%-15%) among those with elevated systolic BP. Diastolic BP 9 years before baseline also had a U-shaped association with errors on the mental status questionnaire.ConclusionThe findings do not suggest a linear association of BP with cognitive decline, but they are consistent with a more complex relationship between BP and cognition than previously appreciated.
Young Children's Long-Term Retention of a Pediatric Examination

Children at ages 3, 5 and 7 (N = 187) provided reports of their physical examinations immediately following the checkup and after a delay of either 1, 3, or 6 weeks, or only after 3 weeks. The protocol used for all interviews consisted of initial general prompts, followed by increasingly specific questions as needed. Recall of standard features of the examinations was scored, along with responses to questions concerning acts that did not occur. Retention of the event was extensive and accurate. Although clear age effects were observed in recall, the delay interval did not strongly affect performance over the 6-week period. The amount of forgetting was significant at ages 3 and 5, but not at age 7. With increasing age, a greater percentage of the features was spontaneously recalled. When presented with incongruous questions, all children evidenced rates of correct denials that exceeded chance and few errors of commission. The initial interview did not affect delayed recall. Implications for children's testimony are discussed.
SEMPLAR: high-performance remote parallel I/O over SRB

One of the challenges in high-performance computing is to provide users with reliable, remote data access in a distributed, heterogeneous environment. The increasing popularity of high-speed wide area networks and centralized data repositories lead to the possibility of direct high-speed access to remote data sets from within a parallel application. In this paper, we describe SEMPLAR, a library for remote, parallel I/O that combines the standard programming interface of MPI-10 with the remote storage functionality of the SDSC storage resource broker (SRB). SEMPLAR relies on parallel TCP streams to maximize the remote data throughput in a design that preserves the parallelism of the access all the way from the storage to the application. We have provided I/O performance results for a high-performance computing workload on three different clusters. On the NCSA TeraGrid cluster, the ROMIO perf benchmark attained an aggregate read bandwidth of 291 Mbps with 18 processors. The NAS btio benchmark achieved an aggregate write bandwidth of 74 Mbps with 16 processors. The benchmark results are encouraging and show that SEMPLAR provides applications with scalable, high-bandwidth I/O across wide area networks.
The effects of progressive relaxation on stress and diabetic control.

Abstract Four insulin-requiring diabetic S s were followed in single- S designs to measure the impact of progressive muscle relaxation training on blood glucose and stress levels. Measures of blood glucose, stress, activity and caloric intake were taken four times a day, along with a daily measure of anxiety. Two of the 4 S s showed a significant decrease in blood glucose during treatment periods as compared to baseline measures. Similarly, 2 of the 4 S s showed a significant decrease in stress levels during treatment. A multiple regression analysis revealed some significant relationships between blood glucose, stress, activity level and caloric intake. The results support previous studies that show relaxation techniques to be a viable aid in establishing greater diabetic control.
Measurement of ceramic powders using instrumented indentation and correlation with their dynamic response

Abstract This article discusses an experimental approach for measuring the properties of individual powder particles sized between 25 μm and 100 μm of four common very hard ceramic materials: tungsten carbide, alumina, boron carbide, and silicon carbide. Fused silica is also investigated as the reference material. Experiments on the individual powder particles were performed to a depth of 100 nm and critically compared against consolidated compacts of the same materials. To draw a correlation between the instrumented indentation measurement and their dynamic properties, this investigation exploits the low modulus to hardness ratio of these materials, whether tested as powder or in consolidated form. The indentation experiments, as they were performed in this study, lie within a regime that allows the use of the expanding cavity model to provide a more rigorous mechanical analysis to the results. Through the use of the expanding cavity model framework, this article concludes by discussing the plausibility of a relationship between the hardness of the individual powder particles, static and dynamic strength, and the high rate deformation behavior of compacts fabricated from these hard ceramic powders.
Clinical trials transparency and the Trial and Experimental Studies Transparency (TEST) act

Clinical trial research is the cornerstone for successful advancement of medicine that provides hope for millions of people in the future. Full transparency in clinical trials may allow independent investigators to evaluate study designs, perform additional analysis of data, and potentially eliminate duplicate studies. Current regulatory system and publishers rely on investigators and pharmaceutical industries for complete and accurate reporting of results from completed clinical trials. Legislation seems to be the only way to enforce mandatory disclosure of results. The Trial and Experimental Studies Transparency (TEST) Act of 2012 was introduced to the legislators in the United States to promote greater transparency in research industry. Public safety and advancement of science are the driving forces for the proposed policy change. The TEST Act may benefit the society and researchers; however, there are major concerns with participants' privacy and intellectual property protection.
A computer-assisted system for reporting of dental radiographs.

Abstract A computer reporting system in radiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) 1–3 uses the direct transcription of dictated reports into the computer with the option of standard reports. This article describes a system in regular use at MGH for reporting dental radiographs in which both the clinical history and the radiographic findings are assembled from canned subunits of standard text. The system covers 80 to 90 percent of all dental radiographs and results in a clear report requiring far less production time than previously.
Fault detection, isolation, and reconfiguration in the fault tolerant multiprocessor

The Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor is a highly reliable computer designed to meet a goal of 10 ~ failures per hour. To a large extent, this level of reliability depends upon the ability to detect and isolate faults rapidly and accurately, purge the faulty module, and dynamically reconfigure the remaining good modules. This paper describes fault detection, isolation, and recovery methodology employed in the Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor. The second part of the paper deals with experimental results obtained by actually injecting faults at the pin level in the Fault Tolerant Multiprocessor. Over 21,000 faults were injected in the central processing unit, memory, bus interface circuits, and error detection, masking, and error reporting circuits of one line replaceable unit of the multiprocessor. Detection, isolation, and reconfiguration times for each fault were recorded. These results were found to be in close agreement with earlier assumptions made in reliability modeling. The experimental results are summarized in this paper.
Insights into cross- and within-store price search: retailer estimates vs. consumer self-reports

Past research of the accuracy of retail grocers’ beliefs about consumer search and patronage behavior has found that executives tend to overestimate the size of the consumer segment that regularly switches stores for price specials. With surveys of consumers and executives in a large midwestern market, we extend and replicate the earlier research. In this study, we find that executives demonstrate, on average, an accurate sense of the proportion of consumers who are primarily loyal to one store or are shoppers of multiple stores. However, they still tend to overestimate aggregate price comparison behavior and cross-store shopping. At the same time, we also find that managers simultaneously underestimate consumer newspaper readership, in-store search for specials, and stockpiling. This new result suggests that the more loyal primary customers may account for a greater proportion of incremental promotional sales than has been recognized in the past. These results suggest a significant increase in the information value to be derived from the desegregation of sales data by shopper loyalty status.
Piecewise linear approximation for hereditary control problems

Finite dimensional approximations are presented for linear retarded functional differential equations by use of discontinuous piecewise linear functions. The approximation scheme is applied to optimal control problems when a quadratic cost integral has to be minimized subject to the controlled retarded system. It is shown that the approximate optimal feedback operators converge to the true ones both in case the cost integral ranges over a finite time interval as well as in the case it ranges over an infinite time interval. The arguments in the latter case rely on the fact that the piecewise linear approximations to stable systems are stable in a uniform sense. This feature is established using a vector-component stability criterion in the state space R(n) x L(2) and the favorable eigenvalue behavior of the piecewise linear approximations.
Interactions of Jet Fuels with Nitrile O-Rings: Petroleum-Derived versus Synthetic Fuels

A transition from petroleum-derived jet fuels to blends with Fischer−Tropsch (F-T) fuels, and ultimately fully synthetic hydro-isomerized F-T fuels has raised concern about the fate of plasticizers in nitrile-butadiene rubber o-rings that are contacted by the fuels as this transition occurs. The partitioning of plasticizers and fuel molecules between nitrile o-rings and petroleum-derived, synthetic, and additized-synthetic jet fuels has been measured. Thermal desorption of o-rings soaked in the various jet fuels followed by gas chromatographic analysis with a mass spectrometric detector showed many of the plasticizer and stabilizer compounds were removed from the o-rings regardless of the contact fuel. Fuel molecules were observed to migrate into the o-rings for the petroleum-derived fuel as did both the fuel and additive for a synthetic F-T jet fuel additized with benzyl alcohol, but less for the unadditized synthetic fuel. The specific compounds or classes of compounds involved in the partitioning were ...
Normal-Mode-Analysis-Guided Investigation of Crucial Intersubunit Contacts in the cAMP-Dependent Gating in HCN Channels

Protein structures define a complex network of atomic interactions in three dimensions. Direct visualization of the structure and analysis of the interaction potential energy are not straightforward approaches to pinpoint the atomic contacts that are crucial for protein function. We used the tetrameric hyperpolarization-activated cAMP-regulated (HCN) channel as a model system to study the intersubunit contacts in cAMP-dependent gating. To obtain a systematic survey of the contacts between each pair of residues, we used normal-mode analysis, a computational approach for studying protein dynamics, and constructed the covariance matrix for C-α atoms. The significant contacts revealed by covariance analysis were further investigated by means of mutagenesis and functional assays. Among the mutant channels that show phenotypes different from those of the wild-type, we focused on two mutant channels that express opposite changes in cAMP-dependent gating. Subsequent biochemical assays on isolated C-terminal fragments, including the cAMP binding domain, revealed only minimal effects on cAMP binding, suggesting the necessity of interpreting the cAMP-dependent allosteric regulation at the whole-channel level. For this purpose, we applied the patch-clamp fluorometry technique and observed correlated changes in the dynamic, state-dependent cAMP binding in the mutant channels. This study not only provides further understanding of the intersubunit contacts in allosteric coupling in the HCN channel, it also illustrates an effective strategy for delineating important atomic contacts within a structure.
Model of Tooth Morphogenesis Predicts Carabelli Cusp Expression, Size, and Symmetry in Humans

Background The patterning cascade model of tooth morphogenesis accounts for shape development through the interaction of a small number of genes. In the model, gene expression both directs development and is controlled by the shape of developing teeth. Enamel knots (zones of nonproliferating epithelium) mark the future sites of cusps. In order to form, a new enamel knot must escape the inhibitory fields surrounding other enamel knots before crown components become spatially fixed as morphogenesis ceases. Because cusp location on a fully formed tooth reflects enamel knot placement and tooth size is limited by the cessation of morphogenesis, the model predicts that cusp expression varies with intercusp spacing relative to tooth size. Although previous studies in humans have supported the model's implications, here we directly test the model's predictions for the expression, size, and symmetry of Carabelli cusp, a variation present in many human populations. Methodology/Principal Findings In a dental cast sample of upper first molars (M1s) (187 rights, 189 lefts, and 185 antimeric pairs), we measured tooth area and intercusp distances with a Hirox digital microscope. We assessed Carabelli expression quantitatively as an area in a subsample and qualitatively using two typological schemes in the full sample. As predicted, low relative intercusp distance is associated with Carabelli expression in both right and left samples using either qualitative or quantitative measures. Furthermore, asymmetry in Carabelli area is associated with asymmetry in relative intercusp spacing. Conclusions/Significance These findings support the model's predictions for Carabelli cusp expression both across and within individuals. By comparing right-left pairs of the same individual, our data show that small variations in developmental timing or spacing of enamel knots can influence cusp pattern independently of genotype. Our findings suggest that during evolution new cusps may first appear as a result of small changes in the spacing of enamel knots relative to crown size.
Predictive modeling and experimental results for residual stresses in laser hardening of AISI 4140 steel by a high power diode laser

A predictive model for residual stresses induced in a laser hardened workpiece of AISI 4140 steel with no melting has been developed and experimentally verified. A transient three-dimensional thermal and kinetic model is first solved to obtain the temperature and solid phase history of the workpiece, which is then sequentially coupled to a three-dimensional stress model to predict residual stresses. The phase transformation strains are added to the thermal strains at each time step during the heating and cooling cycles to obtain the resultant residual stresses in the workpiece. The importance of considering phase transformation has been explained through the comparison of the magnitudes of residual stresses with and without the inclusion of phase transformation kinetics. The model predicted strong compressive residual stresses of about 200 MPa in the heat affected zone due to austenite-to-martensite transformation. The predictions matched well with the X-ray diffraction measurements.