cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Huge and variable diversity of episymbiotic CPR bacteria and DPANN archaea in groundwater ecosystems

Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) bacteria and DPANN archaea are uncultivated, small-celled symbionts often detected in groundwater. However, variations in CPR/DPANN organism abundance, distribution, taxonomic diversity, and degree/nature of host association with groundwater chemistry remain understudied. Here, we performed genome-resolved metagenomic characterization of one agriculturally-impacted and seven pristine groundwater microbial communities in California, recovering 746 dereplicated CPR and DPANN genomes. Our finding of up to 31% CPR bacteria and 4% DPANN archaea in the pristine sites, which serve as local sources of drinking water, may hold health relevance, given growing awareness of the presence of CPR/DPANN organisms in human microbiomes and their association with disease. There is little species-level genome overlap across groundwater sites, indicating that CPR and DPANN communities are highly differentiated according to host populations and physicochemical conditions. Cryo-TEM imaging and genomic analyses indicate that CPR growth may be stimulated by attachment to the surface of host cells, and identified CPR and DPANN lineages with particularly prevalent and/or resilient host cell attachment. These results establish the huge but site-specific diversity of CPR bacteria and DPANN archaea coexisting with diverse hosts in groundwater aquifers, and raise important questions about potential impacts on human health.
The power of data as an information weapon: Information warfare by Russia since 2014

Recently we see a repeating story: hacked data, leaked data, and disinformation are all powerful tools used alongside cyber sabotage and military force in different parts of the Western world. Many of these attacks are covert, raising the question of how scholars and citizens can detect these incursions in real time. In February 2014, Ukraine ousted its President Yanukovych, who was Russian President Putin's protege; Russia retaliated with physical and cyber aggression. An occupation of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine by clandestine Russian forces was accompanied by a massive disinformation campaign. Russia also infiltrated Ukrainian governmental networks with spying software, broke into the servers of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission to influence the outcome of the presidential election, and hacked and disabled important components of the Ukrainian critical infrastructure. After the United States (U.S.) and European Union (E.U.) imposed sanctions against Russia, Putin's regime intensified its information warfare against Western institutions as well. As weaponized data has been used in elections in Ukraine and the U.S., it may well continue during future election campaigns in France, the Netherlands, Germany, and beyond. In this paper we consider the nature of 'data' in an information-warfare environment. We also discuss and analyze Russian global information warfare since 2014, discuss how to detect its influence, and offer recommendations to mitigate its effects. While it is difficult to forensically prove who carried out recent attacks we describe, researchers agree that Russian government structures are behind these cyber and informational assaults. We use data from open sources, as well as data drawn from communications with other experts, to enhance clarity on info-warfare and gain insight into the everyday challenges presented by current-day Russian cyberactivity. As researchers, we aim to simply present a set of data and offer analyses relevant for citizens, scholars, and practitioners.
Efficient Trade Space Exploration

Two of the principal challenges in efficient trade space exploration are (1) quickly evaluating options, and (2) quickly convincing stakeholders to accept the results of the evaluation. This paper describes the process and tools that have led to a factor of nine improvement in the efficiency of trade space exploration of space systems in Team-X at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The principal method that has enabled this increase in efficiency is the separation of the exploration figures of merit into two distinct types, which are then addressed in an efficient order. The figures of merit in a trade space exploration of N subsystems either scale with the number of interactions between subsystems, $\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{N}^{\wedge}2-\mathrm{N})$ , or with the number of interactions between the subsystems and the external constraints, O(N). It is more computationally efficient to filter against O(N) figures of merit first, and only proceed to filtering against $\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{N}^{\wedge}2-\mathrm{N})$ figures of merit if warranted, than the other way around. However, the latter is the typical bottoms up design approach in space systems engineering organizations. In addition to the computational efficiencies gained through this pre-filtering of infeasible or non-viable configurations from further work, cognitive efficiencies are also gained by this partitioning of the figures of merit. By partitioning the O(N) external constraints on the system along the border of an N-squared diagram-based dashboard, and the $\mathrm{O}(\mathrm{N}^{\wedge}2-\mathrm{N})$ of interfaces between subsystems within the dashboard, stakeholders gain several insights: (1) how the external boundary conditions inform the what the optimal internal subsystem choices are, (2) how the internal subsystem choices affect the selectability of the options, and perhaps most importantly, (3) how their own requirements - derived by them from the O(N) external constraints - affect the selectability of the system options.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection in a Patient Population with Lung Cancer: Incidence, Presentation, and Alternative Diagnostic Considerations

Abstract Introduction Lung cancer is associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. Symptom overlap between COVID-19 and lung cancer may complicate diagnostic evaluation. We aimed to investigate the incidence, symptoms, differential diagnosis, and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with lung cancer. Methods To determine an at-risk population for COVID-19, we retrospectively identified patients with lung cancer receiving longitudinal care within a single institution in the 12 months (April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020) immediately preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, including an “active therapy population” treated within the last 60 days of this period. Among patients subsequently referred for COVID-19 testing, we compared symptoms, laboratory values, radiographic findings, and outcomes of positive versus negative patients. Results Between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020, a total of 696 patients received longitudinal care, including 406 (58%) in the active therapy population. Among 55 patients referred for COVID-19 testing, 24 (44%) were positive for COVID-19, representing a cumulative incidence of 3.4% (longitudinal population) and 1.5% (active therapy population). Compared with patients who were COVID-19 negative, those who were COVID-19 positive were more likely to have a supplemental oxygen requirement (11% versus 54%, p = 0.005) and to have typical COVID-19 pneumonia imaging findings (5 versus 56%, p = 0.001). Otherwise, there were no marked differences in presenting symptoms. Among patients who were COVID-19 negative, alternative etiologies included treatment-related toxicity (26%), atypical pneumonia (22%), and disease progression (22%). A total of 16 patients positive for COVID-19 (67%) required hospitalization, and seven (29%) died from COVID-related complications. Conclusions COVID-19 was infrequent in this lung cancer population, but these patients experienced high rates of morbidity and mortality. Oncologists should maintain a low threshold for COVID-19 testing in patients with lung cancer presenting with acute symptoms.
A Machine Learning Based Smartphone App for GPS Spoofing Detection

With affordable open-source software-defined radio (SDR) devices, the security of civilian Global Position System (GPS) is at risk of spoofing attacks. Spoofed GPS signals from SDR devices have indicated that spoofed signals have higher values of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Utilizing these values along with other parameters, we propose a machine learning (ML) based GPS spoofing detection system for classifying spoofed signals. To build our detection system, we launch spoofing attacks on a GPS receiver using a low-cost SDR device, LimeSDR, and apply ML algorithms on SNR values and the number of tracked and viewed satellites. A performance comparison between different ML algorithms shows that Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) achieve 99.5% accuracy, followed by K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) (99.4%). To demonstrate easy integration of the algorithm with GPS enabled devices, we develop an Android-based smartphone app that successfully notifies the user about the spoofing signals.
Surveillance of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Injury, Illness, and Economic Impacts.

Surveillance involves the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data and timely dissemination of the findings to those who need to know. Understanding the changing n...
Three-dimensional assessment of brain arterial compliance: Technical development, comparison with aortic pulse wave velocity, and age effect

PURPOSE The ability to measure cerebral vascular compliance (VC) is important in the evaluation of vascular diseases. Additionally, quantification of arterial wall pulsation in the brain may be useful for understanding the driving force of the recently discovered glymphatic system. Our goal is to develop an MRI technique to measure VC and arterial wall pulsation in major intracranial vessels. METHODS A total of 17 healthy subjects were studied on a 3T MRI system. The technique, called VaCom-PCASL, uses pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) to obtain pure blood vessel signal, uses a 3D radial acquisition, and applies a golden-angle radial sparse parallel (GRASP) algorithm for image reconstruction. The k-space data were retrospectively sorted into different cardiac phases. The GRASP algorithm allows the reconstruction of 5D (three spatial dimensions, one control/label dimension, and one cardiac-phase dimension) data simultaneously. The proposed technique was optimized in terms of reconstruction parameters and labeling duration. Intracranial VC was compared with aortic pulse wave velocity measured with phase-contrast MRI. Age differences in VC were studied. RESULTS The VaCom-PCASL technique using 10 cardiac phases and GRASP sparsity constraints of λlabel/control = 0.05 and λcardiac = 0.05 provided the highest contrast-to-noise ratio. A labeling duration of 800 ms was found to yield signals comparable to those of longer duration (P > .2), whereas 400 ms yielded significant overestimation (P < .005). A significant correlation was observed between intracranial VC and aortic pulse wave velocity (r = -0.73, P = .038, N = 8). Vascular compliance in the older group was lower than that in the younger group. CONCLUSION The VaCom-PCASL-MRI technique represents a promising approach for noninvasive assessment of arterial stiffness and pulsatility.
Political Appeals to Narrow and Broad Groups: Biko for Blacks, Woolf for Women, Mannheim for Mobilizations…

A political campaign tends to succeed if the spectacle of struggle mobilizes previously uninvolved people to support the movement’s cause (Schattschneider 1960). Mobilizations for racial justice (Biko 1978, Douglass 1852, Du Bois 1903, Fanon 1961), for women’s rights (Wollstonecraft 1792, Woolf 1938, Waring 1988), for the poor (Piven and Cloward 1979, Bhave 1955, Fei 1971) or other causes simultaneously make particular appeals to coerced groups and general appeals to broader audiences. Strategies of inclusivist movements (Alinsky 1971, Tarrow 2011) resemble those of exclusivist or nationalist campaigns (Xi 2017), even if their goals are diametrically different. Twenty-first century politics are increasingly dominated by rising economic inequalities (Piketty 2014) and by the strength of unresponsive bureaucracies (Weber 1919), in both rich and poor countries (Bermeo 2016, Rodan 2018). Karl Mannheim (1936) generalizes parallels among mobilization strategies, distinguishes ways in which they are based on either existential choices or evidenced interests, and stresses the role of activism for increasing knowledge in social science.
Evan Weissman: Food studies scholar and hometown scholar-activist

First paragraph: In order to find a tenure-track job in their field, academics often must move far from their hometown and the university they graduated from. Evan Weissman was the rare academic who had the oppor­tunity to stay at the university that granted him his Ph.D. and, even rarer, stay in his hometown of Syracuse, New York. He acknowledged the privilege of this situation in his remarkable article, “Privilege and Mistake Making in the Practice of Activist-Scholarship” (Weissman, 2018). In addition to stating his privilege as a white, male, able-bodied person, gainfully employed in a job that allowed him to follow his interests and do community-engaged work within the framework of academic freedom, he commented specifically on working in his hometown. He stated, “I am privileged to work and live in my hometown, where I have deep personal and political commitments. Because I live and work in my hometown, the traditional line between my identities and positions as community member and scholar are blurred” (Weissman, 2018, p. 1069). He went on to discuss the difficulty with attempting to be a scholar-activist without being seen as one or the other, particularly in a city such as Syracuse with an expensive private school located in a city with a large low-income population and a large degree of inequality, with a large town/gown separation. . . .
Chapter 6 – Evaluation

Publisher Summary This chapter describes design principles, and methodologies for planning, and implementing systematic evaluations of intelligent tutors. The first stage of intelligent tutor evaluation is to identify the goals of the tutors. Some tutor goals might be measured by tracking transfer-of-skills to other domains, improving student self-efficacy, or modifying student attitude about a domain. Tutors operate in a variety of contexts, and might differentially affect students with greater or lesser aptitude in the domain. They might also represent different learning theories, and therefore measure distinct learning outcomes. The second stage of intelligent tutor evaluation is to identify the goals of the evaluation. Tutor evaluation might contribute to tutor development or be directed at whether software does or does not improve on current practice. The third stage of intelligent tutor evaluation is to develop an evaluation design based on the goals of the tutor and the evaluation. The fourth stage of intelligent tutor evaluation is to instantiate the design with the required details. The fifth stage of intelligent tutor evaluation is to analyze and present findings of the evaluation. Statistical tests are used along with tables and graphs. The final stage of intelligent tutor evaluation is to discuss and interpret the evaluation.
Properties of the Dengue Virion

The initial filtration experiments by Ashburn and Craig (1907) and Cleland et al. (1919) were refined by Manoussakis (1928) who found that dengue virus, in the form of infectious human serum, could pass Chamberland L II filters, indicating a relatively small size of the viral particles. Later estimates of the particle diameter determined by the gradocol membrane technique and infectivity of the filtrate for human volunteers were reported as 13–23 nm by Toda and Nakagawa (1943, 1944) and 17–25 nm or less by Sabin (1952a). More recent electron microscopic evidence indicates that these values are too low, at least for the enveloped, complete virions. One may suggest three alternative explanations of this apparent discrepancy: (a) defects of the filters or the filtration procedures or their interpretation, (b) distortion of the enveloped virions during filtration, (c) infectiousness of naked viral cores for experimental human subjects. Passage of infectious mouse-adapted dengue-2 virions through Millipore filters of 50 nm average pore diameter has been reported by Casals (1968b).
E-science: Where Are We and Where Should We Go

Grid computing, high-performance and distributed applications --- the GADA environment --- provides much of the platform for transformative approaches to the conduct of scientific and engineering research and associated education that are now being called e-science or cyberinfrastructure (CI)-enhanced science . This talk will review progress in this area with reference to initiatives of the U.S. National Science Foundation and similar European agencies over the last decade. The speaker will provide his assessment of where we now stand and highlight some remaining challenges and opportunities.
Non-separable, Quasiconcave Utilities are Easy – in a Perfect Price Discrimination Market Model (Extended Abstract)

Recent results, establishing evidence of intractability for such restrictive utility functions as additively separable, piecewise-linear and concave, under both Fisher and Arrow-Debreu market models, have prompted the question of whether we have failed to capture some essential elements of real markets, which seem to do a good job of finding prices that maintain parity between supply and demand.
A coming of age

This study sought to determine if the much lauded values and beliefs of the baby boom generation would result in a significant change in bottom‐line impact. Organizational financial performance, as measured by average return on assets (ROA) and average net margin (MAR), were compared for baby boom CEOs, those born between 1946 and 1964, and CEOs born prior to 1946. The study found no significant differences in ROA and net margin.
EUVE Observations of the Seyfert Galaxy MRK 279

We report EUVE spectral and photometric data of the Seyfert 1 galaxy MRK 279. The photometric data show large amplitude variations over time scales less than 10,000 s. The spectrum is characterized by several features between 80 and 100 A. We compare the observed data with several models. We can rule out the possibility that the EUV emission is from a diffuse corona or intercloud medium. Models that assume the soft X-ray/EUV emission results from reprocessing in an optical BLR region are also inconsistent with the data. A collisional excitation model is consistent with the observations but requires a cloud density ≥ 1011 cm-3.
Upstream vertical integration in the aluminum and tin industries: A comparative study of the choice between market and intrafirm coordination

Abstract This paper explores whether Williamson's theory of vertical integration holds for the upstream stages of the aluminum and tin industries. It concludes that the structure of these industries is broadly consistent with Williamson's predictions: the higher degree of upstream vertical integration in aluminum can be explained by greater scale economies, higher barriers to entry, higher transportation costs, and greater asset specificity. Similarly, differences in vertical integration within the tin industry can be explained in terms of the same variables.
String action on adS space

String theory in the background of the near horizon D3 brane can be described in terms of the Green-Schwarz type action with manifest space-time supersymmetry. This allows to overcome one of the basic drawbacks of the standard NS string action: the fact that it does not couple to Ramond-Ramond forms. The five-form of the supersymmetric adS geometry does couple to fermions in GS formulation. We describe the classical string action in this background which depends on up to 32+2 powers of fermions as well as the one with the gauge-fixed k-symmetry which has only up to 2+2 powers of fermions. Finally we also give a T-dual action with the simple quadratic dependence on fermions.
Production of italian dry salami: effect of starter culture and chemical acidulation on staphylococcal growth in salami under commercial manufacturing conditions.

The effect of starter culture and chemical acidulation on the growth and enterotoxigenesis of Staphylococcus aureus strain S-6 in Italian dry salami under commercial manufacturing conditions was studied. The experimental design included two levels of S. aureus (104 and 105/g), three levels of starter culture (0, 105, and 106/g), three levels of initial pH (pH0) (6.1, 5.5, and 4.8), two manufacturing plants, and three replications. S. aureus growth in the salami was affected significantly (P < 0.005) by pH0, initial levels of S. aureus (staph0) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB0), day of fermentation, and by the interactions of pH0 × day, pH0 × LAB0, LAB0 × staph0, pH0 × staph0, and pH0 × location of fermentation. In general, the lower the pH0 and the higher the LAB0, the greater the inhibition of S. aureus. The LAB levels during the fermentation were affected significantly (P < 0.005) by pH0, LAB0, day of fermentation, location, LAB0 × pH0, and LAB0 × day. Derived regression equations related level of S. aureus and LAB at any day of fermentation to a number of microbiological and chemical variables. Close similarity of observed and predicted levels of S. aureus and LAB growth demonstrated the usefulness of the experimental approach in evaluating the safety of a process. No detectable enterotoxin or thermonuclease was found at any stage of processing even when S. aureus reached levels of 107/g of salami.
Traumatic brain injuries and computed tomography use in pediatric sports participants.

Abstract Background Childhood sports-related head trauma is common, frequently leading to emergency department (ED) visits. We describe the spectrum of these injuries and trends in computed tomography (CT) use in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network. Methods This was a secondary analysis of a large prospective cohort of children with head trauma in 25 Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network EDs between 2004 and 2006. We described and compared children 5 to 18 years old by CT rate, traumatic brain injury (TBI) on CT, and clinically important TBI (ciTBI). We used multi-variable logistic regression to compare CT rates, adjusting for clinical severity. Outcomes included frequency of CT, TBIs on CT, and ciTBIs (defined by [ a ] death, [ b ] neurosurgery, [ c ] intubation >24 hours, or [ d ] hospitalization for ≥2 nights). Findings A total of 3289 (14%) of 23082 children had sports-related head trauma. Two percent had Glasgow Coma Scale scores less than 14. 53% received ED CTs, 4% had TBIs on CT, and 1% had ciTBIs. Equestrians had increased adjusted odds (1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-3.0]) of CTs; the rate of TBI on CT was 4% (95% CI, 3%-5%). Compared with team sports, snow (adjusted odds ratio, 4.1; 95% CI 1.5-11.4) and nonmotorized wheeled (adjusted odds ratio, 12.8; 95% CI, 5.5-32.4) sports had increased adjusted odds of ciTBIs. Conclusions Children with sports-related head trauma commonly undergo CT. Only 4% of those imaged had TBIs on CT. Clinically important TBIs occurred in 1%, with significant variation by sport. There is an opportunity for injury prevention efforts in high-risk sports and opportunities to reduce CT use in general by use of evidence-based prediction rules. What is known about this subject: Pediatric sports-related head injuries are a common and increasingly frequent ED presentation, as is the use of CT in their evaluation. Little is known about TBIs resulting from different types of sports activities in children. What this study adds to existing knowledge: This study broadens the understanding of the epidemiology of Pediatric TBIs resulting from different sports activities through a prospective assessment of frequency and severity of ciTBIs and ED CT use in a large cohort of head-injured children in a network of pediatric EDs.
El centro está afuera: la jornada del peregrino

En su articulo, Victor Turner presento una primera aproximacion al estudio de las peregrinaciones en el marco de sus intereses teoricos: las unidades procesuales, la antiestructura, la liminalidad y la communitas. Con base en sus presupuestos teoricos y gracias a las posibilidades metodologicas que puso en practica, analizo las distintas relaciones que —segun su investigacion— se establecerian en los sistemas de peregrinaje tanto en Asia, Europa y Africa como en las euforicas peregrinaciones mexicanas que atrajeron especialmente su atencion. Tras su estudio, el autor llego a conclusiones tentativas y sin duda sustanciosas: una de ellas, que la jornada del peregrino siempre busca un lugar afuera de la estructura, el centro de peregrinacion, el espacio de la communitas.
Evaluation of Nonhydrostatic Simulations of Northeast Pacific Atmospheric Rivers and Comparison to in Situ Observations

AbstractAtmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of concentrated atmospheric water vapor transport that provide an important atmospheric linkage between the subtropics and the midlatitudes, facilitating over 90% of meridional water vapor flux and often resulting in extreme precipitation events in regions of enhanced coastal orography. In this investigation, the authors conduct continuous (3 month), large-domain (3600 km × 3200 km), high-resolution (4 km), nonhydrostatic simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model and compare the observations to previously reported dropsonde observations from the California Land-Falling Jets Experiment (CALJET) and the Pacific Land-Falling Jets Experiment (PACJET) in order to address an existing gap in knowledge regarding the ability of atmospheric models to simulate the finescale vertical and horizontal structure of atmospheric rivers. The WRF simulations reproduce key structural and thermodynamic characteristics of atmospheric rivers—including wel...
Ethanol Modulation of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Currents in Cultured Cortical Neurons

Ethanol, at physiologically relevant concentrations, significantly enhanced high-affinity neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (NnAChR) currents insensitive to α-bungarotoxin (α-BuTX-ICs) in cultured rat cortical neurons in a fast and reversible manner, as determined by standard whole-cell patch-clamp recording techniques. The enhancement was (mean ± S.D.) 7.7 ± 5% to 192 ± 52% upon coapplication of 3 to 300 mM ethanol with 1 to 3 μM ACh. No plateau for this ethanol-induced enhancement of α-BuTX-ICs was reached. The maximal α-BuTX-IC evoked by very high concentrations of ACh also was increased upon coapplication of ethanol. In contrast, ethanol weakly inhibited low-affinity NnAChR currents sensitive to α-BuTX (α-BuTX-SCs) (5 ± 4% to 29 ± 6% inhibition by 10 to 300 mM ethanol at 300 to 1000 μM ACh). This neuronal preparation also enabled comparison of ethanol action on NnAChRs with its action on N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor currents and γ-aminobutyric acid receptor currents within the same neurons. Ethanol (100 mM) was more potent at enhancing NnAChR α-BuTX-ICs (61 ± 9% enhancement) than it was at enhancing γ-aminobutyric acid receptor current (3 ± 3% enhancement—not statistically significant) or at inhibitingN-methyl-d-aspartate receptor currents (∼35 ± 7% inhibition). Thus, NnAChRs, particularly those insensitive to α-BuTX, may be sensitive conduits through which ethanol can mediate some of its actions in the brain.
The effects of turbulence-induced time-periodic shear on a flame anchored to a propellant

We examine the combustion response of a flame anchored to two 1/4-spaces of solid fuel and oxidizer, a configuration relevant to the combustion of heterogeneous solid propellants. A time-periodic shear flow is applied to model the shear that can be generated by the presence of acoustics or turbulence in a rocket chamber. To estimate the magnitude and frequency of the shear for the case of a turbulent flow, we present DNS results of a planar periodic rocket, a configuration that has its roots in a multiscale analysis. Such a configuration allows for the determination of the shear parameters as a function of motor geometry and downstream location. The response of the flame to this shear, the heat flux to the surface, and the burning rate are calculated numerically. Significant enhancement to the burn rate, commonly known as erosive burning, is found.
WE-E-213CD-09: Multi-Atlas Fusion Using a Tissue Appearance Model

Purpose: To improve multi‐atlas based auto‐segmentation by integrating a tissue appearance model with the Simultaneous Truth and Performance Level Estimation (STAPLE) algorithm to perform multi‐atlas fusion.Methods: Ten head‐and‐neck planning CTimages were acquired (resolution: 1.0×1.0×2.5mm3) and the parotid glands were contoured manually by a head‐and‐neck oncologist. We performed 10 leave‐one‐out tests by using one patient as test patient and the rest of 9 patients as atlases. Deformable registration was first applied to transform the atlas parotid contours to the test image one by one. The STAPLE algorithm was initialized by a parotid tissue appearance model, which was estimated from the test image and encoded the intensity information of parotid glands. The individual deformed contours were then fused using the STAPLE algorithm to produce a best approximation of the true contour. The tissue appearance model was also applied to a deformable model segmentation to further refine the fused contours.Results: The multi‐atlas fusion using the tissue appearance model produced an average Dice coefficient of 85.2%±3.1% (left parotid) and 84.9%±3.9% (right parotid) over the 10 tests between the auto‐contour and the manual contour, and an average mean surface distance of 1.6±0.3mm and 1.6±0.4mm for left and right parotids respectively. This demonstrated a good agreement between the manual contours and the auto‐ delineated contours. Our results also showed that, without using the tissue appearance model, the auto‐delineated parotid contours might include nearby bony structures; however, using the appearance model was able to correct this problem. Conclusions: Including the intensity information using a tissue appearance model into STAPLE algorithm for multi‐atlas fusion showed improvement in refining the anatomical boundaries in the multi‐ atlas based auto‐segmentation.
EFFECTS OF SIMULATED ACIDIC RAIN ON YIELDS OF FIELD-GROWN CROPS

SUMMARY Experiments were performed to determine the effects of simulated acidic rainfall on yields of radish (Raphanus sativa L.), garden beet (Beta vulgaris L.), kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) grown under standard agronomic practices. The experimental design allowed the detection of statistically significant differences among means that differed from each other by less than 10 %. The plants were exposed to small additions of simulated rain at pH levels of 5.7, 4.0, 3.1 and 2.7. The spray-to-wet simulated rain applications were similar in volume to the median of all ambient rainfall showers. Some plants received no simulated rainfall and all were exposed to ambient rainfall at Brookhaven National Laboratory (Upton, N.Y), which had a mean weighted pH of 4.06 during the summer of 1980. Root mass of radish was not significantly affected by simulated acidic rainfall. The absence of a decrease in root yields in radish was coincident with an absence of visible foliar injury. Beet plants treated with simulated rain applications of pH 4.0, 3.1 and 2.7 showed significant decreases in yield compared with yields under both the ambient rainfall only and pH 5.7 simulated rain treatments. Root yields of beet exposed to simulated rain at pH 5.7, 4.0. 3.1 and 2.7 were 110, 79, 84 and 86% of those receiving ambient rainfall only. Foliar injury on beet was attributed to exposure both to simulated acidic rain of pH 4.0, 3.1 and 2.7 and to several consecutive ambient rainfalls which had an average pH of 3.9. This is the first experiment showing visible foliar injury due to either ambient rainfalls or simulated rain above pH 3.1 under agronomic conditions. With kidney bean, there were no significant differences among treatments of such parameters as number of seeds per plant, mass of seeds per plant and number of pods per plant. There were also no significant differences among treatments for fresh mass or dry mass of alfalfa hay. These studies suggest that no generalizations about crop sensitivity with regard to either plant portion harvested (e.g. roots, fruits, leaves) or taxonomic considerations can be made at the present time.
Some recurrences for sums of powers of binomial coefficients

Recently, interest has been sparked in recurrences for sums of powers of binomial coefficients. We will present four-term recurrences for Σk = 0n (kn)r r = 5, 6.
Philosophy of science underpinnings of prototype validation: Popper vs. Quine

. In this paper, we aim to provide prototype validation in both custom and packaged software development with a theoretical framework located within the philosophy of science. Towards that end, we consider Popperian and Quinean accounts of scientific knowledge and argue that the theoretical underpinning of prototype validation is Quine’s holistic philosophy of science, whose cornerstone principle is that all beliefs are revisable. Specifically, our thesis is that the systems developer and software consumer (user or customer) join forces – not as Popperian falsifiers, who make a decision rule to reject the prototype on account of any divergence, major or minor, from the software consumer’s mental model, but – as Quinean revisers, with the objective of fine-tuning the prototype (or the software consumer’s mental model) so that the prototype and the software consumer’s mental model are congruent with each other. This paper suggests that prototype revisions are belief revisions, and, as such, should be guided – and are guided – by pragmatic norms, such as conservatism, simplicity and generality, and are influenced by social, or sociological, factors as well. Finally, we discuss the relevance, value and pragmatic implications of a Quinean philosophy of science framework for research and practice.
Radiolytic condensation nuclei in aerosol neutralizers

Abstract Production of condensation nuclei in nuclei-free air in two commercially available aerosol neutralizers was tested. No nuclei formation was found for the neutralizer using a beta source at any of the flow rates used. The concentration of nuclei produced in the neutralizer using an alpha source varied with the airflow. Nuclei formation could be prevented by utilizing a high flow rate through the neutralizer or trace quantities of an efficient radical scavenger such as methanol.
Relationship of LES length to motility diagnoses

Previous studies of the mechanics of the LES suggest that competence of the cardia relates to both LES pressure and length. The present study was performed to evaluate possible differences in LES abdominal length in healthy controls and patients with various esophageal manometric findings.
EFFECTS OF AMINOTETRALINS ON INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE AND PUPILLARY FUNCTION IN RABBITS

Aminotetralin compounds, A-6, 7-DTN and TL-99, produced bisphasic changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) and pupillary dilatation in rabbits. The rise in IOP appeared to result from an action on extraocular muscles because this effect was not produced by either compound in rabbits with transected extraocular muscles. The ocular hypotensive action of A-6, 7-DTN and TL-99 was markedly attenuated in sympathectomized rabbits indicating that this action resulted from suppression of sympathetic neuronal activity. Inhibition of ocular hypertension induced by waterloading by both compounds and suppression of the IOP recovery rate by A-6, 7-DTN suggested that the latter compound lowered IOP, in part, by inhibiting aqueous humor formation. The ocular hypotensive action of A-6, 7-DTN was antagonized by pretreatment with sulpiride, but not by yohimbine, indicating that dopamine receptors are involved in the response. These studies demonstrated that dopamine agonists can lower IOP and suggest that these types of drugs might prove useful in the therapy of open-angle glaucoma.
Hardware-accelerated regular expression matching for high-throughput text analytics

Advanced text analytics systems combine regular expression (regex) matching, dictionary processing, and relational algebra for efficient information extraction from text documents. Such systems require support for advanced regex matching features, such as start offset reporting and capturing groups. However, existing regex matching architectures based on reconfigurable nondeterministic state machines and programmable deterministic state machines are not designed to support such features. We describe a novel architecture that supports such advanced features using a network of state machines. We also present a compiler that maps the regexs onto such networks that can be efficiently realized on reconfigurable logic. For each regex, our compiler produces a state machine description, statically computes the number of state machines needed, and produces an optimized interconnection network. Experiments on an Altera Stratix IV FPGA, using regexs from a real life text analytics benchmark, show that a throughput rate of 16 Gb/s can be reached.
Inorganic Carbon Analysis by Modified Pressure-Calcimeter Method

Soil organic C (SOC) analyses using high temperature induction furnace combustion methods have become increasing popular because of advances in instrumentation. Combustion methods, however, also include C from CaCO 3 and CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 found in calcareous soils. Separate analysis of the inorganic C (IC) must be done to correct C data from combustion methods. Our objective was to develop a efficient and precise IC method by modification of the pressure-calcimeter method. We modified the method by using Wheaton serum bottles (20-mL and 100-mL) sealed with butyl rubber stoppers and aluminum tear-off seals as the reaction vessel and a pressure transducer monitored by a digital voltmeter. Our gravimetric IC determination of six soils showed a strong correlation when regressed against IC from the modified pressure-calcimeter method (slope of 0.99, r 2 = 0.998). The method detection limit (MDL) was 0.17 g IC kg -1 for the 20-mL serum bottles and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.30 g IC kg -1 . The 100-mL serum bottle had a MDL of 0.42 with a LOQ of 2.4 g IC kg -1 . When using a 100-mL Wheaton serum bottle as the reaction vessel with a 0.50-g sample size, soils containing up to 120 g IC kg -1 , which represent a 100 % CaCO 3 equivalent, can be analyzed within the V output range of the pressure transducer. Soil organic C determined by subtraction of IC from total C from combustion analysis correlated well with SOC determined by the Walkley-Black.
Comparison of cluster expansion fitting algorithms for interactions at surfaces

Abstract Cluster expansions (CEs) are Ising-type interaction models that are increasingly used to model interaction and ordering phenomena at surfaces, such as the adsorbate–adsorbate interactions that control coverage-dependent adsorption or surface-vacancy interactions that control surface reconstructions. CEs are typically fit to a limited set of data derived from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The CE fitting process involves iterative selection of DFT data points to include in a fit set and selection of interaction clusters to include in the CE. Here we compare the performance of three CE fitting algorithms—the MIT Ab-initio Phase Stability code (MAPS, the default in ATAT software), a genetic algorithm (GA), and a steepest descent (SD) algorithm—against synthetic data. The synthetic data is encoded in model Hamiltonians of varying complexity motivated by the observed behavior of atomic adsorbates on a face-centered-cubic transition metal close-packed (111) surface. We compare the performance of the leave-one-out cross-validation score against the true fitting error available from knowledge of the hidden CEs. For these systems, SD achieves lowest overall fitting and prediction error independent of the underlying system complexity. SD also most accurately predicts cluster interaction energies without ignoring or introducing extra interactions into the CE. MAPS achieves good results in fewer iterations, while the GA performs least well for these particular problems.
Detection of a complex of SV40 large tumor antigen and 53K cellular protein on the surface of SV40‐transformed mouse cells

The possible interaction between simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor antigen (T-ag) and cellular proteins in the plasma membrane of SV40-transformed mouse cells was investigated. The presence of SV40 T-ag, 53,000 (53K) cellular protein, and histocompatibility (H-2) antigens on the surface of SV40-transformed cells was demonstrated by immunofluorescence. The use of lactoperoxidase-catalyzed cell surface iodination and a differential immunoprecipitation technique established that large T-ag is associated with the 53K host-coded protein on the surface of the transformed cells. In contrast, no detergent-stable complex between large T-ag and H-2 antigens was detected. Both labeled T-ag and 53K protein were coprecipitated from surface-iodinated SV40-transformed cells by monoclonal antibodies directed against either the viral or the cellular protein. Based on the unique antigenic sites recognized by the anti-T monoclonal antibodies, it appears that both the carboxy and amino termini of the T-ag polypeptide are exposed on the surface of SV40-transformed mouse cells. The nature of the association between surface T-ag and 53K protein, as well as that between the molecular complex and the plasma membrane, remains to be determined. The possible effect of the surface-associated T-ag/53K complex on cellular proliferation is considered.
Exploring the Energy Landscape for QA- to QB Electron Transfer in Bacterial Photosynthetic Reaction Centers: Effect of Substrate Position and Tail Length on the Conformational Gating Step†

The ability to initiate reactions with a flash of light and to monitor reactions over a wide temperature range allows detailed analysis of reaction mechanisms in photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) of purple bacteria. In this protein, the electron transfer from the reduced primary quinone (Q A - )t o the secondary quinone (QB) is rate-limited by conformational changes rather than electron tunneling. Q B movement from a distal to a proximal site has been proposed to be the rate-limiting change. The importance of quinone motion was examined by shortening the QB tail from 50 to 5 carbons. No change in rate was found from 100 to 300 K. The temperature dependence of the rate was also measured in three L209 proline mutants. Under conditions where QB is in the distal site in wild-type RCs, it is trapped in the proximal site in the Tyr L209 mutant (Kuglstatter, A., et al. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 4253-4260). The electron transfer slows at low temperature for all three mutants as it does in wild-type protein, indicating that conformational changes still limit the reaction rate. Thus, Q B movement is unlikely to be the sole, rate-limiting conformational gating step. The temperature dependence of the reaction in the L209 mutants differs somewhat from wild-type RCs. Entropy-enthalpy compensation reduces the difference in rates and free energy changes at room temperature.
Association mapping of grain hardness, polyphenol oxidase, total phenolics, amylose content, and β-glucan in US barley breeding germplasm

A renewed interest in breeding barley specifically for food end-uses is being driven by increased consumer interest in healthier foods. We conducted association mapping on physicochemical properties of barley that play a role in food quality and processing including grain hardness, polyphenol oxidase activity, total phenolics, amylose content, and β-glucan. We used 3,069 elite two-row and six-row spring barley breeding lines from eight US breeding programs and 2,041 SNP markers for association mapping. Marker–trait associations were identified using a mixed model that incorporated population structure and kinship. We detected two previously identified QTL for grain hardness on chromosome 2H in the telomeric region of 5H along with two novel regions on 4H and 6H. For amylose content, we detected marker–trait associations on 7H from 0.63 to 30 cM. We detected four regions on chromosomes 1H, 2H, 3H, and 4H associated with polyphenol oxidase activity. The chromosome 2H region co-localized with the two previously mapped polyphenol oxidase genes PPO1 and PPO2, and the regions on chromosomes 1H, 3H, and 4H QTL were novel. For total phenolics, we identified three significant regions on 3H, 4H, and 5H. Two regions on 2H and 7H were associated with β-glucan. Both previously identified and novel QTL are segregating in elite US breeding germplasm. Only three of the 24 SNPs that were associated with traits using either the two-row or six-row mapping panel were identified in both panels. Nine SNPs were detected in the individual two-row or six-row panels that were not detected in the analysis using the complete panel and accounting for population structure. The distribution of favorable alleles at these loci that underpin food quality across the breeding programs suggests several strategies to use markers to improve barley for food uses.
Glutamate transmission and toxicity in alzheimer's disease

1. Despite intensive research, the cause of Alzheimer's disease is unknown. 2. Glutamate is the major excitatory transmitter of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and it appears to have an important role in learning and memory. In addition to its transmitter function, glutamate is a neurotoxin which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. 3. Glutamate toxicity may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. 4. Disruption of glutamatergic neurotransmission may account, in part, for the learning and memory deficits of Alzheimer's disease. 5. Labeling of the glutamate receptor complex may allow in vivo diagnosis by positron emission tomography. 6. Glutamate receptor ligands may provide a means of therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer's disease.
Gyromagnetic ratio of the first 2+ excited state in 126Xe

Abstract The precession of the directional correlation of the 492−389 keV 2+ → 2+ → 0+γ-γ cascade in 126Xe was measured by using a source of 13 d 126I implanted in iron with the UNISOR isotope separator. A small external polarizing magnet and a Ge(Li)-NaI coincidence system were employed in this work. The measured angle of precession ωτ = −54 ± 10 mr gives a g-factor of +0.22 ± 0.05 for the first 2+ excited state of 126Xe at an estimated internal magnetic field of 864 kOe at the site of 126Xe nuclei in iron. This result is in satisfactory agreement with a calculation by Kisslinger and Sorensen but smaller than the value predicted by Greiner for collective states.
A THEORY OF CONGRESSIONAL ORGANIZATION Committee Size in the U.S. House of Representatives

The increasing size of committees in the House of Representatives has never been satisfactorily explained. By exploring the source of two previously unexamined anomalies within the existing theory of congressional committee size, this article develops an alternative explanation of the phenomenon. The new theory emphasizes the importance of membership motivations and organizational constraints, and it proposes two factors to account for committee expansion. One factor is the existence of personal and group “rights” to certain committee seats, coupled with the disruption produced by biennial change in the House party ratio. The second factor is membership demand for dual committee assignments, coupled with the constraints placed on assignment pairs. A model based on these factors is found to have substantial explanatory power. Because the analysis suggests inherent organizational forces for committee expansion, the findings have important implications for committee reorganization and reform.