cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disparities among 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) hospital admissions: a mixed methods analysis--Illinois, April-December 2009.

During late April 2009, the first cases of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) (pH1N1) in Illinois were reported. On-going, sustained local transmission resulted in an estimated 500,000 infected persons. We conducted a mixed method analysis using both quantitative (surveillance) and qualitative (interview) data; surveillance data was used to analyze demographic distribution of hospitalized cases and follow-up interview data was used to assess health seeking behavior. Invitations to participate in a telephone interview were sent to 120 randomly selected Illinois residents that were hospitalized during April–December 2009. During April–December 2009, 2,824 pH1N1 hospitalizations occurred in Illinois hospitals; median age (interquartile range) at admission was 24 (range: 6–49) years. Hospitalization rates/100,000 persons for blacks and Hispanics, regardless of age or sex were 2–3 times greater than for whites (blacks, 36/100,000 (95% Confidence Interval ([95% CI], 33–39)); Hispanics, 35/100,000 [95%CI,32–37] (; whites, 13/100,000[95%CI, 12–14); p<0.001). Mortality rates were higher for blacks (0.9/100,000; p<0.09) and Hispanics (1/100,000; p<0.04) when compared with the mortality rates for whites (0.6/100,000). Of 33 interview respondents, 31 (94%) stated that they had heard of pH1N1 before being hospitalized, and 24 (73%) did not believed they were at risk for pH1N1. On average, respondents reported experiencing symptoms for 2 days (range: 1–7) before seeking medical care. When asked how to prevent pH1N1 infection in the future, the most common responses were getting vaccinated and practicing hand hygiene. Blacks and Hispanics in Illinois experienced disproportionate pH1N1 hospitalization and mortality rates. Public health education and outreach efforts in preparation for future influenza pandemics should include prevention messaging focused on perception of risk, and ensure community wide access to prevention messages and practices.
Turbidity maxima in partially mixed estuaries: A two-dimensional numerical model

Abstract A steady-state numerical model has been developed to help explain the presence of the turbidity maximum in partially mixed estuaries. The model supports the hypothesis that estuarine dynamics are primarly responsible for its occurrence. The magnitude and location of the turbidity maximum is shown to depend upon the settling velocity (particle size) of the sediment, the amount of sediment introduced at both the ocean and river source, and the strength of the estuarine circulation. This phenomenon is not simply related to the river input of sediments, since results show the existence of a turbidity maximum for a sediment source which is predominately oceanic. Sediment flux stream functions show the presence of a closed cell when a turbidity maximum exists.
Effect of α-ethylcaproic acid on cholesterol esterification and absorption

Administration of α-ethylcaproic acid to lymph-fistula rats increased the absorption of cholesterol-4-C14. However, no cholesterol-4-C14 α-ethylcaproate was found in the lymph. This effect may be due to a diversion of fatty acids from other pathways in the mucosa so that they are available for increased cholesterol esterification. When cholesterol-4-C14α-ethylcaproate was fed to lymph-fistula rats, 7% of the cholesterol-4-C14 was in the lymph in comparison to 41% when free cholesterol-4-C14 was fed. There was no cholesterol-4-C14α-ethylcaproate in the lymph or intestinal wall when the ester was fed. More than 90% of the cholesterol-4-C14 in the wall of the small intestine was free cholesterol when either free cholesterol-4-C14 or cholesterol-4-C14α-ethylcaproate was fed. In the combined feces and intestinal contents, essentially all of the cholesterol was present as free cholesterol when free cholesterol-4-C14 was fed, while the cholesterol-4-C14 was predominately in the esterified form when cholesterol-4-C14α-ethylcaproate was fed. Cholesterol α-ethylcaproate was hydrolyzed by rat pancreatic juice in vitro. Cholesterol oleate was hydrolyzed approximately 60 times as rapidly when in micellar form as when emulsified with albumin. Cholesterol α-ethylcaproate was hydrolyzed at approximately the same rate under both conditions.
Extreme wave front sensing accuracy for the Eclipse coronagraphic space telescope

The Eclipse coronagraphic telescope will allow for high contrast imaging near a target star to facilitate planet finding. One key element will be its high accuracy, high authority deformable mirror (DM) that controls the wave front error (WFE) down to an acceptable level. In fact, to achieve the desired contrast ratio of nine orders of magnitude (in intensity) to within 0.35 arcseconds of the target star, the WFE in the telescope must be controlled to level below 1A rms within the controllable bandwidth of the DM. To achieve this extreme wave front sensing (WFS) accuracy, we employ a focus-diverse phase retrieval method extended from the Next Generation Space Telescope baseline approach. This method processes a collection defocused point-spread functions, measured at the occulting position in the Eclipse optical system, into a high accuracy estimate of the exit-pupil WFE. Through both simulation and hardware experiments, we examine and establish the key data requirements, such as the defocus levels and imaging signal-to noise level, that are necessary to obtain the desired WFS accuracy and bandwidth.
Electron spin resonance studies of reorientational motion in glass-forming liquids

Electron spin resonance (ESR) studies of the planar bis(maleonitriledithiolato)nickel anion radical, Ni(mnt)2-, have been carried out from the motional narrowing region to the glassy limit in ethanol (EtOH), tributyl phosphate (TBP), 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol (eugenol), and a mixed solvent containing equal volumes of dimethylformamide and chloroform (DMF−CHCl3). In all solvents, axially symmetric Brownian rotational diffusion produces agreement between the experimental and calculated ESR line widths of Ni(mnt)2- when the anisotropic Zeeman interaction makes the dominant contribution to the widths. The long in-plane axis of the radical is the diffusional symmetry (or parallel) axis; the rotational motion is fastest about this axis with D∥/D⊥ = 3.0−4.0 (D∥ and D⊥ are the diffusion constants for reorientation about the parallel and perpendicular axes, respectively). In EtOH and DMF−CHCl3, however, the calculated widths are not in agreement with experiment in the fast motional region near the minimum experiment...
Lead-to-CO2 Heat Exchangers for Coupling of the STAR-LM LFR to a Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle Power Converter

Recent development of the Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor-Liquid Metal (STAR-LM) lead-cooled natural circulation fast reactor (LFR) has been directed at coupling to an advanced power conversion system that utilizes a gas turbine Brayton cycle with supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2 ) as the working fluid. A key ingredient in achieving a coupled plant having a high efficiency are the modular lead-to-CO2 heat exchangers that must fit within the available volume inside the reactor vessel and must heat the S-CO2 to a high temperature. Thermal hydraulic performance and feasibility of seven different heat exchanger concepts has been investigated with respect to the achievement of a suitably high Brayton cycle efficiency for the coupled LFR-S-CO2 plant. The relative merits of the different heat exchanger configurations are revealed by the analysis which provides a basis to select the most promising concepts for further development.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A social geography of preindustrial labour migration in Japan: Tajima and Kurome villages in the nineteenth century

Abstract Labour migration to and from two preindustrial villages in Japan is examined over nearly three-quarters of the nineteenth century. The history and geography of migration are related to local and regional conditions, and to natural events. Natural disasters are demonstrated to offer the best single explanation for much of the movement of labour.
Allocation of Marketing Effort Among P Substitutional Products in N Territories

Frequently, companies face the problem of allocating a given marketing budget in order to maximize their total returns. In this paper we examine the problem of allocating marketing effort, such as advertising, among P substitutional products, distributed in N different sales territories. Two models are discussed. In the first model it is assumed that at most one product is promoted in each sales territory. It is shown that a simple algorithm leads to at least a local optimum in a finite number of steps. In the second model, the restriction of one product per territory is eliminated. Applying a concept of effective effort, the model is transformed to an equivalent separable programming problem, solvable by a “single-pass” algorithm for various forms of response functions. Furthermore, a concept of successive modifications of the objective function is discussed.
Psychometric properties of the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults in an early adolescent sample

Background Validation of body esteem measures in pre- and early adolescent male and female populations is essential as gender differences regarding weight and body size concerns often emerge during this developmental period.
Mass transfer and chemical reactions in bubble swarms with dynamic interfaces

Detailed, high-resolution numerical simulations have been performed on the buoyancy-driven motion of deformable, chemically reacting bubbles for different operating conditions, that is, Weber, Morton, and Schmidt numbers. In our simulations different bubble shapes and types of bubble wakes were observed. The wake types range from a closed wake without recirculation, to a closed wake with recirculation, to an unsteady wake, leading to vortex-shedding wakes. Two different bubble-rise trajectories were observed for different conditions: straight and zigzag shaped. The mass-transfer rates and the yields and selectivities of liquid-phase chemical reactions were determined for each case. A detailed analysis of the results was carried out, relating the differences in chemical reaction efficiencies to the dynamics of each flow. Furthermore, to obtain a better understanding of the dynamics of the flows inside bubble swarms and their impact on chemical reactions, numerical simulations were performed of multiple bubbles rising in a swarm. Different bubble counts, geometric configurations, and size distributions were considered. Mass-transfer rates and chemical reaction selectivities were determined and a comparison is presented between the results for bubble swarms and single bubbles. It was shown that for mixing-sensitive reaction networks, the hydrodynamics of the bubble swarm may significantly impact the reaction selectivity. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that bubble swarm dynamics differ from the dynamics of single bubbles. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2005
Solubilization and dissolution of famotidine from solid glass dispersions of xylitol

Abstract The aqueous solubility and dissolution of famotidine from solid glass dispersions of xylitol, prepared by the fusion method, were investigated. Both famotidine and xylitol exhibited minimal degradation during the fusion process. Famotidine alone and in the presence of xylitol was found to be relatively stable in water at 37 ± 0.5°C for at least 3 days: less than 4% degradation was observed at the end of 72 h. Solubility of famotidine from solid glass dispersions and physical mixtures containing varying proportions of famotidine and xylitol at 37 ± 0.5°C was found to be higher than that of famotidine alone in water. However, the solid glass dispersions were more effective in enhancing the solubility of famotidine. A 1:40 famotidine:xylitol dispersion produced greatest solubility enhancement (31%). The solubility of famotidine from physical mixtures increased linearly with the increase in xylitol concentration, but the relationship was not linear for glass dispersions. Dissolution studies on glass dispersions with famotidine:xylitol ratios of 1:1, 1:10 and 1:20 in water at 37 ± 0.5°C revealed a marked increase in the dissolution rate of famotidine from solid glass dispersions when compared to the dissolution rate of famotidine powder alone. The increase in the dissolution rate was greatest at the lowest drug level (1:20) with 100% of the drug dissolving within one minute. Thermograms of the solid glass dispersions obtained by differential scanning calorimetry showed no evidence of chemical interaction between famotidine and xylitol. The phase diagram of the dispersion system by the capillary tube method suggested the formation of a eutectic mixture of famotidine and xylitol at a drug:carrier ratio approaching 1:40.
Microprocess-based optimum control using adaptive frequency domain design

An approach to control system design based on frequency domain defined adaptive filters using FFTs is introduced. Development of this new approach is not complete so this paper provides only a status report. It is anticipated that this approach will lead to a set of standard microprocessor based modules that can fulfill a wide variety of adaptive control requirements. Implementation with microprocessors in terms of basic architectural system design is discussed. Finally qualitative estimates of processing speed are made.
Development of a standard 2.5-MeV neutron source

The use of radiation for industrial purposes requires that the radiation measurement be reliable and accurate. The reliability of measurement may be verified by comparison measurements in standard radiation fields. Standard radiation sources produce stable, well-characterized reference radiation fields, which are determined with a high degree of accuracy. A 2.5-MeV neutron source produced with a low voltage ion generator and the D(d, n)3 He reaction, is being developed at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) for use as a standard radiation source. The source emission rate is stable within a well-defined neutron beam and determined by time-correlated associated-particle (TCAP) measurement. The measurement accuracy is expected to be comparable to that obtained in thermal and 14-MeV reference neutron fields. A standard 2.5-MeV neutron reference field could provide a means of establishing the 2.5-MeV spot energy as an intermediate energy normalization point.
Intercostal Artery Laceration During Thoracocentesis: Increased Risk in Elderly Patients

Two cases of intercostal artery laceration following thoracocentesis are reported. Subsequent analysis of 29 thoracic aortograms demonstrated a definite trend toward increasing tortuosity of the intercostal arteries with advancing age. Consequently, the amount of space available for safe insertion of the thoracocentesis needle tends to decrease with advancing age. As a result, elderly patients are more prone to intercostal artery laceration during thoracocentesis, and careful attention must be paid to the proper technique for performing this examination in such patients.
Micro-masonry for 3D additive micromanufacturing

Transfer printing is a method to transfer solid micro/nanoscale materials (herein called ‘inks’) from a substrate where they are generated to a different substrate by utilizing elastomeric stamps. Transfer printing enables the integration of heterogeneous materials to fabricate unexampled structures or functional systems that are found in recent advanced devices such as flexible and stretchable solar cells and LED arrays. While transfer printing exhibits unique features in material assembly capability, the use of adhesive layers or the surface modification such as deposition of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on substrates for enhancing printing processes hinders its wide adaptation in microassembly of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structures and devices. To overcome this shortcoming, we developed an advanced mode of transfer printing which deterministically assembles individual microscale objects solely through controlling surface contact area without any surface alteration. The absence of an adhesive layer or other modification and the subsequent material bonding processes ensure not only mechanical bonding, but also thermal and electrical connection between assembled materials, which further opens various applications in adaptation in building unusual MEMS devices.
Transient stress analysis of high energy gas fracture experiments

Abstract The elastodynamic solution of a cylindrical hole whose edge is subjected to the action of a transient pulse load has been obtained in this report. This problem is of interest to the high energy gas fracture experiments to be conducted by Sandia National Laboratories at the Nevada Test Site. Laplace transform technique is used to present the result in integral forms. Numerical results have been obtained and are presented in graphical forms.
Antibiotic prophylaxis in intraoral wounds.

This study of 100 patients was undertaken to determine the efficacy of penicillin/erythromycin prophylaxis in the management of intraoral lacerations in the pediatric population. Only six patients of the evaluable population developed infections (6.4%). Two of these patients received antibiotic prophylaxis (4%), and the other four were control patients (8%) who developed wound infections (P = 0.41). Although most injuries were minor, if the injury was large enough to require suturing, the infection rate was slightly greater in the control group. Cross-product ratios for these small sample subgroups indicated that the likelihood of infection for non-prophylactically treated patient wounds of >1 cm length and/or those requiring suturing was two to three times higher than that of patients treated prophylactically. Although no statistical significance could be ascribed to the observed differences of these post hoc categories, benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis may have been quantifiable in a study designed to assess only these major wounds utilizing a large sample size. In general, routine antibiotic prophylaxis appears unwarranted for simple intraoral lacerations in children, although it may be useful when the wounds are large enough to be sutured.
Origin of a gene regulatory mechanism in the evolution of echinoderms

A rich diversity of ancient sea urchin lineages survives to the present. These include several advanced orders as well as the cidaroids, which represent the group ancestral to all other sea urchins. Here we show that all advanced groups of sea urchins examined possess in their eggs a class of maternal messenger RNA (mRNA) encoded by the evolutionary highly conserved α-subtype histone genes. The maternal histone mRNAs are unique in their time of accumulation in oogenesis, their localization in the egg nucleus and their delayed timing of translation after fertilization. Cidaroid sea urchins as well as other echinoderm classes, such as starfish and sea cucumbers, possess the genes but do not have maternal α-subtype histone mRNAs in their eggs. Thus, although all the echinoderms examined transcribe α-subtype histone genes during embryogenesis, the expression of these genes as maternal mRNAs is confined to advanced sea urchins. The fossil record allows us to pinpoint the evolution of this mode of expression of α-histone genes to the time of the splitting of advanced sea urchin lineages from the ancestral cidaroids in a radiation which occurred in a relatively brief interval of time ∼190–200 Myr ago. The origin of a unique gene regulatory mechanism can thus be correlated with a set of macroevolutionary events.
Cooperation and groupness: community formation in small online collaborative groups

We present a detailed descriptive analysis of the adoption and adaptation of common online tools by a newly forming small group with a cooperative work task. We compare their use of different tools over the course of successive specific cooperative activities, and describe how they use these tools as objects in the formation of a small online community. General patterns of participation that recognize the physical contexts of online group members, and specific patterns of interaction that influence the formation of an online community are explicated. The results of this study have implications for understanding how tools and tasks influence group formation and sense of community in online systems.
Collisions of highly excited atoms

Publisher Summary Within the past few years, Rydberg atoms have been the subject of numerous experimental investigations. A major stimulus for this activity has been the increasing availability and variety of tunable lasers, which can provide the resolution necessary to excite discrete individual Rydberg states. New pathways are accessible because of the very high density of Rydberg states and because the ionization potentials of Rydberg atoms are typically much smaller than thermal energies. This chapter focuses on thermal collisions with heavy particles, such as collisional mixing and collisional ionization. In considering them it is useful to view a Rydberg atom as comprising an electron moving in a very distant orbit about its ionic core. It's spatial and momentum distributions are then determined by its quantum state. In collision with a thermal neutral target, the effects of the core can often be neglected and the collision can be viewed as occurring between the “essentially free” Rydberg electron and the target molecule. In such collisions, either the excited electron may be transferred to another orbital leading to “collisional mixing” or it may acquire energy that is sufficient for “collisional ionization.”
A novel RET inhibitor with potent efficacy against medullary thyroid cancer in vivo

Background Most medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) recur or progress despite curative resection. Current targeted therapies show promise but lack durable efficacy and tolerability. The purpose of this study was to build on previous in vitro work and evaluate withaferin A (WA), a novel RET inhibitor, in a metastatic murine model of MTC. Methods A total of 5 million DRO-81-1 human MTC cells injected in the left posterior neck of nu/nu mice generated metastases uniformly to the liver, spleen, and/or lungs. Treatment with WA (8 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally, for 21days) was started for neoplasms >100 mm 3 . Endpoints were survival, neoplasm >15,00 mm 3 , decreased body weight, or body score (all measured three times/wk). Results All controls (saline; n = 5) died or deteriorated from metastatic disease by 7 weeks postinjection. All treated animals were alive (WA; n = 5), having tumor regression and growth delay without toxicity or weight loss at 6 weeks posttreatment ( P Conclusion WA is a novel natural-product RET-inhibitor with efficacy in a metastatic murine model of MTC. Further long-term efficacy/toxicity studies are warranted to evaluate this compound for clinical translation.
The importance of being … social? Instructor credibility and the Millennials

Using the framework of generational identity, the current study explores how a range of characteristics impact Millennial perceptions of instructor credibility. Millennial Generation student ratings of the impact of competence, character, and sociability on instructor credibility were compared to faculty ratings of the same characteristics. Results reveal that both groups consider competence and character to be similarly relevant to overall instructor credibility, but that Millennial learners value sociability when assessing credibility significantly more than faculty do. Additional analyses explore the impact of instructor sociability on types of student engagement.
Blood Levels of Fluorocarbon Related to Cardiac Sensitization

Unanesthetized beagle dogs were exposed to concentrations of fluorocarbon-11 and fluorocarbon-12 which had been reported to produce cardiac sensitization. During and after the exposure, arterial and venous blood samples were obtained for fluorocarbon analysis. The blood concentration rose rapidly during the first few minutes of the 10-minute exposure and more slowly thereafter. When the exposure was terminated, there was a rapid initial fall in the blood concentration followed by a more prolonged decline. A definite arterial-venous difference was found. Despite a tenfold difference in the inspired concentration of the two compounds, the blood concentrations associated with cardiac sensitization were similar for both agents. The average blood concentration (µg/ ml) associated with exposure to levels known to sensitize the beagle heart was: 28.6 arterial and 19.7 venous for fluorocarbon-11; and 35.3 arterial and 22.8 venous for flurocarbon-12.
The structure of chromatin as revealed by deoxyribonuclease digestion studies.

Abstract Liver and ascites cell tumor chromatin were digested with either deoxyribonuclease I or deoxyribonuclease II. Prolonged digestion caused over 90 % of the chromatin DNA to be hydrolyzed. Mild digestion specifically degraded the template-active chromatin DNA which was labeled with nascent RNA. The proportion of template-active DNA is about 12 % for ascites cell chromatin and 23 % for liver chromatin. Although histone is evenly distributed along the remaining DNA these regions of DNA to which histones are bound contain many sites for binding polylysine and probably large stretches of contiguous free phosphate groups.
ENERGY GAP AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF PURE AND IMPURE SUPERCONDUCTING TIN.

A theory is presented for the energy gap and the thermal conductivity in pure and impure tin. The central features are taken from the papers of Markowitz and Kadanoff and of Hohenberg, and include anisotropy in the pure material which is systematically eliminated by increased doping. First the usual theory of thermal conductivity is generalized to allow for gap anisotropy. Next an anisotropic gap function for pure tin is constructed using experimental results of other investigators. Synthesizing these two stages yields a prediction for the thermal conductivity of pure superconducting tin as a function of orientation and temperature. This prediction is in fair agreement with the data of Gu\'enault. Turning to the impure metal, we find that the gap depends upon four quantities: energy $\ensuremath{\omega}$, angle $\ensuremath{\Omega}$, mean free path $l$, and temperature $T$. Simplifications are introduced whereby the complicated dependences are separated into simpler factors. Stress is laid upon the distinction between anisotropy in the gap edge and the effect of anisotropy on quantities such as the average gap and ${T}_{c}$. The gap edge is rendered isotropic by impurities well before the effect is felt by the other quantities. In fact it is the gap edge which is vital to thermal conductivity, since it is there that the carriers reside. Predictions for thermal conductivity in impure tin are compared with data of Pearson et al. and found to show good qualitative agreement. In particular, a reduction in the ratio of superconducting to normal thermal conductivity for certain sample directions is explained by the elimination of gap-edge anisotropy. However, this effect occurs at a much smaller impurity concentration than that predicted theoretically. This discrepancy and related matters are fully discussed.
Multiple Equilibrium States in Combined Thermal and Saline Circulation

Abstract Structure and stability of the multiple equilibria of the thermohaline circulation am studied using 2 × 2 and 3 × 2 box models. Thermohaline catastrophe is a shallow phenomenon and its time evolution consists of three stages: the search stage, the catastrophic stage, and the adjustment stage. A 3 × 2 box model is introduced to permit fitting a somewhat less truncated form of freshwater forcing. Although the total number of possible modes of circulation increases quickly as the number of boxes is increased, the grand thermal mode and grand saline mode remain. Some multiple solutions are found to be statistically improbable, and they belong to the so-called minor modes. With the more realistic freshwater forcing appropriate for the present-day North Atlantic, our simple 3 × 2 model predicts that the thermohaline cimulation is near a critical mate, because a small increase in freshwater flux can cause the system to collapse from the present thermally dominated circulation to an intermediate mode of ...
Quantification of essential tremor in writing and drawing.

Abstract Eighty-seven patients, aged 15-84 years (mean, 61.8 +/- 16.2 SD), with essential tremor wrote two series of cursive e's and cursive l's on a standard sheet of ruled paper that was mounted on a commercially available digitizing tablet. Forty patients also drew an Archimedes spiral. Postural wrist tremor was measured with a triaxial accelerometer on the dorsum of the horizontally extended hand. The digitizing tablet was sufficiently sensitive to measure sustained visible tremor. Very severe tremor could not be recorded when it prevented a patient from keeping the ballpoint pen on the tablet. The intertrial variability of the handwriting data was such that a 36.0% change in mean acceleration amplitude (cm/s2) and an 8.3% change in mean tremor frequency (Hz) could be detected in the hypothetical population of 30 patients (paired-sample t test, p = 0.01, power = 90%). The intertrial changes detectable with accelerometry were 35.9% (amplitude) and 7.8% (frequency). The correlations between wrist tremor and writing tremor were < 0.60 for amplitude and < 0.25 for frequency. Significant correlations between patient age and tremor frequency and between tremor amplitude and frequency existed for postural tremor but not for writing or drawing tremor. Standard digitizing tablets for personal computers are useful in the quantitative assessment of writing tremor. The amplitude and frequency characteristics of tremor in posture, writing, and drawing may differ significantly.
Query-driven discovery of semantically similar substructures in heterogeneous networks

Heterogeneous information networks that contain multiple types of objects and links are ubiquitous in the real world, such as bibliographic networks, cyber-physical networks, and social media networks. Although researchers have studied various data mining tasks in information networks, interactive query-based network exploration techniques have not been addressed systematically, which, in fact, are highly desirable for exploring large-scale information networks.In this demo, we introduce and demonstrate our recent research project on query-driven discovery of semantically similar substructures in heterogeneous networks. Given a subgraph query, our system searches a given large information network and finds efficiently a list of subgraphs that are structurally identical and semantically similar. Since data mining methods are used to obtain semantically similar entities (nodes), we use discovery as a term to describe this process. In order to achieve high efficiency and scalability, we design and implement a filter-and verification search framework, which can first generate promising subgraph candidates using off line indices built by data mining results, and then verify candidates with a recursive pruning matching process. The proposed system demonstrates the effectiveness of our query-driven semantic similarity search framework and the efficiency of the proposed methodology on multiple real-world heterogeneous information networks.
Macrophage-dependent stimulation of T cell-depleted spleen cells by Clostridium difficile toxin A and calcium ionophore☆

Abstract Clostridium difficile toxin A causes severe intestinal inflammation and fluid secretion in rabbit ileum and is chemotactic for neutrophils in vitro . The mechanism of intestinal injury produced by toxin A appears to involve direct epithelial cell damage as well as recruitment of an inflammatory cell response. The current study was undertaken to determine if toxin A can directly stimulate a proliferative response in lymphocytes. Highly purified toxin A, in the presence of the calcium ionophore, ionomycin, stimulated substantial [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation by murine splenic lymphocytes, which was maximal at 10 −9 M toxin A and 800 ng/ml ionomycin. Removal of T cells with anti-Thy-1.2 antibody plus complement had no effect on the proliferative response induced by toxin A. However, [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation in response to toxin A was significantly inhibited ( P 3 H]thymidine incorporation by T cell-depleted splenic lymphocytes. These results suggest that toxin A stimulates the release of IL-1, and possibly other factors, from macrophages which can costimulate murine B lymphocytes.
Spatial organization of lipids in the human retina and optic nerve by MALDI imaging mass spectrometry

MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) was used to characterize lipid species within sections of human eyes. Common phospholipids that are abundant in most tissues were not highly localized and observed throughout the accessory tissue, optic nerve, and retina. Triacylglycerols were highly localized in accessory tissue, whereas sulfatide and plasmalogen glycerophosphoethanolamine (PE) lipids with a monounsaturated fatty acid were found enriched in the optic nerve. Additionally, several lipids were associated solely with the inner retina, photoreceptors, or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE); a plasmalogen PE lipid containing DHA (22:6), PE(P-18:0/22:6), was present exclusively in the inner retina, and DHA-containing glycerophosphatidylcholine (PC) and PE lipids were found solely in photoreceptors. PC lipids containing very long chain (VLC)-PUFAs were detected in photoreceptors despite their low abundance in the retina. Ceramide lipids and the bis-retinoid, N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine, was tentatively identified and found only in the RPE. This MALDI IMS study readily revealed the location of many lipids that have been associated with degenerative retinal diseases. Complex lipid localization within retinal tissue provides a global view of lipid organization and initial evidence for specific functions in localized regions, offering opportunities to assess their significance in retinal diseases, such as macular degeneration, where lipids have been implicated in the disease process.
Pharmacological rescue of carnitine transport in primary carnitine deficiency.

Primary carnitine deficiency is a recessive disorder caused by heterogeneous mutations in the SLC22A5 gene encoding the OCTN2 carnitine transporter. Here we extend mutational analysis to eight new families with this disorder. To determine the mechanism by which missense mutations impaired carnitine transport, the OCTN2 transporter was tagged with the green fluorescent protein and expressed in CHO cells. Analysis by confocal microscopy indicated that several missense mutants (M1I, R169W, T232 M, G242 V, S280F, R282Q, W283R, A301D, W351R, R399Q, T440 M, E452 K, and T468R) matured normally to the plasma membrane. By contrast, other mutations (including R19P, ΔF22, R83L, S280F, P398L, Y447C, and A142S/R488 H) caused significant retention of the mutant OCTN2 transporter in the cytoplasm. Failed maturation to the plasma membrane is a common mechanism in disorders affecting membrane transporters/ion channels, including cystic fibrosis. To correct this defect, we tested whether drugs reducing the efficiency of protein degradation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (phenylbutyrate, curcumin) or capable of binding the OCTN2 carnitine transporter (verapamil, quinidine) could improve carnitine transport. Prolonged incubation with phenylbutyrate, quinidine, and verapamil partially stimulated carnitine transport, while curcumin was ineffective. These results indicate that OCTN2 mutations can affect carnitine transport by impairing maturation of transporters to the plasma membrane. Pharmacological therapy can be effective in partially restoring activity of mutant transporters. Hum Mutat 27(6), 513–523, 2006. Published © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Extending checksum-based ABFT to tolerate soft errors online in iterative methods

As the size and complexity of high performance computers increase, more soft errors will be encountered during computations. Algorithm-Based Fault Tolerance (ABFT) has been proved to be a highly efficient technique to detect soft errors in dense linear algebra operations including matrix multiplication, Cholesky and LU factorization. While ABFT can also be applied to a iterative sparse linear algebra algorithm via applying it to every individual matrix-vector multiplication in the algorithm, it often introduces considerable overhead. In this paper, we propose novel extensions to ABFT to not only reduce the overhead but also protect computations that can not be protected by existing ABFT. Instead of maintaining checksums in every individual matrix-vector multiplication, we modified the algorithms so that checksums established at the beginning of the algorithms can be maintained at every iterations throughout the algorithms. Because soft errors in most iterative sparse linear algebra algorithms will propagate from one iteration to another, we do not have to verify the correctness of the checksums at each iteration to detect errors. By reducing the frequency of verification, the fault tolerance overhead can be greatly reduced. Experimental results demonstrate that, when used with local diskless checkpoints together, our approach introduces much less overhead than the existing ABFT techniques.
Do investor expectations affect sell-side analysts’ forecast bias and forecast accuracy?

We examine the association between investor expectations and its components and sell-side analysts’ short-run quarterly earnings forecast bias and forecast accuracy. To measure investor expectations, we use the Index of Consumer Expectations survey and decompose it into the “fundamental” component related to underlying economic factors (FUND) and the “sentiment” component unrelated to underlying economic factors (SENT). We find that analysts are the most optimistic and the least accurate when SENT is higher. Management long-horizon earnings forecasts attenuate the effects of SENT on forecast optimism and forecast accuracy. Analysts are also the most accurate when FUND is higher. Last, the market places more weight on unexpected earnings when SENT is high. These findings suggest that analysts are affected by investor sentiment and the market reacts more strongly to unexpected earnings when analyst forecasts are the least accurate. The last result potentially explains why prior research (for example, Baker and Wurgler, The Journal of Finance 61:1645–1680, 2006) finds an association between investor sentiment and cross-sectional stock returns.
Ethnic Identity Beliefs of Young Adults and Their Parents in Families of Mexican Descent

Goodnow’s (1992) two-step model of intergeneration agreement was applied to parental socialization of ethnic identity. Young adults of Mexican descent (M = 20.3 years, SD =3.1) completed questionnaires on their ethnic beliefs, their perceptions of their parents’ beliefs, and their relationships with their parents. Parents of the young adults answered questions about their own ethnic beliefs and their childrearing goals and practices. The relation between parents’beliefs and young adults’beliefs was mediated by young adults’ perceptions of their parents’ beliefs. The difference between young adults’ beliefs and their mother’s beliefs was a function of the accuracy of young adults’perceptions of their mother’s beliefs and their desire to be like their mothers. The difference between young adults’beliefs and their father’s beliefs was a function of the accuracy of young adults’ perceptions of their father’s beliefs.
Separation of submicrometer particles by capillary hydrodynamic fractionation (CHDF)

Abstract This paper shows, for the first time, that an analytical separation of submicrometer colloidal particles can be achieved by flowthrough small-bore open capillary tubes. When dispersed colloidal particles of different sizes are carried through the open capillary tube by a fluid, they fractionate, emerging in order of decreasing diameter. We describe this technique as capillary hydrodynamic fractionation because the separation results solely from the parabolic velocity profile in the microcapillary tube. Relative elution times of particles are dependent on particle size, tube diameter, surfactant species and concentration, and the average velocity of the mobile phase. In principle, any pair of particle sizes can be resolved using this technique. Maximum resolution is attained when the eluant velocity is increased if the mixture contains micrometer-sized and submicrometer-sized particles. If all the particles in the mixture are submicrometer sized, resolution is best when the residence time of the eluant in the capillary is increased.
Spinocerebellar ataxia in monozygotic twins.

Context Although phenotypic heterogeneity in autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) has been explained in part by genotypic heterogeneity, clinical observations suggest the influence of additional factors. Objectives To demonstrate, quantitate, and localize physiologic abnormalities attributable to nongenetic factors in the development of hereditary SCA. Design Quantitative assessments of ocular motor function and postural control in 2 sets of identical twins, one with SCA type 2 and the other with episodic ataxia type 2. Setting University laboratory. Main Outcome Measures Saccadic velocity and amplitude, pursuit gain, and dynamic posturography. Results We found significant differences in saccade velocity, saccade metrics, and postural stability between each monozygotic twin. The differences point to differential involvement between twins of discrete regions in the cerebellum and brainstem. Conclusions These results demonstrate the presence of quantitative differences in the severity, rate of progression, and regional central nervous system involvement in monozygotic twins with SCA that must be owing to the existence of nongermline or external factors.
BASELINE LENGTH AND AUTOMATED FITTING OF DENATURATION DATA

To understand relationships between protein sequence and stability, we often compare data from proteins that differ by the substitution of one amino acid. Frequently, an amino acid change causes the cooperative denaturation transitions to shift to lower temperatures, diminishing the signal from the native state. Here we show that apparent stability changes, i.e., the free energy of denaturation, deltaGD, can also be caused by a deficiency of points in the low temperature end of the transition. In addition, we suggest a method for overcoming this problem.
Modeling variable-bit-rate video traffic using linear scale-invariant systems

It has been shown that Variable Bit Rate (VBR) video exhibits long-range dependence characteristics. Several models have been proposed to synthesize traces whose autocorrelation match that of the video traffic traces. Given the relationship between self-similarity and long- range dependence, we investigate the application of discrete-time linear scale invariant systems provided by Zhao and Rao to modeling VBR video traffic. This formulation, called a DLSI system, was derived using a continuous dilation operator in discrete-time as a direct analog of the continuous-time linear scale-invariant system formulation of Wornell and differs from other approaches such as wavelet based construction. While simulations had shown that DLSI systems were capable of generating self- similar data such as those found in network traffic, questions regarding their long-range behavior remained. Answers to these questions are dealt in this paper. We present an alternative modeling technique to model VBR video traffic using DLSI system. The proposed model has a fractional pole-zero structure and provides a good model for long-range dependent and self-similar time series. The behavioral pattern of the fractional pole-zero filter for a range of the Hurst parameter is also shown. The time-domain characteristics of the filter are analyzed using power series approximations. Comparison of output autocorrelation function (ACF) to those of the video trace ACF is made. We conclude that some samples of video data are indeed better modeled by the LSI models than the conventional models such as Markovian and Long-range dependent models.
Narrative and vocabulary development of bilingual children from kindergarten to first grade: developmental changes and associations among English and Spanish skills.

Purpose Research has identified English oral language proficiency as being critical for bilingual students' literacy development. This study examines developmental patterns and associations among o...
IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING THROUGH COLLABORATIVE METHODS

In the past, government agencies with environmental missions rarely allowed public oversight over final decisions. However, faced with loss of control as policy and planning are increasingly carried out by Congress or the courts, some agencies, supported by businesses, communities, and environmental groups are using collaborative methods in the decision-making process. This emerging paradigm for environmental decision-making is driven by practical necessity rather than by abstract theory. This article will demonstrate that collaborative management is a process that broadens the influence of all entities concerned with an environmental decision, and is more likely to: (1) include the needs and opinions of affected parties; (2) bring a dialogue on normative values into the deliberative process; and (3) result in decisions that enhance environmental protection.
Efficient Uncertainty Analysis Methods for Multidisciplinary Robust Design

Robust design has been gaining wide attention, and its applications have been extended to making reliable decisions when designing complex engineering systems in a multidisciplinary design environment. Though the usefulness of robust design is widely acknowledged for multidisciplinary design systems, its implementation is rare. One of the reasons is the complexity and computational burden associated with the evaluation of performance variations caused by the randomness (uncertainty) of a system. A multidisciplinary robust design procedure that utilizes efficient methods for uncertainty analysis is developed here. Different from the existing uncertainty analysis techniques, our proposed techniques bring the features of a multidisciplinary design optimization I MDO) framework into consideration. The system uncertainty analysis method and the concurrent subsystem uncertainty analysis method are developed to estimate the mean and variance of system performance subject to uncertainties associated with both design parameters and design models. As shown both analytically and empirically, compared to the conventional Monte Carlo simulation approach, the proposed techniques used for uncertainty analysis will significantly reduce the number of design evaluations at the system level and, therefore, improve the efficiency of robust design in the domain of MDO. A mathematical example and an electronic packaging problem are used as examples to verify the effectiveness of these approaches.
AC Flashover Tests at Project UHV on Ice-Coated Insulators

This paper presents results of experimental studies on the flashover strength of ice-coated insulators. Two types of flashover have been found on ice-covered insulators. One is caused by hard and dry ice formed in temperatures lower than 15 °F. Another is caused by mixed conditions of ice and misty rain in relatively high temperatures of 20 to 30 °F. The flashover voltages of 25 units of 53/4- by 10-inch insulators were 288 kV (phase to ground) in the former condition and 246 kV in the latter. These results were obtained for uncontaminated insulators. Nonuniform voltage distribution along the insulator string produces these low flashover voltages. These tests were conducted at General Electric's Project UHV in the winter season of 1968-1969.