cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proteomics Identifies Multipotent and Low Oncogenic Risk Stem Cells of the Spleen

Abstract The adult spleen harbors a population of naturally occurring multipotent stem cells of non-lymphoid lineage (CD45−). In animal models, these splenic stem cells can directly or indirectly contribute to regeneration of bone, inner ear, cranial nerves, islets, hearts and salivary glands. Here we characterize the CD45− stem cell proteome to determine its potential broader multipotency versus its protection from malignant transformation. Using state-of-the-art proteomics and in vivo testing, we performed functional analyses of unique proteins of CD45− (non-lymphoid) splenic stem cells, as compared with CD45+ (lymphoid) cells. CD45− stem cell-specific proteins were identical to those in iPS, including OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, c-MYC and NANOG. They also expressed Hox11, Gli3, Wnt2, and Adam12, the benchmark transcription factors of embryonic stem cells. These transcription factors were functional because their mRNA was upregulated in the spleen in association with ongoing damage to the pancreas and salivary glands, organs to which they normally contribute stem cells. We also show low likelihood of malignant transformation. Our proteomic and functional analyses reveals that naturally occurring CD45− stem cells of the spleen are the first-ever candidates for naturally occurring population of embryonic and iPS cells with low oncogenic risk. Given their presence in normal humans and mice, splenic stem cells are poised for translational research.
Managing Human-Robot Engagement with Forecasts and... um... Hesitations

We explore methods for managing conversational engagement in open-world, physically situated dialog systems. We investigate a self-supervised methodology for constructing forecasting models that aim to anticipate when participants are about to terminate their interactions with a situated system. We study how these models can be leveraged to guide a disengagement policy that uses linguistic hesitation actions, such as filled and non-filled pauses, when uncertainty about the continuation of engagement arises. The hesitations allow for additional time for sensing and inference, and convey the system's uncertainty. We report results from a study of the proposed approach with a directions-giving robot deployed in the wild.
A method for measuring external spinal loads during unconstrained free-dynamic lifting.

Abstract Biomechanical lifting models often require the knowledge of the applied trunk moments and forces for model validation purposes and/or to determine loading levels experienced at various joints of the body. Trunk kinetic data under dynamic exertions are commonly difficult to attain without restrictive anatomic/anthropometric assumptions and cost or constraining body motion. The main objectives of the study were to present a new technique for determining continuous three-dimensional forces and moments about the L5 S1 spinal joint, and to validate the technique and assess its applicability under lifting situations. A combination of a force place and two electrogoniometers facilitated the determination of trunk kinetics about L5 S1 . An apparatus was devised to allow the application of various actual moments that were compared to their corresponding predicted moments. The results showed that, over all the conditions considered, the average percent error in estimating the actual applied moment(s) was about 4% (2.3 S.D.), with a test-retest reliability approaching unity. Given such agreement, along with the relative case and directness of the method, it is believed that this approach should be applicable under most lifting conditions. The technique offers a fairly accurate measure of trunk moments without the need for constraining the motion of any body joint.
LOW-ENERGY GAMMA RADIATION IN THE ATMOSPHERE DURING ACTIVE AND QUIET PERIODS ON THE SUN.

Gamma ray pulse height spectra during active and quiet solar periods from midlatitude balloon flights
Female mimicry in garter snakes

In many diverse taxa, males of the same species often exhibit multiple mating strategies. One well-documented alternative male reproductive pattern is 'female mimicry', whereby males assume a female-like morphology or mimic female behaviour patterns. In some species males mimic both female morphology and behaviour. We report here female mimicry in a reptile, the red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis). This form of mimicry is unique in that it is expressed as a physiological feminization. Courting male red-sided garter snakes detect a female-specific pheromone and normally avoid courting other males. However, a small proportion of males release a pheromone that attracts other males, as though they were females. In the field, mating aggregations of 5-17 males were observed formed around these individual attractive males, which we have termed 'she-males'. In competitive mating trails, she-males mated with females significantly more often than did normal males, demonstrating not only reproductive competence but also a possible selective advantage to males with this female-like pheromone.
Recombination within mouse t haplotypes has replaced significant segments of t -specific DNA

Previous studies on the fourth inversion of the t complex, In17(4), suggest that loci near the center of this inversion have been subjected to segmental recombination during the past 1–2 million years. We have used a combination of PCR-based restriction site (PBR) analysis and DNA sequencing to perform a high-resolution analysis of a 2-million base pair (Mbp) segment in the middle of In17(4). We examined 21 restriction sites that are polymorphic between t haplotypes and their wild-type homologs, over nine distinct loci. In addition, we examined several other polymorphic sites through DNA sequence analysis of two of these nine loci. We analyzed several haplotypes in this way, including the “complete” t haplotypes t w2 , t 0 , t w32 , t w71 , and t w75 . We show that only t w32 is a true “complete” t haplotype; the remaining four t haplotypes have segments of wild-type DNA ranging from less than 100 bp to 2 Mbp. The sizes of these wild-type DNA segments are consistent with their being generated by gene-conversion events. The 2-Mbp segment is located in a region that may contain the t-complex distorter gene Tcd2. One of the nine loci examined in this study is Fgd2, a gene that has been proposed to encode Tcd2. Sequencing and PBR data show that at least a portion of the Fgd2 gene has been converted to the wild-type within t w71 and t w75 mice.
Potential energy surfaces and properties of ICN− and ICN

ICN and ICN− have been studied at the MR-SO-CISD level of theory with triple-zeta basis sets for all three atoms. The potential surfaces for the ground states of ICN and ICN− as well as for the first five excited states of ICN− have been generated from the electronic energies, and properties of these states are described. The minimum energy geometry of ICN− is linear, with a local minimum in the INC− geometry. The zero-point corrected energy difference between these two isomers is 0.38 eV, and they are separated by a 0.5 eV barrier. The I···CN(COM) equilibrium distances are 3.27 and 3.14 A in the ICN− and INC− geometries, respectively. These values are 0.6 A larger than the I···CN distances in the corresponding minima in the ICN potential. Likewise, the zero-point amplitude of both the I···CN stretch and bend are much larger in ICN− than in ICN. This is captured by the calculated anharmonic fundamental frequencies for ICN− of 70 and 235 cm−1 for the bend and stretch, compared to anharmonic frequencies of 302 and 488 cm−1 for the bend and stretch fundamentals in ICN. The frequencies are lowered further in INC− where the bend and stretch fundamentals have frequencies of 59 and 220 cm−1. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
In-Class—Online Hybrid Methods of Teaching Planning Theory Assessing Impacts on Discussion and Learning

Planning education can benefit from hybrid teaching methods that use online activities to replace a portion of in-class activity. Research on hybrid courses is lacking, especially for discussion-oriented planning classes. This research evaluates a graduate planning theory course delivered in both hybrid and traditional formats, analyzing student performance, class evaluations and supplemental surveys, and instructor reflection. The findings are as follows: (1) performance of students in the hybrid class was no worse than the traditional class, (2) students were satisfied with online activities but class evaluations were somewhat lower, and (3) the instructor found student learning benefits, but hybrid teaching was more time consuming. The results suggest that planning educators should test and evaluate hybrid teaching for a wide range of planning courses.
($sup 3$He,n) REACTION TO THE CONTINUUM NEAR A = 50.

Neutron spectra produced by the ($^{3}\mathrm{He},n$) reaction on targets of $^{45}\mathrm{Sc}$, $^{48}\mathrm{Ti}$, $^{49}\mathrm{Ti}$, $^{51}\mathrm{V}$, $^{52}\mathrm{Cr}$, $^{56}\mathrm{Fe}$, $^{58}\mathrm{Fe}$, $^{59}\mathrm{Co}$, and $^{60}\mathrm{Ni}$ have been obtained for bombarding energies of 10.5 and 15 MeV. Peaks were observed in the forward-angle spectra but disappear for angles larger than 30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, leaving a structureless continuum. Examination of the energy dependence in the region corresponding to residual excitations of between 3 and 8 MeV shows better agreement with the calculation assuming a knockout reaction mechanism than that assuming a stripping reaction, although the peaks seen in the forward-angle spectra correspond to stripping reactions. The Griffin formula for calculating densities of particle-hole states is compared with values obtained from combinations of a specific single-particle level scheme; good agreement is found.
An Arabidopsis Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Cascade, MKK9-MPK6, Plays a Role in Leaf Senescence

Leaf senescence is a developmentally programmed cell death process that constitutes the final step of leaf development, and it can be regulated by multiple environmental cues and endogenous signals. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play diverse roles in intracellular and extracellular signaling in plants. Roles of the MAPK signaling module in leaf senescence are unknown. Here, a MAPK cascade involving MKK9-MPK6 is shown to play an important role in regulating leaf senescence in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Both MKK9 and MPK6 possess kinase activities, with MPK6 an immediate target of MKK9, as revealed by in vitro, in vivo, and in planta assays. The constitutive and inducible overexpression of MKK9 causes premature senescence in leaves and in whole Arabidopsis plants. The premature senescence phenotype is suppressed when MKK9 is overexpressed in the mpk6 null background. When either MKK9 or MPK6 is knocked out, leaf senescence is delayed.
Cardiac Positron Tomography

Several approaches have become available for cardiac diagnosis, including two-dimensional echocardiography, pulsed Doppler echocardiography, gated bloodpool imaging, thallium 201 scintigraphy, and computer-assisted tomography ( T scanning). Each exhibits strengths and limitations dependent in part on the physical nature of the image forming variable. Thus, CT scanning, which employs x-rays as the image forming variable, provides excellent delineation of cardiac structure. Pulsed Doppler echocardiography, which employs high-frequency sound waves as the image forming variable, permits assessment of flow dynamics . Despite their utility, however, none of these approaches characterizes regional myocardial metabolism or perfusion quantitatively.
Evaluation of 5-Carbamoylmethyluridine as an Indicator of Tumor Burden in Lung Cancer Patients

Abstract Elevation of 5-carbamoylmethyluridine in the urines of non-small lung carcinoma patients suggests that this nucleoside may be used as an indicator of tumor burden for these patients.
General and cell-type specific mechanisms target TRPP2/PKD-2 to cilia

Ciliary localization of the transient receptor potential polycystin 2 channel (TRPP2/PKD-2) is evolutionarily conserved, but how TRPP2 is targeted to cilia is not known. In this study, we characterize the motility and localization of PKD-2, a TRPP2 homolog, in C. elegans sensory neurons. We demonstrate that GFP-tagged PKD-2 moves bidirectionally in the dendritic compartment. Furthermore, we show a requirement for different molecules in regulating the ciliary localization of PKD-2. PKD-2 is directed to moving dendritic particles by the UNC-101/adaptor protein 1 (AP-1) complex. When expressed in non-native neurons, PKD-2 remains in cell bodies and is not observed in dendrites or cilia, indicating that cell-type specific factors are required for directing PKD-2 to the dendrite. PKD-2 stabilization in cilia and cell bodies requires LOV-1, a functional partner and a TRPP1 homolog. In lov-1 mutants, PKD-2 is greatly reduced in cilia and forms abnormal aggregates in neuronal cell bodies. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is not essential for PKD-2 dendritic motility or access to the cilium, but may regulate PKD-2 ciliary abundance. We propose that both general and cell-type-specific factors govern TRPP2/PKD-2 subcellular distribution by forming at least two steps involving somatodendritic and ciliary sorting decisions.
Parental knowledge and attitudes regarding hepatitis b immunization

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine knowledge and attitudes of elementary school parents regarding the hepatitis B immunization including site of vaccination and consent preferences. METHODS: A survey was distributed to 1,011 parents of 4 th grade students at schools of all strata of socioeconomic status throughout a large urban school district. 563 parents responded (55.7%). Parents were asked what shots they were sure their children had received, knowledge questions about transmission of hepatitis B, the likelihood that their child could contract the disease of hepatitis B, where they preferred that their children be immunized, how they wanted to consent for the vaccination, zip code (to determine the median household income variable), race, ethnicity, and primary language spoken at home. Responses were examined using frequencies, chi squares, ANOVA, and t-tests. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 62% were black, 27% white, 1% Asian, and 10% other. 77.5% self-identified as Hispanic, 62% speak English and 37% speak Spanish at home. 60%, 55%, and 39% responded that one can not get the disease from unprotected sex, IV drugs or exposure to infected blood, respectively. 7% reported that the virus can be transmitted via vaccination. 20% of parents report that their children do not have the vaccine. Overall preference for site of vaccination was: private doctor 31%, neighborhood clinic 27%, mobile clinic 1%, and school 40%. 47% noted that parents should have to sign consent 3 times and be present for the shots, 27% felt parents should have to sign consent for each shot, 24% felt parents should have to sign one consent for all three shots, and 2% did not feel parents should have to sign consent. Median income was not associated with whether the child had the hepatitis B vaccination or perceived likelihood of disease acquisition but was associated with site preference: those preferring neighborhood clinics had a significantly lower income level than those preferring school or private doctors' offices (P=0.001). Hispanics were also more likely to prefer school for vaccination (P=0.001). Race and primary language spoken at home were not associated with site preference, but blacks were more likely to report higher risk of disease acquisition. Income, ethnicity, primary language spoken at home, and race were not associated with consent preferences. CONCLUSIONS: An alarming number of parents do not have correct knowledge regarding the risk factors for acquiring hepatitis B. A significant number of 4 th graders are still not immunized. Although many parents prefer school as the site of immunization, they still prefer the maximum amount of involvement for consent.
Influence of Annealing on the Electrical Conductivity of Polycrystalline ZrO2+8 Wt% Y2O3

Solid electrolytes of zirconia are used in electrochemical cells, fuel cells and for monitoring of oxygen in metals. The electrical conductivity of partially stabilized zirconia was investigated as a function of frequency (2 Hz to 100 kHz) and temperature (400/degree/to 1000/degree/C) by measuring ac admittance on a 2-probe cell using Lissajous figures. The dependence of the conductivity on annealing time was investigated with in situ conductivity measurements for prolonged annealing at 800/degree/, 900/degree/, and 1000/degree/C. The aging behavior of two commercial zirconias was studied. 20 refs.
Nucleocytoplasmic Transport: Integrating mRNA Production and Turnover with Export through the Nuclear Pore

Separation of the nucleus and cytoplasm, maintained by two membrane bilayers that form the nuclear envelope, allows for spatial control over transcription factors and signaling molecules. This compartmentalization further ensures the presence of specialized environments for different stages of gene expression, such as transcription and protein production. Selective exchange between these two compartments is clearly important as well. Whereas many types of active transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm rely on transport receptors in the importin-β superfamily, export of mRNA utilizes distinct soluble machinery (6, 92). Moreover, in general mRNA export does not depend on a specific motif in the cargo, as has been demonstrated in many other cases of receptor-cargo interactions (22). Recent progress in identifying soluble factors important to mRNA trafficking is beginning to reveal the molecular basis for functional coupling between steps in mRNA biogenesis and how such coupling, rather than a consensus motif, brings specificity to mRNA export. Studies with Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that the key modulators of cellular mRNA export are unrelated to canonical importin-β-related receptors. Specifically, yeast deficient in a gene called MEX67 accumulate poly(A)+ RNA in the nucleus (73). A second protein, Mtr2p, binds Mex67p, and this interaction is required for the export of poly(A)+ RNA in yeast (71, 77). In an independent avenue of investigation, involving metazoan cells and the simian type D retrovirus Mason Pfizer monkey virus, the cellular protein TAP was found to facilitate export of RNA containing the viral constitutive transport element (CTE) (8, 32). TAP, confirmed to be the human orthologue of Mex67p, has been redesignated NXF1 (nuclear export factor 1). NXF1 interacts with p15/NXT1, the presumed functional homologue of Mtr2p (33, 44). Although Mtr2p and p15 share no sequence similarity, the Mex67p-Mtr2p complex displays similar structural architecture to the NXF1-p15 heterodimer (21). Indeed, the mRNA export defect in yeast cells deficient in both Mex67p and Mtr2p can be rescued by expression of human NXF1 and its cofactor p15 (44). Expression knock-down studies using RNA interference have demonstrated that NXF1 and p15 are required for poly(A)+ RNA export (35, 84, 93), further strengthening the case for an evolutionarily conserved system of mRNA export that is distinct from the importin-β superfamily. Likewise, studies with Xenopus oocytes support the conclusion that the small GTPase Ran, a key modulator of importin-β-type receptors, is not key to mRNA export (10). However, the distinction between mRNA export and the importin-β family/Ran network is not absolute, as an importin-β family member has recently been implicated in mRNA export as well (74).
Functional selectivity for glycerol of the nodulin 26 subfamily of plant membrane intrinsic proteins.

The nodulin-like intrinsic protein (NIP) subfamily of water and solute channels in plants is named for nodulin 26 of legume nodules.Two NIPs, soybean nodulin 26 and Lotus ja- ponicus LIMP2, show a distinct functional pro¢le with a low intrinsic osmotic water permeability (Pf) and the ability to £ux uncharged polyols such as glycerol.NIPs have a conserved sig- nature sequence within the 'aromatic/arginine' region that forms the selectivity ¢lter for major intrinsic proteins.This sequence is a hybrid of glyceroporin and aquaporin residues as well as ex- hibiting substitutions unique to the NIP subfamily.Site-directed mutagenesis of a conserved tryptophan in helix 2 of LIMP2 shows that this is a major determinant of glycerol selec- tivity.. 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
Chimpanzees and bonobos distinguish between risk and ambiguity

Although recent research has investigated animal decision-making under risk, little is known about how animals choose under conditions of ambiguity when they lack information about the available alternatives. Many models of choice behaviour assume that ambiguity does not impact decision-makers, but studies of humans suggest that people tend to be more averse to choosing ambiguous options than risky options with known probabilities. To illuminate the evolutionary roots of human economic behaviour, we examined whether our closest living relatives, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus), share this bias against ambiguity. Apes chose between a certain option that reliably provided an intermediately preferred food type, and a variable option that could vary in the probability that it provided a highly preferred food type. To examine the impact of ambiguity on ape decision-making, we interspersed trials in which chimpanzees and bonobos had no knowledge about the probabilities. Both species avoided the ambiguous option compared with their choices for a risky option, indicating that ambiguity aversion is shared by humans, bonobos and chimpanzees.
Optimization of magnetoresistive sensitivity in electrodeposited FeCoNi/Cu multilayers

Giant magnetoresistive (GMR) multilayers with high GMR sensitivity might find application in low-end magnetic sensors. Electrodeposition of FeCoNi/Cu GMR multilayers directly onto n-type silicon was carried out from a single electrolyte and their magnetotransport properties were investigated. Inhomogeneous dissolution of the ferromagnetic (FM) layer during Cu sublayer deposition has an important role in determining the shape of the GMR characteristics; lower dissolution promotes sharper interfaces and larger slopes of the GMR versus field curve at low fields. An increase of the Fe content in the FM sublayers reduces coercivity but promotes selective dissolution and degrades interface sharpness. Electrodeposition conditions are optimized to achieve a maximum GMR of 9% saturated at <0.5 kOe, and a maximum GMR sensitivity of over 0.11%/Oe in the field range 5-15 Oe with a saturation GMR of 6.1%.
A HER 1-2 Punch: Dual EGFR Targeting Deals Resistance a Deadly Blow

Summary: Ten years after the approval of erlotinib, EGFR inhibitor resistance remains a major clinical challenge. The translation of afatinib plus cetuximab into the clinic provides a promising new option for the treatment of patients with EGFR -mutated lung cancer. Cancer Discov; 4(9); 991–4. ©2014 AACR . See related article by Janjigian et al., [p. 1036][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/4/1036?iss=9
Patterns of anomalous floral development in the Asian Passiflora (subgenus Decaloba: supersection Disemma)

Approximately 22 species of Passiflora are native to the Old World. All of these species are placed in subgenus Decaloba, supersection Disemma. Within Disemma, three species vary in stamen and carpel number (≤ eight stamens and five carpels). The mode of development was determined for two of the anomalous species, P. moluccana var. glaberrima and P. siamica. Ontogenetic patterns were compared to normal development in P. perakensis and P. holosericea. Passiflora siamica develops additional stamens through dedoublement of a single widened stamen primordium, while P. moluccana var. glaberrima exhibits congenital dedoublement where stamens emerge already doubled. Phylogenetic analysis using ITS and the trnL-F intron and spacer resolve the anomalous species as monophyletic and sister to P. perakensis. This signifies a single loss of genetic regulation in stamen and carpel number within Disemma. Floral whorls were examined across the Passifloraceae, Malesherbiaceae, Turneraceae, and Flacourtiaceae s.l.. Similar doubling in these families suggests that this Eurosid lineage may have a genetic propensity for variability in floral whorl number.
Undertreatment of osteoporosis in women, based on detection of vertebral compression fractures on chest radiography

Abstract Background: Fractures attributable to ostcoporosis are responsible for preventable suffering and health care costs. Until they experience a fracture, many older adults, particularly women, are unaware that they have osteoporosis. Although radiographs taken for reasons other than evaluating the possibility of osteoporosis may suggest the presence of fracture, such fractures often go undetected and effective treatments are not implemented. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the adequacy of treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures in middle-aged and older women in an internal medicine clinic, as ascertained by reports of chest radiography. The hypothesis was that patients having chest radiographs with observable vertebral compression fractures often did not receive adequate treatment. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted at a general internal medicine clinic at a university-affiliated county hospital. The records of an academic internal medicine practice were searched to identify women aged ≥40 years with radiologic evidence of vertebral compression fractures during the period from June 1, 1992, through May 31, 2002. Electronic prescription records were then searched to determine whether patients had received a prescription for a medication for the treatment of osteoporosis. An analysis also was conducted to describe the frequency distribution of various medications for the treatment of osteoporosis. Results: One hundred thirteen women were identified who met the study criteria. Their mean (SD) age was 68.1 (21.9) years. Fifty-six (50%) of these women received pharmacologic treatment for osteoporosis. The most commonly prescribed medications were estrogens (35%), calcitonin (16%), and bisphosphonates (12%). Conclusions: No more than half of patients identified as having a vertebral compression fracture on chest radiography received even 1 prescription for the treatment of osteoporosis. Because this study did not examine adherence or long-term medication use, the proportion of women who received adequate osteoporosis therapy was probably much less than half. Physicians should be alert to the possible presence of vertebral compression fractures and take a more aggressive approach to treatment when a fracture is present.
Object Tracking by Finite-State Markov Process

The general problem of object tracking can be modeled as a Markov process and solved by computing probability distributions of the possible object states, followed by MAP estimation. This paper presents a new framework for the efficient estimation of the probability distribution of the states. In contrast to particle filters, where the possible states are numerous and random, we limit the possible states to a finite candidate set which is guaranteed with high probability to contain the true state of the object. After the problem is reduced to a finite-state Markov process (FSM), forward filtering is used to estimate the distribution of the object state. Moreover, the Viterbi algorithm can also be used to estimate the most likely state sequence. We test the new framework by both these methods and compare the tracking results. Experimental results show the effectiveness and efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
Self‐other orientation and legislative behavior1

Self-esteem and self-complexity of first-term Maine legislators were assessed at the beginning of a legislative session, using Ziller's (1973) topological method. Peer ratings of the freshman members' promise and likeability, and measures of their legislative activity were collected. Legislators rated as successful by their colleagues were of two distinct self-other types: low self-esteem, high complexity, or high self-esteem, low complexity. These two types were termed the Pragmatist and the Ideologue, respectively. The distinctions implied by these labels were supported by analyses of activity and voting records. High complexity of the self-concept, interpreted here as defensiveness, seems to moderate the effects of self-esteem on political activity.
Gain optimization in switches based on semiconductor optical amplifiers

The distribution of unsaturated gains that minimizes the noise figure of a three-stage optical switch based on semiconductor-optical-amplifier (SOA) gates is found. Gain saturation under both unidirectional (isolators inserted) and bidirectional (no isolators) propagation of spontaneous emission noise is analyzed, and a noise figure penalty associated with the absence of isolators is determined. Determination of the optimal set of pump currents is a nonlinear optimization problem, while determination of the optimum set of saturated gains is a linear optimization problem. The latter solution is found analytically, while the former solution requires a nonlinear optimization approach. The results are extended to the case of a sequence of N SOA's. >
An Evaluation of the Impact of Horizontal Resolution on Tropical Cyclone Predictions Using COAMPS-TC

AbstractA series of experiments have been conducted using the Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System–Tropical Cyclone (COAMPS-TC) to assess the impact of horizontal resolution on hurricane intensity prediction for 10 Atlantic storms during the 2005 and 2007 hurricane seasons. The results of this study from the Hurricane Katrina (2005) simulations indicate that the hurricane intensity and structure are very sensitive to the horizontal grid spacing (9 and 3 km) and underscore the need for cloud microphysics to capture the structure, especially for strong storms with small-diameter eyes and large pressure gradients. The high resolution simulates stronger vertical motions, a more distinct upper-level warm core, stronger upper-level outflow, and greater finescale structure associated with deep convection, including spiral rainbands and the secondary circulation. A vortex Rossby wave (VRW) spectrum analysis is performed on the simulated 10-m winds and the NOAA/Hurricane Research Division (HRD) Rea...
Forkhead Box O-1 Modulation Improves Endothelial Insulin Resistance in Human Obesity

Objective—Increased visceral adiposity has been closely linked to insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, and cardiometabolic disease in obesity, but pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. We sought to investigate mechanisms of vascular insulin resistance by characterizing depot-specific insulin responses and gain evidence that altered functionality of transcription factor forkhead box O-1 (FOXO-1) may play an important role in obesity-related endothelial dysfunction. Approach and Results—We intraoperatively collected paired subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue samples from 56 severely obese (body mass index, 43±7 kg/m2) and 14 nonobese subjects during planned surgical operations, and characterized depot-specific insulin-mediated responses using Western blot and quantitative immunofluorescence techniques. Insulin signaling via phosphorylation of FOXO-1 and consequent endothelial nitric oxide synthase stimulation was selectively impaired in the visceral compared with subcutaneous adi...
Comparison of safety and efficacy of ERCP performed with the patient in supine and prone positions.

Background ERCP is usually performed with the patient in the prone position. Little data exist on ERCP in the supine position, which is considered unsafe in nonintubated patients. Objective Our purpose was to compare outcomes of ERCP in the prone and supine positions. Design Retrospective study. Setting Tertiary care medical center. Patients All patients undergoing ERCP by one endoscopist over an 18-month period. Main Outcome Measurements American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, procedural degree of difficulty, procedural time, success rates, complication rates, effects on oxygen desaturation and hemodynamics, amount of sedation, need for precut sphincterotomy. Results A total of 649 patients were evaluated, of whom 506 patients were prone and 143 were supine. There were no differences between the groups with regard to sex, procedural time, ASA scores, need for precut sphincterotomy, adverse cardiovascular events, episodes of oxygen desaturation, dose of meperidine or midazolam, or oxygen supplementation. Complete success and complication rates were similar for both groups (90.2% and 11.2% for supine and 92.5% and 9.1% for prone, respectively). Procedural degree of difficulty was significantly higher in the supine group ( P Limitations Retrospective study, one endoscopist. Conclusions ERCP performed in nonintubated patients placed supine is often more difficult and may lead to more mild adverse respiratory events than when performed with the patient prone. Supine ERCP is appropriate in certain patients who cannot lie prone (abdominal pain, abdominal distention, ascites, recent abdominal or neck surgery, indwelling percutaneous tubes and need for access during the procedure to indwelling internal/external percutaneous biliary catheters, and in the morbidly obese) with more intensive monitoring in those who are not intubated.
Applying Web Usage Mining Techniques to Discover Potential Browsing Problems of Users

In this paper, a web usage mining based approach is proposed to discover potential browsing problems. Two web usage mining techniques in the approach are introduced, including Automatic Pattern Discovery (APD) and Co-occurrence Pattern Mining with Distance Measurement (CPMDM). A combination method is also discussed to show how potential browsing problems can be identified
Facial features extraction in color images using enhanced active shape model

In this paper, we present an improved active shape model (ASM) for facial feature extraction. The original ASM method developed by Cootes et al. highly relies on the initialization and the representation of the local structure of the facial features in the image. We use color information to improve the ASM approach for facial feature extraction. The color information is used to localize the centers of the mouth and the eyes to assist the initialization step. Moreover, we model the local structure of the feature points in the RGB color space. Besides, we use 2D affine transformation to align facial features that are perturbed by head pose variations. In fact, the 2D affine transformation compensates for the effects of both head pose variations and the projection of 3D data to 2D. Experiments on a face database of 50 subjects show that our approach outperforms the standard ASM and is successful in facial feature extraction.
Antagonistic Effects of Protein Kinase C α and δ on Both Transformation and Phospholipase D Activity Mediated by the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor

Downregulation of protein kinase C δ (PKC δ) by treatment with the tumor-promoting phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) transforms cells that overexpress the non-receptor class tyrosine kinase c-Src (Z. Lu et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 17:3418–3428, 1997). We extended these studies to cells overexpressing a receptor class tyrosine kinase, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR cells); like c-Src, the EGF receptor is overexpressed in several human tumors. In contrast with expectations, downregulation of PKC isoforms with TPA did not transform the EGFR cells; however, treatment with EGF did transform these cells. Since TPA downregulates all phorbol ester-responsive PKC isoforms, we examined the effects of PKC δ- and PKC α-specific inhibitors and the expression of dominant negative mutants for both PKC δ and α. Consistent with a tumor-suppressing function for PKC δ, the PKC δ-specific inhibitor rottlerin and a dominant negative PKC δ mutant transformed the EGFR cells in the absence of EGF. In contrast, the PKC α-specific inhibitor Go6976 and expression of a dominant negative PKC α mutant blocked the transformed phenotype induced by both EGF and PKC δ inhibition. Interestingly, both rottlerin and EGF induced substantial increases in phospholipase D (PLD) activity, which is commonly elevated in response to mitogenic stimuli. The elevation of PLD activity in response to inhibiting PKC δ, like transformation, was dependent upon PKC α and restricted to the EGFR cells. These data demonstrate that PKC isoforms α and δ have antagonistic effects on both transformation and PLD activity and further support a tumor suppressor role for PKC δ that may be mediated by suppression of tyrosine kinase-dependent increases in PLD activity.
Induced norm control toolbox

This paper describes the basic nature of the induced norm control toolbox (INCT). The toolbox is a set of Matlab-files using LMITOOL and the semidefinite programming package. The toolbox is public domain. The INCT provides a series of analysis and synthesis tools for continuous time-invariant linear systems, all related to induced norms. A packing system has also been developed to make the writing of code less cumbersome.
From Twitter to detector: real-time traffic incident detection using social media data

Abstract The effectiveness of traditional incident detection is often limited by sparse sensor coverage, and reporting incidents to emergency response systems is labor-intensive. We propose to mine tweet texts to extract incident information on both highways and arterials as an efficient and cost-effective alternative to existing data sources. This paper presents a methodology to crawl, process and filter tweets that are accessible by the public for free. Tweets are acquired from Twitter using the REST API in real time. The process of adaptive data acquisition establishes a dictionary of important keywords and their combinations that can imply traffic incidents (TI). A tweet is then mapped into a high dimensional binary vector in a feature space formed by the dictionary, and classified into either TI related or not. All the TI tweets are then geocoded to determine their locations, and further classified into one of the five incident categories. We apply the methodology in two regions, the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Metropolitan Areas. Overall, mining tweets holds great potentials to complement existing traffic incident data in a very cheap way. A small sample of tweets acquired from the Twitter API cover most of the incidents reported in the existing data set, and additional incidents can be identified through analyzing tweets text. Twitter also provides ample additional information with a reasonable coverage on arterials. A tweet that is related to TI and geocodable accounts for approximately 5% of all the acquired tweets. Of those geocodable TI tweets, 60–70% are posted by influential users (IU), namely public Twitter accounts mostly owned by public agencies and media, while the rest is contributed by individual users. There is more incident information provided by Twitter on weekends than on weekdays. Within the same day, both individuals and IUs tend to report incidents more frequently during the day time than at night, especially during traffic peak hours. Individual tweets are more likely to report incidents near the center of a city, and the volume of information significantly decays outwards from the center.
Androgenic Function of APL Stimulated Ovaries in Immature Rats.

SummaryVentral prostates from male littermates were implanted into female rats 10 days of age. Daily treatment with chorionic gonadotropin produced no evidence of androgenic stimulation in the prostates when the females were castrated. When the ovaries were not removed the prostates of the treated animals showed evidence of stimulation at 18 to 25 days, but not after 28 days of age.
Book Review: Great Minds in Finance Series: The Rise of the Quants, Life Cyclists, and Portfolio Theorists

This book, by Colin Read, in the Great Minds in Finance Series, encapsulates the work of a series of great minds in finance and establishes the history rarely addressed and discussed in finance. It is published by Palgrave MacMillan.
Psychiatric Disorders in Young Adults Diagnosed with Juvenile Fibromyalgia in Adolescence.

Objective Adolescents with juvenile-onset fibromyalgia (JFM) have increased rates of psychiatric disorders, but to our knowledge no studies have examined psychiatric disorders in adolescents with JFM when they enter young adulthood. This study examined the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in young adults diagnosed with JFM during adolescence and the relationship between mental health diagnoses and physical functioning. Methods Ninety-one young adults (mean age 21.60, SD 1.96) with a history of JFM being followed as part of a prospective longitudinal study and 30 matched healthy controls (mean age 21.57, SD 1.55) completed a structured interview of psychiatric diagnoses and a self-report measure of physical impairment. Results Young adults with a history of JFM were more likely to have current and lifetime histories of anxiety disorders (70.3% and 76.9%, respectively) compared with controls (33.3% for both, both p Conclusion Psychiatric disorders are prevalent in young adulthood for individuals with a history of JFM, and a current major mood disorder is associated with greater physical impairment. Greater attention to early identification and treatment of mood disorders in patients with JFM is warranted.
The Waterston anastomosis with no deaths in the neonate

The Waterston anastomosis has been performed with no deaths in 11 consecutive neonates during the past 24 months. Seven neonates had pulmonary atresia with either single ventricle or hypoplastic right ventricle, 3 had tetralogy of Fallot, and one had severe pulmonary stenosis with a normal right ventricle. Six neonates were one day old and only one was older than 7 days. All have obtained symptomatic and documented (increase P o 2) benefit. This level of success is attributed to (I) minimal delay between the recognition of cyanosis and operation (mean time between hospital admission and catheterization was 3 hours and between catheterization and operation, 4 hours); (2) correction of any base deficit prior to, during, and after operation; (3) accurate construction of the anastomosis to avoid excessive size; and (4) careful postoperative management of the pulmonary subsystem by experienced personnel. We have demonstrated that the high mortality rate previously reported for the Waterston anastomosis in the neonate can be markedly improved by an appropriate patient management program.
Conditional Ablation of Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 Results in Subfertility in the Female and Development of Endometrial Cysts

Progesterone (P4) is essential for female fertility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the functional requirement of the nonclassical P4 receptor (PGR), PGR membrane component 1, in regulating female fertility. To achieve this goal, the Pgrmc1 gene was floxed by insertion of loxP sites on each side of exon 2. Pgrmc1 floxed (Pgrmc1(fl/fl)) mice were crossed with Pgr(cre) or Amhr2(cre) mice to delete Pgrmc1 (Pgrmc1(d/d)) from the female reproductive tract. A 6-month breeding trial revealed that conditional ablation of Pgrmc1 with Pgr(cre/+) mice resulted in a 40% reduction (P = .0002) in the number of pups/litter. Neither the capacity to ovulate in response to gonadotropin treatment nor the expression of PGR and the estrogen receptor was altered in the uteri of Pgrmc1(d/d) mice compared with Pgrmc1(fl/fl) control mice. Although conditional ablation of Pgrmc1 from mesenchymal tissue using Amhr2(cre/+) mice did not reduce the number of pups/litter, the total number of litters born in the 6-month breeding trial was significantly decreased (P = .041). In addition to subfertility, conditional ablation of Pgrmc1 using either Amhr2(cre/+) or Pgr(cre/+) mice resulted in the development of endometrial cysts starting around 4 months of age. Interestingly, pregnancy attenuated the formation of these uterine cysts. These new findings demonstrate that PGR membrane component 1 plays an important role in female fertility and uterine tissue homeostasis.
Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: How the Hormonal Changes of Menopause Cause Bone Loss

Publisher Summary The mechanism(s) of the bone sparing effects of estrogen appears to be particularly complex as it involves the regulated production of cytokines from hematopoietic cells and bone cells and the responsiveness of stromal cells to these cytokines. In addition, the contribution of specific factors to postmenopausal bone loss appears to vary as the system adapts over time to the hormonal withdrawal. Although many details of this process remain to be defined, it is now clearly established that estrogen down-regulates the production of pro-osteoclastogenic and anti-osteoclastogenic factors. Among them are interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), osteoprotegerin, and transforming growth factor-b. Uncertainty remains over the role of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-β ligand (RANKL) in the mechanism by which estrogen prevents bone loss. The exact contribution of IL-6 also remains unclear because of insufficient data demonstrating that the block of IL-6 decreases bone resorption in vivo and bone loss in a bona fide experimental model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, the exact role of RANKL and IL-6 is likely to be defined in the near future. At the present time RANKL and M-CSF should be regarded as the factors responsible for osteoclast renewal under unstimulated conditions. The enhanced osteoclastogenesis and the increased osteoclastic bone resorption leading to postmenopausal bone loss result from stimulated production of inflammatory cytokines. These factors increase the production of M-CSF and RANKL and, in the case of TNF, directly synergize with RANKL to maximize osteoclast formation.
Effects of iso-octane/ethanol blend ratios on the observance of negative temperature coefficient behavior within the Ignition Quality Tester

Abstract An ignition delay study investigating the reduction in low temperature heat release (LTHR) and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) region with increasing ethanol concentration in binary blends of ethanol/isooctane was conducted in the Ignition Quality Tester (IQT). The IQT is advantageous for studying multi-component fuels such as iso -octane/ethanol which are difficult to study at lower temperatures covering the NTC region in traditional systems (e.g., shock tubes, rapid compression machines, etc.). The high octane numbers and concomitant long ignition delay times of ethanol and iso -octane are ideal for study in the IQT allowing the system to reach a quasi-homogeneous mixture; allowing the effect of fuel chemistry on ignition delay to be investigated with minimal impact from the fuel spray due to the relatively long ignition times. NTC behavior from iso -octane/ethanol blends was observed for the first time using an IQT. Temperature sweeps of iso -octane/ethanol volumetric blends (100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 50/50, and 0/100) were conducted from 623 to 993 K at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 MPa and global equivalence ratios ranging from 0.7 to 1.0. Ignition of the iso -octane/ethanol blends in the IQT was also modeled using a 0-D homogeneous batch reactor model. Significant observations include: (1) NTC behavior was observed for ethanol/ iso -octane fuel blends up to 20% ethanol. (2) Ethanol produced shorter ignition delay times than iso -octane in the high temperature region. (3) The initial increase in ethanol from 0% to 10% had a lesser impact on ignition delay than increasing ethanol from 10% to 20%. (4) The 0-D model predicts that at 0.5 and 1.0 MPa ethanol produces the shortest ignition time in the high-temperature regime, as seen experimentally.