cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CD40L-stimulated B cells for ex-vivo expansion of polyspecific non-human primate regulatory T cells for translational studies.

The therapeutic applications of regulatory T cells (Tregs ) include treating autoimmune diseases, graft-versus-host disease and induction of transplantation tolerance. For ex-vivo expanded Tregs to be used in deceased donor transplantation, they must be able to suppress T cell responses to a broad range of human leukocyte antigen (HLA). Here, we present a novel approach for the expansion of polyspecific Tregs in cynomolgus macaques that was adapted from a good manufacturing practice-compliant protocol. Tregs were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and expanded in the presence of a panel of CD40L-stimulated B cells (CD40L-sBc). Prior to Treg culture, CD40L-sBc were expanded in vitro from multiple major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-disparate macaques. Expanded Tregs expressed high levels of forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) and Helios, a high percentage of Treg -specific demethylated region (TSDR) demethylation and strong suppression of naive T cell responses in vitro. In addition, these Tregs produced low levels of inflammatory cytokines and were able to expand post-cryopreservation. Specificity assays confirmed that these Tregs were suppressive upon activation by any antigen-presenting cells (APCs) whose MHC was shared by CD40L-sBc used during expansion, proving that they are polyspecific. We developed an approach for the expansion of highly suppressive cynomolgus macaque polyspecific Tregs through the use of a combination of CD40L-engineered B cells with the potential to be translated to clinical studies. To our knowledge, this is the first report that uses a pool of MHC-mismatched CD40L-sBc to create polyspecific Tregs suitable for use in deceased-donor transplants.
HIV-1 Tat and cocaine impact mitochondrial epigenetics: effects on DNA methylation.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the psychostimulant drug cocaine are known to induce epigenetic changes in DNA methylation that are linked with the severity of viral replication an...
A Case of Myopericarditis and Cardiac Tamponade as the Initial Presentation of COVID-19 Infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel disease with various complications involving different organ systems caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. While the respiratory complications associated with COVID-19 have been well publicized, our understanding of the nonpulmonary complications of COVID-19 is lacking. Herein we present a case of a middle-aged woman who developed myopericarditis, pericardial effusion, and tamponade in the setting of COVID-19 infection.
Haplotype-aware pantranscriptome analyses using spliced pangenome graphs

Pangenomics is emerging as a powerful computational paradigm in bioinformatics. This field uses population-level genome reference structures, typically consisting of a sequence graph, to mitigate reference bias and facilitate analyses that were challenging with previous reference-based methods. In this work, we extend these methods into transcriptomics to analyze sequencing data using the pantranscriptome: a population-level transcriptomic reference. Our novel toolchain can construct spliced pangenome graphs, map RNA-seq data to these graphs, and perform haplotype-aware expression quantification of transcripts in a pantranscriptome. This workflow improves accuracy over state-of-the-art RNA-seq mapping methods, and it can efficiently quantify haplotype-specific transcript expression without needing to characterize a sample9s haplotypes beforehand.
Comparison of full field predictions of crystal plasticity simulations using the Voce and the dislocation density based hardening laws

Abstract Crystal plasticity modeling and simulation is an important predictive tool for understanding the deformation of polycrystalline materials under diverse loading conditions. The validity and accuracy of these simulations depend on the choice of the constitutive law. One of the main components of the constitutive law for plastic deformation is the hardening law. This study, therefore, focuses on understanding the effect of the phenomenological Voce hardening law and the dislocation density based hardening law on full field predictions of crystal plasticity simulations. The crystal plasticity simulations were performed using a three dimensional (3D) fast Fourier transform-based elasto-viscoplastic (EVP-FFT) micromechanical solver for the tensile deformation of copper. Simulation results show that the local distribution of stress strongly depends on the hardening rule. Average texture characteristics predicted by both the laws do not vary significantly. However, spatial orientation evolution (micro-texture) varies with increasing strain. For the Voce law, spatial distribution of the dislocation density calculated from the threshold stress is more homogeneous than the predictions of the dislocation density based hardening law. Finally, our results highlight that a simple dislocation density based storage–recovery model is insufficient to explain the orientation dependence of the stored energy distribution. Hence, careful choice of the hardening law is important for the prediction of localized micromechanical fields.
Uterine Sparing Laparoscopic Ablation of Uterine Fibroids: A Survey of Patient's Satisfaction and Treatment Outcomes

Study Objective The primary purpose of this study was to assess the patient's satisfaction with laparoscopic radiofrequency fibroid ablation (Lap-RFA) for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids. We inquired about their quality of life, health state, and overall treatment effects. Design Survey study. Setting Community-based tertiary care medical center. Patients or Participants All patients who underwent a Lap-RFA by a single surgeon between the years of 2012 and 2020. Interventions laparoscopic radiofrequency fibroid ablation (Lap-RFA). Measurements and Main Results 48 patients underwent Lap-RFA procedure by the same provider and were mailed surveys for postoperative evaluation. Twenty patients responded, yeilding a 42% response rate. The mean age of the patients was 46 (34-60) years. The average time interval from surgery to survey response was 23 months (1-50). The Uterine fibroid Symptom and Health-Related Quality of Life (UFS-QOL) and the Health State Questionnaire scores are inversely related to outcomes. The UFS-QOL score can range from 37 to 185 with 37 being the optimal outcome. The average UFS-QOL score was found to be 72 (range 37-146). In addition, the Health state questionnaire can range from 5 to 15, and the average score was 6 (range 5-9). On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 representing optimal outcome, the average health rating was 8 (range 5-10). Using the Menorrhagia Impact Questionnaire, seven patients reported improved menses, ten had no change in symptoms, one had worsening symptoms, and two were postmenopausal. Sixteen patients reported some degree of satisfaction with the procedure, while three were dissatisfied with their overall treatment outcomes. Ninety percent of patients would recommend Lap-RFA to a friend. Conclusion Lap-RFA procedure is an effective uterine-sparing treatment for symptomatic fibroids with good patient satisfaction. The Lap-RFA procedure should be considered when counseling patients about fibroid management options.
The Supreme Court, 2001 Term—Leading Cases: Takings Clause—Regulatory Takings—Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Council, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 122 S. Ct. 1465 (2002)

Takings Clause -- Regulatory Takings.In 1922, Justice Holmes invented regulatory takings jurisprudence by announcing that “if regulation goes too far it will be recognized as a taking,” but he did not say how far is too far. Fifty-six years later, in Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City (1978), the Supreme Court settled on a balancing test to determine when a regulation is a taking for which a property owner must be compensated under the Fifth Amendment. The Penn Central test remains the rule today, though it has been qualified by various per se rules, notably the total-taking rule of Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council (1992).But what is “total” ? Because every regulation can be characterized as a total taking of some right, the Court has struggled to prevent the “denominator question” from expanding Lucas and undermining Penn Central. In Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Council, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (2002), the Court held that to trigger the Lucas rule a total deprivation of all economically viable use must be permanent; a temporary deprivation is only partial and must be considered under Penn Central. The Court has saved the Penn Central edifice, though it is unclear that this structure is worth preserving.
Palestinian Statehood: A Secessionist Dialogue

Given Israel's long-term de facto sovereign control over the Occupied Territories, one may assess the presumptive 2011 Palestinian declaration of de facto statehood in terms of a secessionist dialogue. One thing that many Palestinians and Israelis would agree on, is that Israel is not a mother State. But Israel's resumption of West Bank and East Jerusalem Jewish settlement construction (in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention) exemplifies Israel's complete de facto sovereignty. Russia and the United States claim that the 2008 secessions of South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Kosovo were all "unique" secessions: supposedly preventing them from being models for any other secession. This is disputable. But assuming it were true, Palestine's secession would a fortiori qualify as a unique secession. Given the absence of a multilateral treaty on secession, one must continue to rely on Customary International Law (in the absence of an authoritative international judicial opinion on point) to speculate about the legitimacy of future secessions. In July 2010, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion on the legitimacy of the secession of Kosovo. The majority opinion was flawed for two reasons: the majority (1) avoided answering the real question asked, and (2) failed to assess and apply the leading national case on point: the Canadian Supreme Court's Quebec Secession case. Applying a secessionist analysis would not solve the Palestinian problem. It would provide a legal tool for assessing the legitimacy of Palestine's presumptive 2011 declaration of de facto statehood.
The Versus Language: Representing Time Efficiently with BDDs

There have been significant advances on formal methods to verify real-time systems recently. Nevertheless, these methods have not yet been accepted as a realistic alternative to the verification of industrial systems. One reason for this is that formal methods are still difficult to apply efficiently. Another reason is that current verification algorithms are still not efficient enough to handle many complex systems. This work addresses the problem by presenting a language designed especially to simplify writing real-time programs. It is an imperative language with a syntax similar to C. Special constructs are provided to allow the straightforward expression of timing properties. The familiar syntax makes it easier for non-experts to use the tool. The special constructs make it possible to model the timing characteristics of the system naturally and accurately. A symbolic representation using BDDs, model checking and quantitative algorithms are used to check system timing properties. The efficiency of the representation allows complex realistic systems to be verified.
Active Turbulence Control in Wallbounded Flow Using Direct Numerical Simulations

An exploratory study of concepts for active control of turbulent boundary layers using the direct numerical simulation technique was performed. Significant drag reduction was achieved when the surface boundary condition was modified such that it could suppress the large-scale structures present in the wall region. This was achieved by prescribing the normal component of velocity at the wall to be 180° out of phase with the normal velocity slightly above the wall at each instant. The drag reduction was accompanied with significant reduction in the intensity of the wall-layer structures and reductions in the magnitude of Reynolds stresses throughout the flow. Suitability of wall-pressure and shear-stress fluctuations for detection of flow structures above the wall was examined. A preliminary result obtained by applying the present control strategy to a transitional flow is also briefly described, from which one can infer a possible linkage between the control strategy and flow stability.
N =3 solution in dyonic ISO(7) gauged maximal supergravity and its uplift to massive type IIA supergravity

We consider a certain $\mathcal{N}=1$ supersymmetric, $\mathrm{SO}(3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SO}(3)$ invariant, subsector of the dyonic ISO(7)-gauged maximal supergravity in four dimensions. The theory contains two scalar fields and two pseudoscalar fields. We look for stationary points of the scalar potential, especially the one preserving $\mathcal{N}=3$ supersymmetry of the original ISO(7) gauged theory. The $\mathcal{N}=3$ stationary point corresponding to the AdS vacuum in the $D=4$ theory is lifted to a warped ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{4}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{X}_{6}$ type solution in massive type IIA supergravity. This $D=10$ background should be the dual of a certain $\mathcal{N}=3$ Chern-Simons matter theory in three dimensions.
U.S. Congressional Committees and Corporate Financial Misconduct

We document that firms with powerful representation on U.S. congressional committees that oversee the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are less likely to face regulatory scrutiny for financial misconduct relative to other firms. An exogenous decrease in firms’ powerful committee representation results in an increase in the likelihood that those firms will subsequently face SEC enforcement actions. Furthermore, conditional on receiving SEC enforcement action, the same firms also receive materially smaller monetary penalties relative to other transgressing firms. Our findings appear to be driven by firm-side efforts to supply higher quality financial reports rather than because of political capture. In sum our study highlights a direct effect on financial reporting from political representation on specific U.S. congressional committees.
Situational normativism and teaching of policy sciences

The increasing interest in policy sciences—the multidisciplinary activity concerned with decision-making for social problems—and the introduction of policy science programs in a number of leading universities has highlighted the need for teaching programs in the subject.
Why Total Quality Management Fails: Perspective of Top Management

TQM philosophy is that continuous improvement within an organization is possible. It is people‐oriented and customer focused. To be successful it must involve all people within the organization and must have customer feedback. Discusses in detail the reasons why this fails: managers do not delegate quality to involve everyone in the organization; appropriate consultants to implement the system are not evaluated properly; lack of employee involvement; failure of management leadership with too much emphasis on cost cutting and profits, not customer service; poor communication with workforce; resistance to change. Benchmarking must be established to measure the effects of TQM and a long‐term plan to establish goals. A good supplier relationship, teamwork and employee participation are all required concepts within a successful TQM programme.
Eine Anwendung der Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie vonCarnap auf ein Problem der Unternehmensforschung

Eine Form der Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie vonCarnap ermoglicht es, die a-priori-Wahrscheinlichkeiten zu errechnen. Diese Methode wurde auf ein einfaches Lagerhaltungsproblem angewandt, wobei die zukunftige Nachfrage eine zufallige Variable ist. Wir betrachten den Fall eines vollkommen neuen Gutes und auch den Fall, das fur die Vergangenheit einige Erfahrung mit der Nachfrage nach dem Gute vorliegt.
Permeability of the mouse blood-brain barrier to murine interleukin-2: predominance of a saturable efflux system.

Abstract Interleukin (IL)-2, a T helper (TH)1 cell-derived glycoprotein with potent neuromodulatory effects, is implicated in the etiology and pathogenesis of various psychiatric and neurological disorders. Paralleling these findings, chronic IL-2 intravenous immunotherapy may induce similar psychopathological outcomes. The findings that acute or repeated injections of IL-2 induce motor and cognitive abnormalities in rodents are consistent with these clinical findings, and raise the possibility that IL-2 crosses the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to alter brain function. However, little is known about the ability of IL-2 to enter the brain or whether its effects vary with the chronicity of IL-2 treatment. Here, we found that radioactively labeled mouse IL-2 (I-IL-2) given intravenously entered the brain at a low rate (Ki=0.142 ± 0.044 μl/g-min) by a non-saturable process. Repeated injections of either IL-2 or vehicle altered the kinetics of entry without producing a net effect on IL-2 entry. When I-IL-2 was given by brain perfusion, the entry rate greatly increased over 10-fold to 2.2 ± 0.805 μl/g-min. This suggests a circulating factor is retarding the entry of IL-2 into the brain. A paradoxic increase in the rate of I-IL-2 entry into brain occurred when an excess of unlabeled IL-2 was included in the brain perfusate, suggesting a saturable CNS-to-blood efflux system. Intracerebroventricular injection of I-IL-2 with and without unlabeled IL-2 confirmed the presence of a saturable efflux system. We conclude that IL-2 entry into the brain is low because of the absence of a blood-to-brain transporter and further retarded by circulating factors and a CNS-to-blood efflux system. This is the first description of a saturable CNS-to-blood efflux system for a cytokine. We postulate that this efflux system may protect the brain from circulating IL-2.
Thymidine and zidovudine metabolism in chronically zidovudine-exposed cells in vitro.

Abstract Chronic exposure of H 9 cells to 25 μM zidovudine (H 9 -AZT cells) causes a 2- to 3-fold increase in thymidine kinase (TK) activity (Agarwal RP, Int J Purines Pyrimidine Res , in press). The present study compared thymidine (TdR) and AZT anabolism in H 9 and H 9 -AZT cells. After a 3.5-hr incubation with 10 μM TdR or AZT, the total intracellular accumulations of AZT (48.7 μM in H 9 cells and 32.8 μM in H 9 -AZT cells) were 46.4% of TdR accumulation. Other major differences between TdR and AZT anabolism were: (i) the majority of TdR (84–87%) was incorporated into DNA compared to TMP >TDP, zidovudine distributed was AZT-MP ⪢ AZT-TP ⩾ AZT-DP. Because of the poor substrate activity of AZT-MP for thymidylate kinase (TMP-kinase), most of the AZT (95–98%) remained as AZT-MP. TMP-kinase activities with TMP as substrate were 47.6 ± 20.3 and 91.4 ± 28.8 pmol/mg protein/min in H 9 and H 9 -AZT cells, respectively. 5′-Nucleotidase activities with TMP as substrate were 428.9 ± 37.8 and 255.9 ± 28.7 pmol/mg protein/min in H 9 and H 9 -AZT cells, respectively. Activities of these enzymes with AZT-MP as a substrate were very low. Despite an increase in TK and TMP-kinase, and a decrease in 5′-nucelotidase activities, the total intracellular accumulations of TdR and AZT were reduced significantly (P 9 -AZT cells. Thymidine transport (0.66 to 0.68 pmol/sec/10 6 cells) was similar in both the cell lines. The severe reductions of TdR salvage caused by chronic exposure of cells to AZT, if it occurs in AIDS patients on AZT chemotherapy, may explain some of the long-term clinical toxicities of the drug.
Transmigration of macrophages across the choroid plexus epithelium in response to the feline immunodeficiency virus

Although lentiviruses such as human, feline and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV, FIV, SIV) rapidly gain access to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the mechanisms that control this entry are not well understood. One possibility is that the virus may be carried into the brain by immune cells that traffic across the blood–CSF barrier in the choroid plexus. Since few studies have directly examined macrophage trafficking across the blood–CSF barrier, we established transwell and explant cultures of feline choroid plexus epithelium and measured trafficking in the presence or absence of FIV. Macrophages in co-culture with the epithelium showed significant proliferation and robust trafficking that was dependent on the presence of epithelium. Macrophage migration to the apical surface of the epithelium was particularly robust in the choroid plexus explants where 3-fold increases were seen over the first 24 h. Addition of FIV to the cultures greatly increased the number of surface macrophages without influencing replication. The epithelium in the transwell cultures was also permissive to PBMC trafficking, which increased from 17 to 26% of total cells after exposure to FIV. Thus, the choroid plexus epithelium supports trafficking of both macrophages and PBMCs. FIV significantly enhanced translocation of macrophages and T cells indicating that the choroid plexus epithelium is likely to be an active site of immune cell trafficking in response to infection.
Three Studies of Factors Affecting the Attitudes of Blacks and Females toward the Pursuit of Science and Science-Related Careers.

This study involved the development of an instrument, the Science Career Predictor Scale (SCPS), which assesses seven factors thought to be involved with science career choices: teacher/counselor encouragement, participation in science-related hobbies and activities, academic self-image, science-related career interest, parental encouragement and support, the perceived relevance of mathematics and science, and mathematics and science ability. This instrument was administered to a sample of 522 middle and high school students, and a sample of 185 students from an historically black university, and the effects of such factors as sex, race, personal acquaintance with a scientist, and type of community (rural or urban) on the above-mentioned variables were ascertained using a multivariate analysis of covariance with age as the covariate. A separate study on a sample of 81 high school students looked at race and gender differences in critical thinking abilities as measured by the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking appraisal, and how these abilities correlated with scores on the Science Career Predictor Scale. These studies produced several significant findings. Female subjects did produce significantly lower scores on the career interest factor. Black students actually had significantly higher science-career preference scores than their white counterparts. However, blacks scored significantly lower on the measure of critical thinking ability. Across both races and both sexes, however, the major factor affecting science-related career decisions appears to be personal contact with a scientist. The implications of these findings are discussed, along with possible strategies for increasing the participation of these groups in science.
Microtechniques for flow cytometric analysis of aqueous humor lymphocytes

Flow cytometric analysis of monoclonal antibody labelled lymphocytes is an important tool in understanding the immune response. Microtechniques were developed to analyze lymphocytes in small amounts of ocular fluids. Optimal labelling volumes and concentrations for Leu 2a, Leu 3a, Leu 4 and Leu M3 antibodies were determined. The ability to label and reproducibly analyze cell samples with as few as 1000 cells is demonstrated.
Differential geometric structures on principal toroidal bundles

Under an assumption of regularity a manifold with an f-structure satisfying certain conditions analogous to those of a Kahler structure admits a fibration a s a principal toroidal bundle over a Kaller manifold. In some natural special cases, additional information about the bundle spaceis obtained. Finally, curvature relations between the bundle space and the base space are studied.
One Loop Does Not Fit All

Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation increasingly becomes a key technology for modern database systems. It allows the creation of code on-the-fly to perfectly match an active query. In the past, it has been argued that a query should be compiled to a single loop that performs all query actions, for example, all selects over all relevant columns. On the other hand, vectorization -- a common feature in modern data systems -- allows for better results by evaluating the query predicates sequentially in different tight for-loops. In this paper, we study JIT compilation for modern in-memory column-stores in detail and we show that, contrary to the common belief that vectorization outweighs the benefits of having one loop, there are cases in which creating a single loop is actually the optimal solution. In fact, deciding between multiple or a single loop is not a static decision; instead, it depends on (per column) query selectivity. We perform our experiments on a modern column-store prototype that supports vectorization and we show that, depending on selectivity, a different code layout is optimal. When a select operator is implemented with a no-branch design, for low selectivity creating multiple loops performs better than a single loop. A single tight loop performs better otherwise.
Annealing and measurement temperature dependence of W2B5-based rectifying contacts to n-GaN

Abstract The thermal stability and measurement temperature dependence of Schottky contact characteristics on n -GaN using a W 2 B 5 /Ti/Au metallization scheme was studied using current–voltage ( I – V ), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) measurements. The elemental profile obtained from samples annealed at 350 °C showed some titanium diffusion into the gold layer but little other difference from the as-deposited wafer. Annealing at 700 °C produced significant diffusion of titanium. The Schottky barrier height increased with anneal temperature up to 200 °C, reaching a maximum value of 0.65 eV, but decreased at higher annealing temperatures. The reverse breakdown voltage from diodes fabricated using the W 2 B 5 -based contacts showed a similar dependence. The reverse current magnitude was larger than predicted by thermionic emission alone. The barrier height showed only minor changes with measurement temperature up to 150 °C.
Cinoxacin: In Vitro Antibacterial Studies of a New Synthetic Organic Acid

Cinoxacin (compound 64716) is a synthetic organic acid with antibacterial activity against most aerobic gram-negative bacilli. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of cinoxacin (agar-dilution method) were determined for 419 strains. Escherichia coli was the most susceptible group of organisms. The majority of Klebsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Proteus sp., and Serratia marcescens were inhibited by 8 μg of cinoxacin per ml. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and all gram-positive isolates tested were resistant to 64 μg or less of cinoxacin per ml. Zones of inhibition using a 30-μg disk correlated well with agar-dilution minimal inhibitory concentrations (r = −0.9). Cinoxacin was bactericidal when tested with inocula of 5 × 10 6 organisms per ml. Resistance to cinoxacin was readily developed in all three strains tested by serial passage on drug-containing agar. The in vitro properties of this agent were similar to those of nalidixic acid.
Percutaneous Drainage of an Infected Lung Bulla in a Patient Receiving Positive Pressure Ventilation

Percutaneous drainage of an infected bulla was performed under fluoroscopy in a patient who was receiving positive pressure ventilation. The procedure was without complications, and the patient was later weaned from mechanical ventilation.
Compensatory responses of goat mothers to their impaired young

Abstract The behaviour of a mother goat towards her young normally compensates for differences between them in their vigour at birth. Weakening the first-born with drugs still does not prevent its getting equal access to the udder, though weakening the second-born may render it so much less vigorous that maternal compensation does fail. When the mother is unable to distinguish her kids by sight or smell, she is unable to modulate her responses to the kids and then the more vigorous kid always establishes priority of access to the udder. We conjecture that this is what normally occurs under harsh environmental conditions where the mother's milk supply is occasionally inadequate for two kids.
Ovarian steroidogenic responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist testing with nafarelin in hirsute women with adrenal responses to adrenocorticotropin suggestive of 3 beta-hydroxy-delta 5-steroid dehydrogenase deficiency

Nonclassical 3 beta-hydroxy-delta 5-steroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD) deficiency type of congenital adrenal hyperplasia has been hypothesized to occur in as many as 10-40% of hirsute women, based on the adrenal steroidogenic responses to ACTH. However, diagnostic criteria for this "late-onset" 3 beta-HSD deficiency are not clearly established. Among 40 successive hyperandrogenic women undergoing evaluation of adrenal steroidogenic responses to ACTH, 8 had responses suggestive of 3 beta-HSD deficiency. Since 3 beta-HSD is present in both the ovary and adrenal, we attempted to document the defect in the ovary by stimulating their ovarian function with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist test using nafarelin (6-D-[2-naphthyl]alanine-gonadotropin-releasing hormone). The eight hirsute women had steroid responses to ACTH suggestive of 3 beta-HSD deficiency, namely, the values of the delta 5-steroids, 17-hydroxypregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone, 30 and 60 min after ACTH in each hirsute woman were greater than 2 SD above the normal mean. Seven of the eight hirsute women had at least one elevated delta 5/delta 4-steroid ratio; however, only three of the hirsute women had two abnormal ratios. Furthermore, the response of the delta 4-steroid androstenedione and the ratio of androstenedione to cortisol after ACTH were significantly increased in the hirsute women, findings not consistent with 3 beta-HSD deficiency. After nafarelin, five and six hirsute patients had elevated values of the delta 4-steroids androstenedione and 17-hydroxyprogesterone, respectively. No patient had an elevated delta 5/delta 4-steroid ratio after nafarelin. Thus, ovarian steroidogenic responses to nafarelin did not support the diagnosis of 3 beta-HSD deficiency. Rather, they are consistent in most cases with polycystic ovary syndrome due to dysregulation of 17-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities. We propose that increased activity of the enzyme P450c17 alpha in the adrenal cortex is responsible for most of what is often termed late-onset 3 beta-HSD deficiency.
Analysis of nonlinear vibration-interaction using higher order spectra to diagnose aerospace system faults

For efficient maintenance of a diverse fleet of aging air- and rotorcraft, effective condition based maintenance (CBM) must be established based on rotating components monitored vibration signals. Traditional linear spectral analysis techniques of the vibration signals, based on auto-power spectrum, are used as common tools of rotating components diagnoses. Unfortunately, linear spectral analysis techniques are of limited value when various spectral components interact with one another due to nonlinear or parametric process. In such a case, higher order spectral (HOS) techniques are recommended to accurately and completely characterize the vibration signals. Since the nonlinearities result in new spectral components being formed with coherency in phase, the detection of such phase coherence may be carried out with the aid of higher order spectra. In this paper, we use the bispectrum as a higher order spectral analysis tool to investigate nonlinear wave-wave interaction in vibration signals. Accelerometer data has been collected from baseline tests of accelerated conditioning in tail rotor drive-train components of an AH-64 helicopter drive-train research test bed simulating drive-train conditions. Through bispectrum analysis, we compare the harmonics interaction patterns contained in vibration signals from different physical setting of helicopter drive train and compare that with classical power spectral density plots. The analysis advances the development of higher order statistics and two dimensional frequency health indicators in order to qualify health conditions in mechanical systems.
A Common Theory of Information Fusion from Multiple Text Sources Step One: Cross-Document Structure

We introduce CST (cross-document structure theory), a paradigm for multi-document analysis. CST takes into account the rhetorical structure of clusters of related textual documents. We present a taxonomy of cross-document relationships. We argue that CST can be the basis for multi-document summarization guided by user preferences for summary length, information provenance, cross-source agreement, and chronological ordering of facts.
Daily air temperature interpolated at high spatial resolution over a large mountainous region

Two methods are investigated for interpolating daily minimum and maximum air temperatures (I,,, and T,,,,,) at a 1 km spatial resolution over a large mountainous region (830000 km2) in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The methods were selected because of their ability to (1) account for the effect of elevation on temperature and (2) efficiently handle large volumes of data. The first method, the neutral stability algorithm (NSA), used the hydrostatic and potential temperature equations to convert measured temperatures and elevations to sea-level potential temperatures. The potential temperatures were spatially interpolated using an inverse-squared-distance algorithm and then mapped to the elevation surface of a digital elevation model (DEM). The second method, linear lapse rate adjustment (LLRA), involved the same basic procedure as the NSA, but used a constant linear lapse rate instead of the potential temperature equation. Cross-validation analyses were performed using the NSA and LLRA methods to interpolate Tm,, and T,,,, each day for the 1990 water year, and the methods were evaluated based on mean annual interpolation error (IE). The NSA method showed considerable bias for sites associated with vertical extrapolation. A correction based on clmate statiodgrid cell elevation differences was developed and found to successfully remove the bias. The LLRA method was tested using 3 lapse rates, none of which produced a serious extrapolation bias. The bias-adjusted NSA and the 3 LLRA methods produced almost identical levels of accuracy (mean absolute errors between 1.2 and 1.3"C), and produced very similar temperature surfaces based on image difference statistics. In terms of accuracy, speed, and ease of implementation, LLRA was chosen as the best of the methods tested.
Throwing induces substantial torsional adaptation within the midshaft humerus of male baseball players.

Abstract Athletes participating in unilateral dominant sports are useful models for investigating skeletal responses to mechanical loading as they provide controlled evidence in the absence of completing a randomized controlled trial. Throwing athletes may be an additional model for this purpose as they overload their dominant upper extremity enabling the contralateral side to act as an internal control and load the bones of the upper extremity purely via the generation of internal (i.e. muscular) forces without superposition of externally applied loads (i.e. impact with an external object). The aim of this study was to investigate upper extremity bone adaptation in throwing athletes and explore factors that predict this adaptation. Two cohorts were recruited—male baseball players (throwers; n = 15) and matched controls (controls; n = 15). Each subject was assessed for shoulder range and strength, and upper extremity bone mass, structure and estimated strength. Throwers had substantially greater skeletal differences between their dominant and nondominant upper extremities than controls, indicating that throwing induces greater adaptation than induced by habitual loading of the dominant upper extremity. Bone adaptation in throwers was localized to the humerus, with the midshaft humerus in the dominant upper extremity of throwers having enhanced bone mass, structure and estimated strength. The largest effect was for estimated strength of the midshaft humerus which had 30% greater polar moment of inertia (IP) in throwers and suggests adaptation to resist torsional loads. The skeletal effect of throwing at the midshaft humerus was influenced by playing position with pitchers and catchers displaying greater dominant-to-nondominant differences than fielders, and was predicted by years throwing and dominant-to-nondominant difference in upper arm lean cross-sectional area. The latter two variables explained 67% of the variance in dominant-to-nondominant differences in IP. Collectively, these data indicate that throwing induces substantial adaptation within the midshaft humerus. Adaptation was primarily in the direction of torsion which is consistent with biomechanical and injury data suggesting throwing introduces high magnitude torsional forces. As the magnitude of adaptation in throwers was equivalent to that observed in athletes participating in other unilateral dominant sports, throwers represent an alternative model for investigating the skeletal effects of mechanical loading.
A simulation program for monte carlo analysis and design

The executive program is described that allows the user on-line control of a Monte Carlo missile system simulation. Each subsystem designer can modify the program independently and evaluate the resulting system performance.
Building a Web-Based Accountability System in a Teacher Education Program

A novel Web-based Accountability Model (WAM) for assessment and learning in a Teacher Education Program was implemented. The objective is to explain the rationale for the WAM model, how it was implemented as the web-based Education Accountability System (EAS), and the impacts on the organization and the individual. Standards were followed in the system design and implementation to facilitate interoperability. EAS consists of an electronic portfolio subsystem, an online performance assessment subsystem, and an accountability center subsystem. Each subsystem was developed based on work practices of the department that the department carefully elaborated before implementation. In a department of education annually graduating approximately 450 students and involving over 200 faculty and staff, the EAS was successfully established and used. The EAS improved candidate performance, program quality, and operations and is now being disseminated to other universities. However, successful usage required refinements ...
Multi-vendor penetration testing in the advanced metering infrastructure

The advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is revolutionizing electrical grids. Intelligent AMI "smart meters" report real time usage data that enables efficient energy generation and use. However, aggressive deployments are outpacing security efforts: new devices from a dizzying array of vendors are being introduced into grids with little or no understanding of the security problems they represent. In this paper we develop an archetypal attack tree approach to guide penetration testing across multiple-vendor implementations of a technology class. In this, we graft archetypal attack trees modeling broad adversary goals and attack vectors to vendor-specific concrete attack trees. Evaluators then use the grafted trees as a roadmap to penetration testing. We apply this approach within AMI to model attacker goals such as energy fraud and denial of service. Our experiments with multiple vendors generate real attack scenarios using vulnerabilities identified during directed penetration testing, e.g., manipulation of energy usage data, spoofing meters, and extracting sensitive data from internal registers. More broadly, we show how we can reuse efforts in penetration testing to efficiently evaluate the increasingly large body of AMI technologies being deployed in the field.
The impact of residency and urbanicity on Haemophilus influenzae Type b and pneumococcal immunization in Shanghai Children: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) are relatively expensive, newly introduced vaccines in China. This study evaluates the impact of residency and urbanicity on Hib vaccine and PCV coverage for children aged 2 to 7 years living in Shanghai, China, in August 2012. Methods In this exploratory cohort study, a sample of children aged 2 to 7 years, all of whom were eligible to have received the complete series of Hib vaccine and PCV, was obtained from the Shanghai Immunization Program Information System. Three measures of vaccination coverage for Hib vaccine and PCV were examined: dose 1 coverage, series completion, and timeliness of dose 1 vaccination. Multivariable binomial regression was used to estimate the difference in vaccination coverage between locals and the floating population. Results Dose 1 coverage was 50.9% for Hib vaccine and 11.4% for PCV for the 28,141 abstracted pediatric records. For both vaccines, dose 1 coverage was higher in locals than in the floating population. The disparity in coverage between locals and the floating population was greater in suburban areas than urban areas. Of all children who received dose 1, 79.7% completed the Hib vaccine series, and 91.3% completed the PCV series. Timely dose 1 coverage was 8.2% for Hib vaccine and 0.5% for PCV. Conclusion Low vaccination coverage and extremely low levels of timely dose 1 vaccination indicate that current vaccination efforts are inadequate to reduce the burden of Hib and pneumococcal disease among Chinese children, especially infants. Government funding of the Hib vaccine and PCV through the Expanded Program on Immunization would increase uptake and could also ensure that improvement in the timeliness of administration and series completion is targeted for all demographic groups.
Cadmium in the North Atlantic: Implication for global cadmium–phosphorus relationship

Abstract Dissolved cadmium (Cd) distribution was determined in the tropical–subtropical North Atlantic along GEOTRACES GA03 section (US GEOTRACES 2010 and 2011 cruises). A pronounced mid-depth Cd maximum extends from the productive tropical eastern North Atlantic where subsurface waters in the upper themocline are depleted in dissolved oxygen. At this Cd maximum, Cd depletion relative to phosphate (PO4) is observed in the Cd vs. PO4 plot, but the relative Cd depletion is not present in the plot of Cd:PO4 ratio vs depth. The apparent relative Cd depletion at the Cd maximum appears to reflect a depth-dependent variation of Cd:PO4 ratio commonly observed in the world ocean. Such depth dependent variation of Cd:PO4 ratio may result from the regeneration of Cd from Cd-poor particulate organic carbon (POC) in the upper ocean and from Cd-rich POC in the deep ocean. The vertical Cd regeneration may lead to the observed difference in deep water Cd:PO4 ratio between the North Atlantic and North Pacific, if Cd to phosphorus ratio in the POC flux to the deep ocean is higher in the Pacific than in the Atlantic.
Role of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5' kinase (ppk-1) in ovulation of Caenorhabditis elegans.

Abstract During Caenorhabditis elegans ovulation, the somatic gonad integrates signals from germ cells and propels a mature oocyte into the spermatheca for fertilization. Previous work suggests that phosphoinositide signaling plays important roles in C. elegans fertility. To fully understand inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) signaling in ovulation, we have examined the function of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5′ kinase (PIP5K) in C. elegans. Our results show that the C. elegans PIP5K homolog, ppk-1, is essential for ovulation in C. elegans; ppk-1 is mainly expressed in somatic gonad, and depletion of ppk-1 expression causes defective ovulation, reduced gonad sheath contractility, and sterility. Increased IP3 signaling compensates for ppk-1 (RNAi)-induced sterility, suggesting that ppk-1 is linked to IP3 signaling. These results demonstrate that ppk-1 plays an essential role in IP3 signaling and cytoskeleton organization in somatic gonad.
Formation of the Barrier Spit and other sand ridges near Chilka Lake on the east coast of India

Abstract Chilka Lake is a lagoon on the east coast of India (19°28′–19°54′N and 85°5′–85°38′E). It is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a barrier spit attached at the southern end. In spite of the relative linearity of the spit, it has curvatures of different magnitudes. Landward of the spit, but adjacent to it, are a number of other sand ridges, some of which are parallel to the coast. The morphology and composition of the sediments forming the spit and other ridges, the bathymetry of the continental shelf off Chilka Lake, the waves and wave refraction, and the tidal and river currents in the region are described. In the light of this information, an attempt is made to assess the specific forces responsible for the building of the spit and the ridges, and the geologic history of these features. Considerable quantities of sand for the building of the spit and the other ridges were derived from the adjacent seabed and/or from the land south of Chilka Lake. The processes of deposition of the spit and the ridges were initiated sometime during the last sea-level rise, before 3,750 ± 200 years B.P. Subsequently, the emergence of land occurred due to minor tectonic uplift and this helped these features to be more permanently above sea level. The constructive wave action and the northward drift were the main processes in the building of the spit from the southern part where there is an abrupt curvature in the solid coastline. The changes in the orientation of the spit are due, in particular, to the differences in the shelf gradients off the coast, the absence or presence of strong river and tidal currents, and the pattern of wave refraction. In part, the constructive wave action, and in part, the tidal currents, storm waves, and wind have built the other ridges.
Intracellular processing, glycosylation, and cell-surface expression of the measles virus fusion protein (F) encoded by a recombinant adenovirus.

Abstract The membrane fusion protein of measles virus (MVF) is a surface glycoprotein which is essential for initiation of viral infection. The F protein mediates penetration of the host cell through a process of membrane fusion between the viral envelope and the host cell plasma membrane. To study the structure-function relationship of the MVF protein, a recombinant adenovirus, Ad5MVF, was constructed which expressed the F protein in mammalian cells. The MVF gene was inserted into the Ad5 genome by homologous recombination, which resulted in replacement of most of the E1 region. This recombinant virus was stable and replicated efficiently in the 293 cell line which complemented the deleted E1 functions. Human 293 cells infected with Ad5MVF synthesized an authentic MVF protein precursor (F 0 ) which appeared to be cleaved efficiently to the F 1 and F 2 polypeptides. This recombinant F protein was glycosylated, transported to the cell surface, and found to be capable of inducing syncytia formation and hemolysis of monkey erythrocytes. The hemagglutinin protein (HA), provided by a coinfecting adenovirus, was not able to increase the biological activity of the F protein. Treatment of MV or Ad5MVF-infected cells with tunicamycin, an inhibitor of Winked glycosylation, abolished processing of the F protein. This observation suggests that glycosylation might play an important role in cleavage-dependent activation of the precursor F 0 protein or in its transport to the subcellular region where proteolytic cleavage occurs.