cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SV40-transformed human cells in crisis exhibit changes that occur in normal cellular senescence.

Abstract SV40 T antigen can induce senescent human diploid fibroblasts to synthesize DNA; however, the cells fail to go through mitosis. In this study, we examined the expression of the cdc2 and cyclin B genes, which are required for completion of mitosis, to determine whether defects in their expression occurred when SV40-transformed human cells entered the phase of crisis. If defects were observed it would indicate that immortalization by the virus involved reexpression of these genes. We found that the expression of cdc2 was unimpaired at both the RNA and protein levels, but that cyclin B expression was decreased in cells in crisis when compared with precrisis (mortal) and postcrisis (immortal) cells. Tritiated thymidine uptake demonstrated that the majority of cells in crisis were not actively cycling. Consistent with the latter observation we found that cyclin A, which is required for cells to traverse through S to G2, was downregulated in these cells. Since many of the results obtained with cells in crisis were similar to what is observed in normal human cells when they become senescent, we analyzed the expression of the genes fibronectin and sdi 1 (a gene recently cloned from senescent cells that codes for an inhibitor of DNA synthesis). Both genes were overexpressed in cells during crisis, as is the case with senescent cells. The results are discussed in terms of the two-stage model previously proposed to explain the process of immortalization of human diploid fibroblasts by SV40.
Using classification trees to predict alumni giving for higher education

As the relative level of public support for higher education declines, colleges and universities aim to maximize alumni‐giving to keep their programs competitive. Anchored in a utility maximization framework, this study employs the classification and regression tree methodology to examine characteristics of alumni donors and non‐donors at a research‐extensive university in the United States. The study suggests that levels of giving relates to household income, religious background, degree and venue in which the alum keeps in touch with the campus, alumni beliefs about institutional needs, and the number of institutions competing for alumni gift dollars. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
A REVIEW ON THE INFLUENCE OF BOUNDARY REGULARITY ON THE QUESTION OF BOUNDARY STABILIZATION

Sharp regularity results for the traces of solutions to elastic systems have proven to be invaluable in the study of controllability and stabilization. Such results have reduced the severity of the geometric assumptions required on the domain of definition. While early work imposed strong geometric constraints such as requiring the domain to be convex, such requirements are now known to be overly strict. Furthermore, these assumptions were often assumed to hold even in the case when control is permitted to act on the entire boundary. However, it is only a mathematical technicality that forces this restriction which is overcome via sharp trace regularity. A review on these issues is presented for the wave equation, the Kirchhoff plate equation and the system of three-dimensional elasticity.
Host defense mechanisms: An overview

Abstract It is clear that the immune system, or host defense system, is a multifaceted system of unique, yet highly integrated, responses to potentially harmful antigens or mutated cells. Nonspecific defenses provide the first line of protection. Specific defenses, in the form of humoral (B-cell) immunity and cell-mediated (T-cell) immunity provide the sophisticated mechanisms that help keep us free from infection, malignancy, and autoimmune diseases.
Archimedes, reading, and the sustenance of academic research culture in library instruction

Abstract Leisure, reflection, and creativity have sustained a culture of research and scholarship throughout much of academia’s history. This article argues that these cultural elements should be introduced to the present generation of undergraduates and contends that “deep” reading, rather than information literacy competency, cultivates these elements.
Male-Specific Antigen: Modification of Potency by the H-2 Locus in Mice

Skin grafts from C57BL/10 (B10) male mice survive significantly longer than do B10.BR male skin grafts on (B10 x X B10.BR)F1 females. This indicates that the H-2 locus influences the potency of the male-specific antigen in mice.
Vapor-liquid equilibria of ternary mixtures in the critical region on paths of constant temperature and overall composition

High-pressure vapor liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for the ternary mixture ethane +n-butane +n-pentane due to Thodos and co-workers have been correlated by a ternary version of the modified Leung Grifiths model. Data were taken along paths of constant temperature and approximately constant overall composition, and a separate test was made for such constancy. Seventeen different specified overall compositions at four dilTerent temperatures were correlated. In general, agreement between the correlation and data is very good, particularly for those curves that satisfy the test for constant overall composition. The ternary model has been constructed from correlations of each of the three constituent binaries without any further adjustable parameters.
Solid Phase Processes for Semiconductor-on-Insulator

A wide variety of techniques for producing device-quality semiconductor films on insulating substrates (SOI) are being studied. Processes which provide low defect density films at low temperatures and which do not require seeding from a single crystal substrate would offer the greatest flexibility. While such processes do not currently exist, approaches based on crystallization of amorphous silicon or grain growth in polycrystalline silicon are being investigated. Development of either approach requires careful control of film properties and improved understanding of the fundamental materials processes involved. Theory and experiments on surface-energy-driven secondary grain growth (SEDS6G) are briefly reviewed. Controlled SEDS66 may provide a low temperature means of obtaining low defect density films of a variety of materials on a common substrate.
Effects of reduced panel, reference origin, and genetic relationship on imputation of genotypes in Hereford cattle

The objective of this study was to investigate alternative methods of designing and using reduced SNP panels for imputing SNP genotypes. Two purebred Hereford populations, an experimental population known as Line 1 Hereford (L1, n = 240) and registered Hereford with American Hereford Association (AHA, n = 311), were used. Using different reference samples of 62 to 311 animals with 39,497 SNP on 29 autosomes and study samples of 57 or 62 animals for which genotypes were available for ~2,600 SNP (reduced panels), imputations were performed to predict the other ~36,900 loci that had been masked. An imputation package, including LinkPHASE and DAGPHASE, was used for imputation. Four reduced panels differing in minor allele frequency (MAF) and marker spacing were evaluated. Reduced panels included every 15th SNP across the genome (SNP_space), commercial Illumina Bovine3K Beadchip (SNP_3K), SNP with the highest MAF (SNP_MAF), and SNP with high MAF that were also evenly spaced across the genome (SNP_MS). Imputation accuracy was defined as the correlation of imputed genotypes and real genotypes. Reference samples were either from L1 or AHA. Among animals with genotypes, genetic relationships were estimated based on molecular marker genotypes or pedigree. Reduced panel design, number of animals in the reference sample, reference origin and genetic relationship between animals in the reference, and study samples all affected imputation accuracy (P < 0.001). Across genotyping schemes, imputed genotypes from SNP_MS had the greatest accuracy. A 0.1 increase in average pedigree relationship or average molecular relationship between reference and study samples increased imputation accuracy 10 to 20%. Using reference samples from the L1 population resulted in lower imputation accuracy than using reference samples from the admixed population AHA (P < 0.001). Increasing the number of animals in the reference panel by 100 individuals increased imputation accuracy by 8% when pedigree relationship was used as a covariate and 6% when molecular relationship was used as a covariate. We concluded that imputation accuracy would be increased through optimization of reduced panel design and genotyping strategy.
Industry effects and firm effects: No effect is an island

Abstract At the heart of business research is the identification and prioritization of the factors that create competitive advantage. Previous studies that decompose observed firm performance into industry and other effects have not considered the higher moments of the performance distribution (i.e., the excess kurtosis), nor estimated the correct null hypothesis level of those effects (i.e., of the industry effect). We address these issues to find that: (1) the industry effect impact on firm performance is likely overstated; and, (2) the interaction between the calculated component firm and industry effects is likely one that includes synergistic effects (i.e., the standard additive model of decomposition is likely mis-specified). We offer a new model, test it, and then discuss the resulting implications.
Factors Influencing the Selection of Dental Office Location

Dentists, especially general practitioners , in the New England states tend to establish practices in the states in which they were born or where they attended high school. A shortage of dentists was given frequently as a factor in making this choice. Other factors that influenced the choice of location were living conditions and educational opportunities for children. Dental organizations were seldom consulted. Other dentists, dental supply houses, family, and friends were considered by many as the best sources of information when the decision to establish a practice is made.
A microfluidic device to confine a single cardiac myocyte in a sub-nanoliter volume on planar microelectrodes for extracellular potential recordings

A hybrid chip is described which combines a microfluidic network fabricated in a silicone elastomer (PDMS) with planar microelectrodes. It was used to measure extracellular potentials from single adult murine cardiac myocytes in a restricted extracellular space. The recorded variations in the extracellular potentials were caused by transmembrane currents associated with spontaneously initiated intracellular calcium waves. Single cells were trapped inside the 100 pl microchamber by pressure gradients and maintained for several hours by continuous perfusion. In addition, the localized delivery of drugs to a portion of the cell was demonstrated. The impedance of the electrodes was reduced by a factor of 10 to 20 after the electrodeposition of platinum black. Biopotentials recorded from single cells with platinum black electrodes showed a three-fold decrease in the noise, resulting in a maximum signal-to-noise ratio of 15:1. Characteristic variations in the frequency and shape of the extracellular potentials were observed among different cells which are most likely due to differences in the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load. Our device architecture permits the integration of electrochemical and optical sensors for multiparameter recordings.
Mobility of cells from solid tumors

The mobility of cells from two established cell lines of hamster origin, NIL B and its SV40 virus-transformant SV-NIL, was studied in cellular aggregates maintained in agitated liquid medium. Subcutaneous injection of 5 x 10(6) NIL B or SV-NIL cells into Syrian hamsters resulted in a high frequency of tumor formation - 1.00 for SV-NIL cells and 0.93 for NIL B cells. Cells from five different tumors of NIL B origin were grown in tissue culture and their mobility in cellular aggregates was also studied. The mobilities of the tumor-derived cells were similar to each other and to that of the SV-NIL cells, but slightly higher than that of the NIL B cells. In addition, the plating efficiency, saturation density and doubling time of NIL B, SV-NIL and the tumor-derived cells were determined in conventional flat culture. No consistent pattern of saturation density or doubling time was observed in the tumor-derived cells with respect to each other or to the established lines; however, the plating efficiencies of the tumor-derived cells were all considerably lower than those of NIL B and SV-NIL cells. It was concluded that selection for the ability to divide and survive in vivo (i.e. to form tumors) was accompanied by a modest increase in cell mobility in vitro.
Hormone accumulation in song regions of the canary brain.

[3H]Testosterone (T) was injected into male and female canaries (Serinus canarius), a species in which females are able to sing but do so more rarely and more simply than males. Autoradiographic analysis revealed that males and females have equal proportions of cells labeled by T or its metabolites in four song control nuclei: the high vocal center (HVC), the lateral portion of the magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum (IMAN), the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA), and the hypoglossal motor nucleus (nXII). Labeled cells were also observed in both sexes in the medial portion of MAN, and in hypothalamic nuclei. In both sexes, labeled cells in HVC, IMAN, RA, and nXII were larger than unlabeled cells. There were no sex differences in the size of either labeled or unlabeled cells in these song nuclei. The density of labeled cells per unit volume of tissue did not differ between the sexes in any song nucleus analyzed. However, because males have larger HVC and RA than females, males have a greater total number of hormone-sensitive cells in these regions than do females. Comparison of these results with measures of hormone accumulation in zebra finches and tropical duetting wrens suggests that the complexity of song that a bird can produce is correlated with the total number of hormone-sensitive cells in song nuclei. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Santos: A Physics-Based Digital Human Simulation Environment

This paper presents a comprehensive human modeling and simulation environment under development by the University of Iowa Virtual Soldier Research (VSR) program. This environment, called SantosTM, is a new generation of digital human simulation systems that allows for a user to interact with a digital character with full and accurate biomechanics and a complete muscular system, subject to the laws of physics. Highlighting major results in the areas of dynamic motion prediction, modeling of clothing, modeling of muscle activation and loading, and the Santos intuitive interface will be presented. This paper will feature the various modules that comprise the Santos environment.
Sex chromosome aneuploidies among men with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract About 90% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are female. We hypothesize that the number of X chromosomes, not sex, is a determinate of risk of SLE. Number of X chromosomes was determined by single nucleotide typing and then confirmed by karyotype or fluorescent in situ hybridization in a large group of men with SLE. Presence of an sry gene was assessed by RT-PCR. We calculated 96% confidence intervals using the Adjusted Wald method, and used Bayes’ theorem to estimate the prevalence of SLE among 47,XXY and 46,XX men. Among 316 men with SLE, 7 had 47,XXY and 1 had 46,XX. The rate of Klinefelter’s syndrome (47,XXY) was statistically different from that found in control men and from the known prevalence in the population. The 46,XX man had an sry gene, which encodes the testes determining factor, on an X chromosome as a result of an abnormal crossover during meiosis. In the case of 46,XX, 1 of 316 was statistically different from the known population prevalence of 1 in 20,000 live male births. A previously reported 46,XX man with SLE had a different molecular mechanism in which there were no common gene copy number abnormalities with our patient. Thus, men with SLE are enriched for conditions with additional X chromosomes. Especially since 46,XX men are generally normal males, except for infertility, these data suggest the number of X chromosomes, not phenotypic sex, is responsible for the sex-bias of SLE.
Health behavior changes associated with health hazard appraisal counseling in an occupational setting.

Abstract A Health Hazard Appraisal (HHA) and counseling session for 292 employees was performed initially and repeated 1 year later. The following changes in medical risk factors over the year period were observed: reduction in blood pressure—especially in those with mild hypertension, decrease in cholesterol level in middle-aged men, some cessation of cigarette smoking, increase in reported exercise in women and men who initially were more sedentary, increase in the performance of breast self-examination by women, decrease in alcohol consumption in men, and increase in seat belt use by men. These changes resulted in a significant reduction in risk age for men. The program was subjectively judged to be very successful by both employees and the employer.
Mapping grassland productivity with 250-m eMODIS NDVI and SSURGO database over the Greater Platte River Basin, USA

a b s t r a c t This study assessed and described a relationship between satellite-derived growing season averaged Nor- malized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and annual productivity for grasslands within the Greater Platte River Basin (GPRB) of the United States. We compared growing season averaged NDVI (GSN) with Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database rangeland productivity and flux tower Gross Primary Pro- ductivity (GPP) for grassland areas. The GSN was calculated for each of nine years (2000-2008) using the 7-day composite 250-m eMODIS (expedited Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) NDVI data. Strong correlations exist between the nine-year mean GSN (MGSN) and SSURGO annual productiv- ity for grasslands (R2 = 0.74 for approximately 8000 pixels randomly selected from eight homogeneous regions within the GPRB; R 2 = 0.96 for the 14 cluster-averaged points). Results also reveal a strong cor- relation between GSN and flux tower growing season averaged GPP (R2 = 0.71). Finally, we developed an empirical equation to estimate grassland productivity based on the MGSN. Spatially explicit estimates of grassland productivity over the GPRB were generated, which improved the regional consistency of SSURGO grassland productivity data and can help scientists and land managers to better understand the actual biophysical and ecological characteristics of grassland systems in the GPRB. This final estimated grassland production map can also be used as an input for biogeochemical, ecological, and climate change models.
The Thyrotropin Receptor Hinge Region as a Surrogate Ligand: Identification of Loci Contributing to the Coupling of Thyrotropin Binding and Receptor Activation

The TSH receptor (TSHR) hinge region, the least well understood component, bridges the leucine-rich repeat and transmembrane domains. We report data on clusters of hinge charged residues the mutation of which to Ala is compatible with cell surface expression and normal, or near normal, TSH binding affinity yet with a relative reduction in receptor activation. Mutation to Ala of E409 at the junction with the transmembrane domain was the most potent in uncoupling TSH binding and signal transduction (~22-fold less sensitive than the wild-type TSHR) and was unique among the residues studied in reducing both the amplitude and the sensitivity of the ligand-induced signal. Unexpectedly, a dual E409A/D410A mutation partially corrected the major suppressive effect of TSHR-E409A. The combined Ala substitution of a cluster of positively charged hinge residues (K287, K290, K291, R293; termed "K3R1") synergistically reduced sensitivity to TSH stimulation approximately 21-fold without altering the TSH binding affinity. Simultaneous Ala substitutions of a cluster of acidic hinge residues D392, E394, and D395 (termed "DE392-5A") partially uncoupled TSH binding from signal transduction (4.4-fold reduction in sensitivity), less than for E409A and K3R1A. Remarkably, the combination of the K3R1A and DE392-5A mutations was not additive but ameliorated the major uncoupling effect of K3R1A. This lack of additivity suggests that these two clusters contribute to a common signaling pathway. In summary, we identify several TSHR hinge residues involved in signal transmission. Our data support the concept that the hinge regions of the TSHR (and other glycoprotein hormone receptors) act as surrogate ligands for receptor activation.
Review: Antithrombotic agents prevent stroke in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

Source Citation Hart RG, Benavente O, McBride R, Pearce LA. Antithrombotic therapy to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 1999 Oct 5;131:492-501. 1...
Effects of Atypical Exemplars on Racial Beliefs: Enlightened Racism or Generalized Appraisals

Abstract Although African-Americans as a group are economically disadvantaged compared to the white majority group, there are numerous salient counterexamples of black influence. How do media images of highly successful African-Americans affect Whites′ beliefs about the economic or political status of African-Americans as a whole? Three experiments are reported that begin to address this question by surreptitiously activating thoughts about specific exemplars of African-American success and observing the consequences for a measure of perceived discrimination against Blacks. Contrary to the Enlightened Racism perspective, which claims that images of affluent African-Americans are taken by white audiences as evidence of a lack of discriminatory barriers to black success, Experiment 1 revealed that prior activation of a successful, well-liked black exemplar resulted in increased perceptions of discrimination in contemporary society. Experiment 2 replicated this effect and showed further that it is limited to successful exemplars who are well liked; successful exemplars about whom subjects had more neutral attitudes did not produce any changes in perceptions of discrimination. Finally, Experiment 3 showed that the effect of successful, well-liked exemplars vanishes when people first think about the fact that the exemplars are atypical members of the group. These findings are discussed in terms of a generalized appraisal process in which momentarily salient outgroup exemplars influence intergroup attitudes, which in turn affect judgments and beliefs about the group via an attitude heuristic.
Built-in self-test and characterization of polar transmitter parameters in the loop-back mode

This paper presents a Built-in self-test (BIST) solution for polar transmitters with low cost. Polar transmitters are desirable for portable devices due to higher power efficiency they provide compared to traditional Cartesian transmitters. However, they generally require iterative test/measurement/calibration cycles. The delay skew between the envelope and phase signals and the finite envelope bandwidth can create intermodulation distortion (IMD) that leads to the violation of the spectral mask and error vector magnitude (EVM) requirements. Typically, these parameters are not directly measured but calibrated through spectral performance analysis using expensive RF equipment, leading to lengthy and costly measurement/calibration cycles. Characterization and calibration of these parameters inside the device would reduce the test time and cost considerably. In this paper, we propose a technique to measure the delay skew and the finite envelope bandwidth, two parameters that can be digitally calibrated, based on the measurement of the output of the receiver in the loop-back mode. Simulation and hardware measurement results show that the proposed technique can characterize the targeted impairments in the polar transmitter accurately.
Glutamate carboxypeptidase II is expressed by astrocytes in the adult rat nervous system.

The enzyme glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCP II) has been cloned from rat brain and human prostate. This enzyme, which catabolizes the neuropeptide N-acetylaspartylglutamate, has also been known as N-acetylated alpha-linked acidic dipeptidase (NAALADase), and is identical to the prostate-specific membrane antigen and to the jejunal folylpoly-gamma-glutamate carboxypeptidase. The goals of the present study were to elucidate the cell specificity and regional pattern of GCP II expression in the rat nervous system by using Northern blots and enzymatic assays of brain and subfractionated primary neuronal and glial cultures together with in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH) in sections of adult rat tissue. GCP II activity was assayed in astrocyte cultures (4.4 pmol/mg protein per minute), neuronal-glial cocultures (2.5 pmol/mg protein per minute) and neuron-enriched cultures (0.38 pmol/mg protein per minute), with the activity in each preparation correlating to its astrocytic content (r = 0.99). No activity was detected in cultured oligodendrocytes or microglia. Northern blots probed with a GCP II cDNA detected mRNAs exclusively in activity-positive cell preparations. ISHH results show that GCP II is expressed by virtually all astrocytes, by Bergmann glial cells in cerebellum, by Muller cells in retina and by the satellite cells in dorsal root ganglia. Astrocytes in select groups of nuclei (e.g., habenula, supraoptic nucleus, pontine nucleus) contained pronounced levels of GCP II message. The data of the present study suggest that GCP II is expressed in the adult rat nervous system exclusively in astrocytic glial cells.
A DFT approach for diagnosis and process variation-aware structural test of thermometer coded current steering DACs

A design for test (DFT) hardware is proposed to increase the controllability of a thermometer coded current steering digital to analog converter. A procedure is introduced to reduce the diagnosis and structural test time from quadratic to linear using the proposed DFT hardware. To evaluate the applicability of the proposed technique, principal component analysis is used to create virtual process variations to simulate in lieu of semiconductor fabrication data. An architecture specific soft fault model is suggested for the diagnosis problem. Random errors according to the fault model are introduced in the virtual test environment on top of the process variations and it is shown that diagnosis of a fault is possible with high accuracy with the proposed method. The same technique employing principal component analysis is furthermore used to provide process variation-aware reference test comparison values for a structural test of the DAC. The structural test provides a mechanism to test for even unmodeled manufacturing faults. The process variation-aware test values help detect defects even under process variations. The proposed DFT hardware and method are low cost and quite suitable for a built-in self diagnosis and test implementation.
High-order diffraction and diffuse reflections for interactive sound propagation in large environments

We present novel algorithms for modeling interactive diffuse reflections and higher-order diffraction in large-scale virtual environments. Our formulation is based on ray-based sound propagation and is directly applicable to complex geometric datasets. We use an incremental approach that combines radiosity and path tracing techniques to iteratively compute diffuse reflections. We also present algorithms for wavelength-dependent simplification and visibility graph computation to accelerate higher-order diffraction at runtime. The overall system can generate plausible sound effects at interactive rates in large, dynamic scenes that have multiple sound sources. We highlight the performance in complex indoor and outdoor environments and observe an order of magnitude performance improvement over previous methods.
Exercise participation before and during pregnancy among low-income, urban, Black women: the Baltimore Preterm Birth Study.

National data demonstrate that Black women have poorer health status, and greater risk of death from chronic diseases, than their White counterparts. Exercise can help prevent chronic disease, and adult Black women are less likely to engage in exercise than White women. However, few data are availableabout exercise among pregnant Black women. Pregnant Black women were enrolled in this study at hospital-based prenatal clinics in Baltimore, Maryland. Exercise before and during pregnancy were assessed at the first prenatal visit, along with exposure to stressors, depression, John Henryism Active Coping, and behavioral factors such as smoking. Among the 922 women in the sample,approximately three quarters reported engaging in exercise before pregnancy, and two thirds exercised during pregnancy. Most women engaged in non-strenuous exercise during pregnancy (56%) and exercised for $20 minutes at least three times per week (80%). Exercise participation was significantly associated with higher levels of John Henryism Active Coping and lower levels of depression but was not significantly associated with behavioral factors or exposure to stressors. Prior research, based on older women, may have underestimated exercise participation by young Black women. These results suggest that Black women may decrease exercise participation after pregnancy and as they age. Encouraging Black women to continue to exercise as they age may have promising implications for the prevention of chronic diseases.
Design and Optimization of Interplanetary Aerogravity-Assist Tours

Aerogravity-assist maneuvers have the potential to deliver spacecraft to a wide range of destinations within the solar system. The ultimate goal is to minimize the maximum lift-to-drag ratio that a vehicle must provide for a given mission. First, assuming an arbitrary maximum lift-to-drag ratio during the aerogravity assist as an initial guess (e.g., maximum L/D=3), a patched-conic solution is obtained for the interplanetary trajectory, yielding boundary conditions at the flyby planets. Second, the flythrough departure velocity at a given planet is maximized while meeting the required atmospheric turn angle to get to the next planet. Depending on whether the departure velocity at each planet is greater (or less) than required, the vehicle’s maximum L/D is determined such that the aerogravity-assist maneuver matches the required departure velocity and turn angle. Then, the overall mission minimum value representing the vehicle’s maximum L/D to complete a given tour is determined by taking the highest value...
Holographically generated lens.

A holographic lens has been made that utilizes some of our earlier work on holographic aberration correction [ J. E. Ward D. C. Auth F. P. Carlson , Appl. Opt.10, 896 ( 1971)]. The lens properties are obtained by interferometrically recording a plane wave and a pinhole generated spherical wave. The theoretical analysis is followed by the results of the Ronchi lens test, Fourier transformation of a grating, and imaging of a test picture.
Adaptive power-aware prefetch in wireless networks

Most of the prefetch techniques used in the current cache management schemes do not consider power constraints of the mobile clients and other factors such as the size of the data items, the data access rate, and the data update rate. In this paper, we address these issues by proposing a power-aware prefetch scheme, called adaptive value-based prefetch (AVP) scheme. The AVP scheme defines a value function which can optimize the prefetch cost to achieve better performance. Also, AVP dynamically adjusts the number of prefetches to get better tradeoff between performance and power. As stretch is widely adopted as a performance metric for variable-size data requests, we show by analysis that the proposed approach can indeed achieve the optimal performance in terms of stretch when power consumption is considered. Simulation results demonstrate that our algorithm significantly outperforms existing prefetching algorithms under various scenarios.
Cell adhesion under flow.

Cell adhesion under flow is a central function of the microcirculation during inflammation, hemostasis, and immune regulation. This special issue of Microcirculation explores the common and distinct mechanisms that myeloid cells, lymphocytes, platelets, and sickle erythrocytes use to adhere to microvascular endothelium and the underlying basement membrane structures. A common theme in these processes is the need for rapid integrin activation, often initiated by binding of ligands to their cognate G protein–coupled receptors, followed by adhesion strengthening associated with integrin redistribution and outside-in signaling. These elements have been identified for all cells tested except sickle erythrocytes.
Genome-scale approaches for discovering novel nonconventional splicing substrates of the Ire1 nuclease.

Background: The unfolded protein response (UPR) allows intracellular feedback regulation that adjusts the protein-folding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) according to need. The signal from the ER lumen is transmitted by the ER-transmembrane kinase Ire1, which upon activation displays a site-specific endoribonuclease activity. Endonucleolytic cleavage of the intron from the HAC1 mRNA (encoding a UPR-specific transcription factor) is the first step in a nonconventional mRNA splicing pathway; the released exons are then joined by tRNA ligase. Because only the spliced mRNA is translated, splicing is the key regulatory step of the UPR. Results: We developed methods to search for additional mRNA substrates of Ire1p in three independent lines of genome-wide analysis. These methods exploited the well characterized enzymology and genetics of the UPR and the yeast genome sequence in conjunction with microarray-based detection. Each method successfully identified HAC1 mRNA as a substrate according to three criteria: HAC1 mRNA is selectively cleaved in vitro by Ire1; the HAC1 mRNA sequence contains two predicted Ire1 cleavage sites; and HAC1 mRNA is selectively degraded in tRNA ligase mutant cells. Conclusion: Within the limits of detection, no other mRNA satisfies any of these criteria, suggesting that a unique nonconventional mRNA-processing mechanism has evolved solely for carrying out signal transduction between the ER and the nucleus. The approach described here, which combines biochemical and genetic 'fractionation' of mRNA with a novel application of cDNA microarrays, is generally applicable to the study of pathways in which RNA metabolism and alternative splicing have a regulatory role.
MIMO Interference Alignment Over Correlated Channels With Imperfect CSI

Interference alignment (IA), given uncorrelated channel components and perfect channel state information, obtains the maximum degrees of freedom in an interference channel. Little is known, however, about how the sum rate of IA behaves at finite transmit power, with imperfect channel state information, or antenna correlation. This paper provides an approximate closed-form signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) expression for IA over multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) channels with imperfect channel state information and transmit antenna correlation. Assuming linear processing at the transmitters and zero-forcing receivers, random matrix theory tools are utilized to derive an approximation for the postprocessing SINR distribution of each stream for each user. Perfect channel knowledge and i.i.d. channel coefficients constitute special cases. This SINR distribution not only allows easy calculation of useful performance metrics like sum rate and symbol error rate, but also permits a realistic comparison of IA with other transmission techniques. More specifically, IA is compared with spatial multiplexing and beamforming and it is shown that IA may not be optimal for some performance criteria.
Privacy-preserving indexing of documents on the network

We address the problem of providing privacy-preserving search over distributed access-controlled content. Indexed documents can be easily reconstructed from conventional (inverted) indexes used in search. The need to avoid breaches of access-control through the index requires the index hosting site to be fully secured and trusted by by all participating content providers. This level of trust is impractical in the increasingly common case where multiple competing organizations or individuals wish to selectively share content. We propose a solution that eliminates the need of such a trusted authority. The solution builds a centralized privacy-preserving index in conjunction with a distributed access-control enforcing search protocol. The new index provides strong and quantifiable privacy guarantees that hold even if the entire index is made public. Experiments on a real-life dataset validate performance of the scheme. The appeal of our solution is two-fold: (a) Content providers maintain complete control in defining access groups and ensuring its compliance, and (b) System implementors retain tunable knobs to balance privacy and efficiency concerns for their particular domains.
Facile Synthesis of Versatile Enantioenriched α-Substituted Hydroxy Esters through a Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution

An efficient synthesis of enantioenriched α-substituted γ-hydroxy esters via a kinetic resolution event is described. Bulky racemic esters in the presence of a chiral Bronsted acid selectively lactonize to yield a recoverable enantioenriched hydroxy ester and lactone. These esters are highly versatile building blocks that can readily be converted to synthetically useful materials.
Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Agonists as Therapies for Ischemic Stroke

See related article, pp 1531–1537 Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability, yet the available treatments are limited. Tissue plasminogen activator, the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved pharmacotherapy for cerebral ischemia, was approved for use in 1996.1 Although tissue plasminogen activator is an effective therapy, tight time restrictions govern its use; it must be administered within 4.5 hours of the onset of ischemia.2 This small therapeutic window severely limits the number of patients eligible to receive this treatment. Since 1996, many potential neuroprotective agents have been studied, but none have shown improved outcome in phase III clinical trials. The search for stroke therapies falls into 2 categories, neuroprotective agents, which act in the early stages after a stroke to prevent neuronal death, and neurorecovery agents, which facilitate the repair of neural networks in the chronic phase of the stroke. The study presented by McCarthy et al3 in this issue of Hypertension suggests that angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) agonists may be useful therapies for acute cerebral ischemia. The authors show that CGP42112, the peptide agonist of the AT2R, reduces the area of infarct after an ischemic stroke and improves motor function. The results are remarkable, with CGP42112 producing a 75% reduction in the poststroke infarct. Although the studies focused on neuroprotection, the current literature suggests that AT2R activation could also improve neurorecovery.4 The likely multifaceted beneficial effects of AT2R activation make this an exciting and potentially fruitful area of research. It is also worth noting that AT2R activation has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target for several other neurological diseases, including Alzheimer disease and cognitive decline.4 …
The phenotype of persons having mosaicism for trisomy 21/Down syndrome reflects the percentage of trisomic cells present in different tissues†

Little is known about the pathogenesis of the phenotype in individuals with trisomy 21 mosaicism and Down syndrome. The primary goal of this study was to identify factors contributing to the observed phenotypic variation by evaluating 107 individuals having trisomy 21 mosaicism. To investigate a potential "threshold" effect due to trisomic imbalance, lymphocyte and buccal mucosa nuclei were scored using FISH. Overall, buccal cells showed a significantly higher frequency of trisomy than lymphocytes (P < 0.0001). Using latent class analysis, two phenotypic classes were identified based on the clinical findings of the propositi. Patients from class 1 had significantly fewer traits and a lower percentage of trisomic cells (mean of 37.3% lymphocytes; 34.5% buccal mucosa cells) when compared to those stratified into class 2 (54.0% lymphocytes; 53.4% buccal mucosa cells). Tissue-specific influences were also detected, with buccal mucosa trisomy levels being significantly correlated with IQ (P = 0.0094; both ectodermal derivatives), while congenital heart defects were significantly correlated with lymphocytes (P = 0.0286; both mesodermal embryonic derivatives). In conclusion, allowing for the distinction of two groups, we observed variation in phenotype, associated with the percentage of trisomic cells. We also observed tissue-specific effects on phenotype. The results of this study should enable geneticists and other health care professionals to provide information regarding optimal diagnostic approaches and anticipated clinical outcomes.
Identification and analysis of a siderophore biosynthetic gene cluster from Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58

Using the complete genome sequence from Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58, the authors identified a secondary metabolite gene cluster that encodes the biosynthesis of a metabolite with siderophore activity. Support for this conclusion came from genetic and regulatory analysis of the gene cluster, along with the purification of a metabolite from A. tumefaciens C58 with iron-chelating activity. Genetic analysis of mutant strains disrupted in this gene cluster showed that these strains grew more slowly than the wild-type strain in medium lacking iron. Additionally, the mutant strains failed to produce a chrome-azurol-S-reactive material in liquid or solid medium, and failed to produce the metabolite with iron-chelating characteristics that was identified in the wild-type strain. Addition of this purified metabolite to the growth medium of a mutant strain restored its ability to grow in iron-deficient medium. Furthermore, expression of this gene cluster was induced by growth under iron-limiting conditions, suggesting that expression of this gene cluster occurs when iron is scarce. These data are all consistent with the proposal that the proteins encoded by this gene cluster are involved in the production of a siderophore. Interestingly, these proteins show the highest level of amino acid similarity to proteins from a gene cluster found in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. PCC7120, rather than to known siderophore biosynthetic enzymes. Given these properties, it is proposed that the siderophore produced by A. tumefaciens C58 will have a unique chemical structure. Production of the siderophore was not required for virulence of A. tumefaciens when tested with a standard stem inoculation assay.
A Structural Model for Developing Countries' Manufactured Exports

A dynamic structural econometric model is developed to analyze movements in manufactured exports and to capture lags in the adjustment to equilibrium. The model is estimated with pooled cross-section time-series data for a representative sample of fifteen developing countries grouped according to their export market power. The results suggest that prices, domestic productive capacity, and external economic activity are critical determinants of manufactured exports from developing countries. The structural parameter estimates are used to infer the effects of changes in destination country income, distinguishing between the short-run and long-run export volume and export revenue effects. The results indicate that domestic economic policies that promote investment and capacity in export-oriented activities are likely to play a key role in increasing foreign exchange earnings in developing countries, even if growth in external demand is slow.
Factors related to additional knee injuries after anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Purpose: We reviewed 1,375 consecutive patients to determine whether patient gender, age at injury, or activity level at injury were related to the risk of additional knee injuries over time following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Type of Study: Retrospective case series. Methods: Survival analysis was used to analyze the effect of each factor while statistically controlling for the effect of time from ACL injury to reconstruction. Results: The risk of meniscus injury was significantly higher among male subjects (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, P P = .021) but increased by 3.4 times for female subjects ( P P P Conclusions: Men had a consistently higher occurrence rate of meniscus injuries than did women. The risk of meniscus injuries increased at a higher rate over time among women. The risk of meniscus injuries increases when ACL reconstruction is performed more than 6 months after injury. The risk of articular cartilage lesions increases when ACL reconstruction is performed more than 1 year after injury. Level of Evidence: Level IV, Case Series.
Robustness in Markov Decision Problems with Uncertain Transition Matrices

Optimal solutions to Markov Decision Problems (MDPs) are very sensitive with respect to the state transition probabilities. In many practical problems, the estimation of those probabilities is far from accurate. Hence, estimation errors are limiting factors in applying MDPs to real-world problems. We propose an algorithm for solving finite-state and finite-action MDPs, where the solution is guaranteed to be robust with respect to estimation errors on the state transition probabilities. Our algorithm involves a statistically accurate yet numerically efficient representation of uncertainty, via Kullback-Leibler divergence bounds. The worst-case complexity of the robust algorithm is the same as the original Bellman recursion. Hence, robustness can be added at practically no extra computing cost.
Speaking from experience: narrative schemas, deixis, and authenticity effects in Verena Stefan's feminist confession Shedding:

Confessional writing, such as Swiss feminist Verena Stefan's autobiographical novel Shedding (1977) (German: Hautungen, 1977[1975]), is often praised as being an expression of a particular individu...
Generalized Cybernetic Optimization: Solving Continuous Variable Problems

Cybernetic optimization by simulated annealing (COSA) is a method of parallel processing for solving discrete optimization problems. This paper extends the theory of COSA to the continuous domain. This is done by applying the concept of probabilistic feedback control to the generation of candidate solutions in continuous variable problems. Three general principles of candidate generation are presented leading to the formulation of the candidate generation criterion and its theoretical implications. A practical method of generating candidate solutions is also presented in which the generation of candidate solutions is achieved by making the magnitude of the expected step size to candidate solutions functionally dependent on the proximity of the parallel processors in the solution space. Experimental results show that this method of generating candidate solutions accelerates the convergence of the parallel processors to the global optimum.
Overcoming Financial Difficulties

Program Highlights—Expect to learn: • The most important key in the formula for success • Why giving up often feels better than trying again and again • What depression, violence, and headaches all have in common • How to avoid negative responses and rely on positive ones • What it is that successful people never seem to run out of • How you can construct your own personal mission statement • What can help you recognize and unleash your greatest strengths • The futility of dwelling on circumstances beyond your control • What heroes know about success no matter what their circumstances • How to develop your monthly budget from ground-zero on up • Three keys to restructuring your budget in troubled times • What you should do when it appears that nothing can be done