cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian model checking for multivariate outcome data

Bayesian models are increasingly used to analyze complex multivariate outcome data. However, diagnostics for such models have not been well developed. We present a diagnostic method of evaluating the fit of Bayesian models for multivariate data based on posterior predictive model checking (PPMC), a technique in which observed data are compared to replicated data generated from model predictions. Most previous work on PPMC has focused on the use of test quantities that are scalar summaries of the data and parameters. However, scalar summaries are unlikely to capture the rich features of multivariate data. We introduce the use of dissimilarity measures for checking Bayesian models for multivariate outcome data. This method has the advantage of checking the fit of the model to the complete data vectors or vector summaries with reduced dimension, providing a comprehensive picture of model fit. An application with longitudinal binary data illustrates the methods.
A Turbine-Speed, Main-Engine Fuel Pump

This paper describes the design and experimental evaluation of a vane-type fuel pump that has operated successfully at speeds up to 49,500 rpm and outlet pressures up to 900 psig. The objective of the research was to produce a main-engine fuel pump for small gas-turbine engines capable of operating at engine shaft speed in order to reduce the bulk and complexity of the required gear drive train. The pump has a design JP-4 turbine-fuel flow rate of 2000 lb/hr at 650 psig. The successful completion of a 200-hr endurance run has verified that the high-speed capabilities have been achieved without sacrificing pump endurance life.Copyright © 1971 by ASME
Principal axis line simplification

Abstract Line simplification is a basic spatial operator used to generalize the geometry of cartographic data. Many algorithms have been developed to simplify encoded lines using a bandwidth criterion that ensures that all of the originally encoded points are within a given distance tolerance of the resulting line caricature. This approach to line simplification derives from Peucker's theory of cartographic lines in which the spatial frequency of lines is represented by varying bandwidths around a center line. In this manner, line simplification is the elimination of high-frequency bandwidths through a spatial filtering process. Most of bandwidth algorithms force the endpoints of the center lines comprising the simplified line to correspond to selected points from the original encoding. An algorithm is presented here that focuses on an alternative bandwidth proposed by Peucker allowing the center line to pass through the “true” center of the set of points as measured by the sum of squared perpendicular distances between the center line and this set of points. Such a center line corresponds to the major axis of a two-dimensional point distribution in principal component analysis. Results show that line simplification using this criterion is computationally faster and results in fewer points retained for a given bandwidth than the traditional approach exemplified by the Douglas-Peucker algorithm.
A recursive method for determining the Laplace transform of exp (At)

A method for recursively determining the Laplace transform of the state transition matrix for a linear time-invariant system is presented. The method does not require matrix inversion, nor does the complexity of the operations involved increase with the dimensionality of the system. It is equally applicable to systems with distinct or multiple roots.
A novel sectioning technique for use in descriptive embryology: Bridging the gap between paraffin and plastic serial sections

A novel sectioning technique for making serial sections for use in descriptive embryology is presented. This technique allows one to obtain good-quality sections (5- to 10-μm thick) of embryos embedded in plastic, several times faster than with conventional plastic sectioning techniques. Furthermore, this technique can be used to serially section embryos until desired levels are reached. One-micrometer or thin (50–100 nm) sections can then be cut for study, respectively, by light and transmission electron microscopy. The resolution of cellular morphology in 5- to 10-μm sections is intermediate to that of paraffin and 1-μm plastic sections, and gross tissue distortions typically present in paraffin sections are absent in plastic sections. Thus, in terms of convenience and section quality, this technique bridges the gap between those routine techniques used for preparation of conventional paraffin and plastic serial sections.
The Effect of Duodenal–Jejunal Bypass on Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Secretion in Wistar Rats

Enteroendocrine K cells secrete the incretin hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) and are predominately located in the duodenum. GIP levels should decrease after gastric bypass due to duodenal exclusion; however, studies have found conflicting data regarding the changes in GIP secretion after gastric bypass and duodenal–jejunal bypass (DJB). We performed a DJB or Sham surgery on Wistar rats followed by an oral glucose tolerance test on postoperative (post-op) day 12 and superior mesenteric lymphatic cannulation on post-op day 14. We measured meal-stimulated GIP concentrations and small bowel GIP and GLP-1 protein content after DJB or Sham surgery. There was no difference in glucose tolerance by 12 days post-op. We found no difference in lymphatic GIP concentration area under the curve between DJB and Sham rats (15,240 pg/ml min ± 2,651 vs. 17,201 pg/ml min ± 2,763, respectively, p = 0.62). GIP and GLP-1 protein contents were both significantly increased only in the midjejunum in DJB rats compared to Sham rats (p = 0.009 and p = 0.01, respectively). Plasma and lymphatic GIP concentrations did not significantly change after DJB in Wistar rats. DJB increased GIP protein content in the midjejunum at the new site of nutrient absorption, but this was surprisingly not countered by a decrease in GIP protein content in the bypassed duodenum. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms that account for the discrepancy in GIP production and subsequent secretion after DJB as well as what role GIP plays in the effect of gastrointestinal surgery on glucose homeostasis.
The genetics of extreme longevity: lessons from the new England centenarian study.

The New England Centenarian Study (NECS) was founded in 1994 as a longitudinal study of centenarians to determine if centenarians could be a model of healthy human aging. Over time, the NECS along with other centenarian studies have demonstrated that the majority of centenarians markedly delay high mortality risk-associated diseases towards the ends of their lives, but many centenarians have a history of enduring more chronic age-related diseases for many years, women more so than men. However, the majority of centenarians seem to deal with these chronic diseases more effectively, not experiencing disability until well into their nineties. Unlike most centenarians who are less than 101 years old, people who live to the most extreme ages, e.g. 107+ years, are generally living proof of the compression of morbidity hypothesis. That is, they compress morbidity and disability to the very ends of their lives. Various studies have also demonstrated a strong familial component to extreme longevity and now evidence particularly from the NECS is revealing an increasingly important genetic component to survival to older and older ages beyond 100 years. It appears to us that this genetic component consists of many genetic modifiers each with modest effects, but as a group they can have a strong influence.
Charge form factors of quark-model pions

We demonstrate that Poincare invariant quark models of the pion can give charge form factors in agreement with all available data. The quark-antiquark model wave functions are spin-zero eigenfunctions of the four-momentum. The relativistic features of the model are essential for the result. The confinement scale is much smaller than the charge radius.
Increased cytotoxicity of ricin in a putative Golgi-defective mutant of Chinese hamster ovary cell

Abstract We have studied the cytotoxicity of ricin in a monensin-resistant mutant (Mon R -31) of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line which is presumably altered in Golgi functions/structures. The cytotoxicity of ricin was increased in Mon R -31 mutant cells compared with that in its parental CHO cells. In wild-type CHO cells, the cytotoxicity of ricin was enhanced by NH 4 Cl, bafilomycin A 1 , or nigericin. The enhancement of ricin cytotoxicity by these compounds was greatly reduced in Mon R -31 mutant cells. Brefeldin A (BFA), which disrupts the structure of the Golgi apparatus, inhibits the cytotoxicity of ricin in both CHO and Mon R -31 cells. We have also examined the effects of glycosylation inhibitors and the removal of high mannose oligosaccharide chains in ricin on the ricin hypersensitivity in Mon R -31 cells. The hypersensitivity of Mon R -31 cells to ricin is apparently not due to any difference in glycosylation between CHO and Mon R -31 cells or in the processing of oligosaccharides on ricin by the target cells. Nigericin at low concentration (10 n M ), which has no effect on the cytotoxicity of diphtheria toxin, enhances the ricin cytotoxicity, but inhibits the modeccin cytotoxicity. Our results suggest that important step(s) in the intoxication process of CHO cells by ricin and modeccin take place in the Golgi region.
Enuresis: An Historical, Cultural, and Contemporary Account of Etiology and Treatment.

The authors discuss the cultural relativism of enuresis and the subsequent notion that urinary incontinence may not be a disease or psychopathy, but, rather, a problem associated with social expectations and developmental delays. Published literature has revealed that, historically, enuretic children have been subjected to distressing and painful methods of treatment, i. e., medications, mechanical devices, and pharmacologic preparations, to the point of permanent disability. They also discuss the evolution of explanations and treatments for enuresis from the Middle Ages into the 1970s, with emphasis on the successful use of behaviral therapies and meaningful parent and child reeducation.
Position and concentration dependence of the hydrogen-induced state on Pd(111).

We have studied the electronic structure of hydrogen in and on palladium using non-self-consistent layer Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker calculations. These included Pd and H monolayers, three-layer Pd films with monolayers of hydrogen outside and inside, and a p(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2) overlayer. We find that the hydrogen-induced state is practically the same for the monolayers inside and outside but for the (1/4) monolayer outside it is much narrower and closer to the bulk Pd states. These results are compared with existing angle-resolved photoemission data for H on Pd.
Kinetics of a Ca2+-triggered membrane aggregation reaction of phospholipid membranes

Ca2+ and other divalent cations can trigger aggregation of phospholipid vesicles containing phosphatidic acid or phosphatidylserine. The reaction, which can be detected by an increase in light scattering, has a critical dependence on the Ca2+ concentration, with a threshold near 4 mM Ca2+. This is the concentration for half-saturation of the polar head groups and for full neutralization of the membrane surface charge. The aggregation proceeds as a “polymerization” reaction, eventually forming such large aggregates that the vesicles precipitate. The stopped-flow rapid mixing technique was used to study the vesicle dimerization reaction which is the first step in the overall aggregation process. Vesicle dimerization resulted in a doubling of light scattering and had a vesicle concentration-dependent time constant (t12) which varied between 0.4 and 2.0 s under the conditions of the study. Analysis of the dependence of the reaction amplitude and 1t12 on the concentrations of vesicles and Ca2+ showed that the Ca2+ binding is fast, and that the dimerization proceeds by a mechanism in which the vesicles first collide to form an encounter complex followed by a slower conversion of the encounter complex to a stable complex. For phosphatidic acid vesicles, about 200–700 collisions are necessary to achieve a stable dimer. The rate-limiting step in the overall reaction in thus the transformation of the encounter complex into a stable complex, requiring 0.5 and 1.0 ms. The above-mentioned results are relatively insensitive to the type of divalent cation or to the choice of negatively charged lipid (phosphatidic acid or phosphatidylserine). Evidence is given that the stable complex is effected by Ca2+-mediated salt bridges between the two membranes and that the rate constant of the transformation step derives from the statistics of the distribution and the rate of redistribution of Ca2+-occupied polar head groups on the membrane surfaces. The relevance of these results to the problem of Ca2+-induced fusion of biological membranes is discussed.
Influence of race, sex and weight on blood pressure behavior in young adults.

Abstract This study is concerned with blood pressure behavior in young adults (aged 15 to 29 years) in the biracial community of Evans County, Ga., on two occasions 7 years apart. On the basis of casual blood pressure recordings the prevalence of systolic pressure equal to or greater than 140 mm Hg or diastolic pressure equal to or greater than 90 mm Hg, or both, showed race/sex differences as follows: white males 19.0 percent, white females 12.7 percent, black males 34.0 percent, black females 31.6 percent. Similar differences were noted in the incidence during the 7 year interval. The problem presented by the variability of the casual blood pressure recording is apparent in this interval study. Of particular interest is the association of weight with blood pressure in this youthful group, particularly among white males and females and black females, in relation to both initial and subsequent pressure levels. The data suggest that in this population under 30 years, weight is a risk factor for hypertension, and that maintenance of ideal weight, instituted in youth, may be a preventive measure.
Quasi-static analysis of sheet metal forming processes -- a design evaluation tool

Abstract The implicit time integration technique is the best method known today to analyze the quasi-static formulation for sheet metal forming processes. However, this method has one major obstacle, convergence of the iteration in each load step. Having resolved this issue, Ford successfully implemented a new 3-D analysis code which meets many of necessary requirements for reliability, efficiency and user friendliness for production applications. Examples for analyses of typical automotive body panels by the 3-D code are presented.
Profiling Refined Hydrocarbon Fuels Using Polar Components

Identification of a fuel released into the environment can be difficult due to biodegradation or weathering. Negative electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry was used to screen for unique polar components in a wide variety of commercial hydrocarbon products and mixtures. These fuels produced unique and relatively simple spectra. When applied to hydrocarbon samples from a large, long-term fuel spill in a relatively cool climate in which the alkane, isoprenoid, and alkylcyclohexane portions had begun to biodegrade or weather, the polar components in these samples had changed little over time. This technique provided rapid fuel identification on hydrocarbons released into the environment, without sample preparation, fractionation, or chromatography.
Science Signaling Podcast: 6 January 2015

This Podcast features an interview with Scott Earley, author of a Research Article that appears in the 6 January 2015 issue of Science Signaling , about how reactive oxygen species (ROS) trigger dilation of cerebral arteries. ROS can damage cellular proteins and nucleic acids, but they can also act as signaling molecules. In the cerebral circulatory system, ROS trigger vasodilation, an increase in the diameter of blood vessels, which increases blood flow. In peripheral arteries, ROS trigger vasoconstriction, the narrowing of blood vessels, which reduces blood flow. Exactly how ROS elicits opposite effects in different types of blood vessels is not clear. Sullivan et al . found that localized sources of extracellular ROS in cerebral arteries oxidized plasma membrane lipids, which in turn promoted calcium influx through the ion channel TRPA1 in endothelial cells. This influx of calcium triggered opening of potassium channels, resulting in hyperpolarization of both endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell membranes, thereby causing vasodilation.
Translational polarity of a mutation in the initiator AUG codon of the λ cI gene

ABSTRACT A P RM -cI-lacZ fusion inserted into the b2 region of bacteriophage λ was used to isolate mutations affecting expression of both the λ cI gene and the lacZ gene. One such mutation, a change in the cI initiator codon from AUG to AUA, reduces immunity of a λ prophage to superinfection, and causes a 60-70% reduction in β-galactosidase synthesis, even when repressor is supplied in trans . The effect of the mutation on lacZ gene expression is eliminated in a rho - bacterial strain, and the mutation has no effect on transcription initiated at P RM in vitro . Therefore, the effects of the mutation are due to premature ρ-dependent termination of transcription in the absence of translation of the cI gene, as if the mutation were a nonsense polar mutation.
Yoga as an Alternative and Complementary Treatment for Patients With Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review

Low back pain is not only a leading cause of disability in the United States but also one of the most expensive to treat. Exercise proves to be inconsistent, and surgery often leads to disease reappearance. Yoga offers a holistic approach to overcome the psychological and physical aspects of low back pain. A systematic review was performed to determine the efficacy of yoga for low back pain. Study inclusion criteria were studies (a) published in the English language, (b) published between January 2000 and June 2012, (c) included any form of yoga as an intervention, (d) used any quantitative study design, and (5) measured low back pain as an outcome. Of the 13 studies included, 9 demonstrated a reduction in low back pain using yoga as part of the intervention. Limitations include lack of theory-based approaches, unclear definitions of low back pain, and multiple instruments used to measure the outcome.
Currency forecasting based on an error components‐seemingly unrelated nonlinear regression model

This paper proposes to forecast foreign exchange rates by means of an error components-seemingly unrelated nonlinear regression (EC-SUNR) model and, simultaneously, explore the interrelationships among currencies from newly industrializing economies with those of highly industrialized countries. Based on the empirical results, we find that the EC-SUNR model improves on the performance of forecasting foreign exchange rates in comparison with an intrinsically nonlinear dynamic speed of adjustment model that has been shown to outperform several other important models in the forecasting literature. We also find evidence showing that the foreign exchange markets of the newly industrializing countries are influenced by those of the highly industrialized countries and vice versa, and that such interrelationships affect the accuracy of currency forecasting. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effectiveness of Two Universal Behavioral Supports for Children With Externalizing Behavior in Head Start Classrooms

To add to the emerging early intervention research on universal supports for children, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention designed to increase teacher...
Decreased incidence of viral infections in liver transplant recipients - Possible effects of FK506?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major infectious complication of organ transplantation and its incidence is influenced by the type and intensity of immunosuppressive therapy employed. Using a new immunosuppressive agent FK506, CMV infection was observed in 30% and CMV disease in 15% of the 26 liver transplant recipients. Delayed onset of CMV disease was noted; the mean time to the occurrence of CMV disease being 137 days posttransplantation. No graft loss or mortality could be attributed to CMV infection. Mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections were encountered in 19% of the patients, while no disease could be attributed to varicella zoster virus or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The contribution of FK506 to a decrease in viral morbidity and associated mortality bears further investigation.
SPIN FILTERING IN MAGNETIC HETEROSTRUCTURES

Several techniques were proposed to achieve solid state spin filtering such as magnetic tunnel junctions comprised of half-metallic compounds or solid state Stern-Gerlach apparatus. Another alternative consists in using spin-dependent resonant tunneling through magnetically active quantum wells. Recent advances in molecular beam epitaxial growth made it possible to fabricate exotic heterostructures comprised of magnetic films or buried layers (ErAs, GaxMn1-xAs) integrated with conventional semiconductors (GaAs) and to explore quantum transport in these heterostructures. It is particularly interesting to study spin-dependent resonant tunneling in double-barrier resonant tunneling diodes (RTD) with magnetic elements such as GaAs/AlAs/ErAs/AlAs/ErAs/AlAs/GaAs, GaxMn1-xAs/AlAs/GaAs/AlAs/GaAs, and GaAs/AlAs/GaxMn1-xAs/AlAs/GaAs. We present the results of our theoretical studies and computer simulations of transmission coefficients and current-voltage characteristics of resonant tunneling diodes based on these ...
Noncrossing quantile regression curve estimation

Since quantile regression curves are estimated individually, the quantile curves can cross, leading to an invalid distribution for the response. A simple constrained version of quantile regression is proposed to avoid the crossing problem for both linear and nonparametric quantile curves. A simulation study and a reanalysis of tropical cyclone intensity data shows the usefulness of the procedure. Asymptotic properties of the estimator are equivalent to the typical approach under standard conditions, and the proposed estimator reduces to the classical one if there is no crossing. The performance of the constrained estimator has shown significant improvement by adding smoothing and stability across the quantile levels.
Concurrent ARFI imaging and HIFU ablation using a diagnostic transducer array and ultrasound system with custom beam sequences

Background, Motivation and Objective: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has primarily been performed using a specialized ultrasound transducer for therapy and either a separate transducer for imaging or a different imaging modality. Accurate localization and monitoring of HIFU treatment is important to improving the efficacy of the treatment as well as minimizing complications. The goal of this work was to demonstrate the feasibility of using a diagnostic ultrasound system to perform spot ablations in liver with concurrent Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) stiffness imaging in order to monitor lesion formation. Statement of Contribution/Methods: A diagnostic ultrasound system (Siemens Antares™ and CH6-2 curvilinear array) was used to both: 1) ablate ex vivo liver samples with a custom M-mode sequence and 2) to monitor the resulting tissue stiffening with 2-D ARFI imaging. Ablation patterns were generated using a grid of varying numbers of heating locations. Results: ARFI images showed irreversible liver stiffening with heating that corresponded to discolored regions in gross pathology. Images were taken before and after ablation, as well as in 5-second intervals during ablation to monitor the increase in stiffness contrast and extent with time. No gaseous body formation was observed during the ablations in B-mode, thus lesions were not visualized in matched B-mode images. In order to mimic the presence of a stiffer tumor, bovine muscle tissue was inserted into a liver sample, and subtraction images (pre-post ARFI) clearly distinguished the ablated (stiffened) liver tissue from the stiffer bovine tissue. Discussion and Conclusions: This study demonstrated the ability of a diagnostic system using custom beam sequences to localize an ablation site, heat the site to the point of irreversible damage, and monitor the formation of the ablation lesion. Future work will involve testing this treatment system in vivo.
Expression and regulation of golli products of myelin basic protein gene during in vitro development of oligodendrocytes.

The myelin basic protein (MBP) gene produces two families of proteins, the classic MBPs, important for myelination of the CNS, and the golli proteins, whose biological role in oligodendrocytes (OLs) is still unknown. The goals of this work were to study the in vitro pattern of expression of the golli products during OL differentiation and to compare it with that of the classic MBP products of the gene. Mouse primary glial cultures were analyzed at the mRNA and protein levels with an array of techniques. We found that OLs express golli mRNA primarily during intermediate stages of differentiation, which was confirmed by immunocytochemical analysis. Golli expression was low in proliferating OL progenitors as well as in terminally mature OLs. Golli proteins were found associated with the OL cell soma and nuclei and, to a lesser extent, with the cellular processes. We also found that golli proteins are not targeted to myelin in vitro and in vivo, in contrast to the classic MBPs. Finally, we found that golli expression is regulated during OL development and can be manipulated by growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor, neurotrophin-3, and retinoic acid.
Leave me alone: the right ventricle in anterior myocardial infarction.

This editorial refers to ‘Right ventricular involvement in anterior myocardial infarction: a translational approach’, by V. Bodi et al ., pp. 601–608, this issue. Even though rates have been declining with the turn of the millennium, about 150 000 patients (500 per million) in the USA and 475 000 patients (800 per million) in Europe suffer an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) each year.1,2 The distribution of these STEMIs is fairly evenly split between anterior, left anterior descending (LAD)-related events (40–50%) and inferior, right coronary artery (RCA)-related events (approximately 40%).3,4 In general, the prognosis is thought to be better with inferior than with anterior MIs.5 This, however, is not the case with concomitant involvement of the right ventricle (RV), which indicates a two to three times higher risk of arrhythmia, cardiogenic shock, and mortality in inferior MI.6 Moreover, predominantly RV-related cardiogenic shock is associated with a prognosis that is as detrimental as left ventricle (LV)-related cardiogenic shock (>50% in-hospital mortality).7 Reperfusion therapy improves these outcome statistics to those patients without RV involvement (2% in-hospital mortality).8 Despite these implications, the RV has, for the most part, remained the ‘forgotten chamber'—in need of ‘wake-up calls’ to pay greater attention to its involvement in MI.9,10 Bodi et al. 11 respond to this call in a translational manner. In both the experimental and the clinical approach, they found that approximately one-third … *Correspondence author. Tel: +1 507 284 2511; fax: +1 507 255 2550, Email: herrmann.joerg{at}mayo.edu
Specificity of staphylococcal phage and SaPI DNA packaging as revealed by integrase and terminase mutations

SaPI1 and SaPIbov1 are chromosomal pathogenicity islands in Staphylococcus aureus that carry tst and other superantigen genes. They are induced to excise and replicate by certain phages, are efficiently encapsidated in SaPI-specific small particles composed of phage virion proteins and are transferred at very high frequencies. In this study, we have analysed three SaPI genes that are important for the phage-SaPI interaction, int (integrase) terS (phage terminase small subunit homologue) and pif (phage interference function). SaPI1 int is required for SaPI excision, replication and packaging in a donor strain, and is required for integration in a recipient. A SaPI1 int mutant, following phage induction, produces small SaPI-specific capsids which are filled with partial phage genomes. SaPIbov1 DNA is efficiently packaged into full-sized phage heads as well as into SaPI-specific small ones, whereas SaPI1 DNA is found almost exclusively in the small capsids. TerS, however, determines DNA packaging specificity but not the choice of large versus small capsids. This choice is influenced by SaPIbov1 gene 12, which prevents phage DNA packaging into small capsids, and which is also primarily responsible for interference by SaPIbov1 with phage reproduction.
Overall Response Rate, Progression-Free Survival, and Overall Survival With Targeted and Standard Therapies in Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: US Food and Drug Administration Trial-Level and Patient-Level Analyses

Purpose To conduct analyses exploring trial-level and patient-level associations between overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) in advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) trials. Methods We identified 14 trials (N = 12,567) submitted to US Food and Drug Administration since 2003 of treatments for advanced NSCLC. Only randomized, active-controlled trials with more than 150 patients were included. Associations between trial-level PFS hazard ratio (HR), OS HR, and ORR odds ratio were analyzed using a weighted linear regression model. Patient-level responder analyses comparing PFS and OS between patients with and without an objective response were performed using pooled data from all studies. Results In the trial-level analysis, the association between PFS and ORR was strong (R2 = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.98). There was no association between OS and ORR (R2 = 0.09; 95% CI, 0 to 0.33) and OS and PFS (R2 = 0.08; 95% CI, 0 to 0.31). In the patient-level respond...
Mothering in public: a meta-synthesis of homeless women with children living in shelters.

ISSUES AND PURPOSE. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the current qualitative literature on homeless women with children living in shelters. METHODS. Eighteen qualitative studies on homeless women with children living in shelters were included in the synthesis. The meta-synthesis was conducted using the metaethnographic approach of Noblit and Hare (1988). RESULTS. Six reciprocal translations (themes) of homeless mothers caring for their children in shelters emerged: On becoming homeless, protective mothering, loss, stressed and depressed, survival strategies, and strategies for resolution. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. The results may be used by healthcare workers as a framework for developing intervention strategies directed toward helping mothers find new solutions to dealing with shelter living and innovative ways to resolve their homelessness. Search terms: Homeless persons, homelessness, qualitative studies.
Network-assisted diversity multiple access in dispersive channels

Network-assisted diversity multiple access (NDMA) is a novel random medium access method, which provides impressive throughput efficiency for multiplexing variable-bit-rate data sources. We study the implementation of the NDMA scheme in the presence of multipath channels. A transceiver architecture and random access strategies are proposed, which are able to detect and resolve collisions in the presence of unknown propagation channels. The performance issues are studied both analytically and numerically.
Psychological distress: Precursor or consequence of dating infidelity?

Research on infidelity-related distress has focused on victims with little attention to perpetrators. Two studies therefore explore the psychological functioning of individuals who have engaged in dating infidelity. Study 1 showed that, compared to faithful partners, individuals who had engaged in infidelity showed more psychological distress. Study 2 investigated the interrelationships among infidelity, psychological distress, and relationship satisfaction over time. Results suggested that initial levels of psychological distress predicted later infidelity but infidelity did not predict subsequent psychological distress. Findings are interpreted in light of the broader infidelity literature, potential mechanisms are suggested, and avenues for future research are recommended.
Fault tolerant adaptive filters based on the Walsh-Hadamard transform

Previously it has been shown that an FFT-based transform domain adaptive filter (FTAF) operating on real-valued signals can achieve a remarkable degree of fault tolerant performance based on parameter redundancy inherent in the complex arithmetic. In this paper the use of the Walsh-Hadamard transform is considered as a computationally efficient way of achieving fault tolerance. Although the WHT does not provide full fault tolerance it does provide a large degree of fault coverage that may be useful for adaptive filters implemented in highly scaled nano-technology circuits where soft (transient) errors and hard (permanent) faults are of increasing concern.
Energy-Efficient Image Compression for Resource-Constrained Platforms

One of the most important goals of current and future sensor networks is energy-efficient communication of images. This paper presents a quantitative comparison between the energy costs associated with 1) direct transmission of uncompressed images and 2) sensor platform-based JPEG compression followed by transmission of the compressed image data. JPEG compression computations are mapped onto various resource-constrained platforms using a design environment that allows computation using the minimum integer and fractional bit-widths needed in view of other approximations inherent in the compression process and choice of image quality parameters. Advanced applications of JPEG, such as region of interest coding and successive/progressive transmission, are also examined. Detailed experimental results examining the tradeoffs in processor resources, processing/transmission time, bandwidth utilization, image quality, and overall energy consumption are presented.
Fair Trial Guarantees for US Service Members Under Foreign and ICC Jurisdiction: A Comparative Analysis

Every year, foreign courts exercise criminal jurisdiction over US service members in the hundreds. While US policy is to maximize jurisdiction over its service members abroad, it cannot always do so. In such situations, US policy is then to protect the rights of its service members by use of trial observers who report on whether the accused received a fair trial in accordance with the applicable Status of Forces Agreement and US federal law expanding the guarantees contained therein. This foreign criminal jurisdiction policy is very useful in evaluating US opposition to the International Criminal Court (ICC). In this article, the fair trial guarantees for an accused under the Rome Statute are compared with those guarantees sought by the US for service members before a foreign criminal court. In so doing, the article concludes that the fair trial guarantees under the Rome Statute largely satisfy US procedural requirements, occasionally surpassing them. Even where the fair trial guarantees under the ICC arguably fall short, the possibility of an unfair trial is insubstantial.
On the discrepancy between objects and things: An ecological approach

The aim of this article is to develop a different approach to the study of the material world, one that takes seriously the seemingly banal fact that things are constantly falling out of place. Taking this fact seriously, the article argues, requires us to think about the material world not in terms of ‘objects’, but ecologically, that is, in terms of the processes and conditions under which certain ‘things’ come to be differentiated and identified as particular kinds of ‘objects’ endowed with particular forms of meaning, value and power. The article demonstrates the purchase of this ecological approach through the example of the Mona Lisa. It does so by exploring the rather extraordinary processes of containment and maintenance that are required to keep the Mona Lisa legible as an art object over time.
Pupilloid Land Snails from the South and Mid-west Coasts of Australia

Abstract Pupilloid land snails found in the areas between Kangaroo Island, South Australia and Albany, Western Australia, and then from the Chichester Range and Port Hedland in the Pilbara and North West Cape south to near Morawa, Western Australia are reviewed. Gastrocopta margaretae (Cox, 1868) ( + bannertonensis Gabriel, 1930 and complexa lredale, 1939) ranges from the Lower Murray River basin of Victoria and South Australia west to near Merredin and Albany, Western Australia; G. wallabyensis (Smith, 1894) is known from coastal and island localities in Western Australia from Point Quobba, north of Carnarvon south through Shark Bay and the Houtman Abrolhos to Green Head, just south of Eneabba; G. pilbarana, new species, has been collected from the Chichester Range near Roy Hill Station, the North West Cape, and places in the Shark Bay area (Salutation and Dirk Hartog Islands, Useless Bay); G. deserti Pilsbry, 1917, a species widely distributed in the Red Centre and barely reaching the south fringes of t...
Abstract 177: Antenatal Betamethasone Exposure Reduces Ang-(1-7) but Enhances Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and a Thiol Peptidase to Metabolize Ang-(1-7) in the Cerebrospinal Fluid

Antenatal betamethasone (BM) therapy accelerates lung development in preterm infants but may induce early programming events with long-term cardiovascular consequences. To elucidate these programming events, we developed a model of programming whereby pregnant ewes are administered BM (2 doses of 0.17 mg/kg) or vehicle at the 80th day of gestation and offspring are delivered at term. The BM-exposed (BMX) offspring develop elevated blood pressure, decreased baroreflex sensitivity, and alterations in the circulating, renal, and brain renin-angiotensin systems (RAS) by 6-months of age. While components of the RAS are present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), it is not known if BM exposure influences the CSF RAS to the same extent as other tissue compartments. Therefore, we characterized the CSF RAS in 6-month old male sheep, and established the impact of antenatal exposure on the RAS. Consistent with our previous findings of predominant ACE2 activity in the choroid plexus, CSF Ang-(1-7) levels are significantly higher than Ang I (320.8 ± 96.0 vs. 19.3 ± 4.6 pM; p
Superoxide production by respiring membranes of escherichia coli

O2- production by homogenates and isolated membranes of E. coli has been examined. Approximately one-fourth of the O2- generated by extracts in the presence of NAD (P) H is attributable to the membranes. The autoxidizable membrane component is a member of the respiratory chain, since O2- production is NADH-specific, amplified by cyanide, and absent from membranes lacking the respiratory NADH dehydrogenase. Other respiratory substrates (succinate, 1-phosphoglycerol, D-lactate, and L-lactate) supported O2-production at efficiencies between 3 and 30 O2- released per 10,000 electrons transferred, under conditions of substrate saturation. Membranes from quinoneless mutants quantitatively retain the ability to evolve O2-, indicating that the dehydrogenases are the sites of O2- production. Relative O2- production was greater at low substrate concentrations, probably reflecting the facilitation of unpairing of electrons that may occur when enzymes with multiple redox centers are only partially reduced. Respiration rate, cell volume, rates of membraneous and cytosolic O2- production, and SOD levels were used to calculate a steady-state concentration of O2- between 10(-10) and 10(-9) M in well-fed, aerobic, SOD-proficient cells.
Learner and Faculty Support.

This chapter identifies effective ways to address learner and faculty support. It introduces methods for building a successful learner support system by providing sufficient resources and proactively addressing learner motivation. It also addresses effective faculty support through institutional policies, resources, training, and course development.
United States Geographic Bacteria Susceptibility Patterns: 1996 ASCP Susceptibility Testing Group

Emerging antimicrobial drug resistance in bacterial pathogens continues as a worsening problem, with 1997 seeing reports of multidrug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae causing a nursing home outbreak in Oklahoma (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreaks of pneumococcal pneumonia among unvaccinated residents in chronic-care facilities: Massachusetts, October, 1995, Oklahoma, February 1996, and Maryland, May–June 1996. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep . 1997;46:60–62) and the first report of Staphylococcus aureus no longer fully susceptible to vancomycin hydrochloride occurring inJapan (Hiramatsu K, Hanaki H, Ino T, et al. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical strain with reduced vancomycin susceptibility. J Antimicrob Chemother . 1997;40:135–136). To better deal with this rapidly developing problem, we present the second year’s national data for the United States that highlight the geographic nature of increasing resistance to antimicrobial agents. This year we are fortunate to add the cumulative 1996 information from the Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic to the US survey data. All laboratories sub-mitting information expended considerable effort to voluntarily compile the data. All participants were enthusiastic in this project and are to be commended, along with the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, for supporting this project. In 1996, the first areas were identified where 5% of Escherichia coli are resistant to ciprofloxacin, more than 10% of Klebsiella pneumoniae are resistant to ceftazidime, more than 10% of Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia marcescens are resistant to gentamicin, and, now, eight strains of Neisseria meningitidis with a minimum inhibitory concentration for penicillin of > 0.06 mg/mL have been detected. Added to the list of tables is one more emerging hospital pathogen, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus–Acinetobacter baumannii complex. It is more clear than ever that the future of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology remains filled with challenge.
Local Measurements of Surfaces Stress

We have recently developed a method of local stress measurement that can be applied at the submicron level to measure differences in intrinsic stress at both free surfaces and buried interfaces. The method exploits the fact that transmission electron microscopy readily reveals local bulk strain fields produced by surface or interfacial stress differences. Using quantitative image analysis and simulation, we can determine the value of this stress difference. We have successfully applied this technique to the clean Si(111) surface during 7×7-1×1 phase coexistence and have determined the stress difference to be 30±5 meV/A2.
Accuracy of Determination of Lead Content in Whole Blood by Optimized Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

[Objective]To verify the accuracy of optimized determination method of lead content in whole blood through standard testing of blood lead samples.[Methods]After acidification by deionized water, 1% and 5% nitric acid , the whole blood samples was injected with matrix modifiers together, using graphite furnance to atomize sample and Zeeman effect to correct the disturbance of background, getting the area of lead absorption, the result of whole blood lead was found in calibration curve, and then compared with standard value.[Results]The optimized method is simple and reliable in sample detection.[Conclusion]The optimization of blood lead testing in this experiment is reasonable.
Histone Acetylation Complexes

Publisher Summary Lysine acetyltransferases (KATs), formerly histone acetyltransferases or HATs, are enzymes that acetylate lysine residues on proteins, including histones. This chapter focuses on the two main families of KAT complexes, GNAT and MYST, and an additional orphan group of KATs, highlighting specific complexes that exemplify the multiple roles these KAT activities play. The GNAT family is made up primarily of complexes that contain KAT2B, formerly PCAF or p300/CBP-associated factor, or KAT2 as their acetyltransferase. Following this, it examines the role of acetylation in a larger context and discusses how recognition of acetylation and other modification marks perpetuate epigenetic signaling within the nucleus. Finally, it briefly touches upon the role of KAT complexes in human disease. KAT complexes have been implicated in processes such as DNA transcription, repair, and replication and, more recently, the involvement of these complexes in the acetylation non-histone substrates has expanded the role of KATs in other areas of cellular signaling. These KATs are also involved in a number of processes such as transcription regulation, development, DNA damage repair, DNA replication, and circadian rhythm. Finally, KATs, which function in many different facets of transcriptional regulation, are linked to human disease. Improper function of either the catalytic subunit or associated subunits can have serious effects on transcriptional regulation. Additionally, acetylation of non-histone substrates is a vital regulatory process important for proper signaling cascades involved in transcription and other processes. Misregulation of these cascades has disastrous consequences that potentially lead to human disease, especially cancer.
Excess weight gain during insulin pump therapy is associated with higher basal insulin doses.

While higher total daily dose (TDD) of insulin has been associated with excess weight gain on insulin pump therapy, the role of higher total basal dose (TBD) of insulin on weight gain has not been studied. We evaluated the impact of higher TBD on weight gain in relationship to glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), hypoglycemic episodes, and change in body mass index (BMI) z score in a group of pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). One-year data from 91 (54 Female/37 Male) patients (2.3–17.8 years of age), transitioned from basal-bolus regimen to insulin pump therapy were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups based on changes in BMI z score: Group 1 (no change or decrease) and Group 2 (increase). Thirty-three patients in Group 1 and 58 patients in Group 2. The two groups had similar TDD (0.9 ± 0.2 vs. 0.8 ± 0.2 U/kg/day), however Group 1 had a higher bolus: basal insulin ratio (1.8 ± 0.6 vs. 1.5 ± 0.6, p < 0.05). While Groups 1 and 2 had similar HbA1c values (7.7 ± 0.7 vs. 7.70 ± 0.6 %; p = 0.79) and activity levels (2.2 ± 0.6 vs. 2.2 ± 0.7; p = 0.15), Group 2 had higher rates of hypoglycemic episodes (1.0 ± 0.4 vs. 1.5 ± 0.9, p < 0.01). Excess weight gain was associated with lower bolus to basal insulin ratios independent of glycemic control and activity level. Evaluation of bolus and basal insulin doses during insulin therapy is warranted in order to avoid excess weight gain.