cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isotopes and Organic Reaction Mechanisms

Publisher Summary This chapter classifies and discusses isotopic investigations in the field of physical organic chemistry and exemplifies each type of experiment with the kind of information attainable through the use of the very powerful and penetrating scientific scrutiny offered by the isotopic method. The chapter also discusses the techniques of nuclear magnetic resonance as applied to isotopes. Inherent in the classification of isotopic investigation employed, is the disadvantage that it does not coincide with the usual classifications of organic chemistry—that is, by type of compound or by class of reaction. It has the advantage, however, that it allows the isotopic method to be presented in an orderly fashion. This chapter concludes that the mechanisms have opened up new avenues for scientific imagination, which have rewarded the investigator by yielding much clearer concepts of the fundamental processes of organic chemistry.
Efficient VLSI implementation of bit plane coder of JPEG 2000

To overcome many drawbacks in the current JPEG standard for still image compression, a new standard, JPEG2000, is under development by the International Standard Organization. Embedded bit plane coding is the heart of the JPEG2000 encoder. This encoder is more complex and has significantly higher computational requirements compared to the entropy encoding in current JPEG standard. Because of the inherent bit-wise processing of the entropy encoder in JPEG2000, memory traffic is a substantial component in software implementation. However, in hardware implementation, the lookup tables can be mapped to logic gates and memory accesses for the state bit computation can be reduced significantly by careful design. In this paper, we present an efficient VLSI architecture for embedded bit-plane coding in JPEG2000 that reduces the number of memory accesses. To better understand the interaction of this architecture with the rest of the coder, we also present a system level architecture for efficient implementation of JPEG2000 in hardware.
MIXED APNEA OF INFANCY - SIGNIFICANCE OF RESPIRATORY PATTERN

Mixed apnea of infancy is a respiratory pattern characterized by both central and obstructive apnea. In order to characterize this form of apnea more completely, 67 patients were evaluated in the Apnea Screening Program of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. These infants had predominantly mixed apnea and represented 8.1% (67/838) of the children evaluated for apnea during a two year period. Mean BW was 1700 ± 88.8 SEM gms, mean GA was 31.6 ± 0.4 SEM wks. The average age at the time of study was 5.8 ± 0.5 SEM wks. Fifty-nine (88%) infants were premature, eight (12%) were term babies with infantile apnea or siblings of SIDS victims. Infants were evaluated for a minimum of 6 hours by thermistor-pneumocardiogram study. 279 episodes of mixed apnea were detected. 217 (77.8%) episodes began as central apnea and progressed to obstructive apnea. 62 episodes (22.2%) initially demonstrated obstructive apnea that subsequently became central. 155 (55.6%) episodes of mixed apnea were accompanied by bradycardia (decrease in heart rate >40 bpm below baseline level). The duration of mixed apneic episodes tended to be prolonged with 85 (30.5%) 10-15 seconds duration, 120 (43%) 15-20 seconds duration, and 74 (26.6%) > 20 seconds duration. Children with predominantly mixed apnea had associated other apnea: 33 (49.3%) had central apnea, 11 (16.4%) obstructive apnea, and 24 (35.8%) had excessive periodic breathing (<5% of sleep). These data suggest that in mixed apnea, central apnea most commonly precedes obstructive apnea. Approximately 70% of episodes of mixed apnea last for longer than 15 seconds. The majority of such episodes have associated bradycardia and therefore represent a significant clinical problem.
Symmetrical gangrene of the extremities associated with purpura

Abstract We have presented a case in which a farmer, aged forty-four years, had an acute illness of two weeks' duration, complicated by purpura and an extensive dry gangrene of the digits and of the skin of the legs. We feel that the etiological agent was toxic or infectious in origin, although it appears impossible at this late date to arrive at a definite diagnosis.
Natural convection heat transfer from a discrete thermal source on a vertical surface

This paper presents results of an experimental study of natural convection heat transfer from a discrete thermal source located on a vertical plate. The object of the paper is to present empirical evidence to support the use of laminar boundary-layer assumptions to model natural convection heat transfer from discrete thermal sources. In the present study, a discrete thermal source of length l was located on a vertical plate of length L. The thermal source, was placed a distance d downstream of the plate leading edge, and produced a wall plane, which rose vertically along the plate. A dimensional analysis for this problem indicates that the local Nusselt number Nu{sub x} can be correlated in terms of a local Grashof number Gr{sub x}, two geometric ratios L/l and d/l, a dimensionless distance x/l, and the Prandtl number Pr. Note that the distance x/l, and the Prandtl number Pr. Note that the distance x, is measured from the leading edge of the thermal source.
A Comparison Study of U.S. and Non-U.S. Education Internationalization Practices of Hospitality and Tourism Programs

This study seeks to determine the practices and perceptions of internationalization in hospitality and tourism education programs throughout different regions of the world. The findings of this research suggest that U.S. hospitality and tourism education programs are behind in the areas of student and curriculum, faculty and research, and the networks and organizational support. However, U.S. hospitality and tourism education programs show comparable results with regard to the reasons, benefits, risks, and barriers to internationalization. This suggests that U.S. hospitality and tourism education programs realize the importance but are not on par with non-U.S. programs in implementation. These findings open discussion of how U.S. and non-U.S. hospitality and tourism education programs can increase their internationalization efforts to compete in the global environment.
Physical mingling of magma and complex eruption dynamics in the shallow conduit at Stromboli volcano, Italy

Strombolian eruptions are caused by the bursting of large gas bubbles through essentially stagnant melt that resides in the uppermost part of the conduit. We investigate the physical properties of this shallow melt via a detailed analysis of vesicularity textures in lapilli ejected during a period of moderate-intensity activity at Stromboli volcano (Italy) in 2002. The lapilli show clear evidence that the erupted material is the product of a late-stage dynamic mingling of melts that are distinct in terms of density and rheology. Vesicle-volume distributions for two end-member melts indicate contrasting degrees of outgassing that can be linked to different residence times in the shallow conduit. We propose a model in which actively vesiculating melt rises with the gas phase and mingles with more mature stagnant melt en route to the magma's free surface. We suggest that the complex rheology of this mingled melt feeds back to strongly influence eruption dynamics.
Factors that regulate KiSS1 gene expression in the hippocampus.

Abstract Kisspeptin is a C-terminally amidated peptide encoded by the KiSS1 gene. The peptide and its receptor GPR54 are abundant in the hypothalamus and have been implicated as gatekeepers for the onset of puberty and the development of the reproductive system. Interestingly, GPR54 is also highly expressed in granule cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus, and in a previous study we showed that kisspeptin enhances excitatory synaptic transmission in these cells. The present study examined how expression of KiSS1 and GPR54 is regulated in rat hippocampus, using in vivo and in vitro preparations. In animals, a 3 h period of kainate-induced seizures significantly altered expression of both genes. KiSS1 mRNA showed a 3–4 fold increase which peaked 1–3 days post-seizure and subsided after one week. GPR54 mRNA, on the other hand, was reduced by 20–30% at 6–24 h. In organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, brief exposure to kainate produced a significant increase in KiSS1 mRNA with a time course comparable to that in vivo, and the effect was blocked by tetrodotoxin and CNQX. Chronic (7-day) treatment with picrotoxin, which induced a persistent four-fold increase in spike activity in multi-electrode recordings, caused a similar size but more persistent upregulation in KiSS1 mRNA. As in other studies, kainate and picrotoxin induced an upsurge in BDNF expression, but BDNF mRNA was also significantly increased when slice cultures were treated with kisspeptin. Taken together, KiSS1 expression is upregulated by neuronal activity and activation of GPR54 by kisspeptin may in turn contribute to sustain basal BDNF levels required for hippocampal function. In additional experiments, KiSS1 mRNA was found to be increased after orchidectomy and thus expression may be regulated also by gonadal hormones.
Dissemination of bacterial fluoroquinolone resistance in two multidrug-resistant enterobacteriaceae.

Bacterial resistance to antimicrobials has become one of the greatest challenges for clinical microbiologists and healthcare practitioners worldwide. Acquisition of resistance genes has proven to be d
Spaced batch means

We examine a variant of the familiar batch means (BM) method for analysis of a stationary (simulation) process. Our spaced batch means (SBM) method attempts to reduce the bad effects of interbatch correlation by inserting spacers between the batches of observations. We present analytical examples in which SBM yields an estimator for the variance parameter that is less biased than the corresponding BM estimator. We also give analytical examples in which SBM improves coverage of confidence intervals for the mean of the process. Under negative serial correlation, SBM sometimes fares significantly better than BM; under positive serial correlation, SBM usually does only a bit better than BM.
The historical impact of Islam and its future prospects in Africa: a case study of Sudan and Nigeria

(1988). The historical impact of Islam and its future prospects in Africa: a case study of Sudan and Nigeria. Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs. Journal: Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 311-330.
Effects of septal lesions on the courtship behavior of male ring doves (Streptopelia risoria).

Abstract Male ring doves exhibit several androgen-dependent behavior patterns. Preliminary studies indicated that one of these, the nest-soliciting display, was selectively increased following septal lesions. In the present study castrated male ring doves received a septal lesion followed by daily intramuscular injections of 30 μg testosterone propionate (TP). Although one of the androgen-dependent displays, the bow-coo, was unaffected by the lesions, nest soliciting was significantly elevated during the period of hormone treatment. The restoration of nest-soliciting behavior in the males with septal lesions was even more rapid than that of unlesioned males receiving 200 μg TP/day, although after 12 days of treatment the performances of the latter came to approximate those of the males bearing septal lesions. Males that had received lesions in brain areas other than the septum were no more responsive to 30 μg of TP than were nonlesioned males receiving similar hormone treatment. It is suggested that the influence of the septum differs among the various androgen-dependent displays.
Carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance measurement of oil composition in single viable soybeans

High-resolution, natural abundance13C NMR spectra of intact, viable soybeans have been obtained by Fourier transform techniques. The spectra are interpreted in terms of the relative concentrations of the major fatty acids present in the soybean triglycerides. This nondestructive analysis is sufficiently fast and accurate to permit the selection of individual soybeans for use in a genetic breeding program designed to reduce the undesirably high linolenic acid content of soybean oil.
Reaction pathways in transcript elongation

Transcription of DNA into RNA is a central part of gene expression, and is highly regulated in all organisms. In order to approach transcription control systems on a molecular basis we must understand the mechanisms used by the transcription complex to discharge its various functions, which include transcript initiation, elongation, editing, and termination. In this article we describe recent progress in sorting out the multiple reaction pathways that are, at least in principle, available to the transcription complex at each DNA template position, and show how transcription control systems partition active complexes into these pathways. Understanding these regulatory processes requires an elucidation of the molecular details of how sequence- and factor-dependent changes in the conformations, stabilities, and reaction rates of the complexes determine function. Recent progress in unraveling these issues is summarized in this article and emerging principles that govern the regulation of the elongation phase of transcription are discussed.
Exploratory case-control analysis of psychosocial factors and adult periodontitis.

We explored the association between social factors and adult periodontitis by comparing self-reported information for daily strains and symptoms of depression in 71 cases and 77 controls. Cases and controls were selected from among 1,426 participants in the Erie County Risk Factor Study. We found differences among those who scored higher than their peers on measures of social strain. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for the association between case status and Role Strain score of 2.27 or more was 2.84, 95% CI = 1.08 to 7.46. We also examined serum antibody, dichotomized at the median, for three periodontal pathogens (Bacteroides forsythus [IgG Bf], Porphyromonas gingivalis [IgG Pg], Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans [IgG Aa]), and assessed interaction between antibody levels and a Depression score derived from the Brief Symptom Inventory. IgG Pg and IgG Aa were both strongly associated with case status (OR = 4.52, 95% CI = 1.99 to 10.3 and OR = 5.29, 95% CI = 2.34 to 12.0, respectively). IgG Bf was associated with periodontal disease but only among individuals who had higher scores for Depression (OR = 6.75, 95% CI = 1.25 to 36.5). Smoking status was associated with case status (OR = 4.95, 95% CI = 1.86 to 13.2). We assessed these findings prospectively by examining factors associated with more extensive disease among the 71 case subjects after 1 year of follow-up. We found baseline smoking status and IgG Bf among individuals scoring high on Depression at baseline to be associated with more extensive disease (8.1% or more of the sites showing further breakdown). In this population an elevated Depression score may be a marker for social isolation, which could play a role in immune function during periods of social strain. This exploratory analysis has served to identify specific lines of inquiry concerning psychosocial measures as important environmental factors in adult periodontitis. J Periodontol 1996;67:1060-1069.
Complications in Paget disease at MR imaging.

PURPOSE: To determine the MR imaging findings in patients with complications of Paget disease of bone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 45 patients with Paget disease who underwent MR imaging, 33 (26 men, seven women; age range, 64-91 years) with known complications of the disease were examined. Imaging in this subgroup included radiography (n = 26), computed tomography (n = 12), bone scintigraphy (n = 15), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (n = 33). Patients were examined specifically for musculoskeletal and neurologic complications of Paget disease, including fracture, basilar impression, spinal stenosis, bone tumor, and osteoarthrosis. RESULTS: The 56 complications documented in the 33 patients were fracture (n = 17), neurologic entrapment (n = 19), neoplasm (n = 9), and arthropathy (n = 11). MR imaging was beneficial in the diagnostic evaluation of basilar impression (n = 7), spinal stenosis (n = 12), and the tumor stage (n = 9). It also helped to successfully evaluate pagetic bone narrowing of the coracoa...
Long-lived polarization protected by symmetry

In this paper we elucidate, theoretically and experimentally, molecular motifs which permit Long-Lived Polarization Protected by Symmetry (LOLIPOPS). The basic assembly principle starts from a pair of chemically equivalent nuclei supporting a long-lived singlet state and is completed by coupling to additional pairs of spins. LOLIPOPS can be created in various sizes; here we review four-spin systems, introduce a group theory analysis of six-spin systems, and explore eight-spin systems by simulation. The focus is on AA′XnX′n spin systems, where typically the A spins are 15N or 13C and X spins are protons. We describe the symmetry of the accessed states, we detail the pulse sequences used to access these states, we quantify the fraction of polarization that can be stored as LOLIPOPS, we elucidate how to access the protected states from A or from X polarization and we examine the behavior of these spin systems upon introduction of a small chemical shift difference.
Attitude accessibility and biased information processing: The moderating role of self-monitoring

High and low self-monitors read and evaluated two studies relevant to the deterrent effects of the death penalty, one that supported its deterrent effects and one that did not. Low self-monitors’ evaluations of the studies were significantly related to the accessibility of their attitudes toward capital punishment. The more accessible their attitudes were, the more favorable, relatively, were their evaluations of the study that supported their personal attitudes toward capital punishment. In contrast, attitude accessibility was unrelated to high self-monitors’ relative evaluations.
Carbon Networks Based on Dehydrobenzoannulenes. 5. Extension of Two-Dimensional Conjugation in Graphdiyne Nanoarchitectures

The synthesis and optical properties of a series of multinanometer-sized substructures of the phenyl-diacetylene carbon allotrope, graphdiyne, are described. These molecules are among the largest and most complex annulenic systems yet prepared, with extension of linear conjugation in two-dimensions to over twice that of any previously reported planar macrocycle. The graphdiyne substructures are constructed through convergent syntheses, taking advantage of three key intermediates and silane-protected phenylacetylenes. Intramolecular macrocyclization of α,ω-polyyne precursors via Cu-mediated or Pd-catalyzed oxidative homocoupling affords five new graphdiyne “oligomers” possessing two to four fused 18-membered rings. The attempted synthesis of a six-ring analogue is also reported.
Recombinant vector-induced HIV/SIV-specific CD4+ T lymphocyte responses in rhesus monkeys

The recently reported modest success of the RV144 Thai trial vaccine regimen in preventing HIV-1 acquisition has focused interest on the potential contribution to that protection of vaccine-elicited CD4(+) T cell responses. We evaluated the induction of virus-specific CD4(+) T cell responses in rhesus monkeys using a series of diverse vaccine vectors. We assessed both the magnitudes and functional profiles of the antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells by measuring cytokine production, memory differentiation, and the expression of mucosal homing molecules. We found that DNA prime/recombinant MVA boost immunizations induced particularly high-frequency virus-specific CD4(+) T cell responses with polyfunctional repertoires, and these responses were partially preserved following SHIV-89.6P challenge. The majority of the vaccine-elicited CD4(+) T cells were CD28(+) memory T cells that expressed low levels of beta7. Neither the magnitudes nor the functional profiles of the virus-specific CD4(+) T cells generated by vaccination were associated with a preservation of CD4(+) T cells or control of viral replication following SHIV-89.6P challenge. Interestingly, monkeys primed with recombinant Ad5 immunogens showed a dramatic expansion of both the magnitude and polyfunctionality of the vaccine-elicited CD4(+) T cell responses following envelope protein boost. These results demonstrate that vaccine strategies that include recombinant MVA or recombinant Ad5 vectors can elicit robust CD4(+) T cell responses.
Fertility preservation by ovarian stimulation and oocyte cryopreservation in a 14-year-old adolescent with Turner syndrome mosaicism and impending premature ovarian failure

Objective To report a novel approach to fertility preservation in adolescents with Turner syndrome mosaicism by repeated controlled ovarian stimulation and oocyte cryopreservation. Design Case report. Setting Academic reproductive medicine center. Patient(s) Fourteen-year-old adolescent diagnosed with Turner syndrome mosaicism. Intervention(s) Two cyles of controlled ovarian stimulation and oocyte cryopreservation within 1 year. Main Outcome Measure(s) Recovery of oocytes after controlled ovarian stimulation and oocyte cryopreservation. Result(s) Eleven oocytes were retrieved, of which eight were mature and three were immature during the first cycle. One year later, four mature and three immature oocytes were retrieved after a treatment cycle with even higher gonadotropin doses. All oocytes were cryopreserved by vitrification. Conclusion(s) Controlled ovarian stimulation and oocyte cryopreservation may be an option for fertility preservation in selected adolescents with Turner syndrome mosaicism and impending ovarian failure.
Multiscale modeling of irradiated polycrystalline FCC metals

Abstract We propose a set of models for the post-irradiation deformation response of polycrystalline FCC metals. First, a defect- and dislocation-density based evolution model is developed to capture the features of irradiation-induced hardening as well as intra-granular softening. The proposed hardening model is incorporated within a rate-independent single crystal plasticity model. The result is a non-homogeneous deformation model that accounts for defect absorption on the active slip planes during plastic loading. The macroscopic non-linear constitutive response of the polycrystalline aggregate of the single crystal grains is then obtained using a micro–macro transition scheme, which is realized within a Jacobian-free multiscale method (JFMM). The Jacobian-free approach circumvents explicit computation of the tangent matrix at the macroscale by using a Newton–Krylov process. This has a major advantage in terms of storage requirements and computational cost over existing approaches based on homogenized material coefficients in which explicit Jacobian computation is required at every Newton step. The mechanical response of neutron-irradiated single and polycrystalline OFHC copper is studied and it is shown to capture experimentally observed grain-level phenomena.
Anomalous magneto-optical Kerr hysteresis loops in Fe 0.25 TaS 2

We have performed magneto-optical Kerr spectroscopy measurements on intercalated transition-metal dichalcogenide Fe${}_{0.25}$TaS${}_{2}$ in the polar Kerr geometry as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and wavelength. The Kerr angle exhibits pronounced peaks at $\ensuremath{\sim}$775 nm (1.6 eV) and $\ensuremath{\sim}$515 nm (2.4 eV), which we attribute to spin-dependent interband optical transitions arising from states in the vicinity of the Fermi energy. Below the ferromagnetic transition temperature (165 K) we observe a strongly wavelength- and magnetic-field-dependent Kerr signal. At a fixed wavelength, the magnetic-field dependence of the Kerr angle shows a clear hysteresis loop, but its shape sensitively changes with the wavelength. We propose a model that takes into account contributions from domain walls, which allowed us to derive a mathematical expression that successfully fits all the observed hysteresis loops.
Patterned Collagen Fibers Orient Branching Mammary Epithelium through Distinct Signaling Modules

For decades, the work of cell and developmental biologists has demonstrated the striking ability of the mesenchyme and the stroma to instruct epithelial form and function in the mammary gland, but the role of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules in mammary pattern specification has not been elucidated. Here, we show that stromal collagen I (Col-I) fibers in the mammary fat pad are axially oriented prior to branching morphogenesis. Upon puberty, the branching epithelium orients along these fibers, thereby adopting a similar axial bias. To establish a causal relationship from Col-I fiber to epithelial orientation, we embedded mammary organoids within axially oriented Col-I fiber gels and observed dramatic epithelial co-orientation. Whereas a constitutively active form of Rac1, a molecule implicated in cell motility, prevented a directional epithelial response to Col-I fiber orientation, inhibition of the RhoA/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) pathway did not. However, time-lapse studies revealed that, within randomly oriented Col-I matrices, the epithelium axially aligns fibers at branch sites via RhoA/ROCK-mediated contractions. Our data provide an explanation for how the stromal ECM encodes architectural cues for branch orientation as well as how the branching epithelium interprets and reinforces these cues through distinct signaling processes.
Predictors of response to steroid therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis and treatment of steroid-refractory patients.

Background & Aims Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is commonly treated with swallowed (topical) corticosteroids (tCS). However, few factors have been described that predict outcomes of steroid therapy. We aimed to identify factors associated with nonresponse to tCS and report outcomes of second-line treatment for patients with steroid-refractory EoE. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study by using the University of North Carolina EoE Clinicopathologic Database to identify patients who received tCS for EoE from 2006 through 2013. Demographic, symptom, endoscopic, and histologic data were extracted from medical records. Immunohistochemistry was performed on archived biopsies. Responders and nonresponders to tCS were compared. Results Of 221 patients with EoE who received tCS, 71% had endoscopic improvement, 79% had symptomatic improvement, and 57% had histologic response ( 2 , P = .04) and eotaxin-3 (2425 vs 239 cells/mm 2 , P = .02) were associated with steroid response, but levels of major basic protein were not. Among 27 steroid-refractory patients, a mean of 2 additional therapies were tried; only 48% of the patients eventually responded to any second-line therapy. Conclusions On the basis of a retrospective analysis of a large group of patients with EoE, only 57% have a histologic response to steroid therapy. Baseline esophageal dilation and decreased levels of mast cells and eotaxin-3 predicted which patients would not respond to therapy. Combining clinical factors and immunohistochemistry might therefore be used to direct therapy.
Good Clinical Practice: Are Any Changes Expected in the United States?:

Over the last decades, there have been many important advancements in the approaches used for quality assurance and other aspects of good clinical practice (GCP). From a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) perspective, these represent refinements in the tools, but not changes in the fundamentals of GCP. The FDA will continue to place emphasis on the inspection of original records and procedures at the site of clinical studies. The FDA has not specified what particular internal procedures or standards should be used by drug developers and does not anticipate doing so in the future. The concept of GCP has, in part, led to the conceptualizing of good review practice (GRP) at the FDA. Identification of universally acceptable core GRP principles could be an appropriate subject of future international discussions.
Correlational analyses of procedural and declarative learning performance

We measured individual differences on procedural and declarative learning of a sequence-learning task developed by Nissen and Bullemer (1987) and compared both scores to one another and to scores on a performance battery. Participants (N = 455) completed the sequence-learning task, a visual spatial task, a verbal reasoning task, a concept identification task, a visual maze task, forward and backward digit span, a perceptual-motor speed and attention test, and four force-control tasks. Declarative learning of the sequence-learning task was more strongly related to performance on other cognitive and motor tasks than was procedural learning of the sequence. Likewise, declarative but not procedural learning scores were correlated with earlier WAIS-R full-scale IQ scores available for most (N = 435) participants. Procedural and declarative learning of the sequence-learning task were also correlated (r = .486) with one another. A framework is proposed to account for the pattern of results based on a combination of approaches to explain dissociations found in memory. We suggest that (a) procedural learning of the sequence is task specific, (b) declarative learning of the sequence shares component processes with the other cognitive and motor tasks, (c) procedural and declarative learning of the sequence share component processes specific to learning the pattern, and (d) declarative learning of the sequence may be more predictive of general intelligence.
A graph-theoretic approach for the separation of b and y ions in tandem mass spectra

Motivation: Ion-type identification is a fundamental problem in computational proteomics. Methods for accurate identification of ion types provide the basis for many mass spectrometry data interpretation problems, including (a) de novo sequencing, (b) identification of post-translational modifications and mutations and (c) validation of database search results. Results: Here, we present a novel graph-theoretic approach for solving the problem of separating b ions from y ions in a set of tandem mass spectra. We represent each spectral peak as a node and consider two types of edges: type-1 edge connecting two peaks probably of the same ion types and type-2 edge connecting two peaks probably of different ion types. The problem of ion-separation is formulated and solved as a graph partition problem, which is to partition the graph into three subgraphs, representing b, y and others ions, respectively, through maximizing the total weight of type-1 edges while minimizing the total weight of type-2 edges within each partitioned subgraph. We have developed a dynamic programming algorithm for rigorously solving this graph partition problem and implemented it as a computer program PRIME (PaRtition of Ion types in tandem Mass spEctra). The tests on a large amount of simulated mass spectra and 19 sets of high-quality experimental Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance tandem mass spectra indicate that an accuracy level of ∼90% for the separation of b and y ions was achieved. Availability: The executable code of PRIME is available upon request. Contact: [email protected]
Targeted gene disruption reveals an essential role for ceruloplasmin in cellular iron efflux

Aceruloplasminemia is an autosomal recessive disorder of iron metabolism. Affected individuals evidence iron accumulation in tissue parenchyma in association with absent serum ceruloplasmin. Genetic studies of such patients reveal inherited mutations in the ceruloplasmin gene. To elucidate the role of ceruloplasmin in iron homeostasis, we created an animal model of aceruloplasminemia by disrupting the murine ceruloplasmin (Cp) gene. Although normal at birth, Cp−/− mice demonstrate progressive accumulation of iron such that by one year of age all animals have a prominent elevation in serum ferritin and a 3- to 6-fold increase in the iron content of the liver and spleen. Histological analysis of affected tissues in these mice shows abundant iron stores within reticuloendothelial cells and hepatocytes. Ferrokinetic studies in Cp+/+ and Cp−/− mice reveal equivalent rates of iron absorption and plasma iron turnover, suggesting that iron accumulation results from altered compartmentalization within the iron cycle. Consistent with this concept, Cp−/− mice showed no abnormalities in cellular iron uptake but a striking impairment in the movement of iron out of reticuloendothelial cells and hepatocytes. Our findings reveal an essential physiologic role for ceruloplasmin in determining the rate of iron efflux from cells with mobilizable iron stores.
Interpretation of crustal seismic velocities in the San Gabriel—Mojave region, southern California

The increased concern over seismic hazards in the Los Angeles region has created interest in the crustal structure and mechanical properties associated with faults, like the Sierra Madre and San Andreas. This study presents the seismic properties of major lithologies found in the vicinity of the San Andreas fault zone in order to correlate with the Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment (LARS E) results. Scientists from the LARSE group have recently acquired high-quality seismic data along three transects. Thirty-nine rock samples were collected along the LARSE Line I, which trends NE-SW across the central Mojave Desert and the San Gabriel Mountains. These rock samples represent the following lithologies: Precambrian gneisses, San Gabriel anorthosite, Mesozoic granitic intrusives, Pelona schist, Mendenhall granulite gneisses and San Andreas fault zone cataclasites. The seismic properties were determined by measuring compressional and shear wave velocities as a function of confining pressure. Average compressional and shear wave velocities at 150 MPa show a wide range of values. The Mendenhall gneiss and the San Gabriel anorthosite complex have high velocities, 6.5 km/s and 6.4 km/s, respectively. The Pelona schist, the Mojave granitic intrusives, and the San Andreas cataclasitic rocks have average velocities of 5.8 km/s, 5.2 km/s, and 5.1 km/s, respectively. Average densities range from 2320 kg/m3 for fault zone cataclasites to 3100 kg/m3 for a Mendenhall granulite gneiss. Gneisses and schists show significant seismic anisotropy (5-20%) due to preferred mineral orientation, while most other rocks are nearly isotropic. Poisson's ratios range from a high of 0.29 in the San Gabriel anorthosite to a low of 0.22 in the San Gabriel gneiss. Comparison of the measured seismic properties with the LARSE velocity model allows interpretation of crustal structure in terms of rock compositions. The upper crust southwest of the San Andreas fault contains granitic intrusives, gneisses and schists, while under the Mojave Desert, the upper crust is dominated by gneisses. High velocities under the San Gabriel Mountains represent either lower crustal granulites or anorthosite. The velocity decrease beneath the San Andreas fault zone originates from minor amounts of cataclasite or the presence of low-velocity lithologies such as Pelona schist. @ 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
On the Social Psychology of Agency Relationships: Lay Theories of Motivation Overemphasize Extrinsic Incentives

Three laboratory studies and one field study show that people generally hold lay theories which contain an extrinsic incentives bias-people predict that others are more motivated than themselves by extrinsic incentives (job security, pay) and less motivated by intrinsic incentives (learning new things). The extrinsic incentives bias can be separated from a self-serving bias and it provides an empirical counterexample to the traditional actor-observer effect in social psychology (although its theoretical explanation is similar). This kind of bias may hinder organizations from organizing because people who act as principals may use improper lay theories to offer inappropriate deals to agents. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.
Noncoherent Ultra-Wideband (De)Modulation

Ultra-wideband (UWB) radios have received increasing attention recently for their potential to overlay legacy systems, their low-power consumption and low-complexity implementation. Because of the pulsed or duty-cycled nature of the ultra-short transmitted waveforms, timing synchronization and channel estimation pose major, and often conflicting, challenges and requirements. In order to address (or in fact bypass) both tasks, we design and test noncoherent UWB (de)modulation schemes, which remain operational even without timing and channel information. Relying on integrate-and-dump operations of what we term "dirty templates," we first derive a maximum likelihood (ML) optimal noncoherent UWB demodulator. We further establish a conditional ML demodulator with lower complexity. Analysis and simulations show that both can also be applied after (possibly imperfect) timing acquisition. Under the assumption of perfect timing, our noncoherent UWB scheme reduces to a differential UWB system. Our approach can also be adapted to a transmitted reference (TR) UWB system. We show that the resultant robust-to-timing TR (RTTR) approach considerably improves performance of the original TR system in the presence of timing offsets or residual timing acquisition errors
Impact of autologous bone marrow infusion on hematopoietic recovery after high-dose cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin.

Because of potential tumor contamination and inadequacy of current purging technique of bone marrow in patients with solid tumors, we investigated an alternative approach to high-dose therapy without autologous bone marrow (ABM) infusion. Three levels of nonmyeloablative doses of cyclophosphamide 4.5 to 5.25 g/m2, etoposide 750 to 1,200 mg/m2, and cisplatin 120 to 165 mg/m2 (CVP) were administered to patients with metastatic solid tumors. Patients were randomized to ABM (n = 46) or no-ABM (NABM) (n = 46) infusion after CVP to study the impact of ABM on hematopoietic recovery, morbidity, and mortality. All patients had ABM harvested, underwent conventional chemotherapy, and then received CVP. Seventy-three patients received two courses of similar doses. The following were the median days to absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 0.1 x 10(9)/L: for the ABM arm, 19, 21, and 19 and for the NABM arm, 23, 20, and 21 at levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively, during course 1 (P = .01, .80, and .01, respectively). During c...
Stochastic Optimization of Some of the Design Parameters of Airborne Laser-Seeker Systems

The search process of an airborne laser-seeker system is studied to maximize the probability of target acquisition with respect to the following parameters: altitude, velocity, seeker scan angle, seeker depression angle, laser illuminator peak power, scan pattern, and acceptance logic. The relationships between the objective variable and the first five parameters are established through a regression analysis of data points collected from a computerized system model. Classical techniques applied to the regression equation isolate a local maximum. Scan pattern and acceptance logic are each studied separately since their optima are independent of the other parameters of the system. Maximum probability of target acquisition is nearly unity.
An Exploration of Terminology Related to Sexuality and Gender: Arguments for Standardizing the Language

There is currently no consensus on the best ways to define and operationalize research concepts related to sexuality and gender. This article explores some of the ways that sex/gender and sexuality terms have been used in health-related research and in keyword searches in the health sciences. Reasons for the diversity of terms and measurement approaches are explored and arguments for and against standardizing the language are presented. The article ends with recommendations for beginning a productive dialogue among health researchers to create some consistency in the terminology used to assess sexuality and gender.
A Heat Transfer Analysis of the Fiber Placement Composite Manufacturing Process

A computer code is developed to accurately simulate the three-dimensional heat transfer during the thermoset fiber placement composite manufacturing process. The code is based on the Lagrangian formulation of the problem. Eight-node brick elements are employed, and the 2 × 2 × 2 integration rule is used to numerically evaluate the integrals over an element. The coupled ordinary differential equations obtained by the semidiscrete formulation of the problem are integrated by the unconditionally stable backward difference method. The code is validated by comparing the computed results for several problems with those available in the literature. Composite rings are manufactured by continuously laying a tape over a cylindrical mandrel and the temperature histories at several points are measured with thermocouples. The computed temperature distribution is found to compare well with the test findings. The code can be used to optimize the processing variables.
Informed Trading During the Intraday: The Case of Short Sellers

Theory in Admati and Pfleiderer (1988) predicts that informed traders will concentrate their trading at the beginning and end of the trading day when markets are thick. Motivated by these predictions, we examine the trading behavior of informed short sellers during the intraday period. While our tests show that short-selling activity is highest at the beginning and end of the trading day, we find that contrarian short selling exhibits a reverse U-shaped intraday pattern. To the extent that contrarian trading represents informed short selling, this reverse U-shaped intraday pattern indicates that informed short sellers concentrate their trading during the middle of the trading day. We also examine the negative relation between current short activity and subsequent 15-minute returns. Results show that this negative relation is relatively constant across the intraday indicating that the informed short selling is not unusually high at the beginning and end of the trading day.
On a minimax approach to robust controller synthesis and model selection

This paper presents, for the first time, a minimax approach to robust controller synthesis. The main advantage of this novel problem formulation is that it provides simultaneous controller synthesis and process model selection. Two examples of this approach are provided. The method is a) illustrated with a numerical example b) used in the mathematical formulation of an industrial problem.
Performance comparison between airflow-channel and ambient air-breathing PEM fuel cells using three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics models

The development of physically representative models that allow reliable simulation of the processes under realistic conditions is essential to the development and optimization of fuel cells, the introduction of cheaper materials and fabrication techniques, and the design and development of novel architectures. Full three-dimensional, multiphase, non-isothermal computational fluid dynamics models of planar air-breathing and airflow-channel PEM fuel cell have been developed. These comprehensive models account for the major transport phenomena in both these types: convective and diffusive heat and mass transfer, electrode kinetics, transport and phase-change mechanism of water, and potential fields. The models are shown to understand the many interacting, complex electrochemical, and transport phenomena that cannot be studied experimentally. Fully three-dimensional results of the species profiles, temperature distribution, potential distribution, and local current density distribution are presented and analyzed with a focus on the physical insight and fundamental understanding for the air-breathing and airflow-channel PEM fuel cells.
Home-based system for stroke rehabilitation

A system was developed for home-based stroke motor rehabilitation of the ankle. A study was conducted to test the hypothesis that moving while concentrating will lead to greater recovery than movement alone. Sixteen post-stroke subjects participated, one half in a tracking training group and the other have in a move group. The tracking training group tracked a target waveform by moving their ankle to control the tracking cursor while the move group moved their ankle approximately the same amount but without target following. Over four weeks subjects completed 3600 trials. The results showed that the Tracking group had more improvement in ankle dorsiflexion compared to the Move group. The remaining assessment criteria showed no significant differences between the groups.
Learning to Learn about Spirituality: A Categorical Approach to Introducing the Topic into Management Courses:

This article argues that the time has come for business school educators to take up the challenge of teaching about spirituality in management courses. The authors’ focus is not on spirituality per se but on the process of learning to learn about spirituality. They introduce a categorization (i.e., typology) of approaches toward spiritual development and provide a classroom exercise to help students develop their critical analysis skills and use categorization as a method to discover their spiritual paths. The authors’ focus is on an instructional process that enables students and teachers to discover their unique ideas about spirituality and its numerous developmental pathways.
Simultaneous recovery of tissue physiological and acoustic properties and the criteria for wavelength selection in multispectral photoacoustic tomography

We present an algorithm to directly reconstruct chromophore concentrations and acoustic velocity by multispectral photoacoustic tomography. We also derive the criterions to minimize the cross talk for simultaneous recovery of chromophore concentrations and acoustic velocity using multispectral photoacoustic data. We found that the image quality and the separation between acoustic velocity and different chromophore concentrations strongly depend on the measurement wavelengths of incident laser source.
Modeling ETFs' Return

In recent years interests in “Exchanged Traded Funds” has increased substantially. As a result of investors’ interest and the surge of cash flowing into these interments, there has been a surge in number of ETF’s. These days there are ETF’s which trace all kind of domestic and international indexes, sectors and commodities. In this paper, I study the price behavior of EFTs. More specifically, I will use the fact that not at all times an ETF trace the return on its underlying index, and therefore frequently we can observe a gap between the ETF’s return and its underlying index, to sharpen and improve the existing pricing models which I hope us to achieve not only better pricing tools, but also helps us to understand the pricing behavior of various types of ETFs.
Attenuated MP2 with a Long-Range Dispersion Correction for Treating Nonbonded Interactions.

Attenuated second order Moller-Plesset theory (MP2) captures intermolecular binding energies at equilibrium geometries with high fidelity with respect to reference methods, yet must fail to reproduce dispersion energies at stretched geometries due to the removal of fully long-range dispersion. For this problem to be ameliorated, long-range correction using the VV10 van der Waals density functional is added to attenuated MP2, capturing short-range correlation with attenuated MP2 and long-range dispersion with VV10. Attenuated MP2 with long-range VV10 dispersion in the aug-cc-pVTZ (aTZ) basis set, MP2-V(terfc, aTZ), is parametrized for noncovalent interactions using the S66 database and tested on a variety of noncovalent databases, describing potential energy surfaces and equilibrium binding energies equally well. Further, a spin-component scaled (SCS) version, SCS-MP2-V(2terfc, aTZ), is produced using the W4-11 database as a supplemental thermochemistry training set, and the resulting method reproduces the quality of MP2-V(terfc, aTZ) for noncovalent interactions and exceeds the performance of SCS-MP2/aTZ for thermochemistry.