cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parents as Advocates for Child Pedestrian Injury Prevention: What Do They Believe about the Efficacy of Prevention Strategies and about How to Create Change?

Abstract This study describes the support of parents and other community members for child pedestrian safety measures, their willingness to pay in terms of volunteer time and money for efforts to make child pedestrian safety improvements in their neighborhood, and their views on how to affect child pedestrian safety improvements in their communities. In partnership with four city public elementary schools, data were collected through focus groups of parents and other caregivers and through a written survey distributed to parents and caregivers. The findings reveal that parents and caregivers are aware of a full range of prevention measures for the child pedestrian injury problem but are especially supportive of speed bumps, safety education for parents, and better traffic enforcement. Parents and caregivers are uncertain about what kind of strategies would work well to get changes made in their communities to protect child pedestrians. They also reveal that they are willing to get involved in trying to ge...
Total hip arthroplasty cemented femoral component distal stem centralizer: Effect on stem centralization and cement mantle

The effectiveness, benefits, and potential risks of employing a total hip arthroplasty cemented femoral component distal centralizer were evaluated. First postoperative (6-week) radiographs of 100 primary hybrid total hip arthroplasties in consecutive groups of 50 patients without and 50 patients with a femoral stem distal centralizer were retrospectively reviewed. Femoral stems with a distal centralizer were more centralized within the femoral canal (center of stem tip to center of intramedullary canal: mean, 1.1 mm with a centralizer, 3.2 mm without; P<.0001) and more neutrally aligned (mean, 0.7 degrees valgus with a centralizer, 1.3 degrees valgus without; P < .01). Femoral stems with a distal centralizer were less likely to have a cement mantle with suboptimal thickness, that is, less than 2 mm at the medial distal femoral stem (3 of 50 stems with a centralizer, 22 of 50 stems without; chi-square, P<.0001). There were no complications, adverse effects on the cement mantle, radiographic evidence of loosening, or implant failures associated with the use of a distal centralizer, with a minimum follow-up period of 2 years.
An atomistic study of solid/liquid interfaces in binary systems

In this study, a semi-empirical Lennard-Jones/embedded atom method model is used to capture real materials behavior through the introduction of many-body forces. By means of molecular dynamics calculations, the model is used to study the dependence of the solid-liquid interface velocity on temperature for two alloy compositions.
High-order wavefront sensing system for PALM-3000

PALM-3000 is an upgrade to the current PALM-241 adaptive optics system at the 5.1 m Hale telescope which will allow diffraction-limited science in visible wavelengths using bright natural guide stars, have more modest performance with an upgraded Sodium laser guide star, and allow for guiding on faint natural guide stars. A key sub-system of the upgrade is a new high-order Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor with selectable pupil sampling, up to 64 subapertures across the telescope aperture, to minimize wavefront reconstruction error for varying brightness of guide source with a frame rate up to 3 kHz. The design and current status of the high-order wavefront sensing system is presented.
Sperm surface proteins are incorporated into the egg membrane and cytoplasm after fertilization

Abstract Using an antibody to sperm surface proteins, we have investigated the fate of the sperm membrane after fertilization. By immunofluorescence, two distinct loci of sperm surface proteins were found in the embryo: a large, restricted domain on the embryo surface and a smaller locus that apparently had moved from the point of sperm entry into the egg cytoplasm. The surface domain was initially over the fertilization cone and slowly disappeared, so that by 2 hr after fertilization it was no longer seen. The small internal locus of staining remained intact throughout the one-cell stage. When fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled sperm were used to fertilize eggs, the FITC-patch in the eggs was at a site distinct from either locus of sperm surface proteins. Thus, while most sperm surface proteins are incorporated into the egg surface at the site of fertilization and then slowly disappear, other sperm surface components are internalized to be retained for longer times. The differential handling of these sperm cytoplasmic components by the embryo raises the possibility that some of the sperm components may play a role in later embryonic events.
Examining Event Study Methodologies in Foreign Exchange Markets

A Brown and Warner [1980, 1985] event study methodology is applied to the foreign exchange area. Comparisons of the performance of four abnormal return models are examined with simulations under different experimental conditions, such as choice of foreign currency or numeraire, level of abnormal shock, sample size, length of estimation period, market return proxy, and time period examined. The results provide practical suggestions on the selection of an event study methodology and demonstrate that some of the findings of Brown and Warner are not generalizable to the foreign exchange area.
New Insights into Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Functional Genetic Analysis of gyrA and gyrB Mutations

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are among the most potent second-line drugs used for treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), and resistance to this class of antibiotics is one criterion for defining extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB). Fluoroquinolone resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been associated with modification of the quinolone resistance determining region (QRDR) of gyrA. Recent studies suggest that amino acid substitutions in gyrB may also play a crucial role in resistance, but functional genetic studies of these mutations in M. tuberculosis are lacking. In this study, we examined twenty six mutations in gyrase genes gyrA (seven) and gyrB (nineteen) to determine the clinical relevance and role of these mutations in fluoroquinolone resistance. Transductants or clinical isolates harboring T80A, T80A+A90G, A90G, G247S and A384V gyrA mutations were susceptible to all fluoroquinolones tested. The A74S mutation conferred low-level resistance to moxifloxacin but susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and ofloxacin, and the A74S+D94G double mutation conferred cross resistance to all the fluoroquinolones tested. Functional genetic analysis and structural modeling of gyrB suggest that M330I, V340L, R485C, D500A, D533A, A543T, A543V and T546M mutations are not sufficient to confer resistance as determined by agar proportion. Only three mutations, N538D, E540V and R485C+T539N, conferred resistance to all four fluoroquinolones in at least one genetic background. The D500H and D500N mutations conferred resistance only to levofloxacin and ofloxacin while N538K and E540D consistently conferred resistance to moxifloxacin only. Transductants and clinical isolates harboring T539N, T539P or N538T+T546M mutations exhibited low-level resistance to moxifloxacin only but not consistently. These findings indicate that certain mutations in gyrB confer fluoroquinolone resistance, but the level and pattern of resistance varies among the different mutations. The results from this study provide support for the inclusion of the QRDR of gyrB in molecular assays used to detect fluoroquinolone resistance in M. tuberculosis.
Events in Apoptosis ACIDIFICATION IS DOWNSTREAM OF PROTEASE ACTIVATION AND BCL-2 PROTECTION

Cytoplasmic acidification is now recognized as a feature of apoptosis in a variety of systems. However, its relation to other events in the process of apoptosis is not yet characterized. In this work, we examined the effect of BCL-2 overexpression on acidification mediated by cycloheximide treatment or Fas ligation in Jurkat T-lymphoblasts. We find that BCL-2 overexpression attenuates cytoplasmic acidification and apoptosis detected by annexin V labeling. Acidification and phosphatidylserine externalization were found to occur concurrently. We also examined the requirement for protease activation for cytoplasmic acidification to occur and found that inhibition of interleukin-1β converting enzyme/CED-3 family proteases (using carbobenzoxy-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone, an inhibitor of these proteases) prevents acidification and apoptosis mediated by Fas ligation. These studies suggest that BCL-2 acts at a point upstream of acidification and that protease activation is also upstream of acidification.
MPP+Induced Substantia Nigra Degeneration Is Attenuated in nNOS Knockout Mice

Recent studies showed that neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) plays a role in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine neurotoxicity. In the present study we examined the effects of striatal injection of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) on substantia nigra degeneration in mutant mice lacking the nNOS gene or the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene. Both striatal lesion volume and substantia nigra degeneration were significantly attenuated in the nNOS mutant mice but not in the eNOS mutant mice. The mice lacking nNOS showed a significant attenuation of MPP+(-) induced increases of 3-nitrotyrosine concentrations in the striatum. In a separate experiment administration of 7-nitroindazole for 48 h after MPP+ injections significantly attenuated substantia nigra degeneration in rats. Immunohistochemical studies showed apposition of nNOS-positive neuronal processes on tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons. These results provide further evidence that neuronally derived NO and peroxynitrite play a role in MPP+ neurotoxicity.
Measurement and treatment of two sexual deviations in one person

Abstract Measurement and modification is described of the sexual deviations of a 34-yr-old male with a history of exhibitionism and sexual contact with his stepdaughter. A multiple baseline design was employed to assess the effects of covert sensitization not only on different patterns of deviant arousal, but also on appropriate social and sexual aspects of the subject's life. The analysis of response-response relationships revealed a consistently positive pattern responding, and enabled covert sensitization to be applied to each specific pattern of sexual arousal.
Planetary Contamination I: The Problem and the Agreements

On the contents page of the 24 March issue, the title of the first article should read "Planetary Contamination I: The Problem and the Agreements: N. H. Horowitz, R. P. Sharp, R. W. Davies."
Experimental evidence of a miscibility gap in the YBa2Cu3Ox system

Abstract Based on the results of EMF measurements, plots of the logarithm of the oxygen fugacities versus stoichiometry in YBa 2 Cu 3 O x show an inflection around x ≅ 6.65 at temperatures between 400–500°C. There is no apparent inflection at higher temperatures (550–750°C). These new low-temperature data are consistent with the presence of a miscibility gap at lower temperatures. The presence of this gap is evidenced directly by the intersection of the values of RT ln p (O 2 )extrapolated to lower temperatures.
The Effect of d-Amphetarnine Sulfate on the Level of the Circulating Eosinophils

A screening study of d-amphetamine sulfate was undertaken in the search for new and useful antiarthritic agents. It was shown by standard statistical methods that a significant eosinopenia was produced in the arthritic patient by d-amphetamine sulfate. The eosinophil count was used to determine the fall in the level of the circulating eosinophils. The method described suggests a useful pattern to be followed in evaluating other drugs for their effects on the level of the circulating eosinophils, in which no special demands are placed upon the subjects.
Subpopulations of Lactotropes Detected with the Reverse Hemolytic Plaque Assay Show Differential Responsiveness to Dopamine

Cultured adenohypophysial cells secreting PRL were detected with a reverse hemolytic plaque assay. In this assay, PRL secretion from a pituitary cell results in hemolysis of cocultured protein A-coupled ovine erythrocytes in the presence of PRL antiserum and complement, so that a zone of hemolysis (a plaque) surrounds each lactotrope. The extent of hemolysis was related to the amount of PRL secreted by each lactotrope: batches of cohort cells incubated under similar conditions either in petri dishes for measurement of PRL secretion by RIA or in Cunningham chambers for measurement of plaque area revealed a significant relationship between secreted PRL and plaque area (r = 0.97; regression coefficient = 0.0007 pg/μm2). Measurement of plaque area on lactotropes derived from proestrous rats revealed a bimodal frequency distribution that was composed of cells forming small plaques (35% of the total lactotrope population) and others forming large plaques (65%). Treatment with 10‒7 m dopamine appeared to prefere...
ACP-OPLL photonic integrated circuit for high dynamic range RF/photonic links

Fiber-optic links are attractive for transmitting microwave/millimeter wave signals for applications such as radar, imaging and astronomy. However, current fiber-optic links that employs intensity modulation and direct detection suffer from limited spurious free dynamic range (SFDR). For solution, a new coherent fiber-optic link using linear phase modulation/demodulation has been proposed. The new link should be able to achieve an SFDR two orders of magnitude higher. The key for this link is an Optical Phase Locked Loop (OPLL) linear phase demodulator. In this paper we describe the design and preliminary measurements for the first generation ACP-OPLL photonic integrated circuits.
The use of positional scanning synthetic peptide combinatorial libraries for the rapid determination of opioid receptor ligands

The application of a new synthetic peptide combinatorial library (SPCL) is described. This library, termed a positional scanning SPCL, contains six positional SPCLs, each of which contains all possible hexameric combinations of 18 of the 20 natural L-amino acids (18(6) = 34,012,224 peptides). Each positional SPCL (O1XXXXX-NH2, XO2XXXX-NH2, XXO3XXX-NH2, XXXO4XX-NH2, XXXXO5X-NH2, and XXXXXO6-NH2) was used to determine the most active amino acid for the six positions of a hexamer. Combinations of these amino acids were used to synthesize 24 individual peptides, which were then tested for activity. The most active peptide found corresponded to a hexameric analogue of methionine-enkephalin. Results obtained in this study are compared to those obtained using the SPCL described earlier (1) (O1O2XXXX-NH2), and the subsequent iterative process.
Search for metallization in benzene to 209 GPa pressure

It is anticipated that all insulating materials will become metallic under sufficiently high pressure. Insulating compounds containing a high concentration of hydrogen may metalize at lower pressures than pure hydrogen, perhaps exhibiting superconductivity at relatively high temperatures. Recent electronic structure calculations indicate that benzene C6H6 may enter a metallic, molecular state under pressure in the region 180–200 GPa. Optical transmission studies, however, fail to reveal metallic behavior in benzene to 209 GPa at ambient temperature. A partial Raman spectrum of benzene was measured to 43.9 GPa.
Internal thermoelectric heating and cooling in heterostructure diode lasers

Summary form only given. Pulsed electrical injection of a semiconductor laser typically results in better performance compared with continuous wave operation. Pulsed lasers tend to have lower threshold current, higher quantum efficiency, more stable performance over varying ambient temperature, and the ability to operate at longer wavelengths. This dramatic difference in performance underscores the importance of heat generation and transport in semiconductor lasers. We develop here a new heat model for a semiconductor device that takes into account more rigorously the thermoelectric properties of the constituent layers. We apply the concept of heterostructure integrated cooling to a SCH quantum well laser. Peltier cooling can be optimized in a device by engineering the band offsets in such a way that current both into and out of the active region removes heat from the lattice. We call this device an ICICLE (injection current internally cooled light emitter).
Custer, South Dakota: “Gifted's” Last Stand

This article reports on a study designed to identify and describe advocacy factors that were influential in enabling a rural school district to expand its gifted program in the face of greatly dinilshed state-support and a local budget crisis. Parents played a vital role in this event, through both their strong presence at board meetings and hearings and their use of a vaiety of specific advocacy strategies developed over a period of years. The relationships between a loosely structured parent support group, the program coordinator, and the superintendent were also important in obtaining the positive outcome.
A randomized controlled trial of epoprostenol therapy for severe congestive heart failure: The Flolan International Randomized Survival Trial (FIRST)

This trial evaluated the effects of epoprostenol on patients with severe left ventricular failure. Patients with class IIIB/IV congestive heart failure and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction were eligible for enrollment if angiography documented severely compromised hemodynamics while the patient was receiving a regimen of digoxin, diuretics, and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. We randomly assigned 471 patients to epoprostenol infusion or standard care. The primary end point was survival; secondary end points were clinical events, congestive heart failure symptoms, distance walked in 6 minutes, and quality-of-life measures. The median dose of epoprostenol was 4.0 ng/kg/min, resulting in a significant increase in cardiac index (1.81 to 2.61 L/min/m 2 ), a decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (24.5 to 20.0 mm Hg), and a decrease in systemic vascular resistance (20.76 to 12.33 units). The trial was terminated early because of a strong trend toward decreased survival in the patients treated with epoprostenol. Chronic intravenous epoprostenol therapy is not associated with improvement in distance walked, quality of life, or morbid events and is associated with an increased risk of death. (Am Heart J 1997;134:44-54)
Disturbances from shock/boundary-layer interactions affecting upstream hypersonic flow

Laminar-turbulent transition is critical for vehicles which fly at hypersonic speeds for extended periods. To improve on existing correlations, prediction methods that incorporate knowledge of the transition mechanisms are necessary and now feasible. Purdue continues to develop the Boeing/AFOSR Mach-6 Tunnel to seek quiet flow at high Reynolds numbers, with noise levels comparable to flight. It has been shown previously that quiet flow is only possible at low stagnation pressures probably because a separation bubble develops on the bleed lip. A new upstream portion of the nozzle was built without the high polish, and was found to increase the quiet-flow stagnation pressure from 8 psia to 20 psia. When laminar boundary layers are maintained on the walls of the nozzle, the flow becomes separated about two-thirds of the distance down the nozzle. It is shown here that this separation is caused by shocks from the sting mount in the diffuser that disturb the boundary layer far upstream. Attempts have been made to try to prevent these disturbances from traveling so far upstream, but have met with little success. This limits the ability to test models using the quiet flow.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: measurement of plasma parathyroid hormone-related protein and serum and urine calcium concentrations.

Abstract Objectives: Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is expressed by squamous cell carcinomas. Our first objective was to examine the stability of PTHrP in normal human plasma. Our second objective was to determine whether plasma PTHrP could be used in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) as an indicator of tumor burden or relapse. Study Design and Setting: Blood and urine samples from 55 HNSCC patients undergoing tumor resection at The Ohio State University were measured for plasma PTHrP (1-86) concentration, serum ionized calcium concentration, and urine calcium/creatinine ratio. Results: Two of 55 HNSCC patients had detectable levels of plasma PTHrP. Serum ionized calcium concentrations and urinary calcium/creatinine ratios were within normal limits in all patients. Conclusions: Plasma PTHrP was not a valuable indicator of tumor presence or recurrence in our patient population. Significance: Plasma PTHrP is not a useful marker of tumor presence or recurrence in patients with stage II to IV or recurrent HNSCC. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;123:558-62.)
Spiral Computerized Tomography in the Evaluation of Acute Flank Pain: A Replacement for Excretory Urography

AbstractPurpose: We determined the value of noncontrast enhanced spiral computerized tomography (CT) in the evaluation of suspected renal colic.Materials and Methods: Thin section (5 mm.) noncontrast enhanced CT was used to evaluate 100 patients presenting to the emergency room with flank pain. The 55 patients with ureteral obstruction were followed at the urology outpatient clinic and by telephone interview, while 45 without ureteral obstruction were followed by telephone interview and chart review. Sensitivity specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for CT were determined, with passage, retrieval or identification of a stone on a retrograde study considered the gold standard for diagnosis.Results: A total of 89 patients had adequate clinical followup to assess outcome accurately. Of 55 patients with ureteral obstruction on CT 11 underwent endoscopic stone removal, while 44 were treated conservatively with stone passage documented in 39. Of the 45 patients without ureteral stones identif...
Getting started with the Amazon cloud: introduction and discussion of curriculum integration

The proliferation of high speed (wired and wireless) networks has enabled cloud computing as a viable solution for many hosted computing needs. Beyond the hype, cloud computing provides a robust platform for large scale computing resources in a pay-as-you-need-them model. This commoditization goes beyond hosted servers, extending to storage, databases, domain name resolution, and many other aspects of a traditional IT infrastructure. In this session, we will explore the multiple Amazon Web Services (AWS) offerings to introduce cloud computing and how as computer science educators we can leverage these services in our classrooms and across the curriculum.
Strategic competition amongst public schools

Abstract Education reforms involving expanded school choice are increasingly viewed as a panacea for the US public education system. However, competition is present even absent such reforms through endogenous household residential choice. Utilizing panel data from Illinois from 1990–2000, we assess whether public school districts compete with neighboring public school districts. Specifically, we test for strategic behavior in the choice of educational inputs. The results confirm the strategic behavior of public schools. However, such strategic behavior only occurs during periods of binding financial constraints generated by ‘tax caps’ on aggregate local property tax revenues.
Investigation of the dynamics of an elastin-mimetic polypeptide using solid-state NMR.

Elastin is the main structural protein that provides elasticity to various tissues and organs in vertebrates. Molecular motions are believed to play a significant role in its elasticity. We have used solid-state NMR spectroscopy to characterize the dynamics of an elastin-mimetic protein as a function of hydration to better understand the origin of elastin elasticity. Poly(Lys-25), [.VPGVG/4.VPGKG/]39, has a repeat sequence common to natural elastin. 13 C cross-polarization and direct polarization spectra at various hydration levels indicate that water enhances the protein motion in a non-uniform manner. Below 20% hydration, the backbone motion increases only slightly whereas above 30% hydration, both the backbone and the side-chains undergo large-amplitude motions. The motional amplitudes are extracted from 13 C‐ 1 Ha nd 1 H‐ 1 H dipolar couplings using 2D isotropic‐anisotropic correlation experiments. The root mean square fluctuation angles are found to be 11‐18 ◦ in the dry protein and 16‐21 ◦ in the 20% hydrated protein. Dramatically, the amplitudes increase to near isotropic at 30% hydration. Field-dependent 1 H rotatingframe spin‐lattice relaxation times .T1r/ indicate that significant motions occur on the microsecond time-scale .1.2‐2.3 µs/. The large-amplitude and low-frequency motion of poly(Lys-25) at relatively mild hydration indicates that the conformational entropy of the protein in the relaxed state contributes significantly to the elasticity. Copyright  2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural Correlates of Transport in Distal Tubule and Collecting Duct Segments

The sections in this article are: 1 Structural Approaches 1.1 Light and Electron Microscopy 1.2 Electron Microscopy of Freeze-Fractured and Freeze-Dried Tissue 1.3 Enzyme Localization 1.4 Lectin and Antibody Localization Strategies 1.5 Quantitative Evaluation of Tubular Structures 2 Overview of Specialized Cell Types 2.1 Distal Convoluted Tubule Cells 2.2 Connecting Tubule Cells 2.3 Principal Cells 2.4 Intercalated Cells 3 Structural Changes Associated with Transport Regulation 3.1 Structural Correlates of Sodium and Potassium Transport 3.2 Structural Correlates of ADH Action 3.3 Intercalated Cells
REST Regulates Non-Cell-Autonomous Neuronal Differentiation and Maturation of Neural Progenitor Cells via Secretogranin II.

RE-1 silencing transcription factor (REST), a master negative regulator of neuronal differentiation, controls neurogenesis by preventing the differentiation of neural stem cells. Here we focused on the role of REST in the early steps of differentiation and maturation of adult hippocampal progenitors (AHPs). REST knockdown promoted differentiation and affected the maturation of rat AHPs. Surprisingly, REST knockdown cells enhanced the differentiation of neighboring wild-type AHPs, suggesting that REST may play a non–cell-autonomous role. Gene expression analysis identified Secretogranin II ( Scg2 ) as the major secreted REST target responsible for the non–cell-autonomous phenotype. Loss-of-function of Scg2 inhibited differentiation in vitro , and exogenous SCG2 partially rescued this phenotype. Knockdown of REST in neural progenitors in mice led to precocious maturation into neurons at the expense of mushroom spines in vivo . In summary, we found that, in addition to its cell-autonomous function, REST regulates differentiation and maturation of AHPs non–cell-autonomously via SCG2. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our results reveal that REST regulates differentiation and maturation of neural progenitor cells in vitro by orchestrating both cell-intrinsic and non–cell-autonomous factors and that Scg2 is a major secretory target of REST with a differentiation-enhancing activity in a paracrine manner. In vivo , REST depletion causes accelerated differentiation of newborn neurons at the expense of spine defects, suggesting a potential role for REST in the timing of the maturation of granule neurons.
Sexual Objectification of Women: Advances to Theory and Research

Objectification theory provides an important framework for understanding, researching, and intervening to improve women’s lives in a sociocultural context that sexually objectifies the female body and equates a woman’s worth with her body’s appearance and sexual functions. The purpose of this Major Contribution is to advance theory, research, practice, and training related to the sexual objectification of women. The purpose of this article is to introduce readers to objectification theory and related research, extend objectification theory to our understanding of women’s substance use and/or abuse and immersed forms of sexual objectification via sexually objectifying environments, and provide an overview of this Major Contribution on Sexual Objectification of Women.
Worst-case feasibility evaluation of bilateral transactions in electricity markets

The open access transmission regime has pushed toward an increase in the number of bilateral transactions and to a more intensive use of the transmission system. When the transaction can be accommodated with no line flow limits being violated for all possible values of the net load, the transaction is referred to as worst-case feasible. The ability to identify bilateral transactions that are feasible even under the worst-case assumed scenario, is of high importance to system operators since they can make better decisions about whether to schedule a set of bilateral transactions or not. In this study we propose an approach to evaluate the impacts of the uncertainties introduced by the network structure and the net load in the accommodation of bilateral transactions. To this end, we bound the net load uncertainty with a convex polytope and deploy a Markov chain model to represent the uncertainty in the network structure resulting from component outages. We condition on each network configuration and make use of the DC power flow to evaluate the uncertainty propagated from the net load to the line flows. We also apply a node-connection detection algorithm to avoid unnecessary computation of the line flow uncertainty. The proposed approach is applied to a benchmark 3-bus test system where the impacts of load and network uncertainty on the feasibility of a bilateral transaction are analyzed separately. The proposed methodology provides physically reasonable results and is applicable to large-scale networks.
The Effect of Fetal Sex on Placental Biosynthesis of Progesterone

The concentration of endogenous progesterone (P4) in the rhesus placenta ranged from 1.9 to 9.9 ng/100 mg tissue (Mean ± SE = 4.9 ± .82). There was no correlation between the sex of the fetus and the endogenous P4 in placental tissue. However, when placental slices were incubated without added substrate, female placentas produced significantly more P4 than male placentas. The addition of cholesterol to the incubations did not increase P4 production over control levels. Progesterone biosynthesis from both male and female placentas increased significantly over control levels when pregnenolone (P5) was added to the media. The total production of P4 with P5 tended to be greater for male placentas than for female placentas, but the difference was not significant. However, the net increase over control levels in P4 production with P5 was greater for male placentas than for female placentas. These observations indicate that the step(s) in progesterone biosynthesis that are affected by the fetal genotype lie betw...
A neural network for smallest eigenvalue with application to blind equalization

In this paper, a neural network is presented which can extract the smallest eigenvalue and its associated eigenvector of the autocorrelation matrix of a incoming vector of stochastic process. It is also shown that the domain of convergence is the unit sphere, substantiated by computer simulation. We also demonstrate by simulation that this neural network is capable to do blind equalization which is crucial for wireless communication.
The effects of Internet-based home training on upper limb function in adults with cerebral palsy.

Background: While adults with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) can have significant upper limb dysfunction, the effects of movement-based training has not been investigated. Objective: This uncontrolled trial assessed the effects of a home and internet-based upper limb intervention program targeting motor and sensory function. Methods: Twelve adults, aged 21 to 57 yrs, GMFCS levels I-III with asymmetric upper limb involvement participated in the Upper Limb Training and Assessment (ULTrA) program. Clinical and functional measures included the Motor Activity Log (MAL), the Nine-Hole Peg test, and grip strength. An upper limb training system consisting of a laptop, webcam, target light board, and hand manipulation/ discrimination devices was installed in each participant’s home. Training occurred 40 min/day, 5 days/wk for 8 wks and included both unilateral and bilateral reach movements as well as a series of hand sensorimotor tasks such as card turning, stereognosis, and tactile discrimination. Data generated ...
Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a marker of acute kidney injury after orthotopic liver transplantation

Background. Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a novel, sensitive and specific biomarker that is rapidly released after kidney injury. It predicts acute kidney injury (AKI) in multiple clinical scenarios. We hypothesized that urinary NGAL can predict AKI after liver transplantation. Methods. Urine was collected in 92 patients undergoing liver transplantation (18 living-related and 74 deceased) before surgery, after reperfusion of the liver graft and then 3, 18 and 24 h later. NGAL was analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and corrected for dilution/concentration by calculating urinary NGAL/urine creatinine ratios. AKI was defined by Risk-Injury-Failure-Loss-Endstage stage kidney disease (RIFLE)-risk criteria (increase of serum creatinine by >50%). Results. Urinary NGAL/urine creatinine ratio was low prior to surgery and increased immediately after reperfusion, peaked 3 h later and remained elevated at 18 and 24 h. Urinary NGAL/urine creatinine ratios were higher in patients with post-operative (post-OP) AKI defined by RIFLE––risk criteria 3 and 18 h after reperfusion. The area under the curve of the receiver operator characteristics curve of urinary NGAL/urine creatinine ratio to predict AKI was 0.800 (95% CI: 0.732–0.869, P < 0.0001) 3 h and 0.636 (95% CI: 0.551–0.720, P < 0.005) 18 h after reperfusion. Conclusions. We conclude that urinary NGAL/urine creatinine ratio is able to predict post-OP AKI 3 and 18 h after transplantation with good discrimination.
Secure Health Monitoring Network against Denial-Of-Service Attacks Using Cognitive Intelligence

Secure and energy efficient transmission is a main concern in many wireless sensor network applications. In this paper, two types of denial-of-service attacks that affect the routing layer are analyzed and an energy efficient countermeasure is proposed. The performance of the application solely depends on accuracy and reliability of information updated in a timely fashion. The adaptive nature of network demands a cognitive algorithm, used in detecting and re-routing the information upon link failure due to physical, resource depletion or intrusion by an adversary. The proposed method, does not require any additional hardware, hence the survivability of the sensors is maintained, making the application robust, cost effective and energy efficient.
Clonality and Recombination in the Life History of an Asexual Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in the phylum Glomeromycota colonize roots of the majority of land plants and assist them in the uptake of mineral nutrients in exchange for plant-assimilated carbon. In the absence of sexual reproductive structures and with asexual spore morphology conserved since the Ordovician, Glomeromycota may be one of the oldest eukaryotic lineages that rely predominantly on asexual reproduction for gene transmission. Clonal population structure detected in the majority of AM fungi examined to date supports this hypothesis. However, evidence of recombination found in few local populations suggests that genetic exchanges may be more common in these organisms than is currently recognized. To explore the significance of clonal expansion versus genetic recombination in the life history of modern Glomeromycota, we examined the global population of a cosmopolitan fungus Glomus etunicatum and made inferences about the population structure and the occurrence of recombination in the history of this species. We sampled eight loci from 84 isolates. We found that although the global population of G. etunicatum showed a pattern of significant differentiation, several haplotypes had a broad geographic distribution spanning multiple continents. Molecular variation among the sampled isolates indicated an overwhelmingly clonal population structure and suggested that clonal expansion plays an important role in the ecological success of modern Glomeromycota. In contrast, a pattern of homoplasy consistent with a history of recombination suggested that gene exchanges are not completely absent from the life history of these organisms, although they are likely to be very rare.
Problem formulation affordances for computer supported collaborative problem solving

Collaborative problem solving systems facilitate human problem solving through various means. A critical issue with these systems is problems must be formulated before they can be solved. Particularly for students, problem formulation can be a difficult task. I propose three types of affordances to facilitate the problem formulation process: metaproblem space visualization, structured variables, and tools for evaluating problem formulations. Metaproblem space visualization is a method of plotting the representation of a problem formulation in high dimensional space. Structured variables offer the higher-level functionality of classes without requiring the user to code them by hand. Tools for evaluating problem formulations are algorithms that attempt to automatically provide some measures of a problem formulation's properties and quality. Finally, I propose a two phase study to determine the extent to which these tools are effective for users.
Au–Ge and Ag–Ge Heterodimers with Tunable Domain Sizes: A Supersaturation-Precipitation Route to Colloidal Hybrid Nanoparticles

Colloidal hybrid nanoparticles, which contain multiple inorganic domains that are joined together through solid–solid interfaces, exhibit particle multifunctionality as well as new and enhanced properties that can emerge from the particle–particle interactions. These hybrid nanoparticles are typically synthesized using heterogeneous seeded nucleation of one nanoparticle on the surface of another as well as using phase segregation, surface dewetting of core–shell nanoparticles, and the fusion of premade nanoparticles. However, to expand the materials diversity and the potential range of applications of such systems, alternative routes to heterogeneous seeded nucleation are needed. Here, we show that solution–liquid–solid and related supersaturation-precipitation strategies, traditionally used in the synthesis of 1D structures such as nanowires and nanorods, can also be applied to the synthesis of colloidal hybrid nanoparticles. Specifically, we show that colloidal Au and Ag nanoparticles can serve as seeds...
Prey Preference in Stethorus punctum (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Stethorus punctum (LeConte) is an obligate predator of tetranychid mites. Laboratory studies were conducted to determine feeding preference of S. punctum at varying densities of Panonychus ulmi (Koch) and Tetranychus urticae Koch. Using the Strauss linear index of prey selection, S. punctum was found to have a weak but consistent preference (among individuals) for T. urticae following preconditioning to this species, but no preference was elicited when the beetle was conditioned to P. ulmi . Following conditioning of beetle larvae to T. urticae , newly eclosed (behaviorly naive) adult beetles showed a slight but nonsignificant preference for T. urticae .
Some compounds active against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

SummaryUsing an eight-day method for screening compounds against experimental visceral leishmaniasis, the following compounds showed activity in hamster or mouse infection or in both: amphotericin B (and Fungizone), fumagillin, nystatin, Sb dimercaptosuccinate and xerosin. The activity of Fungizone is especially noteworthy.
Hantavirus infections among host animals of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Xiamen

Objective To identify the host animals of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) and their natural infections with Hantavirus in Xiamen.Methods Night cage-traps were used to capture rodents indoor and outdoor.After the rats were taxonomically identified,their sera samples and lung tissues were aseptically collected and tested for serum Hantavirus antibody and antigen in lung tissues.Results From 2008 to 2009,2 orders,2 families,6 species host animals were captured,dominated by Rattus norvegicus(45.14%).The overall positive rate of Hantavirus antibody among the host animals was 13.45%,of which R.norvegicus was 21.52%.Positive lung tissues detected from the host animals was 2.52%,all belonged to R.novegicus.Conclusion The natural foci of HFRS are extensively present in Xiamen,R.novegicus is the major host animal.
Water Productivity in Agriculture: Limits and Opportunities for Improvement

With an ambitious title and scope, Water Productivity in Agriculture: Limits and Opportunities for Improvement is a survey of productivity principles and case studies, mostly associated with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). The central theme running through the text is that
Mobile robot for retail inventory using RFID

The use of RFID technology is increasing in retail stores, because it improves the performance of automated checkout, inventory and theft detection systems. In this paper, we present a novel implementation of a mobile robot that can perform retail inventory autonomously. The robot can autonomously generate a path to cover all the merchandise within the boundaries of a given store map, and then it can perform the inventory by following the generated path. Experimental results show that our robot can efficiently perform RFID based inventory on a sales floor with complex layout, and provides inventory accuracy that compares favorably to manual inventory.
Persistent Gaps in Use of Advance Directives Among Nursing Home Residents Receiving Maintenance Dialysis.

This data analysis seeks to determine whether changes in the use of advance directives between 2000 and 2010 are related to changing patterns of end-of-life care among nursing home residents receiving dialysis.
Hierarchical Watershed Ridges for Visualizing Lagrangian Coherent Structures

Lagrangian coherent structures provide insight into unsteady fluid flow, but their construction has posed many challenges. These structures can be characterized as ridges of a field, but their local definition utilizes an ambiguous eigenvector direction that can point in one of two directions, and its ambiguity can lead to noise and other problems. We overcome these issues with an application of a global ridge definition, applied using the hierarchical watershed transformation. We show results on a mathematical flow model and a simulated vascular flow dataset indicating the watershed method produces less noisy structures.
Intraoperative MRI for Stereotactic Biopsy

This work aims at demonstrating the value of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (ioMRI) as a routine tool for stereotactic brain biopsy.
Overlapping Brain Circuits for Homeostatic and Hedonic Feeding

Central regulation of food intake is a key mechanism contributing to energy homeostasis. Many neural circuits that are thought to orchestrate feeding behavior overlap with the brain's reward circuitry both anatomically and functionally. Manipulation of numerous neural pathways can simultaneously influence food intake and reward. Two key systems underlying these processes-those controlling homeostatic and hedonic feeding-are often treated as independent. Homeostatic feeding is necessary for basic metabolic processes and survival, while hedonic feeding is driven by sensory perception or pleasure. Despite this distinction, their functional and anatomical overlap implies considerable interaction that is often overlooked. Here, we argue that the neurocircuits controlling homeostatic feeding and hedonic feeding are not completely dissociable given the current data and urge researchers to assess behaviors extending beyond food intake in investigations of the neural control of feeding.
Contrast recovery performance for a 1mm 3 resolution clinical PET system

We are constructing the world's first 1 mm3 resolution clinical PET system dedicated to locoregional imaging (e.g. breast, head/neck, etc). The edge-on layout of densely-packed 8×8 arrays of 0.9×0.9×1 mm3 LYSO crystal elements provides high sensitivity and the capability to position the 3-D coordinates of one or more interactions per 511 keV photon event. Contrast recovery (CR), which measures the accuracy of focal tracer accumulation in the field-of-view (FOV), must be evaluated in order to understand the ability of this system to visualize and quantify smaller lesions. The constructed dual-panel system prototype has a sensitive area of 160mm by 33mm, separated by 64mm. Relative CR was evaluated with the different rod sizes of a micro-Derenzo phantom, yielding CR coefficients of 1.00, 0.96, 1.03, 0.88, 0.67, 0.54 for rod sizes of 4.8, 4.0, 3.2, 2.4, 1.8, and 1.2 mm respectively. A micro hollow spheres phantom scan, with sphere diameters of 7.9, 6.2, 5.0, and 4.0 mm suspended in warm background with an activity concentration ratio of 5:1, resulted in CR coefficients of 0.65, 0.65, 0.61, and 0.54 respectively. Finally, an array of activity-filled capillary tubes were suspended in warm background, with an activity concentration ratio of 20:1, resulting in CR ranging from 0.082 at the center of the FOV to 0.074 at 5 cm away from the center of the FOV. These results show the outstanding performance of our 1mm3 resolution locoregional clinical PET imaging system at recovering extremely small contrast structures with realistic background uptake values.
Automated broth-based systems versus the MYCOTB plate for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: challenges in interpretation

We examined categorical agreement between automated mycobacterial susceptibility testing methods (Mycobacterial Growth Indicator Tube [MGIT] 960 System and the VersaTREK Mycobacteria Detection and Susceptibility System) which are based on single critical concentration (CC) "breakpoints" and a commercial microbroth dilution method (Sensititre Mycobacterium tuberculosis MIC Plate [MYCOTB]) which provides an MIC value. Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates (n=355) were tested against three first-line antimycobacterial agents (ethambutol [EMB], isoniazid [INH], rifampin [RIF]) using the MYCOTB plate and either the MGIT 960 (site 1, n=142) or VersaTREK (site 2, n=213) systems. Overall categorical agreement was 96.8%. When stratified by drug and CC-defined susceptible and resistant isolates, concordance ranged from 75% to 100%. Interpretation of MIC-based results versus established CC-based results was challenging for drugs whose CC was not represented by an exactly equivalent concentration in the manufacturer-defined dilutions on the MYCOTB plate (EMB, INH). We propose interpretations of MYCOTB plate MICs using the currently available plate configuration.