cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CEA levels and prognosis in colon carcinoma.

This is a report of the post-operative follow-up of CEA titers in 16 patients with carcinoma of the colon and rectum. Our results differ from those previously reported in several respects. First, we rarely observed the return of elevated pre-operative CEA levels to normal within 14 days of curative resection. Second, we have found that CEA levels may be elevated for as long as 3 months in patients clinically free of disease before returning to normal. Third, some patients may maintain elevated CEA titers for 6 months following potentially curative resection without clinical evidence of disease. Finally, we have advanced a tentative hypothesis based on immunologic suppression of residual tumor growth to explain the discrepancy between our findings and those reported by others. These data suggest that failure to detect an early decline in CEA levels to normal may not imply a poor prognosis.
Twenty Years of Criminal Justice and Behavior: Observations from the Beginning

The founding and early history of Criminal Justice and Behavior are briefly reviewed. Several significant differences are noted between correctional psychology in the early 1970s and the mid-1990s. Psychology in corrections has become more conceptually complex. Prison psychologists have become both better educated and more aware of the limitations of their therapeutic interventions. Contracting for services has become a prominent part of mental health service delivery. Finally, the battles between treatment efforts and security demands have diminished in intensity as treatment programs have assumed a better-defined role.
Intracellular studies of the corpus striatum I. Synaptic potentials and discharge characteristics of caudate neurons activated by thalamic stimulation

Abstract Intracellular recordings were obtained from neurons in the head of the caudate nucleus during medial and intralaminar (MTh) and ventrolateral (VL) thalamic stimulation. Recruiting responses evoked in sensorimotor cortex by low frequency MTh stimulation are associated with 15–20 msec latency, prolonged (60–100 msec) EPSPs in a large proportion of caudate neurons. EPSPs are well developed following the first MTh stimulus but rarely elicit spike discharges. EPSPs increment with successive stimuli and then only occasionally trigger single spikes despite the fact that EPSPs attain relatively large amplitude. Repetitive discharges superimposed on prominent EPSPs are generally not encountered. Low frequency VL stimulation elicits EPSPs which are of longer latency than those initiated by MTh stimulation. These EPSPs develop with the augmenting response in cortex and are attributed largely to involvement of intrathalamic pathways from VL to nonspecific thalamic nuclei, thence to caudate. EPSP-IPSP sequences characteristically observed in thalamic neurons are rarely seen in dorsal and midportions of the caudate. They have occasionally been encountered in ventral caudate regions. Synaptic events evoked in caudate neurons by thalamic stimulation are not dependent upon the integrity of cortex rostral to the head of the caudate. The data are discussed in terms of the operation of caudate synaptic organizations in the distribution of nonspecific thalamic activity of the corpus striatum.
Hamiltonian and Lagrangian constraints of the bosonic string

We study the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian constraints of the Polyakov string. The gauge fixing at the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian level is also studied.
A structural model of the higher‐order Markov process incorporating reversion effects

The paper presents a formal approach which may increase the realism and parsimony of higher‐order Markov models applied to certain human behaviors. Often in behavioral applications, any improvements in fit available from increasing the order of a Markov model would be more than offset by interpretive problems caused by the very rapid increase in the number of independent parameters. The model proposed here for the higher‐order process greatly reduces the number of independent parameters, replacing them with sociologically relevant effects of persistence in and reversion to previous conditions. The general model is called the “reversion model.” In it, individuals are allowed to carry along some information about their pasts, for a number of periods corresponding to the order of the model. The parameters describing residence histories are constructed to give each individual an underlying set of first‐order transition probabilities, which are modified by experience of the various states of the system. When a...
Physical Activity During Daily Life and Circulating Biomarker Levels in Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease

Higher levels of inflammation are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This study evaluated associations of physical activity during daily life with levels of inflammatory biomarkers, D-dimer, and homocysteine in patients with PAD. Participants were 244 men and women (mean age 74.4 ± 8.2 years) with PAD (ankle brachial index
Improved resolution in fixed-wavelength photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectroscopy.

The paper describes a technique of extraction‐field pulsing, whereby the energy resolution in fixed‐wavelength photoelectron–photoion coincidence spectroscopy can be substantially improved and extended light sources can be used.
Do Price Wars Facilitate Collusion? A Study of the Bromine Cartel before World War I*

Abstract This paper uses documentary records of the bromine cartel from 1885 to 1914 to evalu ate the contributions of noncooperative, repeated game models of collusion to our under standing of the determinants of cartel success and the causes of price wars. It finds that many of the variables that determine an industry’s ability to collude in these models—the discount rate, the information structure, the ability to design rewards and punishments, the beliefs and expectations of participants—were significant determinants of collusive success in the bromine industry as well as other late 19th century industries. It questions the explanation of price wars offered by these models that price wars are equilibrium punishments, implemented because of problems of imperfect monitoring. In 19th century industries, price wars were more likely to result from bargaining or coordination problems. Price wars resulting from imperfect monitoring tended to be short and shallow. As the bromine industry became more concentrated and gained experience working cooperatively, the cartel collected more information and developed alternative punishments to make the use of price war punishments even less likely.
Isomer formation and other issues in the substitution reactions of oxorhenium(V) complexes of 2,2'-bipyridine and related ligands.

Two new oxorhenium(V) compounds were prepared and characterized: MeReO(mtp)(Me2Bpy) and MeReO(mtp)(dppb), where mtpH2 is 2-(mercaptomethyl)thiophenol, Me2Bpy is 4,4‘-dimethyl-2,2‘-bipyridine, and dppb is 1,2-(Ph2P)2C6H4. The more stable geometric isomer of MeReO(mtp)X forms MeReO(mtp)Y (X, Y = PR3, NC5H4R) in two steps, both of which show a first-order dependence on [Y], proceeding through the metastable geometric isomer MeReO(mtp)Y*. When Y = PR3, no MeReO(mtp)Y* was detected at equilibrium; with NC5H4R, however, both isomers were detected. The values of KPy*Py were 8.5−9.8, largely irrespective of R; for NC5H5, ΔH° = −4.47 ± 0.29 kJ and ΔS° = 3.9 ± 1.0 J K-1. For the more symmetric edt ligand, geometric isomers do not exist, but enantiomers do. The rate of racemization of MeReO(edt)(NC5H4R) was proportional to [Py]. Values of krac for 16 compounds span the range 135−370 L mol-1 s-1 in C6H6 at 25 °C (ρ = −0.39 ± 0.07). In toluene-d8, krac for 4-picoline has ΔH⧧ = 28.9 ± 0.4 kJ, ΔS⧧ = −103.6 ± 0.9 J K-1....
Chloride supporting electrolytes for all-vanadium redox flow batteries

This paper examines vanadium chloride solutions as electrolytes for an all-vanadium redox flow battery. The chloride solutions were capable of dissolving more than 2.3 M vanadium at varied valence states and remained stable at 0–50 °C. The improved stability appeared due to the formation of a vanadium dinuclear [V2O3·4H2O]4+ or a dinuclear-chloro complex [V2O3Cl·3H2O]3+ in the solutions over a wide temperature range. The all-vanadium redox flow batteries with the chloride electrolytes demonstrated excellent reversibility and fairly high efficiencies. Only negligible, if any, gas evolution was observed. The improved energy capacity and good performance, along with the ease in heat management, would lead to substantial reduction in capital cost and life-cycle cost, making the vanadium chloride redox flow battery a promising candidate for stationary applications.
Bounds on the size of ultrametric structures.

We present theorems on the possible sizes of ultrametric and almost-ultrametric structures and discuss implications for the entropy of spin-glasses, the traveling salesman problem, and neural network memories.
Ultrastructural characterization of axonal endings in the substantia gelatinosa which take up [3H]serotonin

Abstract Serotonergic axonal endings in layers I and II of the dorsal horn of the medulla were identified by autoradiography. In adult cats, pretreated with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, tritiated serotonin ([ 3 H]5-HT) was topically applied onto the surface of the caudal medulla. Light autoradiographs from 1 μm sections demonstrated silver grains in both layers I and II. In EM autoradiographs, two categories of axonal endings were labeled by [ 3 H]5-HT uptake: dome-shaped endings which form a single synapse and scalloped endings which form multiple synapses. Each category was further divided into several types based on morphological criteria. The [ 3 H]5-HT-labeled endings synapse primarily on small caliber dendritic shafts and spines, with the dome-shaped endings forming both symmetrical and asymmetrical synapses and the scalloped endings forming only asymmetrical synapses. Dome-shaped endings were most common and two types were found in layers I and II while a third type was found only in layer II. Layer I contained a single type of scalloped ending while layer II contained three types of scalloped endings. In a series of experiments designed to provide another approach to identifying serotonergic endings, 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine, a serotonin neurotoxin, was either topically applied onto the caudal medulla or injected into the fourth ventricle. Following treatment with the neurotoxin, blackened degenerating dome-shaped and scalloped endings similar to those labeled in the [ 3 H]5-HT uptake experiments were found in layers I and II. The presence of serotonergic endings in layer I suggests that some of these endings synapse on the dendrites of layer I projection neurons where they may inhibit the output of the projection neuron directly. Serotonergic endings in layer II may modulate the activity of layer II interneurons by synapsing directly on these interneurons. The interneurons in layer II may function by mediating the transfer of inputs from primary endings in these layers to layer I projection neurons.
Charge inhomogeneity and high temperature superconductivity

Abstract When charge is doped into a correlated insulator, it forms an inhomogeneous state which may be fluctuating, ordered or glassy. The outstandingly successful BCS theory of superconductivity was not designed for doped insulators, and an appropriate theory must incorporate the local electronic structure on the scale of the superconducting coherence length. Unlike conventional materials, superconductivity in the cuprates is driven by lowering the in-plane zero-point kinetic energy. There is extensive experimental evidence in support of this picture. Inelastic X-ray scattering can give information about the existence and energy scale of the charge structure, especially in optimally doped materials.
Language, conflict and community: linguistic accommodation in the urban US

Viewed freely, the English language is the accretion and growth of every dialect, race, and range of time, and is both the free and compacted composition of all. Walt Whitman Schools have linguis...
A laboratory study of dynamic sorting of fine, non-cohesive particles by steady, unidirectional currents

Abstract The conceptual model of non-cohesive ‘sortable silts’ in deep-sea muds that result from local, current-driven processes of size fractionation during entrainment and deposition has proven to be a useful tool for inferring qualitative changes in the intensities of past, deposit-forming currents. The degree to which sorting processes can be characterized quantitatively is as yet unclear. This study examines the relationship between bed shear stress and the partitioning of grain size in bed sediments and the source suspension in well-constrained laboratory channel flows. Results from flume experiments using glass microspheres with diameters in the range 13–44 μm and deposited from channel flows with bed shear stresses of 0.1–0.5 Pa indicate that little or no sorting is resolved by mean or median measures of the size of silt carried in source − suspension transport. A small effect appears in modal measures of suspended sediment size. Fine-particle beds generated under experimental flows consisted of local textural environments associated with near-bed transport phenomena; these include i) linear ‘streaks’ and ii) isolated, dune-like bedforms. Selective sampling of such features revealed, respectively: i) a minor but systematic increase in grain size of particle streaks with increasing shear stress imposed by the formative flow and ii) inconsistent textural response to shear stress among spatially-separated dunes with notable variability, ca. 10%, in central measures of grain size, such that no systematic sorting in the bedforms is apparent. These findings suggest that local sorting by grain size of fine particles in near-bed transport may be a more significant, if still subtle, contributor to silt-bed texture variability than an entrainment-derived process affecting material in the bed and parent suspension overall, as proposed in the original sortable-silt hypothesis. On the other hand, our results are not inconsistent with a mechanism of simple advective sorting, proposed by others, by which the characteristic size of a silty deep-sea deposit reflects its source-to-sink distance and the average transport velocity of the deposit-forming current.
Functional role of extracellular loop cysteine residues of the epithelial Na+ channel in Na+ self-inhibition

The epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) is typically formed by three homologous subunits (α, β, and γ) that possess a characteristic large extracellular loop (ECL) containing 16 conserved cysteine (Cys) residues. We investigated the functional role of these Cys residues in Na+ self-inhibition, an allosteric inhibition of ENaC activity by extracellular Na+. All 16 Cys residues within α and γ ECLs and selected β ECL Cys residues were individually mutated to alanine or serine residues. The Na+ self-inhibition response of wild type and mutant channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes was determined by whole cell voltage clamp. Individual mutation of eight α (Cys-1, -4, -5, -6, -7, -10, -13, or -16), one β (Cys-7), and nine γ (Cys-3, -4, -6, -7, -10, -11, -12, -13, or -16) residues significantly reduced the magnitude of Na+ self-inhibition. Na+ self-inhibition was eliminated by simultaneous mutations of either the last three α ECL Cys residues (Cys-14, -15, and -16) or Cys-7 within both α and γ ECLs. By analyzing the Na+ self-inhibition responses and the effects of a methanethiosulfonate reagent on channel currents in single and double Cys mutants, we identified five Cys pairs within the αECL (αCys-1/αCys-6, αCys-4/αCys-5, αCys-7/αCys-16, αCys-10/αCys-13, and αCys-11/αCys-12) and one pair within the γECL (γCys-7/γCys-16) that likely form intrasubunit disulfide bonds. We conclude that approximately half of the ECL Cys residues in the α and γ ENaC subunits are required to establish the tertiary structure that ensures a proper Na+ self-inhibition response, likely by formation of multiple intrasubunit disulfide bonds.
Neural circuits in swallowing and abdominal vagal afferent-mediated lower esophageal sphincter relaxation☆

The purpose of this review is to identify the medullary subnuclei that house neural circuits for lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation. LES relaxation may occur as a component of primary peristalsis elicited by superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) afferent stimulation, secondary peristalsis elicited by esophageal distention or as a component of belch reflex, and transient LES relaxation elicited by gastric vagal afferent stimulation. In mice, SLN stimulation at 10 Hz elicited complete swallowing reflex, including pharyngeal and esophageal peristalsis, and LES relaxation. SLN stimulation at 5 Hz elicited pharyngeal contractions and isolated LES relaxation, which is not accompanied by esophageal peristalsis. Electric stimulation of afferents in the ventral branch of the subdiaphragmatic vagus (vSDV) at 10 Hz also elicited isolated LES relaxation. Using these defined stimuli, c-fos expression was examined in the entire craniocaudal extent of the medullary nuclei. SLN stimulation at 10 Hz induced c-fos expression in neurons in: (1) interstitial (SolI), intermediate (SolIM), central (SolCe), occasional medial (SolM), and dorsomedial (SolDM) solitary subnuclei; (2) motor neurons in the nucleus ambiguus, including its semicompact (NAsc), loose (NAl), and compact (NAc) formations; and (3) dorsal motor nucleus of vagus, including its rostral (DMVr) and caudal (DMVc) parts. The activated neurons represent neurons involved with afferent SLN-mediated reflexes, including swallowing. SLN stimulation at 5 Hz evoked c-fos expression in neurons in SolI, SolIM, SolM, and SolDM but not in SolCe; and motor neurons in NAsc, NAl, and DMVc but not in NAc or DMVr. Stimulation of vSDV induced c-fos expression in neurons in SolM and SolDM and in motoneurons in DMVc. When considered with published reports in other animal species, these data support the speculation that (1) swallow-evoked primary peristalsis involves the following neural circuits: SolI/SolIM --> NAsc/NAl for pharyngeal and SolCe --> NAc for esophageal (striated muscle) peristalsis, SolM/SolDM --> preganglionic neurons in DMVc and DMVr and nitrergic and cholinergic neurons in myenteric plexus for esophageal (smooth muscle) peristalsis, and SolM/SolDM --> preganglionic neurons in DMVc --> postganglionic nitrergic neurons in the myenteric plexus for LES relaxation; and (2) abdominal vagus-stimulated isolated LES relaxation may involve neurons in SolM and SolDM --> preganglionic motor neurons in DMVc --> postganglionic nitrergic neurons in the myenteric plexus.
Intron sequences involved in lariat formation during pre-mRNA splicing

We have shown that lariat formation during in vitro splicing of several RNA precursors, from Drosophila to man, occurs at a unique and identifiable but weakly conserved site, 18 to 37 nucleotides proximal to the 3' splice site. Lariat formation within an artificial intron lacking a normal branch-point sequence occurs at a cryptic site a conserved distance (approximately 23 nucleotides) from the 3' splice site. Analysis of beta-thalassemia splicing mutations revealed that lariat formation in the first intron of the human beta-globin gene occurs at the same site in normal and mutant precursors, even though alternate 5' and 3' splice sites are utilized in the mutants. Remarkably, cleavage at the 5' splice site and lariat formation do not occur when the precursor contains a beta-thalassemia deletion removing the polypyrimidine stretch and AG dinucleotide at the 3' splice site. In contrast, a single base substitution in the AG dinucleotide blocks cleavage at the 3' splice site but not at the 5' site.
Translating Evidence into Practice Using a Systems Engineering Framework for Infection Prevention

The current infection prevention era is defined by the rise of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). Efforts to combat these and other emerging pathogens have resulted in rapid and ongoing evolution of the contemporary infection prevention environment. Currently, HAIs impose a significant burden on the US healthcare system. Recent analysis of National Healthcare Safety Network data from the early 2000s suggests that at least 1.7 million HAIs occur yearly in US hospitals, associated with at least 99,000 deaths. These numbers have likely increased over the past decade and suggest that HAIs are among the leading causes of death in the United States.
Inflation and Housing Prices

Home ownership is a claim on the stream of net rents. Like any income-producing asset, the market capitalizes its value. The price-rent multiple depends upon the expected growth rate of revenues and expenses, on financing terms, and on taxes. This paper derives this price-rent multiple in terms of these variables and calculates its value from 1963 through 1978. The results indicate that housing prices grew more rapidly than rents and the CPI largely as the result of a 33% increase in the price-rent multiple over those years. This increase in the capitalization rate occurred, despite higher nominal financing terms, because the relative terms of housing finance tended to ease and because the expected growth rate of rents increased more than its discount rate.
Tsai Number-Joining Test Scores Correlated With College Students' Performance on WAIS and DAT.

25 college seniors and graduate students took the WAIS and another group took the DAT (ns, 28 to 34). Scores were correlated with performance on the Tsai Number-joining Test. Pearson correlations for Performance, Verbal and Full Scale WAIS IQs are .31, .00, and .13 respectively. Subtest correlations range from .35 (Digit Symbol) to .02 (Digit Span). For DAT, Tsai test performance has much higher rs with Spelling (.65), Verbal Reasoning (.61), Grammar (.47), and Abstract Reasoning (.36) than with Clerical Speed and Accuracy (.25), Numerical Ability (.23), Space Relations (.21), and Mechanical Reasoning (.08). Comparisons were made with findings of previous investigators. Relative potentiality of the Tsai Number-joining Test as an aptitude vs an intelligence test, besides being a research tool, is discussed.
Hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for inherited bone marrow disorders: Past accomplishments and continued challenges

From the time that the genes encoding the defective proteins were cloned for a number of inherited diseases, it became a goal to correct those conditions by restoring the normal gene and thereby, its product. For the inherited disorders affecting the blood and its progenitor cells, the hematopoietic stem cells were the ideal target cells for gene transfer, because the normal gene would then be transferred to all of the progeny cells, theoretically for the lifetime of the recipient. However, the tasks of isolating the hematopoietic stem cells, introducing the new genes in such a manner as to preserve engraftment of the manipulated cells, and achieving long-term gene expression, have not been straightforward in the clinical trial setting, although there has been moderate success for cells in vitro, and in murine studies. With the report of clinical efficacy of gene transfer in children with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency disease, the dream of clinical gene transfer to hematopoietic cells has become a reality. But there are still significant impediments remaining for a number of diseases. The innovations of introduction of synthetic receptors that confer growth advantage, the use of lentiviral vectors with increased stem cell transduction efficiency, and the addition of modified promoter/enhancer sequences to augment and preserve gene expression may bring wider success to gene therapy clinical trials for bone marrow disorders in the near future.
One for one peptide binding to MHC molecules.

B and T lymphocytes recognize Ag in very different contexts. Although B cells typically respond to native Ag, T lymphocytes are capable of recognizing both native and denatured Ag but only in the context of accessory cells. These latter cells, now known as APCs, are critical for T cell activation.
Synthesis and properties of alternating copolymers of potential antitumor activity containing 5-fluorouracil

“Pyran” copolymer, the 2:1 regularly alternating cyclocopolymer (DVE—MA) of maleic anhydride (MA) and divinyl ether (DVE), first discovered in 1951, has been investigated extensively, both from the standpoint of its chemical structure and its biological activity. Although certain aspects of its structure remain to be determined, it has been shown to possess a wide spectrum of biological activity. It possesses antitumor activity and has been investigated clinically. During the clinical investigation, it was found to be an interferon inducer. Interferon is a protein which appears to be the body's first line of defense against viral infection. DVE—MA also possesses antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiarthritic, and anticoagulant properties, activates macrophages, inhibits reverse transcriptase, and is capable of elimination of Pu. During the course of investigations in these laboratories, many structural modifications of DVE—MA have been made. Many of these modifications also possess considerable antitumor activity and interferon-induction capability. Perhaps the most interesting structural modification has been the incorporation of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) into the polymer (NSC 255083). This polymer has shown (T/C)% [= ratio of test (T) to control (C) survival times] = 189 for dose by intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg animal weight in CD2F1 mice (6/6 survivors after fifth day) against P388 lymphocytic leukemia. This article describes the synthesis of both the monomer and copolymer, and a study of the hydrolytic rate of release of 5-FU from the polymer.
Stochastic control problems with unbounded control set

Stochastic differential equations with adapted control are obtained as natural limits of birth and death processes, and an important class of such SDEs in which the control set is unbounded is studied. A change of time technique allows us to transform such control problems to ones with a bounded control set. The transformed problem has the same value function as the originally posed problem. A nice feature of the transformed problem consists in (a) the existence of an optimal control that is expressible in simple terms, and (b) the existence of a natural sequence of physically realizable controls for which the payoff functions converge to the value function.
Hypoxanthine transport in normal and malaria-infected erythrocytes

Abstract 1. 1. Hypoxanthine uptake by normal and malaria-infected erythrocytes was measured by the silicone-oil centrifugation method. 2. 2. The initial rate of hypoxanthine uptake was the same for both normal and Plasmodium falciparum-infected human erythrocytes; in both types of cells the entry process was similar, i.e. facilitated diffusion, with a Km of 56μM and Vmax of 10μM sec−1. 3. 3. Both the initial rate and the entry process of hypoxanthine were the same for normal and Plasmodium lophurae-infected duck erythrocytes; the entry process was by simple diffusion. 4. 4. The hypoxanthine transport mechanism of normal human and duck erythrocytes appears not to have been specifically altered by the invasion and growth of the intracellular parasite.
Enabling cyber situation awareness, impact assessment, and situation projection

In the paper we focus on (i) an assessment of impact on missions or business processes resulting from cyber attacks and (ii) the subsequent projection of further possible attacks and corresponding impact assessments. A reference model for impact assessment and situation projection (IASP) is provided, based on which we propose a constraint satisfaction (CS) algorithmic approach for performing IASP. The nodes of a constraint network contain variables with accompanying certainty factors characterizing aspects of missions, services, IT assets, network connections, known vulnerabilities, safeguards, cyber alerts, attack categories, and partial models of complex stepping-stone or island-hopping attacks. Given constraints among these variables, e.g. mission X depends on services Y and Z, the CS algorithm calculates IASP with degree of certainty. We demonstrate the approach on dataset containing audit trails, IDS alerts, and TCP traffic.
The Academic Outreach Program of the Council on Foreign Relations

The Council on Foreign Relations was founded in 1921 as an independent, national membership organization and a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to producing and disseminating ideas to foreign policy practitioners, including Council members, senior government officials, prominent journalists, and members of Congress and their staffs. Two years ago, the Council launched its Academic Outreach Program, designed to connect the academic community to the Council's research and analysis. The program consists of the following components.
Adaptation point analysis for computation migration/checkpointing

Finding the appropriate location of adaptation points for computation migration/checkpointing is critical since the distance between two consecutive adaptation points determines the migration/checkpointing scheme's sensitivity and overheads. This paper proposes a heuristic adaptation point placement algorithm to improve the computation migration/checkpointing schemes' performance in terms of sensitivity and flexibility. This heuristic algorithm enables automatic and transparent insertion of checkpoints in user's source code.
Transcription increases the deletion frequency of long CTG·CAG triplet repeats from plasmids in Escherichia coli

Induction of transcription into long CTG·CAG repeats contained on plasmids in Escherichia coli is shown to increase the frequency of deletions within the repeat sequences. This elevated genetic instability was detected because active transcription into the triplet repeat influenced the growth transitions of the host cell, allowing advantageous growth for cells harboring plasmids with deleted repeat sequences. The variety of deletion products observed in separate cultures suggests that transcription altered the metabolism of the DNA in a manner that produced random length changes in the repeat sequence. For cultures containing plasmids without active transcription into the triplet repeat, or those maintained in exponential growth, deletions occurred within the repeat at a lower frequency (5‐20-fold lower). In these incubations the extent of deletions was proportional to the number of cell divisions and many repeat lengths were observed within each culture, suggesting that the decrease in average repeat length at long incubation times was due to multiple small deletions. These observations show that deletions within long CTG·CAG repeats contained on plasmids in E.coli occur via more than one pathway and their level of genetic instability is altered by the enzymatic processes occurring upon the DNA.
Entitlement, Obligation, and Gratitude in Family Work:

This article explores how feelings of entitlement, obligation, and gratitude affect family work. Exploratory interviews suggested that memories of past events, including extramarital affairs, created expectations and referents that influenced subsequent divisions of household labor. Using regression analysis of survey data from a random sample of 193 remarried individuals, hypotheses about the division of labor derived from human capital and social structural theories were tested along with the hypothesis that past affairs would influence the allocation of household tasks. More sharing of household labor was associated with husbands being employed fewer hours and holding egalitarian attitudes, and wives being employed longer, earning more, and holding conventional attitudes. Husbands' previous extramarital affairs were associated with less sharing. Drawing on gender theory, the authors suggest that past experiences, situational constraints, and patterns of inequality in the larger society influence marita...
After the Propaganda State: Media, Politics, and ‘Thought Work’ in Reformed China

Abbreviations 1. 'Thougth work' in the praetorian public sphere 2. Thought-work institutions under reform 3. The commercialization of thought work 4. The globalization of thought work 5. The pluralization of thought work 6. The struggle of reassert control 7. Thought work and the transition from authoritarian rule Notes Bibliography Index.
Child rearing in Pakistan and its effects on family welfare

(1973). Child rearing in Pakistan and its effects on family welfare. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology: Vol. 2, Child-People in Action, pp. 26-27.
Choosing Between Predictable Shock Schedules: Long- Versus Short-Duration Signals

Abstract Two experiments assessed the relative aversiveness of different duration preshock signals (5 and 20 seconds) and different duration stimuli identifying shock-free periods. In the first experiment, the responding of 15 of 18 rats was maintained when it produced changes from a predictable-shock condition with a 5-second preshock signal to an identical schedule with a 20-second preshock signal; responding was not maintained when it produced the opposite changes. These results occurred with intershock intervals of both 120 seconds and 240 seconds. The second experiment assessed whether changing to the 20-second schedule was maintained by properties of the preshock signals identifying the shock periods or by properties of the stimuli identifying the shock-free periods. Four subjects were given training with the two signaled schedules in an operant chamber and then later given off-baseline preference tests in a shuttlebox. When given a choice between preshock signals, subjects chose the 5-second signals over the 20-second signals. However, when given a choice between stimuli identifying shock-free periods, subjects chose the stimulus identifying the shorter shock-free periods (i.e., the one previously correlated with the 20-second signals). These findings are discussed within the Rescorla and Wagner model of stimulus compounds and within the context of safety as a contrast phenomenon.
A Century of Public Budgeting Reform The “Key” Question

A century of budget reform reflects a century of changing public support for the role of government in American society. When Americans trusted the private sector more than the public sector, budget reform was centered on cost control and improved efficiency. When Americans turned to government to solve problems the private sector could not, budget reform was centered on programmatic effectiveness. We have an answer to V. O. Key’s question about a theory of budgeting. History provides it. A theory of budgeting is a theory of political cycles driven by changing public opinion about the proper role of government. There are two enduring features of budgeting practice that emerged in the past century. Incremental budgeting reflects Americans’ preference for incremental policy change. The traditional or line-item format promotes financial accountability.
Investigating bacterial sources of toxicity as an environmental contributor to dopaminergic neurodegeneration.

Parkinson disease (PD) involves progressive neurodegeneration, including loss of dopamine (DA) neurons from the substantia nigra. Select genes associated with rare familial forms of PD function in cellular pathways, such as the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), involved in protein degradation. The misfolding and accumulation of proteins, such as α-synuclein, into inclusions termed Lewy Bodies represents a clinical hallmark of PD. Given the predominance of sporadic PD among patient populations, environmental toxins may induce the disease, although their nature is largely unknown. Thus, an unmet challenge surrounds the discovery of causal or contributory neurotoxic factors that could account for the prevalence of sporadic PD. Bacteria within the order Actinomycetales are renowned for their robust production of secondary metabolites and might represent unidentified sources of environmental exposures. Among these, the aerobic genera, Streptomyces, produce natural proteasome inhibitors that block protein degradation and may potentially damage DA neurons. Here we demonstrate that a metabolite produced by a common soil bacterium, S. venezuelae, caused DA neurodegeneration in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, which increased as animals aged. This metabolite, which disrupts UPS function, caused gradual degeneration of all neuronal classes examined, however DA neurons were particularly vulnerable to exposure. The presence of DA exacerbated toxicity because neurodegeneration was attenuated in mutant nematodes depleted for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in DA production. Strikingly, this factor caused dose-dependent death of human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, a dopaminergic line. Efforts to purify the toxic activity revealed that it is a highly stable, lipophilic, and chemically unique small molecule. Evidence of a robust neurotoxic factor that selectively impacts neuronal survival in a progressive yet moderate manner is consistent with the etiology of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Collectively, these data suggest the potential for exposures to the metabolites of specific common soil bacteria to possibly represent a contributory environmental component to PD.
Feedback controller design for servo systems with dominant mechanical resonances

An estimator-based linear discrete-time controller for a high-performance two-axis miniature wheelchair drive is presented. This drive has a dominant resonance at approximately half the Nyquist frequency of the controller. The controller actively damps this resonance while simultaneously achieving a higher closed-loop bandwidth than in conventional designs. The controller design methodology is based on linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) optimal control. Transformations are presented that simplify the implementation of the resulting fourth-order state estimator and linear control law. The drive is implemented with incremental-position encoders, a microprocessor, switching converters and a pair of motors. >
Life science research and data management—what can they give each other?

"Databases for the life sciences" is not really a newly emerging area in databases. The Nucleotide Sequence Database from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) has been operational at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) since 1980. SWISS-PROT, the classical database containing protein information, was established in 1986. Today, there are over a thousand different life science databases with contents ranging from gene-property data for different organisms to brain image data for patients with neurological disorders.
A Marriage of Inconvenience: Tsunami Aid and the Unraveling of the LTTE and the GoSL's Complex Dependency

Scholars have shown how transnational forces can influence the behavior of belligerents in a civil war, dramatically altering the trajectory of the conflict. The breakdown of the peace process in Sri Lanka, less than a year after the Asian tsunami, has led many to question the relationship between the disaster and the return to war. In this paper, I explore the complex relationship between Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) governance structures and the international community, arguing that post-tsunami relief efforts closed the door to a negotiated settlement by contributing to the insurgency's failed play for autonomy from the Sri Lankan state upon which it had long been reliant for assistance in governing the civilian population in the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. Through a detailed case study of the micro-level impacts of a massive spike in foreign aid on the organization of a long-running insurgency, the paper is able to assess the merit of the ‘substitution effect’ posited by sc...
Constructing Skill Trees for Reinforcement Learning Agents from Demonstration Trajectories

We introduce CST, an algorithm for constructing skill trees from demonstration trajectories in continuous reinforcement learning domains. CST uses a change-point detection method to segment each trajectory into a skill chain by detecting a change of appropriate abstraction, or that a segment is too complex to model as a single skill. The skill chains from each trajectory are then merged to form a skill tree. We demonstrate that CST constructs an appropriate skill tree that can be further refined through learning in a challenging continuous domain, and that it can be used to segment demonstration trajectories on a mobile manipulator into chains of skills where each skill is assigned an appropriate abstraction.
Warped Images: Media Framing and Political Ideology Amongst Youth

Previous studies suggest,that political elites engage in framing to alter the decision making of ordinary citizens. In particular, studies have shown that subtle racial cues are subliminally embedded in everyday communication, thus altering one's value system and thereby causing a shift in their political ideology ( political Ideology in this case, refers to Conservative, Liberal or Nationalist beliefs). However, these studies fail to empirically apply these concepts to popular, non-political, media such as prime-time television and movies viewed by African American youth. The research question is; Can social elites (such as actors and musicians) alter the political ideology of young African American's? I argue, that media perpetuates stereotypes of deviant behaviors amongst African Americans, thus causing a shift in political ideology; meaning, media portrayals of African Americans emerging in deviant behavior have the ability to foster more conservative or liberal attitudes and beliefs. Using experimental research, I plan to test the relationship between popular urban culture and its impact on African-American political ideology, and/or political attitudes on social issues (e.g. welfare, abortions, etc).
Abstract 3295: Combining GSK3 inhibition and Vitamin D as a differentiation strategy for AML.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Vitamin D has widely been considered a promising therapy for cancer, particularly Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), due to its ability to terminally differentiate leukemic cells. Despite the promise of Vitamin D in preclinical studies, clinical trials have been disappointing likely due to dose limiting hypercalcemia that occurs at relatively low doses. We have identified that the kinase GSK3 is a major regulator of the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) and that targeting GSK3 can sensitize leukemic cells to low concentrations of Vitamin D that may be achievable clinically. Utilizing cell and animal based models, we found that GSK3 inhibition can significantly enhance the anti-leukemic effects of Vitamin D. By inhibiting GSK3 with both small molecules and shRNA, we found that targeting GSK3 leads to a significant sensitization in AML cells derived from multiple AML subtypes to Vitamin D-mediated differentiation. Differentiation induction can be seen through immunophenotyping for cell surface markers, functional differentiation as measured by NBT reduction, and changes in morphology. For example, treatment of HL-60 cells with low doses of Vitamin D (5nM) or a GSK3 inhibitor SB415286 (10uM) leads to only moderate differentiation (<50%) while the combination of these agents leads to greater than 95% differentiation as measured by the upregulation of the differentiation associated marker, CD11b. In addition to differentiation induction, GSK3 inhibition also significantly enhanced the ability of Vitamin D to cause irreversible growth inhibition as measured by colony assays and slowed the progression of AML in a mouse model system. Mechanistic studies have revealed significant insights into how GSK3 modulates Vitamin D signaling. GSK3 was found to bind and phosphorylate VDR which negatively regulates VDR activity as measured by luciferase based reporter assays. The mechanism through which GSK3 appears to regulate VDR activity is through impacting its interactions with co-repressors and co-activators. These co-modulators are known to play a predominant role in regulating VDR activity. Utilizing co-immunoprecipitation and mammalian two hybrid assays, we determined that GSK3 inhibition can impair the interaction of VDR with the co-repressor NcoR, and enhance its interaction with the co-activator, SRC-3. Overall, our studies suggest the potential of Vitamin D and GSK3 inhibition as a strategy to improve the efficacy of AML treatment and provide a mechanistic framework to explain the promising activity of this combination regimen. . Citation Format: Kalpana Gupta, Tammy Stefan, David N. Wald. Combining GSK3 inhibition and Vitamin D as a differentiation strategy for AML. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3295. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3295
Multiple modernities: Kitchens for an African elite

Meaning is inscribed in the material/built environment and this article considers the materiality of change in urban Africa, focusing particularly on the kitchens of a group of first-generation pro...
Kidney transplantation for HIV-positive patients

HIV+ patients are at increased risk for end-stage renal disease, but HIV infection was once considered a contraindication to renal transplantation. However, contemporary studies from the United States and Europe have now demonstrated that renal transplantation is a safe and effective treatment for end-stage renal disease in HIV patients, with equivalent patient and allograft survival to those uninfected. Broader experience in transplantation in HIV+ patients has identified unique challenges including high rates of acute rejection, delayed graft function, and significant drug-drug interactions. Kidney transplantation in HIV-infected patients is an active area of clinical research and trials of HIV+ to HIV+ transplantation in the United States are underway.