cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conditioned suppression of operant responding in response to a stimulus paired with pentobarbital injections

Conditioned suppression of ongoing behavior in response to a stimulus paired with barbiturate treatment was investigated in rats leverpressing for food pellets by presenting an audiovisual stimulus (conditioned stimulus [CS]) 3 min before injection of 15 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital (experimental group, n = 9) or water (control group, n = 8). The experimental rats completely stopped responding during the 20-min postinjection period. During 12 conditioning days, the experimental group developed conditioned suppression to the preinjection CS as indicated by decreases in response rate to 35% of baseline, significantly different from the 70% control group mean. The preinjection conditioned response lowered response rate, as did the actual drug treatment. Visual observation revealed that the CS elicited locomotor activity that interfered with leverpressing, indicating that although the conditioned response rate change was “isodirectional” to the drug effect (unconditioned response), an opposite-direction conditioned locomotor conditioned response was elicited by preinjection stimuli. The ability of the injection procedure to elicit conditioned responses was determined after 12 conditioning days in an extinction-test session in which water only was injected in both groups. Neither significant conditioned suppression nor conditioned motor activity was elicited by the injection procedure.
OFDMA Wireless Communications

This chapter focuses on orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) wireless communication. OFDMA is the latest technology and it has been used in the wireless LAN (Wi-Fi). The advantages of OFDMA have also been shown. It is different in many reasons than code division multiple access (CDMA). The description has been provided step by step. Several diagrams show the accessibility of OFDMA. In OFDMA, the nulls line up perfectly adjacent with the subcarriers, resulting in minimal adjacent channel interference and efficient packing of the subcarriers in the frequency spectrum. The essentiality of OFDMA is that it may be useful to summarize the relative merits and challenges of this fourth-generation mobile wireless technology. However, OFDMA is, very sensitive to frequency offset. Further, this chapter has described that both the mobile and base station receivers must balance for Doppler shift prior to demodulation to preserve orthogonal nature of the Subcarriers. The special efficiency of OFDMA is particularly for the voice capacity. For reasons for serviceability, cooling, and equipment size, a building or shed is used to house the base station at the base of an antenna tower.
Suprachoroidal hemorrhage: outcome of surgical management according to hemorrhage severity.

Abstract Objective To report the visual and anatomic outcome after surgical drainage of suprachoroidal hemorrhage according to hemorrhage severity. Design A retrospective chart review. Participants Forty-eight consecutive eyes undergoing surgical drainage of a suprachoroidal hemorrhage at The Medical College of Wisconsin were examined. Intervention Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from patients' medical records. Eyes were classified into four categories of increasing hemorrhage complexity: (1) nonappositional choroidal hemorrhage without vitreous or retinal incarceration in the wound (12 eyes); (2) centrally appositional choroidal hemorrhage without vitreous or retinal incarceration in the wound (17 eyes); (3) choroidal hemorrhage with associated vitreous incarceration in the wound (11 eyes); and (4) choroidal hemorrhage with associated retinal incarceration in the wound (8 eyes). Main outcome measures Visual acuity, rate of persistent hypotony, and incidence of irreparable retinal detachment after surgical drainage for four classes of suprachoroidal hemorrhage were defined. Results Overall, 11 (23%) of 48 eyes had no light perception (NLP) vision develop, 9 (19%) of 48 eyes had persistent postsurgical hypotony (intraocular pressure P P P = 0.11) was observed with increasing suprachoroidal hemorrhage complexity. Eyes with retinal incarceration, compared to eyes without retinal incar- ceration, had an increased rate of NLP vision (63% vs. 15%; P P P = 0.07). Conclusions Eyes requiring surgical drainage of a suprachoroidal hemorrhage have a guarded prognosis, with a poorer outcome associated with increasing hemorrhage complexity. A classification system incorporating choroidal apposition, and vitreous and retinal incarceration in the wound, provides a format for reporting and assessing the efficacy of management strategies in this condition.
Musculoskeletal function following bariatric surgery.

Objective: Bariatric surgery is an effective method for acute weight loss. While the impact of bariatric surgery on general medical conditions (e.g., type 2 diabetes) is well documented, few studies focus on physical functional outcomes following weight-loss induced by bariatric surgery. Design and Methods: We report on 50 women aged 20-74 scheduled for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) procedure who were enrolled for a prospective 1-year study. Height, weight, and waist circumference were recorded preoperatively and at 6 and 12 months, postoperatively. To track musculoskeletal/physical function changes, the timed-get-up-and-go (TGUG) and short-form health survey36 (SF-36) and short musculoskeletal function assessment (SFMA) questionnaires were administered. Results: Patients had significant weight loss and functional improvement. At 1 year mean weight loss was 48.5 kg and mean TGUG improvement was 3.1 s. SMFA and SF-36 also showed improvement in functional components with weight loss at 6 months and 1-year post surgery. Significant associations were observed between TGUG and SMFA measures at all time points. Final weight at 1 year post bariatric surgery was also significantly correlated with most functional outcomes and changes in these outcomes. Partial correlations controlling for age revealed additional associations between body weight and functional outcomes, especially at the 6-month visit. Conclusion: Our results suggest that significant rapid weight loss, such as that attained by bariatric surgery, acutely improves musculoskeletal function in morbidly obese patients. Additionally, for patients with musculoskeletal disease or injury, weight loss resulting from bariatric surgery may serve as an adjunct for improving global functional outcome, and enhancing the rehabilitation potential.
New assay method for protein methylase II activity suitable for trichloroacetic acid soluble substrate, based on distillation of methanol.

Abstract Distillation of radioactive methanol liberated from enzymically carboxymethylated (methyl- 14 C) substrate in alkaline solution has been advantageously employed for the quantitative assay of protein methylase II activity. This method is most useful when the substrate for transmethylation is TCA soluble. Compared with TCA washing, which is the other available method for assay of this enzyme, the distillation method requires less time, is simpler, and is more accurate. This is a significant advancement in the exploration of the structural requirements of protein molecules for the acceptance of methyl groups from S -adenosyl- l -methionine. By the use of this method it was found that free carboxyl groups of amino acids, dipeptides of dicarboxylie amino acids, and homopolymers of amino acids did not serve as methyl acceptor for protein methylase II.
Developing β-secretase inhibitors for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

β-Secretase (memapsin 2; BACE-1) is the first protease in the processing of amyloid precursor protein leading to the production of amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain. It is believed that high levels of brain Aβ are responsible for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, β-secretase is a major therapeutic target for the development of inhibitor drugs. During the past decade, steady progress has been made in the evolution of β-secretase inhibitors toward better drug properties. Recent inhibitors are potent, selective and have been shown to penetrate the blood-brain barrier to inhibit Aβ levels in the brains of experimental animals. Moreover, continuous administration of a β-secretase inhibitor was shown to rescue age-related cognitive decline in transgenic AD mice. A small number of β-secretase inhibitors have also entered early phase clinical trials. These developments offer some optimism for the clinical development of a disease-modifying drug for AD.
Enhanced Antitumor Activity of an Anti-5T4 Antibody–Drug Conjugate in Combination with PI3K/mTOR inhibitors or Taxanes

Purpose: Targeted treatment of solid or liquid tumors with antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) can lead to promising clinical benefit. The aim of the study is to investigate combination regimens of auristatin-based ADCs in preclinical models of cancer. Experimental Design: An auristatin-based anti-5T4 antibody conjugate (5T4-ADC) and auristatin payloads were combined with the dual PI3K/mTOR catalytic site inhibitor PF-05212384 (PF-384) or taxanes in a panel of tumor cell lines. Drug interactions in vitro were evaluated using cell viability assays, apoptosis induction, immunofluorescence, mitotic index, and immunoblotting. Breast cancer cells treated with auristatin analogue or 5T4-ADC were profiled by total- and phospho-proteomics. Antitumor efficacy of selected combinations was evaluated in 5T4-positive human breast or lung tumor xenografts in vivo. Results:In vitro, auristatin-based agents displayed strong synergistic or additive activity when combined with PF-384 or taxanes, respectively. Further, treatment of 5T4-ADC plus PF-384 resulted in stronger induction of apoptosis and cell line–specific attenuation of pAKT and pGSK. Interestingly, proteomic analysis revealed unique effects of auristatins on multiple components of mRNA translation. Addition of PF-384 further amplified effects of 5T4-ADC on translational components, providing a potential mechanism of synergy between these drugs. In human tumor xenografts, dual targeting with 5T4-ADC/PF-384 or 5T4-ADC/paclitaxel produced substantially greater antitumor effects with longer average survival as compared with monotherapy treatments. Conclusions: Our results provide a biologic rationale for combining 5T4-ADC with either PI3K/mTOR pathway inhibitors or taxanes and suggest that mechanisms underlying the synergy may be attributed to cellular effects of the auristatin payload. Clin Cancer Res; 22(2); 383–94. ©2015 AACR.
The Recent Decline of Unionization in the United States

The dramatic decline in unionization during the last decade is investigated with the use of survey data from 1977 and 1984. First, it is found that only a small fraction of the decline in unionization can be accounted for by shifts in labor force structure. Second, there has been a substantial drop in demand for union representation among nonunion workers that can be accounted for by an increase in the job satisfaction of nonunion workers and a decrease in nonunion workers' reports that unions improve wages and working conditions. Finally, there has been a substantial increase in employer resistance to unionization that is likely to have made it more difficult for unions to organize even those workers who desire union representation. Increased foreign and increased nonunion domestic competition (particularly in deregulated industries) may be key underlying causes of these changes.
Research Advances: Developing New Treatments for Cancer, Toxoplasmosis, and New Methods of Detection for Mad Cow Disease

This installment of Research Advances describes the results of efforts to advance understanding of the molecular nature of disease and to use that increased understanding to develop better methods of detection and more effective treatment options.
Nuclear magnetic resonance measurement of spin-lattice relaxation and self-diffusion in supercritical CO2-n-hexadecane mixtures

Spin-lattice relaxation time and self-diffusion coefficient of 13CO2 and C16 1H34 have been measured on the four isotherms 35, 40, 50 and 60°C from atmospheric pressure up to the critical point of the mixture in both the coexisting vapour and liquid phases. The data have been correlated with phase compositions determined earlier in this laboratory and with calculated viscosities. 13CT 1 data indicate a peculiar behaviour of carbon dioxide in the liquid phase, namely that the reorientational correlation time of the CO2 molecule is constant in the liquid phase up to the critical region. 1HT 1 data are in qualitative agreement with theory. The ratio of the self-diffusion coefficients in each phase is closely related to the ratios of the partial molar volumes, in agreement with arguments from statistical mechanics and irreversible thermodynamics. Calculated mutual diffusivities are found to be in excellent agreement with available experimental diffusivities. Unfortunately, because of the scarcity of experimen...
The unnatural performative: Resisting phenomenal closure

BODIES THAT MATTER: ON THE DISCURSIVE LIMITS OF “SEX.” By Judith Butler. New York: Routledge, 1993; pp. xii‐288; $49.95; paper $15.95. CRUISING THE PERFORMATIVE: INTERVENTIONS INTO THE REPRESENTATION OF ETHNICITY, NATIONALITY, AND SEXUALITY. Edited by Sue‐Ellen Case, Philip Brett, and Susan Leigh Foster. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995; pp. x‐259; $35.00; paper $15.95. PERFORMATIVITY AND PERFORMANCE. Edited by Andrew Parker and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick. New York: Routledge, 1995; pp. 1–239; $49.95; paper $16.95.
High resolution wide dynamic range distance sensor using spatial signal processing

This paper presents a non-intrusive, non-contact object distance mapping sensor using an Electronically Controlled Variable Focus Lens (ECVFL). The proposed sensor is a free-space-based optical sensor that uses ECVFL-based agile optics to direct light from a object that requires terrain height mapping. The presented compact design makes the proposed sensor ideal for use in environments where laser illuminated objects are in a hazardous environment such as in environments with radiation, heat, cold, harmful machine parts, etc. The proposed design uses a few optical components and smart detection optics for making its object distance/terrain measurements. The presented sensor can find potential remote sensing applications in ground and space vehicle maneuvering, machine parts inspection and in chemical, transportation and aerospace industries.
Usefulness of space station observations to monitor the hydrological cycle

The Space Station is a major project being undertaken in the United States that will provide major advances in the development and implementation of observations from space. In particular, the Space Station Manned Base (SSMB) and the attendant attached payload capability offers an opportunity for testing new observing concepts and observing hydrological phenomena in the low latitudes. Ample power, thermal, data, serviceability and other support services are being designed in Phase 1 of the SSMB. It is concluded that the hydrological community should study the SSMB and utilize the opportunity to advance the utility of space observations for studies of the hydrological cycle.
Transferring Leadership from Business to Education: The Case of Mr. Smith.

This case study is a narrative of four major leadership paradigms: managerial, transactional, transformational, and distributed leaderships. Understanding these leadership styles may help both prac...
Solitons and magnon bound states in ferromagnetic Heisenberg chains

We investigate the relation between magnon, magnon bound states, and the classical soliton solutions in the isotropic, the anisotropic-exchange, and the easy-axis ferromagnetic Heisenberg chains. The Dyson-Maleev boson representation is used to study the interaction between magnons, and bound states are investigated in terms of two-spin Green's functions. For easy-axis and anisotropic-exchange magnets, a mapping to the Bose gas with attractive $\ensuremath{\delta}$-function interactions is established, and it yields the eigenvalues of the magnon and the $m$th bound state in the weak-coupling and continuum limits. The classical limit of the two-spin Green's function reveals that, to leading order in temperature, the bound-state resonance and the associated effects on the two-magnon continuum survives. An important result is a ${T}^{2}$ dependence of the "binding" energy of the bound-state resonance. As a consequence, in a classical description the bound states enter only in order ${T}^{2}$. Finally, we quantize the soliton solutions according to the Bohr-Sommerfeld and de Broglie rules. This approach is found to be exact for the $s=\frac{1}{2}$ isotropic Heisenberg chain and for sufficiently small wave numbers for all $s$ values. In the anisotropic-exchange and easy-axis models, it agrees with the results obtained from the mapping on the Bose gas, for large quantum numbers and in the easy-axis case for $s\ensuremath{\gg}\frac{1}{2}$ in addition. On this basis, we conclude that the envelope solitons considered here lead to bound-state resonances and associated effects in a classical treatment. Moreover, their semiclassical quantization gives remarkably accurate energy levels.
Collision-induced decays of electroweak solitons: Fermion number violation with two and few initial particles.

We consider a variant of the standard electroweak theory in which the Higgs sector has been modified so that there is a classically stable weak scale soliton. We explore fermion-number-violating processes which involve soliton decay. A soliton can decay by tunneling under the sphaleron barrier, or the decay can be collision induced if the energy is sufficient for the barrier to be traversed. We present a classical solution to the Minkowski space equations of motion in which a soliton is kicked over the barrier by an incoming pulse. This pulse corresponds to a quantum coherent state with a mean number of $W$ quanta $\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{2.5}{{g}^{2}}$ where $g$ is the SU(2) gauge coupling constant. We also give a self-contained treatment of the relationship between classical solutions, including those in which solitons are destroyed, and tree-level quantum amplitudes. Furthermore, we consider a limit in which we can reliably estimate the amplitude for soliton decay induced by collision with a single $W$ boson. This amplitude depends on $g$ like $\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}c{g}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{3}})$, and is larger than that for spontaneous decay via tunneling in the same limit. Finally, we show that in soliton decays light $\mathrm{SU}{(2)}_{L}$ doublet fermions are anomalously produced. Thus we have a calculation of a two-body process with energy above the sphaleron barrier in which fermion number is violated.
Side View Imaging for Three Dimensional Microflow Profile Reconstruction

A side view imaging system for three dimensional microflow profile reconstruction is successfully developed and demonstrated. Various types of microchannels are prepared and demonstrated to obtain side view images. By combining top view and side view data, the three-dimensional velocity and strain rate profiles are successfully reconstructed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Causal models in plan evaluation

Abstract A major purpose of urban planning is solving urban problems. Though a number of planning methods exist to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative plans, few offer specific methods for identifying the causes of urban problems, developing alternative plans that address these causes, and estimating plan effects. Borrowed from the social sciences, causal models may be used to achieve these plan evaluation objectives. Causal models developed from substantive theory of urban processes are used to estimate both direct and indirect plan effects as well as to evaluate plan efficiency, equity and uncertainty. The implications of causal models for planning education, theory and practice are also discussed.
Consumer perceptions of carbon labeling in print advertising: Hype or effective communication strategy?

Eco-labels are being used more frequently in the marketplace. Recently, carbon-neutral labels have emerged on product packaging and advertisements as a popular form of eco-label. How consumers view these specific labels is of both conceptual and practical interest. Therefore, in a mixed-experimental design building on congruity theory and Deighton's two-step model of advertising effectiveness, the authors examine how consumers view the credibility and environmental concern of companies who use these labels, as well as their resulting purchase intentions. A 2(product) × 2(label) × 3(information) mixed design was used to examine consumer perceptions and behavior intentions. Product category (environmentally neutral vs. environmentally harmful) was a within-subjects factor; the presence/absence of the carbon-neutral label and information (positive/negative/control) was both manipulated between-subjects factors. Results show that the presence of a carbon-neutral label in an advertisement, regardless of the ty...
Electrolytic Reduction of Spent Light Water Reactor Fuel Bench-Scale Experiment Results

A series of experiments were performed to demonstrate the electrolytic reduction of spent light water reactor fuel at bench-scale in a hot cell at the Idaho National Laboratory Materials and Fuels Complex. The process involves the conversion of oxide fuel to metal by electrolytic means, which would then enable subsequent separation and recovery of actinides via existing electrometallurgical technologies, i.e., electrorefining. Four electrolytic reduction runs were performed at bench scale using ~500 ml of molten LiCl – 1 wt% Li2O electrolyte at 650 oC. In each run, ~50 g of crushed spent oxide fuel was loaded into a permeable stainless steel basket and immersed into the electrolyte as the cathode. A spiral wound platinum wire was immersed into the electrolyte as the anode. When a controlled electric current was conducted through the anode and cathode, the oxide fuel was reduced to metal in the basket and oxygen gas was evolved at the anode. Salt samples were extracted before and after each electrolytic reduction run and analyzed for fuel and fission product constituents. The fuel baskets following each run were sectioned and the fuel was sampled, revealing an extent of uranium oxide reduction in excess of 98%.
Ocean gliders - technology, economics drivers, and roadmap

Underwater glider technology is becoming accepted as a rapidly maturing Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (‘AUV’) technology with great potential. Yet after two decades this very powerful AUV technology is still in the infancy compared to other research tools for ocean exploration and other unmanned systems. As underwater glider technology continues to advance and become more useful, its proliferation is likely to be more driven by economics than by technical capabilities.
Verification of Galois field based circuits by formal reasoning based on computational algebraic geometry

Algebraic error correcting codes (ECC) are widely used to implement reliability features in modern servers and systems and pose a formidable verification challenge. We present a novel methodology and techniques for provably correct design of ECC logics. The methodology is comprised of a design specification method that directly exposes the ECC algorithm's underlying math to a verification layer, encapsulated in a tool "BLUEVERI", which establishes the correctness of the design conclusively by using an apparatus of computational algebraic geometry (Buchberger's algorithm for Grobner basis construction). We present results from its application to example circuits to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. The methodology has been successfully applied to prove correctness of large error correcting circuits on IBM's POWER systems to protect memory storage and processor to memory communication, as well as a host of smaller error correcting circuits.
Padé approximants of noncausal digital filters

Based on the requirement of stability and causality, this paper presents a new method of designing IIR digital filters. The method is essentially a combination of a time-domain and a frequency-domain technique. The result of this method is identical to the one in (5) which was derived without any physical interpretation. Because of this new derivation, the method can be readily extended to two or more dimensional noncausal digital filters.
Displacement correction factor for fast-neutron dosimetry in a tissue-equivalent phantom.

The displacement correction factor to be used for analysis of fast- neutron dosimetric measurements using air-filled EG and G tissue-equivalent ion chambers in a tissue-equivalent phantom has been investigated using the MANTA neutron radiotherapy beam generated by 35-MeV deuterons on a thick Be target. The displacement correction factor inferred from these measurements is 0.970 for the EG and G IC-17 (1.0-cm$sup 3$) ion chamber, and is 0.989 for the EG and G IC- 18 (0.1-cm$sup 3$) ion chamber. This multiplicative displacement correction factor has no significant dependence on depth in the phantom or on neutron beam size. (AIP)
The evolving form of documents

The sophistication and visual richness of printed documents has made great strides over the last 25 years. The computerization of entry, layout and production has gone from a mostly manual process to a totally computerized process.As documents start to contain multimedia components (sound, animation, video) and become totally "electronic", and as devices to view these new documents become more varied in size shape and capabilities, the authoring of these documents has become a difficult challenge.This talk will address those challenges, and discuss whether the evolving web tools are moving in the right direction.
Cortisol Enhances the Anabolic Effects of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I on Collagen Synthesis and Procollagen Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels in Cultured 21-Day Fetal Rat Calvariae

We examined the ability of cortisol to modulate the stimulatory effects of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on collagen synthesis, procollagen messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and DNA synthesis in 21-day fetal rat calvariae maintained in serum-free organ culture for 24–96 h. Collagen synthesis was quantitated by measuring the incorporation of [3H]proline into collagenase-digestible protein (CDP) and α-l(I) procollagen mRNA transcripts were assessed by Northern blot analysis. Cell replication was quantitated by measuring the incoporation of [3H]thymidine into bone. As described previously, 100 nM cortisol had a biphasic effect on CDP labeling, increasing CDP after 24 h and decreasing CDP after 48, 72, and 96 h of culture. IGF-I alone increased CDP labeling by 1.6-fold after 24 h and by 2-fold after 48 or 72 h of culture, and cortisol potentiated this anabolic effect. In the presence of 100 nM cortisol, IGF-I increased CDP labeling by 2.6-fold after 24 h, by 5-fold after 48 h, and by 8-fold...
Specific stimulation of human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease by heat shock protein 70.

Abstract We previously demonstrated the stimulation of human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (HAP1) by heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). In this work, we further defined the functional interaction between these proteins. Digestion of HSP70 by trypsin released 48 and 43 kDa amino terminal fragments that retained the ability to stimulate HAP1. In agreement with this result, an HSP70 N-terminal deletion mutant protein containing amino acids 1–385 was comparable to the full-length protein in its ability to enhance HAP1 activity. HSP70 mutants containing carboxy terminal amino acids 386–640 stimulated HAP1 only slightly, as did unrelated proteins. These results implicate the amino terminal portion of HSP70 in stimulating the activity of HAP1.
Autoantibodies to RNA helicase A: A new serologic marker of early lupus

Objective To investigate the clinical and immunologic significance of autoantibodies to RNA helicase A (RHA) in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases. Methods The study group comprised 1,119 individuals enrolled in the University of Florida Center for Autoimmune Diseases registry from 2000 to 2005. Diagnoses were based on standard criteria. Autoantibodies were analyzed by immunoprecipitation and Western blot assays. Results Anti-RHA was observed in 17 (6.2%) of 276 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 2 patients with antiphospholipid antibodies, and 3 other patients, but anti-RHA was not observed in any patient with polymyositis/dermatomyositis, systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or Sjogren's syndrome. Anti-RHA was present in only 2.9% of African American patients, compared with 6.0% of white patients and 12–25% of patients of other races; this was in striking contrast to the frequency of anti-Sm in African American patients (27.2%). Among patients with SLE, anti-RHA was common in young patients (26% of those whose initial visit was at an age younger than 20 years versus 3–4% of those who were initially seen at ages 20–49 years) and at an early stage of disease (23% of those whose first clinic visit was within 1 year of disease onset versus 2–8% of those whose first visit was at least 1 year after disease onset). In 9 of 11 patients, levels of anti-RHA decreased to <10% of the initial value within 9–37 months, while levels of coexisting anti-Ro or anti-Su remained the same. New specificities developed in 2 patients (anti–nuclear RNP and anti-Sm, and anti–ribosomal P, respectively). These data suggest that the level of anti-RHA diminishes over time, and that anti-RHA is regulated via a mechanism different from that for other lupus-related autoantibodies. Conclusion Anti-RHA is a new serologic marker for SLE. It is produced mainly in young non–African Americans at an early stage of their disease. Anti-RHA has a unique tendency to diminish over time. The production of anti-RHA may depend on a process restricted to early SLE, or it may be highly sensitive to treatment.
Oxygenation Catalysis by All-Inorganic, Oxidation-Resistant, Dawson-Type Polyoxoanion-Supported Transition Metal Precatalysts, [(CH3CN)xM]n+ Plus P2W15Nb3O629- (M = MnII, FeII, CoII, NiII, CuI, CuII, ZnII)

Eleven new polyoxoanion-supported transition metal acetonitrile compositions have been synthesized in 1:1, 1:2, and even a few 1:3 Mn+ to polyoxoanion ratios; these new precatalysts were then tested for their catalytic efficacy for norbornene and cyclohexene oxygenation using [PhIO]n as the oxidant. The catalytic results identify {(CH3CN)xMn2+/P2W15Nb3O629-} (1) and {2(CH3CN)xMn2+/P2W15Nb3O629-} (2) as the best precatalysts within this new subclass of polyoxoanion-supported catalysts. The results reveal a modest ca. 14-fold rate increase for either 1 or 2 in norbornene or cyclohexene epoxidation compared to the polyoxoanion-free [MnII(CH3CN)4](BF4)2 solvate, kinetic results which require the presence of the P2W15Nb3O629- polyoxoanion in the rate-determining step of the active catalyst. Catalyst reisolation, then IR, UV−visible, and ion-exchange resin studies (and in comparison to authentic 2 that has not undergone catalysis) provide compelling evidence that 2 is, in fact, the true catalyst. Also compared ...
PRODUCTION OF $lambda$$sup 0$ PARTICLES IN LEAD AND CARBON BY 2.5-Bev PROTONS

In a systematic study of 18 000 pictures taken at the Cosmotron with the Yale diffusion cloud chamber, two ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ decays were found having origin in a lead plate at the upstream edge of the chamber. With corrections for the geometric efficiency of the chamber and for the scanning efficiency, this leads to an upper limit of approximately 8 mb per lead nucleus for the production of ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ particles.Thirty-seven nuclear interactions, found in the methane gas of the chamber, indicate a cross section of 155\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}45 mb for star production in carbon. A two-dimensional Monte Carlo calculation of the internal pion-nucleon cascade in carbon was carried out for 45 events. Computed values for the $\frac{{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}}{{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}}$ ratio and for the number of emerging charged pions per event are compared with those for the experimental carbon stars. It is concluded that the Monte Carlo calculation exaggerates the cascade and thus provides an upper limit to the multiplicity of cascade-induced events. A lower limit is provided by considering only the first collision of each Monte Carlo event. A count of the Monte Carlo fast internal pion collisions for which the production of a hyperon is energetically possible leads to an upper limit of 0.7 mb and a lower limit of 0.1 mb per carbon nucleus for ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ production via the intermediate pion mechanism. Correction by Jastrow's lead-to-carbon production ratio yields Monte Carlo cross sections for lead which indicate that this mechanism may dominate over production in direct collisions between the incoming proton and internal nucleons.
Blackwell optimal policies in a Markov decision process with a Borel state space

After an introduction into sensitive criteria in Markov decision processes and a discussion of definitions, we prove the existence of stationary Blackwell optimal policies under following main assumptions: (i) the state space is a Borel one; (ii) the action space is countable, the action sets are finite; (iii) the transition function is given by a transition density; (iv) a simultaneous Doeblin-type recurrence condition holds. The proof is based on an aggregation of randomized stationary policies into measures. Topology in the space of those measures is at the same time a weak and a strong one, and this fact yields compactness of the space and continuity of Laurent coefficients of the expected discounted reward. Another important tool is a lexicographical policy improvement. The exposition is mostly self-contained.
Emerging Market Infrastructure Project Bonds: Their Risks and Returns

This article analyzes returns from portfolios of emerging market infrastructure project bonds and finds that infrastructure bonds offer low volatility but also low returns. Such an analysis has been difficult because an infrastructure bond index does not exist and issuers do not classify bonds as infrastructure bonds. Infrastructure bonds reflect infrastructure’s economic characteristics and show stable returns and low correlation with equities and equity-based infrastructure indexes, thereby providing valuable diversification opportunities. However, unlike syndicated lending, infrastructure bonds have limited capacity to mitigate creeping expropriation, one of the chief risks that affect emerging market infrastructure investments.
Temperature and Wavelength-Dependent Spectral Absorptivities of Metallic Materials in the Infrared

The optical constants and absorptivity of selected elemental metals and alloys are calculated based on the Drude-type model. The calculations are made primarily at the CO 2 (10.6-μm) and the Nd:YAG (1.06-μm) laser wavelengths, with consideration for laser material processing. The absorptivities at these wavelengths are calculated for some important metallic materials. For the application of laser material processing, temperature-dependent values are calculated based on available experimental data. The absorptivity values for alloys are calculated by assuming that the sum of contributions of the proportionality of the valence electrons to the effective mass of an electron for each constituent metal is equal to the proportionality of the valence electrons to the effective mass of an electron for the alloy. The absorptivities of the elemental metals at 10.6 μm agreed with experimental data very well, except for transition metals. Agreement of alloy and element absorptivity calculated values and experimental data is good at 10.6 μm but not at 1.06 pm. Overall the calculation by the Drude model gives good estimates of absorptivity at 10.6 μm.
Klinefelter syndrome: an argument for early aggressive hormonal and fertility management

Objective To investigate the impact of early hormone replacement therapy (HT) on sperm retrieval rates in patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS). Design A systematic review of the relevant literature using the PubMed NLM database. Result(s) There are no randomized controlled trials evaluating the impact of HT on sperm retrieval or reproductive outcomes in men with KS. On average, surgical sperm retrieval rates in men with KS are around 51%, with a range of 28%–69%. Young patient age is the most consistent positive predictor of sperm retrieval. Lower retrieval rates have been reported in a small subset of KS adults who previously received exogenous T, although the nature, duration, and reason for such therapy in these patient subsets are unknown. Conclusion(s) Early HT is recommended in patients with KS, but its effect on fertility potential has not been definitively studied. Larger studies are needed to better answer this question. Cryopreservation of sperm-containing semen or testicular tissue from a significant proportion of affected adolescents is possible, even when containing very low numbers of spermatozoa, and should be considered to maximize future fertility potential.
Inertial Sensor Sample Rate Selection for Ride Quality Measures

AbstractThe road impact factor is a measure of ride quality. It is derived from the average inertial response of vehicles to road roughness. Unlike the international roughness index, the most common measure, the road impact factor does not rely on specialized instrumentation to measure spatial deviations from a flat profile. The most significant advantage of the road impact factor is that low-cost sensors distributed in smartphones and connected vehicles generate the measurements directly. Standardizing the sample rate of inertial sensors in vehicles will provide consistent measures at any speed. This study characterizes the impact of sample rate and traversal volume on measurement consistency, and conducts case studies to validate the theories developed for a recommended standard at 64 Hz.
Numerical simulation of the impact and deposition of charged particulate droplets

This work addresses the impact and deposition of charged ''cluster-droplets'', comprised of particulates, on electrified surfaces. A direct numerical method is developed, based on an implicit, staggered, time-stepping scheme which separates the impulsive and continuous forces between particles, in conjunction with an iterative solution method that automatically adapts the time-step sizes to control the rates of convergence within a time-step. This approach is used to investigate the post-impact structure of charged particulate cluster-droplets. Particulate cluster-droplet impact has wide-ranging application to areas such as inkjet printing, sprays, coatings, etc. A series of numerical examples are provided, where we investigate the effect of progressively increasing the electric field strength on the impacted substrate, leading to a more coherent cluster deposition. An analysis is also provided for the interaction of charged cluster-droplets with electromagnetic fields.
The noncommutative geometry of wire networks from triply periodic sufaces

We study wire networks that are the complements of triply periodic minimal surfaces. Here we consider the P, D, G surfaces which are exactly the cases in which the corresponding graphs are symmetric and self-dual. Our approach is using the Harper Hamiltonian in a constant magnetic field as set forth in [1–3]. We treat this system with the methods of noncommutative geometry and obtain a classification for all the C* geometries that appear.
Mechanism of Accelerated Assembly of β-Amyloid Filaments into Fibrils by KLVFFK6

Extracellular senile plaques are a central pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease. At the core of these plaques are fibrillar deposits of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ). In vitro, Aβ spontaneously assembles into amyloid fibrils of cross-β sheet structure. Although it was once believed that the fibrils themselves were toxic, more recent data supports the hypothesis that aggregation intermediates, rather than fully formed fibrils, are the most damaging to neuronal tissue. In previously published work, we identified several small peptides that interact with Aβ and increase its aggregation rate while decreasing its toxicity. In this work, we examined in detail the interaction between Aβ and one of these peptides. Using a mathematical model of Aβ aggregation kinetics, we show that the dominant effect of the peptide is to accelerate lateral association of Aβ filaments into fibrils.
The restoration of hemolysin-forming capacity in x-irradiated rabbits by tissue and yeast preparations.

or more days prior to the injection of antigen (review by W. H. and L. G. Taliaferro, 1951). W. H. and L. G. Taliaferro (1954) studied radiation dose response in rabbits receiving 1.25 ml of a 1% standardized suspension of sheep red cells 2 days after irradiation and found that the ED50 for hemolysin formation in rabbits was approximately 240 r and the ED95 was 400 r. Protection of the primary antibody response in animals exposed to radiation (> ED95) has been reported by several workers. Jacobson et al (1952) exposed spleenshielded rabbits to 800 r, splenectomized them 1 day later and the next day injected sheep red cells. Their results indicated that in these animals hemolysin formation was higher than in unshielded, irradiated controls. Wissler et al (1953) found that irradiated rats under similar conditions produced hemolysin when the red cells were injected intraperitoneally but not when they were injected intravenously. T. N. Harris et al (1954 and 1955) and S. and T. N.
Tablet PCs in engineering mathematics courses at the J.B. Speed School of Engineering

In fall 2007, J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville joined the ranks of universities requiring the purchase of Tablet PCs for all new entering students. This article presents a description of how the Department of Engineering Fundamentals incorporated Tablet PCs into their instruction, a review of the literature pertaining to the use of Tablet PCs for instruction and preliminary survey results from the students in engineering mathematics courses at the end of the first year, after students had been exposed to Tablet PCs for 1 year. Results show that a large majority of students in the Department of Engineering Fundamentals agree that presentation of engineering mathematics material using the Tablet PCs and DyKnow software is a vast improvement over overhead projector, blackboard, or PowerPoint lectures and course packs. However, students are split as to whether the Tablet PC is something they actually want to use for their own note-taking. Finally, a plan for assessment of tablet impact on student learning is presented.
Ventromedial medulla: pain modulation and beyond.

The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) and ventromedial medulla (VMM) are generally viewed as the core of an endogenous descending modulatory system. However, available data demonstrate that PAG and VMM do not specifically target nociceptive transmission and that activation of either structure affects numerous homeostatic physiological processes. Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a useful tracer that is retrogradely and transynaptically transported. PRV injections into homeostatic effector organs invariably label VMM neurons, both serotonergic and nonserotonergic. Studies in anesthetized rats have implicated two types of nonserotonergic VMM neurons in nociceptive modulation: ON cells are thought to facilitate nociception and OFF cells to inhibit nociception. Yet, in the unanesthetized animal, the discharge of VMM neurons changes in response to innocuous stimuli and during situations unrelated to nociception. In particular, VMM cells appear to modulate the timing of micturition, with ON cells promoting the initiation of voiding and OFF cells promoting urine storage. VMM cells also modulate sensory transmission. During both micturition and sleep, OFF cells discharge and sensory responsiveness is depressed. In sum, the VMM is hypothesized to modulate spinal sensory, autonomic, and motor circuits in order to maintain homeostasis. J. Comp. Neurol. 493:2–8, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Computer analysis of similarities between albums in popular music

Abstract Analysis of musical styles is a complex cognitive task normally performed by music fans and critics, and due to the multi-dimensional nature of music data can be considered a challenging task for computing machines. Here we propose an automatic quantitative method that can analyze similarities between the sound of popular music albums in an unsupervised fashion. The method works by first converting the music samples into two-dimensional spectrograms, and then extracting a large set of 2883 2D numerical content descriptors from the raw spectrograms as well as 2D transforms and compound transforms of the spectrograms. The similarity between each pair of samples is computed using a variation of the Weighted K-Nearest Neighbor scheme, and a phylogeny is then used to visualize the differences between the albums. Experimental results show that the method was able to automatically organize the albums of The Beatles by their chronological order, and also unsupervisely arranged albums of musicians such as U2, Queen, ABBA, and Tears for Fears in a fashion that is largely in agreement with their chronological order and musical styles.
Field-induced magnetic transition in a Cu-Mn spin-glass alloy

Abstract The time-independent magnetization of a Cu-Mn alloy (9 at% Mn) as an isothermal function of field is found to describe an S-shaped curve indicative of a field-induced transition. The critical field for the transition decreases to zero as the temperature is raised to that of the susceptibility cusp.
National trends in emergency department antibiotic prescribing for children with acute otitis media, 1996 2005.

Objectives Withholding antibiotics in nontoxic children with acute otitis media (AOM) is now recommended to reduce bacterial resistance rates. Using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), the authors describe the national trends for prescribing antibiotics in children with AOM presenting to emergency departments (EDs) in the United States over the past decade. The authors hypothesized that the rates of prescribing antibiotics would decline over time. Methods This was a retrospective study of NHAMCS databases. A national sampling of ED visits for 1996–2005 was used to identify trends in ED prescription of antibiotics to patients with AOM. The National Drug Code Directory Drug Classes were used to identify type of antibiotic prescribed. Frequency and type of antibiotic prescription patterns over time were evaluated. Results There were 2.6 million and 2.1 million ED visits for AOM during the first and last years of the study. Children ages 2–12 years accounted for about 40% of all ED visits for AOM, with another 40% in the younger than 2 years age group and 20% in the older than 12 years of age group. During the first and last year of the study, 79.2% and 91.3% of the patients with AOM were prescribed antibiotics, respectively. There was a slight increasing trend in the proportion prescribed antibiotics over time (p = 0.02). The rates of use of antibiotics for AOM were similar in all three age groups. Conclusions There was a slight increase in the percentage of children with AOM who were prescribed antibiotics in the ED between 1996 and 2005. There was also no change in the patterns of prescribing antibiotics.