cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-term outcome of hepatitis B virus-related glomerulonephritis after therapy with interferon alfa

Abstract Background & Aims: Glomerulonephritis is an uncommon complication of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in adults. A high percentage of patients seem to have short-term response to interferon therapy with improvement of proteinuria. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term response of patients with HBV-related glomerulonephritis to interferon alfa therapy. Methods: All patients with chronic hepatitis B and glomerulonephritis who were treated with interferon alfa at the National Institutes of Health between 1985 and 1993 were assessed. Results: Of the 15 patients treated, 8 (53%) had a long-term serological response with sustained loss of serum hepatitis B e antigen and HBV DNA. After 1–7 years of follow-up, all 8 responders have normal serum aminotransferase levels and 5 are hepatitis B surface antigen negative. Seven of the responders also showed a gradual but marked improvement in proteinuria. In contrast, the 7 nonresponders continued to have evidence of active renal disease and 1 required long-term dialysis therapy. All 8 responders had membranous glomerulonephritis, whereas 4 of 7 nonresponders had membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Conclusions: Interferon alfa therapy resulted in long-term remission in liver disease in 8 of 15 patients with chronic hepatitis B and glomerulonephritis. This response was accompanied by significant improvement in markers of renal disease in the majority of patients.
A standoff multimodal biometric system

Biometric authentication modalities such as face and iris recognition provide a minimally invasive means to uniquely identify individuals and verify identity. Most commercially available biometric systems perform authentication based on a single modality and/or only capture features from a short distance. Most existing standoff iris sensors capture at a lower frame rate, lower resolution, and wider field of view than our system. This work describes the design of a prototype standoff biometric sensor. The complete system is comprised of three sensors, their respective software control modules, and a command and control graphical user interface. Sensor 1 is a high resolution monochrome camera with telephoto zoom and video rate image acquisition. Co-aligned, collimated near infrared (NIR) light emitting diodes (LEDs) provide controlled illumination to facilitate the capture of face and iris images. Sensor 2 is a monochrome stereo camera that acquires low resolution frontal face images and scene depth information. Sensor 3 is dual spectrum camera that acquires pixel registered visible and NIR images at video rate. Ambient room light and NIR flood LEDs provide illumination for capturing profile face and gait images. Real-time analysis of the stereo camera output provides feedback for pan, tilt, zoom, and focus of the sensor platform. A Modularized software control system provides scalability and flexible management. Commodity hardware can be used to control all system components with the exception of sensor 1.
LXXII. On the absorption of short electric waves by air and water-vapour

The results show that for electric waves about 10 cm. long passing through air at pressures ranging from 76 cm. to ·001 cm. of mercury, arid through water-vapour at pressures ranging from 1·50 cm. ...
A Preliminary Safety Analysis of an Ultracapacitor Power Subsystem for a Prototype Alternative Fuel Vehicle

In today’s rapidly changing world, the need for safe, more fuel-efficient and environmental friendly vehicles is in high demand. Private and public sector proponents of alternative fuel vehicles have joined forces to create a university-based competition, Challenge-X, to safely increase fuel economy as well as reduce emissions. The safe performance of vehicle testing, maintenance and rescue tasks are integral to the competition. At West Virginia University, a mechanical engineering team is developing a vehicle powered by a 1.9-L direct injection turbodiesel engine using bio-diesel fuel. Energy storage in the vehicle is via 750 kJ ultracapacitors which power two 13 kW AC induction wheel hub motors. A system safety analysis performed by a WVU industrial engineering team focuses on the ultracapacitor portion of the system. Designsafe© software is used to systematically identify tasks, hazards, risks, and risk reduction measures. An emergency rescue plan and a procedure for emergency rescue for vehicles with this design is described. The emergency safety plan identifies ‘no cut’ areas or areas of the car that would be very dangerous to cut due to the high voltage. The risk reduction plan includes procedures for performing maintenance on the electrical system, including the ultracapacitor system.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Temporal coordination of the arms during bilateral simultaneous and sequential movements in patients with chronic hemiparesis

Upper extremity (UE) hemiparesis results in decreased movement speed and impaired coordination leading to functional limitations and disability. The effects of UE hemiparesis on bilateral functional reaching have not been studied even though most activities of daily living are bilateral tasks. We examined the characteristics of bilateral simultaneous (SIM-B) and bilateral sequential paretic-lead (SEQ-P) and nonparetic-lead (SEQ-NP) functional reaching tasks at preferred and fast speeds. Sixteen patients with chronic hemiparesis completed three bilateral reaching tasks as fast as possible. A subset of eight participants attempted to complete the tasks at both preferred and fastest possible speeds. Paretic (P) and nonparetic (NP) arms were not different from each other in movement time (MT) or peak velocity in the SIM-B condition. MT and peak velocity differed between the two arms during both SEQ tasks. P MT was shorter and NP MT longer in the SIM-B task compared to SEQ-P and SEQ-NP. The P arm MT was the shortest when moving with the NP arm in a simultaneous task compared to both P and NP lead sequential movements. Despite hemiparesis, the two arms demonstrate a temporal coupling when moving simultaneously. When attempting to move at fastest speed, P arm MT time is better when reaching before or with the NP arm than when reaching after the NP arm showing coupling to the NP limb and increased speed of movement. These coupling effects support the rationale for bilateral arm training for individuals with UE hemiparesis.
Frequency stabilization of multiple lasers and Rydberg atom spectroscopy

In this paper we report details of the apparatus and experimental techniques used to excite Rydberg states of 7Li using multiple diode lasers. Special attention is paid to frequency stabilization of the lasers and we show how three lasers can be stabilized using the fluorescence from a single atomic state. Laser spectroscopy of the 8p,9p, and 11p–15p states is then performed to determine the quantum defects of these states. Our measurement precision exceeds that of previous measurements of these defects by as much as a factor of 25. This work substantially extends our previous measurement of the 10p quantum defect, and we compare our measured defects with recent theoretical calculations for the np states across the range 8≤n≤15. The agreement with theory is excellent.
The bleeding time as a preoperative screening test

Abstract To examine the benefit of determination of the bleeding time as a preoperative screening test, the medical records of all patients who had a prolonged bleeding time during a six-month period were reviewed. At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where the bleeding time test is part of the presurgical panel, 1,941 bleeding time determinations were performed during six months. Prolonged bleeding times were recorded in 110 preoperative patients, of whom 83 (75 percent) had bleeding risk factors, including drug ingestion, thrombocytopenia, and azotemia. In these patients, the bleeding time ranged unpredictably from 10 to more than 20 minutes. However, of the 27 patients without apparent risk factors, only two had bleeding times of more than 20 minutes. This small number probably does not justify the routine use of the test In all preoperative patients. Rather, the test should be used selectively for those subjects who, on the basis of history or laboratory evidence, are suspected of being at risk of hemorrhage. Moreover, even In these patients, prolongation of the bleeding time may not always be associated with excessive surgical blood loss.
Internal sequence homology in E. coli isoleucyl- and valyl-tRNA synthetases.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases can be classified into four groups based on their subunit structure [l] . Five of the fifteen enzymes purified from E. coli consist of single polypeptide chains (a) with mol. wts around 100 000, approximately double the subunit mol. wt of synthetases composed of dimers (CQ) [2]. In view of the functional relationship among enzymes in this class it might not be unreasonable to expect that they could have evolved from a common ancestral gene. This notion was considered unlikely, however, because of the widely differing mol. wts among the protomers. Nevertheless we have recently found that leucyl-tRNA synthetase from E. coli had about half the number of lysine containing peptides expected on the basis of its mol. wt and amino acid composition. This finding was interpreted as suggestive evidence that leucyl-tRNA synthetase might have arisen via gene duplication and fusion [3]. In addition, Koch et al. [4] have demonstrated that internally repeated sequences occur in three aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from B. stearothemophilus. We have extended these studies to valyl- and isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases from E. coli and have found that they also appear to have internal sequence repetition based on observed yields of peptides isolated after digestion with trypsin and chymotrypsin.
ROCKET MEASUREMENTS OF MID-LATITUDE Sq CURRENTS.

Rubidium-vapor magnetometers were flown to altitudes near 150km over Wallops Island, Virginia in three Nike-Apache Rockets. One flight was made at a time when no ionospheric current was expected and none was encountered. The other two flights measured a current sheet with lower edge at 105m and upper edge at 123km, with the total current being in agreement with that expected from the ground observations.
Heroism versus competence: Competing explanations for the effects of experimenting and consistent management

Abstract B. M. Staw and J. Ross ( Journal of Applied Psychology , 1980 , 65, 249–260) present data which suggest that one barrier to experimenting management is an implicit theory of heroic leadership favoring managers who are consistent in the face of failure, The currant research tests this theory of heroism against an implicit theory of competent management. Subjects read a case study describing a manager who was either experimenting or consistent, and either immediately successful or successful only after initial failure (i.e., ultimately successful). The results supported the implicit theory of competent management with the consistent managers, whose first policies were effective, rated significantly higher than the ultimately successful-experimenting manager, whose first two policies failed. The immediately successful-experimenting manager was unexpectedly rated significantly higher than all other managers. The results show that there is not a general bias against experimentation in favor of consistency, and that reactions to managers are based more upon evidence of competence than upon experimenting and consistency per se.
Microtubule-associated adenylate cyclase

Abstract Twice-cycled bovine brain or rat brain microtubule protein contains an adenylate cyclase activity that passes 0.2 μm filters, is activated 2–7-fold by 30 μM forskolin, shows modest stimulation by fluoride (especially in the presence of added Al 3+ ), but is virtually insensitive to added guanine nucleotides. The activity is insensitive to various hormones or Ca 2+ /calmodulin. The adenylate cyclase is active with both Mg 2+ and Mn 2+ but activity is less in the presence of Mg 2+ than with Mn 2+ . The cyclase is inhibited by agonists of the adenosine P site. It is proposed that the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase and probably small quantities of the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein, N, are cycled along with microtubules.
Multihormonal Regulation of Milk Protein Gene Expression

Milk protein gene expression in mammary epithelial cells is regulated by the complex interplay of several peptide and steriod hormones at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels.’ Developmental processes that affect both cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions also play a critical role in the expression of these horrnonally regulated genes.* The overall objective of the studies to be described is to elucidate the mechanisms regulating the developmental and multihormonal control of milk protein gene expression. The general approach employed is first to define by DNA-mediated gene transfer cis-acting regulatory sequences required for the control of milk protein gene expression by stageand tissue-specific hormone-inducible transacting factors. Once both wild-type and “mutant” genes have been characterized it may then be possible to identify these specific regulatory molecules. The principal problems encountered in our laboratory are not the result of limitations of recombinant DNA technology, but rather those of cell biology; that is, cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions as well as cell shape are critical factors regulating milk protein gene expression. In contrast to most of the other systems involved in metabolic regulation discussed at this conference, the studies to be described from our laboratory will be concerned with the regulation of genes encoding proteins with nonenzymatic functions. Caseins, the principal milk proteins, are abundant dietary proteins important for the provision of essential amino acids and the transport of supersaturating concentrations of calcium and phosphate into milk. Therefore, there is a need for chronic regulation leading to a sustained high level of synthesis and secretion of these proteins, rather than an acute modulation of enzyme activity. In mammary epithelial cells this regulation is primarily posttranscriptional as a result of stabilization of the primary transcripts rather than by modulation of the rates of transcription. As with acutely regulated genes, such as the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene, there is no need for a strong promoter. Instead, a moderately active promoter generating extremely stable mRNAs leads to the accumulation of high levels of the milk protein mRNAs during lactation. The consequence of these effects is that 5’ flanking DNA sequences alone appear to be insufficient to elicit hormonal regulation.
LES Simulation of Aerodynamic Drag for Heavy Duty Trailer Trucks

This report starts with an overview of aerodynamic drag losses of heavy duty trucks. Preliminary computational results of the large eddy simulation (LES) on the drag coefficients versus the gap widths and that on various yaw angles are presented. Flows around the semi-truck models are visualized.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Quantitation of human papillomavirus 16 E6 and E7 DNA and RNA in residual material from ThinPrep Papanicolaou tests using real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis.

BACKGROUND The detection of specific human papillomavirus 16 (HPV-16) E6 and E7 oncogene transcripts may be a sensitive indicator of the direct involvement of viral oncogenes in the development of cervical neoplasia and carcinoma. The goal of this study was to determine the potential clinical uses of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) methods for evaluating HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncogene expression. METHODS ThinPrep cervical samples were tested for expression of oncogenes of HPV-16 by real-time PCR or RT-PCR analysis and were compared with detection of expression by conventional PCR and RT-PCR analysis. Both sets of results were correlated with the cytologic diagnosis of the cervical samples. RESULTS The presence of HPV-16 E6 and E7 DNA and RNA was observed only in HPV-16 positive cervical carcinoma cell lines but not in HPV-18 positive or HPV negative cell lines. The percentage positive for HPV-16 E6 or E7 DNA in a series of ThinPrep cervical cytologic samples (n = 348 samples) was 0% for negative samples (n = 45 samples), 9.7% for atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS; n = 144 samples), 16.9% for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL; n = 118 samples), and 51.2% for high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL; n = 41 samples). The copy numbers per nanogram for both DNA and RNA E6 and E7 were increased significantly as severity of the lesions progressed from ASCUS to HSIL, and RNA copy numbers were a more sensitive indicator of HPV-16 E6 and E7 expression than DNA copy numbers. The increase in copy numbers took place in a stepwise fashion from ASCUS, to LSIL, to HSIL. CONCLUSIONS The detection of HPV-16 E6 and E7 expression by real-time RT-PCR or PCR analysis in ThinPrep cervical cytologic specimens may serve as a quick, reliable, and sensitive tool to identify a subset of patients who express HPV-16 oncoproteins. Cancer 2002;94:2199–210. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10439
Trends in optical CDMA

Recent work in optical code division multiple access (CDMA) is reviewed, progressing from incoherent to coherent techniques. It is shown that under appropriate conditions, coherent CDMA can in principle rival wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) in terms of aggregate network throughput. Furthermore, it is shown that at high data rates, some of the components for WDM and coherent CDMA networks are nearly identical, indicating a similarity between the two approaches. CDMA retains a coding aspect which may prove attractive in security applications.
Chronic Allograft Failure: The Clinical Problem

Long-term survival statistics for organ allografts have not improved substantially over time, despite improved immunosuppression and organ preservation and better surgical and perioperative management. Chronic rejection is the most important long-term limitation in allografts and increasingly seems to be caused by a multifactorial series of antigen-dependent and antigen-independent factors. Early injury is critical to late events, whether antigen driven (early acute rejection episodes and human leukocyte antigen mismatching) or antigen independent (ischemia/reperfusion injury and brain death). Ongoing alloimmunologic injury to the host and inadequate organ mass functioning (donor age, gender, race, and organ size) also seem to be important to this persisting process. Associated recipient conditions, which includes hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and postoperative complications, which include drug nephrotoxicity and infections, may affect this late-phase graft loss. These deleterious risk factors for chronic rejection of long-functioning allografts are an important subject for future investigation.
Is there a role for tetrathiomolybdate in the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis

I n this issue of Translational Research, Askari et al 1 provide the results of a double-blinded, randomized, clinical trial for the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) with tetrathiomolybdate (TM). A total of 28 patients were randomized to either ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and TM or to UDCA and placebo, and these patients were followed for a median of 14 months. PBC is a chronic cholestatic liver disease that predominantly involves middle-aged women; it is characterized by portal inflammation and loss of the epithelial cells in the small and middle-sized bile ducts, which occur at different rates and with varying degrees of severity in different patients. If untreated, PBC is a slowly progressive disease that causes substantial loss of intrahepatic bile ducts and ultimately results in advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. As such,
Bradykinin Promotes the Chemotactic Invasion of Primary Brain Tumors

Primary brain tumors, gliomas, diffusely invade the brain by active cell migration either intraparenchymal, along white matter tracts or along blood vessels. The close relationship of glioma with the vasculature assures a continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients essential for cell growth, and exposes cells to a variety growth factors, chemokines, cytokines, and kinins. Signals that attract glioma cells to blood vessels are poorly understood. It has been shown that vascular endothelial cells can initiate the bradykinin (BK) signaling cascade and two bradykinin receptors, B1 and B2, have been identified and cloned. In this study we show that glioma cells isolated from patient biopsies express bradykinin 2 receptors (B2R) whose activation causes intracellular Ca2+ oscillations. Through time-lapse video-microscopy experiments we show that BK significantly enhances glioma cell migration/invasion. We further show that BK acts as a chemoattractant guiding glioma cells toward blood vessels in acute rat brain slices. The number of cells associated with blood vessels is decreased when B2R are either pharmacologically inhibited or B2R eliminated through short-hairpin RNA knockdown. These data strongly suggest that bradykinin, acting via B2R, acts as an important signal directing the invasion of glioma cells toward blood vessels. A clinically approved B2R antagonist is available that could be used as anti-invasive drug in glioma patients in the future.
Evaluation of virus isolation, one-step real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay, and two rapid influenza diagnostic tests for detecting canine Influenza A virus H3N8 shedding in dogs:

Sustained transmission of canine Influenza A virus (CIV) H3N8 among U.S. dogs underscores the threat influenza continues to pose to canine health. Because rapid and accurate detection of infection is critical to the diagnosis and control of CIV, the 2 main objectives of the current study were to estimate and compare the sensitivities of CIV testing methods on canine swab samples and to evaluate the performance of Flu Detect™ (Synbiotics Corp., Kansas City, MO) for detecting CIV nasal shedding in high-risk shelter dogs. To address the first objective, nasal and pharyngeal swab samples were collected from 124 shelter and household dogs seen by Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital clinicians for canine infectious respiratory disease between April 2006 and March 2007 and tested for CIV shedding using virus isolation, the rapid influenza diagnostic test Directigen Flu A+B™ (BD Diagnostic Systems, Sparks, MD), and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For the second objective, 1,372 dogs with unknown respiratory health status were sampled from 6 U.S. shelters from December 2009 to November 2010. Samples were tested for presence of CIV using real-time RT-PCR and Flu Detect. Using a stochastic latent class modeling approach, the median sensitivities of virus isolation, rapid influenza diagnostic test, and real-time RT-PCR were 72%, 65%, and 95%, respectively. The Flu Detect test performed poorly for detecting CIV nasal shedding compared to real-time RT-PCR. In conclusion, the real-time RT-PCR has the highest sensitivity for detecting virus nasal shedding and can be used as a rapid diagnostic test for CIV.
Marine Toxins Targeting Ion Channels

This introductory minireview points out the importance of ion channels for cell communication. The basic concepts on the structure and function of ion channels triggered by membrane voltage changes, the so-called voltage-gated ion channels (VGICs), as well as those activated by neurotransmitters, the so-called ligand-gated ion channel (LGICs), are introduced. Among the most important VGIC superfamiles, we can name the voltage-gated Na+ (NaV), Ca2+ (CaV), and K+ (KV) channels. Among the most important LGIC super families, we can include the Cys-loop or nicotinicoid, the glutamate-activated (GluR), and the ATP-activated (P2XnR) receptor superfamilies. Ion channels are transmembrane proteins that allow the passage of different ions in a specific or unspecific manner. For instance, the activation of NaV, CaV, or KV channels opens a pore that is specific for Na+, Ca2+, or K+, respectively. On the other hand, the activation of certain LGICs such as nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, GluRs, and P2XnRs allows the passage of cations (e.g., Na+, K+, and/or Ca2+), whereas the activation of other LGICs such as type A γ-butyric acid and glycine receptors allows the passage of anions (e.g., Cl− and/or HCO3−). In this regard, the activation of NaV and CaV as well as ligand-gated cation channels produce membrane depolarization, which finally leads to stimulatory effects in the cell, whereas the activation of KV as well as ligand-gated anion channels induce membrane hyperpolarization that finally leads to inhibitory effects in the cell. The importance of these ion channel superfamilies is emphasized by considering their physiological functions throughout the body as well as their pathophysiological implicance in several neuronal diseases. In this regard, natural molecules, and especially marine toxins, can be potentially used as modulators (e.g., inhibitors or prolongers) of ion channel functions to treat or to alleviate a specific ion channel-linked disease (e.g., channelopaties).
Yield Aware Inter-logic-layer Communication in 3-D ICs: Early Design Stage Recommendations

D ICs provide more logic space by introducing a multiple tier structure. Through silicon vias (TSVs) are utilized for signal propagation between multiple tiers. However, TSVs are vulnerable to fracture, which leads to lower yield. This paper analyzes different yield aware TSV redundancy techniques from a hardware overhead and effective redundancy perspective. A set of mathematical relationships is derived to obtain a first-order approximation of effective redundancy and hardware design overhead. One of the results indicates that for 250 inter-tier TSV signals, the hardware overhead for 3x3 router based redundancy technique is about 3 times more than 1:4 TSV redundancy technique, while providing 5 times more effective redundancy per cell. Such results provide an early design stage estimate for the ASIC designer. We applied our proposed technique to clock domain crossing (CDC) interfaces. Keywords—TSV; 3-D IC; CDC I. INTRODUCTION
REI-Equivalent Based Decomposition Method for Multi-Area TTC Computation

This paper presents an REI-equivalent based decomposition method to solve total transfer capability (TTC) computation in multi-area power systems. Each area makes use of REI-type network equivalents of the other areas in building its TTC computation model and then computes the entire system TTC result, while the central coordinator and other areas do not know the detailed operating information about this area. The developed procedure is successfully applied to calculate the TTC for the IEEE 118 bus test system. Comparative numerical results obtained by using the integrated and the multi-area procedure are presented to validate the proposed method
Convergence of Limbic input to the cingulate motor cortex in the rhesus monkey

Limbic system influences on motor behavior seem widespread, and could range from the initiation of action to the motivational pace of motor output. Motor abnormalities are also a common feature of psychiatric illness. Several subcortical limbic-motor entry points have been defined in recent years, but cortical entry points are understood poorly, despite the fact that a part of the limbic lobe, the cingulate motor cortex (area 24c or M3, and area 23c or M4), contributes axons to the corticospinal pathway. Using retrograde and anterograde tracers in rhesus monkeys, we investigated the ipsilateral limbic input to area 24c and adjacent area 23c. Limbic cortical input to areas 24c and 23c arise from cingulate areas 24a, 24b, 23a, 23b, and 32, retrosplenial areas 30 and 29, and temporal areas 35, TF and TH. Areas 24c and 23c were also interconnected strongly. The dysgranular part of the orbitofrontal cortex and insula projects primarily to area 24c while the granular part of the orbitofrontal cortex and insula projects primarily to area 23c. Afferents from cingulate area 25, the retrocalcarine cortex, temporal pole, entorhinal cortex, parasubiculum, and the medial part of area TH target primarily or only area 24c. Our findings indicate that a variety of telencephalic limbic afferents converge on cortex lining the lower bank and fundus of the anterior part of the cingulate sulcus. Because it is known that this cortex gives rise to axons ending in the spinal cord, facial nucleus, pontine gray, red nucleus, putamen, and primary and supplementary motor cortices, we suggest that the cingulate motor cortex forms a strategic cortical entry point for limbic influence on the voluntary motor system.
The role of boundary conditions in solving finite-energy, two-body, bound-state Bethe-Salpeter equations

The difficulties that typically prevent numerical solutions from being obtained to finite-energy, two-body, bound-state Bethe-Salpeter equations can often be overcome by expanding solutions in terms of basis functions that obey the boundary conditions. The method discussed here for solving the Bethe-Salpeter equation requires only that the equation can be Wick rotated and that the two angular variables associated with rotations in three-dimensional space can be separated, properties that are possessed by many Bethe-Salpeter equations including all two-body, bound-state Bethe-Salpeter equations in the ladder approximation. The efficacy of the method is demonstrated by calculating finite-energy solutions to the partially-separated Bethe-Salpeter equation describing the Wick-Cutkosky model when the constituents do not have equal masses.
Developing forebrain astrocytes are sensitive to thyroid hormone

Previous studies have shown that developing neurons of the basal forebrain and hippocampus are sensitive to thyroid hormone (Gould and Butcher: J. Neurosci., 9:3347-3358, 1989; Rami et al: Neuroscience, 19:1217-1226, 1986). In order to determine whether or not thyroid hormone influences the development of astrocytes in brain regions where neurons are affected, we performed vimentin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunocytochemical and single-section Golgi-impregnation analyses on the basal forebrain and hippocampus of control and neonatally thyroid hormone treated rats. For purposes of comparison, glial cells of the pontomesencephalotegmental (PMT) region, a region where developing neurons are not morphologically affected by thyroid hormone imbalances (Gould and Butcher, op. cit.), were also examined. Neonatal thyroid hormone treatment resulted in a premature disappearance of vimentin-immunoreactive radial glia in the basal forebrain and hippocampus. In addition, a premature appearance of GFAP-immunoreactive astrocytes with mature morphological characteristics was observed in the basal forebrain and hippocampus of thyroid hormone treated animals. Quantitative analyses revealed significant increases in the density of GFAP-immunostained astrocytes and in the cross-sectional cell body area and the number of primary processes in Golgi-impregnated astrocytes of the basal forebrain and hippocampus of animals treated neonatally with thyroid hormone. In contrast, no changes in any of these parameters were observed in glial cells of the PMT region with neonatal thyroid hormone treatment.
When Gay People Get Married: What Happens When Societies Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

Acknowledgments 1 Introduction: A Different Perspective 2 Why Marry? The Value of Marriage 3 Forsaking All Other Options 4 The Impact of Gay Marriage on Heterosexuals 5 Something Borrowed: Trying Marriage On 6 Something New: Will Marriage Change Gay People? 7 Marriage Dissent in the Gay Community 8 Strange Bedfellows: Assessing Alternatives to Marriage 9 The Pace of Change: Are We Moving Too Fast? 10 Conclusion: Marriage Under Renovation? Appendix 1: Constructing Measures and Making Comparisons Appendix 2: Methods Involved in the Dutch Couples Study Notes Index About the Author
QUASI-POISSON VS. NEGATIVE BINOMIAL REGRESSION: HOW SHOULD WE MODEL OVERDISPERSED COUNT DATA?

Quasi-Poisson and negative binomial regression models have equal numbers of parameters, and either could be used for overdispersed count data. While they often give similar results, there can be striking differences in estimating the effects of covariates. We explain when and why such differences occur. The variance of a quasi-Poisson model is a linear function of the mean while the variance of a negative binomial model is a quadratic function of the mean. These variance relationships affect the weights in the iteratively weighted least-squares algorithm of fitting models to data. Because the variance is a function of the mean, large and small counts get weighted differently in quasi-Poisson and negative binomial regression. We provide an example using harbor seal counts from aerial surveys. These counts are affected by date, time of day, and time relative to low tide. We present results on a data set that showed a dramatic difference on estimating abundance of harbor seals when using quasi-Poisson vs. negative binomial regression. This difference is described and explained in light of the different weighting used in each regression method. A general understanding of weighting can help ecologists choose between these two methods.
Online SNR detection for dynamic power management in wireless ad-hoc networks

Power consumption is a critical factor that determines the lifetime of a wireless network node. Substantial portion of the power is consumed by the transceiver in the transmit phase. This paper presents a new SNR detection technique for dynamic power management of ad-hoc wireless network nodes. The technique is based on the spectral analysis together with a predetermined spectral mask of the received signal. The peak power of the transmitting party can be adjusted according to the SNR information computed at the receiving end. In this way, each wireless network node transmits at the minimum power level avoiding dropped packages. Measurements on sensor network nodes, we have determined 50% potential savings in the average power consumption of the overall node. Experiments on a small network show that the power management scheme provides 65% power savings.
Factors Affecting Technology Integration in K-12 Classrooms: A Path Model.

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of teachers’ individual characteristics and perceptions of environmental factors that influence their technology integration in the classroom. A research-based path model was developed to explain causal relationships between these factors and was tested based on data gathered from 1,382 Tennessee public school teachers. The results provided significant evidence that the developed model is useful in explaining factors affecting technology integration and the relationships between the factors.
The Course Perceptions Questionnaire: Development and Some Pilot Research Findings

This study describes the development of a questionnaire for measuring instruction and studying the interaction between instruction and learning. Instruments such as the Course Perceptions Questionnaire (cpq) can help identify how different instructional methods affect what and how students learn and thus should help determine whether there is a single best method of instruction that results in the most learning by all students. Also, instruments like the cpq can provide instructors with information on how their instruction is perceived by students (and, more generally, whether the methods instructors believe they are using are, in fact, the methods they are using) and how students respond to their instruction.
Minimal solutions to transfer matrix equations

It is shown that the problem of finding a solution T(\lambda) , of least McMillan degree, to the transfer matrix equation T_{1}(\lambda) = T_{2}(\lambda)T(\lambda) is in essence equivalent to the problem of finding an ( A,B )-invariant subspace of least dimension which contains a given subspace.
An Eocene wrasse (Perciformes; Labridae) from Seymour Island

A nearly complete lower pharyngeal tooth-plate from a large (over 60 cm long) fossil wrasse (Perciformes: Labridae) was recently recovered from the middle to late Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. This find increases the number of teleosts from the Eocene of Antarctica to five taxa, and further illustrates the diversity of the ichthyofauna in the Eocene Weddellian Sea prior to wide-scale climatic change in the Southern Ocean. The fossil wrasse represents the first occurrence of this family in Antarctica, and is one of the oldest fossils of this family from the Southern Hemisphere. Wrasses are not found in Antarctic waters today, and probably became extinct during the Oligocene due to a combination of climatic change, loss of shallow-water habitat, and changes in the trophic structure of the Wedell Sea.
The Complex Metabolic Mechanisms Relating Obesity to Hypertriglyceridemia

The importance of hypertriglyceridemia as a cardiovascular disease risk factor continues to be a controversial topic,1 and patients with obesity frequently exhibit hypertriglyceridemia. In the Framingham Heart Study, the incidence of coronary heart disease was significantly greater with than without insulin resistance at either the lowest plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values or the highest triglyceride values.2 The mechanism of hypertriglyceridemia in the setting of obesity has been linked to insulin resistance, wherein an increased flux of adipose tissue–derived free fatty acids (FFAs) gives rise to increased rates of hepatic triglyceride synthesis and secretion of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides (Figure).3,4 A recent report has also related increased FFA flux to the secretion of apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII)-containing VLDL.4 Moreover, there is additional evidence that the hyperinsulinemia that ensues in the setting of insulin resistance is associated with increases in intrahepatic gene expression of genes of triglyceride biosynthesis, eg, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1C.5 In the presence of increased intrahepatic triglycerides, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or hypertriglyceridemia often occur, yet not all patients with obesity are insulin resistant. Figure. Insulin resistance is associated with an expanded adipose tissue mass. In this setting, many of the metabolic effects of insulin are reduced, including increases in basal lipolysis and less suppression of lipolysis by feeding and insulin. In addition, there is a reduction in the intrahepatic effects of insulin action that relate to apolipoprotein metabolism. Under physiological conditions, insulin suppresses apolipoprotein C-III (apo C-III) gene transcription and increases apolipoprotein B-100 (apo B-100) degradation, whereas in insulin-resistant states, both effects of insulin are reduced. …
A novel CMOS VLSI isolation technology using selective chlorine implantation

An isolation technology that uses blanket boron and selective chlorine n-well implantation prior to field oxidation is proposed. Chlorine implantation results in an increase in the thermal-oxidation linear-reaction-rate coefficient by a factor of 11.5, which enhances the segregation of dopant atoms in the n-well field region. Due to the redistribution of dopant atoms in the n-well field region, the field threshold voltage magnitude may be increased by as much as 20 V when chlorine implantation is used. >
Efficient sorting of genomic permutations by translocation, inversion and block interchange

Motivation: Finding genomic distance based on gene order is a classic problem in genome rearrangements. Efficient exact algorithms for genomic distances based on inversions and/or translocations have been found but are complicated by special cases, rare in simulations and empirical data. We seek a universal operation underlying a more inclusive set of evolutionary operations and yielding a tractable genomic distance with simple mathematical form. Results: We study a universal double-cut-and-join operation that accounts for inversions, translocations, fissions and fusions, but also produces circular intermediates which can be reabsorbed. The genomic distance, computable in linear time, is given by the number of breakpoints minus the number of cycles (b-c) in the comparison graph of the two genomes; the number of hurdles does not enter into it. Without changing the formula, we can replace generation and re-absorption of a circular intermediate by a generalized transposition, equivalent to a block interchange, with weight two. Our simple algorithm converts one multi-linear chromosome genome to another in the minimum distance. Contact: syancopo@nshs.edu
Development of high frequency SPICE models for ferrite core inductors and transformers

High-frequency SPICE models were developed to simulate the hysteresis and saturation effects of toroidal-ferrite-core inductors and transformers. The models include the nonlinear, multivalued B-H characteristic of the core material, leakage flux, stray capacitances, and core losses. The saturation effects were modeled using two-diode clamping arrangements in conjunction with nonlinear sources. Two possible controlling schemes were developed for the saturation switch. One of the arrangements used the current flowing through a series RC branch to control the switch, and the other used a NAND gate. The NAND-gate implementation of the switch proved to be simpler, and the parameters associated with it were easier to determine from the measurements and the B-H characteristics of the material. Lumped parameters were used to simulate the parasitic effects. Techniques for measuring these parasitics are described. The models were verified using manganese-zinc-ferrite-type toroidal cores, and they have general applicability to all circuit analysis codes provided that they contain nonlinear sources or equivalent function blocks such as multipliers, adders, and logic components. >
Aeroacoustic Characterization of the NASA Ames Experimental Aero-Physics Branch 32- by 48-Inch Subsonic Wind Tunnel with a 24-Element Phased Microphone Array

The Aero-Physics Branch at NASA Ames Research Center utilizes a 32- by 48-inch subsonic wind tunnel for aerodynamics research. The feasibility of acquiring acoustic measurements with a phased microphone array was recently explored. Acoustic characterization of the wind tunnel was carried out with a floor-mounted 24-element array and two ceiling-mounted speakers. The minimum speaker level for accurate level measurement was evaluated for various tunnel speeds up to a Mach number of 0.15 and multiple streamwise speaker locations. A variety of post-processing procedures, including conventional beamforming and deconvolutional processing such as TIDY, were used. The speaker measurements, with and without flow, were used to compare actual versus simulated in-flow speaker calibrations. Data for wind-off speaker sound and wind-on tunnel background noise were found valuable for predicting sound levels for which the speakers were detectable when the wind was on. Speaker sources were detectable 2 – 10 dB below the peak background noise level with conventional data processing. The effectiveness of background noise cross-spectral matrix subtraction was assessed and found to improve the detectability of test sound sources by approximately 10 dB over a wide frequency range.
The Crisis of Collage Disability, Queerness, and Chrononormativity

This performative essay is a collage of personal narratives of family woven together with theories of queer temporalities and crip theory. I juxtapose bits and pieces of performance scripts, papers from graduate seminars, attempts/experiments in performative writing, and other autoethnographic accounts of my families, to explore crises of meanings. My aim is to provide a space for possibilities, for new understandings of time, inheritance, (re)production, family interactions, and privilege. I use chrononormativity, the process of naturalizing dominant notions of time for maximum “productivity,” as a strategic framework to explore intersections of disability and queerness.
Quiet Odyssey: A Pioneer Korean Woman in America

Mary Paik Lee, born Paik Kuang Sun in 1900, left her native country in 1905, traveling with her parents as a political refugee after Japan imposed control over Korea at the close of the Russo-Japanese War. Her father labored in the sugar plantations of Hawaii for a year and a half before taking his family to California, where Mrs. Lee has lived ever since. Though her father knew the comforts enjoyed by the educated traditional elite in Korea, after emigration he and his family shared the poverty stricken existence endured by thousands of Asian immigrants in early twentieth century America. Mrs. Lee's parents earned their living as farm laborers, tenant farmers, cooks, and janitors, and the family always took in laundry. Her father tried mercury mining until his health gave out. In their turn, Mrs. Lee and her husband farmed, sold produce, and managed apartment buildings. The author is engagingly outspoken and is extremely observant of her social and natural surroundings. Recounted incidents take on memorable life, as do the sharply etched settings of California's agricultural and mining country. She tells of singular hardship surmounted with resilience and characteristic grace. During much of her life Asian Americans were not treated as full human beings, yet she kept a powerful vision of what the United States could be.
Depression of early and late monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in hippocampal CA1 neurons following prolonged benzodiazepine administration: role of a reduction in Cl- driving force.

GABAergic synaptic responses were studied by direct, monosynaptic activation of GABAergic interneurons in the CA1 region of in vitro hippocampal slices from rats made tolerant to the benzodiazepine, flurazepam. Monosynaptic IPSPs were elicited in CA1 pyramidal neurons, following 1 week oral flurazepam administration, by electrical stimulation at the stratum oriens/stratum pyramidale or stratum radiatum/ stratum-lacanosum border # 0.5 mm from the recording electrode plane. Excitatory input to pyramidal cells and interneurons was eliminated by prior superfusion of the glutamate receptor antagonists, APV (50 µM) and DNQX (10 µM). GABAA receptor- mediated early IPSPs were further isolated by perfusion of the GABAB antagonist, CGP 35348 (25 µM) or by diffusion of Cs 1 from the recording electrode. GABAB receptor- mediated late IPSPs were pharmacologically isolated by perfusion of the GABAA antagonist, picrotoxin (50 µM). There was a significant decrease in the amplitude of pharmacologically isolated early and late IPSPs in FZP-treated neurons without a change in passive membrane properties. A shift of the early IPSP, but not the late IPSP, reversal potential in FZP-treated neurons suggested that a change in the driving force for anions, presumably Cl 2 , in CA1 neurons was one important factor related to the decreased early IPSP amplitude after prolonged activation of GABAA receptors by flurazepam. A decreased early IPSP amplitude accompanied by a decreased late IPSP amplitude suggested that presynaptic GABA release onto FZP-treated pyramidal cells may also be reduced. We conclude from these data that an impairment of GABAergic transmission in CA1 pyramidal neurons associated with the development of tolerance during chronic benzodiazepine treatment may be related to the regulation of both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms at the GABA synapse. Synapse 25:125-136, 1997. r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.