cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ramsay Curve IRT for Likert-Type Data

Ramsay curve item response theory (RC-IRT) was recently developed to detect and correct for nonnormal latent variables when unidimensional IRT models are fitted to data using maximum marginal likelihood estimation. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the performance of RC-IRT for Likert-type item responses with varying test lengths, sample sizes, and latent variable distributions. Also, RC-IRT is compared to a related procedure implemented in the PARSCALE program. Results indicated that for nonnormal latent variables, item parameters and scores from RC-IRT can be more accurate than those obtained from the normal model, as long as there is enough information in the data (i.e., enough items and people). The procedure in PARSCALE tended to give better answers than the normal model but was generally not as accurate as RC-IRT.
Forces on a Sphere in the Presence of Static and Dynamic Roughness Elements

Though the effect of distributed roughness on flow over a sphere has been examined in detail, there have been few observations as to the effect of an isolated roughness element on the forces induced on a sphere that is in uniform flow. In this experimental study, we examine how the forces are altered due to both a stationary and dynamic three-dimensional roughness element in the Reynolds number range of 5 x 104 to 5 x 105. It is found that even a small change to the geometry of the sphere, by adding a cylindrical roughness element with a width and height of 1% the sphere diameter, dramatically alters the drag and lateral forces over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. Of particular interest is that the mean of the lateral force magnitude can be increased by a factor of about seven, compared with a stationary stud, by moving the isolated roughness at a constant angular velocity about the sphere. These results can be applied to tripping a laminar boundary layer, steering a bluff body, and increasing the mixing of two fluids, using a minimal amount of energy input. This research is a first step towards understanding the interaction between time dependent surface motion and the subsequent alteration of the location of the boundary layer separation line and wake development.
Pediatric Sedation: Using Secondary Data to Describe Registered Nurse Practice in Radiology

Children, often require sedation for procedures due to their developmental level and difficulty complying with positioning. There are few studies that describe nurse sedation practices or adverse events. Studies of pediatric sedation care have small sample sizes that are inadequate to detect adverse events. This study reports practices and outcomes of sedation delivered to children from infancy up to 14 years of age, that were monitored only by registered nurses (RNs) during diagnostic radiology procedures drawn from a sample of 12,584 cases from the Pediatric Sedation Research Consortium (PSRC) database. There were 727 adverse events (5.78%). However, no deaths, cardiac arrests, intubations or aspirations were reported in this sample. The most common adverse event was inadequate sedation/agitation/delirium 196 (155.8/10,000) and desaturation below baseline for greater than 30 seconds 173 (138/10,000). Further research comparing sedation practices and outcomes by type of providers, including nurses, are necessary to improve practice.
Tax competition, tax exporting and higher-government choice of tax instruments for local governments

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical model with tax exporting due to external ownership of a fraction θ of the land in each local jurisdiction. There are n local jurisdictions in a metropolitan area ( n ≥1) and many metropolitan areas in a world economy. The paper examines the usage of business property taxes and source-based wage taxes by local jurisdictions, first in the presence of and then in the absence of residence-based lump-sum taxes, and how this depends on θ and n . The paper then examines the choice of a world, national or state government as to whether to allow local (metropolitan or sub-metropolitan) governments to use business property taxes, wage taxes or both, assuming that the local governments choose the actual tax rates.
Exploring male spatial placement strategies in a biologically plausible mating task

The strategies employed by animals to choose mates can have significant consequences for individual fitness and also profoundly influence evolutionary processes. Female choice of mates has been a research focus, but males can also influence outcomes in many situations. We have developed an agent-based model to explore how internal and external variables may interact in treefrogs to alter the mating task and the ultimate quality of mates that both males and females find. In this paper, we investigate specifically strategies males may use to place themselves in the landscape and the effectiveness of those strategies in attracting females. Our simulated swamp environment contained stationary calling male treefrog agents, wandering male agents (searching for territories near other males), and female treefrog agents (searching for calling male mates). Wanderers and females used one of two possible search strategies to find males to mate with or settle by: a closest-above-a-minimum-threshold (min-threshold) strategy or a best-of-closest-S (best-of-n) strategy. We found that the mean quality of mated pairs is highest when both males and females use the best-of-n strategy, despite using it for different purposes. When the initial proportion of wanderers in the population is high, females see significant benefits in male mate quality when they are using the min-threshold strategy, compared to when the proportion is low. As well, the number of agents that mate at all falls sharply when male agents are using the min-threshold strategy with many initial wanderers. Thus, we find a complex interaction between individual internal variables (strategy choice) and external variables (behavior of conspecifics) that can lead to exciting new empirical studies on treefrogs in nature.
The Association between Perceived Spirituality, Religiosity, and Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Self-Rated Health.

This study examined the mediating role of self-perceived health between perceived spirituality, religiosity, and life satisfaction among a stratified, random sample of college students, while controlling for gender. Although both models displayed excellent fit criteria, the perceived spirituality and life satisfaction model was fully mediated by self-perceived health χ2 (n=459, 4) = 1.64, p=0.80, CFI =0.99, TLI=0.99), and the perceived religiosity and life satisfaction model was partially mediated by self-perceived health χ2 (n=459, 10) = 22.29, p=0.01 CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99). Both models were equal for men and women. Students who describe themselves as spiritual (or religious) are likely to report greater self-perceived health and greater self-perceived health likely influences life satisfaction for both men and women. Results preliminarily support the contention that life satisfaction is related to differing reported health status, whether physical or mental, and that life satisfaction may be influenced by religiosity and spirituality engagement. Implications for colleges and universities are discussed.
Performance of high‐resolution monitors for digital chest imaging

High‐resolution cathode‐ray tubes (CRT’s) are currently the most viable soft‐copy display for digital radiography. We present here methods for measuring large‐area contrast ratio and detail contrast ratio. A two‐dimensional charge coupled device (ccd) array signal‐averaged with a video frame buffer permits linear microradiometric measure of individual beam lines. Results from three different 1000‐line monitors demonstrate the shift variance of resolution. The detail contrast ratio (or modulation depth) was found to vary from 100% to <10% across the face of one CRT. Dynamic focus in both the horizontal and vertical deflection circuitry proved effective in reducing this shift variance. Comparisons of three phosphors demonstrate the utility of long persistence phosphors (P164) for static display in producing brighter images with less flicker. Recommendations for CRT design and selection for high‐resolution digital radiography are included.
ADENOSINE 3′,5′‐CYCLIC MONOPHOSPHATE IN NORMAL PORCINE MUSCLES

As part of a study to define the etiology of pale, soft and exudative pork and porcine stress syndrome, some properties of cyclic AMP, a compound which mediates the action of epinephrine, were studied. Results show that cyclic AMP is uniformly distributed in hog skeletal muscles both within and between muscles and is unstable at 2° but stable at - 20°C and below. Under the conditions of the experiments, no simple relationship is obvious between rate of glycogen breakdown and concentration of cyclic AMP.
The effects of changes in hearing status in cochlear implant users on the acoustic vowel space and CV coarticulation.

In order to examine the role of hearing status in controlling coarticulation, eight English vowels in /bVt/ and /dVt/ syllables, embedded in a carrier phrase, were elicited from 7 postlingually dea...
Anionic polymerization of arylbismuth, lead and tin derivatives of styrene and α‐methylstyrene

Styryl- and α-methylstyryldiphenylbismuth (I and II, respectively), and styryl and α-methylstyryltriphenyllead and the two corresponding tin-containing monomers (III, IV, V and VI, respectively) were synthesized. Compounds III through VI were obtained pure, but I and II contain substantial quantities of Ph3Bi and di- and tri-vinyl derivatives. Homopolymers of I, III and V, as well as copolymers with methyl acrylate were synthesized radically. Monomers III, V, and VI yielded narrow MWD polymers with anionic initiators such as the potassium salt of the α-methylstyrene dimer carbanion in THF at −80°C, while I gave a broad, bimodal MWD. Monomers II and IV did not polymerize under these conditions due to side reactions with the initiator. Glass transition temperatures, thermal stabilities and radiopacities of a number of the polymers were determined.
Molecular simulations of sound wave propagation in simple gases

Molecular simulations of sound waves propagating in a dilute hard sphere gas have been performed using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. A wide range of frequencies is investigated, including very high frequencies for which the period is much shorter than the mean collision time. The simulation results are compared to experimental data and approximate solutions of the Boltzmann equation. It is shown that free molecular flow is important at distances smaller than one mean free path from the excitation point.
Relationship between feeding, mating, vitellogenin production and vitellogenesis in the tick Dermacentor variabilis

Anti-vitellin IgG directed against Dermacentor variabilis egg vitellin was used in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide (SDS-PAGE) gradient gel immunoblots to detect the presence of vitellin and its precursor, vitellogenin, in the organs of feeding adults and in the immature stages of this tick. Vitellin polypeptides were found in the egg, larvae, nymph, and in the unfed adult stages of both sexes. Vitellin polypeptides were first detected in the ovary of mated females during the rapid-engorgement feeding period. These polypeptides were also present in the ovaries of ovipositing females, unmated females fed for extended periods, and fed unmated females that were detached from the host and held for 12 h before dissection. The same anti-vitellin antibody was used in immunoblots to monitor the appearance of vitellogenin in the organs and hemolymph of female ticks. Immunoreactive peptides of vitellogenin were found in the fat body, midgut, and hemolymph of pre-rapid-engorging mated and unmated females. These polypeptides were not found in fed males nor in Malpighian tubes of feeding or ovipositing females. Our data supported the following conclusions: 1) presence of immunoreactive vitellogenin in the adult female fat body, hemolymph, and midgut was dependent upon feeding; 2) in mated feeding females, we could not detect the uptake of vitellogenin by the ovary until rapid engorgement; 3) in unmated females, vitellogenesis did not begin unless prolonged feeding occurred; and 4) during the early developmental stages of this tick, vitellin served as an embryonic nutrient reserve and as a reserve against starvation between feedings.
Dysregulation of skeletal muscle protein metabolism by alcohol

Alcohol abuse, either by acute intoxication or prolonged excessive consumption, leads to pathological changes in many organs and tissues including skeletal muscle. As muscle protein serves not only a contractile function but also as a metabolic reserve for amino acids, which are used to support the energy needs of other tissues, its content is tightly regulated and dynamic. This review focuses on the etiology by which alcohol perturbs skeletal muscle protein balance and thereby over time produces muscle wasting and weakness. The preponderance of data suggest that alcohol primarily impairs global protein synthesis, under basal conditions as well as in response to several anabolic stimuli including growth factors, nutrients, and muscle contraction. This inhibitory effect of alcohol is mediated, at least in part, by a reduction in mTOR kinase activity via a mechanism that remains poorly defined but likely involves altered protein-protein interactions within mTOR complex 1. Furthermore, alcohol can exacerbate the decrement in mTOR and/or muscle protein synthesis present in other catabolic states. In contrast, alcohol-induced changes in muscle protein degradation, either global or via specific modulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome or autophagy pathways, are relatively inconsistent and may be model dependent. Herein, changes produced by acute intoxication versus chronic ingestion are contrasted in relation to skeletal muscle metabolism, and limitations as well as opportunities for future research are discussed. As the proportion of more economically developed countries ages and chronic illness becomes more prevalent, a better understanding of the etiology of biomedical consequences of alcohol use disorders is warranted.
The 1957 great Aleutian earthquake

The 9 March 1957 Aleutian earthquake has been estimated as the third largest earthquake this century and has the longest aftershock zone of any earthquake ever recorded—1200 km. However, due to a lack of high-quality seismic data, the actual source parameters for this earthquake have been poorly determined. We have examined all the available waveform data to determine the seismic moment, rupture area, and slip distribution. These data include body, surface and tsunami waves. Using body waves, we have estimated the duration of significant moment release as 4 min. From surface wave analysis, we have determined that significant moment release occurred only in the western half of the aftershock zone and that the best estimate for the seismic moment is 50–100×1020 Nm. Using the tsunami waveforms, we estimated the source area of the 1957 tsunami by backward propagation. The tsunami source area is smaller than the aftershock zone and is about 850 km long. This does not include the Unalaska Island area in the eastern end of the aftershock zone, making this area a possible seismic gap and a possible site of a future large or great earthquake. We also inverted the tsunami waveforms for the slip distribution. Slip on the 1957 rupture zone was highest in the western half near the epicenter. Little slip occurred in the eastern half. The moment is estimated as 88×1020 Nm, orM w =8.6, making it the seventh largest earthquake during the period 1900 to 1993. We also compare the 1957 earthquake to the 1986 Andreanof Islands earthquake, which occurred within a segment of the 1957 rupture area. The 1986 earthquake represents a rerupturing of the major 1957 asperity.
Evaluation of an automated liquid-handling system (Tecan Genesis RSP 100) in the Abbott LCx assay for Chlamydia trachomatis.

The present study investigated the feasibility of automating the specimen-pipetting component of sample preparation in the LCx Chlamydia assay (LCx-CT assay; Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, Ill.) by using a commercially available liquid-handling system (Tecan Genesis RSP100; Tecan Inc., Research Triangle Park, N.C.). The Tecan instrument proved to be comparable in both precision and accuracy to a manual multipipettor (Eppendorf model 4850; Eppendorf Scientific, Westbury, N.Y.). The Tecan instrument was extensively checked for evidence of specimen-to-specimen transfer, and no level of contamination sufficient to generate a signal above the background in the LCx-CT assay was detected. Finally, pipetting speed was significantly improved by using the Tecan instrument. A mean time of 2.5 min was required to pipette a complete LCx-CT assay carousel (20 samples and 4 controls) with the Tecan instrument, whereas 8.4 min was required to pipette a comparable number of samples manually (P < 0.001).
Spatial and temporal distributions of contaminant body burden and disease in Gulf of Mexico oyster populations: The role of local and large-scale climatic controls

As part of NOAA's Status and Trends Program, oysters were sampled from 43 sites throughout the Gulf of Mexico from Brownsville, Texas, to the Florida Everglades from 1986 to 1989. Oysters were analysed for body burden of a suite of metals and petroleum aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the prevalence and intensity of the oyster pathogen,Perkinsus marinus, and condition index. The contaminants fell into two groups based on the spatial distribution of body burden throughout the Gulf. Arsenic, selenium, mercury and cadmium were characterized by clinal reduction in similarity with distance reminiscent of that followed by mean monthly temperature and precipitation. Zinc, copper, PAHs and silver showed no consistent geographic trend. Within local regions, industrial and agricultural and use andP. marinus prevalence and infection intensity frequently correlated with body burden. Contaminants and biological attributes followed one of three temporal trends. Zinc, copper and PAHs showed concordant shifts over 4 years throughout the eastern and southern Gulf. Mercury and cadmium showed concordant shifts in the northwestern Gulf. Selenium, arsenic, length, condition index andP. marinus prevalence and infection intensity showed concordant shifts throughout most of the entire Gulf. Concordant shifts suggest that climatic factors, the El Nino/Southern Oscillation being one example, exert a strong influence on biological attributes and contaminant body burdens in the Gulf. Correlative factors are those that probably affect or indicate the rate of tissue turnover and the frequency of reproduction; namely, temperature, disease intensity, condition index and length.
GPIIb-IIIa antagonists reduce thromboinflammatory processes in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Summary. Objective: To investigate the effects of abciximab, eptifibatide and no GPIIb–IIIa antagonist (control) on soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and the formation of leukocyte-platelet aggregates (LPA) in 98 ACS patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background: sCD40L and LPA are increased in patients with ACS. Methods: sCD40L was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and LPA by whole blood flow cytometry. Results: There were no baseline differences between the three groups in sCD40L and LPA. At the end of PCI, sCD40L was unchanged in the controls, decreased by 30% (P < 0.001) in the abciximab group and by 11% (P < 0.02) in the eptifibatide group. Eighteen to 24 h after PCI, sCD40L was unchanged in the controls, reduced 30% (P < 0.001) in the abciximab-treated group and 9% (P < 0.01) in the eptifibatide-treated group. At the end of PCI, circulating monocyte-platelet aggregates (MPA) were reduced by 12% (P = NS) in the abciximab-treated group, 13% in the eptifibatide-treated group (P = NS), but slightly increased in the controls (P = NS). Eighteen to 24 h after PCI, MPA were reduced by 41% (P < 0.001) compared to baseline in the abciximab-treated group, by 23% (P = NS) in the eptifibatide-treated group, and 15% (P = NS) in the controls. In contrast to control patients presenting while on clopidogrel, control patients presenting not on clopidogrel demonstrated a reduction in sCD40L and LPA 18–24 h post-PCI (P = NS). At low receptor occupancy, GPIIb–IIIa antagonists did not augment the release of sCD40L or the number of circulating LPA. Conclusions: GPIIb–IIIa antagonists reduce circulating sCD40L and LPA formation in patients with ACS undergoing PCI. At low receptor occupancy, GPIIb–IIIa antagonists do not activate platelets.
Hyperspectral canopy reflectance modeling and EO-1 Hyperion

This paper describes our hyperspectral reflectance modeling of a forest canopy based on measured input parameters and comparison with Earth Observing - 1 (EO-1) Advanced Land Imager (ALI) and Hyperion data. The model uses a high resolution, three-dimensional (3D) ray-tracing approach to estimate the intercepted and scattered solar radiation at multiple narrow wavelength bands. We present the comparisons of the effects of woody biomass, leaf litter, and clumping on reflectance signatures. The experimental data used for the model were collected in a hardwood forest canopy in Rochester, New York. Model calculations also are compared to a more simplified, low-resolution 3D model and a simple, multi-layer differential equation model.
Atmospheric chemistry: The reaction that wouldn't quit

The radical–radical association reaction between hydroxyl and nitrogen dioxide plays a central role in atmospheric chemistry but has challenged experimentalists for decades. A study now measures all reactants and products and largely settles the issue.
On the Determination of the Electrodes Required to Produce a Given Electric Field Distribution along a Prescribed Curve

A method is derived for determining the potentials in a space-charge-free region, with given potentials and electric fields on a prescribed curve. The treatment is two-dimensional. The method used is to set up a complex analytic potential function along the trajectory, which may be continued analytically into an open region, and whose derivative is related to the electric field. The method is applied to two problems: that of the design of the electrodes for a crossed-field electron gun, and that of the design of the electrodes for Sturrock "leap-frog" focusing. It is shown that, owing both to the mathematical and the physical nature of the problems, care must be taken in the application of the method, in order to produce meaningful results. The electrode shapes required to produce exactly the beams in each of the two problems are given. Electrode systems which would be easier to fabricate and which adequately approximate the required fields at the edges of the beam are also described.
Catecholamine metabolism in humans exposed to pesticides.

Plasma levels of epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) and 24-hour urinary excretion rates of E, NE, total metanephrines (M), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-mandelic acid (VMA) were compared in 20 control subjects and in 23 persons exposed intensively to a mixture of DDT, parathion, and carbaryl. All subjects were male; 22 were white and 21 nonwhite. In the exposed group, total plasma DDT was 38.9 ppb and red cell cholinesterase was 11.99 μm/min/ml as compared, respectively, with 6.7 ppb (P < 0.005) and 13.65 μm/min/ml (P < 0.05) in the controls. Plasma levels and excretion rates of E were significantly lower in exposed than in control subjects. Excretion rates of NE, M, and VMA, as well as plasma levels of NE, were similar in the two groups. Systolic blood pressure correlated significantly with total plasma DDT (R = 0.55). Systolic and diastolic pressures were negatively correlated with red cell cholinesterase (R = −0.39). These results in humans are not consistent with previously published data in animals, possibly due to species differences, but more likely due to difference in dosage between the animal studies and human exposure. It is suggested that future studies in animals include dose-response curves.
Finite Sample Bias in IV Estimation of Intertemporal Labor Supply Models: Is the Intertemporal Substitution Elasticity Really Small?

The empirical literature on intertemporal labor supply behavior documents that the intertemporal elasticity of substitution of labor supply is very low, with a plausible range of zero to 0.2. Drawing upon the literature on the distribution of instrumental variables (IV) estimators, this paper demonstrates that this conventional wisdom is erroneous because it does not take into account the severe finite sample bias in these estimates that arise from weak instruments. This paper adopts several approaches to adjust for the problems induced by these weak instruments. The empirical results show that, when uncorrected for finite sample bias, the two-stage least-squares (2SLS) estimate of the elasticity is essentially zero, as in most of the previous studies, with its valid confidence interval being open-ended, [−∞, +∞]. However, when corrected for finite sample bias, the estimate becomes approximately 0.5 with a much tighter confidence interval.
Effects of microgravity on brain neurotransmitter receptors.

Abstract Neurotransmitter receptor binding and Na + ,K + -ATPase activity were examined in the brains of six rats exposed to 7 days of microgravity during the flight of Spacelab 3. The same variables were examined in a group of six ground control rats. 5-HT 1 receptor number in the hippocampus was significantly elevated by exposure to the microgravity environment, and cortical sodium-potassium pump activity was significantly depressed. A marginal depression in dopamine D-2 binding in the striatum was noted. Dopamine and 5-HT binding in a wide variety of other central regions, in addition to GABA A , muscarine acetylcholine, adenosine A 1 , and opiate receptor binding, and adrenoceptor binding, was unaffected by microgravity exposure.
Coping With Rape The Roles of Prior Sexual Abuse and Attributions of Blame

One-hundred-nineteen undergraduate females participated in a study examining the roles of child sexual assault, attributions, and coping on adjustment to rape. Participants completed anonymous questionnaires that assessed for child sexual abuse history, adult victimization history, attributions of blame for the adult assault, coping strategies for the adult rape, and trauma symptoms. Rape victims with a history of child sexual abuse were found to have higher levels of trauma symptoms, made greater use of nervous and cognitive coping strategies, and were more likely to make attributions of blame towards themselves or society. Current symptoms were related to types of coping and attributions of blame, with history of child sexual abuse having an indirect relationship to these variables. The results suggest the importance of attributional and coping variables, as well as child sexual abuse history, as mediators of postrape adjustment.
Estrogen Prevents Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis through Inhibition of Reactive Oxygen Species and Differential Regulation of p38 Kinase Isoforms

From human and animal studies, estrogen is known to protect the myocardium from an ischemic insult. However, there is limited knowledge regarding mechanisms by which estrogen directly protects cardiomyocytes. In this report, we employed an in vitro model, in which cultured rat cardiomyocytes underwent prolonged hypoxia followed by reoxygenation (H/R), to study the cardioprotective mechanism of estrogen. 17-β-estradiol (E2) acting via estrogen receptors inhibited H/R-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from H/R activated p38α MAPK, and inhibition of p38α with SB203580 significantly prevented H/R-induced cell death. E2 suppressed ROS formation and p38α activation by H/R and concomitantly augmented the activity of p38β. Unlike p38α, p38β was little affected by H/R. Dominant negative p38β protein expression decreased E2-mediated cardiomyocyte survival and ROS suppression during H/R stress. The prosurvival signaling molecule, phosphoinositol-3 kinase (PI3K), has previously been linked to cell survival following ischemia-reperfusion injury. Here, E2-activated PI3K was found to inhibit ROS generated from H/R injury, leading to inhibition of downstream p38α. We further linked these signaling pathways in that p38β was activated by E2 stimulation of PI3K. Thus, E2 differentially modulated two major isoforms of p38, leading to cardiomyocyte survival. This was achieved by signaling through PI3K, integrating cell survival mediators.
Detecting localized trace species in air using radar resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization

A microwave-scattering-based resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization technique is used to detect molecular species such as NO, CO, Xe, and Ar in pure form, and for standoff detection of trace species in atmospheric pressure air. In this paper,the spectra, dynamics, and the detection limits of trace species in air are studied. We demonstrate 10 m scale standoff detection of NO, and show that the system has a linear response down to the parts in 109 NO levels in ambient air.
Nonlinear forward problem solution for electrical capacitance tomography using feed-forward neural network

A new technique for solving the forward problem in electrical capacitance tomography sensor systems is introduced. The new technique is based on training a feed-forward neural network (NN) to predict capacitance data from permittivity distributions. The capacitance data used in training and testing the NN is obtained from preprocessed and filtered experimental measurements. The new technique has shown better results when compared to the commonly used linear forward projection (LFP) while maintaining fast prediction speed. The new technique has also been integrated into a modified iterative linear back projection (Landweber) reconstruction algorithm. Reconstruction results are found to be in favor of the NN forward solver when compared to the widely used Landweber reconstruction technique with LFP forward solver.
DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOOD INFLUENCES ON DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN YOUTH WITH PERINATALLY ACQUIRED HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS: HOW LIFE STRESSORS MATTER.

Children living with perinatal HIV illness (PHIV+) disproportionately reside in disadvantaged neighborhoods and contend with persistent mental health challenges. This study examined the influences of disadvantaged residential neighborhood on anxiety and depression, and potential resources that buffer against internalizing problems when youths were exposed to neighborhood stressors. Multilevel analysis of 196 PHIV+ and 129 perinatally HIV-exposed but uninfected youth (PHIV−) in New York City found that higher exposure to neighborhood disorder was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety for PHIV+ and PHIV− youths. Stressful events unrelated to residential neighborhoods significantly mediated the relationship between neighborhood disorder and anxiety and depression. Social problem solving and religiosity did not moderate the relationship between neighborhood disorder and internalizing problems. Our findings highlighted that interventions that attenuate the negative effects of stressful life events were equally critical in addressing the broader impact of disadvantaged neighborhoods on the mental health of youth affected by HIV. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pesticide interactions: Effects of organophosphorus pesticides on the metabolism, toxicity, and persistence of selected pyrethroid insecticides

Abstract The organophosphorus pesticides profenofos, sulprofos, O-ethyl O-(4-nitrophenyl) phenylphosphonothioate (EPN), and S,S,S,-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) administered intraperitoneally to mice at 0.5 to 5 mg/kg strongly inhibit the liver microsomal esterase(s) hydrolyzing trans-permethrin. Profenofos, EPN, and DEF at 25 mg/kg increase the intraperitoneal toxicity of fenvalerate > 25-fold and of malathion > 100-fold. Topically applied profenofos, sulprofos, and DEF significantly synergize the toxicity of cis-cypermethrin to cabbage looper larvae and house fly adults but these phosphorus compounds are much less effective in synergizing the toxicity of trans-permethrin. The magnitude of synergism appears to depend on the species, organophosphorus compound, and pyrethroid involved. Profenofos, sulprofos, and EPN do not significantly alter the persistence of trans-permethrin on bean foliage.
Wikileaks, surveillance and transparency

magazine revealed that WikiLeaks frontman Julian Assange was far and away the winner in the magazine’s “people’s choice” poll for “Person of the Year”—leading a pack that included Lady Gaga, Glenn Beck, Jon Stewart, Barack Obama, and, in 10th place, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (Friedman, 2010). Assange received almost 20 times Zuckerberg’s vote total, but the editors exercised their discretion to overrule the popular vote and select Zuckerberg as person of the year, noting with apparent glee, “We are now running our social lives through a for-profit network that, on paper at least, has made Zuckerberg a billionaire six times over” (Grossman, 2010, para. 6). The cover article highlighted a somewhat telling anecdote to illustrate Zuckerberg’s influence: an impromptu visit by a high-level government official who “explained with the delighted air of a man about to secure ironclad bragging rights forever, that he just
Temporal Regulation of Nuclear Factor One Occupancy by Calcineurin/NFAT Governs a Voltage-Sensitive Developmental Switch in Late Maturing Neurons

Dendrite and synapse development are critical for establishing appropriate neuronal circuits, and disrupted timing of these events can alter neural connectivity. Using microarrays, we have identified a nuclear factor I (NFI)-regulated temporal switch program linked to dendrite formation in developing mouse cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). NFI function was required for upregulation of many synapse-related genes as well as downregulation of genes expressed in immature CGNs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that a central feature of this program was temporally regulated NFI occupancy of late-expressed gene promoters. Developing CGNs undergo a hyperpolarizing shift in membrane potential, and depolarization inhibits their dendritic and synaptic maturation via activation of calcineurin (CaN) (Okazawa et al., 2009). Maintaining immature CGNs in a depolarized state blocked NFI temporal occupancy of late-expressed genes and the NFI switch program via activation of the CaN/nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic (NFATc) pathway and promotion of late-gene occupancy by NFATc4, and these mechanisms inhibited dendritogenesis. Conversely, inhibition of the CaN/NFATc pathway in CGNs maturing under physiological nondepolarizing conditions upregulated the NFI switch program, NFI temporal occupancy, and dendrite formation. NFATc4 occupied the promoters of late-expressed NFI program genes in immature mouse cerebellum, and its binding was temporally downregulated with development. Further, NFI temporal binding and switch gene expression were upregulated in the developing cerebellum of Nfatc4 (−/−) mice. These findings define a novel NFI switch and temporal occupancy program that forms a critical link between membrane potential/CaN and dendritic maturation in CGNs. CaN inhibits the program and NFI occupancy in immature CGNs by promoting NFATc4 binding to late-expressed genes. As maturing CGNs become more hyperpolarized, NFATc4 binding declines leading to onset of NFI temporal binding and the NFI switch program.
Resolving component overlap in multiwavelength kinetic spectroscopy: Application to Raman scattering from intermediates in triplet-state photoreactions

— Understanding of reaction mechanisms in photochemistry is advanced both by kinetic measurements to determine rates of reaction and by spectroscopic studies of the structures of precursors and photoproducts. When kinetics and spectroscopy are combined in a time-resolved, multiwavelength spectroscopic measurement on a reacting system, spectra and structures of intermediates can also be determined. In this paper, the application of multidimensional least-squares and factor analysis techniques for resolving overlapped spectra from intermediates in photochemical kinetics are discussed. The methods are employed specifically to resolve Raman spectra of intermediates in triplet-state photoreactions. By varying excitation intensity, spectra of excited-triplet states are resolved from ground states and solvent. By varying the concentration of a triplet quencher in the sample, the Raman spectrum of a sensitizer excited state (benzophe-none) can be resolved from those of acceptor-triplet states or radical photoproducts. Applications of these concepts in other areas of photochemical kinetics are addressed.
Urolithiasis in patients on high dose felbamate.

Purpose: We report 4 cases of felbamate urolithiasis. We identified only 1 prior case report of a felbamate stone. Felbamate is an antiepileptic drug used to treat refractory seizures and has minor side effects when given in recommended doses. We analyzed the characteristics, evaluation, treatment and outcomes in this challenging group of patients.Materials and Methods: Following institutional review board approval, we conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients who presented with a diagnosis of urolithiasis, were on felbamate and had stone analysis consistent with a felbamate origin.Results: All 4 patients had refractory seizures and 3 had severe developmental delay. Presentation ranged from an incidental finding to gross hematuria to agitation and pain. Stones were not visible on plain x-ray except in 1 case involving mixed stone composition. Decrease or cessation of the drug has not been feasible in 2 patients, and 3 patients have had recurrent stones. Initial stone analysis did not correctl...
Costs and benefits of load sharing in the computational grid

We present an analysis of the costs and benefits of load sharing of parallel jobs in the computational grid. We begin with a workload generation model that captures the essential properties of parallel jobs and use it as input to a grid simulation model. Our experiments are performed for both homogeneous and heterogeneous grids. We measured average job slowdown with respect to both local and remote jobs and we show that, with some reasonable assumptions concerning the migration policy, load sharing proves to be beneficial when the grid is homogeneous, and that load sharing can adversely affect job slowdown for lightly-loaded machines in a heterogeneous grid. With respect to the number of sites in a grid, we find that the benefits obtained by load sharing do not scale well. Small to modest-size grids can employ load sharing as effectively as large-scale grids. We also present and evaluate an effective scheduling heuristic for migrating a job within the grid.
Enabling Distributed Petascale Science

Petascale science is an end-to-end endeavour, involving not only the creation of massive datasets at supercomputers or experimental facilities, but the subsequent analysis of that data by a user community that may be distributed across many laboratories and universities. The new SciDAC Center for Enabling Distributed Petascale Science (CEDPS) is developing tools to support this end-to-end process. These tools include data placement services for the reliable, high-performance, secure, and policy-driven placement of data within a distributed science environment; tools and techniques for the construction, operation, and provisioning of scalable science services; and tools for the detection and diagnosis of failures in end-to-end data placement and distributed application hosting configurations. In each area, we build on a strong base of existing technology and have made useful progress in the first year of the project. For example, we have recently achieved order-of-magnitude improvements in transfer times (for lots of small files) and implemented asynchronous data staging capabilities; demonstrated dynamic deployment of complex application stacks for the STAR experiment; and designed and deployed end-to-end troubleshooting services. We look forward to working with SciDAC application and technology projects to realize the promise of petascale science.
AN EXQUISITELY PRESERVED SKELETON REPRESENTING A PRIMITIVE STURGEON FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS JUDITH RIVER FORMATION OF MONTANA (ACIPENSERIFORMES: ACIPENSERIDAE: N. GEN. AND SP)

Abstract A new species of sturgeon (Acipenseridae), †Psammorhynchus longipinnis n. gen. and sp., is described based on a single well-preserved specimen from the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Montana. Although based on only a single individual, the osteological detail we are able to describe for this species is extensive because of the completeness of the specimen, the relatively three-dimensional preservation, and the soft, loosely consolidated sandstone matrix in which it was contained (allowing some dissection of the specimen to reveal the internal bones of the head region). We prepared the specimen completely out of the matrix, and described the head region in stages of “dissection.” †Psammorhynchus longipinnis is the only fossil sturgeon to date that provides a relatively complete, reliable look at its osteology. Although there have previously been numerous and widespread reports of fossil sturgeons, the material is notoriously fragmentary and poorly preserved, consisting mostly of isolat...
Highly Pathogenic Simian Immunodeficiency Virus mne Variants That Emerge during the Course of Infection Evolve Enhanced Infectivity and the Ability To Downregulate CD4 but Not Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Antigens.

The replicative, cytopathic, and antigenic properties of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) variants influence its replication efficiency in vivo. To further define the viral properties and determinants that may be important for high-level replication in vivo and progression to AIDS, we compared a minimally pathogenic SIVmne molecular clone with two highly pathogenic variants cloned from late stages of infection. Both variants had evolved greater infectivity than the parental clone due to mutations in nef. Interestingly, a pol determinant in one of the highly pathogenic variants also contributed to its increased infectivity. Furthermore, because replication in vivo may also be influenced by the ability of a virus to evade the cellular immune response of the host, we examined whether the variants were more capable of downregulating surface expression of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Decreased MHC class I expression was not observed in cells infected with any of the viruses. Furthermore, the Nef proteins of the highly pathogenic variants only slightly reduced surface MHC class I expression in transfected cells, although they efficiently downregulated CD4. Together, these data demonstrate that mutations which can enhance viral infectivity, as well as CD4 downregulation, may be important for efficient replication of SIV in the host. However, Nef-mediated reduction of MHC class I expression does not appear to be critical for the increased in vivo replicative ability of highly pathogenic late variants.
Expert System House Detection in High Spatial Resolution Imagery Using Size, Shape, and Context

Abstract IKONOS 1 × 1 m panchromatic data fused with 4 × 4 m multispectral data were used for residential house detection in three 1 × 1 km study areas of Columbia, South Carolina. One study area contained houses built in the 1940s, another in the 1970s, and another in the 1990s. An expert system was developed to extract individual houses from the imagery. The system employed a data mining algorithm as the core of an automated knowledge acquisition module. Separate knowledge bases were generated for each study area using training samples and the data mining algorithm in two sequential stages. In the first stage, brightness values and NDVI yielded a knowledge base that was used to locate candidate house pixels. In the second stage, region metrics including size, shape, and a series of context variables were employed. Regions of asphalt roads mistakenly identified by the expert system as houses were removed using road buffers. Also, separate knowledge bases were generated both with and without the use of co...
Evaluating New or Improved Poultry Feedstuffs by Parametric Linear Programming Techniques

Abstract The use of linear programming and computers to formulate rations that meet the nutritional requirements of poultry at lowest cost is a widely accepted practice in the poultry feed industry. One application of linear programming not readily employed by poultry nutritionists is the use of parametric linear programming in the planning and economic evaluation of research on new or improved feedstuffs. Three parametric techniques useful in research are parametric cost ranging, parametric nutrient ranging, and parametric restriction ranging. Parametric cost ranging is useful in evaluating the market potential for new or improved feedstuffs and examining competitive and substitution relationships among ingredients. Parametric nutrient ranging, by analyzing at different levels the nutrient content of a particular feed ingredient, shows the changes in economic value that result from changes in the ingredient’s nutrient composition. Parametric restriction ranging enables one to analyze the effect of changes in dietary requirements on ration cost and composition and to identify those nutrients for which diet requirements need to be more precisely defined.
Apical Membrane Localization of the Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Tumor Suppressor Protein and Subcellular Distribution of the β-Catenin Destruction Complex in Polarized Epithelial Cells

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) protein is implicated in the majority of hereditary and sporadic colon cancers. APC is known to function as a tumor suppressor through downregulation of β-catenin as part of a high molecular weight complex known as the β-catenin destruction complex. The molecular composition of the intact complex and its site of action in the cell are still not well understood. Reports on the subcellular localization of APC in various cell systems have differed significantly and have been consistent with an association with a cytosolic complex, with microtubules, with the nucleus, or with the cortical actin cytoskeleton. To better understand the role of APC and the destruction complex in colorectal cancer, we have begun to characterize and isolate these complexes from confluent polarized human colon epithelial cell monolayers and other epithelial cell types. Subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescence microscopy reveal that a predominant fraction of APC associates tightly with the apical plasma membrane in a variety of epithelial cell types. This apical membrane association is not dependent on the mutational status of either APC or β-catenin. An additional pool of APC is cytosolic and fractionates into two distinct high molecular weight complexes, 20S and 60S in size. Only the 20S fraction contains an appreciable portion of the cellular axin and small but detectable amounts of glycogen synthase kinase 3β and β-catenin. Therefore, it is likely to correspond to the previously characterized β-catenin destruction complex. Dishevelled is almost entirely cytosolic, but does not significantly cofractionate with the 20S complex. The disproportionate amount of APC in the apical membrane and the lack of other destruction complex components in the 60S fraction of APC raise questions about whether these pools of APC take part in the degradation of β-catenin, or alternatively, whether they could be involved in other functions of the protein that still must be determined.