cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Limitations of community development partnerships: Cleveland Ohio and Neighborhood Progress Inc.

This article examines efforts in the US near the end of the 20th century at establishing community development partnerships (CDPs) that aggregate resources from private, philanthropic, public and non-profit institutions to build capacity and revitalize neighborhoods through community development corporations (CDCs). In order to assess CDP impact on CDCs, capacity is divided into five components: resource, organizational, networking, programmatic and political. Subsequently, the article provides a case study of one CDP located in a US city significantly impacted by globalization and economic restructuring, Cleveland, Ohio’s Neighborhood Progress Inc. (NPI). It describes the inability of NPI to build the capacity of CDCs comprehensively, although expanding CDC capacity to enhance physical development was a success. The case of NPI illustrates to planners and other community development experts the CDP approach to building CDC capacity. CDPs must define capacity building beyond the ability of CDCs to perform physical development strongly catering to private-sector interests. A concentration on physical development curtails engaging in other programmatic activities, such as community organizing and social development that would move CDCs or similar grassroots organizations towards greater control of comprehensive revitalization efforts in neighborhoods affected by globalization and economic restructuring.
Sixteenth-century metalworking technology used in the manufacture of two German astrolabes

Summary An examination of tool marks and other evidence of manufacturing techniques on two astrolabes of identical pattern made by Hartman (also spelled Hartmann) of Nuremberg in 1537 shows that all of the parts have been laid out with scribers and filed to final dimensions. All parts except the rings of the maters, which are castings, are made of sheet brass. The only machine tool employed was a small lathe with longitudinal feed, which was used to turn the diameters of the pins. Corresponding dimensions of the two astrolabes differ by less than 0·2 mm on average, but parts are not interchangeable between the instruments. There is evidence that this pattern of astrolabe was made in batches with division of labour in Harman's shop. This paper is an introductory study intended to show methods of examination that reveal manufacturing techniques.
Remeasurement of the rate constant and branching ratio for the N2+ + O reaction

Model calculations of atmospheric-ion constituents based on current experimental data predict thermospheric N/sub 2//sup +/ densities in excess of measurements taken by the Atmospheric Explorer satellite by up to a factor of two at altitudes between 200 - 400 km (Breig et al., 1983). The major sources of N/sub 2//sup +/ in the thermosphere are photoionization, electron-impact ionization, and charge exchange with O/sup +/(2D). A major sink of N/sub 2//sup +/ in this region is the reaction: The discrepancy between the currently accepted thermospheric N/sub 2//sup +/ model and measured values would be resolved if either this reaction is much faster than has hitherto been reported, or if vibrational excitation in N/sub 2//sup +/ enhances the rate significantly. Selective vibrational enhancement of the (1b) channel leading to O/sup +/ has been suggested, since a simple increase in the overall reaction rate would increase the NO/sup +/ production and transfer the discrepancy to thermospheric NO/sup +/ densities (Abdou et al., 1984). In consideration of this problem, remeasured the rate constant and branching ratio for the ground state N/sub 2//sup +/ + 0 reaction was measured at thermal energy.
Prelude to Passion: Limbic Activation by “Unseen” Drug and Sexual Cues

Background The human brain responds to recognizable signals for sex and for rewarding drugs of abuse by activation of limbic reward circuitry. Does the brain respond in similar way to such reward signals even when they are “unseen”, i.e., presented in a way that prevents their conscious recognition? Can the brain response to “unseen” reward cues predict the future affective response to recognizable versions of such cues, revealing a link between affective/motivational processes inside and outside awareness?
Civil War Boston: Home Front and Battlefield

An examination of the role that Boston and its inhabitants played in the Civil War which focuses on business men, Irish Catholic immigrants, African Americans, and women in the antebellum period.
Mineralocorticoid-receptor Antagonists in Heart Failure: A Tale of Serendipity and Success

Introduction: In the landmark Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES), the mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist spironolactone significantly reduced all-cause mortality when compared with placebo in elderly patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III to IV systolic heart failure treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors [1]. More recently, the Eplerenone Post–Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study (EPHESUS) demonstrated reduction in allcause mortality with the mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist eplerenone when compared with placebo in patients with severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction after myocardial infarction [2]. These studies are important contributions to the knowledge base in heart failure therapeutics and have been appropriately incorporated into consensus treatment guideline recommendations. An important gap of knowledge exists regarding the clinical utility of mineralocorticoidreceptor antagonism in patients with chronic systolic heart failure with less severe symptoms. Aims: The Eplerenone in Mild Patients Hospitalization and Survival Study in Heart Failure (EMPHASIS-HF) was undertaken to determine the effects of the mineralocorticoidreceptor antagonist eplerenone versus placebo on clinical outcomes when added to evidence-based standard therapies in patients with chronic systolic heart failure with milder symptoms (NYHA class II).
Low nitric oxide: a key factor underlying copper-deficiency teratogenicity

Copper (Cu)-deficiency-induced teratogenicity is characterized by major cardiac, brain, and vascular anomalies; however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Cu deficiency decreases superoxide dismutase activity and increases superoxide anions, which can interact with nitric oxide (NO), reducing the NO pool size. Given the role of NO as a developmental signaling molecule, we tested the hypothesis that low NO levels, secondary to Cu deficiency, represent a developmental challenge. Gestation day 8.5 embryos from Cu-adequate (Cu+) or Cu-deficient (Cu-) dams were cultured for 48 h in Cu+ or Cu- medium, respectively. We report that NO levels were low in conditioned medium from Cu-/Cu- embryos and yolk sacs, compared to Cu+/Cu+ controls under basal conditions and with NO synthase (NOS) agonists. The low NO production was associated with low endothelial NOS phosphorylation at serine 1177 and cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) concentrations in the Cu-/Cu- group. The altered NO levels in Cu-deficient embryos are functionally significant, as the administration of the NO donor DETA/NONOate increased cGMP and ameliorated embryo and yolk sac abnormalities. These data support the concept that Cu deficiency limits NO availability and alters NO-dependent signaling, which contributes to abnormal embryo and yolk sac development.
A New atmospheric corrosion rate monitor—development and evaluation

Abstract A research program has been carried out in which a new instantaneous atmospheric corrosion rate monitor (ACRM) has been developed and evaluated and equipment has been constructed which will allow the use of many sensors in an economical way in outdoor exposures. The ACRM was tested in flow chambers in which relative humidity and gaseous and particulate pollutant levels can be controlled. A relatively inexpensive electronics system for control of the ACRM and measurement of atmospheric corrosion rates was designed and built. Calibration of deterioration rates of various metallic and nonmetallic materials with the response of the ACRMs attached to these materials was carried out.
A new domain decomposition method with overlapping patches for ultrascale simulations: Application to biological flows

We address the failure in scalability of large-scale parallel simulations that are based on (semi-)implicit time-stepping and hence on the solution of linear systems on thousands of processors. We develop a general algorithmic framework based on domain decomposition that removes the scalability limitations and leads to optimal allocation of available computational resources. It is a non-intrusive approach as it does not require modification of existing codes. Specifically, we present here a two-stage domain decomposition method for the Navier-Stokes equations that combines features of discontinuous and continuous Galerkin formulations. At the first stage the domain is subdivided into overlapping patches and within each patch a C^0 spectral element discretization (second stage) is employed. Solution within each patch is obtained separately by applying an efficient parallel solver. Proper inter-patch boundary conditions are developed to provide solution continuity, while a Multilevel Communicating Interface (MCI) is developed to provide efficient communication between the non-overlapping groups of processors of each patch. The overall strong scaling of the method depends on the number of patches and on the scalability of the standard solver within each patch. This dual path to scalability provides great flexibility in balancing accuracy with parallel efficiency. The accuracy of the method has been evaluated in solutions of steady and unsteady 3D flow problems including blood flow in the human intracranial arterial tree. Benchmarks on BlueGene/P, CRAY XT5 and Sun Constellation Linux Cluster have demonstrated good performance on up to 96,000 cores, solving up to 8.21B degrees of freedom in unsteady flow problem. The proposed method is general and can be potentially used with other discretization methods or in other applications.
Rotational barriers in the guanidinium ion: an ab initio study

Abstract Ab initio molecular orbital calculations are performed on the guanidinium ion using the STO-3G and 4–31G basis sets. Values for the single, double, and triple rigid barriers of rotation, along with values for the geometry optimized single barrier of rotation are obtained. In addition, molecular orbital contributions, net atomic charges and bond orders are included.
GENDER, FAMILIAL CONTROL, AND DELINQUENCY*

This research addresses a key process in power-control theory, namely, the gender stratification of social control. Using a multidimensional measure of familial control, the authors find evidence that the types of familial control employed are stratified by gender: male children are more typically aligned with paternal support and appearance rules, and female children are more often the objects of maternal support and curfew rules. All four dimensions have significant negative effects on delinquency. Brief attention is given as well to the effects of these variables on contact with formal social control agencies.
Protection against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-caused inflammation in SENCAR mouse ear skin by polyphenolic fraction isolated from green tea

Earlier studies conducted in our laboratory have shown that a polyphenolic fraction isolated from green tea (GTP) possesses anti-skin tumor initiating and anti-skin tumor promoting activity in the two-stage skin tumorigenesis protocol in SENCAR mouse. We have also shown that topical application of GTP inhibits tumor promoter-caused induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase activity in SENCAR mice in a dose-dependent manner, and that its oral feeding in drinking water to SKH-1 hairless mice enhances antioxidant and phase II enzyme activity in liver, lung, small bowel and skin. In this study, we show that single or multiple applications of GTP on SENCAR mouse ear prior to or after the application of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) afford significant protection (P < 0.05) against TPA-induced edema. Pre-application of GTP also afforded significant protection against TPA-induced hyperplasia in the ear skin. The percentage protection by GTP both in terms of epidermal thickness and vertical cell layers was 75 and 90% respectively (P < 0.005). In further studies, we assessed the protective effect of GTP against TPA-caused infiltration of neutrophils in the ear skin of SENCAR mouse, by determining a naturally occurring constituent of neutrophils, myeloperoxidase, as a quantitative marker of tissue neutrophil content. Prior application of GTP resulted in significant protection against TPA-caused infiltration of neutrophils (P < 0.005). These results suggest that GTP possesses potential as a cancer chemopreventive agent against stage I tumor promotion.
Mapping the 1986”1987 El Nino with GEOSAT altimeter data

The 1986–1987 El Nino was the first to be monitored by a satellite altimeter, and maps of sea level anomaly during the event reveal a rich and previously unknown structure. By chance, timing of the U.S. Navy GEOSAT altimeter mission was ideal for capturing this El Nino in its entirety. GEOSAT was launched in March 1985 and had gathered 1 full year of global data when an El Nino was predicted [Cane et al, 1986]. Dramatic atmospheric and oceanic changes were observed during the height of the event in 1986–1987, and by early 1988, conditions returned to normal. Throughout this 3-year period, GEOSAT provided virtually uninterrupted coverage of the tropical Pacific, and prospects for several more years of observations are excellent. In this brief report we present results demonstrating the enormous potential of satellite altimetry for application to large-scale ocean dynamics and climate research.
On the kinetics of oxygen adsorption on a Pt(111) surface

Abstract The kinetics of O2 adsorption on a clean Pt(111) surface were investigated in the temperature range 214–400°C. The oxygen coverage was measured by CO titration as well as Auger electron spectroscopy both of which show the same dependence on O2 exposure. The initial sticking coefficient on clean Pt(111) is 0.08–0.10 and decreases exponentially with increasing oxygen coverage. For θ > 0.23 a (2 × 2)-O LEED pattern was observed. The highest oxygen coverage obtained was approximately 0.45. A theoretical model was proposed which correlates the coverage dependence of the sticking coefficient with adsorbate interactions in the chemisorbed state. These interactions cause a coverage dependent activation energy of adsorption assuming the existence of a precursor state. Experiments dealing with the effect of carbon contamination on the sticking coefficient showed that the initial sticking coefficient decreases with increasing carbon coverage.
Systematic verification of a three-dimensional electron beam dose calculation algorithm.

A three‐dimensional electron beamdose calculation algorithm implemented on a commercial radiotherapytreatment planning system is described. The calculation is based on the M. D. Anderson Hospital (M.D.A.H.) pencil beam model, which uses the Fermi–Eyges theory of thick‐target multiple Coulomb scattering. To establish the calculation algorithm’s accuracy as well as its limitations, it was systematically and extensively tested and evaluated against a set of benchmark measurements. Various levels of dose and spatial tolerances were used to validate the calculation quantitatively. Results are presented in terms of the percentage of data points meeting a specific tolerance level. The algorithm’s ability to accurately simulate commonly used clinical setup geometries, including standard or extended SSDs, blocked fields, irregular surfaces, and heterogeneities, is demonstrated. Regions of disagreement between calculations and measurements are also shown. The clinical implication of such disagreements is addressed, and the algorithmic assumptions involved are discussed.
Laser-induced instantaneous spectral diffusion in Tb3+ compounds as observed in photon-echo experiments.

We have observed a significant ``instantaneous spectral diffusion'' phenomenon in photon-echo experiments on ${\mathrm{Tb}}^{3+}$:${\mathrm{LiYF}}_{4}$. This laser-induced effect makes observed optical dephasing rates intensity dependent and can also contribute a frequency dependence to the measured rates. A change in the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction between ${\mathrm{Tb}}^{3+}$ echo ions and surrounding ${\mathrm{Tb}}^{3+}$ ions occurs when surrounding ions are excited. This causes an instantaneous shift in the optical frequency of the echo ion that lasts for ${\mathit{T}}_{1}$\ensuremath{\sim}1 msec. Frequency shifts caused by the first excitation pulse have no effect on echo rephasing (${\mathit{T}}_{1}$\ensuremath{\gg}${\mathit{T}}_{2}$), but those caused by the second pulse prevent proper echo rephasing. A summary is given of other ion-lattice and ion-ion interactions that can cause similar laser-induced effects in a wide variety of insulating compounds. There is potential for probing the nature of inhomogeneous broadening.
Motion recovery for video content classification

Like other types of digital information, video sequences must be classified based on the semantics of their contents. A more-precise and completer extraction of semantic information will result in a more-effective classification. The most-discernible difference between still images and moving pictures stems from movements and variations. Thus, to go from the realm of still-image repositories to video databases, we must be able to deal with motion. Particularly, we need the ability to classify objects appearing in a video sequence based on their characteristics and features such as shape or color, as well as their movements. By describing the movements that we derive from the process of motion analysis, we introduce a dual hierarchy consisting of spatial and temporal parts for video sequence representation. This gives us the flexibility to examine arbitrary sequences of frames at various levels of abstraction and to retrieve the associated temporal information (say, object trajectories) in addition to the spatial representation. Our algorithm for motion detection uses the motion compensation component of the MPEG video-encoding scheme and then computes trajectories for objects of interest. The specification of a language for retrieval of video based on the spatial as well as motion characteristics is presented.
Acidic pH Rapidly Increases Immunoreactivity of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in Cultured Astrocytes

Neuroepithelial progenitor cells from forebrains of newborn rat pups develop into “mature” astrocytes in an epidermal growth factor-containing medium free of serum (Von Visger et al: Exp Neurol 128:34, 1994). Eight-week-old “mature” astrocyte cultures on poly-L-lysine-coated dishes were exposed to an acidic medium (pH 5.8–6.0) for 2–6 h. Immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) dramatically and rapidly increased; this immediate increase was not affected by pretreatment with cycloheximide. In further experiments we found that the increase in GFAP was undiminished for 24–48 h after the acid-treated astrocytes were returned to normal growth medium. The Ca2+ channel antagonists nifedipine and diltiazem attenuated the increase in GFAP immunoreactivity. These results suggest that extracellular acidosis may produce a rapid increase in GFAP immunoreactivity in astrocytes independent of de novo protein synthesis, possibly by increasing intracellular levels of free Ca2+ ions. Copy 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder associated with abdominal pain or discomfort and altered bowel habits. The majority of patients describe an insidious onset of symptoms; however, a subset report a fairly precise time of onset following an attack of acute gastroenteritis. Typically, the potential acute infectious symptoms, such as fever and vomiting, resolve after several days, but abdominal discomfort, bloating, and diarrhea persist. Although the underlying mechanism of post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS) has not been established, ongoing inflammation appears to play a role, with an increase in serotonin-containing enterochromaffin cells, T lymphocytes, mast cells, proinflammatory cytokines, and intestinal permeability. Psychiatric comorbidities are less common in PI-IBS, compared with IBS patients in general; however, the prevalence of psychological disorders is still higher compared with that in the general population and is associated with a poorer prognosis. Overall, patients with PI-IBS have a slightly improved prognosis compared with those with IBS without an infectious onset.
Molecular modeling of the interactions of glutamate carboxypeptidase II with its potent NAAG-based inhibitors

Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII, NAALADase, or NAAG peptidase) is a catalytic zinc metallopeptidase. Its extracellular domain hydrolyzes the abundant neuropeptide, N-acetyl-L-aspartyl-L-glutamate (NAAG), to produce N-acetylaspartate and glutamate following the synaptic release of this transmitter. Thus, GCPII influences the extracellular concentrations of both glutamate and NAAG. NAAG activates group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, and activation of this receptor has been found to protect against anoxia-induced excitotoxic nerve cell death. In contrast, high levels of glutamate can be neurotoxic. Thus, GCPII is a potential therapeutic target for the reduction of excitotoxic levels of glutamate and enhancement of extracellular NAAG. To explore the structural basis of the interaction between GCPII and its inhibitors, we modeled the three-dimensional structure of the GCPII extracellular domain using a homology modeling approach. On the basis of the GCPII model, the structures of GCPII in complex with its potent inhibitors 2-(phosphonomethyl)pentanedioic acid (PMPA) and 4,4'-phosphinicobis(butane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid) (PBDA) were built by a computational docking method. The model of GCPII mainly consists of two alpha/beta/alpha sandwiches, between which two zinc ions are quadrivalently coordinated by the His379-Asp389-Asp455-H(2)O and the Asp389-Glu427-His555-H(2)O clusters, respectively. The ligand binding pocket is situated between these two sandwiches and is comprised of two subpockets: one is a surface-exposed highly positively charged subpocket; the other is a buried hydrophobic subpocket. The positively charged subpocket can accommodate the pharmacophore groups of inhibitor molecules (PMPA and PBDA) through the coordination of Zn(2+) with their phosphorus functionality and hydrogen-bonding interactions with Arg536, Arg538, and Ser456 (or Asn521), while the hydrophobic subpocket is engaged in hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding interactions with the nonpharmacophore groups of PBDA. The predicted binding mode is consistent with the experimental data obtained from site-directed mutagenesis. On the basis of the predicted interaction mode, our structure-based design has led to a series of highly potent GCPII inhibitors.
Comparison of risk factors among three different types of youth violence

Study objectives: The purpose of this study is to describe and compare demographic characteristics and risk factors for youth violence between 3 types of violent circumstances, fights, assaults, and domestic violence, frequently treated in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This was a descriptive study conducted at an urban ED. The population was patients aged 10 to 24 years. The study was conducted from June 1998 to February 2002 on patients presenting to the ED with a violence-related injury. Patients were assessed in the ED with a standardized risk-factor assessment tool and then followed up for up to a 6-month period either by telephone interview or school or home visits by the social work team. The 3 groups (fights, assaults, and domestic violence) were compared using demographic and risk factors for violent injury characteristics. This was a multivariable analysis, and confidence intervals were calculated for each analysis. Results: Results are given in the Table. Conclusion: Although all victims of violence enrolled in the study shared the same census tract area, there were differences on demographics and risk factors for violence between the groups. Data obtained will help develop specific ED programs to assess each type of violent circumstance.Table, abstract 317.FightsAssaultDomestic ViolenceNo.40313253Age, y, mean (SD)17.72 (3.68)18.21 (3.81)21.75 (1.81)Sex, female/male, %42.4/57.622.7/77.388.5/11.5Race, No. (%)Black343 (87.7)111 (86.0)47 (92.2)White13 (3.3)10 (7.8)1 (2.0)Hispanic21 (5.4)7 (5.4)2 (3.9)Location, No. (%)Home112 (28.8)5 (12.2)33 (66.0)School78 (20.1)20 (16.3)1 (2.0)Public place146 (37.5)72 (58.5)6 (12.0)Alcohol use, No. (%)45 (20.9)16 (28.6)12 (38.7)Drug use, No. (%)7 (4.2)2 (4.7)5 (23.8)Access to weapon, No. (%)57 (14.1)17 (12.9)10 (18.9)Known perpetrator, No. (%)299 (76.9)46 (37.1)53 (100)Arrest history, No. (%)70 (28.8)16 (25.4)5 (15.2)History of violence, No. (%)108 (32.8)32 (29.6)22 (57.9)
Simple, Helical Peptoid Analogs of Lung Surfactant Protein B

Summary The helical, amphipathic surfactant protein, SP-B, is a critical element of pulmonary surfactant and hence is an important therapeutic molecule. However, it is difficult to isolate from natural sources in high purity. We have created and studied three different, nonnatural analogs of a bioactive SP-B fragment (SP-B 1-25 ), using oligo- N -substituted glycines (peptoids) with simple, repetitive sequences designed to favor the formation of amphiphilic helices. For comparison, a peptide with a similar repetitive sequence previously shown to be a good SP mimic was also studied, along with SP-B 1-25 itself. Surface pressure-area isotherms, surfactant film phase morphology, and dynamic adsorption behavior all indicate that the peptoids are promising mimics of SP-B 1-25 . The extent of biomimicry appears to correlate with peptoid helicity and lipophilicity. These biostable oligomers could serve in a synthetic surfactant replacement to treat respiratory distress syndrome.
Violence Exposure and Teen Dating Violence Among African American Youth

This study examines the relationships between exposure to violence in the community, school, and family with dating violence attitudes and behaviors among 175 urban African American youth. Age, gender, state support and experiences with neglect, school violence, and community violence were the most significant predictors of acceptance of dating violence. Experiences with community violence and age were important predictors of dating violence perpetration and victimization. Findings highlight the importance of planning prevention programs that address variables affecting attitudes and behaviors of high-risk youth who have already been exposed to multiple types of violence.
Structured vector quantization using linear transforms

This paper presents novel structured vector quantization (VQ) techniques characterized by the use of linear transformations for the input VQ. The first technique is called the affine transformations VQ, in which the quantized vector is formed by adding the transformed outputs of a multistage codebook rather than just adding the outputs of the stages as in regular multistage vector quantization (MSVQ). The name of the VQ technique comes from the fact that in the two-stage case, the quantized vector is obtained as the result of an affine transformation. This technique can be viewed as a generalized form of MSVQ. If the transformations are constrained to be the identity transformation, this technique becomes identical to the regular MSVQ. The transformations in the introduced technique are selected from a family of linear transformations, represented by a codebook of matrices. In order to I reduce the memory required for storing the matrices, the paper discusses a second technique called scaled rotation matrices VQ, where matrices are constrained to be scaled rotation matrices. Since rotation matrices can be stored by just storing the corresponding rotation angles, this approach enables efficient storage of linear transforms. The design algorithms are based on joint optimization of the linear transformation and the stage codebooks. Experimental results based on speech spectrum quantization show that the proposed VQ techniques outperform the MSVQ of the same bit rate.
Character, Leadership, and the Healthcare Professions.

The presentation by Elizabeth Holmes, PhD, summarized the integration of character and leadership development in the education of healthcare professionals. Citing the mission, vision, values, graduate attributes, and various examples of current programs and initiatives from both the United States Naval Academy and the University of Botswana, the presentation explained the importance of professional development based on ethical leadership and courageous moral decision making. In this regard, this distinguished lecture gave visible expression to the conference title, “Understanding Ethics and Integrity in Healthcare, Medicine, and Research.”
Rapid neurotransmitter uncaging in spatially defined patterns

Light-sensitive 'caged' molecules provide a means of rapidly and noninvasively manipulating biochemical signals with submicron spatial resolution. Here we describe a new optical system for rapid uncaging in arbitrary patterns to emulate complex neural activity. This system uses TeO(2) acousto-optical deflectors to steer an ultraviolet beam rapidly and can uncage at over 20,000 locations per second. The uncaging beam is projected into the focal plane of a two-photon microscope, allowing us to combine patterned uncaging with imaging and electrophysiology. By photolyzing caged neurotransmitter in brain slices we can generate precise, complex activity patterns for dendritic integration. The method can also be used to activate many presynaptic neurons at once. Patterned uncaging opens new vistas in the study of signal integration and plasticity in neuronal circuits and other biological systems.
Immunization With Melan-A Peptide-Pulsed Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Plus Recombinant Human Interleukin-12 Induces Clinical Activity and T-Cell Responses in Advanced Melanoma

Purpose: Preclinical studies showed that immunization with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) loaded with tumor antigen peptides plus interleukin-12 (IL-12) induced CD8+ T-cell responses and tumor rejection. We recently determined that recombinant human (rh) IL-12 at 30 to 100 ng/kg is effective as a vaccine adjuvant in patients. A phase II study of immunization with Melan-A peptide-pulsed PBMC + rhIL-12 was conducted in 20 patients with advanced melanoma. Patients and Methods: Patients were HLA-A2–positive and had documented Melan-A expression. Immunization was performed every 3 weeks with clinical re-evaluation every three cycles. Immune responses were measured by ELISpot assay before and after treatment and through the first three cycles, and were correlated with clinical outcome. Results: Most patients had received prior therapy and had visceral metastases. Nonetheless, two patients achieved a complete response, five patients achieved a minor or mixed response, and four patients had stable dise...
Translational Regulation of Ribosomal Protein Gene Expression in Eukaryotes

The ribosome has attracted our attention not only because of its remarkable ability to polymerize amino acids under the guidance of ribonucleotide triplets, but also because of the relationship between synthesis and assembly of its constituents. In eukaryotes, the ribosome is assembled from four RNA molecules and between 70 and 80 proteins.1 These various components are distributed over two subunits, one comprising roughly one third and the other two thirds of the total ribosome mass. Accumulation of these components, which may represent as much as 85% of a cell’s RNA and 15% of its protein, is an extremely efficient process. How is it that all the macromolecules in such a diverse collection exhibit similar properties of synthesis or accumulation to fulfill the exacting demands of their association? It is becoming increasingly evident that in eukaryotes, posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms play a role in bringing about and maintaining the appropriate accumulation of ribosomal proteins. Fittingly, regulation of the translation of ribosomal protein messenger RNAs (mRNAs) appears to be one such mechanism. This chapter constitutes a summary of our current knowledge of these mechanisms along with some thoughts for future investigation.
Dating, Social Avoidance and Distress

For 200 undergraduates association of dating and social avoidance and distress were explored. Conditioned anxiety, physical attractiveness, skills in dating, proximity, and apprehension about datin...
Bmh1p (14-3-3) mediates pathways associated with virulence in Candida albicans.

The ability of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans to cause disease requires rapid adaptation to changes in the host environment and to an evolving host immune response. The identification of ‘virulence factors’ using in vitro characterization of mutant strains has traditionally relied on a common set of phenotypic and biochemical assays (most often performed at 30 °C) and the subsequent correlation with their corresponding virulence in mouse models of disease. Utilizing a panel of isogenic mutants for the multifunctional signal-modulating 14-3-3 protein (Bmh1p), we have found that specific mutations affect a variety of different pathways currently associated with virulence, including those involved with the formation of filaments, as well as interaction with host immune cells. Surprisingly, our studies revealed that deficiencies in many of these pathways do not always correlate with virulence in a mouse model of disseminated infection. Mutations within the binding pocket of Bmh1p that affect the ability of the protein to efficiently bind ligand had varying effects on the results of a number of in vitro and in vivo assays. The capability, in vitro, to filament in embedment conditions, and to filament and form chlamydospores under microaerophilic conditions on cornmeal agar, does not correlate with virulence. It is likely that only a subset of hyphal signalling pathways is actually required for the establishment of infection in the disseminated mouse model. Most importantly, our results suggest that the delayed onset of lag-phase growth in vitro at 37 °C, and not at 30 °C, results in an inability of these mutants to rapidly adjust to environmental changes in vivo and may be responsible for their increased clearance and reduced virulence. It is critical, therefore, that future in vitro studies of putative virulence factors in C. albicans include careful characterization at physiological temperatures.
Small-Animal X-ray Dose from Micro-CT:

The use of micro-CT in small animals has increased in recent years. Although the radiation levels used for micro-CT are generally not lethal to the animal, they are high enough where changes in the...
Mortality risks sequential decisions on births and population growth.

The population growth rates implied by parental attempts to be highly certain of having a surviving son for old-age support are investigated. At life expectancies of 40 to 65 years, family-planning “strategies” using contraception are found to imply markedly lower growth rates (1.01.5 percent vs. 2.5 percent) than are both commonly observed and also previously derived by Heer and Smith. In contrast to strategies relying only on sterilization, contraceptive spacing of births permits parents to buy time and information. In particular, they can postpone deciding whether to have another child until they see if their infant son will survive the earliest years of childhood. These results suggest that many less developed countries might achieve a substantial reduction in birth rates, provided that family-planning programs emphasized contraception as well as sterilization and effectively communicated the idea of spacing births. Factors bearing on the range of applicability of the old-age-security hypothesis, and any results and policies derived from it, are also briefly analyzed.
Lipid and Fatty Acid Composition of Human Testes Removed at Autopsy

Lipid and fatty acid composition of testes removed at autopsy from humans aged 56-89 years was found to be similar to that of testes obtained at orchiectomy from humans of the same age group. It is suggested, therefore, that the use of autopsy specimens for this type of study is valid. Testes removed at autopsy from humans aged 19-53 had lipid and fatty acid compositions not significantly different from the older age group. Histological examination revealed some, but not complete, correlation between the fatty acid composition and the state of the germinal epithelium. Immature testes of infants had an altered lipid composition compared to adult tissue, particularly with reference to lower content of the polyenoic acids. 5.8. II eicosatrienoic and 4.7. 10. 13. 16. 19 docosahexaenoic acids. In two specimens of undescended testicles removed from young adults, the tissues were observed to be atrophied and were found to have decreased concentrations of 5, 8. Il eicosatrienoic and 4, 7, 10. 13. 16. 19 docosahexuenoic acids. It is suggested that there is a relationship between these two polyenes and the development of the germinal cells of human tissue.
PL-6: Spectroscopic systems and vacuum electronics in the submillimeter

The interest in the submillimeter (a. k. a. terahertz) spectral region has increased dramatically in the past decade. Significant one-of-a-kind systems, especially in astronomy and atmospheric science, have been developed and many mass market applications considered. This paper will focus on the application space for which vacuum electronics appear to be the best technical choice. It will be concluded that these include those applications which value frequency accuracy, agility, and bandwidth at high frequency and those that require power for probes and signals along paths with significant loss.
A two-dimensional model of runaway electron beams driven by quasi-electrostatic thundercloud fields

Intense, transient quasi-electrostatic (QE) fields, which exist above thunderclouds following a positive cloud-to-ground lightning discharge, can produce an upward travelling runaway electron (REL) beam. A new two-dimensional (2D) REL-QE model is developed, expanding the previously reported 1D model [Bell et al., 1995] and incorporating the QE [Pasko et al., 1997a] and the recently developed electrostatic heating (ESH) [Pasko et al., 1997b] models. The new model gives the lateral electron distribution in the beam and allows us to determine the ionospheric effects and the optical luminosities resulting from the simultaneous action of the QE fields on the ambient electrons and the runaway electrons. The model is self-consistent and includes the changes in space charge and conductivity due to the REL. Optical emissions and γ-ray emissions [Lehtinen et al., 1996a] are calculated and compared to experimental observations of Sprites and terrestrial γ-ray flashes (TGF). It is shown that the structure of the electric field and the optical emissions can be significantly affected by the REL.
Case study for particle agglomeration during chemical mechanical polishing process

Over sized particles in spent slurry are analyzed to examine particle agglomeration during chemical mechanical polishing process. In tungsten (W) polishing, due to greater chance of collision for large particles, high abrasive content slurries yield less oversized particles during polishing. However, in oxide wafer polishing, fumed silica follows the similar agglomerating behavior as in tungsten polishing, while colloidal silica shows a reversed trend. Defectivity measurements on oxide wafer confirm the correlation between spent slurry large particle count (LPC) and defects number on wafers, which means agglomerates produced during polishing process may cause defects in CMP.
A 6.5/11/17.5/30-GHz high throughput interferometer-based reactance sensors using injection-locked oscillators and ping-pong nested chopping

A series of high-sensitivity reactance sensors at 6.5/11/17.5/30-GHz is demonstrated for dielectric spectroscopy sensing on a single micron-size biological specimen. SNR is enhanced with the combination of interferometry and injection-locked oscillator sensors while the offset incurred by chopping-ripple is reduced through ping-pong nested chopping. The sensors achieve a sensitivity of less than 1.25 aF at 100-kHz, enabling label-free cellular detection as a new analytical tool.
Lab and field estimates of active time of chemical alarm cues of a cyprinid fish and an amphipod crustacean

Summary Predation risk is detected by the presence of cues released passively during a predation event. Refinement of risk assessment could occur if prey have the ability to assess cue age. Here, we test for antipredator behavioural responses to chemical alarm cues of varying ages. Fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, give an antipredator response to alarm cues derived from conspecifc skin extract that has been aged at 18 ◦ C for 0 (fresh) and 3 h, but not after 6 h. Alarm cues from crushed conspecific Gammarus lacustris (Crustacea: Amphipoda), showed a similar chemical longevity. A field test of minnow alarm cues produced broadly similar results for conspecific fathead minnows and heterospecific responses by northern redbelly dace, Phoxinus eos. Close agreement among all three data sets suggests either a common duration of predation risk or a common molecular basis of chemical cues across aquatic taxa. When we heated skin extract to denature and remove half of the constituent proteins, we inactivated biological activity of alarm cue suggesting that protein is required for skin extract to function as an alarm cue in minnows. Protein degradation may be a means of assessing age and, therefore, ecological relevance of chemical information in behavioural decision-making.
Adaptive compensation for actuator imperfections

A general adaptive inverse scheme is developed for control of systems with actuator imperfections caused by unknown nonsmooth nonlinearities such as dead-zone, backlash and other piecewise-linearities at the input of a linear dynamics. The proposed controller structure consists of an adaptive inverse for cancelling the effect of an unknown nonlinearity and a linear feedback design such as model reference, PID, or pole placement for the linear dynamics. An adaptive law is developed to update the inverse parameters for improved tracking performance despite the presence of actuator imperfections.
Discussion of "Modeling and analysis guidelines for slow transients-Part 3: the study of ferroresonance"

The author states that the original authors (see ibid., vol.15, p.255-65, 2000) are to be commended for their timely and informative paper. He argues that it presents an overview of the state of the art of the modeling and simulation techniques for ferroresonance in the power system. He also invites comments on the various discussion items proposed in this paper.
Identification of a surface-exposed immunodominant epitope on outer membrane protein P1 of Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Abstract Eight murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against outer membrane protein P1 of Haemophilus influenzae type b were generated and characterized. Seven of the eight MAbs reacted with recombinant P1 and purified P1 protein from H. influenzae type b strains MinnA and 1613; MAb P1.8 was specific for the latter strain. A panel of 32 nontypeable and 140 encapsulated Haemophilus strains recovered worldwide representing the major clonal families of serotypes a, b, and d was used to evaluate the distribution among Haemophilus strains of the epitopes identified by the P1-specific MAbs. The epitope reactive with the seven MAbs which recognized P1 from strains MinnA and 1613 was shared by 92% of the encapsulated Haemophilus isolates tested. The epitope is present in the H. influenzae type b strains from clonal families commonly recovered from cases of invasive disease in North America and Europe. A series of nested 5' and 3' deletions of the P1 gene were constructed and analyzed to localize the determinants on P1 recognized by the MAbs. MAbs P1.2, P1.4, P1.5, P1.6, and P1.7 recognized an epitope localized to the carboxy-terminal portion of P1. Murine MAbs P1.1 and P1.3 and two human MAbs, HiH-7 and HiH-10, recognized a complex epitope which was partially localized to the carboxy-terminal portion of the P1 protein. These data indicate that an immunodominant surface-exposed epitope is present on the carboxy-terminal portion of the P1 protein of type b Haemophilus isolates responsible for the majority of invasive disease in North America.
Measles in Healthcare Facilities in the United States During the Postelimination Era, 2001–2014

Between 2001 and 2014, 78 reported measles cases resulted from transmission in US healthcare facilities, and 29 healthcare personnel were infected from occupational exposure, 1 of whom transmitted measles to a patient. The economic impact of preventing and controlling measles transmission in healthcare facilities was $19 000-$114 286 per case.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Relaxation of P 31 in the Paramagnetic State of the UP-US Solid Solutions

Measurements by continuous wave and pulsed NMR were made on $^{31}\mathrm{P}$ in the paramagnetic state of the UP-US solid solutions. All the $\mathrm{U}{\mathrm{P}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{S}}_{x}$ compositions used have a NaCl-type structure, are good conductors of electricity, and show systematic changes in the paramagnetic Curie temperature $\ensuremath{\theta}$ and in the magnetic ordering, from type-I antiferromagnetic in UP to ferromagnetic in the US-rich compositions. Measurements were made of the Knight shift $K$, the linewidth $\ensuremath{\Delta}H$, the Bloch decay time constant ${{T}_{2}}^{*}$, the echo decay time constant ${T}_{2}$, and the spin-lattice relaxation time ${T}_{1}$ as functions of temperature $T$ and sulfur concentration $x$. $K$ is linear in the molar susceptibility, $K={K}_{0}+(4.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5){\ensuremath{\chi}}_{M}$, with $|{K}_{0}|\ensuremath{\ll}K$, and with a slope independent of $x$ and similar to the slopes of $K$ versus ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{M}$ for other U compounds with magnetic ordering. The changes in $\ensuremath{\theta}$ and in magnetic ordering along the $\mathrm{U}{\mathrm{P}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{S}}_{x}$ system that could be accounted for by RKKY-type (Rudermann-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida) interactions are not reflected in $K$, thereby disqualifying the RKKY model for the Knight shift. The broad NMR lines are due to inhomogeneous effects in the powder samples (demagnetization and composition variation), and both $\ensuremath{\Delta}H$ and ${{T}_{2}}^{*}$ are dominated by inhomogeneous magnetic fields. The spin-spin relaxation time ${{T}_{2}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$, deduced from ${T}_{2}$, is due mainly to homogeneous internuclear dipolar interactions. ${T}_{1}$ increases with temperature for all compositions, regardless of the magnetic ordering. ${T}_{1}T$ is empirically related to $K$ differently in the antiferromagnetic compositions (${T}_{1}T{K}^{2}\ensuremath{\cong}\mathrm{const}$) and in the ferromagnetic compositions (${T}_{1}\mathrm{TK}\ensuremath{\cong}\mathrm{const}$). The ${T}_{1}$ results are analyzed in terms of recently proposed models for nuclear relaxation due to indirect interactions with localized magnetic moments via the conduction electrons.