cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of electromyographic biofeedback in the treatment of myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome

Electromyographic biofeedback may be an excellent tool in alleviating pain from myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome. Electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback was used in a controlled situation to teach patients with myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome to relax the masseter muscle. Those receiving biofeedback were able to reduce their mean masseter EMG levels significantly. Concurrently, there was a reduction of symptoms. Seventy-five percent of the successfully treated patients required no further therapy during one year of observation.
Quaternary modular summations

A fundamental isometry in the theory of modular forms [1] is extended tc a quaternary generalization of the modular group. A quaternary number is an expression of the form d + iu + jb + kc where a, b, c, and d are real numbers. The sum of the quaternary number: dl + iu, + jb, + Kc, and d, + iu, + jb, + kc, is the quaternary number d+iu+jb+kc where u=u,+u,, b=b,+b,, c=c1+c2, and d = dl + d, . The product (dl + iu, + jb, + kc,) x (d, + iu, + jb2 + kc,) is the quaternary number d + iu + jb + kc where
Information visualization: From conceptual theory to digital implementation

Information visualization allows the exploration of large sets of non-linear paradigms for the organization of a wider spectrum of media elements (i.e. video, visual images, sound, and datasets). Information visualization in the form of 2D and 3D objects and environments has been moving from conceptual theory to digital implementation. The panelists represent different projects that have brought theory into implementation and will share information, demonstrations, and results.
Pricing game of online display advertisement publishers

Abstract We consider online display advertisement publishers who maximize the revenue by optimal pricing in an oligopoly setting. Each publisher interacts with others through setting cost-per-impression (CPM) that affects the demand for everyone. Using the pseudoconcavity of the objective function, we prove that a unique best response Nash equilibrium exists for each publisher. We also consider the sensitivity of the publisher while other publishers changes their CPM. In both cases, the best response of the publisher depends entirely on her current best response CPM. We provide an algorithm for finding the equilibrium and illustrate by numerical examples.
CD5 is a potential selecting ligand for B cell surface immunoglobulin framework region sequences.

In rabbits nearly all B lymphocytes express the glycoprotein CD5, in contrast to mice and humans, where only a small proportion of B cells express this molecule (Raman, C., and K.L. Knight. 1992. J. Immunol. 149:3858-3864). CD5+ B cells appear to develop early in ontogeny and be maintained throughout life by self-renewal. The function of CD5 on B cells is still unknown. We showed earlier that "positive" selection occurs during B lymphocyte development in the rabbit appendix. This selection favors B cell expressing surface immunoglobulins with VHa2 structures in the first and third framework regions (Pospisil, R., G.O. Young-Cooper, and R.G. Mage. 1995. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 92:6961-6965). Here we report that F(ab')2 fragments, especially those bearing VHa2 framework region determinants, specifically interact with the B cell-surface glycoprotein CD5. This interaction can be inhibited by anti-CD5 antibodies. Furthermore, immobilized F(ab')2 fragments selectively bind CD5 molecules in appendix cell lysates. Interactions of VH framework region structures with CD5 may affect maintenance and selective expansion of particular B cells and thus contribute to autostimulatory growth of autoimmune or transformed cells.
The large deformation elastic response of woven kevlar fabric

The large deformation elastic response of a plane woven Kevlar fabric is investigated analytically and experimentally. The analysis assumes the undeformed geometry to be a sequence of interlaced arcs of circles that reverse at each yarn midpoint, and each yarn is modeled as an extensible elastica subject to certain compatibility conditions. Deflection-force relations for the fabric are determined in terms of the initial weave geometry and the elastic properties of the individual yarns. The theoretical results agree well with the results of experiments performed on a fabric woven from 400 denier Kevlar yarns under conditions of uniaxial loading in both warp and fill directions.
Effect of in-plane magnetic fields on the electronic structure and photoluminescence spectra in doped semiconductor quantum wells

The effect of in-plane magnetic fields on the carrier energy dispersion, mass enhancement and the photoluminescence line-shape is investigated in semiconductor quantum wells. Exact results are obtained for parabolic quantum wells. An accurate numerical method applicable for arbitrary confinement potentials is introduced. This technique, based on a plane-wave basis set, is applied to the square-well potential. Minimum-photoluminescence-energy data are presented as a function of magnetic field. The theoretical results yield reasonable agreement with the data.
ATP-producing and consuming processes of Ehrlich mouse ascites tumor cells in proliferating and resting phases.

The extents of ATP-yielding and consuming processes in Ehrlich mouse ascites tumor cells during the proliferating and resting growth phase were compared. In the resting phase the total ATP production was decreased by one-third. The ATP supply by oxidative phosphorylation was drastically reduced, whereas the rate of glycolysis stayed nearly constant. All ATP-consuming processes investigated, i.e., protein turnover, Na+/K(+)-ATPase, Ca2(+)-ATPase, and RNA synthesis, were decreased proportionally with the total ATP consumption.
Structure and scintillation of Eu2+-activated solid solutions in the BaBr2–BaI2 system

Abstract We report the structure and scintillation of Eu2+-activated solid solutions in the BaBr2–BaI2 system. Samples were synthesized in the form of ∼1 mm size crystals by melting the reactants in a sealed quartz tube followed by slow cooling. The solid solutions form an orthorhombic PbCl2-type crystal structure with an ordered arrangement of the anions. Upon optical and X-ray excitation, the Eu2+-activated samples show an intense emission centered between 410 and 423 nm. The samples exhibit a fast decay characteristic of Eu2+, with the primary decay time between 315 and 600 ns for ∼75% of the total emitted light. Light yields for the compositions are compared to a newly discovered scintillator, BaBrI:Eu2+, measured under identical conditions.
Attenuation of glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in chronically ethanol-exposed cerebellar granule cells by NMDA receptor antagonists and ganglioside GM1.

Ethanol, acutely, is a potent inhibitor of the function of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptor. After chronic exposure of animals to ethanol, however, the NMDA receptor in brain is upregulated. This upregulation is associated with the occurrence of ethanol withdrawal seizures. When cultured cerebellar granule neurons are exposed chronically to ethanol, the resulting upregulation of NMDA receptor function renders the cells more susceptible to glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. The present studies show that chronic ethanol exposure produces an increase in NMDA receptor number in the cells, measured by ligand binding to intact cells. Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, both in control and ethanol-exposed cells, is blocked by the same NMDA receptor antagonists previously shown to block ethanol withdrawal seizures in animals. In addition, glutamate neurotoxicity is blocked by acute (2-hr) pretreatment of cells with ganglioside GM, or by chronic (3 days) treatment with the ganglioside. Acute ganglioside treatment does not interfere with the initial rise in intracellular calcium caused by glutamate, whereas this response is downregulated after chronic ganglioside treatment These results suggest that therapeutic agents can be developed to block both ethanol withdrawal signs and the neuronal damage that accompanies ethanol withdrawal. Furthermore, chronic ganglioside treatment during ethanol exposure has the potential to prevent changes in the NMDA receptor that lead to withdrawal seizures and enhanced susceptibility to excitotoxicity.
Reaction of cytochrome c in the electron-transport chain of Paracoccus denitrificans.

Abstract The reaction of the cytochrome c oxidase (ferrocytochrome c :oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.9.3.1) of Paracoccus denitrificans cytoplasmic membranes with the endogenous cytochrome c of the membranes was studied, as well as its interaction with added exogenous cytochrome c from P. denitrificans or bovine heart. The polarographic method was employed, using N , N , N ′, N ′-tetramethyl- p -phenylenediamine plus ascorbate to reduce the cytochrome c . We found that overall electron transport can proceed maximally while the cytochrome c remains membrane bound; NADH or succinoxidase activities were not inhibited by the addition of substances which bind the P. denitrificans cytochrome c strongly. In contrast to our observations with the spectrophotometric method (Smith, L., Davies, H.C. and Nava, M.E. (1976) Biochemistry 15, 5827–5831), in the polarographic assays the membrane-bound oxidase reacts with about equal rapidity with exogenous bovine and P. denitrificans cytochromes c . The reaction of the oxidase with the endogenous cytochrome c proceeds at high rates and preferentially to that with exogenous cytochrome c ; the reaction with the latter, but not the former is inhibited by positively charged poly( l -lysine). The cytochrome c and the oxidase appear to be very closely associated on the membrane.
Mean Scatterer Spacing Estimation in Normal and Thermally Coagulated Ex Vivo Bovine Liver

The liver has been hypothesized to have a unique arrangement of microvasculature that presents as an arrangement of quasiperiodic scatterers to an interrogating ultrasound pulse. The mean scatterer spacing (MSS) of these quasiperiodic scatterers has been proposed as a useful quantitative ultrasound biomarker for characterizing liver tissue. Thermal ablation is an increasingly popular method for treating hepatic tumors, and ultrasonic imaging approaches for delineating the extent of thermal ablation are in high demand. In this work, we examine the distribution of estimated MSS in thermally coagulated bovine liver and normal untreated bovine liver ex vivo. We estimate MSS by detecting local maxima in the spectral coherence function of radio frequency echoes from a clinical transducer, the Siemens VFX 9L4 transducer operating on an S2000 scanner. We find that normal untreated bovine liver was characterized by an MSS of approximately 1.3 mm. We examined regions of interest 12 mm wide laterally, and ranging from 12 mm to 18 mm axially, in 2 mm increments. Over these parameters, the mode of the MSS estimates was between 1.25 and 1.37 mm. On the other hand, estimation of MSS in thermally coagulated liver tissue yields a distribution of MSS estimates whose mode varied between 0.45 and 1.0 mm when examining regions of interest over the same sizes. We demonstrate that the estimated MSS in thermally coagulated liver favors small spacings because the randomly positioned scatterers in this tissue are better modeled as aperiodic scatterers. The submillimeter spacings result from the fact that this was the most probable spacing to be estimated if the discretely sampled spectral coherence function was a uniformly random two-dimensional function.
Pyruvate kinase deficiency hemolytic anemia: two successful pregnancy outcomes.

Pyruvate kinase deficiency hemolytic anemia is an uncommon disease that is a rare complication of pregnancy.
Dephosphorylation of Cdk2 Thr160 by the Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Interacting Phosphatase KAP in the Absence of Cyclin

The activation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) requires the phosphorylation of a conserved threonine (Thr 160 in Cdk2) by CDK-activating kinase (CAK). Human KAP (also called Cdi1), a CDK-associated phosphatase, was shown to dephosphorylate Thr 160 in human Cdk2. KAP was unable to dephosphorylate Tyr 15 and only dephosphorylated Thr 160 in native monomeric Cdk2. The binding of cyclin A to Cdk2 inhibited the dephosphorylation of Thr 160 by KAP but did not preclude the binding of KAP to the cyclin A-Cdk2 complex. Moreover, the dephosphorylation of Thr 160 by KAP prevented Cdk2 kinase activity upon subsequent association with cyclin A. These results suggest that KAP binds to Cdk2 and dephosphorylates Thr 160 when the associated cyclin subunit is degraded or dissociates.
Paclitaxel (Taxol)-induced Gene Expression and Cell Death Are Both Mediated by the Activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal Kinase (JNK/SAPK)

Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a novel anti-cancer drug that has shown efficacy toward several malignant tumors, particularly ovarian tumors. We reported previously that paclitaxel can induce interleukin (IL)-8 promoter activation in subgroups of ovarian cancer through the activation of both AP-1 and nuclear factor κB. Further analysis of paclitaxel analogs indicates that the degree of IL-8 induction by analysis correlates with the extent of cell death; however, IL-8 itself is not the cause of cell death. This suggests that pathways that lead to IL-8 and cell death may overlap, although IL-8 per se does not kill tumor cells.To decipher the upstream signals for paclitaxel-induced transcriptional activation and cell death, we studied the involvement of protein kinases that lead to the activation of AP-1, specifically the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK1), p38, and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1). The role of IκB in paclitaxel-induced cell death was also analyzed. Paclitaxel activated JNK, and to a lesser degree p38, but not ERK1. Paclitaxel-induced IL-8 promoter activation was inhibited by dominant-inhibitory mutants of JNK, p38, and the super-repressor form of IκBα, but not by dominant-inhibitory forms of ERK1. Dominant-inhibitory mutants of JNK1 also greatly reduced paclitaxel-induced cell death, and the kinetics of JNK induction was closely followed by DNA fragmentation. These results indicate (i) that paclitaxel activates the JNK signaling pathway and (ii) that JNK activation is a common point of paclitaxel-induced gene induction and cell death.
A new craniodigital syndrome with mental retardation

A familial disorder affecting 3 male siblings is described. The syndrome is characterized by mental retardation, unusual facial features, syndactyly, abnormal dermatoglyphics, and minor skeletal abnormalities. This constellation of features represents a previously unrecognized syndrome which is probably genetic in origin and may be X linked.
Glutamate Spillover Mediates Excitatory Transmission in the Rat Olfactory Bulb

In the CNS, glutamate typically mediates excitatory transmission via local actions at synaptic contacts. In the olfactory bulb, mitral cell dendrites release glutamate at synapses formed only onto the dendrites of inhibitory granule cells. Here, I show excitatory transmission mediated solely by transmitter spillover between mitral cells in olfactory bulb slices. Dendritic glutamate release from individual mitral cells causes self-excitation via local activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Paired recordings reveal that glutamate release from one cell generates NMDA receptor-mediated responses in neighboring mitral cells that are enhanced by blockade of glutamate uptake. Furthermore, spillover generates spontaneous NMDA receptor-mediated population responses. This simultaneous activation of neighboring mitral cells by a diffuse action of glutamate provides a mechanism for synchronizing olfactory principal cells.
Radiolucent Retractor for Operative Coronary Angiography

A new retractor has been designed for sternal separation during cardiac operations. This retractor has the advantage of radiolucent blades that allow visualization of the entire heart by roentgenographic techniques without compromise of surgical exposure during the course of operation. The retractor also has swivel blades that provide excellent conformity to the sternal edges without pressure points, which tend to produce fractures.
Neurofibromatosis: A Handbook for Patients, Families, and Healthcare Professionals,

The second edition of Neurofibromatosis: A Handbook for Patients, Families and Health Care Professionals is much better than a simple handbook. Korf and Rubenstein have expertly woven patient viewpoints and medical concerns related to the combined and distinctive issues of neurofibromatosis (NF) (NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis) into an outstanding perspective on these genetic conditions.
A test to measure performance styles in interpersonal relations.

A 55-item paper-and-pencil test, designed to measure an individual's characteristic performance style, was administered to 852 undergraduates. The test (PST) is presented in its entirety, along wit...
Cystic renal masses: a reevaluation of the usefulness of the Bosniak classification system.

Rationale and Objectives. We evaluated the utility of the Bosniak system for classifying cystic renal masses on computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods. The CT scans of 20 patients with 24 cystic renal masses that were subsequently surgically removed or biopsied were reviewed retrospectively. Masses were categorized using the Bosniak system and were correlated with the pathology results. Results. The final pathology results of the cystic renal masses were as follows: Seven of seven category I lesions were benign, one of five category II lesions was benign, zero of four category III lesions were benign, and zero of six category IV lesions were benign. Neither of two unclassifiable cystic lesions were benign. The average enhancement of lesions in categories II, III, and IV was 6.3, 2.3, and 27.6 Hounsfield units (H), respectively. The two uncategorizable lesions had a mean enhancement of 26.8 H. Conclusion. The results of our study serve to underscore some limitations of the Bosniak classification system because most of our category II and all of our category III lesions were malignant, suggesting that minimally complex cystic renal masses may contain malignant cells. Contrast enhancement of less than 10 H was demonstrated in lesions in categories II and III.
When do carcinogen-treated 10T1/2 cells acquire the commitment to form transformed foci?

A major advance in analysing the mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis has been the development of cell culture systems in which normal rodent cells can be transformed as a result of in vitro exposure to specific chemicals or radiation1–6. An unexpected finding in these systems is that the frequency of transformation is often much greater than that of induction of drug-resistant mutants3,6–10. In addition, studies using the technique of cell spreading have suggested that the latent period between exposure of cell cultures to carcinogens and the emergence of cells having the heritable ability to form transformed foci is also much greater than that for the induction of drug-resistant mutants8,11,12. In most of the above transformation studies, the cells were exposed to carcinogens at low cell densities and, therefore, mutation-like events that might be induced with a low frequency could have been missed. Thus, we have now analysed the kinetics of cell transformation of C3H 10T1/2 cells when exposed to the potent ultimate carcinogen (±)7β,8α-dihydroxy-9α,10α-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene (BPDE) in conditions of high cell density. We report here that in these conditions acquisition of the ability to form transformed foci and acquisition of ouabain resistance occur with similar kinetics and within 2 days of carcinogen exposure.
Elevated CO2 differentially alters belowground plant and soil microbial community structure in reed canary grass-invaded experimental wetlands

Several recent studies have indicated that an enriched atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO2) could exacerbate the intensity of plant invasions within natural ecosystems, but little is known of how rising CO2 impacts the belowground characteristics of these invaded systems. In this study, we examined the effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen (N) inputs on plant and soil microbial community characteristics of plant communities invaded by reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea L. We grew the invasive grass under two levels of invasion: the invader was either dominant (high invasion) at >90% plant cover or sub-dominant (low invasion) at <50% plant cover. Experimental wetland communities were grown for four months in greenhouses that received either 600 or 365 μl l−1 (ambient) CO2. Within each of three replicate rooms per CO2 treatment, the plant communities were grown under high (30 mg l−1) or low (5 mg l−1) N. In contrast to what is often predicted under N limitation, we found that elevated CO2 increased native graminoid biomass at low N, but not at high N. The aboveground biomass of reed canary grass did not respond to elevated CO2, despite it being a fast-growing C3 species. Although elevated CO2 had no impact on the plant biomass of heavily invaded communities, the relative abundance of several soil microbial indicators increased. In contrast, the moderately invaded plant communities displayed increased total root biomass under elevated CO2, while little impact occurred on the relative abundance of soil microbial indicators. Principal components analysis indicated that overall soil microbial community structure was distinct by CO2 level for the varying N and invasion treatments. This study demonstrates that even when elevated CO2 does not have visible effects on aboveground plant biomass, it can have large impacts belowground.
The influence of linoleic acid intake on electron transport system components.

Groups of young rats were fed a basal diet with beef tallow (BT) or corn oil (CO) added to provide 4 or 19% energy as linoleic acid. Mitochondria isolated from the livers of the rats fed the CO contained a significantly lower concentration of b-type cytochrome and significantly higher concentrations of cytochromes c, c1 and aa3. Cytochrome c oxidase activity also was elevated. The spectral characteristics of the b-type cytochrome varied between the 2 groups. The mitochondria from the rats fed CO contained relatively more of the cytochrome b-558 component whereas mitochondria from the BT group contained more of the cytochrome b-562 component. The classical antimycin A inhibition of electron transport between cytochromes b and c1 was partially bypassed in mitochondria with the more fluid membrane. The activation energy for cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria from this group was significantly higher. These differences may be traced to the physical characteristics of the inner mitochondrial membrane.
Controller Development for an Automotive Shape Memory Alloy Actuator

Shape memory alloy actuators are inherently nonlinear and require a robust control scheme to guarantee rapid tracking and sufficient position control performance. In this paper, a control scheme is developed for an automotive shape memory alloy actuator that is used to orient an external rear view mirror to match desired set-points. The formulation of appropriate models and control laws are presented. Experiments of the controller in a real-time environment are performed and results are presented.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
A toral diffeomorphism with a nonpolygonal rotation set

We construct a diffeomorphism of the two-dimensional torus which is isotopic to the identity and whose rotation set is not a polygon.
Pneumocystis infection and the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

With increases in the immunocompromised patient population and aging of the HIV+ population, the risk of serious fungal infections and their complications will continue to rise. In these populations, infection with the fungal opportunistic pathogen Pneumocystis jirovecii remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Infection with Pneumocystis (Pc) has been shown to be associated with the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in human subjects with and without HIV infection and in non-human primate models of HIV infection. In human studies and in a primate model of HIV/Pc co-infection, we have shown that antibody response to the Pc protein, kexin (KEX1), correlates with protection from colonization, Pc pneumonia, and COPD. These findings support the hypothesis that immunity to KEX1 may be critical to controlling Pc colonization and preventing or slowing development of COPD.
Effect of three communication technologies on mass media spending in Belgium

This study assessed the impact of color television, cable television, and the videocassette recorder on consumer mass media spending in Belgium. Using the concept of functional equivalence for theoretical guidance, it hypothesized that the introduction of these three communication technologies would not affect the overall level of mass media expenditures over time, as consumers are expected to compensate for these new expenditures by curtailing spending on traditional media. This hypothesis was not supported, though. Trend analyses revealed that these three technologies collectively played a major role in expanding the share of disposable personal income devoted to mass media in Belgium between 1970 and 1991.
Linguistic Analysis of Project Ownership for Undergraduate Research Experiences

We used computational linguistic and content analyses to explore the concept of project ownership for undergraduate research. We used linguistic analysis of student interview data to develop a quantitative methodology for assessing project ownership and applied this method to measure degrees of project ownership expressed by students in relation to different types of educational research experiences. The results of the study suggest that the design of a research experience significantly influences the degree of project ownership expressed by students when they describe those experiences. The analysis identified both positive and negative aspects of project ownership and provided a working definition for how a student experiences his or her research opportunity. These elements suggest several features that could be incorporated into an undergraduate research experience to foster a student’s sense of project ownership.
Optimum detection of multiplicative watermarks using locally optimum decision rule

Multiplicative watermarks have very strong robustness, and they are well-suited for the copyright protection. In this paper, new detector structures for the optimum detection of multiplicative watermarks are derived. It is shown that the observations should be raised to the power of the shape parameter of the distribution before they are correlated with the watermark. For commonly used Gaussian distribution a quadratic correlator is obtained. A generalized linear correlator is also derived based on the Laplacian distribution. The performance analysis of the proposed detector is examined. The theoretical results are verified by the experiments.
Estimating endogenous changes in task performance from EEG

Brain wave activity is known to correlate with decrements in behavioral performance as individuals enter states of fatigue, boredom, or low alertness. Many BCI technologies are adversely affected by these changes in user state, limiting their application and constraining their use to relatively short temporal epochs where behavioral performance is likely to be stable. Incorporating a passive BCI that detects when the user is performing poorly at a primary task, and adapts accordingly may prove to increase overall user performance. Here, we explore the potential for extending an established method to generate continuous estimates of behavioral performance from ongoing neural activity; evaluating the extended method by applying it to the original task domain, simulated driving; and generalizing the method by applying it to a BCI-relevant perceptual discrimination task. Specifically, we used EEG log power spectra and sequential forward floating selection (SFFS) to estimate endogenous changes in behavior in both a simulated driving task and a perceptual discrimination task. For the driving task the average correlation coefficient between the actual and estimated lane deviation was 0.37 ± 0.22 (mean ± std). For the perceptual discrimination task we generated estimates of accuracy, reaction time, and button press duration for each participant. The correlation coefficients between the actual and estimated behavior were similar for these three metrics (accuracy = 0.25 ± 0.37, reaction time = 0.33 ± 0.23, button press duration = 0.36 ± 0.30). These findings illustrate the potential for modeling time-on-task decrements in performance from concurrent measures of neural activity.
Physical activity levels and functional performance in the Osteoarthritis Initiative: a graded relationship

Objective Physical activity improves function in adults with arthritis, but it is unknown if there is a graded relationship between physical activity and functional benefit. This study was undertaken to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between self-reported physical activity and observed functional performance in adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods The Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort included 2,589 patients with knee OA (2,301 with longitudinal followup data) who were ages 45–79 years at baseline. Prospective annual functional performance was assessed for 2 years using timed 20-meter walk tests. We used linear regression to estimate differences across physical activity quartiles in subsequent function (baseline and 1-year activity predicts 1-year and 2-year function, respectively) adjusted for demographic factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, and marital status) and health factors (OA severity, knee symptoms, knee pain, knee injury, body mass index, comorbidity, depression, smoking, alcohol use, and other joint pain). Results Increasing physical activity levels had a significant graded relationship to functional performance. Adults in physical activity quartile groups from least active to most active had an average gait speed of 4.0, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.5 feet/second, respectively, at baseline (P for trend < 0.001) and 4.0, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.5 feet/second, respectively, after 1 year (P for trend < 0.001); increasing trends remained significant after adjusting for covariates. Findings were similar within sex and age groups. Conclusion These prospective data indicate a consistent graded relationship between physical activity level and better performance in adults with knee OA. These findings support guidelines that encourage patients with arthritis who cannot attain minimum recommended physical activity to be as active as possible.
Lattice constants and melting points of actinide-group IVA-VIA compounds with NaCl-type structures

Abstract Compounds of the actinides and group V and VI nonmetals were prepared by reaction of high-purity metals with gases and arc-fusion of the elements. Lattice constants and melting points of the compounds are reported. These properties were correlated with the electronic configuration of the actinides and the position of the nonmetal component in the period table.
The Affect System Architecture and Operating Characteristics

The affect system refers to the functional components involved in appetitive and aversive information processing. We review evidence suggesting that affect is not a unitary faculty but rather is composed of a number of distinct processes. Physical limitations constrain behavioral expressions and incline behavioral predispositions toward a bipolar (good-bad, approach-withdraw) organization, but this organization appears to be the consequence of multiple operations, including the activation of positivity (appetition) and the activation of negativity (aversion), at earlier affective-processing stages. The partial segregation of positive and negative affective processing afforded evolution the opportunity to sculpt distinctive activation functions for these affective components and allows their coactivation. Coactivation, in turn, cultivates the exploration of novel environments and the pursuit of seemingly hospitable events while fostering vigilance for and rapid retreats from hostile developments.
Errata for "Full solution, for crystal class 3m, of the Holland-EerNisse complex material-constant theory of lossy piezoelectrics for harmonic time dependence" [Jun 2007, 1250]

A complex material-constant theory of lossy piezoelectrics is fully solved for crystal class 3 m for harmonic time dependence of the fields and stresses. A new demonstration that the theory's eigen coupling factor equation applies to the lossy alternating current (AC) case also is given. The solution presented for crystal class 3 m provides a complete orthonormal set of eigenvectors and eigenvalues for the eigen coupling factor problem, and it also provides a complete orthonormal set of eigenvectors and eigenvalues for the eigen loss tangent problem, for this crystal class. It is shown that two positive coupling factors are sufficient to express an arbitrary 3 m crystal state. Despite the complex nature of the material constants, the Holland-EerNisse theory produces fully real expressions for the coupling factors. The loss tangent eigenvalues also are fully real and positive. The loss eigenstates are important because driving a crystal in a loss eigenstate tends to minimize the impact of material losses. Given also is a set of loss inequalities for crystal class 3 m. The loss inequalities of crystal class 6 mm are recovered from these when d22 and sE 4 both vanish.
Social Support for Creativity and Learning Online

In the mid 1990s, we began to ask some hopeful questions about the potential of the Internet to empower the individual: Can users become creators of content, rather than merely recipients? What can people learn through working on personally meaningful projects and sharing them online? If content creation is to some degree democratized, does this have broader cultural or political implications? This enthusiasm faded a bit by the dot-com bust, and many began to wonder: will it be business-as-usual after all? But then it started happening. On Wikipedia, thousands of volunteers collaborate to create a shared resource that, while not without flaws, is astonishing in its breadth and speed of adaptation. Furthermore, the process of writing this resource is truly collaborative to a degree that should make any Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) professional envious. On sites like deviantART and Newgrounds, people collaborate on original art projects and animations. On MySpace, teens create their own web pages, sharing snippets of html and expressing themselves in a quintessentially teenage fashion. Blogs written by ordinary citizens have become influential in politics and culture, almost just as envisioned by science fiction writer Orson Scott Card. Peer production of content, it seems, has arrived. What has made this explosion of creativity possible is not better tools for production (though those help), but rather social contexts for sharing those products with others. The easy availability of an audience motivates people to create. In this paper, I'll review the history of peer production of content on the Internet, and present current research in the Electronic Learning Communities (ELC) Lab at Georgia Tech that aims to help support this phenomenon. Drawing on work in the fields of online community design, CSCW, and computer-supported cooperative learning, I'll discuss how we can design Internet-based environments conducive to creativity, collaboration, and learning.
Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 conR contains a LytR-CpsA-Psr domain, is developmentally regulated, and is essential for diazotrophic growth and heterocyst morphogenesis.

The conR (all0187) gene of the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena (Nostoc) sp. strain PCC 7120 is predicted to be part of a family of proteins that contain the LytR-CpsA-Psr domain associated with septum formation and cell wall maintenance. The conR gene was originally misannotated as a transcription regulator. Northern RNA blot analysis showed that conR expression was upregulated 8 h after nitrogen step-down. Fluorescence microscopy of a P conR –gfp reporter strain revealed increased GFP fluorescence in proheterocysts and heterocysts beginning 9 h after nitrogen step-down. Insertional inactivation of conR caused a septum-formation defect of vegetative cells grown in nitrate-containing medium. In nitrate-free medium, mutant filaments formed abnormally long heterocysts and were defective for diazotrophic growth. Septum formation between heterocysts and adjacent vegetative cells was abnormal, often with one or both poles of the heterocysts appearing partially open. In a conR mutant, expression of nifH was delayed after nitrogen step-down and nitrogenase activity was approximately 70 % of wild-type activity, indicating that heterocysts of the conR mutant strain are partially functional. We hypothesize that the diazotrophic growth defect is caused by an inability of the heterocysts to transport fixed nitrogen to the neighbouring vegetative cells.
Talemzane - Algerian impact crater detected on SIR-A orbital imaging radar

In November, 1981, NASA's first Shuttle Imaging Radar mission (SIR-A) began producing maplike photographic strips of Earth scenes from orbital altitude. A Saharan radar image acquired over Algeria clearly delineates two sedimentary basins, Erg Occidental and Erg Oriental, separated by an elongated zone of exposed bedrock, the M'Zab Chebka. At the NE margin of the Chebka, rimrocks, slopes, and ejecta deposits of Talemzane meteorite impact crater appear as a distinct two km wide radar-bright ring. This unique circle of strong radar backscatter distinguishes the solitary impact structure from numerous dayas (similarly appearing karstic depressions) which characterize the region. The crater is prominent on radar, but is obscure on optically obtained satellite and aircraft images, as are partly buried fluvial drainage systems and fault-block traces developed in bedrocks of the Chebka. Radar detection of an annular drainage system indicates possible presence of a ring graben at the crater. Brightest radar signals on the image are cultural features at recently developed gas fields near Hassi er R'Mel.
Differential miRNA expression in inherently high- and low-active inbred mice

Despite established health benefits of regular exercise, the majority of Americans do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. While it is known that voluntary activity levels are largely heritable, the genetic mechanisms that regulate activity are not well understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that inhibit transcription by binding to a target gene, inhibiting protein production. The purpose of this study was to investigate differential miRNA expression between inherently high- (C57L/J) and low- (C3H/HeJ) active inbred mice in soleus, extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and nucleus accumbens tissues. Expression was initially determined by miRNA microarray analysis, and selected miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR. Expression of 13 miRNAs varied between strains in the nucleus accumbens, 20 in soleus, and eight in EDL, by microarray analysis. Two miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR in the nucleus accumbens; miR-466 was downregulated (~4 fold; P < 0.0004), and miR-342-5p was upregulated (~115 fold; P < 0.0001) in high-active mice. MiR-466 was downregulated (~5 fold; P < 0.0001) in the soleus of high-active mice as well. Interestingly, miR-466 is one of several miRNA families with sequence located in intron 10 of Sfmbt2; miRNAs at this locus are thought to drive imprinting of this gene. “Pathways in cancer” and “TGFβ signaling” were the most significant pathways of putative target genes in both the soleus and nucleus accumbens. Our results are the first to consider differential miRNA expression between high- and low-active mice, and suggest that miRNAs may play a role in regulation of physical activity.
Development of an Atmospheric Climate Model with Self-Adapting Grid and Physics

An adaptive grid dynamical core for a global atmospheric climate model has been developed. Adaptations allow a smooth transition from hydrostatic to non-hydrostatic physics at small resolution. The adaptations use a parallel program library for block-wise adaptive grids on the sphere. This library also supports the use of a reduced grid with coarser resolution in the longitudinal direction as the poles are approached. This permits the use of a longer time step since the CFL number restriction (CFL < 1) in a regular longitude-latitude grid is most severe in the zonal direction at high latitudes. Several tests show that our modelling procedures are stable and accurate.
Validation of the Beneficial and Harmful Work-Related Social Media Behavioral Taxonomies: Development of the Work-Related Social Media Questionnaire

Although social media are increasingly used by employees during work, little is known about what employees are actually doing on social media or why. To remedy this key gap in the literature, a series of three studies were conducted. In Study 1, a qualitative critical incident study was conducted to develop a taxonomy of social media behaviors that are beneficial to work performance, along with a taxonomy of behaviors that are harmful. In Study 2, the Work-related Social Media Questionnaire (WSMQ) was developed to measure these behaviors. In Study 3, cross-validation and criterion-related validity evidence was collected on the WSMQ. Behaviors identified by employees as harmful to job performance were positively related to counterproductive work behaviors and negatively related to task, contextual, and adaptive job performance. Behaviors identified by employees as beneficial to job performance were generally unrelated to actual job performance. Thus, behaviors identified as harmful by employees were indeed harmful, but behaviors identified as beneficial were not beneficial. This suggests limited value in permitting access to social media by employees without a particular plan in place to utilize the features of social media productively.
A multiple model approach to doubly-selective channel estimation using exponential basis models

An adaptive channel estimation scheme, exploiting the over-sampled complex exponential basis expansion model (CE-BEM), is presented for doubly-selective channels where we track the BEM coefficients via a multiple model approach. In the past work the number of BEM coefficients used to model the doubly-selective channels for channel estimation has been based on an upperbound on the channel Doppler spread. Higher the Doppler spread, more the number of BEM coefficients leading to higher channel estimation variance. In this paper we propose to use a multiple model framework where several candidate Doppler spread values are used to cover the range from zero to an upperbound, leading to multiple CE-BEM channel models, each corresponding to an assumed value of the Doppler spread. Subsequently the well- known interacting multiple model (IMM) algorithm is used for symbol detection based on multiple state-space models corresponding to the multiple estimated channels. A simulation example is presented to illustrate the proposed approach.
Ganelon's Trial

THE Song of Roland is a Janus-faced poem, at once looking backwards to a basically Germanic tradition and feudal ethos, and forward to the nationalistic development of a coherent French society. George Fenwick Jones, has recently shown in thorough and persuasive detail how deeply rooted the poem is in the old Germanic ethical tradition. It consistently expresses the way of life of a "shame culture." Thus virtually all important actions are motivated and conditioned by the opinions of the actors' peers, what others may think or say. Roland will not sound the horn for fear of losing his reputation: "En dulce France en perdreie mun los." (1054).2 He is, as the Anglo-Saxons said, domgeorne. The Christian Archbishop himself uses the same reasoning when exhorting the barons:
Tendon Healing: Repair and Regeneration

Injury and degeneration of tendon, the soft tissue that mechanically links muscle and bone, can cause substantial pain and loss of function. This review discusses the composition and function of healthy tendon and describes the structural, biological, and mechanical changes initiated during the process of tendon healing. Biochemical pathways activated during repair, experimental injury models, and parallels between tendon healing and tendon development are emphasized, and cutting-edge strategies for the enhancement of tendon healing are discussed.
Behavioral Responses of North American Elk to Recreational Activity

Off-road recreation on public lands in North America has increased dramatically in recent years. Wild ungulates are sensitive to human activities, but the effect of off-road recreation, both motorized and nonmotorized, is poorly understood. We measured responses of elk (Cervus elaphus) to recreational disturbance in northeast Oregon, USA, from April to October, 2003 and 2004. We subjected elk to 4 types of recreational disturbance: all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding, mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. Motion sensors inside radiocollars worn by 13 female elk recorded resting, feeding, and travel activities at 5-minute intervals throughout disturbance and control periods. Elk fed and rested during control periods, with little time spent traveling. Travel time increased in response to all 4 disturbances and was highest in mornings. Elk travel time was highest during ATV exposure, followed by exposure to mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. Feeding time decreased during ATV exposure and resting decreased when we subjected elk to mountain biking and hiking disturbance in 2003. Our results demonstrated that activities of elk can be substantially affected by off-road recreation. Mitigating these effects may be appropriate where elk are a management priority. Balancing management of species like elk with off-road recreation will become increasingly important as off-road recreational uses continue to increase on public lands in North America.
Functional and Molecular Heterogeneity of Pulmonary Endothelial Cells

In recent years there has been an increasing appreciation of the functional heterogeneity that exists between extraalveolar and alveolar endothelial cells. One of the most striking features of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells is that they possess a highly impermeable barrier with respect to pulmonary artery or vein endothelial cells. This cellular feature is observed in culture and in the intact microcirculation, prompting a reevaluation of the key physiological principles that control permeability and the fate of fluid (or exudate) once it leaves the circulation. Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells express calcium channels not found in extraalveolar endothelial cells, including the vanilloid family transient receptor potential 4 channel and the α1G T-type calcium channel. Whereas activation of the TRPV4 channel causes alveolar flooding, activation of the α1G T-type calcium channel promotes P-selectin surface translocation, events specific to the microcirculation. Although endothelium is an attractive therapeutic target in acute lung injury and other vascular disorders, the growing awareness of pulmonary endothelial cell heterogeneity increasingly suggests that a panendothelial cell approach is suboptimal. Rather, development of novel therapeutics based upon anatomically restricted expression of molecular signatures may be developed to better combat vascular disease.