cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleus accumbens plasticity underlies multifaceted behavioral changes associated with addiction.

Drug addiction is characterized by persistent, maladaptive drug-seeking behavior and a high propensity for relapse after abstinence. Laboratory studies suggest that this phenotype can be attributed to impaired reward learning and decision making, coupled with exaggerated incentive motivation for drugs and drug-associated stimuli (1,2). Drug-induced plasticity in mesocorticostriatal circuits is thought to underlie these behavioral changes, with the nucleus accumbens in particular being a prominent node within the system for integrating learning and motivational information. Although much research has been done, important questions remain with regard to which specific facets of learning and motivation are altered by exposure to drugs of abuse and if drug-induced alterations in information processing in the accumbens are causal to these changes in behavior. A new study (3) sheds light on this important issue. In the current issue, Saddoris and Carelli (3) show that rats with a history of past cocaine self-administration exhibit normal learning, relative to saline-treated rats, in a simple first-order Pavlovian discrimination task, where a conditioned stimulus (CS ) was paired with food, whereas another cue had no associated outcome. Critically, cocaine-experienced rats failed to learn a second-order Pavlovian association, when a new cue (secondorder cue [SOC ]) predicted the original CS in the absence of food itself. The deficit in second-order conditioning exhibited by cocaine-experienced rats was associated with reduced neural activity within the nucleus accumbens in response to the SOC . Saline-treated rats readily learned this second-order association, and neurons within the nucleus accumbens of these subjects encoded the SOC . Thus, the current results suggest that cocaine experience might preferentially impair learning of new, higherorder associations, and these deficits are related to a lack of taskrelevant neural encoding within the nucleus accumbens. The results of Saddoris and Carelli (3) provide an extension of recent findings [reviewed in (4)] demonstrating that, after cocaine exposure, rats can learn simple Pavlovian cue discriminations but show dramatic deficits in reversal learning, another form of higher-order learning that requires shifting strategies to obtain reward. Impairments in reversal learning are associated with disrupted cue-outcome encoding dynamics within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and prefrontal cortical regions like the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). As a consequence of learning cue discriminations, some neurons in the BLA and OFC develop reward cueselective firing patterns that normally switch cue preference when the rewarded cue is changed in the reversal phase. In cocainetreated rats, however, this reward cue-selective activity fails to
Influence of Softening on Mine Floor-Bearing Capacity: Case History

AbstractThis paper introduces a new approach that considers the effect of softening to more accurately calculate floor-bearing capacities where difficult mine conditions are present. Because of softening and changes in confining pressures, the geotechnical properties of immediate fine-grained rock vary in the mine floor. Therefore, when floor softening is present, the conventional equations used to determine the floor-bearing capacity are not very accurate. In this study, a methodology is presented that considers the floor softening and existence of a durable layer in the mine floor. The proposed method is based on analysis of a case study located in central Illinois utilizing finite-element method (FEM) and rock mechanics laboratory data. For this case study, extensive geological mapping and laboratory tests, including rock classification, rock swell properties, and triaxial compression tests, were conducted on samples of fine-grained rocks that predominantly consisted of mudstone. The results of laborat...
Patient advocacy organizations partner genetic research, and forge the agenda

Thanks are due to Sharon Terry, PXE International, and John Dart, DebRA International, for their assistance in the preparation of this article.
Messenger RNA for glutamine synthetase: Its partial purification, translation in a cell-free system and its regulation by hydrocortisone

Messenger RNA for glutamine synthetase (GS), extracted from polysomes of embryonic chick retina cells, was partially purified by chromatography on oligo (dT)-cellulose on the basis of its poly (A)-content and translated in a cell-free protein synthesizing system derived from wheat germ. Identification and quantitation of GS in the products of cell-free synthesis was achieved by immunoprecipitation of the enzyme and electrophoresis in sodium-dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gels. Comparison of the amount of GS synthesized invitro by equal amounts of mRNA purified from polysomes of control or hydrocortisone induced retina indicate that the hormone elevates the level of GS mRNA on the polysomes from induced cells.
Kinetics and mechanisms of catalytic oxygen atom transfer with oxorhenium(V) oxazoline complexes.

The rhenium(V) monooxo complexes (hoz)2Re(O)Cl (1) and [(hoz)2Re(O)(OH2)][OTf] (2) have been synthesized and fully characterized (hoz = 2-(2‘-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline). A single-crystal X-ray structure of 2 has been solved: space group = P1, a = 13.61(2) A, b = 14.76(2) A, c = 11.871(14) A, α = 93.69(4)°, β = 99.43(4)°, γ = 108.44(4)°, Z = 4; the structure was refined to final residuals R = 0.0455 and Rw = 0.1055. 1 and 2 catalyze oxygen atom transfer from aryl sulfoxides to alkyl sulfides and oxygen-scrambling between sulfoxides to yield sulfone and sulfide. Superior catalytic activity has been observed for 2 due to the availability of a coordination site on the rhenium. The active form of the catalyst is a dioxo rhenium(VII) intermediate, [Re(O)2(hoz)2]+ (3). In the presence of sulfide, 3 is rapidly reduced to [Re(O)(hoz)2]+ with sulfoxide as the sole organic product. The transition state is very sensitive to electronic influences. A Hammett correlation plot with para-substituted thioanisole derivat...
Historical performance of nickel/cadmium and nickel/metal hydride geosynchronous-orbit packs and determination of voltage/temperature levels for advanced nickel/cadmium designs

This paper will review the performances of nickel/cadmium and nickel/hydrogen Geocentric Earth Orbital (GEO) satellite battery packs which have been evaluated at NAVSEA Crane for the Air Force and NASA-Glenn. The nickel/cadmium data will deal, in part, with the attempts to find space-qualified substitutes for the disappearance of Pellon 2505 as a separation material. The nickel/hydrogen data will illustrate the development of this chemistry as a substitute for nickel/cadmium batteries.
THE OBSTACLE PROBLEM FOR MONGE-AMPÉRE EQUATION

We consider the obstacle problem for the degenerate Monge-Ampere equation. We prove the existence of the greatest viscosity sub-solution u(x) below a given obstacle φ(x), and its C 1, 1-regularity which is optimal. Then the solution satisfies the concave uniformly elliptic equation if it doesn't touch the obstacle. We use the author's previous work to show the C 1, α-regularity of the free boundary, ∂{u(x) = φ(x)}. Finally, we discuss the stability of this free boundary.
Comparison of super-secondary structures in proteins.

Abstract A method of comparing the conformations of different, but structurally related proteins is described. Local variations, such as the systematic translation of a helix, or the position of deletions and insertions can be detected, and the correspondence of only marginally similar structures can be measured. The occurrence of larger continuous folds (“super-secondary structures”) has been detected in the comparison of lactate dehydrogenase with itself and with other protein structures.
Sampling tree fragments from forests

We study the problem of sampling trees from forests, in the setting where probabilities for each tree may be a function of arbitrarily large tree fragments. This setting extends recent work for sampling to learn Tree Substitution Grammars to the case where the tree structure TSG derived tree is not fixed. We develop a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm which corrects for the bias introduced by unbalanced forests, and we present experiments using the algorithm to learn Synchronous Context-Free Grammar rules for machine translation. In this application, the forests being sampled represent the set of Hiero-style rules that are consistent with fixed input word-level alignments. We demonstrate equivalent machine translation performance to standard techniques but with much smaller grammars.
Designing Sampled-Data Control Systems by Linear Programming

The method of linear programming described here is well suited to the design of open-loop or closed-loop sampled-data control systems with deterministic inputs. Linear equations are written to express the errors at sampling instants in terms of the undetermined coefficients of the over-all pulse transfer function. Other linear equations are written to impose any desired limits on errors or on coefficients. A solution is found which maximizes an objective function. The design method is explained and the results of a practical example are given.
Quantitative Radiocardiography II. Technic and Analysis of Curves

The instrumentation and procedure employed to secure radiocardiograms and the technic of analysis of the resulting curves are described. Time activity curves are recorded by means of a scintillation counter, with a NaI crystal 11/2 in. in dia. located in a lead collimator. Pulses from the photomultiplier tube are amplified and fed into a counting ratemeter and into a scaling circuit. The output of the ratemeter is fed into a multichannel electronic recorder, with monitoring oscilloscope. A solution of radioiodinated (I131) human serum albumin (RIHSA) or Kr85 is introduced into the right atrium by cardiac catheterization, and the resulting scintillation readings taken over the precordium are recorded along with the electrocardiogram. The curves are analyzed by reading at every 0.1 sec the height of the deflection in millimeters above the background. The latter is obtained by averaging over several seconds the ratemeter trace immediately before the curve. The net deflections are plotted on semilogarithmic paper against time on the linear abscissa. The downslope of the second peak is fitted with a single exponential. Various parameters needed for the calculations of right ventricular volume and pulmonary blood volume are discussed.
Treatment of the Scalp Using Photon and Electron Beams

Many problems arise when treating superficial malignancies along the entire scalp. Some techniques will irradiate too much of the underlying brain while others are highly complex and may involve field junction problems. One approach to circumvent such difficulties is to use lateral opposed photon fields and adjoining electron fields as described in this paper. Sufficient dose coverage throughout the entire scalp is achieved, the normal brain tissues receives minimal dosages, the complexities of simulation and treatment are greatly eased, and the ambiguities of doses at field junction regions are diminished.
Conformational and dynamic considerations in peptide structure-function studies.

Abstract Most small peptide hormones and neurotransmitters are highly flexible, conformationally labile molecules in aqueous and other environments. Thus efforts to determine the relationships between conformational properties of these peptides in aqueous and other solvents and their biological activities at membrane receptors have been difficult and of limited success. One approach which may provide a more rational basis for conformation-activity relationships is the design of conformationally restricted, semi-rigid analogs of the native peptides which still possess high potency and/or antagonist properties. In addition to the increased likelihood that the conformational properties determined for these derivatives in aqueous or other solvent environments will have biological relevance, such analogs are likely to have higher specificity for particular receptors, greater in vivo stability, and perhaps even oral activity. The application of this approach to the design of highly potent oxytocin antagonists is discussed with particular emphasis on the conformational and dynamic properties which appear to differentiate agonist and antagonist analogs. The results of these studies are briefly compared with similar studies with somatostatin, angiotensin, bradykinin, α-melanotropin and enkephalin, and discussed in terms of likely further developments.
The 3ν1 + ν3 vibrational overtone spectrum of 13CH4

Abstract The 3 ν 1 + ν 3 vibrational overtone spectrum of 13 CH 4 is recorded under Doppler-limited resolution conditions using a titanium sapphire laser-based photoacoustic spectrometer. Data at two temperatures, 100 and 293 K, are presented. The observed spectral congestion is qualitatively similar to that observed for 12 CH 4 , but the detailed ro-vibrational structure of the two isotope variants is completely different. The data reflect the complicating influences of tetrahedral fine structure and vibrational state mixing.
Allocation of variance reduction targets under the influence of supplier interaction

A common quality improvement strategy used by manufacturers is to periodically allocate quality improvement targets among their suppliers. We propose a formal modelling and optimization approach for assessing quality improvement targets for suppliers. In this approach it is understood that a manufacturer's quality improvement results from reductions in supplier process variances, which occurs only through investments in learning. A constrained nonlinear optimization model is developed for determining an optimal allocation of variance reduction target that minimizes expected total cost, where the relationship between performance measures and the set of design parameters is generally represented by second-order polynomial functions. An example in the fabrication of a tyre tread compound is used both to demonstrate the implementation of our proposed models as well as to provide an empirical comparison of optimal learning rates for different functional relationships between the performance measures and the se...
HOW COMMON SENSE FAILS US ON THE ROAD: CONTRIBUTION OF BOUNDED RATIONALITY TO THE ANNUAL WORLDWIDE TOLL OF ONE MILLION TRAFFIC FATALITIES

Bounded rationality is a generally adaptive behavior characterized by a rapid decision making process that involves only the most salient aspects of the problem. In the driving context, bounded rationality is evident on a macro (societal) level as well as on a micro (individual driver) level. On a macro level, bounded rationality underlined the development of many of the early, common-sense countermeasures for traffic safety problems. On a micro level, bounded rationality can lead to unexpected driver behaviors and thus to unexpected effects of some common-sense countermeasures. Because the obvious, common-sense countermeasures have already been largely identified (although not always implemented), further progress will require insights rooted in comprehensive theories of driving, and formal study of the implications of these insights. It will require unbounded rationality; it will require real science.
Oxidation reaction kinetics of Zircaloy-4 in an unlimited steam environment

Abstract Experimental studies using a “Gleeble” have been performed on reactor grade Zircaloy-4 tubing to determine the oxidation behavior in steam throughout the 871°C to 1482°C temperature range. Isothermal oxidation under unlimited steam conditions has been found to obey the parabolic oxidation law with a rate constant for total reacted metal of K p = 3.10 × 10 5 exp(−33, 370/RT (K)) (mg/cm 2 ) 2 /sec . This measured rate is significantly lower than that predicted by Baker-Just for temperatures above 1077°C and in very good agreement with that suggested by Klepfer for the temperature range where tetragonal zirconium oxide is stable. Oxidation data presented is also in good agreement with that given by Hobson and Kittenhouse for oxidation below 1316°C but significantly less for oxidation above 1316°C. Oxidation of Zircaloy-4 in steam has been observed to be independent of steam superheat temperature and only slightly dependent on steam flow. It is apparent that as long as steam is present and hydrogen can migrate away, oxidation rate is independent of Reynolds number or velocity. Only steam starvation and/or trapped hydrogen appear to lower the rate of oxidation of new Zircaloy cladding.
Phase diagram and single crystal growth of pure and Sr doped La2CuO4

Abstract Single crystals of pure and Sr doped La 2 CuO 4 have been grown from excess CuO with a top seeded solution growth technique. Crystals have been grown both in air and in oxygen. Growth in air leads to an oxygen deficiency as evidenced by a reduction in the lattice parameters. Differential Thermal Analysis measurements in oxygen on this system reveal a eutectic temperature of 1075°C for the composition 87.5 mol% CuO. Measurements in air show a reduction in the eutectic temperature to 1040°C and the formation of a 3 component system with the partial reduction of CuO to Cu 2 O.
Evaluation of fracture toughness of a fiber containing dental composite after flexural fatigue

Abstract Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of cyclic loading in four different environments on the fracture toughness of a fiber reinforced resin composite. Methods. The specimens were 3×3×25 mm3 bars polished with 320 grit SiC paper. A 60° v-notch was machined 1 mm deep at the midspan of each bar. The specimens were loaded in air, artificial saliva, water, and a 50/50 by volume mixture of ethanol and water at a frequency of 5 Hz with sinusoidal loads cycling between 10 and 20 N for 1, 1000, 10,000 and 100,000 cycles. Specimens were also aged for 4 months in each respective media. Following cyclic loading, the specimens were tested in three-point loading. Statistical analysis consisted of four 2-way ANOVAs followed by Tukey's HSD inference, and two 3-way ANOVAs followed by two-sample t-tests. Results. The ANOVAs indicated no difference in the means of fracture toughness for the set numbers of cycles, but a significant difference for the aging solutions and the aging times. Significance. Statistical analysis showed a significant decrease of fracture toughness from unaged to aged specimens when aged in air, saliva, and 50/50 ethanol/water. The latter showed the most pronounced decrease. The effect of the 50/50 by volume mixture of ethanol and water would appear to attack the resin matrix and/or the bond between the resin matrix and the filler, which resulted in the observed decrease in fracture toughness. In addition, the significant decrease in fracture toughness following aging is attributed to residual matrix stress around the large fiber filler particles resulting in separation of the fiber filler from the resin matrix.
Intracellular Nucleic Acid Sensors and Autoimmunity

A collection of molecular sensors has been defined by studies in the last decade that can recognize a diverse array of pathogens and initiate protective immune and inflammatory responses. However, if the molecular signatures recognized are shared by both foreign and self-molecules, as is the case of nucleic acids, then the responses initiated by these sensors may have deleterious consequences. Notably, this adverse occurrence may be of primary importance in autoimmune disease pathogenesis. In this case, microbe-induced damage or mishandled physiologic processes could lead to the generation of microparticles containing self-nucleic acids. These particles may inappropriately gain access to the cytosol or endolysosomes and, hence, engage resident RNA and DNA sensors. Evidence, as reviewed here, strongly indicates that these sensors are primary contributors to autoimmune disease pathogenesis, spearheading efforts toward development of novel therapeutics for these disorders.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, an initiator, and etanercept, an inhibitor of cochlear inflammation.

Objectives/hypothesis The inner ear rapidly mounts an immune response that can lead to cochlear degeneration and permanent hearing loss. Identification of proinflammatory cytokine expression during the initiation of the response should lead to rational therapeutic strategies that block the response, reducing damaging sequelae. Study design A cochlear immune response to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) injected into the inner ear or subarachnoid space of sensitized animals was created. Etanercept was administered to a group of animals to blunt the immune response. Methods Cochleae were immunoassayed for expression of interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 and evaluated for the amount of cochlear-infiltrated cells. Results Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta were expressed by infiltrated cells shortly after KLH injection. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha was expressed whether the antigen was introduced with or without surgical trauma. Interleukin-1beta was also expressed by the cochlear fibrocytes during the immune response and in surgical control animals, but not after intrathecal injection of antigen. Interleukin-6 expression was minimal during the response. Based on this observation, animals were treated with systemic injection of Etanercept, which reduced cochlear infiltrating cell number and cochlear fibrosis. Conclusion Interleukin-1beta expression is a general cochlear response to trauma, whereas tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression in the infiltrated immunocompetent cells is the cytokine that induces amplification of the response that leads to cochlear disease.
Stimulation by adriamycin of rat heart and liver microsomal NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation

Abstract Rat liver and heart microsomes catalyze the transfer of single electrons from NADPH to adriamycin forming semiquinone radicals which, in turn, activate molecular oxygen. This process stimulated lipid peroxidation 5- to 7-fold as measured by malonaldehyde formation. Adriamycinaugmented lipid peroxidation was linear with time to 60 min, optimal at 1.0 mg of microsomal protein/ml and pH 7.5, and was proportional to the adriamycin concentration up to 100 μM. An NADPH-generating system was superior to NADPH, and an oxygen atmosphere tripled the rate of peroxidation as compared to air. Nitrogen abolished adriamycin-stimulated peroxidation. Superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, α-tocopherol, EDTA, dioxopiperazinylpropane (ICRF-187), and dimethylurea were effective inhibitors of lipid peroxidation. This suggests that Superoxide anion and possibly hydroxyl radical may be formed by the oxidation of the adriamycin semiquinone radical and thus stimulate the peroxidation of microsomal unsaturated fatty acids. Although adriamycin failed to stimulate lipid peroxidation in heart microsomes from control animals, peroxidation was dramatically increased when adriamycin was added to cardiac microsomes from α-tocopherol-deficient rats. Lipid peroxidation in α-tocopheroldeficient liver microsomes was four times greater than in control microsomes with the NADPH-generating system, and adriamycin did not further increase that high rate of peroxidation; however, when NADPH was used as the source of electrons in place of the NADPH-generating system, adriamycin stimulated peroxidation more than 2-fold. These results suggest that microsomal lipid peroxidation may play a role in the cytotoxicity and cardiotoxicity of adriamycin.
Micrometeorological and operational factors affecting ultra-low-volume spray application of insecticides onto cotton and other crops

Abstract The effect of micrometeorological variables on the travel and deposition of small droplets employed in ultra-low-volume (ULV) crop spray application has been examined in trials in Malawi. Continuous recording of meteorological factors has enabled the determination of the Richardson number, friction velocity, also intensity of turbulence characterised by coefficient of variation of wind speed measured in the horizontal plane. Spray trials have been carried out under well defined conditions in which sampling of droplets has been effected on horizontal (upward and downward aspect) and vertical (windward and leeward aspect) targets both above and within the crop (cotton and groundnuts) or over bare ground, at logarithmic intervals downwind of an approximate line source of spray (using the Micron ULVA hand sprayer carried across the wind at a predetermined height relative to the canopy and spraying a waterless ULV insecticide formulation). Counts have been made of droplet density (no. cm −2 ) and the net collection on horizontal upper and windward vertical surfaces has been ascertained. Correlation between droplet collection in various positions and meteorological variables (singly and in combination) has been examined. Best correlation is obtained from a combination of variables which differs according to the position of the target site.
Arsenic exposure from drinking water and QT-interval prolongation: results from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study.

Background: Arsenic exposure from drinking water has been associated with heart disease; however, underlying mechanisms are uncertain.Objective: We evaluated the association between a history of ar...
Why don't software developers use static analysis tools to find bugs?

Using static analysis tools for automating code inspections can be beneficial for software engineers. Such tools can make finding bugs, or software defects, faster and cheaper than manual inspections. Despite the benefits of using static analysis tools to find bugs, research suggests that these tools are underused. In this paper, we investigate why developers are not widely using static analysis tools and how current tools could potentially be improved. We conducted interviews with 20 developers and found that although all of our participants felt that use is beneficial, false positives and the way in which the warnings are presented, among other things, are barriers to use. We discuss several implications of these results, such as the need for an interactive mechanism to help developers fix defects.
Determination of the rate of muscarinic M1 receptor plasma membrane delivery using a regulated secretion/aggregation system.

Abstract Introduction In this study, we used the regulated secretion/aggregation technology (RPD™) to determine the rate of human muscarinic M 1 (hM 1 ) receptor plasma membrane delivery. Methods hM1 receptors were expressed in CHO cells as C-terminal fusion proteins to a conditional aggregation domain (CAD) consisting of four tandem mutant FKBP12 domains (F m ). Results The CAD prevented the plasma membrane expression of hM1 receptors by causing the formation and intracellular retention of CAD-fused receptor aggregates as determined using intact cell [ 3 H]NMS binding assays and epi-fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Aggregates of CAD-fused hM 1 receptor could be disrupted in a concentration-dependent manner by the F m -selective ligand AP21998, resulting in an increased hM 1 receptor plasma membrane expression. A furin cleavage site positioned between the CAD and the hM 1 receptor sequence was cleaved by furin once aggregates of fusion protein were disrupted by AP21998, thus ensuring their irreversible dissolution. The plasma membrane delivery of hM 1 receptors begins within 30 min of AP21998 exposure and the rate of delivery was constant for up to eight hours. In the continued presence of AP21998, hM 1 receptor plasma membrane expression continued to increase for up to 18 h, then began to decrease toward basal levels as incubation continued out to 72 h. Using mathematical models, we determined the rate constants for the plasma membrane delivery of hM 1 receptors from these data. Also, hM 1 receptors elicited phosphoinositide hydrolysis to carbachol once expressed at the plasma membrane and the pharmacology of the response varied depending upon the concentration of AP21998 used to cause plasma membrane expression. Discussion Overall, our data indicate that the RPD can be used to characterize the kinetics of receptor plasma membrane delivery and to characterize functional responses elicited to different numbers of plasma membrane expressed receptor.
Instability of purified 9-kDa porcine intestinal calcium-binding protein in the absence of calcium.

Abstract Purified 9-kDa porcine intestinal calcium-binding protein (ICaBP, Calbindin D 9K ) is unstable when stored at 4 °C in the absence of Ca(II). Cleavage of the polypeptide occurs producing ~5.2- and 3.7-kDa fragments. The former dimerizes giving a species which migrates on sodium dodecylsulfate-urea gels with an M r 13,700, in contrast to the observed M r 11,000 for native ICaBP. The fragmentation also results in an irreversible loss of high affinity Ca(II) binding and an alteration of the ultraviolet absorption spectrum. The presence of Ca(II) bound to ICaBP prevents fragmentation. The dimer can be isolated from aged preparations of apo-ICaBP and is stable on further storage with or without Ca(II) present. The observed molecular weights of the fragments along with the amino acid analysis and ultraviolet spectra of the dimer suggest cleavage of the polypeptide chain of ICaBP in the vicinity of residue 49.
Motivational interviewing to support antiretroviral therapy adherence: the role of quality counseling.

Abstract Objective Although research linking motivational interviewing (MI) to behavior change exists, few studies report on MI's quality or explore how it may influence effectiveness. We studied MI quality and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the context of a randomized, controlled trial. Methods We used a structured instrument to code MI sessions and then correlated ART adherence (measured by electronic bottle cap monitor and pill count data at study exit) with specific counseling behaviors and the proportion of interactions that achieved quality benchmarks. Results The sample ( n =47) was predominantly male (79%), minority (90%), had a mean age of 40, and averaged 79% adherence at exit. On three of five benchmarks, most MI sessions achieved the targeted quality level: 100% achieved them for MI-consistent statements; 85% for complex reflections; 63% for reflections to questions ratio; 44% for global therapist rating; 19% for using open-ended questions. ART adherence was positively associated with the ratio of reflections to questions ( r =.39, p =.02), affirming statements ( r =.38, p =.02), and negatively associated with closed-ended questions ( r =−.33, p =.04). Discussion Good quality MI can be conducted within the structure of a controlled trial but was generally not associated with ART adherence. Conclusion Documenting treatment fidelity is critical to judging the efficacy of MI-based interventions. Practice implications Regular feedback and close monitoring are needed to maintain MI quality.
Identification of the structural requirements for mutagenicity by incorporating molecular flexibility and metabolic activation of chemicals I: TA100 model.

Traditional attempts to model genotoxicity data have been limited to congeneric data sets, primarily because the mechanism of action was ignored, and frequently, the chemicals required metabolism to the active species. In this exercise, the COmmon REactivity PAtterns (COREPA) approach was used to delineate the structural requirements for eliciting mutagenicity in terms of ranges of descriptors associated with three-dimensional molecular structures. The database used to build the mutagenicity model includes 1196 structurally diverse chemicals tested in the Ames assay by the National Toxicology Program. This manuscript describes the development of the TA100 model that predicts the results of mutagenicity testing using only the Ames TA100 strain. The TA100 model was developed using 148 chemicals that tested positive in TA100 strain without rat liver enzymes (S-9) and 188 chemicals that tested positive in TA100 strain with rat liver enzymes. A decision tree was developed by first comparing the reactivity prof...
Hyperspherical direction cosine change vector analysis

Change vector analysis (CVA) partitions spectral change into magnitude and direction components. Although recognized as an effective change detection method, CVA has two limitations. First, it is usually applied to only two bands, and secondly, the selection of a threshold for the magnitude of change can be difficult. These limitations have been addressed through recent research. Hyperspherical direction cosine (HSDC) CVA is an extension of conventional two‐band CVA to many dimensions. Training areas can be used to guide the selection of the change magnitude threshold for discriminating Change and No Change classes. This paper provides a discussion on previous uses of HSDC approaches, and develops a simple procedure for selecting the change magnitude threshold automatically. The application of HSDC CVA and conventional CVA to a Landsat multiSpectral scanner (MSS) Las Vegas, Nevada, dataset is used to demonstrate the application of the approach, and quantify the accuracy gained by incorporating multiple ba...
Bioactive lipids in excitatory neurotransmission and neuronal plasticity

Long-term potentiation (LTP), a model of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity and of certain forms of memory, comprises the persistent enhancement of excitatory neurotransmission that results from high-frequency activation. A presynaptic component of LTP is thought to be modulated by a retrograde messenger generated by the postsynaptic neuron. Arachidonic acid, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and PAF have each been proposed as retrograde messengers in LTP, but arachidonic acid, unlike PAF, requires NMDA receptor activation. A PAF antagonist (BN 52021) that provides neuroprotection in ischemia-reperfusion displaces [3H] PAF bound to presynaptic membranes, blocks PAF-induced glutamate exocytosis and inhibits LTP. An antagonist selective for the intracellular PAF binding site (BN 50730) did not affect LTP, nor did BN 52021 modify NMDA currents. LTP was induced with weak synaptic stimulation coupled with postsynaptically administered enzyme resistant mcPAF. Theta-burst stimulation (10 min) after bath applications of mcPAF (1 microM) induced APV-independent LTP that was blocked by 5 microM BN 52021. When this antagonist was infused into the hippocampus before or immediately after training, it impaired memory of inhibitory avoidance training in the rat. Memory was not altered if the antagonist is infused 30 or 60 min after training. Moreover, mcPAF enhances memory on retention test performance of step-down inhibitory avoidance habituation and learning in rats. Also, memory was studied using a caudate nucleus-dependent cued water maze task. Rats received an 8 trial (30 s intertrial interval) training session in which a visible cued escape platform was located in a different quadrant of the maze of each trial. Following trial 8, the rats received a unilateral post-training intra-caudate injection of mcPAF (1 microgram/0.5 microliter), BN 52021 (0.5 microgram/0.5 microliter) or vehicle. On a retention test session 24 h later, latency to mount the escape platform was used as a measure of memory. The retention test escape latencies of rats given mcPAF were significantly lower than those of the vehicle-injected controls, indicating a memory enhancing effect of mcPAF. Injection of mcPAF did not affect retention when administered 2 h post-training, indicating a time-dependent effect of mcPAF on memory. The latencies for animals injected with BN 52021 were significantly higher than those of the controls, indicating that antagonism of endogenous PAF impairs memory. The findings show that PAF plays a role in memory formation in a caudate-mediated cued discrimination task. Administration of BN 52021 2 h post-training had no affect on retention, indicating a time-dependent effect of endogenous PAF on memory formation. PAF, the most potent bioactive lipid known, modulates excitatory synaptic transmission, neuronal plasticity and memory. When PAF production is overstimulated as in seizures or ischemia, it becomes neurotoxic.
Relationship Between the Clinical Components of the Boder Test of Reading-Spelling Patterns and the Stanford Achievement Test: Validity of the Boder.

Abstract This study investigated the concurrent validity of the diagnostic components of the Boder Test of Reading-Spelling Patterns. The Boder components of Reading Grade Level, Reading Quotient, Percent of Known Words Spelled Correctly, and the Percent of Unknown Words With Good Phonetic Equivalents were compared with group-administered reading and spelling measures from the Stanford Achievement Reading Test (SAT). The sample included 87 reading-disabled children, ranging in age from 8-4 to 12-5, who were receiving services in a reading disability program. The results indicated that the Boder Reading Grade Level significantly correlated with all SAT scores, the Reading Quotient with all SAT scores except Spelling, and the Percent of Unknown Words with good phonetic equivalents to the SAT variables of Vocabulary, Reading A, Word Study Skills, and Total Reading. The Percent of Known Words Spelled Correctly did not significantly relate to any of the SAT measures. Although these findings provide some support for the concurrent validity of the Boder, concerns were raised regarding the other clinical components of this test.
Socio‐economic Status and the Use of Campus Facilities: A TALE OF TWO DORMITORIES

This study had two aims: (a) to determine whether socio-economic class is related to the use of a university counseling center and other campus services, and (b) to provide baseline data on the pre-experimental comparability of students in two dormitories. The subjects were 398 freshman girls. Residents of dormitory A were compared with dormitory B on 40 variables in the following areas: academic achievement, social behavior, use of psychological services, use of health service, discipline, and biographic data. Indices of social class were unrelated to the use of campus facilities. Although students were unselected in assignment to the living units, they differed significantly on nine of 40 variables. Thus, to evaluate the effect of an experimental program, pre-experimental comparison of subjects seems essential.
Impact of Estradiol on γ-Aminobutyric Acid- and Glutamate-Mediated Calcium Responses of Fetal Baboon (Papio anubis) Hippocampal and Cortical Neurons

High levels of maternal estrogens are likely to gain access to the fetal brain, yet little is known regarding the role of the steroid hormone 17β-estradiol in neuronal differentiation and maturation of primate neurons. Previous research documented the presence of estrogen receptors during development in the hippocampus and cortex of the primate brain, but the functional significance of steroid exposure has not been widely investigated. Using both an in vitro preparation of primary hippocampal and frontal cortex neurons and Western blot analysis of fetal hippocampal and frontal cortex tissue, we documented the effects of in utero and acute in vitro exposure to 17β-estradiol on the development of neuronal responsiveness to the amino acid transmitters γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in fetal baboon, Papio anubis, hippocampal, and cortical neurons. We found that in utero 17β-estradiol exposure enhanced the excitatory action of the GABAergic system on immature cortical and hippocampal neurons, as mani...
A persistent random walk model for the frequency-dependent electrical conductivity

Abstract A persistent random walk model is first introduced as a coarse grained method to produce a Drude-like mobility for free charge carriers within homogeneous solids. The model is extended to nonhomogeneous solids where it is applicable for calculating the frequency-dependent effective conductivity up to microwave frequencies. The mean free path, transport time and free carrier concentration for each component phase region is accounted for by the model. The approach is demonstrated by obtaining the frequency-dependent conductivity of a two component periodically layered composite, where an exact enumeration over all Brownian paths is employed in the numerical calculations.
A Case Study Illustration of How a Critical Theorist and a Consummate Practitioner Meet on Common Ground

This study illustrates Professor William P. Foster’s ideas about narratives of schooling, leadership, and community inherent in his critical theory of educational leadership. The case study explored how a superintendent of a regional educational agency, along with 10 district-level superintendents in the agency’s service area, shifted from schooling as economic utility to a focus on teaching and learning. The case was constructed from participant research. Results suggest that the superintendents, who demonstrated leadership that Foster recommended as critical, transformative, educative, and ethical, implemented schooling with equity for all students. In addition, an ethic of community emerged through the superintendents’ shared understanding of the purpose of their work and when they began to adjust their work between leadership and followership roles.
Advanced Coronary Imaging

Invasive angiography is the most commonly used modality for the assessment of coronary atherosclerosis. However, angiography is limited by image resolution and is thus unable to interrogate the individual components of the arterial vessel wall or delineate the dynamic nature of atherosclerosis. Intravascular ultrasound and more recently optical coherence tomography increase image resolution, above conventional angiography, and have informed our understanding of vascular biology in health and disease. The practice of interventional cardiology has been highly influenced by knowledge gained from these imaging techniques during coronary interventions and with medical therapy.
Transient Thermal Response of Hot-spots in a Multilayered Film using Lattice Boltzmann Method

In this paper, a numerical tool based on lattice Boltzmann method is developed to simulate the transient thermal response of hot-spots in a multilayered film. The developed tool can successfully simulate complex multiscale systems involving multiple energy carriers with different length and time scales.
Improvement of power quality in VSI drives

The popular VSI (voltage source inverter) drives in use today are mostly PWM (pulse width modulated) drives. Harmonics produced by these drives cause heat losses, reduce the efficiency of the machine and also cause vibrations in the rotor. Active and passive filters are some of the methods to reduce the harmonics generated by these drives. A novel method is discussed which not only eliminates the 5/sup th/ harmonic but also any other negative sequence harmonics. This method, based on a reactor circuit, shows a reduction in harmonics and an improvement in the efficiency of the machine. The method can also reduce negative sequence harmonics produced by other nonlinear devices.
EXOCHI: architecture and programming environment for a heterogeneous multi-core multithreaded system

Future mainstream microprocessors will likely integrate specialized accelerators, such as GPUs, onto a single die to achieve better performance and power efficiency. However, it remains a keen challenge to program such a heterogeneous multicore platform, since these specialized accelerators feature ISAs and functionality that are significantly different from the general purpose CPU cores. In this paper, we present EXOCHI: (1) Exoskeleton Sequencer(EXO), an architecture to represent heterogeneous acceleratorsas ISA-based MIMD architecture resources, and a shared virtual memory heterogeneous multithreaded program execution model that tightly couples specialized accelerator cores with generalpurpose CPU cores, and (2) C for Heterogeneous Integration(CHI), an integrated C/C++ programming environment that supports accelerator-specific inline assembly and domain-specific languages. The CHI compiler extends the OpenMP pragma for heterogeneous multithreading programming, and produces a single fat binary with code sections corresponding to different instruction sets. The runtime can judiciously spread parallel computation across the heterogeneous cores to optimize performance and power.We have prototyped the EXO architecture on a physical heterogeneous platform consisting of an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor and an 8-core 32-thread Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3000. In addition, we have implemented the CHI integrated programming environment with the Intel® C++ Compiler, runtime toolset, and debugger. On the EXO prototype system, we have enhanced a suite of production-quality media kernels for video and image processing to utilize the accelerator through the CHI programming interface, achieving significant speedup (1.41X to10.97X) over execution on the IA32 CPU alone.
MRP2 involvement in renal proximal tubular elimination of methylmercury mediated by DMPS or DMSA.

Abstract 2, 3-Dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonic acid (DMPS) and meso-2, 3-Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) are dithiols used to treat humans exposed to methylmercury (CH3Hg+). After treatment, significant amounts of mercury are eliminated rapidly from the kidneys and are excreted in urine. In the present study, we extended our previous studies by testing the hypothesis that MRP2 mediates the secretion of DMPS or DMSA S-conjugates of CH3Hg+. To test this hypothesis, the disposition of mercury was assessed in control and Mrp2-deficient (TR−) rats exposed intravenously to a 5.0-mg/kg dose of CH3HgCl. Twenty-four and 28 h after exposure, groups of four control and four TR− rats were injected with saline, DMPS, or DMSA. Tissues were harvested 48 h later. Renal and hepatic contents of mercury were greater in saline-injected TR− rats than in controls. In contrast, the amounts of mercury excreted in urine and feces by TR− rats were less than those by controls. DMPS and DMSA significantly reduced the renal and hepatic content of mercury in both groups of rats, with the greatest reduction in controls. A significant increase in urinary and fecal excretion of mercury (which was greater in the controls) was also observed. Our findings in inside-out membrane vesicles prepared from hMRP2-transfected Sf9 cells show that uptake of DMPS and DMSA S-conjugates of CH3Hg+ was greater in the vesicles containing hMRP2 than in control vesicles. Overall, these dispositional findings indicate that MRP2 does play a role in DMPS- and DMSA-mediated elimination of mercury from the kidney.
Toll-like receptor 2 knockout reduces lung inflammation during Pneumocystis pneumonia but has no effect on phagocytosis of Pneumocystis organisms by alveolar macrophages.

THE innate immune system uses a wide variety of pattern recognition receptors to interact with microorganisms, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), dectin-1, and scavenger receptors. The inflammatory response and phagocytosis are two major components of innate immunity against microbial infection. The innate immune response to Pneumocystis infection is not well understood. During Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP), there is a chronic inflammatory reaction that results in impaired gas exchange and tissue damage (Wright et al. 1999). Phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages (AMs) is defective in human (Koziel et al. 1998) and rat (Lasbury et al. 2004) hosts during PcP hence there is reduced internalization of organisms by these cells. We have previously reported that TLR2 mediates alveolar macrophage responses to P. murina, leading to NF-kB nuclear translocation and enhanced TNF-a and MIP-2 production (Zhang et al. 2006). This study investigated the role of TLR2 on phagocytosis of Pneumocystis by AMs and in the inflammatory response to Pneumocystis during PcP.