cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of loss of regulation of minus-strand RNA synthesis on sindbis virus replication

During the replication cycle of Sindbis virus minus-strand synthesis stops normally at the time that plus-strand synthesis reaches a maximum rate. We have isolated and characterized revertants of ts24, a member of the A complementation group of Sindbis HR mutants, that we had demonstrated previously to have a temperature-sensitive defect in the regulation of minus-strand synthesis. These revertants of ts24 replicated efficiently at 40 degrees but nevertheless retained the temperature sensitive defect in the regulation of minus-strand synthesis: they continued to synthesize minus strands late in the replication cycle at 40 degrees but not at 30 degrees and in the presence or absence of protein synthesis. Although failure to regulate the synthesis of minus strands resulted in continuous minus-strand synthesis and in the accumulation of minus strands, the rate of plus-strand synthesis was not increased concertedly. Minus strands synthesized after the rate of plus-strand synthesis had become constant were demonstrated to be utilized as templates for 26 S mRNA synthesis. Thus, the change from an increasing to a constant rate of plus-strand synthesis during the alphavirus replication cycle cannot be governed solely by the number of minus strands that accumulate in infected cells. We present a model for the preferential utilization of minus strands as a mechanism for the cessation of minus-strand synthesis that occurs normally during alphavirus replication.
Effects of Muscarinic Agents on Cultured Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells

Intracellular calcium measurements were performed in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells preloaded with the cell permeant dye fura 2-AM. Fluctuations in calcium levels were then monitored with microscope-based ratio fluorometry. Carbachol increased intracellular calcium in a dose-dependent manner; as did oxotremorine-M, aceclidine, and pilocarpine. Carbachol's effect was blocked by the non-selective muscarinic antagonist atropine, as well as by muscarinic receptor subtype-selective antagonists such as pirenzepine (M1-selective), p-fHHSiD (M3-selective), and 4-DAMP (M1, M3 subtypes). Rank order of potencies for the antagonists' effects was atropine = 4-DAMP > p-fHHSiD > pirenzepine, a profile suggesting that the M3 receptor subtype is essential in the carbachol effect. Phospholipase C activity was estimated via measurement of total production of inositol phosphates in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells pre-exposed to 3H-myoinositol. In these cells, carbachol also stimulated phosphoinositide production in a dose-dependent manner, and an antagonist profile similar to that seen for calcium response was obtained when carbachol was used as the effector. The data indicate that muscarinic effects on cultured human trabecular meshwork calcium mobilization and phospholipase C activity are mediated by an M3-like receptor subtype. Therefore, the muscarinic M3 receptor may play a role in trabecular meshwork cell function(s).
Lung isolation in a child with unilateral necrotizing Clostridium perfringens pneumonia.

Objective To describe lung isolation and the selective application of continuous positive airway pressure using an endobronchial blocker in a patient with sickle cell disease and unilateral necrotizing Clostridium perfringens pneumonia. Design Case report. Setting Pediatric intensive care unit. Patient A 12-yr-old male with sickle cell disease developed persistent necrotizing pneumonia of the left lung following exchange transfusion for acute chest syndrome and hyper-hemolytic syndrome. Interventions An endobronchial blocker was placed into the left main stem bronchus for lung isolation and application of continuous positive airway pressure to the left lung for 48 hrs. Measurements and main results After 14 days of persistent atelectasis of the left lung despite thorascopic decortication and multiple bronchoscopies, our patient had substantial lung aeration within 48 hrs of continuous positive airway pressure applied via the endobronchial blocker. Lung resection was avoided and the patient was successfully extubated 2 days after removal of the blocker. Conclusions This case report demonstrates a therapeutic application of prolonged lung isolation and differential ventilation in a patient with an airway too small for commercially available double-lumen endotracheal tubes. The apparent success of this intervention suggests the feasibility of selective ventilation in pediatric patients and highlights a novel application of the bronchial blocker.
Have structural adjustments led to health sector reform in Africa

This paper explores the issue of whether and how structural adjustment in Sub-Saharan Africa has altered the level and nature of state involvement in the health care system. Stabilization and structural adjustment generally entail a reduction in aggregate demand, especially government spending, and a reduced role for the state in the provision of many goods and services. Consequently, there is an a priori concern that stabilization and adjustment in Africa may have resulted in lower health expenditures with deleterious effects on the health status of the population, particularly the poor. This paper concludes that structural adjustment programs in Africa did not reduce public health expenditures. In fact, many countries experienced higher real expenditures after adjustment. The fact that many indicators of health status deteriorated during the 1980s, however, presents somewhat of a paradox given the patterns of health expenditures. This paradox is resolved, by an investigation of the intrasectoral allocation of health expenditures which reveals that there are systematic biases in public expenditures towards tertiary and curative care, and a general weakness in the public sector's capacity to deliver adequate health care services even with higher real health sector budgets. In many countries, these biases have persisted despite government and donor intentions to promote health care reform. Finally, the paper reviews a set of policy and institutional issues which hinder the efficient use of budget resources, including overcentralization of health care administration, inappropriate drug and supply procurement practices, the lack of mechanisms for cost recovery, and poor organization, financial and personnel management. At each level of analysis, the paper catalogs those instances where progress is being made towards effective health care reform, including intrasectoral budget rationalization, administrative decentralization, the adoption of user fees for cost recovery, privatization in service delivery, particularly through non-governmental organizations, and organizational and management reform.
Spinodal decomposition in Cu-9wt PCT Ni-6wt PCT Sn-II: A critical examination of mechanical strength of spinodal alloys

Abstract The origin of mechanical strengthening due to the early stage spinodal decomposition process in a Cu-9 wt.% Ni-6 wt.% Sn alloy has been investigated. The wavelength (λ) and relative amplitude ( A ) of the composition fluctuation were determined from the position and integrated intensity of X-ray sidebands for samples aged for varying times at 300°, 350° and 400°C. The incremental yield stress, Δσ (stress measured in tension at 0.01 per cent strain in excess of that measured for the undecomposed alloy) was found to increase substantially during aging (~ 80,000 psi at 400°C). As predicted by Cahn ( Acta Met. 11 , 1275 (1963)) Δσ was proportional to A 2 λ : no other proposed hardening mechanism showed any correlation with the experimental data. It is further shown that the Cahn theory can equally well account for the early stage decomposition process in other, previously studied spinodal alloys. Measurements of resistivity change on isothermal aging at the three temperatures investigated were interpreted using the theory of Kolomets and Smirnov ( Fiz. Met. Metalloved. 14 , 3 (1962)). The percentage decrease in resistivity was found to be proportional to A 2 , as predicted. Accordingly, the product ¦ Δ gr ρ0 ¦ λ may also be used to show confirmation to Cahn's theory.
Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer: the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) experience.

Introduction Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is an advanced treatment delivery technique that can improve the therapeutic dose ratio. Its use in the treatment of inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been well studied. This report reviews our experience with IMRT for patients with inoperable NSCLC.
Control of placental glucose transfer.

Abstract There is little evidence to suggest that the membrane transfer mechanism of the placenta for glucose becomes saturated until maternal blood glucose concentrations are quite high. Also, recent evidence suggests that the membrane transport system for glucose in the placenta is not stimulated by maternal or fetal insulin. Furthermore, there is no solid evidence that hormonal or non-hormonal factors function in vivo to limit membrane transport of glucose in the placenta. Therefore, the limited data which are available suggest that there are no specific mechanisms which acutely regulate placental membrane transport of glucose, and that this membrane transport mechanism operates to maximize maternal-to-fetal glucose transfer. The rate of maternal-to-fetal glucose transfer is a function of the transplacental concentration gradient. This gradient appears to be under the control of fetal insulin and placental lactogen. The available data suggest that both hormones act to increase this concentration gradient: insulin by decreasing fetal blood glucose, and placental lactogen by both decreasing fetal and increasing maternal blood glucose concentrations. Furthermore, high rates of glucose uptake by fetal erythrocytes tend to promote maintenance of this concentration gradient. Therefore, these influences of the maternal-fetal concentration gradient promote transplacental glucose flux to the fetus. As illustrated by the fetal complications associated with maternal hyperglycaemia, the cellular and organismic physiology of the fetus and placenta appears to maximize, rather than optimize, glucose availability to the fetus. It may be, however, that during normal pregnancy, maximal availability is optimal for fetal development.
Isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for human erythrocyte beta-spectrin.

Abstract Spectrin is an important structural component of the membrane skeleton that underlies and supports the erythrocyte plasma membrane. It is composed of nonidentical alpha (Mr 240,000) and beta (Mr 220,000) subunits, each of which contains multiple homologous 106-amino acid segments. We report here the isolation and characterization of a human erythroid-specific beta-spectrin cDNA clone that encodes parts of the beta-9 through beta-12 repeat segments. This cDNA was used as a hybridization probe to assign the beta-spectrin gene to human chromosome 14 and to begin molecular analysis of the gene and its mRNA transcripts. RNA transfer blot analysis showed that the reticulocyte beta-spectrin mRNA is 7.8 kilobases in length. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA revealed the presence of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) within the beta-spectrin gene locus. The isolation of human spectrin cDNA probes and the identification of closely linked RFLPs will facilitate analysis of mutant spectrin genes causing congenital hemolytic anemias associated with quantitative and qualitative spectrin abnormalities.
Multichannel Kondo effect in Y0.8Zr0.2−xUxPd3

Abstract Non-Fermi-liquid (nFl) behavior caused by a single site effect could be confirmed by measurements of the electric resistivity of Y 0.8 U 0.2 Pd 3 , doped with zirconium on the uranium sites. For high temperatures T > T K the resistivity shows Kondo-like behavior, while for low temperatures T ⪡ T K there is nFl behavior with Δρ ( T )/ Δρ (0)=1− a ( T / T K ) n ( n =1.07±0.10, independent of the uranium concentration).
Centers of academic excellence: a case study

The US National Security Agency's Centers of Academic Excellence (CAEs) in Information Assurance Education program is in its seventh year, and 59 educational institutions have received the coveted "CAE" designation. The program was originally designed to jump-start education of an information security workforce by providing incentives to academic institutions to form information assurance programs and to students by providing scholarships. It has since been augmented by scholarship programs from the US National Science Foundation and the US Department of Defense. Several hundred graduates from these scholarship programs are already in the federal workforce. Indeed, information security and assurance has quickly become an important topic in computer science departments worldwide, with increasing numbers of information security specialists earning associate, undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees in the subject
Mechanism-based modeling of the effects of ibutilide (IB) on ventricular repolarization in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)

Purpose To characterize the relationship between plasma concentrations of IB and QT prolongation in patients with AF. METHODS: Seven patients requiring direct current cardioversion of AF received a 10 min IV infusion of IB 1.0 mg. Blood samples were collected and plasma IB concentrations were determined by LC/MS. QT intervals were measured from 2 leads (II, V1) and corrected (QTc) by Bazett and Fredericia methods. PK/PD modeling was performed with ADAPT II and fit simultaneously for both leads. RESULTS: A 2 compartment model best fit the PK data; median (IQ) r2=0.95 (0.87,0.99). Plots of actual QTc versus ibutilide plasma concentrations exhibited a counterclockwise hysteresis loop that transformed into a clockwise direction, resembling a rebound phenomenon. A modified indirect response model with zero-order input and total plasma IB concentrations indirectly driving the inhibition of the output response (i.e. IKr inhibition with subsequent QTc prolongation) with an additional output rebound response was developed; median (IQ) r2=0.80 (0.65, 0.87). The rebound response was initiated at a threshold QTc increase from baseline. The median (IQ) %QTc increase, propagating a rebound response was 11.1% (8.0,14.1) with an IC50 of 6.4 μg/L (4.7,11.4) for IB. CONCLUSIONS: IB administration for cardioversion of AF prolongs QTc and is indirectly related to total IB plasma concentrations. Additionally, an overcompensating rebound effect was observed leading to a rapid QTc shortening. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P97–P97; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.369
Dismantling the Built Drawing: Working with Mood in Architectural Design.

From the late Middle Ages onward an emphasis on the rational and the technical aspects of design and design drawing gained hold of architectural practice. In this transformation, the phenomenon of mood has been frequently overlooked or seen as something to be added on to a design; yet the fundamental grounding of mood, as described in Martin Heidegger's philosophy, is anything but secondary to our experience of the world. In fact, other facilities such as embodied experience, tactile and spatial awareness, and temporal perception all spring from the basic encounter with mood. In this article I describe how a lack of attunement to, and limited ability with, the various manifestations of mood perpetuates a disconnection between the architectural drawing and real buildings. I argue that as long as educational frameworks relegate the emotional and experiential to the place of a supplement, then our design processes will continue to unconsciously promote environments of thinness and superficiality.
Does practice make perfect? Resident experience with breast surgery influences excision adequacy

Abstract Background The adequacy of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for invasive or in situ disease is largely determined by the final surgical margins. Although margin status is associated with various clinicopathologic features, the influence of resident involvement remains controversial. Methods Patients who underwent BCS for malignancy from 2009 to 2012 were identified. The effects of various clinicopathologic characteristics and resident involvement were evaluated. Results Of the 502 cases performed, a resident assisted with most surgeries (95%). The overall rate of positive margins was 30%, which was not associated with resident involvement. Interns assisting from July to September had significantly lower rates of positive margins. Margins were more likely to be positive following any given resident's first 3 cases on their breast rotation than throughout the remainder of their rotation. Conclusion Although resident level alone does not influence the adequacy of BCS, experience gained over time does appear to be associated with lower rates of positive margins.
Collingwood and Weber vs. Mink: History after the Cognitive Turn

Louis Mink wrote a classic study of R. G. Collingwood that led to his most important contribution to the philosophy of history, his account of narrative. Central to this account was the non-detachability thesis, that facts became historical facts through incorporation into narratives, and the thesis that narratives were not comparable to the facts or to one another. His book on Collingwood was critical of Collingwood’s idea that there were facts in history that we get through self-knowledge but which are nevertheless objective, his account of re-enactment, and his notion of absolute presuppositions. It is illuminating to compare Collingwood to Weber with respect to these puzzling arguments, for the same issues arise there in different form. Recent work in social neuroscience on mirroring allows a different approach to these puzzles: mirror system “knowledge” of others and simulation fit, respectively, with Weber’s idea of direct observational understanding and Collingwood’s re-enactment account. This account allows for the detaching of historical facts about thoughts and action from narrative.
Evaluating the spatial spillover effects of transportation infrastructure on agricultural output across the United States

Abstract The role of spatial spillover associated with the infrastructure–economy relationship has received increasing attention in the literature. Surprisingly, in previous studies, the potential spatial spillover effect of transportation infrastructure on economic output in the U.S. agricultural sector has not been taken into account given the sector’s importance in the economy and dependence on transportation. The broader effects, including the direct effect and spatial spillover effect, of transportation infrastructure on agricultural output across 44 states in the United States from 1981 to 2004 are estimated in this study. A spatial Durbin panel data model that catches spatial dependence in both dependent and explanatory variables is used. The results suggest that road disbursement in a given state has positive direct effects on its own agricultural output. Also, the spillover effect of road infrastructure on agricultural output in neighboring states varies with respect to the spatial weight matrix used in the model. Moreover, our analysis shows that enhancement in road infrastructure in the states in the U.S. central region has a larger positive spillover effect on agricultural output when compared to coastal or border states.
Representation of a quantum ensemble as a minimal set of pure states

The density matrix r for an n-level system is decomposed into the minimum number of pure states necessary to calculate physical observables. The corresponding physical system is first represented by a set B of n pure states u b i &, together with their statistical weights. The time evolution of the system is therefore calculated as B(t)5UB(t 0), with the propagator U operating on each member of the set, in contrast to the more laborious r(t)5Ur(t 0)U † . At least one of the states can be eliminated from the set by reducing its weight to zero via a simple transformation of the density matrix. When there are degenerate weights, the transformation is applied using the weight with the largest degeneracy. Thus, even if none of the original statistical weights are equal to zero, so that rank( r)5n, the system can be described by a set of m states with m,n. The resulting minimal set provides a concommitant increase in calculational efficiency that depends on the fractional degeneracy. The independent evolution of the states comprising the set also provides an inherent parallelism that can be readily utilized in numerical computations. In addition to efficiency and conceptual simplification, this decomposition can provide physical insight, since the explicit contribution of each pure state to the dynamics of the system is readily apparent.
Evidence for Late-Paleozoic brine migration in Cambrian carbonate rocks of the central and southern Appalachians: Implications for Mississippi Valley-type sulfide mineralization

Abstract Many Lower Paleozoic limestones and dolostones in the Valley and Ridge province of the central and southern Appalachians contain 10 to 25 weight percent authigenic potassium feldspar. This was considered to be a product of early diagenesis, however, 40 Ar 39 Ar analyses of overgrowths on detrital K-feldspar in Cambrian carbonate rocks from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Tennessee yield Late Carboniferous-Early Permian ages (278–322 Ma). Simple mass balance calculations suggest that the feldspar could not have formed isochemically, but required the flux of multiple pore volumes of fluid through the rocks, reflecting regional fluid migration events during the Late-Paleozoic Alleghanian orogeny. Microthermometric measurements of fluid inclusions in overgrowths on detrital K-feldspar and quartz grains from unmineralized rocks throughout the study area indicate homogenization temperatures from 100° to 200°C and freezing point depressions of −14° to −18.5°C (18–21 wt.% NaCl equiv). The apparent similarity of these fluids to fluid inclusions in ore and gangue minerals of nearby Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits suggests that the regional occurrences of authigenic K-feldspar and MVT mineralization may be genetically related. This hypothesis is supported by the discovery of authigenic K-feldspar intergrown with sphalerite in several mines of the Mascot-Jefferson City District, E. Tennessee. Regional potassic alteration in unmineralized carbonate rocks and localized occurrences of MVT mineralization are both explainable by a gravity-driven flow model, in which deep brines migrate towards the basin margin under a hydraulic gradient established during the Alleghanian orogeny. The authigenic K-feldspar may reflect the loss of K during disequilibrium cooling of the ascending brines. MVT deposits are probably localized manifestations of the same migrating fluids, occurring where the necessary physical and chemical traps are present.
Distinguished Lecture on Economics in Government Public Policy, Values, and Consciousness

Economists should pay more attention to value formation in economic analysis. First, preferences are not stable in any operationally meaningful sense. Any estimated micro behavior that does not take account of the consequences of the behavior on underlying preferences is incapable of serving as a guide to future action. Second, the economist's model of human psychology is inaccurate and misleading. Third, most analyses of complex social behavior start from models incapable of producing empirical results adequate for useful structural analyses. The paper suggests avenues for making progress on each of these issues, beginning with a different approach to utility maximization.
A new reagent for a ”one-pot“ cyclopentenone annelation

Abstract A new reagent, 3-ch1oro-2-diethylphosphoryloxy-1-propene ( 2 ), for the preparation of cyclopentenones from ketone precursors via a ”one-pot“ synthesis is described.
Neurovascular considerations in surgery of glomus tumors with intracranial extensions.

Paragangliomas of the skull base, by virtue of their location, locally infiltrative behavior, and vascular nature, are difficult tumors to resect. Surgical removal is especially complicated when intracranial extensions are encountered. Our experience with a one-stage resection of intracranial extensions of glomus tumors in 20 patients is presented. These 20 patients had a total of 29 paragangliomas: 23 glomus jugulare or tympanicum tumors, 5 carotid body tumors, and 1 pterygopalatine lesion. Ten patients had intradural extension; the other 10 had intracranial extradural tumors. The primary complicating treatment factor was the loss of surgical planes in 6 patients with prior surgery and or radiotherapy
Classification of greedy subset-sum-distinct-sequences

We consider subset-sum-distinct-sequences having the property that no subset sum is congruent to amodq for any given integers a and q. We provide a classification of these sequences, in order to determine which of the sequences have maximal reciprocal sums. A greedy sequence is one which tries to maximize its reciprocal sum by making each successive term in the sequence as small as possible. We describe the circumstances under which a greedy sequence does in fact have maximal reciprocal sum. In classifying the greedy sequences, we resolve two of the three conjectures made in J. Bae's paper of 1998, An extremal problem for subset-sum-distinct sequences with congruence conditions (Discrete Math. 189 (1998) 1-20).
Methods for reliability of structures under multiple time varying loads

Abstract Current probabilistic studies on load combination have been concentrating on the modeling and linear combination of loads and load effects. Herein, a methodology for the assessment of life-time reliability of structural systems under multiple time varying loads is proposed. The method is based on considerations of load occurrences (including coincidence) and conditional probability of failure given occurrence whereby current methods of structural reliability and random vibration analysis can be incorporated. It has a wide range of applications. The emphasis is on the time domain load behavior, structural capacity uncertainty and non-linear dynamic load effects. The accuracy and computational advantage of this method as compared with other methods are examined by a numerical example of a simple frame under loads modeled as Poisson renewal pulse processes. Also, the errors implied in the widely used ‘Turkstra’ rule, a recently proposed modification of this rule, the load reduction factor method, and a SRSS (square root of sum of squares) rule for load combinations are quantified for linear combination and the implications in risk evaluation mentioned.
Dissolution Characterization Of Some Positive Photoresist Systems

We have studied the solubilities of photodegraded positive photo resist systems such as AZ*1350, AZ*2400 and AZ*111 resists by using in situ resist film thickness measurement techniques. The photo resist films were exposed at the sensitive wavelength of 0.4047 pm at several exposure dosage levels. The aqueous developer systems used with the above resists were AZ* developer, undiluted; AZ*2401, diluted with DI water (1:4); and AZ*303, diluted with DI water, (1:5), respectively. Published analytical dissolution rate models describe a linear relation between film thickness lost versus development time for unexposed and uniformly exposed resist films. We present results that demonstrate the prebaked resist film dissolution are not, in general, linear in time. Also, the dissolution behaviors are different with the different resist-developer systems we studied. Furthermore, the optical exposure effects are different from resist to resist in a manner that can be explained by the photoresponse of the resists at the exposure wavelength.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Relationship Conflict and Feeling Communication in Design Teams

Collaborative design team members use feeling language in their communications with one another, dubbed feeling communications, as they negotiate their interpersonal relationships and task, process and relationship conflict to achieve successful outcomes. In this paper, we examine the use of feeling communications by design teams in a new product development class at UC Berkeley, how their use of feeling communications relates to the levels of conflict experienced by the teams throughout the semester, and how both relate to team performance. From this study, it appears that high-performing and low-conflict teams tend to use high levels of feeling communications. High-conflict teams also use high levels of feeling communications, but often suppress its use when given feedback on their process. Medium-conflict teams appear to initially produce less feeling communication, but build up to a normal level over the course of the project. These results are based on our study of 1,926 messages sent by 13 teams in the Fall 2008 class, and present promising avenues for further exploration.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Sedentism and economic change in the Balkan Neolithic

Abstract The effects of sedentism on economic behavior, with special reference to the activities involved in the exploitation of ceramic and lithic resources, are discussed. The context of the study is the late Neolithic of Southeast Europe. It is argued that the widespread establishment of sedentary communities in the Balkans was followed by changes in the production of pottery and stone tools, entailing the routine investment of increasing amounts of labor in most phases of production, increased complexity in the organization of production, and a more selective approach to resource exploitation. Ceramic and lithic production form an important part of the nonsubsistence side of the Neolithic economy, and an understanding of changes in this sphere of activity is crucial to a comprehension of the wider effects of sedentism on economic behavior.
Investigation of absolute stability of water-vapor-stabilized semiconductor laser

The absolute stability of a semiconductor laser that is stabilized to an absorption line in water vapor has been investigated by using an independent water-vapor cell. A shift in frequency of about 1 part in 108 per degree Celsius was measured and attributed to temperature-dependent pressure shift in water vapor.
Epilepsy in Adolescents: Hormonal Considerations

A correlation between seizure disorders and reproductive hormones has been recognized for centuries. Through basic scientific and clinical studies, an understanding of the interrelationships has become clearer. Puberty does not increase the incidence of seizures. Catamenial seizures, when diagnosed, may be improved with hormonal manipulation. Therapeutic regimens for those treated unsuccessfully with antiepileptic therapy need continued validation. Patients with seizure disorders have an increased incidence of menstrual disorders. Hormonal contraception is not contraindicated in this population, yet requires a more cautious approach to avoid failure.
“Painting” the target: how local molecular cues define synaptic relationships

Summary A majority of studies on neuronal growth cones focus on the features that particular groups of neurons share. In contrast, questions such as how specific growth cones respond very differently to the same extrinsic cues require cellspecific experimentation. The most succinct cell-specific growth cone responses occur during synaptic targeting. Recent studies have examined one specific growth cone, the Drosophila RP3 motoneuron growth cone, in variously altered microenvironments. In this review, we summarize how such studies are beginning to uncover the repertoire of extrinsic cues that influence the synaptic targeting of a single growth cone. BioEssays 20:941‐948, 1998. r 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. How does a neuron find and recognize its correct synaptic partners inside the labyrinth of a developing brain? One approach to unraveling cell recognition principles in brain development is to conduct ‘‘case history’’ studies on representative neurons. Such approaches are used routinely in sociological studies that examine human societies. In a case history study, one focuses on an individual member of a large and complex constituency and analyzes in detail the causal relationships between various factors that surround the subject and its specific behaviors. In developmental neurobiology, both the introduction of convenient fluorescent intracellular dyes in the late 1970s and the development of immunocytochemistry technology in the early 1980s have aided a number of excellent demonstrations of the single cell, or case history, approach in both vertebrate and invertebrate model nervous systems.(1‐5) A major leap forward has re
Compression of trajectory data: a comprehensive evaluation and new approach

GPS-equipped mobile devices such as smart phones and in-car navigation units are collecting enormous amounts of spatial and temporal information that traces a moving object's path. The exponential increase in the amount of such trajectory data has caused three major problems. First, transmission of large amounts of data is expensive and time-consuming. Second, queries on large amounts of trajectory data require computationally expensive operations to extract useful patterns and information. Third, GPS trajectories often contain large amounts of redundant data that waste storage and cause increased disk I/O time. These issues can be addressed by algorithms that reduce the size of trajectory data. A key requirement for these algorithms is to minimize the loss of information essential to location-based applications. This paper presents a new compression method called SQUISH-E (Spatial QUalIty Simplification Heuristic - Extended) that provides improved run-time performance and usability. A comprehensive comparison of SQUISH-E with other algorithms is carried out through an empirical study across three types of real-world datasets and a variety of error metrics.
Number of Words Versus Number Ideas: Finding a Better Predictor of Writing Quality

This study examines the relation between the linguistic features of freewrites and human assessments of freewriting quality. This study builds upon the authors’ previous studies in which a model was developed based on the linguistic features of freewrites written by 9 th and 11 th grade students to predict freewrite quality. The current study reexamines this model using number of propositions as a predictor instead of number of words because the number of propositions was expected to be a better proxy for number of ideas in contrast to simple text length. The results indicated that there were only slight advantages for using a measure for number of propositions, indicating that from an artificial intelligence perspective, the number of words was the better measure.
LQR performance index distribution with uncertain boundary conditions

The track assignment problem in applications with large gaps in tracking measurements and uncertain boundary conditions is addressed as a Two Point Boundary Value Problem (TPBVP) using Hamiltonian formalisms. An L2-norm analog Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) performance function metric is used to measure the trajectory cost, which may be interpreted as a control distance metric. Distributions of the performance function are determined by linearizing about the deterministic optimal nonlinear trajectory solution to the TPBVP and accounting for statistical variations in the boundary conditions. The performance function random variable under this treatment is found to have a quadratic form, and Pearson's Approximation is used to model it as a chi-squared random variable. Stochastic dominance is borrowed from mathematical finance and is used to rank statistical distributions in a metric sense. Analytical results and approximations are validated and an example of the approach utility is given. Finally conclusions and future work are discussed.
A tissue-specific atlas of mouse protein phosphorylation and expression.

Summary Although most tissues in an organism are genetically identical, the biochemistry of each is optimized to fulfill its unique physiological roles, with important consequences for human health and disease. Each tissue's unique physiology requires tightly regulated gene and protein expression coordinated by specialized, phosphorylation-dependent intracellular signaling. To better understand the role of phosphorylation in maintenance of physiological differences among tissues, we performed proteomic and phosphoproteomic characterizations of nine mouse tissues. We identified 12,039 proteins, including 6296 phosphoproteins harboring nearly 36,000 phosphorylation sites. Comparing protein abundances and phosphorylation levels revealed specialized, interconnected phosphorylation networks within each tissue while suggesting that many proteins are regulated by phosphorylation independently of their expression. Our data suggest that the "typical" phosphoprotein is widely expressed yet displays variable, often tissue-specific phosphorylation that tunes protein activity to the specific needs of each tissue. We offer this dataset as an online resource for the biological research community.
A commentary on ‘Mineral soil carbon fluxes in forests and implications for carbon balance assessments’: a deeper look at the data

Forestry practitioners contacted us with their concerns about a recent review article by Buchholz T, Friedland AJ, Hornig CE, Keeton WS, Zanchi G, Nunery J (2013) GCB Bioenergy who questioned the way soil carbon is treated in many models and protocols, and indicated that an increasing number of research studies showed meaningful soil organic carbon (SOC) loss as a result of forest management. We revisit the major studies cited in the review and present a more complete look at the results, consistently treat forest floor carbon as a separate pool, discuss differences in interpretation, and suggest opportunities to advance the state of knowledge regarding SOC and forest carbon accounting. Overall, we conclude that the literature continues to support the current default assumption of little or no change in mineral SOC when sound forest management practices are followed.
A preliminary study of daily interpersonal stress and C-reactive protein levels among adolescents from Latin American and European backgrounds.

Objective To examine the association between the experience of daily interpersonal stress and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker that is a key indicator of cardiovascular risk, during the teenage years. Methods A total of 69 adolescents (Mage= 17.78 years) completed daily diary checklists each night for 14 days in which they reported their experience of negative interpersonal interactions in the domains of family, peers, and school (e.g., conflict with family and friends, peer harassment, punishment by parents and teachers). Blood samples were obtained an average of 8.63 months later and assayed for circulating levels of CRP, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Measures of body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic status (SES), substance use, stressful life events, rejection sensitivity, and psychological distress were obtained. Results A greater frequency of daily interpersonal stress was associated with higher levels of CRP, even after controlling for BMI, SES, substance use, life events, rejection sensitivity, psychological distress, and frequency of daily interpersonal stress 2 years earlier. Conclusions Experiencing a high frequency of interpersonal stressors that are typical of adolescent life is associated with higher levels of inflammation even among a normative, healthy sample of adolescents. Additional work should focus on other daily experiences during the adolescent period and their implications for elevated risk for later cardiovascular disease.
Gait restoration by functional electrical stimulation

For over 40 years, research labs have been developing gait assist systems that use electrical stimulation of muscle to restore function to limbs paralyzed as a result of spinal cord injury. The concept of functional electrical stimulation (FES) is simple, but realization is challenging. While there are some similarities between FES-aided gait and a bipedal robot walking machine, there are also significant differences in actuators (muscles versus motors), sensors, and control strategy. Hybrid approaches that combine FES with a mechanical orthosis show promise for overcoming some of the limitations of FES-aided gait.
Personal Influence and Primary Relationships: Their Effect on Associational Membership*

THE INSTRUMENTAL-EXPRESSIVE differentiation, employed extensively by Talcott Parsons,' has been applied to the field of voluntary associations by several writers. Thus, Lundberg, Komarovsky, and McInery wrote of instrumental, mixed, and leisure associations in an early study, and Rose concerned himself with two types of associations, the social influence group and the expressive group.2 This means of classifying voluntary associations has appeared recently in at least one introductory sociology textbook.3 A recent impetus to the use of the instrumental-expressive categorization in this field was the publication by Gordon and Babchuk of a typology of associations utilizing this concept.4 They define the ideal type of instrumental association as differing from the ideal type of expressive association in the following three ways. (1) The member of the expressive association achieves immediate and continuing gratification from taking part in the organization's activities. The instrumental association member may even find the group's activities distasteful, but he will get satisfaction from the knowledge that they help to accomplish certain long-range goals. In other words, personal gratification is more remote (in terms of time) from participation in the group's activities for the member of the instrumental group than the member of the expressive group. (2) The
Developing a conceptual framework for visually-enabled geocollaboration

Most work with geospatial data, whether for scientific analysis, urban and environmental planning, or business decision making is carried out by groups. In contrast, geographic information technologies have been built and assessed only for use by individuals. In this paper we argue that, to support collaboration with geospatial information, specific attention must be given to tools that mediate understanding and support negotiation among participants. In addition, we contend that visual representations have a particularly important role to play as mediators of geocollaborative activities. With these contentions as a starting point, we present a framework for study of visually-enabled collaboration with geospatial information and for development, implementation, and assessment of geoinformation technologies that support that collaboration. The paper concludes with a brief description of two prototype geocollaborative environments that illustrate the use of the framework developed and provide the basis for ...
Nonnegative Pareto-Improving Tolls with Multiclass Network Equilibria:

Congestion charging schemes are considered to be Pareto-improving if they lead to an improvement in system performance while ensuring that no user is worse off than in the situation without any tolling intervention. Anonymous nonnegative Pareto-improving charging schemes are considered in general road networks with multiple user classes, each valuing time differently. Mathematical programming models are proposed for finding a Pareto-improving scheme with heterogeneous users. The properties of the scheme are further analyzed, and the existence conditions are consequently established.
Effect of Maternal Separation on the Complement System and Antibody Responses in Infant Primates

Hemolytic complement activity and complement protein levels were evaluated before and after psychological disturbance in the squirrel monkey. Significant increases in hemolytic complement activity were observed following separation of 6-month-old infants from their mothers. Complement protein levels were generally correlated with hemolytic activity, but did not show the same pattern of change. C3 levels did not change consistently after maternal separation, while C4 decreased significantly on Day 7, and then began to return toward basal levels by Day 14. The alterations in complement activity were associated with elevated adrenal hormone secretion, but were not directly correlated with plasma Cortisol levels. A second experiment showed that increased hemolytic complement activity also occurred in juvenile squirrel monkeys following 4-hour to 7-day removals from a peer group. The effect of maternal separation on antibody responses to viral challenge was evaluated in a third experiment. Separated infant squ...
Simvastatin Lowers C-Reactive Protein Within 14 Days An Effect Independent of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Reduction

Background— The early response of C-reactive protein to initiation of a hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate at which highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels change after initiation of simvastatin and whether this occurs independently of the change in LDL cholesterol. Methods and Results— The study was a crossover, double-blind design including 40 subjects with elevated LDL cholesterol. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: simvastatin 40 mg for 14 days, then placebo for 14 days, or placebo first, then simvastatin. Simvastatin decreased LDL cholesterol by 56±4 mg/dL (P<0.0001) at day 7 and by an additional 8±3 mg/dL (P=0.02) at day 14. Baseline log(hsCRP) levels were similar in the 2 groups. By day 14, log(hsCRP) was significantly lower in patients on simvastatin when compared with placebo (P=0.011). Although there was no significant difference in fibrinogen levels, simvastatin produced a mode...
Turkish Identity Formation and Political Mobilization in Western Europe and North America

The overall social, economic, legal, and demographic situation of Turkish immigrants in Europe has changed a lot since the early 1960s, when the first wave of Turkish guest workers started to arriv...