cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of Cell Adhesion Molecules in Inflammatory Myopathies and Duchenne Dystrophy

Cell adhesion molecules participate in target-effector cell interactions in cell-mediated cytotoxicity and in leukodiapedesis in inflammatory diseases. Two ligand-receptor pairs may play a role in the adhesion of cytotoxic T cells to their targets: 1) intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), and 2) LFA-3 and CD2. We therefore immunolocalized these molecules in myopathies where there is evidence for T cell-mediated myocytotoxicity, namely inclusion body myositis, polymyositis, and Duchenne dystrophy. Autoaggressive inflammatory cells close to invaded muscle fibers showed an increased expression of ICAM-1 and LFA-1. The nonnecrotic muscle fibers invaded by autoaggressive cells expressed ICAM-1 where their surfaces faced the invading cells. That immunoreactivity for ICAM-1 on the invading cells was distinct from that on the opposite muscle fiber surface was established by colocalization of ICAM-1 with the sarcolemmal marker dystrophin (or β-spectrin) and was also confirmed by confocal microscopy. Leukodiapedesis in inflamed tissues is mediated by ICAM-1, LFA-3, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin associated with endothelial cells. In dermatomyositis ICAM-1 was strongly expressed on endothelial cells of perimysial arterioles and venules and on some perifascicular capillaries. In all the other myopathies ICAM-1 and LFA-3 expressions were increased on endothelia of capillaries surrounded by inflammatory cells. VCAM-1 was detected in few arterioles in all diseases. E-selectin was not detected at any site in any disorder. We conclude that ICAM-1 is strongly induced on the surfaces of nonnecrotic muscle fibers where they are invaded by autoaggressive cells and that it serves as an important ligand for these cells. The selective upregulation of ICAM-1 on endothelial cells in dermatomyositis suggests that this ligand is differentially activated in this disease.
Evaluating Characteristic Time Emissions Predictions for Three Vehicular Gas Turbine Combustors

The standard GT-309 combustor and two modified versions were tested in a flow-rig over the range of steady-state conditions simulating combustor operation in a GT-309 regenerative gas turbine engine. Based on measured emissions of the standard combustor, a characteristic time model developed by Mellor was used to predict the carbon monoxide, total oxides of nitrogen, and total hydrocarbons emissions for the two modified combustors. The total oxides of nitrogen emissions were predicted to within one standard deviation for all conditions. The carbon monoxide emissions were not usually predicted within one standard deviation, and the predicted and experimental trends were conflicting. The predicted total hydrocarbons emissions suffered the same inaccuracy. However, the modified combustors did exhibit reduced emissions. The strong dependence of carbon monoxide emissions from the standard combustor on atomizing-air pressure drop at low engine-power conditions was successfully correlated by the model as a shift in quenching location. The oxides of nitrogen emissions for the standard combustor at high power conditions were not accurately correlated by the model because the quenching of nitric oxide formation was not completed within the combustor. 16 figures.
Pockmarks off Big Sur, California

A pockmark field was discovered during EM-300 multi-beam bathymetric surveys on the lower continental slope off the Big Sur coast of California. The field contains ∼1500 pockmarks which are between 130 and 260 m in diameter, and typically are 8–12 m deep located within a 560 km2 area. To investigate the origin of these features, piston cores were collected from both the interior and the flanks of the pockmarks, and remotely operated vehicle observation (ROV) video and sampling transects were conducted which passed through 19 of the pockmarks. The water column within and above the pockmarks was sampled for methane concentration. Piston cores and ROV collected push cores show that the pockmark field is composed of monotonous fine silts and clays and the cores within the pockmarks are indistinguishable from those outside the pockmarks. No evidence for either sediment winnowing or diagenetic alteration suggestive of fluid venting was obtained. 14C measurements of the organic carbon in the sediments indicate continuous sedimentation throughout the time resolution of the radiocarbon technique (∼45 000 yr BP), with a sedimentation rate of ∼10 cm per 1000 yr both within and between the pockmarks. Concentrations of methane, dissolved inorganic carbon, sulfate, chloride, and ammonium in pore water extracted from within the cores are generally similar in composition to seawater and show little change with depth, suggesting low biogeochemical activity. These pore water chemical gradients indicate that neither significant accumulations of gas are likely to exist in the shallow subsurface (∼100 m) nor is active fluid advection occurring within the sampled sediments. Taken together the data indicate that these pockmarks are more than 45 000 yr old, are presently inactive, and contain no indications of earlier fluid or gas venting events.
Design optimization of multi-body systems under impact loading by response surface methodology:

AbstractDesign optimization of multi-body systems is challenged by the highly non-linear and computationally expensive (for large-scale systems) nature of many multi-body responses. In this paper, ...
Efficient separations of intact proteins using slip-flow with nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A capillary with a pulled tip, densely packed with silica particles of 0.47 μm in diameter, is shown to provide higher peak capacity and sensitivity in the separation of intact proteins by reversed-phase liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). For a C18 bonded phase, slip flow gave a 10-fold flow enhancement to allow for stable nanospray with a 4-cm column length. Model proteins were studied: ribonuclease A, trypsin inhibitor, and carbonic anhydrase, where the latter had impurities of superoxide dismutase and ubiquitin. The proteins were well separated at room temperature with negligible peak tailing. The peak capacity for ubiquitin was 195 for a 10-min gradient and 315 for a 40-min gradient based on Gaussian fitting of the entire peak, rather than extrapolating the full-width at half-maximum. Separation of a cell lysate with a 60 min gradient showed extremely high peak capacities of 750 and above for a peptide and relatively homogeneous proteins. Clean, low noise mass spectra for each model prot...
Therapeutic antibody gene transfer

AAV vectors containing the combined furin-site and 2A 'self-cleaving' peptide facilitate high-level expression of monoclonal antibodies in vivo.
An Ecological Approach to Understanding Youth Violence: The Mediating Role of Substance Use

The authors tested an ecological model that posits mediating variables (substance use and mental health) in the association between ecological factors (family closeness, school closeness, and peer closeness) and youth violence in a sample of 4,783 adolescents. Model including substance use present significantly less total effect between ecological factors and youth violence than do models without substance use. Additional probing of significant mediation effect using the Sobel test was performed and suggested that substance use did function as a mediator in the hypothesized path. Considerations of adolescent violence should recognize the possible role of ecological factors and how their influence may vary by substance use.
Comment on "Intermittent Plate Tectonics?"

Silver and Behn (Reports, 4 January 2008, p. 85) proposed that intermittent plate tectonics may resolve a long-standing paradox in Earth's thermal evolution. However, their analysis misses one important term, which subsequently brings their main conclusion into question. In addition, the Phanerozoic eustasy record indicates that the claimed effect of intermittency is probably weak.
Subcellular localization of platelet factor 3 and platelet factor 4.

The subcellular distribution of platelet factor 3 and 4 (PF-3 and 4) activity has been determined in sucrose gradient fractions of platelet homogenates. The distribution patterns were influenced by the homogenization technique (blendor or pestle) and the method of calculation (total activity or per mg protein). The bulk PF-3 activity was present in membraneous fractions both from granular and plasma membranes with negligible amounts in the soluble fraction. In contrast, PF-4 activity appeared in small amounts in the membraneous fraction with a distribution of about one third in the soluble fraction and two thirds in the granule fraction, particularly the higher density fractions which fractions also contain the serotonin and the non-metabolic adenine nucleotides.
Work in progress: Prostaglandin activity in human eccrine sweat

Abstract Thermal sweat collected from 14 healthy volunteers contained prostaglandin activity ranging from 0.2 to 1.5 ng of prostaglandin E2 equivalents per milliliter (mean ± SE; 0.62 ± 0.43) as measured by a prostaglandin-specific radioimmunoassay. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean activity between males and females. The activity in sweat from two of five patients with atopic dermatitis, in one of four patients with psoriasis, and in one of two patients with hyperhidrosis was significantly ( P ) above the mean activity in the sweat of the healthy volunteers. The importance of this prostaglandin activity is uncertain, but prostaglandins may participate in the regulation of sweat electrolytes, as suggested by their influence on electrolyte fluxes in the kidney and gut.
Comparisons of stuttering frequency during and after speech initiation in unaltered feedback, altered auditory feedback and choral speech conditions

Background: Stuttering is prone to strike during speech initiation more so than at any other point in an utterance. The use of auditory feedback (AAF) has been found to produce robust decreases in the stuttering frequency by creating an electronic rendition of choral speech (i.e., speaking in unison). However, AAF requires users to self‐initiate speech before it can go into effect and, therefore, it might not be as helpful as true choral speech during speech initiation.Aims: To examine how AAF and choral speech differentially enhance fluency during speech initiation and in subsequent portions of utterances.Methods & Procedures: Ten participants who stuttered read passages without altered feedback (NAF), under four AAF conditions and under a true choral speech condition. Each condition was blocked into ten 10 s trials separated by 5 s intervals so each trial required ‘cold’ speech initiation. In the first analysis, comparisons of stuttering frequencies were made across conditions. A second, finer grain ana...
The ethics of instruction

Increasing student enrolments in business education, declining resources for education in general, and increased pressures on academic staff to publish research papers has resulted in academics' us...
Educational Intervention to Modify Bottle-Feeding Behaviors among Formula-Feeding Mothers in the WIC Program: Impact on Infant Formula Intake and Weight Gain.

Abstract Objective Formula-fed infants gain weight faster than breastfed infants. This study evaluated whether encouraging formula-feeding caregivers to be sensitive to infant satiety cues would alter feeding practices and reduce infant formula intake and weight gain. Design Double-blind, randomized educational intervention, with intake and growth measured before (at 1 to 2 months) and after (4 to 5 months) the intervention. Setting Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics in Sacramento, California. Participants 836 caregivers of young infants were screened; 214 were eligible, and 104 agreed to participate. Intervention Intervention subjects received education promoting awareness of satiety cues and discouraging bottles containing more than 6 ounces before 4 months of age; intervention and control groups received education regarding introduction and feeding of solid food after 4 months of age. Main Outcome Measures Formula intake (mL/24 hours) and weight gain (g/week). Analysis Differences between groups evaluated using 2-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results Sixty-one subjects completed baseline records, 44 attended class, and 38 completed the study. Despite a positive response to the educational intervention, there was no change in bottle-feeding behaviors (formula intake at 4 to 5 months was more than 1100 mL/day in both groups). Infant growth in the intervention group was greater than in the control group (P Conclusions and Implications The intervention improved knowledge of the key messages, but further research is needed to understand barriers to modifying bottle-feeding behaviors.
A Role for ERK MAP Kinase in Physiologic Temporal Integration in Hippocampal Area CA1

Recent studies demonstrate a requirement for the Extracellular signal Regulated Kinase (ERK) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in both the induction of long-lasting forms of hippocampal synaptic plasticity and in hippocampus-dependent associative and spatial learning. In the present studies, we investigated mechanisms by which ERK might contribute to synaptic plasticity at Schaffer collateral synapses in hippocampal slices. We found that long-term potentiation (LTP) induced with a pair of 100-Hz tetani does not require ERK activation in mice whereas it does in rats. However, in mice, inhibition of ERK activation blocked LTP induced by two LTP induction paradigms that mimicked the endogenous θ rhythm. In an additional series of studies, we found that mice specifically deficient in the ERK1 isoform of MAPK showed no impairments in tests of hippocampal physiology. To investigate ERK-dependent mechanisms operating during LTP-inducing stimulation paradigms, we monitored spike production in the cell body layer of the hippocampus during the period of θ-like LTP-inducing stimulation. θ-burst stimulation (TBS) produced a significant amount of postsynaptic spiking, and the likelihood of spike production increased progressively over the course of the three trains of TBS independent of any apparent increase in Excitatory Post-Synaptic Potential (EPSP) magnitude. Inhibition of ERK activation dampened this TBS-associated increase in spiking. These data indicate that, for specific patterns of stimulation, ERK may function in the regulation of neuronal excitability in hippocampal area CA1. Overall, our data indicate that the progressive increase in spiking observed during TBS represents a form of physiologic temporal integration that is dependent on ERK MAPK activity.
Transverse myelitis in mixed connective tissue disease

Neurologic disease is reported to occur in just 10% of patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). Most commonly, this is manifested by mild trigeminal neuralgia. This report details the clinical and neuropathologic findings of transverse myelitis in a patient with MCTD. Neurologic features include progressive areflexic paraplegia with loss of bowel and bladder function. Neuropathologically there was thinning of the thoracic cord, widespread loss of axons and myelin sheaths, reactive astrocytosis, macrophage formation, vascular thickening with perivascular chronic inflammatory cell infiltration, and calcium deposits. This case demonstrates that severe neurologic disease unresponsive to therapy can occur in MCTD.
Existence and partial regularity of static liquid crystal configurations

We establish the existence and partial regularity for solutions of some boundary-value problems for the static theory of liquid crystals. Some related problems involving magnetic or electric fields are also discussed.
Source characteristics of the 12 November 1996 M(w) 7.7 Peru subduction zone earthquake

The 12 November 1996 M w 7.7 Peru subduction zone earthquake occurred off the coast of southern Peru, near the intersection of the South American trench and the highest topographical point of the subducting Nazca Ridge. We model the broadband teleseismic P-waveforms from stations in the Global Seismic Network to constrain the source characteristics of this subduction zone earthquake. We have analyzed the vertical component P-waves for this earthquake to constrain the depth, source complexity, seismic moment and rupture characteristics. The seismic moment determined from the nondiffracted P-waves is 3–5 ∞ 1020N·m, corresponding to a moment magnitude M w of 7.6–7.7. The source time function for the 1996 Peru event has three pulses of seismic moment release with a total duration of approximately 45–50 seconds. The largest moment release occurs at approximately 35–40 seconds and is located ~90km southeast of the rupture initiation. Approximately 70% of the seismic moment was released in the third pulse.
Approximation methods in the optimization of a stationary (σ, S ) inventory problem

A methodology is proposed to analyze a periodic review multicommodity inventory system operating under a given (@s, S) policy in which the demands per period are i.i.d., in order to obtain approximate optimal ordering rules for stock replenishment.
Rapid nutrient cycling in leaf litter from invasive plants in Hawai’i

Physiological traits that contribute to the establishment and spread of invasive plant species could also have impacts on ecosystem processes. The traits prevalent in many invasive plants, such as high specific leaf areas, rapid growth rates, and elevated leaf nutrient concentrations, improve litter quality and should increase rates of decomposition and nutrient cycling. To test for these ecosystem impacts, we measured initial leaf litter properties, decomposition rates, and nutrient dynamics in 11 understory plants from the Hawaiian islands in control and nitrogen + phosphorus fertilized plots. These included five common native species, four of which were ferns, and six aggressive invasive species, including five angiosperms and one fern. We found a 50-fold variation in leaf litter decay rates, with natives decaying at rates of 0.2-2.3 year(-1) and invaders at 1.4-9.3 year(-1). This difference was driven by very low decomposition rates in native fern litter. Fertilization significantly increased the decay rates of leaf litter from two native and two invasive species. Most invasive litter types lost nitrogen and phosphorus more rapidly and in larger quantities than comparable native litter types. All litter types except three native ferns lost nitrogen after 100 days of decomposition, and all litter types except the most recalcitrant native ferns lost >50% of initial phosphorus by the end of the experiment (204-735 days). If invasive understory plants displace native species, nutrient cycling rates could increase dramatically due to rapid decomposition and nutrient release from invasive litter. Such changes are likely to cause a positive feedback to invasion in Hawai'i because many invasive plants thrive on nutrient-rich soils.
A new microfacet notation for high-Miller-index surfaces of cubic materials with terrace, step and kink structures

Abstract The ideal (i.e. unreconstructed and unrelaxed) strcuture of arbitrary high Miller index surfaces of cubic crystals is analyzed in terms of terraces, steps and kinks, and a new, simple and useful microfacet notation is proposed. The cubic crystals include the simple cubic, facecentered cubic, body-centered cybic, zincblende, NaCl and CsCl crystals.
Unique Backbone-Water Interaction Detected in Sphingomyelin Bilayers with 1H/31P and 1H/13C HETCOR MAS NMR Spectroscopy

Two-dimensional 1H/31P dipolar heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is used to investigate the correlation of the lipid headgroup with various intra- and intermolecular proton environments. Cross-polarization NMR techniques involving 31P have not been previously pursued to a great extent in lipid bilayers due to the long 1H-31P distances and high degree of headgroup mobility that averages the dipolar coupling in the liquid crystalline phase. The results presented herein show that this approach is very promising and yields information not readily available with other experimental methods. Of particular interest is the detection of a unique lipid backbone-water intermolecular interaction in egg sphingomyelin (SM) that is not observed in lipids with glycerol backbones like phosphatidylcholines. This backbone-water interaction in SM is probed when a mixing period allowing magnetization exchange between different 1H environments via the nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) is included in the NMR pulse sequence. The molecular information provided by these 1H/31P dipolar HETCOR experiments with NOE mixing differ from those previously obtained by conventional NOE spectroscopy and heteronuclear NOE spectroscopy NMR experiments. In addition, two-dimensional 1H/13C INEPT HETCOR experiments with NOE mixing support the 1H/31P dipolar HETCOR results and confirm the presence of a H2O environment that has nonvanishing dipolar interactions with the SM backbone.
Effects of Interviewer Style on Quality of Reporting in a Survey Interview

Summary Eight female interviewers varied their interview styles in interviewing 207 adults who had been involved in automobile accidents during a four-year period. A “professional” and a rapport or “interpersonal” style was used. Dependent variables consisted of reporting of events related to an automobile accident in which the respondent was the driver, and for which independent criterion data were available. In addition, the amount of health information reported was also analyzed. In spite of the respondents' more favorable attitudes towards the interpersonal interviews, accuracy was not significantly greater in these rapport interviews. In fact, significant interaction effects between interviewer style and recency of the accident were obtained. Respondents, however, reported more completely under rapport conditions. The results are interpreted within a cognitive, role-learning framework.
Philosophy and Phylogenetics

Phylogenetics is the study and reconstruction of evolutionary history and is filled with numerous foundational issues of interest to philosophers. This paper briefly introduces some central concepts in the field, describes some of the main methods for inferring phylogenies, and provides some arguments for the superiority of model-based methods such as Likelihood and Bayesian methods over nonparametric methods such as parsimony. It also raises some underdeveloped issues in the field of interest to philosophers.
A Hierarchical Model of Web Summaries

We investigate the relevance of hierarchical topic models to represent the content of Web gists. We focus our attention on DMOZ, a popular Web directory, and propose two algorithms to infer such a model from its manually-curated hierarchy of categories. Our first approach, based on information-theoretic grounds, uses an algorithm similar to recursive feature selection. Our second approach is fully Bayesian and derived from the more general model, hierarchical LDA. We evaluate the performance of both models against a flat 1-gram baseline and show improvements in terms of perplexity over held-out data.
Lateral balance factors predict future falls in community-living older adults

Abstract Hilliard MJ, Martinez KM, Janssen I, Edwards B, Mille M-L, Zhang Y, Rogers MW. Lateral balance factors predict future falls in community-living older adults. Objective To prospectively determine the capacity of measures of mediolateral (ML) protective stepping performance, maximum hip abduction torque, and trunk mobility, in order to predict the risk of falls among community-living older people. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting A balance and falls research laboratory. Participants Medically screened and functionally independent community-living older adult volunteers (N=51). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Measures included: (1) protective stepping responses: percentage of trials with multiple balance recovery steps and sidestep/crossover step recovery patterns, and first step length following motor-driven waist-pull perturbations of ML standing balance; (2) hip abduction strength and axial mobility: (3) peak isokinetic hip abduction joint torque and trunk functional axial rotation (FAR) range of motion; and (4) fall incidence: monthly mail-in reporting of fall occurrences with follow-up contact for 1 year post-testing. One- and 2-variable logistic regression analysis models determined which single and combined measures optimally predicted fall status. Results The single variable model with the strongest predictive value for falls was the use of multiple steps in all trials (100% multiple steps) (odds ratio, 6.2; P =.005). Two-variable models, including 100% multiple steps and either hip abduction torque or FAR variables, significantly improved fall prediction over 100% multiple steps alone. The hip abduction and FAR logistic regression optimally predicted fall status. Conclusions The findings identify new predictor variables for risk of falling that underscore the importance of dynamic balance recovery performance through ML stepping in relation to neuromusculoskeletal factors contributing to lateral balance stability. The results also highlight focused risk factors for falling that are amenable to clinical interventions for enhancing lateral balance function and preventing falls.
Lack of defect in insulin action on hepatic glycogen synthase and phosphorylase in insulin-resistant monkeys

It is well known that an alteration in insulin activation of skeletal muscle glycogen synthase is associated with insulin resistance. To determine whether this defect in insulin action is specific ...
When psychopathy impairs moral judgments: Neural responses during judgments about causing fear

Psychopathy is a disorder characterized by reduced empathy, shallow affect and behaviors that cause victims distress, like threats, bullying and violence. Neuroimaging research in both institutionalized and community samples implicates amygdala dysfunction in the etiology of psychopathic traits. Reduced amygdala responsiveness may disrupt processing of fear-relevant stimuli like fearful facial expressions. The present study links amygdala dysfunction in response to fear-relevant stimuli to the willingness of individuals with psychopathic traits to cause fear in other people. Thirty-three healthy adult participants varying in psychopathic traits underwent whole-brain fMRI scanning while they viewed statements that selectively evoke anger, disgust, fear, happiness or sadness. During scanning, participants judged whether it is morally acceptable to make each statement to another person. Psychopathy was associated with reduced activity in right amygdala during judgments of fear-evoking statements and with more lenient moral judgments about causing fear. No group differences in amygdala function or moral judgments emerged for other emotion categories. Psychopathy was also associated with increased activity in middle frontal gyrus (BA 10) during the task. These results implicate amygdala dysfunction in impaired judgments about causing distress in psychopathy and suggest that atypical amygdala responses to fear in psychopathy extend across multiple classes of stimuli.
A photoperiodic influence on growth in rats.

In otherwise identical conditions, weanling male rats were found to gain weight more slowly over a period of 5 to 6 weeks when the day length of artificial light was reduced from 12 hours by daily decrements of up to five minutes than when kept on a constant day length of 12 hours. In the several experiments performed the differences were highly significant and the overall reduction in weight gain was of the order of 10%. No appreciable changes were found in either food consumption or final body composition. No such difference in weight gain was observed in the same experiments when the animals were kept singly in cages, which caused a greatly increased food consumption and gain in weight. Rats kept on a constant day length of eight and one-half hours showed the same weight gain as those kept on a 12-hour day. The difference in weight gain was also found in a simultaneous comparison of growth in male weanling rats kept on a constant 12-hour day of artificial light and rats kept in the natural lighting conditions of late autumn.
Administration of a Sigma Receptor Agonist Delays MCAO-Induced Neurodegeneration and White Matter Injury

Many pharmacological treatments for stroke have afforded protection in rodent models but failed to show efficacy in clinical trials. This discrepancy may be due to the lack of long-term functional studies. Previously, delayed administration of the sigma receptor agonist 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine (DTG) reduced infarct volume after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. The present study was conducted to determine whether the protective effects of DTG lead to improvements in behavioral functioning. Rats were subjected to MCAO and administered 7.5, 1.5, or 0.75 mg/kg DTG beginning 24 h post-surgery. Histological outcomes (96 h, 2 weeks, and 5 weeks) were compared with performance on a series of behavioral tests (2 and 4 weeks). Fluoro-Jade staining and immunohistochemistry were used to assess infarct volume and immune cell recruitment. All doses significantly reduced infarct volume and perturbation of striatal white matter tracts at 96 h. These reductions were associated with decreased numbers of CD11b-positive amoeboid microglia/macrophages. Despite short-term efficacy, DTG failed to improve behavioral outcomes or reduce infarct volumes after 96 h. While DTG may prove beneficial as a short-term therapy, these data highlight the importance of long-term functional recovery when evaluating novel therapies to treat stroke.
Optimal power allocation over parallel relay channels with orthogonal regenerative decode-and-forward strategy

We consider the problem of optimal power allocation over a family of parallel Gaussian relay channels, each with a different set of channels' power gains. The applied cooperative strategy is half-duplex regenerative decode-and-forward which is multiplexed orthogonally with a direct transmission link from the source node to the destination node. We assume the availability of channel-state-information of the three links in every channel realization. We obtain a characterization of the optimal solution which includes the power allocated for each channel realization as well as the power allocated to the source node and the relay node so that the long-term average total transmitted power constraint is maintained. The solution has a simple structure and can be applied practically in relay-assisted wireless systems.
Multi-objective optimization of temperature distributions using Artificial Neural Networks

Modeling the thermal environment of data centers, including prediction of the air flow and temperature distributions can be computationally intensive using CFD. Reduced order models or data-driven meta-models are necessary to provide real-time assessment of optimum operating conditions for data centers to reduce energy usage. Here, a simulation-based Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach is employed as a predictive tool. A model for a basic single cold aisle data center configuration is analyzed using the commercial CFD software FloTHERM. The simulation results are used to generate a database for training and cross validation of a primary ANN corresponding to a specific set of input and output operating conditions. Good agreement is achieved between the CFD and ANN based model predictions for maximum rack inlet temperatures over a range of operating conditions. In addition, by combining the ANN with a cost function based Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA), the operating conditions can be inversely predicted for desired outputs (e.g. rack inlet temperatures). The total simulation time for the ANN-MOGA approach is reduced significantly compared to a fully CFD-based optimization methodology.
Interactive read-alouds: Is there a common set of implementation practices?

Read-alouds are a common component of literacy instruction. However, research on the method for providing read-alouds is limited. To determine if there was a common set of implementation practices, the authors examined the read-aloud practices of 25 teachers who were nominated by their administrators as experts. From these data, the authors identified several factors common to read-alouds. The authors then observed 100 additional teachers to determine how common each of these factors were in read-alouds.
Orientable Hamilton Cycle Embeddings of Complete Tripartite Graphs II: Voltage Graph Constructions and Applications

In an earlier article the authors constructed a hamilton cycle embedding of in a nonorientable surface for all and then used these embeddings to determine the genus of some large families of graphs. In this two-part series, we extend those results to orientable surfaces for all . In part II, a voltage graph construction is presented for building embeddings of the complete tripartite graph on an orientable surface such that the boundary of every face is a hamilton cycle. This construction works for all such that p is prime, completing the proof started by part I (which covers the case ) that there exists an orientable hamilton cycle embedding of for all , . These embeddings are then used to determine the genus of several families of graphs, notably for and, in some cases, for .
“Redox Control” of Nitrogen Fixation: An Overview

Biological nitrogen fixation, an energy intensive process, is subject to several control processes in the cell (Brill, 1975; Ludden and Burris, 1976; Carithers and Yoch, 1979; Shanmugam and Hennecke, 1979). These include both genetic regulatory mechanisms and protein modification (in some organisms like Rhodospirilium rubrum). Addition of either NH4 + or O2 to a nitrogen-fixing culture immediately leads to repression of nitrogenase biosynthesis. In Klebsiella pneumoniae, nitrogenase synthesis is also regulated by growth temperature (Hennecke and Shanmugam, 1979). Nitrogenase is undetectable at elevated temperatures (> 37 C) under growth conditions that allow the production of nitrogenase at permissive temperatures. Although NH4 + and high temperature (39 C) repress nitrogenase biosynthesis, they have no detectable effect on preformed nitrogenase protein and catalytic activity. Ammonium ion mediated regulation of nitrogenase (NH4 +-control) is believed to be mediated through the assimilation of NH4 + to the level of organic compounds. The mechanism by which temperature affects the production of nitrogenase is unknown. These two control systems will not be discussed in this communication, with emphasis here on the role of O2 as a modulator of synthesis of nitrogenase. The term ‘redox control’ used in the title refers to the fact that molecular oxygen (and other compounds such as nitrate) have the dual role as terminal electron acceptors as well as genetic modulators of cellular activity. A lucid description of the role of O2 as a biochemical regulator is presented by Schlegel and coworkers in this volume.
Tissue IGF-I protein and mRNA responses to a single injection of somatotropin

Swine were divided into four groups of 11 animals at 40 kg body wt. Swine within a group were given a single porcine somatotropin (pST) injection (200 micrograms/kg) or buffer at 0800. Blood, liver (L), latissimus dorsi (LD), semitendinosus (STS), vastus lateralis (VL), dorsal subcutaneous (SQ), and perirenal (PR) adipose tissues were sampled at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 h postinjection. Blood urea nitrogen was depressed by 16 h. Insulin was elevated by approximately 350% at 8 h. Lipogenic enzyme activities in adipose tissues were not affected by pST treatment. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA levels increased rapidly in SQ, PR, and L to a single pST administration, whereas they increased only slightly in VL. IGF-I mRNA concentrations in LD and STS were unaffected by pST treatment. IGF-I protein content of tissues changed little during the first 24 h postinjection. These data suggest that individual tissues differ in timing and degree of response to pST. Conflicting results reported after pST treatment could, in part, be due to tissue selection for sampling or sample timing.
Fostering Psychotropic Medication Oversight for Children in Foster Care: A National Examination of States’ Monitoring Mechanisms

To describe state responses to psychotropic medication safety concerns among children in foster care, this study proposes a taxonomy for state-level psychotropic medication monitoring mechanisms and highlights state variations. Seventy-two key informants, representing state child-serving agencies within the 50 states and DC, completed semi-structured interviews. We employed modified grounded theory to develop the taxonomy, and then generated state-specific summaries that were validated by key informants. Nationally, 88.2 % of the states employed at least one of seven mechanisms. For the most frequently implemented mechanisms (collegial secondary review, prior authorization, database review), over half were implemented between January 2011 and July 2013.
Pattern Running under a 4NR Schedule in Acquisition

In an alleyway, rats were run to a 4NR schedule, four non-reinforced trials followed by a reinforced trial. Better pattern running occurred with small than with large magnitude of reward in acquisition training.
A rapid ammonium sulfate precipitation technic for separating serum vitamin B12-binding proteins. Method and applications.

Current methods for separating serum vitamin B12-binding proteins suffer from one, or more frequently both, of two handicaps. They do not separate all three serum binders, and they are usually complex and time-consuming. Therefore, a simple, one-step (NH4)2SO4 precipitation technic derived from the serum polyfractionation method of Effersoe, is presented. The precipitate contains 100% of the serum transcobalamin (TC) II. The supernate contains 86-100 % of the TC I and the third binder. Fractionation is virtually identical to that obtained by the more laborious Sephadex gel chromatography. The precipitation technic does not isolate the third binder but, when combined with the equally simple DEAE-cellulose batch separation method, can be used for rapid estimation of the three binders in serum specimens. Results of a clinical survey of levels of the three serum binders in various hematologic disorders are also presented.
Periorbital Edema in Kaposi's Sarcoma

Figure 1. A 27-year-old man who was seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus presented with severe periorbital and facial edema (Panel A) and generalized cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma. Note the lesion (arrows) on the nose. Computed tomography (CT) of the head demonstrated thickening of the eyelids and the skin of the nose and face. The patient had neither superior vena cava syndrome nor nephrotic syndrome. Doxorubicin, vincristine, and bleomycin were administered intravenously every two weeks for four months. Facial and periorbital edema resolved rapidly (Panel B), as did the Kaposi's sarcoma. The CT findings also returned to normal. This type of . . .
Acid Phosphatase Elevation with Symptoms Following Transurethral Prostatic Resection

AbstractSymptoms following transurethral prostatic resection for benign prostatic hypertrophy were evaluated in 100 patients. The occurrence of post-transurethral resection symptoms was monitored postoperatively and was found to be associated with an increase in serum acid phosphatase. The transient elevation of serum acid phosphatase after transurethral prostatic resection indicates that intraoperative absorption of prostatic tissue substances occurs. The intraoperative absorption of prostatic tissue substances may have a significant role in producing symptoms of post-transurethral resection syndromes.
Pre-Clinical Study of a Novel Recombinant Botulinum Neurotoxin Derivative Engineered for Improved Safety

Cyto-012 is a recombinant derivative of Botulinum neurotoxin Type A (BoNT/A). It primarily differs from wild type (wt) BoNT/A1 in that it incorporates two amino acid substitutions in the catalytic domain of the light chain (LC) metalloprotease (E224 > A and Y366 > A), designed to provide a safer clinical profile. Cyto-012 is specifically internalized into rat cortical and hippocampal neurons, and cleaves Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25 (SNAP-25), the substrate of wt BoNT/A, but exhibits slower cleavage kinetics and therefore requires a higher absolute dose to exhibit pharmacologic activity. The pharmacodynamics of Cyto-012 and wt BoNT/A have similar onset and duration of action using the Digital Abduction Assay (DAS). Intramuscular LD50 values for Cyto-012 and wt BoNT/A respectively, were 0.63 ug (95% CI = 0.61, 0.66) and 6.22 pg (95% CI = 5.42, 7.02). ED50 values for Cyto-012 and wt BoNT/A were respectively, 0.030 ug (95% CI = 0.026, 0.034) and 0.592 pg (95% CI = 0.488, 0.696). The safety margin (intramuscular LD50/ED50 ratio) for Cyto-012 was found to be improved 2-fold relative to wt BoNT/A (p < 0.001). The DAS response to Cyto-012 was diminished when a second injection was administered 32 days after the first. These data suggest that the safety margin of BoNT/A can be improved by modulating their activity towards SNAP-25.
Prokaryotic Autolysin Database Construction

Databases are valuable resources that are capable of collecting and disseminating sizeable quantities of data with the purpose of furthering research done in that particular field. Currently, there are databases for organismal genomes and classes of proteins, but currently there is no database for bacterial autolysins in particular. Autolysins such as LytA in Streptococcus pneumoniae are of vital importance as it allows the bacterium to evade antimicrobial peptides (Kietzman et. al, 2015). Additionally autolysins have been found to promote horizontal gene transfer in S. pneumoniae, as well as promoting sporulation in Bacillus subtilis (Allocati et. al, 2015). While some methods currently exist to manipulate autolysin expression, such as a broth with 2% choline, a large scale computational analysis of these proteins may provide more insight to these mechanisms (Balachandran et al, 2001). 11,458 proteomes encompassing all available Streptococcus (n=9,341), Bacillus (n=1,003), and Listeria (n=1,114) were obtained from GenBank, and 5 autolytic domains including amidase 3 and glucosaminidase were detected using hmmer with an E-value threshold of 10^-5. Resulting 68,748 output files were analyzed indicating 35,319 positive results containing at least one detected domain. This revealed that certain domains such as Glucosaminidase and LysM are highly conserved having been detected in 98.6%, 93.6%, and 99.9% of Streptococcus, Bacillus, and Listeria proteomes respectively, whereas others were noticeably more prevalent in a particular genus such as amidase 2 (75.5% Streptococcus, 92.1% Bacillus, 76.5% Listeria). Additionally, the proteomic locus of each detected domain has been recorded. Currently we aim to organize and compile data into a useful database using SQLite. Additionally, more genera are expected to be added to eventually encompass all bacterial proteomes. Moreover we aim to determine associated domains using hmm scan.
Response Errors in Females’ and Males’ Sentence Lipreading Necessitate Structurally Different Models for Predicting Lipreading Accuracy

Lipreaders recognize words with phonetically impoverished stimuli, an ability that is generally poor in normal-hearing adults. Individual sentence lipreading trials from 341 young adults were modeled to predict words and phonemes correct in terms of measures of phoneme response dissimilarity (PRD), number of inserted incorrect response phonemes, lipreader gender, and a measure of speech perception in noise. Interactions with lipreaders' gender necessitated structurally different models of males' and females' lipreading. Overall, female lipreaders are more accurate, their ability to recognize words with impoverished or degraded input is consistent across visual and auditory modalities, and they amplify their correct responding through top-down insertion of text. Males' responses suggest that individuals with poorer auditory speech perception in noise amplify their responses by shifting towards including text in their response that is more perceptually discrepant from the stimulus. Attention to gender differences merits attention in future studies that use visual speech stimuli.
Gibberellin A3 Treatment of Seeds, Container Volume, Substrate pH, and Nitrogen Source and Rate Influence Growth of Containerized Seabeach Amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus)

Seeds of seabeach amaranth (Amaranthus pumilus Raf.), a species federally listed as ‘threatened,’ were stratified (moist-chilled) for 90 days at 4C (39F) or treated with a solution of the potassium (K) salt (K-salt) of gibberellin A3 (K-GA3) at 1000 mg·liter−1 (ppm) for 24 hr. After treatment, both groups of seeds were sown in containers of two volumes, 139 or 635 cm3 (9 or 39 in3) with a substrate of peat:pine bark (1:1, v/v) amended with one of two rates of pulverized dolomitic lime [2.24 or 4.48 kg·m−3 (3.8 or 7.6 lb·yd−3)]. Containers were maintained in a greenhouse. After seedling emergence, seedlings were fertilized with a 20N-4.4P-16.6K (20N-10P205-20K20) acidic, water soluble fertilizer or a 15N-2.2P-12.5K (15N-5P205-15K20) basic, water soluble fertilizer applied thrice weekly at nitrogen (N) application rates (NARs) of 75, 150, 225, or 300 mg·liter−1. The study was terminated 8 weeks after seeds were sown and data recorded. Regardless of fertilizer, acidic or basic, top dry weight and leaf area o...
Electron dynamics in the laser and quasi-static electric and magnetic fields

Abstract 3/2 dimensional Hamiltonian equations, accounting for arbitrary polarized plane wave laser radiation and arbitrary electric and magnetic fields in the directions both along and across to the direction of the laser beam propagation, are derived for superluminal phase velocity of the laser radiation. An impact of superluminal laser radiation phase velocity on the transition to stochastic electron motion is studied.
To Be or Not To Be: A Multidimensional Spirituality in the Workplace

The present study focuses on furthering the theoretical foundations of the field of spirituality and religiosity in the workplace (SRW) by providing a parsimonious definition, and multi-dimensional...
ESTROGEN TREATMENT ALTERS NARCOTIC DISPOSITION IN THE RAT

Summary Sprague-Dawley rats were treated first with methadone (30 mg/kg p.o. or 5 mg/kg s.c.) only for two weeks and then with both methadone and ethinyl estradiol (0.5 mg/d p.o. or s.c.) or saline or water for two weeks. Plasma levels of methadone were then determined by gas liquid chromatography. Mean plasma levels of methadone were higher at each time point in the animals treated with both methadone and estrogen, as compared with animals treated with methadone alone. Alterations in tissue distribution of methadone and also in the relative amounts of methadone and metabolites eliminated in urine and feces were also observed in estrogen-treated animals.
Mathematical and Logical Abilities, Neural Basis of

Mathematical and logical abilities are fundamental to our ability to not only calculate but also perform basic skills such as telling time, and dialing a phone number. This article considers both the cognitive processes which provide fundamental numerical skills such as number comprehension and production, number comparison, and arithmetic, and their neural substrates.