cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
181 A Phase-2 Sequential Parallel Comparison Design Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Adjunctive Pimavanserin in Major Depressive Disorder

Study Objectives: Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, with fewer than 50% of treated patients achieving full remission. This study (“CLARITY,” ACP-103-042: NCT03018340) examined the 5-HT2A inverse agonist pimavanserin (PIM) as a potential adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Method: Adult female and male subjects with a DSM-5 primary diagnosis of a major depressive episode as part of MDD, inadequate response to ongoing SSRIs or SNRIs of adequate dose and duration as confirmed by the Massachusetts General Hospital Antidepressant Treatment History Questionnaire, and a MADRS total score >20 were randomized to PIM 34 mg/day or placebo (PBO) added to their SSRI/SNRI treatment. A sequential parallel comparison design was used, consisting of two 5-week stages. PBO nonresponders in Stage-1 who met prespecified criteria were re-randomized to PIM or PBO for the second period (Stage-2). The primary efficacy measure was the weighted average of Stage-1 and Stage-2 total scores of the HAMD-17. Results: Of the 207 patients enrolled, 52 received PIM, and 155 received PBO in Stage 1. Mean age was 46.2 years, and 72.9% of patients were female. Baseline MADRS total (mean [SD]: 31.5 [0.4]) and HAMD-17 total scores (22.2 [0.3]) indicated a moderate overall severity of illness. PIM met the primary endpoint, reducing the weighted Stage-1/Stage-2 HAMD-17 total score relative to PBO (least-square means [LSM] difference, –1.7; standard error [SE], 0.9; P=0.04). Stage-1 PIM patients demonstrated highly significant 5-week improvement on the HAMD-17 (LSM difference=–4.0, SE=1.1; P<0.001; effect size, Cohen’s d: 0.626), separating from placebo by the end of Week 1 (LSM difference=–1.7, SE=0.8; P=0.04). Stage-2 results showed no significant separation among Stage-1 placebo nonresponders (P=0.69). In Stage 2, a substantively smaller number of subjects (n=58) were rerandomized than planned, likely due to restrictive criteria for re-randomization. Greater overall improvement was seen with PIM relative to PBO on the key secondary endpoint, the Sheehan Disability Scale (LSM difference=–0.8, SE=0.3; P=0.004), and positive results were also seen on 7 of the 11 other secondary endpoints, including responder rate (≥50% reduction in HAMD-17 total; P=0.007), Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Functioning Index (P<0.001), and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale for daytime sleepiness (P=0.02). Discontinuations due to adverse events were low (PIM 1.2%, PBO 3.2%). One serious adverse event was reported in each treatment group, deemed unrelated to treatment. No deaths were reported. Laboratory assessments, electrocardiography, and changes in vital signs were unremarkable, and no new safety signals were reported. Conclusions: Study data provide evidence of the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive PIM in treating MDD inadequately responsive to SSRI or SNRI therapy. Efforts to confirm these results are ongoing in a Phase 3 program. Funding Acknowledgements: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Screening of Novel Li-Air Battery Catalyst Materials by a Thin Film Combinatorial Materials Approach.

A combinatorial synthesis and high-throughput screening process was developed for the investigation of potential oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for use as Li–air battery cathode materials. Libraries of discrete ternary metal alloy compositions were deposited via thin-film sputtering. The samples were electrochemically tested in parallel using cyclic voltammetry in O2-saturated KOH electrolyte. Compositions were ranked by ORR and OER onset potentials with respect to an internal Pt reference. Results from the Pt–Mn–Co, Cr–Mn–Co, Pd–Mn–Co, and Pd–Mn–Ru systems are reported. Many alloy compositions showed marked improvement in catalytic activity compared to pure Pt. Among the systems considered, Pt12Mn44Co44, Pd43Co57 and Pd36Mn28Ru36 in particular exhibited lower overpotentials for oxygen reactions, which occur at the cathode in Li–air batteries.
Views From Patients With Cancer in the Setting of Unplanned Acute Care: Informing Approaches to Reduce Health Care Utilization

PURPOSE:New oncology care delivery models that avoid preventable acute care are needed, yet it is unclear which interventions best meet the needs of patients and caregivers. Perspectives from patie...
First Comparison Report of the SAPIEN S3 Ultra Balloon Expandable Transcatheter Heart Valve

Even mild paravalvular leak (PVL) is associated with worse quality of life and increased mortality. The Ultra transcatheter heart valve (THV) is intentionally designed to reduce PVL. However, there...
RESTRAINING THE MOOD FOR LOVE: A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF WONG KAR WAI’S IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

This article attempts to explore the visual signs in Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love in the context of how they support and emphasize the topic of restraint through the film’s cinematography and mise-en-sceene. As the theoretical foundation, Peirce’s classification of signs into symbol, icon, and index is chosen in addition to Barthes’ five systems of meanings that are applied to cinema. The visual signs in focus are not limited to objects within the film, but also the characters’ actions as well as the cinematography. The findings show that certain signs are effectively displayed to signify and amplify the idea of restraint. Not only that, some signs evolve into different signs through intentional repetition to further emphasize the aforementioned idea and the arbitrary nature of the signs, and at the same time open the possibilities of different interpretations of the signs within the film.
How Axon and Dendrite Branching Are Governed by Time, Energy, and Spatial Constraints

Neurons are connected by complex branching processes - axons and dendrites - that collectively process information for organisms to respond to their environment. Classifying neurons according to differences in structure or function is a fundamental part of neuroscience. Here, by constructing new biophysical theory and testing against our empirical measures of branching structure, we establish a correspondence between neuron structure and function as mediated by principles such as time or power minimization for information processing as well as spatial constraints for forming connections. Specifically, based on these principles, we use undetermined Lagrange multipliers to predict scaling ratios for axon and dendrite sizes across branching levels. We test our predictions for radius and length scale factors against those extracted from neuronal images, measured for cell types and species that range from insects to whales. Notably, our findings reveal that the branching of axons and peripheral nervous system neurons is mainly determined by time minimization, while dendritic branching is mainly determined by power minimization. Further comparison of different dendritic cell types reveals that Purkinje cell dendrite branching is constrained by material costs while motoneuron dendrite branching is constrained by conduction time delay over a range of species. Our model also predicts a quarter-power scaling relationship between conduction time delay and species body size, which is supported by experimental data and may help explain the emergence of hemispheric specialization in larger animals as a means to offset longer time delays. Author summaryNeurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system, responsible for information processing and communication in animals. They consist of a centralized cell body and two types of processes - axons and dendrites - that connect to one another. Previous studies of the differences among neuron cell types have focused on comparisons of either structure or function separately, without considering combined effects. Based on theory for structure of and flow through biological resource distribution networks, we develop a new model that relates neuron structure to function. We find that differences in structure between axons and dendrites as well as between dendrites of different cell types can be related to differences in function and associated evolutionary pressures. Moreover, using our mathematical model, we find that the conduction time delay of electrical signals systematically varies with species body size - neurons in larger species have longer delays - providing a possible explanation for hemispheric specialization in larger animals.
Moving From Piloted to Autonomous Operations: Investigating Human Factors Challenges in Urban Air Mobility

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is expected to be the next major revolution in the aviation industry and a solution to the growing traffic congestion on the ground. The long-term goal of UAM is to reach f...
The Representations of \mathsf{sl}(3; \mathbb{C})

In this chapter, we investigate the representations of the Lie algebra \(\mathsf{sl}(3; \mathbb{C})\), which is the complexification of the Lie algebra of the group SU(3). The main result of this chapter is Theorem 6.7, which states that an irreducible finite-dimensional representation of \(\mathsf{sl}(3; \mathbb{C})\) can be classified in terms of its “highest weight.” This result is analogous to the results of Sect. 4.6, in which we classify the irreducible representations by the largest eigenvalue of π(H), namely the non-negative integer m.
Providing Nuclear Reactor Control Information in the Presence of Instrument Failures

A technique for using unfailed instrument outputs to generate optimal estimates of failed sensor outputs is presented and evaluated. The technique uses a bank of discrete, linear Kalman filters, each dedicated to one instrument, and a combinatory logic to perform the output estimation. The technique is tested using measurement data from a university research reactor.
Is "conflict adaptation" driven by conflict? Behavioral and EEG evidence for the underappreciated role of congruent trials

Theories of cognitive control argue that response conflict in speeded performance tasks leads to adaptive changes, such that irrelevant information is better ignored on subsequent trials. This study tested whether trial-by-trial changes are driven primarily by conflict on incongruent trials or instead by congruent trials, in which irrelevant and relevant stimulus dimensions match. In a Stroop task including congruent, incongruent, and neutral trials, interference was greater following congruent compared to incongruent and neutral trials, which did not differ. During the intertrial interval, EEG alpha power, an inverse measure of cerebral activation, was significantly lower following congruent than neutral trials, whereas incongruent and neutral trials did not differ. These results imply that trial-by-trial changes in performance may not be driven solely by conflict, but rather by changes in attention triggered by congruent information.
Sol-gel derived PZT thin films for switching applications

Ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films were fabricated through the sol-gel spin-on technique to study the thickness dependence of electrical characteristics. At saturation, the films exhibited a dielectric constant of 1300, a dissipation factor of 0.03, a Curie temperature of 366 degrees C, remanent polarization of 36 mu C/cm/sup 2/, coercivity of 40 kV/cm, and dielectric breakdown strength of over 1 MV/cm. The temperature dependence of permittivity showed an anomalous behavior with annealing temperature. >
The transcription factor TFEB acts as a molecular switch that regulates exogenous antigen-presentation pathways

Dendritic cells present exogenous antigens to T cells on MHC class I or MHC class II. Cresswell and colleagues show that the transcription factor TFEB inhibits exogenous antigen presentation by MHC class I and enhances presentation by MHC class II by promoting phagosomal acidification.
X3M ≡ MX3 Compounds of Molybdenum and Tungsten

The coordination chemistry of the X3M≡MX3 “ethane-like dimers” of molybdenum and tungsten is rich and varied. Though the chemistry of the (Mo≡Mo)6+ and (W≡W)6+ units are very similar, there are significant differences. The ditungsten center is notably more readily oxidized and this leads to a much more extensive organometallic chemistry of small, unsaturated organic molecules. Many of these reactions lead to the reduction and cleavage of C—X multiple bonds. In contrast, reductive eliminations occur more readily from the Mo2 6+ center to give Mo2 4+ compounds having MM quadruple bonds. Furthermore, the ditungsten compounds are much more labile towards forming clusters. The organometallic chemistry of the M2(OR)6 compounds bears a superficial resemblance to that of the Cp2M2(CO)4 compounds, though it is evident that despite the difference in formal oxidation states, the M2(OR)6 compounds are more reactive as electron reservoirs.
Dermatitic Precursors of Mycosis Fungoides

It has long been recognized in dermatology that certain apparent long-standing, recalcitrant dermatoses have the potential to develop into an overt cutaneous lymphoma or lymphoma-like conditions, particularly mycosis fungoides (1). Mycosis fungoides and related conditions are reviewed in Chapter 13. Some of these apparent long-standing dermatoses were considered to be definable as one or another of a group of diseases known as the parapsoriasis group; the remainder, despite resemblance in some cases to such diseases as atopic or seborrheic dermatitis early in their course, were considered to have been lymphoma/mycosis fungoides all along, but not to have manifested themselves clearly as such until quite late in their course (1,2). This led, in turn, to a concept that certain of these disorders in the parapsoriasis group are also, in fact, early stages of mycosis fungoides (2).
Corporate Modeling Systems

As businesses grow across continents in terms of reach, scale, and diversity in products, the complexity of management problems and efforts to maximize the profit in corporations have increased significantly. To assist managers and employees at all levels in decision making, corporate modeling is essential to provide decision support information. Corporate modeling within business organizations has moved from standalone database applications to integrated and flexible enterprise-wide information systems. Computer modeling and planning tools such as decision support systems (DSS) are widely used by corporate management to select alternatives based on key business performance measures. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have also been introduced as a new form of corporate modeling that does the same thing as traditional DSS, but they are not confined to the boundaries of business applications. This article reviews the various types of corporate models along with development and applications of advanced DSS and ERP systems. Keywords: corporate modeling; customer-centric enterprise information systems; decision support systems; enterprise resource planning; evolutionary multiagent systems
Psychiatric Comorbidities and BMI: An Exploratory Analysis.

ABSTRACTYears of research and clinical practice have demonstrated that individuals with certain mental health conditions are at an increased risk of obesity. However, no identified research has examined associations between multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders and body mass index (BMI). This study uses a secondary analysis to examine associations between a large number of combinations of various mental health conditions and BMI. Surprisingly, the results of this study indicate that the most comorbid psychiatric disorders are not associated with an increased risk of elevated BMI. However, bipolar disorder, agoraphobia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and panic disorder had the greatest number of comorbid disorder associations linked with elevated BMI. The effect sizes ranged from a significant but relatively small Cohen's d of 0.3 to a more notable effect size of 0.7. The results of this study indicate that practitioners should be especially vigilant in helping their patients to avoid weight g...
Effects of dietary barley on growth performance, carcass traits and pork quality of finishing pigs

Summary Background: the relatively high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acid in yellow corn may reduce the quality of pork fat, but feeding barley instead of yellow corn may increase pork quality. Objective: to determine the effects of feeding graded levels of barley on performance, carcass composition, and pork quality of finishing pigs. Methods: in experiment 1, diets containing 0, 20, 40, 60, or 80% barley were fed to pigs (initial BW: 67.9 kg) for 8 weeks. In experiment 2, a diet containing 60% barley was fed to pigs for 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks prior to slaughter. Results: feeding diets with increasing levels of barley resulted in a linear decrease (p Conclusion: there was no effect of barley on loin muscle quality and barley did not consistently change fat color or belly and bacon quality. Key words: belly traits, fatty acid composition, growth rate, swine nutrition. Resumen Antecedentes: la relativamente alta concentracion de acidos grasos poliinsaturados presente en el maiz amarillo puede reducir la calidad de la grasa del cerdo. Alimentar con cebada en lugar de maiz amarillo podria mejorar la calidad de dicha carne. Objetivo: determinar los efectos del suministro de niveles incrementales de cebada sobre el rendimiento, composicion de la canal y calidad de la carne de cerdos en ceba. Metodos: en el experimento 1 se suministraron dietas que contenian 0, 20, 40, 60, o 80% de cebada a cerdos en ceba (PV inicial: 67,9 kg) durante 8 semanas. En el experimento 2 se suministro una dieta con 60% de cebada a cerdos durante 0, 2, 4, 6, u 8 semanas antes del sacrificio. Resultados: el introducir mayores niveles de cebada en la dieta resulto en una disminucion lineal (p Conclusion: no hubo efecto de la cebada en la calidad del musculo del lomo. La cebada no cambio el color de la grasa ni la calidad del vientre o del tocino. Palabras clave: calidad del vientre, composicion de acidos grasos, nutricion porcina, tasa de crecimiento. Resumo Antecedentes: a concentracao relativamente elevada de acidos gordurosos poli-insaturados presentes no milho amarelo pode reduzir a qualidade da gordura suina. Fornecendo cevada ao inves de milho amarelo poderia melhorar a qualidade da carne. Objetivo: determinar os efeitos de niveis crescentes de cevada sobre o desempenho, composicao e qualidade da carne a da carcaca de suinos de engorda. Metodos: no primeiro experimento os suinos foram alimentados durante o periodo de engorda com dietas contendo 0, 20, 40, 60, ou 80% de cevada (PV inicial de 67,9 kg) durante oito semanas. No segundo experimento se subministrou uma dieta com 60% de cevada aos suinos durante 0, 2, 4, 6 ou 8 semanas antes do abate. Resultados: a introducao de maiores niveis de cevada na dieta resultou em uma reducao linear do ganho de peso diario (p Conclusao: nao houve efeito de cevada na qualidade do olho de lombo. A cevada nao mudou a cor da gordura nem a qualidade da barriga e do bacon. Palavras chave: qualidade do ventre, composicao de acidos graxos, taxa de crescimento, nutricao de suinos.
A parametric approach to radar processing of reentry vehicle signatures

Summary form only given, as follows. We investigate the development of parametric techniques to extract dynamical information about a reentry vehicle (RV) from noisy radar cross-section (RCS) measurement data. We develop a simplified signal processing model of the entire measurement process based on the underlying physics and radar system operations. Signal processing techniques are developed to extract the desired RV dynamical parameters. This suite of techniques includes: trajectory motion compensation, environmental transfer function estimation and its inverse, instantaneous spectrogram estimation using parametric autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models and recursive-in-time algorithms, demodulation, and event detection schemes based on the prediction errors and instantaneous ARMA coefficients. The overall processing is applied to both synthesized and raw flight data demonstrating its effectiveness.
Mechanism of glucose-induced (Na + , K + )-ATPase inhibition in aortic wall of rabbits

Hyperglycaemia decreases (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity in specific tissues by a mechanism whose effects are prevented by aldose reductase inhibitors and by raising plasma myo-inositol. This mechanism was activated and studied in vitro in normal rabbit aortic intima-media. Raising medium glucose to 10 mmol/l for 60 min inhibited a major component of (Na+, K+)-ATPase-mediated 86Rb + /K+ uptake normally operative in resting aortic intima-media in medium containing normal plasma levels of glucose (5 mmol/l) and myo-inositol (70 μmol/l); 20 or 30 mmol/l glucose had no greater effect. This effect occurred under conditions in which the aortic intima-media's normal myo-inositol content is not detectably decreased. The inhibition was prevented by sorbinil (10 μmol/l) and by raising medium myo-inositol from 70 to 500 μmol/l, which had no effect on (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity when the medium glucose remained at 5 mmol/l. Raising medium glucose selectively inhibited a component of (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity that requires medium myo-inositol, because it is maintained by a regulatory system through rapid basal phosphatidylinositol turnover in a discrete pool, which is replenished by a fraction of basal de novo phosphatidylinositol synthesis that is selectively dependent on myo-inositol uptake. Medium myo-inositol at a normal plasma level became inadequate to maintain this fraction of basal de novo phosphatidylinositol synthesis ([1,3-14C]glycerol incorporation) when the medium glucose was raised. When sorbinil was added raising medium glucose did not alter the ability of 70 umol/l medium myoinositol to maintain the (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity that requires medium myo-inositol. The inhibition caused by raising medium glucose was reproduced by a competitive inhibitor of active myo-inositol transport, scyllo-inositol (500 μmol/l). The effect of medium glucose in an elevated plasma level on (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity in aortic intima-media appears to result from increased polyol pathway activity that makes myoinositol uptake at a normal plasma level inadequate to maintain the normal operation of a regulatory system.
Introducing intertemporal and open economy features in applied general equilibrium models

This paper deals with recent developments of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models along two important dimensions: (1) the incorporation of intertemporal aspects of decision-making, and (2) the treatment of international capital flows. The two dimensions are closely related, since intertemporal choices — in particular saving and investment decisions — directly influence the flows of capital between economies that are integrated in world financial markets.
Classification of targets using optimized ISAR euler imagery

Various approaches exist to enable target classification through a decomposition of the polarimetric scattering matrix. Specifically, the Euler decomposition attempts to express the target scattering properties through more physically relevant parameters. Target classification in general has been limited by signature variability and the saturation of images by non-persistent scatterers.' The Euler decomposition is sensitive to additional parameter ambiguities. 2 It will be demonstrated how undesirable ambiguities may be identified and mitigated. Through the analysis of polarimetric ISAR signatures obtained in compact radar ranges at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Submillimeter Technology Laboratory (STL) 3,4,5,6 and the U.S. Army National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), the cause of non-persistent scatters will be investigated. A proper characterization of non-persistence should lead to better optimization of the Euler decomposition, and thus improve target classification.
Calcium: an insignificant thing.

Fusion of synaptic vesicles upon calcium influx requires precise localization of voltage-gated calcium channels. A new study identifies a previously uncharacterized protein that mediates trafficking of CaV2 calcium channels in C. elegans.
PHOSPHAZENE BASE P2-ET MEDIATED ISOMERIZATION OF VINYL SULFONES TO ALLYL SULFONES

Treatment of vinyl sulfones with 0.1–0.2 eq of Phosphazene base, P2-Et in THF at 25°C affords the corresponding allyl sulfones in high yield. P2-Et has shown clear superiority to both DBU and KO-t-Bu in these reactions.
Activities of NiO, FeO, and O2− in silicate melts

Abstract We have measured activity coefficients for NiO and FeO in a variety of silicate melts (SiO2-CaO-MgO-Al2O3) using electrochemical methods similar to square wave voltametry. We report the activity of the oxide ion (aO2−) in one composition. Based on these measurements, we have constructed a model that predicts the variations in activity we observe, and also variations in NiO activity reported in the literature. Activity of metal-oxide components such as NiO and FeO in silicate melts can be understood by considering contributions from both the activity of the oxide ion and the activity of the cation through expressions of the type: a NiO = ( a O 2- ) ( a Ni 2+ ) and a FeO = ( a O 2- ) ( a Fe 2+ ) Based on measurements of aO2−, we find that aO2− is effectively modeled by the expression aO2− = 0.75 · NBO2/BO (relative to a standard state of melt with the composition of diopside). Once the effects of variations in aO2− on the metal-oxide activity coefficient are accounted for, cation activities (aNi2+, aFe2+) can be modeled by an ideal-solution-like model in which the activity of Ni2+ or Fe2+ is related to its concentration among a subset of other cations with which it mixes (primarily other divalent cations). This model is successful in predicting NiO activities over the range of compositions 0.3
Fatal interactions: fas-induced apoptosis of mature T cells

Both immature cortical thymocytes and mature peripheral T cells may be induced to undergo apoptosis by ligation of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR). lntrathymic deletion is clearly an important mechanism by which the T cell system is rendered tolerant to many self-antigens, while the function of peripheral deletion is less clear. One possibility is that peripheral deletion is the mechanism that brings immune responses to a close after antigen has been cleared; another is that peripheral deletion is observed only with doses of antigen that are supraoptimal for inducing an effective T cell response; a third is that self-reactive T cells that evade clonal deletion in the thymus are subject to activation-induced deletion to maintain self-tolerance in the periphery. Peripheral T cell deletion could serve several or all of these functions. Distinct apoptosis mechanisms act during the deletion of immature and mature T cells. Overexpression of bcl-2 in transgenic mice has little effect on intrathymic clonal deletion, but inhibitssuperantigen-induced peripheral Tcell deletion(Sentman et al., 1991; Strasseret al., 1991). Now Singer and Abbas (1994 [this issue of Immuni~]) have shown a clear difference between intrathymic and peripheral T cell deletion in the requirement for the cell surface molecule Fas, also known as APO-l or CD95 In this paper, aT cell receptor transgenic mouse line has been crossed with the Ipr mutant, which does not express Fas due to a mutation in which insertion of a transposon disrupts the Fas gene (WatanabeFukunaga et al., 1992a). Injection of the specific antigenic peptide results in intrathymic and peripheral T cell deletion in TCR transgenic, but otherwise normal, animals; whereas in TCR transgenic Iprlpr homozygotes there is intrathymic but not peripheral deletion. This experiment knits together a number of previous studies in which different aspects of T cell deletion were characterized in Ipr mutant mice. Several groups have analyzed the endogenous superantigen-induced intrathymic clonal deletion of T cells expressing TCR Vj3 genes; in general, this form of deletion is not compromised by the Ipr mutation (Kotzin et al., 1988; Singer et al., 1989), although there is a clonal deletion defect due to genetic background abnormalities in MRL-lpr mice (Smyth et al., 1992). In Ipf-horn@ zygous TCR transgenic mice that expressed the anti-HYI Db TCR on CD8+ cells, male mice were able to delete the self-reactive thymocytes despite the lack of Fas (Zhou et al., 1991). In contrast, while injection of the exogenous superantigen staphylococca I enterotoxin B into normal mice results in transient T cell expansion followed by massive peripheral deletion, the same procedure in Ipr mutant mice lead to a sustained expansion without deletion (Scott et al., 1993). The Singer and Abbas paper shows that these differences are not contingent on the antigenic system, since both thyMinireview
Distribution and Correlates of Self-Reported Crimes of Trust

This study examines the distribution and correlates of a special class of property crimes, crimes of trust, using longitudinal and cross sectional self-report data from a national sample. We begin by defining crimes of trust and consider their conceptual relationship to "conventional" property crimes, which we here characterize as crimes of stealth, and to white collar crimes, which are defined in terms of the social status of the perpetrators. Crimes of trust are here defined as property crimes that typically involve deliberate contact with the victim or, where there is more than one victim, with at least one or more victims, in which there is typically more of a focus on concealing the fact that a crime has been committed than on concealing the identity of the perpetrator (as is the case in crimes of stealth), without regard to the socioeconomic status of the perpetrator (thus including but not limited to white collar crimes). The focus here is on crimes of trust committed by individuals (as opposed to corporate crime). We first examine their distribution by sociodemographic characteristics, then examine the correlation of crimes of trust with other types of illegal behavior, using data from the National Youth Survey Family Study, including (1) longitudinal self-report data from a nationally representative panel of individuals who were 11-18 years old in 1976-77 and who were followed through early middle age (ages 36-44) in 2002-2003, plus (2) cross-sectional data on these individuals plus their parents, spouses, and children age 11 and older in 2002-2003 (total age range 11-88). The results suggest that crimes of trust have a different age-crime curve from conventional crimes, and that they are not as strongly correlated with problem substance use, gender, and other socioeconomic indicators as conventional crimes.
Lineage-based primary muscle fiber type diversification independent of MEF2 and NFAT in chick embryos

Differences in primary avian skeletal muscle fiber types are based on myoblast cell lineages and independent of innervation. To understand the basis for this mode of myogenesis, embryonic myoblasts specifically committed to the formation of either fast or fast/slow muscle fiber types were isolated, characterized, and examined for their capacities to transcriptionally regulate the slow myosin heavy chain 2 (MyHC2) gene. Myogenic basic helix-loop-helix protein binding sites within the slow MyHC2 promoter were mutated and did not direct fast versus fast/slow muscle fiber type development. Using promoter analyses coupled with overexpression studies and transcriptional sensors, the roles of Nuclear Factor of Activated T cells (NFATc1), and MEF2A in regulation of the slow MyHC2 gene were determined. MEF2A activated the slow MyHC2 promoter in both fast and fast/slow primary muscle fibers. In contrast, NFATc1 repressed promoter activity. These results do not support the roles of MEF2 and NFAT as direct regulators of primary muscle fiber type differences. Rather, the results reflect intrinsic differences in the modes of regulation of the slow MyHC2 gene in primary muscle fiber types.
Viroids: Small Probes for Exploring the Vast Universe of RNA Trafficking in Plants

Cell-to-cell and long-distance trafficking of RNA is a rapidly evolving frontier of integrative plant biology that broadly impacts studies on plant growth and development, spread of infectious agents and plant defense responses. The fundamental questions being pursued at the forefronts revolve around function, mechanism and evolution. In the present review, we will first use specific examples to illustrate the biological importance of cell-to-cell and long-distance trafficking of RNA. We then focus our discussion on research findings obtained using viroids that have advanced our understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in RNA trafficking. We further use viroid examples to illustrate the great diversity of trafficking machinery evolved by plants, as well as the promise for new insights in the years ahead. Finally, we discuss the prospect of integrating findings from different experimental systems to achieve a systems-based understanding of RNA trafficking function, mechanism and evolution.
URBAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IN CALIFORNIA: AN EVALUATION

California's excellent road system has provided unmatched mobility for most of the state's residents. Recently, however, constraints on construction of high-capacity roads have threatened the future of unrestricted auto use. California's transportation planners have therefore shifted emphasis from expanding the transportation system to increasing its efficiency. No concomitant change has occurred, however, in state legislation or resource allocation. As a result, rather than being an integrated process, transportation planning and implementation are fragmented. This paper examines the origins and implications of this situation and possible remedies for it.
Practical and Theoretical Considerations on the Use of Quantitative Histology to Measure Thermal Damage of Collagen in Cardiovascular Tissues

histologic alterations can be seen immediately after injury using routinehistopathologic techniques. However, the lowest temperature thermal effect,cell death secondary to denaturization of vital enzymes, is best evaluated twoto three days after thermal insult when the resultant tissue necrosis ismaximal. These markers form concentric zones radiating from the center ofheat generation in the tissue marking the diffusion of heat over time. Theboundaries of the zones of some of these markers are sharply demarkatedand easily measured thus permiting mathematical analysis of thermaliamage.[ 1 & 3] The most useful quantifiable histopathologic markers ofthermal damage include collagen hyalinization, decrease and loss of native
Comparative Effects of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid on Nitrate Metabolism in Corn and Cucumber.

Since the first demonstrations of the herbicidal action of 2,4-D, many possible mechanisms for the toxicity have been proposed. These include changed respiratory metabolism, abnormal cellular proliferation, and interference in nucleotide metabolism. It has further been recorded that nitrate metabolism is altered in response to applied 2,4-D. In many broad leaved weed species (14, 5) and in the leaves of sugar beet plants (2,13) nitrate was reported to accumulate following 2,4-D application. In contrast no record of nitrate accumulation has been reported for plants of the Gramineae family. The data of Gentner (7) indicates that plant species vary greatly in their resistance to damage by post-emergence treatment with 2,4-D. A comparison of plant species that have been reported to accumulate nitrate following 2,4-D treatment (5,14) suggested to the authors that plants that accumulate nitrate are most susceptible to damage by 2,4-D and conversely. Of the plant species listed by Gentner (7), corn was one of the most resistant and cucumber one of the most susceptible to damage by 2,4-D treatment. As part of a general study into the mechanism of nitrate metabolism a comparison was made between the effects of 2,4-D treatment on nitrate utilization in corn and cucumber plants.
Survey of parasite control programs used in captive wild ruminants.

The purpose of this study was to document, through a mailed questionnaire survey, the methods of parasite control currently used in captive wild ruminants. There was a 69% overall response to the survey. The majority of respondents indicated that they used parasite surveillance and identification techniques similar to those used for domestic ruminants. Of the four major anthelmintic drug classes, the benzimidazoles and ivermectin were used most commonly. Many of the parasite control programs had high treatment frequencies which were similar to dosing frequencies reported to result in anthelmintic resistance in domestic animals. Lack of effectiveness by benzimidazoles was perceived to be a problem by many respondents.
Regulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis by cytokines

Fibroblasts are ubiquitous mesenchymal cells which synthesize collagen and other matrix macromolecules for the structural support of connective tissues. They are important in wound repair but also contribute connective tissue proteins to areas of chronic inflammation. In pathological processes such as hepatic cirrhosis, this may become deleterious to the host. Certain fibrotic diseases such as scleroderma and some forms of interstitial pneumonitis and interstitial nephritis are characterized by the presence of prominent mononuclear cell infiltrates. Studies in several laboratories have recently established that mononuclear cells produce soluble mediators capable of regulating several fibroblast functions including migration, proliferation and collagen synthesis. However, many of the studies on the immunoregulation of fibroblasts appear to present contradictory or mutually exclusive data. In this review Bruce Freundlich and his colleagues discuss the difficulties in identifying the factors that regulate fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis.
A Line-Scanning Laser Hartmann Test for Parabolic Trough Mirrors

We present a simple method to determine slope errors in large parabolic trough mirrors. While most slope-measurement schemes determine slope errors via indirect computation, the method presented here is direct, and has inherently high absolute accuracy.
Synthesis of 1,3-Dl-O-Acetyl-5-O-Benzoyl-2-O -(O-Carboran-1-Ylmethyl)- D-Ribofuranose. A General Precursor for the Preparation of Carborane-Containing Nucleosides for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Abstract An eight-step synthesis of 1,3-di-O-acetyl-5-O-benzoyl-2-O-(o-carboran-1-ylmethyl)-D-ribofuranose 9 was carried out from 1,2:5,6-O-isopropylidene-α-D-allofuanose 1. Condensation of 9 with trimethylsilyl protected uracil in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoro-methanesulfonate, and subsequent deblocking of the resulting 1-[3-O-acetyl-5-O-benzoyl-2-O-(o-carboran-1-ylmethyl)-D-ribofuranosyl]uracil 10 (>95& β-configuration) by alkaline hydrolysis, yielded 1-[2-O-(o-carboran-1-ylmethyl)-β-D-ribofuranosyl]uracil 11.
Manufacturing Strategy: Testing the Cumulative Model in a Multiple Country Context*

This study statistically tests the cumulative model for the building of manufacturing capabilities by comparing and contrasting the manufacturing strategies of 265 North. American, 129 European, and 167 Korean factories by region. The cumulative model suggests that better performing competitors build one manufacturing capability upon another in a sequential, cumulative fashion—starting first with quality, followed by dependability, delivery, cost efficiency, flexibility, and lastly, innovation. The primary findings of this exploratory study are as follows: (1) the data yielded some evidence for the cumulative model, with the Korean data being the most supportive of the model; (2) North American, European, and Korean managers take different approaches to improved competitiveness; and (3) rather than focusing on one or two capabilities, better performing firms generally compete on the basis of multiple capabilities. That quality is not only at the base of the cumulative model but is often among the multiple capabilities shows the importance of quality management globally.
Estradiol Accelerates Extinction of a Conditioned Taste Aversion in Female and Male Rats

Exogenous testosterone treatment prolongs extinction of conditioned taste aversions and estradiol treatment prevents testosterone from prolonging extinction in both gonadectomized males and females. Estradiol could require the presence of testosterone for its effect or its action alone could accelerate extinction. The first series of experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that estradiol accelerates extinction when it is given in the absence of testosterone. The results showed that estradiol accelerates extinction of conditioned taste aversions in the absence of testosterone in gonadectomized Sprague-Dawley females and Fischer 344 females and males. The second series of experiments were designed to determine whether estradiol and testosterone differ in the temporal requirements for their opposite effects on extinction. The results showed that estradiol can accelerate extinction when it is present before and during acquisition (from 8 days before until 3 days after acquisition) or when it is present before and during extinction (from 2 days after acquisition, which was 23 days before extinction, until extinction trials were terminated). This is in contrast to a previous finding that testosterone prolongs extinction only when it is present before and during extinction. The following two hypotheses were suggested to account for the temporal effects of estradiol on extinction of conditioned taste aversions: (1) the presence of estradiol during acquisition reduces the effectiveness of LiCl through its action on the opioid system, and the presence of estradiol during extinction activates a neural pathway, such as that associated with activity levels, that accelerates extinction of passive avoidance tasks in general or (2) the presence of estradiol before, not during, acquisition or extinction accelerates extinction because of its illness-inducing properties. Most of the evidence supports the second hypothesis.
Osmotic Adjustment and Root Growth Associated with Drought Preconditioning‐Enhanced Heat Tolerance in Kentucky Bluegrass

Prior exposure to drought stress (drought preconditioning) affects turfgrass tolerance to subsequent heat stress. The study was designed to examine whether these effects for Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) are associated with osmotic adjustment and root growth. Plants were subjected to two cycles of drying and rewatering, and turf quality was then allowed to recover to the well watered control level before being exposed to 21 d of heat stress (35°C/30°C) in growth chambers. Compared with nonpreconditioned plants, drought-preconditioned plants had 13 and 21% higher turf quality, 6 and 10% higher leaf relative water content, and 17 and 48% higher osmotic adjustment at 14 and 21 d of heat stress, respectively. Total ion (K + , Ca 2+ , Na + , Ma 2+ , Cl - , and P) concentration of cell sap increased during heat stress and was 11 to 16% higher in drought-preconditioned plants than nonpreconditioned plants. The concentration of K + accounted for 59 to 65% of total ion solutes in both groups of plants during heat stress. Soluble carbohydrate content (WSC) of leaves increased during heat stress and was about 21 and 44% higher in drought-preconditioned plants than nonpreconditioned plants at 14 and 21 d, respectively. Heat stress decreased root dry weight (DW) and WSC, but significant higher DW and WSC content of roots in the 40-60 cm soil layer were observed for preconditioned plants than nonpreconditioned plants before and after heat stress. The results demonstrated that drought preconditioning enhanced heat tolerance in Kentucky bluegrass, which could be related to the maintenance of higher osmotic adjustment associated with accumulation of ion solutes and water soluble carbohydrates and development of extensive roots deeper in the soil profile.
Electromagnetic Computation in Scattering of Electromagnetic Waves by Random Rough Surface and Dense Media in Microwave Remote Sensing of Land Surfaces

Active and passive microwave remote sensing has been used for monitoring the soil moisture and snow water equivalent. In the interactions of microwaves with bare soil, the effects are determined by scattering of electromagnetic waves by random rough surfaces. In the interactions of microwaves with terrestrial snow, the effects are determined by volume scattering of dense media characterized by densely packed particles. In this paper, we review the electromagnetic full-wave simulations that we have conducted for such problems. In volume scattering problems, one needs many densely packed scatterers in a random medium sample to simulate the physical solutions. In random rough surface scattering problems, one needs many valleys and peaks in the sample surface. In random media and rough surface problems, the geometric characterizations of the media and computer generations of statistical samples of the media are also challenges besides electromagnetic computations. In the scattering of waves by soil surfaces, we consider the soil to be a lossy dielectric medium. The random rough surface is characterized by Gaussian random processes with exponential correlation functions. Surfaces of exponential correlation functions have fine-scale structures that cause significant radar backscattering in active microwave remote sensing. Fine-scale features also cause increase in emission in passive microwave remote sensing. We apply Monte Carlo simulations of solving full 3-D Maxwell's equations for such a problem. A hybrid UV/PBTG/SMCG method is developed to accelerate method of moment solutions. The results are illustrated for coherent waves and incoherent waves. We also illustrate bistatic scattering, backscattering, and emissivity which are signatures measured in microwave remote sensing. For the case of scattering by terrestrial snow, snow is a dense medium with densely packed ice grains. We have used two models: densely packed particles and bicontinuous media. For the case of densely packed particles, we used the Metropolis shuffling method to simulate the positions of particles. The particles are also allowed to have adhesive properties. The Foldy-Lax equations of multiple scattering are used to study scattering from the densely packed spherical particles. The results are illustrated for the coherent waves and incoherent waves. For the case of bicontinuous media, the method developed by Cahn is applied to construct the interfaces from a large number of stochastic sinusoidal waves with random phases and directions. The volume scattering problem is then solved by using CGS-FFT. We illustrate the results of frequency and polarization dependence of such dense media scattering.
Hybrid system's model and algorithm for highway traffic monitoring

We propose a method for the early detection and localization of highway traffic congestion onset and its propagation using a stochastic linear hybrid system model (SLHS) and a state-dependent-transition hybrid estimation (SDTHE) algorithm. The SLHS model is used to model the congested and non-congested scenarios of the highway. Using the SDHTE algorithm, we estimate the states (continuous and discrete states) of the highway that will provide us with the traffic congestion information. The performance of the algorithm is analyzed using the correct detection and identification (CDID) indices, false alarm rate (FA) indices, time-to-detection (TTD) delays as well as the run time. We use a set of constructed data that represent the various congestion onset and propagation scenarios. The validation of the algorithm is done using real traffic data obtained from highway I-405 S in California using the Freeway Performance Measurement System (PEMS).