cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed Spectral Radius Estimation in Wireless Sensor Networks

A distributed algorithm to compute the spectral radius of the graph in the presence of additive channel noise is proposed. The spectral radius of the graph is the eigenvalue with the largest magnitude of the adjacency matrix, and is a useful characterization of the network graph. Conventionally, centralized methods are used to compute the spectral radius, which involves eigenvalue decomposition of the adjacency matrix of the underlying graph. We devise an algorithm to reach consensus on the spectral radius of the graph using only local neighbor communications, both in the presence and absence of additive channel noise. The algorithm uses a distributed max update to compute the growth rate in the node state values and then performs a specific update to converge on the logarithm of the spectral radius. The algorithm works for any connected graph structure. Simulation results supporting the theory are also presented.
Forecasting Opioid Use Disorder at 25 Years of Age in 16-Year-Old Adolescents.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of detecting 16-year-old male (n = 465) and female (n = 162) youths who subsequently manifest opioid use disorder (OUD) at 25 years of age. We hypothesized that the combined measures of 2 components of etiology, heritable risk, and substance use, accurately detect youths who develop OUD. Study design Heritable risk was measured by the transmissible liability index (TLI). Severity of the prodrome presaging OUD was quantified by the revised Drug Use Screening Inventory containing the consumption frequency index (CFI) documenting substance use events during the past month and the overall problem density (OPD) score indicating co-occurring biopsychosocial problems. Diagnosis of OUD was formulated by a clinical committee based on results of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition in conjunction with medical and social history records. Results Bivariate analysis shows that the TLI, CFI, and OPD scores at 16 years of age predict OUD at 25 years. Multivariate modeling indicates that the TLI combined with the CFI predict OUD with 86% accuracy (sensitivity = 87%; specificity = 62%). The TLI and CFI at 16 years of age mediate the association between parental substance use disorder and OUD in offspring at 25 years of age, indicating that these measures respectively evaluate risk and prodrome. Conclusions These results demonstrate the feasibility of identifying youths requiring intervention to prevent OUD.
Comparative gene expression profiling between optic nerve and spinal cord injury in Xenopus laevis reveals a core set of genes inherent in successful regeneration of vertebrate central nervous system axons.

The South African claw-toed frog, Xenopus laevis, is uniquely suited for studying differences between regenerative and non-regenerative responses to CNS injury within the same organism, because some CNS neurons (e.g., retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush (ONC)) regenerate axons throughout life, whereas others (e.g., hindbrain neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI)) lose this capacity as tadpoles metamorphose into frogs. Tissues from these CNS regions (frog ONC eye, tadpole SCI hindbrain, frog SCI hindbrain) were used in a three-way RNA-seq study of axotomized CNS axons to identify potential core gene expression programs for successful CNS axon regeneration. Despite tissue-specific changes in expression dominating the injury responses of each tissue, injury-induced changes in gene expression were nonetheless shared between the two axon-regenerative CNS regions that were not shared with the non-regenerative region. These included similar temporal patterns of gene expression and over 300 injury-responsive genes. Many of these genes and their associated cellular functions had previously been associated with injury responses of multiple tissues, both neural and non-neural, from different species, thereby demonstrating deep phylogenetically conserved commonalities between successful CNS axon regeneration and tissue regeneration in general. Further analyses implicated the KEGG adipocytokine signaling pathway, which links leptin with metabolic and gene regulatory pathways, and a novel gene regulatory network with genes regulating chromatin accessibility at its core, as important hubs in the larger network of injury response genes involved in successful CNS axon regeneration. This study identifies deep, phylogenetically conserved commonalities between CNS axon regeneration and other examples of successful tissue regeneration and provides new targets for studying the molecular underpinnings of successful CNS axon regeneration, as well as a guide for distinguishing pro-regenerative injury-induced changes in gene expression from detrimental ones in mammals.
DNMT1 and DNMT3B regulate tumorigenicity of human prostate cancer cells by controlling RAD9 expression through targeted methylation

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. RAD9 stabilizes the genome, but prostate cancer cells and tumors often have high quantities of the protein. Reduction of RAD9 level within prostate cancer cells decreases tumorigenicity of nude mouse xenographs and metastasis phenotypes in culture, indicating that RAD9 overproduction is essential for the disease. In prostate cancer DU145 cells, CpG hypermethylation in a transcription suppressor site of RAD9 intron 2 causes high-level gene expression. Herein, we demonstrate that DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 and DNMT3B are highly abundant in prostate cancer cells DU145, CWR22, LNCaP and PC-3; yet, these DNMTs bind primarily to the transcription suppressor in DU145, the only cells where methylation is critical for RAD9 regulation. For DU145 cells, DNMT1 or DNMT3B shRNA reduced RAD9 level and tumorigenicity, and RAD9 ectopic expression restored this latter activity in the DNMT knockdown cells. High levels of RAD9, DNMT1, DNMT3B and RAD9 transcription suppressor hypermethylation were significantly correlated in prostate tumors, and not in normal prostate tissues. Based on these results, we propose a novel model where RAD9 is regulated epigenetically by DNMT1 and DNMT3B, via targeted hypermethylation, and that consequent RAD9 overproduction promotes prostate tumorigenesis.
Adaptive Inference in Multivariate Nonparametric Regression Models Under Monotonicity

We consider the problem of adaptive inference on a regression function at a point under a multivariate nonparametric regression setting. The regression function belongs to a Holder class and is assumed to be monotone with respect to some or all of the arguments. We derive the minimax rate of convergence for confidence intervals (CIs) that adapt to the underlying smoothness, and provide an adaptive inference procedure that obtains this minimax rate. The procedure differs from that of Cai and Low (2004), intended to yield shorter CIs under practically relevant specifications. The proposed method applies to general linear functionals of the regression function, and is shown to have favorable performance compared to existing inference procedures.
Institutional Loyalty and the Design of Partisan Gerrymandering Adjudication in the Federal Courts

In 2019 the Supreme Court held in Rucho v. Common Cause that challenges in federal court to partisan gerrymandering were nonjusticiable political questions. Writing for the 5-4 majority, Chief Justice John Roberts expressed concern that frequently deciding such cases would politicize the Court itself. Such expressions seem to fit well within the characterization of the Chief Justice as an institutionalist concerned with the legitimacy and reputation of the federal courts. This article addresses how the unique design and procedures of gerrymandering litigation in federal courts ought to inform such institutional loyalty arguments. Those features include that such cases are litigated before three-judge district courts, with a direct, mandatory appeal available to the Supreme Court. Large numbers of amicus curiae briefs by individuals and organizations with partisan leanings have also characterized such litigation in the Supreme Court. The article argues that these unique features themselves should be given greater emphasis in assessing whether Chief Justice Roberts; institutionalist concerns are well-founded.
Frailty as part of the disablement process: calling for health economic interventions.

Commentary on: Zamudio-Rodriguez A, Letenneur L, Feart C, et al . The disability process: is there a place for frailty? Age Ageing 2020. 49: 764–70 The disablement process is viewed as a continuum with four distinct stages: robustness, mild, moderate and severe. Contemporary evidence has shown the distinction between frailty and disability. These two concepts are often viewed independently,1 resulting in different outcomes.2 This created a gap in the conceptual and practical interdependence of frailty and disability in the disablement process that needs further exploration. The …
Toward a Nuanced and Contextualized Understanding of Undocumented College Students: Lessons from a California Survey

Author(s): Enriquez, Laura E; Chavarria, Karina; Rodriguez, Victoria E; Ayon, Cecilia; Ellis, Basia D; Hagan, Melissa J; Jefferies, Julian; Lara, Jannet; Morales Hernandez, Martha; Murillo, Enrique G; Najera, Jennifer R; Offidani-Bertrand, Carly; Oropeza Fujimoto, Maria; Ro, Annie; Rosales, William E; Sarabia, Heidy; Soltero Lopez, Ana K; Valadez, Mercedes; Valdez, Zulema; Velarde Pierce, Sharon
Initial Impressions in the Organizational Buyer-Seller Dyad

The purpose of this research effort is to investigate the phenomenon of initial impressions as related to the organizational buyer/seller dyad.Results indicated perceptual differences along gender and racial dimensions.Implications for sales management are posited and discussed.
Reliability modeling for the advanced electric power grid

The advanced electric power grid promises a self-healing infrastructure using distributed, coordinated, power electronics control. One promising power electronics device, the Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS), can modify power flow locally within a grid. Embedded computers within the FACTS devices, along with the links connecting them, form a communication and control network that can dynamically change the power grid to achieve higher dependability. The goal is to reroute power in the event of transmission line failure. Such a system, over a widespread area, is a cyber-physical system. The overall reliability of the grid is a function of the respective reliabilities of its two major subsystems, namely, the FACTS network and the physical components that comprise the infrastructure. This paper presents a mathematical model, based on the Markov chain imbeddable structure, for the overall reliability of the grid. The model utilizes a priori knowledge of reliability estimates for the FACTS devices and the communications links among them to predict the overall reliability of the power grid.
Age and growth estimates of the winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata) in the western Gulf of Maine

Age and growth estimates for the winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata) were estimated from vertebral band counts on 209 fish ranging in size from 145 to 940 mm total length (TL). An index of average percent error (IAPE) of 5.8% suggests that our aging method represents a precise approach to the age assessment of L. ocellata. Marginal increments were significantly different between months (Kruskal-Wallis P<0.001) and a distinct trend of increasing monthly increment growth began in July. Estimates of von Bertalanffy growth parameters suggest that females attain a slightly larger asymptotic TL (L∞=1374 mm) than males (L∞=1218 mm) and grow more slowly (k=0.059 and 0.074, respectively). The oldest ages obtained for the winter skate were 19 years for males and 18 years for females, which corresponded to total lengths of 932 mm and 940 mm, respectively. The results indicate that the winter skate exhibits the characteristics that have made other elasmobranch populations highly susceptible to exploitation by commercial fisheries.
Tetrapod Limbless Locomotion

Many tetrapods (four-legged animals) have lost their limbs during their evolution. They move (locomote) by specific patterns of body muscle contraction and relaxation. Keywords: locomotion; undulation; concertina; tetrapods
PULSE METHYLPREDNISOLONE (MP) THERAPY OF NEPHROTIC SYNDROME WITH FOCAL GLOMERULOSCLEROSIS (FGS)

Seven children with nephrotic syndrome resistant to 8 weeks of oral prednisone at a doses of 2 mg/kg/day and biopsyproven FGS were treated with intravenous MP (30 mg/kg/dose) and alternate day prednisone. MP was given three times a week for two weeks and then at increasing intervals. All seven patients had a marked decrease in edema and urinary protein excretion and an increase in serum albumin concentration. Three patients were treated with an alkylating agent in addition to the high dose MP to produce a sustained remission. The clinical remissions lasted from one to twenty months. Six out of seven patients are in remission and edema free after a mean of 10.5 months on therapy. One patient developed a cataract shortly after being started on MP and immediately after a prolonged course of high-dose daily prednisone. Another patient developed hypertension early in the course of MP therapy which resolved as the interval between MP infusions was increased. No other adverse reactions were observed. It would appear that intravenous MP in high doses causes a significant improvement in the short-term morbidity of FGS. The long-term effects of this treatment remain to be determined.
Deformation Behavior of Mg from Micromechanics to Engineering Applications

We have investigated the influence of the underlying microstucture of Mg on its macroscopic deformation behavior. Using microcompression experiments on Mg single crystals, we have identified the orientation dependent deformation slip and twinning systems. These experiments have aided the development of an energy based crystal plasticity model for the twinning in polycrystals. This model has been applied to representative volume elements to identify the flow surface for a macroscopic model, which is used to predict the forming limit diagram. Validation of the results has been realized through Nakazima tests. Additionally an outlook is given on the prediction of the forming behavior of laser beam welded Mg sheets and its dependence on welding direction.
Language support for data parallelism in pointer based dynamic data structures

To date, most of the work on language support for data parallelism has been largely limited to static data structures such as arrays. In 'C' or C++, the use of pointers and dynamic memory allocators provide the ability to handle more complex data structures whose size and shape may vary over the course of the computation. There are two main issues with regards to supporting data parallelism on pointerbased dynamic data structures without having the programmer worry about synchronization, data distribution and load balancing.Firstly, how do we write programs that traverse the data structure in parallel.Secondly, since the pointer based dynamic data structures are incrementally built by the use of dynamic memory allocators, the implementation on distributed memory multiprocessors must support on-the-fly data distribution and load balancing.We have extended the 'C' language with a new data type called "Troupe" and a corresponding "for each" statement. These constructs provide support for (nested) data parallel operations on data elements which unlike arrays may be of different types and have no known storage pattern. This paper discusses the proposed extensions to 'C ' and presents examples to show how these constructs can be used for managing and expressing data parallelism on pointer based dynamic data structures.
Clodronate inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production in an anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell line and attenuates cancer cachexia in vivo

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 5992 Cachexia is a paraneoplastic syndrome observed in about half of all cancer patients and is frequently associated with decreased survival. Cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, LIF, and IFN-γ, have been proposed as causative factors of cancer cachexia. Previously we reported the establishment of a new anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell line, Thena, and its mouse xenograft, Thena-Nu, producing high constitutive levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and LIF in the culture supernatants and inducing cachexia in athymic nude mice. Subsequently studies demonstrated that the addition of clodronate to Thena-Nu cultures significantly reduced cell proliferation as well as cytokine production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. High basal DNA-binding activity of NF-κB shown in Thena-Nu cells was down-regulated by clodronate, suggesting that clodronate may act to suppress NF-κB activity leading to inhibition of autocrine or paracrine growth factor(s) and subsequently, inhibition of tumor growth. Administration of clodronate induced tumor cytostasis, attenuation of cachexia, and prolongation of survival in Thena-Nu-bearing nude mice. Discontinuation of clodronate treatment resulted in tumor progression and weight loss gradually. These results demonstrated that clodronate may exert therapeutic efficacy on amelioration of cancer cachexia in the hosts.
Subspace adaptive filtering techniques for multi-sensor DS-CDMA interference suppression

The performance of two subspace adaptive filtering techniques for multi-sensor DS-CDMA interference suppression is evaluated in the presence of frequency-selective fading. The first technique partially despreads (PD) the received signal, which is coherently combined with one of three different interference suppression filters: an exponential least squares (ELS) adaptive algorithm, a block least squares (BLS) adaptive algorithm, or an optimal MMSE filter to compute the filter coefficients. The second technique projects the received vectors onto an estimated signal subspace obtained by an appropriate eigendecomposition, which is coherently combined with a BLS adaptive algorithm.
Semiquantitation of Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine by Thin-Layer Chromatography in Management of Maple-Syrup Urine Disease

A few microliters of serum suffice to estimate the leucine, isoleucine, and valine present. The three branched-chain amino acids are separated by unidirectional thin-layer chromatography, and estimated by visual comparison with co-chromatographed individual standards in graduated concentrations. The method is especially applicable to the frequent monitoring of serum branchedchain amino acids needed in treating patients with maple-syrup urine disease, and may also be used for rapid diagnosis of the disease in suspected infants.
A musical note on the efficiency wage hypothesis

Abstract We found that the frequency of concerto programs is negatively correlated with the budget size, and that the larger-sized orchestras pay higher guaranteed wages to orchestra members. These facts are consistent with the efficiency wage hypothesis.
Political Will and Fiscal Federalism in Municipal Bankruptcy

Municipalities in fiscal distress may seek to adjust debts under Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code either because they are truly destitute or because they lack the political will to adopt affordable tax increases. Local officials of municipalities that enter bankruptcy proceedings nevertheless retain political authority over municipal fiscal affairs. The decision to enter bankruptcy, however, may have significant financial consequences for other municipalities or for more centralized levels of government. Those externalities induce central governments to consider bailouts for distressed municipalities. In order to avoid moral hazard problems, central governments typically impose harsh restrictions on local officials as a condition of bailout. This dual system of rescue for distressed municipalities - bailouts and bankruptcy - permits local officials to threaten to file under Chapter 9, and thus to impose costs on central governments, unless the latter modify the conditions of bailouts. In this article, I suggest that allowing bankruptcy courts to impose tax increases serves to neutralize the strategic behavior of local officials, and thus encourages localities to internalize the costs of their activities in a manner more consistent with the tenets of fiscal federalism.
Using Prior Shape and Points in Medical Image Segmentation

In this paper we present a new variational framework in level set form for image segmentation, which incorporates both a prior shape and prior fixed locations of a small number of points. The idea underlying the model is the creation of two energy terms in the energy function for the geodesic active contours. The first energy term is for the shape, the second for the locations of the points In this model, segmentation is achieved through a registration technique, which combines a rigid transformation and a local deformation. The rigid transformation is determined explicitly by using shape information, while the local deformation is determined implicitly by using image gradients and prior locations. We report experimental results on both synthetic and ultrasound images. These results compared with the results obtained by using a previously reported model, which only incorporates a shape prior into the active contours.
Dielectric slab based spatial power combiners

Spatial power combiners have the potential for realization of moderate power sources at millimeter wavelengths by summing the output signals of large numbers of solid-state devices. Most previous work has focused on three-dimensional approaches, such as the wave beam type, grid type, microstrip coupling type, and lens type. A quasi-optical structure based on the dielectric slab-beam waveguide (DSBW) is two-dimensional and therefore more amenable to planar fabrication technologies. An oscillator and several amplifiers based on the DSBW have been reported. These structures excited an electric field parallel to the slab ground plane. Such a mode has very low loss but is difficult to excite cleanly with no perturbation or scattering loss. Dielectric lenses were used to focus and constrain the guided waves. Both the TM and TE surface wave combiners described herein use microstrip delay lines to focus the guided waves in a manner similar to that reported by Schoenberg, Bundy and Popovic (see IEEE Trans. on Micowave Theory and Techniques, vol.MTT-42, p.2480-5, 1994). The delay line length is analogous to the thickness of a conventional dielectric lens. Commercial gain blocks are used to amplify the RF signals. Yagi-Uda slot antenna arrays, fed by microstrip lines, were used to efficiently excite the dominant TM surface wave mode with the electric field normal to the slab ground plane. A microstrip to parallel strip balun was used to feed a dipole antenna and launch TE surface wave in a homogeneous slab. TE and TM surface wave power combiners with net system gain and reasonable bandwidth have been demonstrated.
ONASI: Online Agent Modeling Using a Scalable Markov Model

Human and software agents exhibit regularities in their activities. We describe our ONASI algorithm, which derives a Markov model from such observed regularities, and dynamically scales the model through merging and splitting of states. ONASI uses this model to predict the agent's next action. We evaluate ONASI's predictive accuracy on a dataset of Wumpus World games, and demonstrate from this approach that the model can correctly predict the agent's next action with adjustable computation and memory resources. These predictions can be used to imitate, assist or obstruct an agent.
Energy Expenditure and Body Composition of Type 2 Diabetics Participating in a Clinical Trial of Pharmacologic Induction of Weight Loss

Abstract Forty-four overweight subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind trial of pharmacologic induction of weight loss. All subjects received intensive nutrition counseling, an exercise prescription, instruction on behavioral management, and were randomly assigned to fenfluramine 20mg three times daily and phentermine 37.5mg daily (n=23) or dual placebos (n=21). Drug therapy continued until September 1997 when fenfluramine was withdrawn from the US market. Body fat composition was assessed by skinfold measurement. Resting energy expenditure was measured with a DeltaTrac metabolic monitor. Physical activity was assessed by questionnaire. Mean ± SEM baseline data for the placebo group and the active drug group, respectively, were: Weight (kg) 106 ± 4, 108 ± 4; BMI (kg/m 2 ) 37.7 ± 1.4, 38.5 ± 2.4; Body Fat (%) 39.1 ± 1.7,40.0 ± 2.3; REE (kcal) 2180 ± 73, 2087 ± 173; and weekly energy expenditure in physical activity (PA, kcal) 1410 ± 613, 1267 ± 367. The changes from baseline were as follows (placebo vs. active, **p 2 )(%)(kcal)(kcal)Placebo (n=18)−1.6±0.5−0.5±0.2−0.5±0.5−13±43344±274Active (n=21)−7.9±1.2**−2.5±0.4**−3.0±0.7**−265±41**938±2896 MonthsPlacebo (n=13)−2.7±1.4−0.8±0.5−0.7±0.7−130±521349±503Active (n=13)−9.6±1.5**−3.2±0.5**−2.5±1.0−262±6260±466*12 MonthsPlacebo (n=8)−2.5±2.5−0.6±0.81.5±1.4−51±491408±546Active (n=8)−8.1±1.6*−2.6±0.7*−1.8±0.9*−139±27650±319 The observed reduction in both body weight and BMI were both statistically significant at 2 and 6 months and approaching significance at 12 months in the active group. As expected, the reduction in body weight was accompanied by a reduction in REE and in percentage of body fat.
Gap‐Fill with PECVD SiO2 Using Deposition/Sputter Etch Cycles

We have studied a process for filling narrow spaces between adjacent metallic conductors (gaps). The process consists of cycles of deposition of SiO 2 by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and sputter etching in Ar. For a fixed process and metal thickness, as the gaps decrease in size, i.e., as the aspect ratio, AR (AR=metal height/space width) increases, a region which etches rapidly in a buffered-HF solution (BHF) is formed in the gap. At higher values of AR, physical voids are formed. The ability to fill the gaps with good quality oxide is a function not only of AR but of the side-wall angle and the thickness of the metal as well
Internal Consistency of Three Tests from the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery for Older Children:

The internal consistency of three neuropsychological tests was examined in a sample of 334 referred children (9-14 years of age). Coefficient alpha was calculated to estimate reliability on the Seashore Rhythm Test (SRT), two forms of the Speech Sounds Perception Test (SSPT), and the Aphasia Screening Test (AST). The standard SSPT appears to have relatively good internal consistency with an average coefficient of.81. The average coefficient for the abbreviated form of the SSPT was considerably lower (i.e.,.73), highlighting the superiority of the standard form in clinical practice. Internal consistency of the SRT was relatively low (i.e.,. 67). This level of reliability may be acceptable in group research and for component tests, but is marginal for independent clinical use. Coefficient alpha for the AST was moderate (i.e.,.77), suggesting adequate reliability for a screening test. These reliability estimates are compared to those obtained in previous studies using these tests in adult samples and with other tests commonly used with children.
A Knowledge Management approach to Environmental Legislation and Regulation Monitoring: the ELRAMP system

Knowledge Management (KM) systems facilitate the acquisition, indexing and management of knowledge artefacts with the objective of applying this knowledge towards achieving competitive advantage and organisational efficiencies. Current KM implementations have severe drawbacks primarily due to the ad hoc nature in which many of these systems are developed. This paper describes an open architectural framework that overcomes these problems: the Active Knowledge Management Environment (AcKME). The flexibility of this architecture is based on the application of software components organised into functional agencies operating on an ontological representation of the domain. The ontology provides central structure that logically organises the domain knowledge consisting of definitions, relationships, constraints, heuristics and provides a description of knowledge sources. Described is a case study: The Environmental Legislation and Regulation Monitoring Programme (ELRAMP), a KM System based on the AcKME architecture specialised to this domain. Discussion is the rationale for use of KM in the legislative and regulatory domain and the functionality of the ELRAMP system. ELRAMP encompasses the informational lifecycle of the legislative process from acquisition to analysis to dissemination and in addition delivers regulatory and treaty information pertaining to environmental management, thereby facilitating a 'one stop' system for environmental managers and decision makers.
Food Safety for Your Active Summer

Leading an active life often means eating on the go, especially in summer. But just as summer weather helps our gardens grow, it makes the growing easy for bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses or food poisoning.
Sound velocities of compressed Fe3C from simultaneous synchrotron X-ray diffraction and nuclear resonant scattering measurements

The applications of nuclear resonant scattering in laser-heated diamond anvil cells have provided an important probe for the magnetic and vibrational properties of 57Fe-bearing materials under high pressure and high temperature. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction is one of the most powerful tools for studying phase stability and equation of state over a wide range of pressure and temperature conditions. Recently an experimental capability has been developed for simultaneous nuclear resonant scattering and X-ray diffraction measurements using synchrotron radiation. Here the application of this method to determine the sound velocities of compressed Fe3C is shown. The X-ray diffraction measurements allow detection of microscale impurities, phase transitions and chemical reactions upon compression or heating. They also provide information on sample pressure, grain size distribution and unit cell volume. By combining the Debye velocity extracted from the nuclear resonant inelastic X-ray scattering measurements and the structure, density and elasticity data from the X-ray diffraction measurements simultaneously obtained, more accurate sound velocity data can be derived. Our results on few-crystal and powder samples indicate strong anisotropy in the sound velocities of Fe3C under ambient conditions.
The Psychology of Science: Review and Integration of a Nascent Discipline:

Disciplines that study science are relatively well established in philosophy, history, and sociology. Psychology of science, by comparison, is a late bloomer but has recently shown signs of codific...
Depressed mood and quality of life after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment is widely considered the main cause of disability and handicap after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The impact of depression on recovery after SAH remains poorly defined. We sought to determine the frequency of post-SAH depression, identify risk factors for its development, and evaluate the impact of depression on quality of life (QOL) during the first year of recovery. Methods We prospectively studied 216 of 534 SAH patients treated between July 1996 and December 2001 with complete one-year follow-up data. Depression was evaluated with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, cognitive status with the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), and QOL with the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) 3 and 12 months after SAH. Results Depressed mood occurred in 47% of patients during the first year of recovery; 26% were depressed at both 3 and 12 months. Non-white ethnicity predicted early (3 month) and late (12 month) depressions; early depression was also predicted by previously-diagnosed depression, cigarette smoking, and cerebral infarction, whereas late depression was predicted by prior social isolation and lack of medical insurance. Depression was associated with inferior QOL in all domains of the SIP, and changes in depression status were associated with striking parallel changes in QOL, disability, and cognitive function during the first year of recovery. CES-D scores accounted for over 60% of the explained variance in SIP total scores, whereas TICS performance accounted for no more than 6%. Conclusion Depression affects nearly half of SAH patients during the first year of recovery, and is associated with poor QOL. Systematic screening and early treatment for depression are promising strategies for improving outcome after SAH.
Comparison of rat MHC class I antigens by peptide mapping.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for the rat major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens RT1.An, RT1.Au, and RT1.Eu were used for immunoprecipitation of antigens biosynthetically radiolabeled with14C- or3H-labeled arginine, lysine, and tyrosine; with arginine or tyrosine alone; and with or without tunicamycin in the culture medium. Heavy chains of the glycosylated and unglycosylated antigens were purified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and their tryptic and chymotryptic peptides were compared by high performance liquid chromatography. The antigens coded by the same locus in two different haplotypes (An and Au) differed by 30%, whereas the products of two different loci in the same haplotype (Au and Eu) differed only by 1–3%. Comparative analysis of the data for samples labeled with single amino acids indicated that two amino acids in Au have been substituted by an arginine and probably by a tyrosine residue, respectively, in Eu. The high degree of homology between the products of theA andE loci in the same haplotype accounts for the difficulty in detecting recombinational events within the MHC of the rat by classical serological approaches.
Morfología ventricular izquierda y función diastólica en la obesidad grave: perspectivas actuales

Las observaciones iniciales sobre la morfologia cardiaca en la obesidad se centraron fundamentalmente en la prominencia de la grasa epicardica. Entre ellas se encuentran las descripciones testimoniales de grandes figuras como Rene Laennec, William Harvey y Jean Nicholas Corvisart. En 1933, Smith y Willius presentaron los resultados de las autopsias de 135 pacientes obesos, 4 de ellos con obesidad grave. En ese estudio, el peso del corazon aumento de manera proporcional al grado de obesidad hasta los 105 kg de peso corporal y en menor medida a partir de esa cifra. El peso del corazon fue superior que el esperado para un individuo de peso y estatura normales, tanto en los varones como en las mujeres, y muy superior que el esperado en personas con obesidad grave. Casi todos los pacientes presentaban un exceso de grasa epicardica, y los autores atribuyeron el aumento de peso del corazon a ese fenomeno. En 1957, Lillington describio una hipertrofia biventricular en un varon con obesidad grave que fallecio por una embolia pulmonar, y ello planteo la cuestion de la afeccion del corazon izquierdo en la obesidad. En 1962, Alexander presento los resultados de un examen retrospectivo de estudios de autopsia en pacientes con obesidad extrema, en los que anteriormente se habia descrito la presencia de cor pulmonale. En todos los casos habia habido hipertrofia ventricular izquierda (HVI) y congestion pulmonar. En 1965, Amad et al presentaron los resultados de estudios post mortem de 12 pacientes con obesidad grave. Estos autores confirmaron que el peso del corazon estaba aumentado en todos los individuos examinados, pero observaron que ello se debia en gran parte a la HVI. El grosor parietal del ventriculo izquierdo (VI) estaba aumentado en 11 de los 12 pacientes, y en los 12 casos habia una hipertrofia de los miocitos al examen microscopico. El grosor parietal del ventriculo derecho estaba aumentado en 1 paciente y habia un aumento de la grasa epicardica en 6 casos. En un estudio posterior de 12 pacientes con obesidad grave realizado por Warnes y Roberts, se observo un aumento del peso del corazon y del grosor parietal del VI, una HVI microscopica y un exceso de grasa epicardica en todos los casos, asi como un aumento del grosor parietal del ventriculo derecho en
Perfusion system components release agents that distort functional properties of rod cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels

In switching from studying native cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) ion channels in rod cells to studying the corresponding cloned channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes, we changed our perfusion system to a more efficient one. This change involved replacing culture flasks and a small plexiglass/glass chamber with plastic syringes, metal needles, and plastic petri dishes. We now report that these new perfusion system components release agents that distort or obscure measured functional properties of rod CNG channels. The magnitude and time course of appearance of the artifacts vary widely among individual components (e.g. from syringe to syringe). The effects most resemble voltage-dependent block of the channels, giving a decrease in current at positive potentials, and producing distortions of the kinetics and voltage dependence of channel activation.
Remote Metering and Automatic Load Control

Power dispatching on an interconnected electric power system has been simplified and greatly improved by the adoption of a remote metering and automatic load control scheme recently developed. Remote metering at the power dispatching center provides continuous indication of the load on a distant 110-kv interconnection. The equipment also provides automatic control of the load on a hydroelectric generating plant located 160 miles from the metering point. The scheme, operating over company owned telephone lines, is based upon maintaining a constant beat frequency in the receiving apparatus, the transmission frequency being varied. Maintenance cost of the equipment is found to be negligible.
Simulation of heterogeneous neural networks on serial and parallel machines

Abstract There has recently been a tremendous rebirth of interest in neural networks, ranging from distributed and localist spreading-activation networks to semantic networks with symbolic marker-passing. Ideally these networks would be encoded in dedicated massively-parallel hardware that directly implements their functionality. Cost and flexibility concerns, however, necessitate the use of general-purpose machines the simulate neural networks, especially in the research stages in which various models are being explored and tested. Issues of a simulation's timing and control become more critical when models are made up of heterogeneous networks in which nodes have different processing characteristics and cycling rates or which are made up of modular, interacting sub-networks. We have developed a simulation environment to create, operate, and control these types of connectionist networks. This paper describes how massively-parallel heterogeneous networks are simulated on serial machines as efficiently as possible, how large-scale simulations could be handled on current SIMD parallel machines, and outlines how the simulator could be implemented on its ideal hardware, a large-scale MIMD parallel machine.
Using gapped Hermite cubics for obtaining a mathematical representation of a given point file

Abstract This paper develops a procedure for fitting a series of Hermite cubic parametric polynomials to point files that contain tangent or slope data in addition to positional data. Deriving the coefficients for the cubics as a function of the data is described, criteria for accepting or rejecting the coefficients are developed, and an example is included.
An immunoaffinity tandem mass spectrometry (iMALDI) assay for detection of Francisella tularensis.

Francisella tularensis (F. tularensis) has been designated by the CDC as one of the ten organisms most likely to be engineered for bioterrorism. Symptoms of tularemia in humans are non-specific, thus making the disease difficult to diagnose. If not quickly diagnosed and treated, the disease has a high mortality rate - thus methods for early and specific diagnosis are of critical importance. This immunoaffinity MALDI MS/MS (iMALDI) assay provides unambiguous detection of F. tularensis peptides at attomole levels from peptide solutions, and at low CFU levels from bacteria. The addition of stable-labeled versions of the peptide as internal standards allows absolute quantitation of F. tularensis peptides with a linear dynamic range spanning two orders of magnitude. The ability of mass spectrometry to obtain amino acid sequence data on affinity-captured peptides provides absolute specificity and avoids “false positives” from the non-specific binding. The F. tularensis iMALDI assay has been applied to different samples, such as nasal swabs. This novel quantitative diagnostic F. tularensis iMALDI assay allows the safe, sensitive and specific detection of F. tularensis. The assay can be easily adapted to other target peptides and therefore has broad application potential in clinical diagnosis of other pathogens and diseases.
Beyond Civics and the 3 R's: Teaching Economics in the Schools

During the twenty to twenty-five years after World War II, children in the United States were increasingly taught to understand their nation, its history, and its economic greatness—as an “economy”—rather than in social, moral, philosophical, or political terms (i.e., as a society, a community, a republic, etc.). Equally powerful was its message that the U.S. economy was an unprecedented marvel of productivity and a facet of Americanness of which to be proud and to defend. During this time period, not only did an economics education movement emerge, but economics increasingly was taught as part of social studies, history, or other classes, and a huge amount of curricular material was developed and disseminated for classroom use.
Membrane-bound malate dehydrogenase in mitochondria from the algaCyanidium caldarium

Abstract Although in some organisms part of the mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) is membrane-bound, this enzyme is generally regarded as a matrix protein. The present paper describes a malate dehydrogenase from the thermo- and acidophilic alga Cyanidium caldarium , that is tightly bound to the mitochondrial membrane. Data obtained from organelle separations on sucrose density gradients, as well as polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of crude and purified enzyme preparations, indicate that no malate dehydrogenase is present in the mitochondrial matrix. Part of the malate dehydrogenase on the mitochondrial membranes could be solubilized by treatment with deoxycholate. The solubilized enzyme showed a thermostability and electrophoretic mobility different from that of the soluble (cytosolic) malate dehydrogenase.
Granular cell tumor of the thyroid: a case report.

We report a rare case of granular cell tumor (GCT) arising within the thyroid parenchyma. The differential diagnosis of GCT in thyroid includes all oncocytic/Hurthle cell lesions of the thyroid, medullary carcinoma and metastasis. The classic histomorphologic features and immunohistochemistry are helpful in arriving at the correct diagnosis.
Exercise-induced hemodynamic effects of arteriovenous fistulas used for hemodialysis.

Exercise-induced hemodynamic effects of arteriovenous fistulas used for hemodialysis. The hemodynamic burden of arteriovenous fistulas or shunts used for chronic hemodialysis in patients with renal failure was investigated in eight patients. Occlusion of the A-V fistula produced no significant difference in resting measurements of cardiac output, heart rate, brachial artery pressure, mean right atrial pressure, systemic vascular resistance, or estimated myocardial oxygen demand. During graded recumbent bicycle exercise the patients demonstrated a small but significant increase in cardiac output when the A-V shunt was open. At the peak level of exercise for each patient there was no significant difference in heart rate, stroke volume, arterial pressure and right atrial pressure. It is concluded from this study that an A-V fistula created for hemodialysis produces little hemodynamic deterioration. Patients who appear to develop congestive heart failure while on dialysis are most likely underdialyzed or volume overloaded and therapy should be directed toward alleviating these problems.
Epistemological perspectives among women who participate in physical activity

Abstract The purpose of this collaborative research project, consisting of five interrelated studies, was to explore the epistemological development of women engaged in various forms of physical activity. Forty-seven women who participated in one of five physical activity contexts (intercollegiate field hockey, individual non-competitive activities, lesbian softball, bodybuilding, and expedition mountain climbing) interpreted their experiences in two 90 minute, semi-structured interview session. In the first session, the authors employed the same “core” interview protocol so we could compare epistemological perspectives in daily life and activity domains across the five sub-samples; in the second session, we used five different protocols tailored to specific physical activity contexts. We discussed the co-participants' ways of knowing in light of selected themes emphasizing relations between self and other: processes of cooperation and competition, and issues of power and authority. Finally, suggestions f...
Evaluating Performance Measurement Systems in Nonprofit Agencies: The Program Accountability Quality Scale (PAQS):

The drive for accountability in human services puts pressure on nonprofit agencies to develop performance measurement systems. But efforts to build capacity in this area have been hindered by the lack of instruments to evaluate the quality of proposed performance measurement systems. The Performance Accountability Quality Scale (PAQS) attempts to fill this gap. The instrument was field-tested on 191 program performance measurement systems developed by nonprofit agencies in Central Florida. Preliminary findings indicate that PAQS provides a structure for obtaining expert opinions based on a theory-driven model about the quality of a proposed measurement system in a not-for-profit agency. The instrument also is useful for assessing agency needs for technical assistance and for evaluating progress in the development of performance measurement systems. Further study is needed to test PAQS in other settings and to explore new areas of research in outcome evaluation.
Reconstruction of small- and medium-sized defects of the lower lip

Defects of up to one third of the lower lip can usually be closed primarily, using one of the excision shapes described above. Defects of 30% to 50% of the lower lip can be closed with a stair-step or lip-switch flap. In most circumstances, stair-step reconstruction attains good function more quickly than the lip switch flap and has a better aesthetic result. Defects of 50% to 75% of the lower lip can be closed with a fan flap or a Karapandzic flap; the Karapandzic flap generally provides a better functional result. Both of these flaps cause rounding of the corner of the mouth that compromise the aesthetic result.