cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High affinity binding of tricyclic antidepressants to histamine H1-receptors: fact and artifact.

Abstract Six tricyclic antidepressants were tested for their ability to inhibit the binding of the histamine H 1 -receptor antagonist [ 3 H]pyrilamine to membrane fractions from whole rat brain. Calculated inhibition constants (K i ) for the antidepressants were in the range of 2.6 × 10 −11 to 2.3 × 10 −7 M and correlated very well with their equilibrium dissociation constants derived from biological assays of the H 1 -receptor. Increasing the concentration of receptors present in the binding assay resulted in an overestimation of the calculated K i 's for doxepin, amitriptyline, and nortriptyline, but not for the lower affinity compounds of the series, imipramine, protriptyline, and desipramine. These results indicate: (1) the importance of receptor concentration in determining the potency of compounds which competitively inhibit, with very high affinity, the binding of a radioactively labeled ligand; (2) the need to correlate binding data with biological data.
Diurnal non-stress test variations in healthy term fetuses. A call for evening appointments for fetal testing

Abstract Objective : The null hypothesis is that the time of day during which non-stress testing is performed does not influence the reactivity of the test. Study design : Fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring was performed in 65 healthy term fetuses at 09:00, 14:00 and 21:00 h, in a quiet room exposed to daylight 2 h after maternal meals. Each session lasted 20 min. Smoking mothers were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed using a double-tailed t -test. Results : Diurnal non-stress test (NST) variations exist and are manifested by a higher incidence of a reactive NST at 21:00 h compared to a 09:00 h assessment, and an increased number and longer duration of accelerations during a 20-min observation period at 21:00 h compared to a 09:00 h assessment. Conclusions : Evening appointments for fetal assessments may eliminate the need for additional tests due to the decreased incidence of nonreactive NSTs. These in turn will decrease both maternal anxiety and the expense of further testing.
High-Accuracy Extrapolated ab Initio Thermochemistry of the Propargyl Radical and the Singlet C3H2 Carbenes†

Total atomization energies and enthalpies of formation (0 and 298.15 K) are evaluated using the high-accuracy extrapolated ab initio thermochemistry (HEAT) scheme for the two stable singlet C3H2 carbenes [cyclopropenylidene (c-C3H2) and propadienylidene (vinylidencarbene, l-C3H2)], as well as for the 2-propynyl (propargyl, C3H3) radical. In the case of propargyl, the HEAT protocol predicts an enthalpy of formation of 354.9 ± 1.0 kJ mol−1 for 0 K; corresponding values of 498.1 ± 1.0 and 555.6 ± 1.0 kJ mol−1 are estimated for c-C3H2 and l-C3H2. Additional consideration of temperature corrections leads to estimates of 352.2 ± 1.0, 497.1 ± 1.0, and 556.7 ± 1.0 kJ mol−1 for the heats of formation at 298.15 K of the propargyl radical, c-C3H2, and l-C3H2, respectively. Potential strategies for simplifying the HEAT protocol are also investigated and shown to have negligible impact on accuracy.
Restoration of accommodation.

AbstractPurpose of reviewThis review examines the current status of accommodation restoration concepts with reference to the recent, published peer-reviewed literature with an emphasis on physiological aspects of accommodation and presbyopia.Recent findingsThe mechanisms of accommodation and the cau
Index‐guided operation in narrow stripe InGaAs‐GaAs strained‐layer quantum well heterostructure lasers by MeV oxygen implantation

Stable index‐guided operation of variable stripe strained‐layer InGaAs‐GaAs‐AlGaAs lasers achieved by MeV oxygen implantation‐induced disorder of the active region is demonstrated. Well‐behaved near‐ and far‐field patterns for lasers implanted with 5×1016 cm−2 and 1×1017 cm−2 oxygen are observed to be stable with increasing drive current. Comparison with unimplanted, oxide‐defined stripe lasers fabricated from the same wafer indicates a dramatic improvement in emission characteristics as a result of the presence of a lateral real‐index waveguide in the oxygen‐disordered regions which is stronger than the carrier‐induced antiguide present in unimplanted InGaAs‐GaAs strained‐layer lasers.
Improved Accelerated Testing for Localized Corrosion Susceptibility of High-Strength Aluminum Alloys

Several accelerated tests for high-strength aluminum alloys, such as ASTM G34, ASTM G85 Annex 2, and ASTM G110 can produce significantly different results in third generation aluminum lithium (Al-Li) alloys. In this study, the reason for this inconsistency is investigated by comparing the electrochemical kinetics for AA2060 to those of AA2090 as well as legacy alloy AA7075-T6, and by comparing the performance of AA2060 in ASTM G110 and ASTM G85. The corrosion potential of AA2060 was found to be higher than that of AA7075-T6 and AA2060-T8E41. Also, it was found that although ASTM G110 does not produce exfoliation in AA 2060-T3 as in ASTM G85, the type of attack observed in cross-section is very similar in both tests.
Gas Phase Reactions of 1,3,5-Triazine: Proton Transfer, Hydride Transfer, and Anionic σ-Adduct Formation

The gas phase reactivity of 1,3,5-triazine with several oxyanions and carbanions, as well as amide, was evaluated using a flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube mass spectrometer. Isotopic labeling, H/D exchange, and collision induced dissociation experiments were conducted to facilitate the interpretation of structures and fragmentation processes. A multi-step (→ HCN + HC2N2− → CN− + 2 HCN) and/or single-step (→ CN− + 2 HCN) ring-opening collision-induced fragmentation process appears to exist for 1,3,5-triazinide. In addition to proton and hydride transfer reactions, the data indicate a competitive nucleophilic aromatic addition pathway (SNAr) over a wide range of relative gas phase acidities to form strong anionic σ-adducts (Meisenheimer complexes). The significant hydride acceptor properties and stability of the anionic σ-adducts are rationalized by extremely electrophilic carbon centers and symmetric charge delocalization at the electron-withdrawing nitrogen positions. The types of anion-arene binding motifs and their influence on reaction pathways are discussed.
PUNISHMENT AND TYPE OF FEEDBACK IN A SIMULATED COMMONS DILEMMA

351 research participants in groups of three harvested resources from a slowly regenerating, shared pool in a computer-assisted game. Feedback after each round of play consisted of information about the status of the resource pool, information about the other participants' harvesting choices, or no feedback at all. Exploitation was either not punished or punished by individual or group. Analysis showed that either form of punishment improved harvests from the common resource but that feedback had no such influence.
Neonatal outcomes of teenage pregnancy in a military population

Objective To compare the use of prenatal care, incidence of pregnancy complications, and neonatal outcomes among adolescent mothers with those among older mothers in a military population with equal access to a tertiary care center. Methods We reviewed the neonatal data base of a military tertiary care center for the period 1990–1996. All singleton births at least 20 weeks' estimated gestational age (EGA) or with birth weight at least 500 g were included. Maternal transfers were excluded. Mothers were divided into five age groups, with the ranges 13–17, 18–19, 20–24, 25–29, and 30 or more years. Prenatal care was assessed by the Kessner index. Data were analyzed by χ 2 test, t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and logistic regression techniques. Results Included in the study were 10,168 infants (344 aged 13–17, 893 aged 18–19, 3244 aged 20–24, 3095 aged 25–29, and 2592 aged 30 or more years). There was a greater percentage of Hispanic mothers among adolescents aged 13–17 years (48.3%); this percentage decreased as maternal age increased (32.7% to 14.6%). The percentage of white mothers was greatest for mothers over 30 years old (72.1%), and this percentage decreased as maternal age decreased (70.3% to 35.8%). The percentage of black mothers remained relatively constant in all age groups (12.2–16.0%). There were significant differences in sponsor's rank distribution among groups; mothers 25–29 years old and over 30 years old had higher-paying ranks whereas both teenage groups were of predominantly lower-paying ranks. Gestational age at the first prenatal visit and overall use of prenatal care were significantly improved as maternal age increased for each successive age group. Older mothers had significantly higher rates for diabetes and abnormal fetal sonograms than younger mothers; younger mothers had increased rates for sexually transmitted disease, fetal growth restriction, and tobacco use. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that fetal complications, adequate prenatal care, black maternal race, and lower rank were significant independent risk factors for high-risk outcomes. Young maternal age was not an independent risk factor for prematurity or low birth weight. Conclusion Although adolescent mothers (13–17 years old) used prenatal care less than older mothers, there were no differences in the incidence of prematurity, low birth weight (LBW), or neonatal survival among this group of women cared for in a military tertiary health care setting. In this health care setting, risk for premature birth and LBW are related to complications of pregnancy, maternal race, and lower-paying rank.
Coronavirus antibody titres in sera of healthy adults and experimentally infected volunteers

Abstract Six coronaviruses isolated in the U.S.A. have been inoculated into volunteers and all produced colds. Between 10 and 20% of infected volunteers developed heterologous antibody responses after these and other experimental infections with coronaviruses. The haemagglutination-inhibition test with the OC43 virus strain was found to detect antibody rises after infection with a variety of strains. Studies on normal adult sera taken between 1965 and 1970 revealed a high frequency of neutralizing antibody to one strain (229 E) and a frequency of HI antibody to strain OC43 which fluctuated from year to year. Complement-fixing antibodies to these two viruses were also found, revealing an apparent increase in the activity of coronaviruses in the general population of the U.K., during the winter of 1968-9.
Urban Agriculture Policy Making in New York's "New Political Spaces": Strategizing for a Participatory and Representative System

U.S. cities have implemented policies to support urban agriculture (UA), often developed in “new political spaces” formed when conventional policy mechanisms are unable to resolve municipal problems. This article examines these processes in New York City, particularly aspects of UA that existing policies, plans, and research strategies have not fully addressed. Interviews with UA stakeholders and an analysis of the city’s UA policy-making processes show that resource needs, along with race- and class-based disparities within the UA system remain. We recommend several policy and research strategies for creating a more participatory, representative, and multifunctional UA system.
On the Anticorrelation Between High Accretion Luminosity and Radio Jet Ejection in Gro J1655-40 and Other Objects

A model is described in which radio jet formation in accreting objects is suppressed by processes which occur when the accretion rate approaches the Eddington limit. This was motivated by GRO J1655-40 and other objects which show an anticorrelation between high luminosity and the onset of a radio jet. The jet production mechanism employed is the Blandford-Payne MHD acceleration process, seeded by an e'e- pair wind. Observations indicate that all key ingredients of this mechanism are, or should be, present in these sources. Observed jet velocities and total powers are consistent with theoretical and numerical predictions of this model. The primary jet suppression mechanism proposed is the Papaloizou-Pringle compressible shear instability, which should disrupt the jet-producing region of the disk when the accretion rate approaches about one-third Eddington. The turn-on of the jet in GRO J 1 655 - 40 is consistent with this estimate. When super-Eddington, the disk should also drive an optically thick, subrelativistic wind, which may be a secondary jet suppression mechanism. The possible presence of such a wind is seen in the early spectral evolution of GRO J1655-40 and in the broad absorption lines of certain quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Important tests of the model would be independent measurements of the compact object masses in these sources, a comparison of normal and broad absorption line (BAL) QSO X-ray spectra to see if the latter objects are significantly cooler, and a low-frequency search around BAL QSOs to see if at least some have fossil radio sources.
Spacecraft Thermal and Optical Modeling Impacts on Estimation of the GRAIL Lunar Gravity Field

We summarize work performed involving thermo-optical modeling of the two Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft. We derived several reconciled spacecraft thermo-optical models having varying detail. We used the simplest in calculating SRP acceleration, and used the most detailed to calculate acceleration due to thermal re-radiation. For the latter, we used both the output of pre-launch finite-element-based thermal simulations and downlinked temperature sensor telemetry. The estimation process to recover the lunar gravity field utilizes both a nominal thermal re-radiation accleration history and an apriori error model derived from that plus an off-nominal history, which bounds parameter uncertainties as informed by sensitivity studies.
Landscape influences on stream biotic integrity assessed at multiple spatial scales

The biological integrity of stream ecosystems depends critically on human activities that affect land use/cover along stream margins and possibly throughout the catchment. We evaluated stream condition using an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) and a habitat index (HI), and compared these measures to landscape and riparian conditions assessed at different spatial scales in a largely agricultural Midwestern watershed. Our goal was to determine whether land use/cover was an effective predictor of stream integrity, and if so, at what spatial scale. Twenty-three sites in first-through third-order headwater streams were surveyed by electrofishing and site IBIs were calculated based on ten metrics of the fish collection. Habitat features were characterized through field observation, and site HIs calculated from nine instream and bank metrics. Field surveys, aerial photograph interpretation, and geographic information system (GIS) analyses provided assessments of forested land and other vegetation covers at the local, reach, and regional (catchment) scales.
An approach to the radial distribution of planetary orbits

The problem of determination of the radial distribution of the planetary orbits is approached under the assumption that the average present radial sizes of the orbits were already determined when the protoplanetary cloud flattened by initial angular momentum aggregated into a set of concentric rings from which the planetary material was ultimately collected. The object of this argument is to derive a consistent stationary distribution of orbits so that the problem of the non-stationary formation of the orbital rings is not here considered. Under the flattening assumption the 3D Poisson equation is replaced by the 2D Helmholtz equation (inhomogeneous) which is solved by use of an averaging theorem generalization of the well-known averaging theorem for the homogeneous Helmholtz equation. Augmenting the ring potentials obtained by specializing the mass distribution in the disk by a solar potential term and a rotational potential, differentiation leads to a generalization of the Kepler 3D law suitable for the many-body problem of a solar system with circular orbits. In this way a system of transcendental equations involving Bessel functions of the first and second kind are obtained which must be satisfied by the orbital radii. Naturally the restriction to circular orbits represents only an approximation to the orbital determination problem, but considering that no arguments have previously been available for the determination even of circular orbits it would seem to represent an advance.
Numerical Policy Error Bounds for η-Concave Stochastic Dynamic Programming with Non-interior Solutions

This paper derives explicit error bounds for numerical policies of $$\eta $$?-concave stochastic dynamic programming problems, without assuming the optimal policy is interior. We demonstrate the usefulness of our error bound by using it to pinpoint the states at which the borrowing constraint binds in a widely used income fluctuation problem with standard calibrations and a firm production problem with financial constraints.
Attention mediates radiation's impact on daily living skills in children treated for brain tumors.

Background Radiotherapy is associated with an increased survival rate in children with brain tumors, but also with cognitive decline. This study examined the time-dependent effects of radiation treatment on adaptive functioning in children with brain tumors. The potentially mediating effects of attention span (Trial 1 of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test [RAVLT]) assessed within 7 years of diagnosis were explored. Procedure Twenty-two children treated with cranial radiation for third ventricle or cerebellar tumors were included in this archival study. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.62 years (SD = 4.78) and 10.16 years (SD = 3.83) at evaluation. We examined the extent to which auditory attention span was able to mediate the relationship between time elapsed since the initiation of radiation treatment (M = 2.43 years; SD = 2.37) and adaptive functioning (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales [VABS]). Results Attention span was found to mediate the relationship between time since the initiation of radiation and daily living skills. These findings were shown to be specific to attention and not a reflection of generalized neuropsychological decline, nor were they a result of increasing time since diagnosis in and of itself. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that time since radiation may directly decrease attention and poor attention in turn may be associated with lower adaptive functioning on tasks of daily living. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:1253–1257. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Slow onset of CNS drugs: can changes in protein concentration account for the delay?

Abstract A ‘protein regulation hypothesis' might explain the delay in reaching a maximal clinical effect, exhibited by some antipsychotic and addicting drugs. It also suggests that crucial ‘effector' proteins that mediate the actions of these drugs might have half-lives of days to weeks. In this article, the rate of onset of some antipsychotic and addicting drugs will be examined and a model will be used to test if a change in the concentration of a given protein(s) could cause the drug-induced effects. This hypothesis uses a model where protein concentrations are determined by a zero-order synthesis rate and a first-order degradation rate. The model in its simplest form produces an exponential increase (or decrease) in protein concentrations over time, but reasonable extensions of the model can account for more complex mechanisms that allow for delayed time-courses and contributions of multiple proteins to the clinical effect.
Measurements of regional glucose metabolism in studies of motor control

Abstract We used the incorporation of tracer quantities of radiolabeled glucose analogues into muscle and CNS tissues to determine, first, whether unilateral dorsal root deafferentation affects hindlimb flexor and extensor muscles of that side equally. For this we compared the incorporation of [ 3 H]fluorodeoxyglucose into selected muscles in the intact and the deafferented side. The muscles were dissected out after exercise on a treadmill, and tracer incorporation was measured by scintillation counting. Second, we used the [ 14 C]2-DG radioautographic method of Sokoloff to seek confirmation of the involvement of certain CNS structures in locomotor control. We found fascinating side to side asymmetries in glucose metabolism, in the cervical spinal cord, motor cortex, and caudate nucleus. There is still debate about the manner in which “neuronal function”, regional blood flow, and glucose metabolism, may be coupled (or even on the existence of such coupling). However, these methods can be useful by their anatomical resolution, and the possibility of making multiple regional measurements from a single subject.
Anomalous Capillary Pressure, Stress, and Stability of Solids-Coated Bubbles

A two-dimensional theoretical model for solids-coated, or "armored," bubbles shows how the armor can support a liquid-vapor interface of reduced or reversed curvature between the particles, giving the bubble zero or even negative capillary pressure. The inward capillary force pulling the particles into the center of the bubble are balanced by large contact forces between the particles in the armor. Thus the bubble is stabilized against dissolution of gas into surrounding liquid, which otherwise would rapidly collapse the bubble. The stresses between particles in such cases are large and could drive sintering of the particles into a rigid framework. Earlier work on solids-coated bubbles assumed that solids can freely enter or leave the bubble surface as the bubble shrinks or expands. In such a case, armored bubbles would not be stable to gas dissolution into surrounding liquid. A new free-energy analysis, however, suggests that a shrunken bubble would not spontaneously expel a solid particle from its armor to relieve stress and allow the bubble to shrink further. Implications and limitations of the theory are discussed. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.
Is diffusion creep the cause for the inverse Hall-Petch effect in nanocrystalline materials?

Abstract It has previously been demonstrated by means of molecular-dynamics (MD) simulation that for the very smallest grain sizes (typically below 20–30 nm), nanocrystalline f.c.c. metals deform via grain-boundary diffusion creep, provided the applied stress is low enough to avoid microcracking and dislocation nucleation from the grain boundaries. Experimentally, however, the nature of the deformation process in this “inverse Hall–Petch” regime (in which the yield stress decreases with decreasing grain size) remains controversial. Here we illustrate by MD simulation that in the absence of grain growth a nanocrystalline model b.c.c. metal, Mo, and a model metal oxide, UO 2 , also deform via diffusion creep. However, in the case of Mo both grain-boundary and lattice diffusion are observed to contribute to the creep rate; i.e., the deformation mechanism involves a combination of Coble and Nabarro-Herring creep. While our results on Mo and UO 2 are still preliminary, they lend further support to the observation of diffusion creep previously documented in f.c.c. metals and in covalently bonded Si.
Intensification and refraction of acoustical signals in partially choked converging ducts

A computer code based on the wave-envelope technique is used to perform detailed numerical calculations for the intensification and refraction of sound in converging hard walled and lined circular ducts carrying high mean Mach number flows. The results show that converging ducts produce substantial refractions toward the duct center for waves propagating against near choked flows. As expected, the magnitude of the refraction decreases as the real part of the admittance increases. The pressure wave pattern is that of interference among the different modes, and hence the variation of the magnitude of pressure refraction with frequency is not monotonic.
A microcomposite hydrogel for repeated on-demand ultrasound-triggered drug delivery

Here we develop an injectable composite system based for repeated ultrasound-triggered on-demand drug delivery. An in situ-cross-linking hydrogel maintains model drug (dye)-containing liposomes in close proximity to gas-filled microbubbles that serve to enhance release events induced by ultrasound application. Dye release is tunable by varying the proportions of the liposomal and microbubble components, as well as the duration and intensity of the ultrasound pulses in vitro. Dye is minimal at baseline. The composite shows minimal cytotoxicity in vitro, and benign tissue reaction after subcutaneous injection in rats. Ultrasound application also triggers drug release for two weeks after injection in vivo.
The Role of Stress on Physiologic Responses and Clinical Symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Studies support the concept that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a biopsychosocial disorder that can be explained by a neurobiological model which postulates stress-induced alterations in central stress and arousal circuits and activation of parallel motor outputs from brain regions that can affect bodily function and behavior. Sustained stress can result in chronic overactivity or underactivity of allostatic (or adaptive) systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, autonomic nervous system, metabolic, and immune systems, can occur. Animal and human studies have demonstrated that chronic or sustained stress is associated with the onset and exacerbation of symptoms of IBS. Chronic stress is also an independent predictor of developing post-infectious IBS. IBS patients specifically show stress-induced alterations in gastrointestinal motility, rectal perception, autonomic tone and HPA axis responses, although these findings are not entirely consistent among studies. This can be in part due to differences in study methodology or to various factors that can affect these physiologic responses. A greater recognition and understanding of the effects of stress in IBS may help identify targets for future drug development and also help guide more effective management of IBS symptoms.
Alcohol Adsorption onto Silicalite from Aqueous Solution

A methodology based on the combination of grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and expanded ensemble (EE) simulations has been used to study the adsorption of alcohols from dilute aqueous solution onto the silicalite zeolite. The chemical potential of the guest alcohol molecules in bulk aqueous solutions is calculated by the EE method, and the adsorption isotherms of the alcohols are calculated using GCMC simulations. This approach results in adsorption isotherms that relate the loadings to external concentrations without using an equation of state, experimental data, or performing computationally expensive simulations such as two-phase Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo (GEMC). Also, the method is “force-field-consistent”, in that the same force field is used for the bulk fluid and the adsorption calculations, and the resulting isotherms can be directly compared with experimental data. We have established the validity of the method used by comparing the calculated adsorption isotherms with experimental data for me...
Application of the mean spherical approximation to the estimation of electrolyte activity coefficients in methanol solutions

Abstract Activity coefficients and thermodynamic association constants have been estimated for NaBr, NaCl, Nal, NaCIO4, Bu4NBr, BUN, and Bu4NC104 electrolytes in methanol by means of a fit of experimental data to theory using the unrestricted version of the mean spherical approximation. Realistic sizes for the solvated ions and for ion pairs have been determined. The thermodynamic association constants derived are compared with values obtained from conductance studies.
Evidence for hydrogen bond formation to the PsaB chlorophyll of P700 in photosystem I mutants of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

P700, the primary electron donor of photosystem I, is an asymmetric dimer made of one molecule of chlorophyll a‘ (PA) and one of chlorophyll a (PB) that are bound to the homologous PsaA and PsaB polypeptides. While the carbonyl groups of PA are involved in hydrogen-bonding interactions with several surrounding amino acid side chains and a water molecule, PB does not engage hydrogen bonds with the protein. Notably, the residue Thr A739 is donating a strong hydrogen bond to the 9-keto CO group of PA and the homologous residue Tyr B718 is free from interaction with PB. Light-induced FTIR difference spectroscopy of the photooxidation of P700 has been combined with a site-directed mutagenesis attempt to introduce hydrogen bonds to the carbonyl groups of PB in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The FTIR study of the Y(B718)T mutant provides evidence that the 9-keto CO group of PB and PB+ engages a relatively strong hydrogen-bonding interaction with the surroundings in a significant fraction (40 ± 10%) of the reaction ...
Can teachers predict their students' wait time preferences?

The study examined students' preferences for wait times of 3 seconds versus .9 second, teachers' ability to accurately predict their students' preferences, and the reasons both groups of participants gave for their choices. Thirty-five middle school science classes watched two versions of a videotaped science review lesson. The versions differed only in length of time the teacher paused after questions before she called on students to respond. When asked which version would produce more learning and when asked which version they preferred (after being told how the two versions differed), significantly more students chose the one with the longer wait time. Significantly more teachers predicted these choices accurately than inaccurately. Students identified think time, time use, teacher helpfulness, and topic ease as reasons for their choices.
35-Gb/s VCSEL-Based optical link using 32-nm SOI CMOS circuits

A VCSEL-based multimode fiber optical link using 32nm SOI CMOS circuits is demonstrated. Record optical link power efficiencies of 1pJ/bit at 25Gb/s and 2.7pJ/bit at 35Gb/s are achieved.
The competence criterion for mental health programs

Mental health programs are ordinarily assessed in terms of the extent of services rendered and the professional level of staff. These criteria do not permit an accurate judgment of the value of these services. It is proposed that measures of the effectiveness and cost of such programs are required. The relative contributions of an index of therapeutic impact versus a measure of improvement in “social competence” are discussed. It is concluded that the competence criterion is more objective and quantifiable in nature and more directly relevant to publicly supported mental health programs.
Past, Present and Future Trends in the Use of Computers in Fisheries Research

Twelve years ago in 1996, when we prepared the first edition of Computers in Fisheries Research, we began with the claim ‘‘The nature of scientific computing has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades’’. We believe this statement remains valid even since 1996. As Heraclitus said in the 4th century B.C., ‘‘Nothing is permanent, but change!’’ The appearance of the personal computer in the early 1980s changed forever the landscape of computing. Today’s scientific computing environment is still changing, often at breathtaking speed. In our earlier edition, we stated that fisheries science as a discipline was slow to adopt personal computers on a wide-scale with use being well behind that in the business world. Pre-1996, computers were scarce and it was common for more than one user to share a machine, which was usually placed in a public area. Today, in many modern fisheries laboratories, it is common for scientists to use multiple computers in their personal offices, a desktop
A BAC-based physical map of the Hessian fly genome anchored to polytene chromosomes

Background: The Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) is an important insect pest of wheat. It has tractable genetics, polytene chromosomes, and a small genome (158 Mb). Investigation of the Hessian fly presents excellent opportunities to study plant-insect interactions and the molecular mechanisms underlying genome imprinting and chromosome elimination. A physical map is needed to improve the ability to perform both positional cloning and comparative genomic analyses with the fully sequenced genomes of other dipteran species. Results: An FPC-based genome wide physical map of the Hessian fly was constructed and anchored to the insect's polytene chromosomes. Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones corresponding to 12fold coverage of the Hessian fly genome were fingerprinted, using high information content fingerprinting (HIFC) methodology, and end-sequenced. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) co-localized two BAC clones from each of the 196 longest contigs on the polytene chromosomes. An additional 70 contigs were positioned using a single FISH probe. The 266 FISH mapped contigs were evenly distributed and covered 60% of the genome (95,668 kb). The ends of the fingerprinted BACs were then sequenced to develop the capacity to create sequenced tagged site (STS) markers on the BACs in the map. Only 3.64% of the BACend sequence was composed of transposable elements, helicases, ribosomal repeats, simple sequence repeats, and sequences of low complexity. A relatively large fraction (14.27%) of the BES was comprised of multi-copy gene sequences. Nearly 1% of the end sequence was composed of simple sequence repeats (SSRs). Conclusion: This physical map provides the foundation for high-resolution genetic mapping, map-based cloning, and assembly of complete genome sequencing data. The results indicate that restriction fragment length heterogeneity in BAC libraries used to construct physical maps lower the length and the depth of the contigs, but is not an absolute barrier to the successful application of the technology. This map will serve as a genomic resource for accelerating gene discovery, genome sequencing, and the assembly of BAC sequences. The Hessian fly BAC-clone assembly, and the names and positions of the BAC clones used in the FISH experiments are publically available at http://genome.purdue.edu/WebAGCoL/Hfly/WebFPC/.
On “Ordinal Path Analysis”

In a recent paper Smith proposes a solution to the longstanding problem of multivariate analysis with ordinal data, but it is argued that Smith has not dealt adequately with the question of empirically relevant interpretation and that the problem remains unsolved. It is proposed further that the fundamental difficulty obstructing work on the problem is the lack of a clear, precise formulation of multivariate ordinal relations and hypotheses. In a recent paper Smith (1972) attempts to develop and apply a technique of path analysis for ordinal variables based on an analogy with metric path analysis. However, there appear to be some difficulties with Smith's treatment of ordinal variables that raise doubts about his claim to have demonstrated that path analysis can be done in terms of interpretable
Engineering a Policy-Based System for Federated Healthcare Databases

Policy-based management for federated healthcare systems has recently gained increasing attention due to strict privacy and disclosure rules. Although the work on privacy languages and enforcement mechanisms, such as Hippocratic databases, has advanced our understanding of designing privacy-preserving policies for healthcare databases, the need to integrate these policies in a practical healthcare framework is becoming acute. Additionally, although most work in this area has been organization oriented, dealing with the exchange of information between healthcare organizations (such as referrals), the requirements for the emerging area of personal healthcare information management have so far not been adequately addressed. These shortcomings arise from the lack of a sophisticated policy specification language and enforcement architecture that can capture the requirement for 1) the integration of privacy and disclosure policies with well-known healthcare standards used in the industry in order to specify the precise requirements of a practical healthcare system and 2) the provision of ubiquitous healthcare services to patients using the same infrastructure that enables federated healthcare management for organizations. In this paper, we have designed a policy-based system to mitigate these concerns. First, we have designed our disclosure and privacy policies by using a requirements specification based on a set of use cases for the Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) standard proposed by the community. Second, we present a context-aware policy specification language, which allows encoding of CDA-based requirements use cases into privacy and disclosure policy rules. We have shown that our policy specification language is effective in terms of handling a variety of expressive constraints on CDA-encoded document contents. Our language enables specification of privacy-aware access control for federated healthcare information across organizational boundaries, whereas the use of contextual constraints allows the incorporation of user and environment context in the access control mechanism for personal healthcare information management. Moreover, the declarative syntax of the policy rules makes the policy adaptable to changes in privacy regulations or patient preferences. We also present an enforcement architecture for the federated healthcare framework proposed in this paper.
Epizootiology, distribution and the impact on international trade of two penaeid shrimp viruses in the Americas

Marine penaeid shrimp are effected by approximately twenty viruses, the majority of which were discovered as a result of their negative effects on aquaculture. In the Americas, infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis (IHHN) virus and Taura syndrome (TS) virus have had a significant negative impact on aquaculture industries and, in one instance, on a commercial fishery. Both viruses have become widely distributed as a consequence of the movement of host stocks for aquaculture. IHHN virus (IHHNV) causes catastrophic losses in cultured and wild Penaeus stylirostris. In marked contrast, P. vannamei is relatively resistant to IHHN but infection results, nonetheless, in poor culture performance. TS virus (TSV) is the 'mirror image' of IHHNV in its effect on P. stylirostris and P. vannamei. TSV causes catastrophic losses in P. vannamei, whereas P. stylirostris is highly resistant to TS. In the less than three years since the discovery of TSV in Ecuador in 1992, the virus has spread rapidly and caused massive production losses in most shrimp-growing countries in the Americas.
Nutrient Mass Flux between Florida Bay and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

There is a net discharge of water and nutrients through Long Key Channel from Florida Bay to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). There has been speculation that this water and its constituents may be contributing to the loss of coral cover on the Florida Keys Reef tract over the past few decades, as well as speculation that changes in freshwater flow in the upstream Everglades ecosystem associated with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan may exacerbate this phenomenon. The results of this study indicate that although there is a net export of approximately 3,850 (±404) ton N year−1 and 63 (±7) ton P year−1, the concentrations of these nutrients flowing out of Florida Bay are the same as those flowing in. This implies that no significant nutrient enrichment is occurring in the waters of the FKNMS in the vicinity of Long Key Channel. Because of the effect of restricted southwestward water flow through Florida Bay by shallow banks and small islands, the volume of relatively high-nutrient water from central and eastern portions of the bay exiting through the channel is small compared to the average tidal exchange. Nutrient loading of relatively enriched bay waters is mediated by tidal exchange and mixing with more ambient concentrations of the western Florida Bay and Hawk Channel. System-wide budgets indicate that the contribution of Florida Bay waters to the inorganic nitrogen pool of the Keys coral reef is small relative to offshore inputs.
Global extrapolation integrators for solving Sturm-Liouville problems by shooting

Shooting methods are a popular way of solving Sturm-Liouville problems. Codes in common use, such as SLEIGN and the NAG routine D02KDF, employ general-purpose integrators of fixed, relatively low order for shooting and make decisions using estimates of the global (true) error. In this paper a specialized integrator based on global extrapolation is proposed. Global extrapolation provides a convenient means of adapting the order to the problem and of using very high order when appropriate. It automatically provides a reliable global error estimate. An extremely efficient use is made of evaluations of the coefficients
Use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to investigate factors influencing the measurement of DNA double-strand breaks in human brain tumour specimens.

We used pulsed-field gel electrophoresis combined with densitometry to investigate variables influencing the measurement of DNA double-strand breaks (dsb) in human brain tumour cells and frozen tissue. Our studies showed that this system worked best when we ran the gel at 60 V for 22–25 h at 18°C with a pulse time of 15 s in 1xTris–acetic acid–EDTA buffer. Because the densitometric analysis worked well only when DNA concentrations were within a certain range, we developed a quick assay using a DNA-specific dye (TO-PRO-1) to determine concentrations before making agarose plugs. When we used our optimal procedure to measure dsb in six frozen human brain tumour specimens, we found that radiation-resistant tumours had significantly more initial dsb than did radiation-sensitive tumours. The number of residual dsb could not be ascertained because the process of freezing the specimens destroyed dsb repair ability.
Development of the Aqua MODIS NDSI fractional snow cover algorithm and validation results

The principal purpose of this paper is to describe the development and validation of an algorithm to estimate the fraction of snow cover within a 500-m pixel of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) operating on the Earth Observing System Aqua spacecraft. The performance of this algorithm and algorithms applicable to the MODIS on the Terra spacecraft are compared. Validation efforts show that both pixel-level, fractional snow cover relationships for the Terra and Aqua MODIS instruments work well as quantified by such measures as correlation coefficient (r) and root-mean-square error when compared to Landat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper ground-truth observations covering a substantial range of snow cover conditions. Over all the scenes used herein, the correlation coefficients were near 0.9 and the RMSE near 0.10. However, somewhat better performance was found for the Terra MODIS versus the Aqua MODIS over nearly concurrently observed scenes. Furthermore, it is clear that more improvements in fractional snow cover estimates within MODIS pixels should be pursued to better account for variability in slope and aspect, atmospheric effects, snow cover types, and land cover
The strengths and limitations of meta-analyses based on aggregate data

Properly performed systematic reviews and meta-analyses are thought by many to represent among the highest level of evidence addressing important clinical issues. Few would disagree that meta-analyses based on individual patient data (IPD) offer several advantages and represent the standard to which all other systematic reviews should be compared. All cancer-related meta-analyses cited in Medline were classified as based on aggregate or individual patient data. A review was then undertaken of all reports comparing the comparative strengths and limitations of meta-analyses using either aggregate or individual patient data. The majority of published meta-analyses are based on summary or aggregate patient data (APD). Reasons suggested for this include the considerable resources, years of study and often, broad international cooperation required for IPD meta-analyses. Many of the most important features of systematic reviews including formal meta-analyses are addressed by both IPD and APD meta-analyses. The need for defining an explicit and relevant clinical question, exhaustively searching for the totality of evidence, meticulous and unbiased data transfer or extraction, assessment of between study heterogeneity and the use of appropriate statistical methods for estimating summary effect measures are essentially the same for the two approaches. IPD offers advantages and, when feasible, should be considered the best opportunity to summarize the results of multiple studies. However, the resources, time and cooperation required for such studies will continue to limit their use in many important areas of clinical medicine which can be meaningfully and cost-effectively approached by properly performed APD meta-analyses. APD meta-analyses continue to be the mainstay of systematic reviews utilized by the US Preventive Services Task Force, the Cochrane Collaboration and many professional societies to support clinical practice guidelines.
Opportunities for private and secure machine learning

While the interplay of Artificial Intelligence and Security covers a wide variety of topics, the 2008 AISec program largely focuses on use of artificial intelligence techniques to aid with traditional security concerns: intrusion detection, security policy management, malware detection, etc. This talk will address the flip side of the issue: Using machine learning on sensitive data. The privacy-preserving data mining literature provides numerous solutions to machine learning on sensitive data, while protecting the data from disclosure. Unfortunately, privacy has yet to provide the economic incentives for commercial development of this technology. This talk will survey this work (and open challenges) in light of problems that may have greater incentives for development: collaborative machine learning by parties that do not fully trust each other. Opportunities include job brokerage (assigning jobs in ways that most efficiently utilize resources of competing companies), supply chain optimization, inter-agency data sharing, etc. Techniques similar to those in privacy-preserving data mining can enable such applications without the degree of information disclosure and trust currently required, providing a business model for development of the technology (and as a by-product, reducing the number of trusted systems that need to be secured.)
Biketastic: sensing and mapping for better biking

Bicycling is an affordable, environmentally friendly alternative transportation mode to motorized travel. A common task performed by bikers is to find good routes in an area, where the quality of a route is based on safety, efficiency, and enjoyment. Finding routes involves trial and error as well as exchanging information between members of a bike community. Biketastic is a platform that enriches this experimentation and route sharing process making it both easier and more effective. Using a mobile phone application and online map visualization, bikers are able to document and share routes, ride statistics, sensed information to infer route roughness and noisiness, and media that documents ride experience. Biketastic was designed to ensure the link between information gathering, visualization, and bicycling practices. In this paper, we present architecture and algorithms for route data inferences and visualization. We evaluate the system based on feedback from bicyclists provided during a two-week pilot.