cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stargardt-Fundus Flavimaculatus: Recent Advancements and Treatment

Stargardt disease is the most common form of autosomal recessive macular dystrophy. Mutation in the ABCA4 gene (ABCR protein) is responsible for disease manifestation in more than 95% of Stargardt patients. ABCA4 codes for a member of the ATP binding cassette transmembrane protein involved in the transport of all-trans retinal. Dysfunction in this protein causes accumulation of lipofuscin, which is toxic to the RPE and photoreceptors. Presenting symptoms, fundus appearance, and progression of the disease are widely variable in this disease. Different imaging modalities have been utilized to study the presentation and evolution of fundus changes. Although there is ongoing research to better understand the disease process and ways to alternate its path, currently there is no treatment for Startgardt patients.
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH READMISSIONS DUE TO DEHYDRATION IN THE ERA OF EARLY DISCHARGE AFTER DELIVERY: SAVINGS FOR WHOM? † 1499

COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH READMISSIONS DUE TO DEHYDRATION IN THE ERA OF EARLY DISCHARGE AFTER DELIVERY: SAVINGS FOR WHOM? † 1499
Evaluating renewable energy-based rural electrification program in western China: Emerging problems and possible scenarios

Renewable energy technologies offer an economically viable and environmentally suitable scenario towards addressing energy requirements for rural livelihoods. China's Renewable Energy Rural Electrification Program, initiated in 2001, is an effort to employ renewable energy technologies on a large-scale for rural electrification. The Program has been designed with several stages. This paper firstly offers an analysis of the problems encountered during the progress of this rural electrification program, using data obtained from field survey of representative areas in western China where the first stage of the program was implemented. The paper then explores feasible solutions in order to address existing rural energy issues and provide long-term reliable energy service for remote communities. In support of future course of development of renewable energy application for rural energy demands, policy recommendations are provided.
Genetic polymorphism of silk fibroin studied by two-dimensional translation pause fingerprints

Abstract Silk fibroins from a number of B mori strains have been compared, and at least six different polypeptide size phenotypes, which show apparent molecular weights of 365,000–415,000 in SDS polyacrylamide gels, have been identified. Analysis of the corresponding fibroin messenger RNAs in denaturing gels shows that mRNA size is largely correlated with polypeptide length. The mRNAs vary in size from 5.50 × 10 6 to 6.30 × 10 6 daltons. It has been shown elsewhere that the translation of silk fibroin mRNA in a reticulocyte cell-free system proceeds discontinuously. In this paper, I demonstrate that this discontinuous translation phenomenon can be exploited to map the location of divergent amino acid sequences in fibroin variants. SDS gel analysis of translational pause patterns shows that divergence arises internally after a relatively long amino-terminal sequence which appears to be conserved. Two-dimensional gel analysis using V8 protease digestion in the second dimension produces fingerprints of fibroin peptide fragments ordered from the amino to the carboxyl terminus of the protein. These fingerprints provide additional evidence for extensive internal divergence of the fibroins and a reduced degree of divergence near the termini. A plausible explanation for the observed genetic variability is the occurrence of relatively large unequal crossing-over exchanges in the repetitive domain of the fibroin gene.
CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE IN EMPIRICAL ANALYSES OF FISCAL POLITICS

In recent years, a number of subliteratures on fiscal politics have converged toward a core set of hypothesized explanatory variables—representing political, economic, and social conditions—and a common modeling strategy patterned after that of Davis, Dempster, and Wildavsky (1974). But rather than indicating an emerging consensus among the subliteratures about the nature of the budgetary process, the convergence masks substantial divergence over critical assumptions about the nature of decision making. In this article we describe the development of this divergence in assumptions in an effort to evaluate its impact on empirical modeling exercises. We conclude with some prescriptions for defining the research agenda for the budgeting literature through the 1990s.
Multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis

Uveitis is uncommon in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but the link between the two entities is clearly established. While a common etiology or pathologic process remains unknown, shared human leukocyte antigens suggest a genetic predisposition. The treatment for MS‑associated uveitis is not distinct from treatment of other types of noninfectious uveitis, but interferons may serve as a common therapeutic avenue for both CNS and eye disease. Further study is needed to better understand MS-associated uveitis and its link to demyelinating CNS disease.
An ASL dictionary in APL

This paper summarizes a project to develop a computerized dictionary of American Sign Language. The topics discussed are: project scope and development, the resulting system of programs, applications in sign language studies, and problems for future development. Appendices describe details of thee notation used for sign descriptions, show an example dictionary, and tell how some of the programs are used.
Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria and refractory marrow failure treated by marrow transplantation.

Summary. A patient with pancytopenia and paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) following exposure to insecticide spray developed complete marrow failure after inhalation of vapours containing benzol. There was no sign of spontaneous recovery after more than 6 mth of conventional and supportive therapy. The patient was treated with the immunosuppressive agent cyclophosphamide, 50 mg/kg on each of four days, followed in 36 hr by transplantation of marrow from a sibling compatible at the major human histocompatibility locus (HL-A). Intermittent methotrexate therapy was given for 102 days after grafting to prevent graft-versushost disease. The patient showed prompt haemopoietic engraftment indicated by restoration of marrow cellularity and a rise in peripheral blood cell counts beginning on day 11 after the graft. The patient is alive and well with normal haemopoietic function and continued absence of PNH more than 1 yr and 4 mth after transplantation.
ROTATIONAL RELAXATION OF IONIC MOLECULES IN ELECTROLYTE SOLUTIONS. ANISOTROPY RELAXATION AND MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDY

Rotational diffusion of organic ions in electrolyte solution is studied via optically heterodyned polarization spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Significant differences between ...
Microscopic mechanism for the macroscopic asymmetry of superconductivity

Some of the physical implications involved in self-consistently selecting a superconducting (nonequivalent) representation for the BCS Hamiltonian are developed and discussed. This is done by comparing the phase symmetry of our system in original variables with that same symmetry when written in terms of physical variables. It is shown explicitly that Goldstone's theorem is satisfied and that dynamical rearrangement of symmetry has taken place in going from original to physical variables. Thus, it is found that the original phase symmetry transformation is taken up by physical “massless” fields and that the Bose-Einstein condensations of these fields in the physical (superconducting) ground state produce the asymmetry by “printing” the quantum electron numbern on that state.
Developing a Process Model of Problem Recognition

A descriptive theoretical model is presented that explains how individuals recognize problems in organizational situations. The model draws on the information-processing literature in an attempt to capture key activities and their sequence in the process of problem recognition. The model suggests that individuals move among three stages of gestation, categorization, and diagnosis, and deal with choice and value situations as the process unfolds. The paper presents propositions for empirical testing. Implications for management education are offered.
Effect of nutrition staging on treatment delays and outcome in stage IV neuroblastoma

The effect of the state of nutrition of 18 children with Stage IV neuroblastoma at diagnosis and during initial therapy, was evaluated with respect to treatment delays, drug dosage alterations, tumor response, days to first event (relapse or death), and survival. All patients received similar therapy (CCSG protocol CCG 371). Based on nutrition staging at diagnosis, nine were classified as malnourished; four were randomized to receive total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and four peripheral parenteral nutrition plus enteral nutrition for 28 days (through 2 chemotherapy courses), and one died before randomization. Nine were nourished at diagnosis; seven received a comprehensive enteral nutrition program and two received TPN. By life-table analysis, the duration of remission was significantly greater in the nourished than the malnourished (P less than 0.01) and a trend towards improved survival was evident at one year (P = 0.08). The median length of survival for children nourished at diagnosis was approximately 12 months, whereas those malnourished had a median survival of only 5 months. Nine children remained nourished or were becoming renourished during the first 21 days of therapy, and one of these had treatment delays and decreased drug dosages. Seven were becoming malnourished or remained malnourished during this period and six had treatment delays (P less than 0.01). These data support the idea that nutrition staging at diagnosis and during initial treatment should be an integral part of protocol design and initial evaluation of children with Stage IV neuroblastoma.
Integrated coastal resources management and community participation in a small island setting

The concept of integrated coastal zone management must be rethought to adapt it to the geography and social conditions of small islands. Because of their size, all small islands are in the coastal zone. Defining the whole of the island and its coastal waters as the management area may weaken a program's effectiveness. An alternative may be to adapt special area management planning to the socio-spatial organization found on small islands. Social conditions on islands, where people live in relatively small cohesive communities, makes resource user participation in planning and management particularly germane. This paper outlines an argument for small islands to use participation as a central strategy of coastal management based on experience with natural resource management efforts on the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Design and analysis of a focused mammography imaging system with suppressed background radiation

A design concept of a mammography system is presented that is expected to reduce the background radiation without the penalty of the increased dosage or time. The monochromatic radiation from Mo target is Bragg reflected from a crystal mirror fabricated as per the Johansson geometry. Radiation then comes to a focus on the opposite side of the source point, and a pinhole located at this focal point will filter out the scattering from the bulk of the breast tissue. The focal spot size should be identical to the target spot size under an ideal circumstance. LiF crystal was assumed for the study, but any crystal with appropriate lattice constant and reflectivity can be adopted, depending on the difficulty of fabrication. Expected technical difficulties are presented and discussed.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Career Counseling With Juvenile Offenders: Effects on Self-Efficacy and Career Maturity

This study investigated the effect of career counseling on a juvenile offender population (N = 22). Results indicated the intervention produced significantly higher levels of career maturity and self-efficacy for the treatment group compared with a control group.
Metabolic Regulation by C1q/TNF-related Protein-13 (CTRP13) ACTIVATION OF AMP-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE AND SUPPRESSION OF FATTY ACID-INDUCED JNK SIGNALING

Members of the C1q/TNF family play important and diverse roles in the immune, endocrine, skeletal, vascular, and sensory systems. Here, we identify and characterize CTRP13, a new and extremely conserved member of the C1q/TNF family. CTRP13 is preferentially expressed by adipose tissue and the brain in mice and predominantly by adipose tissue in humans. Within mouse adipose tissue, CTRP13 is largely expressed by cells of the stromal vascular compartment. Due to sexually dimorphic expression patterns, female mice have higher transcript and circulating CTRP13 levels than males. CTRP13 transcript and circulating levels are elevated in obese male mice, suggesting a potential role in energy metabolism. The insulin-sensitizing drug rosiglitazone also increases the expression of CTRP13 in adipocytes, which correlates with the insulin-sensitizing action of CTRP13. In a heterologous expression system, CTRP13 is secreted as a disulfide-linked oligomeric protein. When co-expressed, CTRP13 forms heteromeric complexes with a closely related family member, CTRP10. This heteromeric association does not involve conserved N-terminal Cys residues. Functional studies using purified recombinant protein demonstrated that CTRP13 is an adipokine that promotes glucose uptake in adipocytes, myotubes, and hepatocytes via activation of the AMPK signaling pathway. CTRP13 also ameliorates lipid-induced insulin resistance in hepatocytes through suppression of the SAPK/JNK stress signaling that impairs the insulin signaling pathway. Further, CTRP13 reduces glucose output in hepatocytes by inhibiting the mRNA expression of gluconeogenic enzymes, glucose-6-phosphatase and the cytosolic form of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. These results provide the first functional characterization of CTRP13 and establish its importance in glucose homeostasis.
Pulmonary epithelial liquid absorption, expressed in relation to alveolar surface area, is reduced in fetal lambs following in utero tracheal occlusion

We examined the effect of accelerated lung growth, induced by in utero tracheal occlusion (TO), on lung liquid uptake in near-term fetal sheep. In utero TO was performed in five fetal sheep at 110 days of gestation (term, ∼145 days); six SHAM operated fetuses served as controls. The rate of liquid movement across the pulmonary epithelium was measured, using a previously established technique, in anesthetized fetal sheep between 133–137 days of gestation during a 2-hr adrenaline infusion (0.50 μg/min/kg, I.V.) and while lung luminal pressure was maintained at 5 mmHg. The rate of fetal lung liquid uptake was linear in all fetuses (mean r2 < 0.97, n = 11). Mean values of lung liquid uptake expressed in relation to dry lung weight and luminal surface area of the right lung were significantly lower in TO fetuses (1.8 ± 0.3 mL/hr/g and 1.0 ± 0.2 mL/hr/m2) than in SHAM fetuses (2.6 ± 0.2 mL/hr/g and 1.8 ± 0.1 mL/hr/m2); surface area of the right lung was 140% greater in TO fetuses than in SHAM fetuses. There was a linear relationship between lung liquid uptake and pulmonary epithelial surface area in SHAM animals, but not in TO fetuses. We hypothesize that loss of alveolar epithelial type-II cells induced by increased levels of fetal lung expansion may impair alveolar liquid clearance in the perinatal period. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002; 34:278–286. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Reflectance of the Intermetallic Compounds NiAl and CoAl

The reflectivities at normal incidence of samples of the intermetallic compounds NiAl and CoAl are presented in the photon energy region from 0.5 to 6.0 eV. The data and their interpretation are compared with those of Sambongi, Hagiwara and Yamadaya (J. Phys. Soc. Japan 21 (1966) 923).
Snakes and spiders: Brownian motion on R-trees

We consider diffusion processes on a class of ℝ-trees. The processes are defined in a manner similar to that of Le Gall's Brownian snake. Each point in the tree has a real-valued “height” or “generation”, and the height of the diffusion process evolves as a Brownian motion. When the height process decreases the diffusion retreats back along a lineage, whereas when the height process increases the diffusion chooses among branching lineages according to relative weights given by a possibly infinite measure on the family of lineages. The class of ℝ-trees we consider can have branch points with countably infinite branching and lineages along which the branch points have points of accumulation.
Making Microsoft Excel™: multimodal presentation of charts

Several solutions, based on aural and haptic feedback, have been developed to enable access to complex on-line information for people with visual impairments. Nevertheless, there are several components of widely used software applications that are still beyond the reach of screen readers and Braille displays.This paper investigates the non-visual accessibility issues associated with the graphing component of Microsoft Excel". The goal is to provide flexible multi-modal navigation schemes which can help visually impaired users in comprehending Excel charts. The methodology identifies the need for 3 strategies used in interaction: exploratory, guided, and summarization. Switching between them supports the development of a mental model of a chart. Aural cues and commentaries are integrated in a haptic presentation to help understanding the presented chart. The methodology has been implemented using the Novint Falcon haptic device.
Transplantation of a circadian pacemaker in Drosophila

A MAJOR question in the physiology of activity rhythms is the nature of the coupling between the pacemaker and the motor system. There is good evidence for humoral coupling in several species. In the sparrow, pineal organs from donor birds maintained in a light–dark cycle different from that of the host were transplanted into the anterior chamber of the eye of recipient birds made arrhythmic by pinealectomy. In this case the activity rhythm of the host was restored and its phase was determined by a diffusible humoral factor from the implanted pineal1. In the mollusc Aplysia humoral coupling between the circadian pacemaker and the output cells is thought to control locomotor activity, although electrical coupling has not been ruled out2. In insects, however, experiments involving cockroaches and silkmoths indicate that an intact electrical connection between the brain and thoracic ganglia is required for rhythmic activity. The pacemaker controlling the locomotor activity rhythm in the cockroach appears to reside in the optic lobes, and disruption of the electrical pathway between the optic lobes and thoracic ganglia results in arrhythmicity3–6. Initial transplant experiments with this insect indicated that activity could be hormonally controlled by the sub-oesophageal ganglion7. While these results have not been repeatable by other laboratories8–10, evidence from parabiosis experiments does suggest some humoral influence on the activity rhythm11. Surgical experiments using giant silkmoths have also demonstrated the need for an intact neural connection between brain and thorax for expression of the flight activity rhythm12. Thus, until now, there has been no unambiguous evidence for humoral control of activity rhythms in insects. Here we show that a short-period mutant brain can produce a short-period activity rhythm when implanted into the abdomen of a genetically arrhythmic host. In this instance, there were no functional neural connections between the implanted brain and the locomotor system of the recipient, so the action of the brain must be mediated by humoral influences.
The differentially conserved residues of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase.

Carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase (CPS) fromEscherichia coli is a heterodimeric protein. The larger of the two subunits (M r ∼118,000) contains a pair of homologous domains of approximately 400 residues each that are ∼40% identical in amino acid sequence. The carboxy phosphate (residues 1–400) and carbamoyl phosphate domains (residues 553–933) also contain ∼79 differentially conserved residues. These are residues that are conserved throughout the bacterial evolution of CPS in one of these homologous domains but not the other. The role of these differentially conserved residues in the structural and catalytic properties of CPS was addressed by swapping segments of these residues from one domain to the other. Nine of these chimeric mutant enzymes were constructed, expressed, purified, and characterized. A majority of the mutants were unable to synthesize any carbamoyl phosphate and the rest were severely crippled. True tandem repeat chimeric proteins were constructed by the complete substitution of one homologous domain sequence for the other. Neither of the two possible chimeric proteins was structurally stable. These results have been interpreted to demonstrate that the two homologous domains in the large subunit of CPS are functionally and structurally nonequivalent. This nonequivalence is a direct result of the specific functions each of these domains must perform during the overall synthesis of carbamoyl phosphate in the wild type enzyme and the specific structural alterations imposed by the differentially conserved residues.
The effect of impurities on chemisorption and activity of MgO-supported Rh

A study has been made of the effect of the activation temperature on the properties of Rh supported on MgO of various purities. Hydrogen chemisorption, ethane hydrogenolysis, and cyclohexane dehydrogenation were used as tests for metal-support interactions. When either a 98 or 99.5% pure MgO was used as support for Rh, we observed, respectively, a 3- or 20-fold decrease in H2 chemisorption capacity and a 3 or 5 order of magnitude suppression in ethane hydrogenolysis activity after a high temperature reduction (773 K) relative to a low temperautre reduction (523 K). The effect was reversible by oxidation at 673 K followed by reduction at low temperature in H2 and was dependent on the loading of Rh when the dispersion of the metal was kept about constant, i.e., the lower the loading, the more profound the effect. However, little effect of reduction temperatures was observed on H2 adsorption or ethane hydrogenolysis when a 99.999% pure MgO was used as support for Rh. The difference may be attributed to the impurities in the support, and in particular, sulfate is suspected to be the precursor of sulfide poisoning which is responsible for the apparent metal-support interaction in the RhMgO system.
LABOUR STUDIES, THE LIBERAL ARTS, AND THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

In the US, the value of liberal arts is in question as neo-liberal reformers push for a more instrumentalist form of higher education. Older traditions of worker education, however, along with more recent university-based labour studies programs, offer a compelling counter-narrative concerning the social and political purpose of higher education. Taking its cue from C.W. Mills’ notion of the sociological imagination, labour studies has the potential not only to re-energize the transformational mission of popular worker education, but reclaim the idea of higher education as a public good.
Analysis of the complex thermal behavior of poly(L-lactic acid) film. II. Samples crystallized from the melt

The complex thermal behavior of poly(L-lactic acid) films crystallized from the melt, either isothermally or nonisothermally, was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffraction, and small angle X-ray scattering. The variation of the thermal behavior with crystallization temperature, time, and cooling rate was documented and analyzed. After nonisothermal crystallization at low cooling rates that develop high crystallinity, an obvious double melting peak appears at modest heating rates (e.g., 10 °C/min). At higher heating rates, these samples exhibit only single melting. However, an unusual form of double melting occurs under the majority of the conditions studied under either isothermal or nonisothermal conditions. In this case, double melting is marked by the appearance of a recrystallization exotherm just prior to the final melting that obscures the observation of the melting of the crystals formed during the initial crystallization process. The occurrence of double melting in melt-crystallized samples was concluded to be the result of a melt-recrystallization process occurring during the subsequent DSC heating scan; it is a function of crystalline perfection, not the initial crystallinity, nor whether or not the crystallization reached completion at the crystallization temperature. Many other very interesting observations are also discussed.
Mast cells and mast cell-derived IL-13 play an important role in MDSC activation, migration, and accumulation. (TUM4P.925)

Until recently, the interaction between mast cells (MCs) and CD11b+Gr-1+ myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) was limited to recruitment of MDSCs to the tumor site. However, we report that MCs are also needed for the activity of MDSCs. Adoptive transfer (AT) of MDSCs failed to promote B16 melanoma colonization in MC deficient mice. MDSCs in these mice also failed to localize to the liver and stayed mainly in peripheral blood. MC sufficient mice accumulated MDSCs in the liver and retained significantly lower levels of MDSCs in circulation after AT. Recently, Ma et al. (Cancer Res. 2013 Jul 1; 73(13);3927-37.) has shown that MC derived IL-13 has been show to promote the growth of pancreatic ductal carcinoma. Given this, we investigated the role that IL-13 plays in the MDSC/MC interaction. Our data shows that IL-13 KO mice crossed to ADAM10Tg mice, which carry a mutation resulting in the over-accumulation of MDSCs, have significantly decreased MDSC accumulation in the naive state, especially evident in the granulocytic subset. In a model of natural MDSC accumulation (Lewis Lung Carcinoma, i.v.), IL-13 KO mice had reduced tumor colonization to the lungs. They also had reduced MDSC accumulation in the liver and spleen, but increased number in circulation. Taken together, our data indicates that MCs and IL-13, an important MC-derived cytokine, play an important role in MDSC migration and accumulation and represent important drug targets for the control of MDSCs in tumor.
A Test of a Partial Theory of Potential for Political Violence

Potential for political violence is defined by a summated scale built from two cumulative scales measuring approval of and readiness to engage in behaviors which constitute progressively greater challenge to a political regime. A prevalent explanation of potential for political violence proposes that the major direct antecedent is relative deprivation. The partial theory proposed here does not assign a central role to relative deprivation; rather, diffuse support for the political authority structure, and belief that political violence has led to goal attainment in the past, are proposed as major direct antecedents. Relative deprivation is denned by position on the Cantril Self-Anchoring scale with respect to three welfare values. The measure of diffuse affect for the political authority structure is a weighted summation of items measuring the degree to which political authorities are believed to wield power honestly, benevolently, and justly. Belief that political violence has led to goal attainment is denned as a summation of items measuring the degree to which the use of political violence by dissident groups is thought to have been helpful. The data base is a sample of a population in which instances of political violence have been frequent in the past. A linear additive model of Potential for Political Violence, with Trust in Political Authorities and Efficacy of Past Violence as describing variables, shows an accuracy of prediction which is satisfactory and superior to that yielded by a multiplicative model.
Evaluation of the "amount effect" at speleothem sites in the Asian monsoon region

Oxygen isotope measurements from speleothems have been used to infer past hydrological cycles because the isotopic composition of precipitation is observed to decrease with increasing precipitation rates over low latitude coastal and island stations (the "amount effect"). Here we show that local precipitation amount can be inferred from the differences in oxygen isotopic composition if the measurement site is in a subtropical coastal region where water vapor is transported directly from the ocean. The amount effect works because vapor from local evaporation and vapor imported from other regions have distinctly different isotopic compositions – the δ18O of vapor flux from evaporation is ~10‰ higher than the δ18O of imported vapor over subtropical oceanic regions – and precipitation is usually higher over the area with larger convergence. Thus, δ18O in precipitation can differentiate between the contribution of local evaporation and moisture convergence if the isotopic composition of local evaporation and or transported vapor remains relatively constant. Our work indicates that sites further inland may not be suitable for studying the changes in local precipitation amount but still reflect the combined changes of precipitation amount and changes in vapor transport pattern. We have shown that Hulu Cave is a reasonable site to interpret precipitation from δ18Op: estimated precipitation difference between present-day and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) from measured δ18Op difference (1~2‰) would be 0.8–2.2 mm/day (lower during the LGM) assuming our model simulates evapotranspiration reasonably well at this site.
Picture Exchange Communication System With Individuals With Developmental Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of Single Subject Studies

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a picture-based communication strategy used to teach communication skills to persons with developmental disabilities including autism. This article systematically reviews 13 published single-subject studies to examine the effectiveness of PECS, the effects of PECS on speech and problem behaviors, generalization beyond training conditions, and social validity of the intervention. The authors also calculated percentage of nonoverlapping data points for all participants to quantify, compare, and analyze results. Results indicate that PECS yielded increases in functional communication in all but 1 participant. Additionally, PECS decreased problem behaviors and increased speech in some individuals. A theoretical framework, analyses of methodologies, and implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
TreeRank: a similarity measure for nearest neighbor searching in phylogenetic databases

Phylogenetic trees are unordered labeled trees in which each leaf node has a label and the order among siblings is unimportant. In this paper we propose a new similarity measure, called TreeRank, for phylogenetic trees and present an algorithm for computing TreeRank scores. Given a query or pattern tree P and a data tree D, the TreeRank score from P to D is a measure of the topological relationships in P that are found to be the same or similar in D. The proposed algorithm calculates the TreeRank score in O(M/sup 2/ + N) time where M is the number of nodes appearing in both P and D, and N is the number of nodes in D. We then develop a search engine that, given a query or pattern tree P and a database of trees D, finds and ranks the nearest neighbors of P in D where the "nearness" is measured by the proposed similarity function. This structure-based search engine is fully operational and is available on the World Wide Web.
Dynamic Constraint-Based Energy-Saving Control of Pneumatic Servo Systems

This paper proposes a control approach that can provide significant energy savings for the control of pneumatic servo systems. The control methodology is formulated by decoupling the standard four-way spool valve used for pneumatic servo control into two three-way valves, then using the resulting two control degrees of freedom to simultaneously satisfy a performance constraint (which for this paper is based on the sliding mode sliding condition), and an energy-saving dynamic constraint that minimizes cylinder pressures. The control formulation is presented, followed by experimental results that indicate significant energy savings with essentially no compromise in tracking performance relative to control with a standard four-way spool valve.
Policy Watch Child Support Policies

With more parents living apart, the societal problem of parents who fail to share with each other or with their children becomes more acute. Although governments have mainly relied on public transfers to address the resulting economic hardships among children, the emphasis has been shifting toward mandatory sharing through the rigorous enforcement of child support laws. This paper first describes the economic context for child support; the expanding federal role in regulating awards and collections; the complex array of incentive and equity effects associated with child support; the record of obtaining support payments from noncustodial parents; and the effects of new award-setting and enforcement policies. Finally, it considers the child support assurance system (CSAS) approach, recently proposed in Congress. Under this plan, the government would make up the difference between some minimum assured payment and the child support actually paid by the non-custodial parent.
Lateral and posterior dynamic bending of the mid-shaft femur: fracture risk curves for the adult population.

The objective of this research was to develop injury risk functions for dynamic bending of the human femur in the posterior-to-anterior and lateral-to-medial loading directions. Forty -five experiments were done on human cadaver femurs using a dynamic three-point drop test setup. An impactor of 9.8 kg was dropped from 2.2 m for an impact velocity of 5 m/s. Five-axis load cells measured the support and impactor loads, and an in situ strain gage measured the failure strain and subsequent strain rate. All 45 tests resulted in mid-shaft femur fractures with oblique and comminuted wedge fractures as the most common fracture patterns. In the posterior-to-anterior bending tests the impactor loads were 4310 + or - 1040 N, and the reaction loads were 3780 + or - 930 N. In the lateral-to-medial bending tests the impactor loads were 4780 + or - 792 N, and the reaction loads were 4180 + or - 764 N. The difference between the sum of the reaction forces and the applied load is due to inertial effects. Femur cross-sectional area, maximum distance to the neutral axis, occupant mass, area moment of inertia, and occupant gender are found to be significant predictors of fracture tolerance. No significant difference is found for bone mineral density, loading direction, age, and leg aspect.
Institutional Pressures and an Evolving Forest Carbon Market

It is estimated that 87 million acres of forestland in the United States (US) is managed by private industrial forestland owners (nearly 14% of the forestland nationwide). Private industrial forestland owners include forest product companies, Timber Investment Management Organizations (TIMOs) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Current regulatory and voluntary carbon markets, as well as proposed national emission reduction legislation, in the US make provisions for substantial carbon offsets from domestic forestry projects. This research employs the theory of planned behavior by means of an online questionnaire in order to survey large industrial forestland owners (>30 000 acres) regarding intentions to manage forestland for carbon sequestration and trading. Quantitative results suggest that very few organizations (18%) were managing forestland for carbon values. Attitudes towards carbon sequestration and trading were significantly influenced by the managers' beliefs that emission reduction legislation would become law and that US forest carbon offsets can be used as a legitimate climate change mitigation tool. Qualitative results revealed that most organizations are taking a passive approach to carbon sequestration and trading until a suitable regulatory framework emerges and carbon prices provide the conditions for a sound investment. The researchers suggest that, given the size and scope of the climate change phenomenon as well as the multifaceted and unified mitigation strategy required to address it, the development of functional carbon markets will be an iterative process and may require a global carbon framework that reflects the globalized nature of the forest economy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
New signal processing techniques for improved reliability of impedance cardiography

Different techniques have been developed for parameter extraction and segmentation of the impedance cardiogram for improved reliability and precision of beat-to-beat determination of systolic time intervals, stroke volume, and related cardiac indices. The solutions presented improve on previous techniques by: (1) substantially reducing jitter in the localization of events within the cardiac cycle; (2) providing exact determination of signal amplitudes even in the presence of artifacts and interference signals; and (3) eliminating the influence of respiratory signal modulation on parameter extraction. >
Acute phase reactants

Summary 1. Serum nonglucosamine polysaccharides were determined in fifty-seven patients with rheumatic fever or related disease in an active phase and in thirty patients with inactive rheumatic fever. 2. Elevated serum levels of these substances were observed consistently in every individual who was studied during the active phase of any of these diseases with the exceptions of one patient suffering with active Sydenham's chorea and one patient suffering with active lipoid nephrosis. 3. Many, but not all, patients with inactive rheumatic fever exhibited normal serum levels of nonglucosamine polysaccharides. Statistical analysis reveals a significant difference between the serum nonglucosamine polysaccharide levels of the inactive rheumatic fever patients studied and the control group.
Metabolomics Identifies Pyrimidine Starvation as the Mechanism of 5-Aminoimidazole-4-Carboxamide-1-β-Riboside-Induced Apoptosis in Multiple Myeloma Cells

To investigate the mechanism by which AICAr induces apoptosis in multiple myeloma (MM) cells, we performed an unbiased metabolomics screen. AICAr had selective effects on nucleotide metabolism, resulting in an increase in purine metabolites and a decrease in pyrimidine metabolites. The most striking abnormality was a 26 x fold increase in orotate associated with a decrease in UMP levels, indicating an inhibition of UMP synthetase (UMPS), the last enzyme in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway, which produces UMP from orotate and PRPP. As all pyrimidine nucleotides can be synthesized from UMP, this suggested the decrease in UMP would lead to pyrimidine starvation as a possible cause of AICAr-induced apoptosis. Exogenous pyrimidines uridine, cytidine and thymidine, but not purines adenosine or guanosine, rescued MM cells from AICAr-induced apoptosis, supporting this notion. In contrast, exogenous uridine had no protective effect on apoptosis resulting from bortezomib, melphalan or metformin. Rescue resulting from thymidine add-back indicated apoptosis was induced by limiting DNA synthesis rather than RNA synthesis. DNA replicative stress was identified by associated H2A.X phosphorylation in AICAr-treated cells, which was also prevented by uridine add-back. Although phosphorylation of AICAr by adenosine kinase was required to induce MM cell death, apoptosis was not associated with AMP-activated kinase activation or mTORC1 inhibition. A possible explanation for inhibition of UMP synthase activity by AICAr was a depression in cellular levels of PRPP, a substrate of UMP synthase. These data identify pyrimidine biosynthesis as a potential molecular target for future therapeutics in MM cells.
ANALYSIS OF SYNAPTIC INPUTS AND TARGETS OF PHYSIOLOGICALLY CHARACTERIZED NEURONS IN RAT FRONTAL CORTEX : COMBINED IN VIVO INTRACELLULAR RECORDING AND IMMUNOLABELING

Ultrastructural immunocytochemical identification of transmitters in afferent terminals and targets of individual physiologically characterized neurons is essential for understanding the complex circuitry within the mammalian neocortex. For this type of analysis, we examined the utility of combining in vivo intracellular recording and biocytin injections with silver intensified 1 nm immunogold labeling of GABA and the catecholamine synthesizing enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). These transmitters are found in local neurons and afferents known to prominently modulate the activity of pyramidal neurons in the neocortex. Individual neurons were physiologically characterlzea and filled with biocytin in the frontal cortex of anesthetized rats. The brains were then preserved by vascular perfusion with aldehydes. Single vibratome sections through the recording site were reacted (1) for immunoperoxidase detection of biocytin and (2) for immunogold labeling of GABA or TH. Dually labeled sections were processed for light microscopy or embedded in plastic for electron microscopy. The dense peroxidase product for biocytin was detected in pyramidal neurons. These were located in superficial as well as deep cortical laminae. and were readily distinguished from immunogold silver labeling. GABA labeled terminals formed symmetric synapses with larger biocytin filled dendrites, whereas the TH labeled terminals contacted distal dendrites and spines. Peroxidase labeling for biocytin also was seen in a few axon terminals forming synapses with unlabeled and with GABA immunoreactive dendrites. These results suggest that single pyramidal neurons of the rat frontal cortex receive dual input from both GABA and catecholamine terminals. Additionally, this study demonstrates the usefulness of silver enhancement of 1 nm coilloidal gold prior to plastic embedding for electron microscopic detection of neurotransmitters within afferents and targets of neurons physiologically characterized in vivo. © 1994 Wiley-Liss. Inc.
Experimental demonstration of a 2.5 Gbps incoherent 2D OCDMA system

We demonstrate error-free operation of 4 simultaneous users in a fast frequency-hopping time-spreading OCDMA system at 2.5 Gbps. Effective power penalty was < 0.5 dB. Ultrafast all optical sampling gate was used to eliminate multiple access interference
International Law and Guantanamo

T HE UNITED STATES presence at Guantanamo is a situation of legal and strategic significance worthy of serious concern. This study is an attempt to clarify the legal nature of the Guantanamo lease-hold. It is also offered as a case study of the role of law in United States international relations. After the Spanish-American War,, the United States insisted' that the new Cuban state include in its constitution provisions establishing the United States-Cuban relationship as indicated in the Platt Amendment. Article VII of this Amendment states,
A Family of One-Dimensional Oxides: Sr3MlrO6 (M = Ni, Cu, Zn): Structure and Magnetic Properties

The structures and magnetic properties of Sr{sub 3}ZnIrO{sub 6}, Sr{sub 3}CuIrO{sub 6} are presented. The structure of Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6} was solved by Rietveld analysis of powder neutron data. The structure refined in space group R3c, with a = 9.5806(1) and c = 11.1315(2) {angstrom}. The structure consists of infinite chains of alternating IrO{sub 6} octahedra and NiO{sub 6} trigonal prisms. The structures of Sr{sub 3}ZnIrO{sub 6} and Sr{sub 3}CuIrO{sub 6} are closely related to that of Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6}. Magnetic susceptibility studies show that Sr{sub 3}NiIrO{sub 6} undergoes complex magnetic transitions as a function of temperature and achieves a singlet ground state below 15 K. Low-temperature neutron diffraction does not show any evidence for structural changes. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of Sr{sub 3}CuIrO{sub 6} display ferromagnetic ordering below 40K. Measurements of the saturation magnetization at applied fields of up to 20 T display virtually no hysteresis loop, indicating that Sr{sub 3}CuIrO{sub 6} is a very soft ferromagnet. The saturation magnetization of 0.61 {mu}{sub {beta}} is lower than that expected for two unpaired electrons. Sr{sub 3}CuIrO{sub 6} orders antiferromagnetically. The data were fit to an alternating-chain Heisenberg model. The structures and magnetic properties of these one-dimensional oxides are discussed.
Stereoselective metabolism of 8- and 9-fluorobenzo[a]pyrene by rat liver microsomes: absolute configurations of trans-dihydrodiol metabolites.

Rat liver microsomal metabolism of 8‐fluorobenzo[a]pyrene (8‐fluoro‐BaP) generated 3‐hydroxy‐8‐fluora‐BaP, 8‐fluoro‐BaP trans‐4,5‐dihydrodiol, and 8‐fluoro‐BaP, 3,6‐quinone as major products. A minor metabolite of 8‐fluoro‐BaP was tentatively assigned as 8‐fluoro‐BaP 9,10‐dihydrodiol. Metabolism of 9‐fluorobenzo[a] pyrene (9‐fluoro‐BaP) gave 3‐hydroxy‐9‐fluoro‐BaP, 9‐fluoro‐BaP trans‐4,5‐dihydrodiol, 9‐fluoro‐BaP trans‐7,8‐dihydrodiol, and 9‐fluoro‐BaP 3,6‐quinone. All three dihydrodiol metabolites were optically active. Comparison of the circular dichroism spectra of BaP 4R,5R‐dihydrodiol, 6‐bromo‐BaP 7R,8R‐dihydrodiol, and 6‐fluoro‐BaP 7R,8R‐dihydrodiol with those of the respective dihydrodiol metabolites allowed assignments of an R,R absolute configuration to the major enantiomers of the three dihydrodiol metabolites.
pH-Dependent Amyloid and Protofibril Formation by the ABri Peptide of Familial British Dementia

The ABri is a 34 residue peptide that is the major component of amyloid deposits in familial British dementia. In the amyloid deposits, the ABri peptide adopts aggregated beta-pleated sheet structures, similar to those formed by the Abeta peptide of Alzheimer's disease and other amyloid forming proteins. As a first step toward elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the beta-amyloidosis, we explored the ability of the environmental variables (pH and peptide concentration) to promote beta-sheet fibril structures for synthetic ABri peptides. The secondary structures and fibril morphology were characterized in parallel using circular dichroism, atomic force microscopy, negative stain electron microscopy, Congo red, and thioflavin-T fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. As seen with other amyloid proteins, the ABri fibrils had characteristic binding with Congo red and thioflavin-T, and the relative amounts of beta-sheet and amyloid fibril-like structures are influenced strongly by pH. In the acidic pH range 3.1-4.3, the ABri peptide adopts almost exclusively random structure and a predominantly monomeric aggregation state, on the basis of analytical ultracentrifugation measurements. At neutral pH, 7.1-7.3, the ABri peptide had limited solubility and produced spherical and amorphous aggregates with predominantly beta-sheet secondary structure, whereas at slightly acidic pH, 4.9, spherical aggregates, intermediate-sized protofibrils, and larger-sized mature amyloid fibrils were detected by atomic force microscopy. With aging at pH 4.9, the protofibrils underwent further association and eventually formed mature fibrils. The presence of small amounts of aggregated peptide material or seeds encourage fibril formation at neutral pH, suggesting that generation of such seeds in vivo could promote amyloid formation. At slightly basic pH, 9.0, scrambling of the Cys5-Cys22 disulfide bond occurred, which could lead to the formation of covalently linked aggregates. The presence of the protofibrils and the enhanced aggregation at slightly acidic pH is consistent with the behavior of other amyloid-forming proteins, which supports the premise that a common mechanism may be involved in protein misfolding and beta-amyloidosis.