cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache

Objective.—To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. Background.—Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. Methods.—Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. The initial olanzapine dose was 5 mg, and the dose was increased to 10 mg if there was no pain relief. The dosage was decreased to 2.5 mg if the 5-mg dose was effective but caused adverse effects. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. Results.—Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and two patients became headache-free after taking the drug. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. Conclusions.—Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. It alleviates pain quickly and has a consistent response across multiple treated attacks. It appears to work in both episodic and chronic cluster headache.
Asymptotic optimality for consensus-type stochastic approximation algorithms using iterate averaging

This paper introduces a post-iteration averaging algorithm to achieve asymptotic optimality in convergence rates of stochastic approximation algorithms for consensus control with structural constraints. The algorithm involves two stages. The first stage is a coarse approximation obtained using a sequence of large stepsizes. Then, the second stage provides a refinement by averaging the iterates from the first stage. We show that the new algorithm is asymptotically efficient and gives the optimal convergence rates in the sense of the best scaling factor and ‘smallest’ possible asymptotic variance.
Numerical Simulation of Spatial and Spectral Crosstalk in Two-Color MWIR/LWIR HgCdTe Infrared Detector Arrays

The sequential two-color Hg1−xCdxTe architecture has emerged as a key technology in the development of third-generation infrared detectors. Due to the expense required to manufacture these devices, it is imperative to create numerical models which can predict the electrical and optical behavior of the technology as well as evaluate design concepts prior to exhaustive development. We have developed a three-dimensional simulation model which fully accounts for the optical phenomena that become increasingly important in small pixels and uses a drift–diffusion approach to determine the electrical behavior of the device. In particular, we employ a finite-difference time- domain method to solve Maxwell’s equations and a finite-element method to evaluate the solutions of the coupled Poisson and carrier continuity equations. We apply our simulation model to simulate the dynamic resistance and current density versus voltage characteristics of this detector architecture. The quantum efficiency is then determined for both spectral bands while observing the effects of variable pixel pitch and detector geometry. Finally, we use a spatially finite Gaussian beam to analyze the crosstalk and perform a simulated spot scan.
A Gene Knockout Corroborates the Integral Function of Cellular Retinol-binding Protein in Retinoid Metabolism

Continually expanding evidence has moved inexorably toward establishing key functions for cellular retinol-binding protein (CRBP) in retinoid metabolism. These experimental data integrate into a model of CRBP as a chaperone that protects retinol from the cellular milieu and interacts with certain retinoid-metabolizing enzymes. Mutant mice with an inactivated CRBP gene show decreased liver retinyl ester storage, a shorter elimination half-life of liver retinoids, and predisposition to vitamin A deficiency. No morphologic phenotype was observed until vitamin A was exhausted. Although the mechanisms underlying diminished vitamin A in the CRBP-null mice have not been elucidated, the observations support the model of CRBP as a chaperone of retinoid metabolism.
Integrating Structures and Design in the First-Year Studio

Introducing structures learning to the first-year architectural design studio situates structures as fundamental to both the design process and architectural expression. At the Illinois Institute of Technology, we use dynamic modeling techniques and large-scale installations to help students develop a visual and tacit structural intelligence, and to encourage students to take a greater interest in structural systems as a design concern. Similar to a design-build teaching model, our approach relies upon active experimentation with structural models and installations, and reveals the latent design potential in structural systems.
A Primate Model for the Study of Human Fever

The effect of semipurified human leukocytic pyrogen isolated in vitro from neutrophilic leukocytes was studied in awake, chair-restrained rhesus monkeys. Intravenously administered leukocytic pyrogen elicited (1) a monophasic fever of short duration and latency to onset that varied from animal to animal and (2) a febrile response that was much greater at night, when the base-line temperature is low, than during the day, when the base-line temperature is high. Intravenous indomethacin, in contrast to large intravenous doses of sodium salicylate, reduced the febrile response to leukocytic pyrogen. Rapid, repeated injections of leukocytic pyrogen prolonged the febrile response from 1 1/2 to 5 1/2 hr, at which point there was a sudden 300%-400% increase in fever increment over a 30-min period. Since the rhesus monkey is as sensitive to human leukocytic pyrogen as the rabbit, it is proposed that this primate might serve as a useful model in investigations directed toward the understanding of the pathophysiology of fever in human beings.
Affinity maturation of NZB and BALB/cV mice anti-fluorescyl response

Abstract Immunoglobulin affinity maturation of the anti-fluorescyl response was assessed with time and compared in groups (12 weeks old) of New Zealand Black (NZB) and BALB/cV mice, following intraperitoneal immunization with 100 μg of F(I) 220 KLH per 15g of body weight. Affinity measurements were based on the quantitation of fluorescence quenching of fluorescein when specifically bound by immunoglobulin, and were expressed as relative association constants ( Krs ). Although Kr varied significantly within each group of mice, quantitative and qualitative differences in the pattern of affinity maturation between the two strains of mice were evident. NZB mice demonstrated a relatively more rapid increase in Kr and attained a higher average Kr for the primary response than BALB/cV mice. Thus, the NZB primary response resembled the BALB/cV secondary response kinetically and in the extent of affinity maturation. Secondary immunization of NZB mice did not result in an increase in affinity relative to the primary response. In contrast, reimmunization of BALB/cV mice produced a secondary anti-fluorescyl response of significantly higher affinity than the primary one. Comparison of affinity maturation patterns between the two mouse strains indicated a significant difference in responding lymphocyte populations. Since T s activity in young NZB mice is known to be defective, a possible role for T s function in the process of affinity maturation is discussed.
A mathematical model of transmural transport of oxygen to the retina

A mathematical model of transmural transport of oxygen to a metabolizing retina is presented based on the equations of fluid dynamics. The equations of oxygen transfer are derived and then solved subject to the condition that the capillaries begin to transport oxygen at an initial time. The resulting transient analysis gives us insight into how diffusive and filtrative processes lead to the oxygen distributions both inside and outside capillaries. On the other hand, the steady state solution allows us to predict the cutoff intraocular pressure above which no oxygen is transferred to retinal tissue. It also gives quantitative relationships which allow us to postulate how intracapillary hypertension counterbalances elevated intraocular pressures and how low pressure glaucoma may arise from ineffective diffusive and filtrative processes of oxygen transport.
Is Interest Profile Level Relevant to Career Counseling

The extent to which interest profile level reflects response style (e.g., yeasaying) is reported for 23 diverse samples (10 interest inventories; N = 53,429). Concurrent validity data (2 samples; Ns = 4,645 and 386,836) and longitudinal validity data (1 sample; N = 3,612) were used to determine whether profile level is relevant to career counseling. For each sample, subsamples with high and low interest profiles were formed and subsample differences in profile differentiation and shape were controlled. The degree of match between interest-based Holland-type (J. L. Holland, 1997) and membership in Holland-type criterion groups was about the same for each of the 3 high-low profile pairs. Thus, it appears that interest profile level does not indicate strength of interest. Implications for counselors are noted.
In vitro studies of the calculus-inhibiting properties of tooth surface polishing agents and chelating agents.

A series of in vitro studies was conducted to determine the effects of flour of pumice, magnesium silicate-zirconium silicate, and zirconium silicate on the deposition of calculuslike material on bovine enamel sections or human dentin-cementum sections. Flour of pumice used as a "prophylaxis type" agent did not have any effect on the deposition of calculuslike material. Zirconium silicate used as a prophylactic agent on bovine enamel reduced in vitro calculus formation by 32.0 to 38.0%. Daily rinses with a 5.0% aqueous solution of an amidopolyphosphate reduced calculus formation significantly on bovine enamel by 57.0 to 68.2% when compared with nontreated enamel sections.
Women's Job Loss and Material Hardship

SUMMARY This research uses data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation to explore the relationship between unemployment and material hardship for women who were employed at the beginning of the 1996 survey panel. Using two-stage logistic regression analysis, we find that, controlling for demographics and initial poverty status, having been or currently being unemployed increases the relative odds of experiencing one or more of six hardship measures by half and doubles the relative likelihood of lacking telephone service or failing to receive needed medical care. Experiences of food insufficiency, inadequate dental care, and loss of or inability to pay for housing increase more than sixty percent with unemployment. Those previously or currently unemployed are also substantially more likely to have difficulty maintaining utility service than the continuously employed. The article concludes with a discussion of policies that would enhance employment tenure and help avoid hardship during unemploy...
A molecular method for the delivery of small molecules and proteins across the cell wall of algae using molecular transporters

Interest in algae has significantly accelerated with the increasing recognition of their potentially unique role in medical, materials, energy, bioremediation, and synthetic biological research. However, the introduction of tools to study, control, or expand the inner-workings of algae has lagged behind. Here we describe a general molecular method based on guanidinium-rich molecular transporters (GR-MoTrs) for bringing small and large cargos into algal cells. Significantly, this method is shown to work in wild-type algae that have an intact cell wall. Developed using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, this method is also successful with less studied algae including Neochloris oleoabundans and Scenedesmus dimorphus thus providing a new and versatile tool for algal research.
Fingerprint matching of E. coli strains with matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry of whole cells using a modified correlation approach

We have developed a mathematical algorithm to compare and distinguish matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectra of whole bacteria cells. This fingerprint matching technique eliminates the subjectivity involved in visually comparing two spectra to determine whether they match and it provides a quantitative measure of spectral similarity. Using it, we have distinguished twenty five different strains of a single bacteria species, E. coli. Cells are grown in culture, samples are prepared, and MALDI-TOF mass spectra are recorded for each strain. Pairs of spectra are compared by a modified cross-correlation procedure. This modified approach increases the sensitivity of correlation analysis to small spectral differences. The technique can be fine-tuned by varying the number of intervals into which spectra are divided.
Response of Dairy Cows to Two Systems of Distributing Annual Concentrates Over the Lactation Cycle

Abstract Dairy cows fed a majority of their annual concentrate during early lactation were compared to cows fed approximately equivalent amounts distributed evenly throughout the year. Forage was ad libitum for both treatments. Percentages of annual concentrates consumed during days 1 to 180 postpartum of first, second, and third experimental lactations were 49.4, 49.5, and 49.4 for Treatment 1 and 73.8, 66.9, and 66.6 for Treatment 2. The 180- day fat-corrected milk for the respective lactations, 3,954, 4,210, and 4,332kg for Treatment 1 and 4,367, 4,312, and 4,169kg for Treatment 2, was different between treatments (P .05) for Treatment 1 in all three lactations, and year-end body condition did not differ between treatments (P>.05). Average milk fat per cent did not differ between treatments in any lactation either during Days 1 to 180 or the total lactation. Average milk protein per cent was lower for treatment 1 for Days 1 to 180 postpartum (P
Meaningful posts and online learning in Blackboard across four cohorts of adult learners

In the present study, meaningful posts were tracked in Blackboard in a longitudinal study of a graduate statistics course in order to predict online learning. In previous research by the present author, digital immigrants from a baby-boomer cohort fare better than digital natives due to social reliance and meaningful posts. Meaningful posts include discussion comments that reflect meaning-based engagement with the course material. Students with optimal patterns and types of discussion participation do better than those students who just follow a point system of quantity-based engagement. Students were given three behavioral assessments and then monitored for meaningful posts and successful online behavior using the tracking features within Blackboard. Results were analyzed using a multiple regression and showed that a significant percentage of online learning is predicted by meaningful posts and homework performance while total online activity does not uniquely predict learning outcomes. Students with more meaningful posts show more engagement with the online materials and better learning than those with less meaningful posts.
A 10-Gb/s CMOS clock and data recovery circuit with a half-rate linear phase detector

A 10-Gb/s phase-locked clock and data recovery circuit incorporates an interpolating voltage-controlled oscillator and a half-rate phase detector. The phase detector provides a linear characteristic while retiming and demultiplexing the data with no systematic phase offset. Fabricated in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology in an area of 1.1/spl times/0.9 mm/sup 2/, the circuit exhibits an RMS jitter of 1 ps, a peak-to-peak jitter of 14.5 ps in the recovered clock, and a bit-error rate of 1.28/spl times/10/sup -6/, with random data input of length 2/sup 23/-1. The power dissipation is 72 mW from a 2.5-V supply.
Impact of aprotinin on adverse clinical outcomes and mortality up to 12 years in a registry of 3,337 patients.

Background Recent studies have suggested increased renal complications and long-term mortality with aprotinin use in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients. However, these studies have been criticized for including multiple centers and different dosing strategies. We analyzed prospectively collected registry data from a single center hospital utilizing a full-dose aprotinin regimen to evaluate if aprotinin was associated with increased mortality and adverse outcomes compared with Amicar. Methods Data were prospectively collected from 1994 to 2006 at a teaching hospital. Long-term mortality was collected from a Social Security database. To account for differences between aprotinin and Amicar-treated patients, a propensity score was generated and propensity-stratified multivariate model for mortality were performed. Results Compared with Amicar-treated patients (n = 1,830), aprotinin-treated patients (n = 1,507) were older, more often female, had lower creatinine clearance, and more baseline risk factors. Blood loss was lower in aprotinin-treated patients (median 715 mL vs 918 mL, p p p p p -trend Conclusions Among patients undergoing CABG in this registry, aprotinin use was associated with increased renal failure and higher mortality through 12 years in a propensity-stratified analysis. The increased mortality may be related to higher concentrations of aprotinin received.
Sex differences in fitness following, a group take-over among Toque macaques: testing models of social evolution

A group of toque macaques took-over the home range of one of its subordinate neighboring groups and fused with it to form a larger cohesive group. In the 7 years before the take-over, the dominant group had consistently won all contests at common feeding sites, yet the fitnesses of the females of these two groups did not differ significantly (Fig. 2A). After the take-over the females of the subjugated group occupied the lowest ranks in the combined dominance hierarchy of the merged groups (Fig. 1) and thereby lost the advantages of an own home range, such as priority of access to food. Consequently, in the merged group, survivorship and reproductive success among the subjugated females were significantly less than among the females of the dominant subgroup (Table 2, 4). The dominant matrilines grew numerically and replaced all of the subjugated females, and all but one of their offspring, within 8 years after the take-over (Fig. 2B). These data support the hypothesis that cooperation among female kin in defending resources against strange females is important in the evolution of female-bonded groups. Before the merger all 5 natal males of the subordinate group had transferred to the dominant group, where they occupied high and mid-level dominance ranks (Fig. 1). These males survived at a significantly greater rate than their subordinate female kin. Thus, the cost of group transfer seems to be greater for females than for males, and this may be one reason that females generally do not emigrate or that groups do not fuse. The data suggested three hypotheses. First, since large body size and other adaptations for fighting, giving males an advantage in male-male competition for mates, are also of advantage in resource competition with males and females, such male characters may also be favored by non-sexual selection, especially where male reproductive strategy involves group transfer. Second, female bonded groups evolved as female defensive coalitions against not only female but also male resource competitors, there having been a mutual influence in the coevolution of large-sized males and female gregariousness. Third, female defensive coalitions against large-sized aggressive males are also advantageous out-side the context of food competition, or, independent of foraging strategy.
The Lysis-Lysogeny Decision of Bacteriophage 933W: a 933W Repressor-Mediated Long-Distance Loop Has No Role in Regulating 933W PRM Activity

ABSTRACT Our data show that unlike bacteriophage λ, repressor bound at OL of bacteriophage 933W has no role in regulation of 933W repressor occupancy of 933W OR3 or the transcriptional activity of 933W PRM. This finding suggests that a cooperative long-range loop between repressor tetramers bound at OR and OL does not form in bacteriophage 933W. Nonetheless, 933W forms lysogens, and 933W prophage display a threshold response to UV induction similar to related lambdoid phages. Hence, the long-range loop thought to be important for constructing a threshold response in lambdoid bacteriophages is dispensable. The lack of a loop requires bacteriophage 933W to use a novel strategy in regulating its lysis-lysogeny decisions. As part of this strategy, the difference between the repressor concentrations needed to bind OR2 and activate 933W PRM transcription or bind OR3 and repress transcription from PRM is
Microstructural evolution in rapidly solidified Al-Fe alloys: An alternative explanation

The solidification sequences in aluminum containing 8 and 16 wt pct iron are described in terms of the formation of metastable and stable primary intermetallic phases. These alloys were studied in the chill-cast and splat-quenched conditions, and marked differences in microstructure due to the different cooling rates were observed. Contrary to previous work, it is proposed that the 50-nm intercellular particles observed in the “zone A” regions of the splat-quenched alloys are primary in nature; this may account, in part, for their remarkable thermal stability.
Earthquakes and Fault Creep on the Northern San Andreas Fault

Abstract At present there is an absence of both fault creep and small earthquakes on the northern San Andreas fault, which had a magnitude 8 earthquake with 5 m of slip in 1906. The fault has apparently been dormant after the 1906 earthquake. One possibility is that the fault is ‘locked’ in some way and only produces great earthquakes. An alternative possibility, presented here, is that the lack of current activity on the northern San Andreas fault is because of a lack of sufficient elastic strain after the 1906 earthquake. This is indicated by geodetic measurements at Fort Ross in 1874, 1906 (post-earthquake), and 1969, which show that the strain accumulation in 1969 (69 · 10−6 engineering strain) was only about one-third of the strain release (rebound) in the 1906 earthquake (200 · 10−6 engineering strain). The large difference in seismicity before and after 1906, with many strong local earthquakes from 1836 to 1906, but only a few strong earthquakes from 1906 to 1976, also indicates a difference of elastic strain. The geologic characteristics (serpentine, fault straightness) of most of the northern San Andreas fault are very similar to the characteristics of the fault south of Hollister, where fault creep is occurring. Thus, the current absence of fault creep on the northern fault segment is probably due to a lack of sufficient elastic strain at the present time.
Stochastic modeling of manufacturing-based interdependent inventory for formulating sector prioritization strategies in reinforcing disaster preparedness

The production of commodities and provision of services in today's infrastructure and economic sectors have become heavily driven by their intrinsic interdependent relationships. Natural and man-made disasters have been known to render a number of these sectors inoperable. And with minimum levels of inventory, the delivery of the expected products and services that fulfill the total production input requirements of other sectors is disrupted. Hence, disaster consequences are propagated across these interdependent sectors — ultimately leading to amplified losses and diversified system inoperability. This research investigates how inventory levels of manufacturing sectors impact system capability of absorbing demand for input requirements in the event of a disaster. A unique contribution of this research is the formulation of a stochastic model of interdependent inventory to provide more realistic estimates of economic losses and sector inoperability. Inventory modeling and simulation are utilized using empirical cumulative distribution functions of inventory levels generated from the inventory-to-sales database of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which spans 14 years with 168 observations for each of the 21 manufacturing and trade sectors considered. Results of the study are incorporated into a Dynamic Inoperability Input-Output Model that provide insights into the formulation of sector prioritization policies. A Dynamic Cross Prioritization Plot identifies the prioritized set of critical sectors for inclusion in an inventory-enhancement plan to improve system recovery. Risk assessment without factoring inventory was found to have overestimated total economic loss by an average of 21.86% or $136M for a moderate intensity hurricane scenario in Virginia. To complement the manufacturing-based inventory enhancement study explored in this paper, further work is recommended to evaluate the resilience of the service sectors.
REEF FORAMINIFERA AS BIOINDICATORS OF CORAL REEF HEALTH: LOW ISLES REEF, NORTHERN GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA

Declining water quality associated with changes in land use over the past century is considered a significant environmental threat to the health of coral platforms of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, in particular for those situated in nearshore areas of the wet tropics. Of these reefs, perhaps the most well known is Low Isles Reef, which has been studied since 1928. Decline in scleractinian coral cover and increased abundances of soft-bodied corals and macroalgae since the 1950’s have led researchers to speculate that the reef is being affected by increased nutrient and sediment fluxes from nearby rivers. The Foraminifera in Assessment and Monitoring (FORAM) Index (Hallock and others, 2003) is a numerical indicator of the suitability of water quality to support reef growth based on foraminiferal assemblages. To assess whether nutrification is an issue near Low Isles Reef, FORAM Index (FI) values were calculated from a suite of 50 samples collected from the reef top. Results were compared to FI values from Heron Reef, a mid-shelf platform in the southern Great Barrier Reef Province known for its lush scleractinian coral population. FI values from both reefs indicate that, overall, conditions favor coral growth. A Student’s t test indicates the FI values between the two reefs are similar. Principal components analysis shows that the FI values are not being constrained by water depth or depositional environment. Lower FI values, which indicate conditions unsuitable to marginal for coral growth, are restricted to particular locations on Low Isles Reef and can be explained in the context of local processes associated with the long-term geomorphological evolution of the reef. Results (1) do not support the notion that agricultural activities in nearby coastal catchments have adversely affected coral populations on Low Isles Reef and (2) demonstrate the applicability of the FI for regions outside of the western Atlantic and Caribbean, for which the index was originally created.
Errata to “Games and general distributive laws in Boolean algebras”

We are grateful to B. Balcar for pointing out the following error in [1]: In Example 2 (and hence Example 1), if η > ω, then η regular and ♦η+ do not suffice to construct an η-Suslin algebra. The original construction breaks down at the point where we “choose” the appropriate branches Bt, since ♦η+ is not strong enough to guarantee their existence. Balcar suggested the following modified construction, assuming η = η and ♦η+(E(η)).
Impact of a Smarter Lunchroom intervention on food selection and consumption among adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a residential school setting.

Objective To assess whether a Smarter Lunchroom intervention based on behavioural economics and adapted for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities would increase the selection and consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and reduce the selection and consumption of refined grains. Design The 3-month intervention took place at a residential school between March and June 2012. The evaluation employed a quasi-experimental, pre-post design comparing five matched days of dietary data. Selection and plate waste of foods at lunch were assessed using digital photography. Consumption was estimated from plate waste. Setting Massachusetts, USA. Subjects Students (n 43) aged 11-22 years with intellectual and developmental disabilities attending a residential school. Results Daily selection of whole grains increased by a mean of 0·44 servings (baseline 1·62 servings, P = 0·005) and refined grains decreased by a mean of 0·33 servings (baseline 0·82 servings, P = 0·005). The daily consumption of fruits increased by a mean of 0·18 servings (baseline 0·39 servings, P = 0·008), whole grains increased by 0·38 servings (baseline 1·44 servings, P = 0·008) and refined grains decreased by a mean of 0·31 servings (baseline 0·68 servings, P = 0·004). Total kilojoules and total gram weight of food selected and consumed were unchanged. Fruit (P = 0·04) and vegetable (P = 0·03) plate waste decreased. Conclusions A Smarter Lunchroom intervention significantly increased whole grain selection and consumption, reduced refined grain selection and consumption, increased fruit consumption, and reduced fruit and vegetable plate waste. Nudge approaches may be effective for improving the food selection and consumption habits of adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Thalidomid: Current role in the treatment of non-plasma cell malignancies

Thalidomide, initially introduced as a sedative, was withdrawn from the market in the early 1960s after it was found to be a teratogen. However, it later found use as an investigational agent in the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum, oral ulcers, graft versus host disease, and wasting associated with the human immunodeficiency syndrome. Its antiangiogenic properties were recognized in the early 1990s during a period where the importance of angiogenesis became increasingly apparent as a critical step in the in the proliferation and spread of malignant neoplasms. This led to the evaluation of thalidomide as an antiangiogenic agent in the treatment of several cancers. Thalidomide has already become part of standard therapy for the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. It has also been found to have varying degree of benefit in various other malignancies. Although more clinical trials are needed, Kaposi' s sarcoma and myelofibrosis represent other malignancies in which thalidomide has already demonstrated promising activity. The mechanism of action of thalidomide in cancer is still unclear, but do appear to be mediated by several other mechanisms in addition to its anti-angiogenic properties. This article reviews the current status of thalidomide for the treatment of non-plasma-cell malignancies.
Does the mandate make a difference? reporting decisions in emotional abuse

Mandated (N = 57) and non-mandated (N = 94) reporters were questioned as to their perceptions of the seriousness of 20 vignettes related to child emotional abuse, as well as their willingness to report the actions contained in the vignettes to child protective services. No difference was observed between mandated and non-mandated reporters on the mean number of vignettes considered reportable. In addition, several psychosocial variables, including perceptions of teasing, political viewpoint, tendencies towards diffuse responsibility, perceptions of child protective services (CPS) and attitude towards helping others, were measured. Separate regression equations for mandated and non-mandated reporters showed two different models in predicting reporting tendencies. Mandated reporters were most affected by the seriousness of the situation and their willingness to engage in prosocial behaviour, whereas non-mandated reporters were most motivated by judgements of the seriousness of the abusive situation and their faith in child protective services. Being a male was also observed to be more predictive of reporting for non-mandated reporters. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetic characterization of the hmp locus, a chemotaxis-like gene cluster that regulates hormogonium development and motility in Nostoc punctiforme.

Summary Filamentous cyanobacteria are capable of gliding motility, but the mechanism of motility is not well defined. Here we present a detailed characterization of the hmp locus from Nostoc punctiforme, which encodes chemotaxis-like proteins. Deletions of hmpB, C, D and E abolished differentiation of hormogonia under standard growth conditions, but, upon addition of a symbiotic partner exudate, the mutant strains differentiated hormogonium-like filaments that lacked motility and failed to secrete hormogonium specific polysaccharide. The hmp locus is expressed as two transcripts, one originating 5′ of hmpA and encompassing the entire hmp locus, and the other 5′ of hmpB and encompassing hmpBCDE. The CheA-like HmpE donates phosphate to its own C-terminal receiver domain, and to the CheY-like HmpB, but not to the PatA family CheY-like HmpA. A GFP-tagged variant of each hmp locus protein localized to a ring adjacent to the septum on each end of the rod-shaped cell. Immunofluorescence demonstrated that PilA localizes to a ring at the junction between cells. The phenotype of the deletion strains, and the localization of the Hmp proteins and the putative PilA protein to rings at the cell junctions are consistent with the hypothesis that these proteins are part of the junctional pore complex observed in a number of filamentous cyanobacteria.
Regulation of Neurite Outgrowth by Integrin Activation

During late-embryonic development, retinal neurons lose the ability to attach and extend neurites on the extracellular matrix molecule laminin-1 (LN-1), despite the fact that they retain expression of integrin receptors for LN-1. Here we show that the developmental loss of responsiveness to LN-1 can be reversed by treatments that increase the activation state of integrins. Both extracellular application of Mn(2+) (at micromolar concentrations) and viral-mediated neuronal expression of a constitutively active form of the ras-related GTPase R-ras (R-ras(38V)) potently promoted late-embryonic retinal neurite outgrowth on LN-1 substrata. In both cases, outgrowth was mediated by integrin alpha6beta1 and not alpha3beta1, even though these neurons express alpha3beta1 and use it for outgrowth on other laminin isoforms, as well as on LN-1 that has been proteolytically or conformationally activated (Ivins et al., 1998). Mn(2+)-and to a much lesser extent R-ras(38V)-also reversed the developmental loss of retinal neuron responsiveness to type IV collagen, by promoting the function of integrin alpha1beta1. Interestingly, the responses of other late-embryonic CNS neurons to LN-1 were also enhanced by treatments that activate integrin function, but those of peripheral nervous system neurons (dorsal root ganglion neurons) were either not enhanced (embryonic neurons) or only modestly improved (adult neurons). These results suggest that a developmental decline occurs in the activation state of neuronal integrins, particularly among CNS neurons. Such a decline may underlie some of the intrinsic loss of regenerative ability sustained by CNS neurons during development and may be a valid target for therapeutic intervention.
Visual signals bias auditory targets in azimuth and depth

In the psychophysical phenomenon visual bias, an accurately localized irrelevant signal, such as a light, impairs localization of a spatially discrepant target, such as a sound, when the two stimuli are perceived as unified. Many studies have demonstrated visual bias in azimuth, but none have tested directly or found this effect in depth. The current study was able to produce over 90% bias in azimuth and somewhat less (83%) bias in depth. A maximum likelihood estimate can predict bias by the variance in the localization of each unimodal signal in each dimension in space.
Actin associated proteins function as androgen receptor coregulators: an implication of androgen receptor's roles in skeletal muscle.

This review of androgen receptor (AR) coregulators, which also function as actin-binding proteins, intends to establish the connection between actin cytoskeletal components and androgen signaling, especially in skeletal muscle. In cellular and animal models, androgen activated AR modulates myoblasts proliferation, promotes sexual dimorphic muscle development, and alters muscle fiber type. In the clinical setting, administration of anabolic androgens can decrease cachexia and speed wound healing. During myogenesis and regeneration of skeletal muscle in embryo and adult, the membrane of myoblasts fuse and the actin cytoskeleton is rearranged to form an alignment with myosin to form myotubes then ultimately the myofibrils. Contraction of skeletal muscle promotes the growth of myocytes by coordinating signals from the neuromuscular junction to intra-myofibrils through costameres, the functional structure comprised of signal proteins closely associated with actin filaments and involved in muscular dystrophy. Therefore, the discovery of actin-binding proteins functioning as AR coregulators implies that androgen signaling is tightly regulated during the process of the development and regeneration of skeletal muscle. The search for selective androgen receptor modulators (SARM) that act precisely in skeletal muscle instead of other tissues could target the engineering of a SARM–AR complex that selectively recruits these coregulators.
Universal lossless source controlled channel decoding for i.i.d. sequences

Messages coded and transmitted over a channel usually contain some redundancy which is not utilized by channel decoding techniques, especially if its governing statistical parameters are unknown. We propose to integrate universal lossless source coding techniques into channel decoding of redundant sequences with unknown statistics to improve performance of Viterbi and turbo decoding. Simulation results demonstrate that we achieve identical bit error rate (BER) performance to nonuniversal techniques that utilize prior knowledge of the message statistics and that if redundancy exists even in an a-priori unknown form, we can improve the code performance over standard techniques.
Transparency current influence on the temperature dependent threshold of undoped and P-doped QD laser diodes

We show that the transparency current plays a central role in setting the temperature dependence of both undoped and p-doped quantum dot lasers. The influence of inhomogeneous broadening is also analyzed and shown to influence.
Simple method for computing 3D motion and depth

The nonlinear equation that relates the optical-flow field to 3-D motion and depth can be split by an exact algebraic manipulation to form three sets of equations. The first set relates the image velocities to the translational component of the 3-D motion alone. Thus, the depth and the rotational velocity need not be known or estimated prior to solving for the translational velocity. Once the translation has been recovered, the second set of equations can be used to solve for the rotational velocity. Finally, depth can be estimated with the third set of equations, given the recovered transaction and rotation. The algorithm applies to the general case of arbitrary motion with respect to an arbitrary scene. The authors show that the performance of the algorithm compares quite favorably with other proposed approaches. >
Realize: resource management for soft real-time distributed systems

The Realize system simplifies the development of complex applications by separating the application programming from the management of resources for soft real-time CORBA applications, and from the replication of CORBA objects to provide high availability and fault tolerance. Realize uses totally ordered multicast messages to maintain consistency of the states of the object replicas, and adjusts the degree of replication dynamically as resource availability changes. By measuring the usage of the resources and by monitoring the behavior of application objects, Realize allocates objects to processors and migrates objects between processors to balance the load on the processors. Realize employs a least-laxity scheduling strategy that meets soft real-time deadlines for tasks operating across multiple processors. Thus, with Realize, the difficult issues of distribution, real-time scheduling, load balancing, replication, consistency, and fault detection and recovery are hidden from the application programmer.
Three Evidence Based Methods to Compensate for a Lack of Subject Background when Ordering Chemistry Monographs

Objective – The aim of this article is to present evidence based methods for the selection of chemistry monographs, particularly for librarians lacking a background in chemistry. These methods will be described in detail, their practical application illustrated, and their efficacy tested by analyzing circulation data. Methods – Two hundred and ninety-five chemistry monographs were selected between 2005 and 2007 using rigorously-applied evidence based methods involving the Library's integrated library system (ILS), Google, and SciFinder Scholar. The average circulation rate of this group of monographs was compared to the average circulation rate of 254 chemistry monographs selected between 2002 and 2004 when the methods were not used or were in an incomplete state of development. Results – Circulations/month were on average 9% greater in the cohort of monographs selected with the rigorously-applied evidence based methods. Further statistical analysis, however, finds that this result can not be attributed to the different application of these methods. Conclusion – The methods discussed in this article appear to provide an evidence base for the selection of chemistry monographs, but their application does not change circulation rates in a statistically significant way. Further research is needed to determine if this lack of statistical significance is real or a product of the organic development and application of these methods over time, making definitive comparisons difficult.
MlAG12: a Triticum timopheevii-derived powdery mildew resistance gene in common wheat on chromosome 7AL.

Wheat powdery mildew is an economically important disease in cool and humid environments. Powdery mildew causes yield losses as high as 48% through a reduction in tiller survival, kernels per head, and kernel size. Race-specific host resistance is the most consistent, environmentally friendly and, economical method of control. The wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germplasm line NC06BGTAG12 possesses genetic resistance to powdery mildew introgressed from the AAGG tetraploid genome Triticum timopheevii subsp. armeniacum. Phenotypic evaluation of F3 families derived from the cross NC06BGTAG12/‘Jagger’ and phenotypic evaluation of an F2 population from the cross NC06BGTAG12/‘Saluda’ indicated that resistance to the ‘Yuma’ isolate of powdery mildew was controlled by a single dominant gene in NC06BGTAG12. Bulk segregant analysis (BSA) revealed simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers specific for chromosome 7AL segregating with the resistance gene. The SSR markers Xwmc273 and Xwmc346 mapped 8.3 cM distal and 6.6 cM proximal, respectively, in NC06BGTAG12/Jagger. The multiallelic Pm1 locus maps to this region of chromosome 7AL. No susceptible phenotypes were observed in an evaluation of 967 F2 individuals in the cross NC06BGTAG12/‘Axminster’ (Pm1a) which indicated that the NC06BGTAG12 resistance gene was allelic or in close linkage with the Pm1 locus. A detached leaf test with ten differential powdery mildew isolates indicated the resistance in NC06BGTAG12 was different from all designated alleles at the Pm1 locus. Further linkage and allelism tests with five other temporarily designated genes in this very complex region will be required before giving a permanent designation to this gene. At this time the gene is given the temporary gene designation MlAG12.
Placing a value on aesthetics in online casual games

Game designers frequently invest in aesthetic improvements such as music, sound effects, and animations. However, their exact value for attracting and retaining players remains unclear. Seeking to estimate this value in two popular Flash games, we conducted a series of large-scale A/B tests in which we selectively removed aesthetic improvements and examined the effect of each component on play time, progress, and return rate. We found that music and sound effects had little or no effect on player retention in either game, while animations caused users to play more. We also found, counterintuitively, that optional rewards caused players to play less in both games. In one game, this gameplay modification affected play time three times as much as the largest aesthetic variation. Our methodology provides a way to determine where resources may be best spent during the game design and development process.
Cysteine oxidation impairs systemic glucocorticoid responsiveness in children with difficult-to-treat asthma

Background The mechanisms underlying glucocorticoid responsiveness are largely unknown. Although redox regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) has been reported, it has not been studied in asthmatic patients. Objective We characterized systemic cysteine oxidation and its association with inflammatory and clinical features in healthy children and children with difficult-to-treat asthma. We hypothesized that cysteine oxidation would be associated with increased markers of oxidative stress and inflammation, increased features of asthma severity, decreased clinically defined glucocorticoid responsiveness, and impaired GR function. Methods PBMCs were collected from healthy children (n = 16) and children with asthma (n = 118) aged 6 to 17 years. Children with difficult-to-treat asthma underwent glucocorticoid responsiveness testing with intramuscular triamcinolone. Cysteine, cystine, and inflammatory chemokines and reactive oxygen species generation were quantified, and expression and activity of the GR were assessed. Results Cysteine oxidation was present in children with difficult-to-treat asthma and accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species generation and increased CCL3 and CXCL1 mRNA expression. Children with the greatest extent of cysteine oxidation had more features of asthma severity, including poorer symptom control, greater medication use, and less glucocorticoid responsiveness despite inhaled glucocorticoid therapy. Cysteine oxidation also modified the GR protein by decreasing available sulfhydryl groups and decreasing nuclear GR expression and activity. Conclusions A highly oxidized cysteine redox state promotes a posttranslational modification of the GR that might inhibit its function. Given that cysteine oxidation is prevalent in children with difficult-to-treat asthma, the cysteine redox state might represent a potential therapeutic target for restoration of glucocorticoid responsiveness in this population.