cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design, synthesis, and evaluation of linear and cyclic peptide ligands for PDZ10 of the multi-PDZ domain protein MUPP1.

PDZ10 is the 10th of 13 PDZ domains found within MUPP1, a cytoplasmic scaffolding protein first identified as an endogenous binding partner of serotonin receptor type 2c (5HT2c). This association, as with those of several other interacting proteins that have subsequently been identified, is mediated through the C-terminal tail of the PDZ domain partner. Using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), we measured the thermodynamic binding parameters [changes in Gibbs free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (TΔS)] of the isolated PDZ10 domain for variable-length N-acetylated peptides from the 5HT2c serotonin receptor C-terminal sequence, as well as for octapeptides of eight other putative partner proteins of PDZ10 (5HT2a, hc-kit, hTapp1, mTapp2, TARP, NG2, claudin-1, and HPV-18 E6). In length dependence studies of the 5HT2c sequence, the maximal affinity of the peptides leveled off rapidly and further elongation did not significantly improve the dissociation constant (Kd) of 11 μM observed with the pentap...
Information Assurance Technical Framework and End User Information Ownership: A Critical Analysis

AbstractThis paper reviews the recent history of the Information Assurance (IA) movement and examines the Information Assurance Technical Framework (IATF) proposed by the United States Government’s National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) in the height of the potential terrorist attacks on the cyberspace that draw no geographical or temporal boundaries. Under the heightened alert, all organizations scramble to plug the security holes of their information infrastructure to assure safe end user access to the mission-critical information. This paper argues that the focus of IATF is based on the enforcement of a top-down information infrastructure without specifying the impact to the end users or “information consumers. “ Furthermore, a complete IA defensive strategy built on a Defence-in-Depth Strategy dictates only what people executing operations through the use of technology can achieve. The IATF addresses the technology portion of this strategy to defend against five classes of attacks: Passive,...
Mono- and multilayer formation by diazonium reduction on carbon surfaces monitored with atomic force microscopy "scratching".

Contact mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to intentionally scratch a monolayer deposited on a pyrolyzed photoresist film (PPF). The force was set to completely remove the monolayer but not to damage the underlying PPF surface. A line profile determined across the scratch with tapping mode AFM permitted determination of the monolayer thickness from the depth of the scratch. A statistical process was devised to avoid user bias in determining the monolayer thickness and was used to determine the thickness as a function of derivatization parameters. PPF surfaces modified by reduction of diazonium ions of stilbene, biphenyl, nitrobiphenyl, terphenyl, and nitroazobenzene (NAB) were scratched and their modification layer thicknesses determined. For single-scan derivatizations of 1 mM diazonium ions to −0.6 V versus Ag+/Ag, the biphenyl and stilbene monolayers exhibited thicknesses close to those expected for true monolayers. However, more extensive derivatization resulted in multilayers up to 6.3 nm th...
Exponential convergence and robustness margins in adaptive control

The paper presents general results on the stability of ordinary nonlinear differential equations in the presence of bounded disturbances. These are used to study the robustness of a simple model reference adaptive control algorithm. It is shown that the system is guaranteed to remain stable in the presence of disturbances (arising from input disturbances, plant parameter variation, output disturbances, unmodelled dynamics...) provided that the unperturbed system is exponentially stable. Moreover, the bounds on the level of disturbances that can be tolerated increase with the rate of convergence. In the present application (and also for most adaptive systems), exponential convergence follows from persistent excitation of the exogeneous reference signal. The paper concludes with remarks on consequences of the results on practical applications.
Polarization-based index of refraction and reflection angle estimation for remote sensing applications

A passive-polarization-based imaging system records the polarization state of light reflected by objects that are illuminated with an unpolarized and generally uncontrolled source. Such systems can be useful in many remote sensing applications including target detection, object segmentation, and material classification. We present a method to jointly estimate the complex index of refraction and the reflection angle (reflected zenith angle) of a target from multiple measurements collected by a passive polarimeter. An expression for the degree of polarization is derived from the microfacet polarimetric bidirectional reflectance model for the case of scattering in the plane of incidence. Using this expression, we develop a nonlinear least-squares estimation algorithm for extracting an apparent index of refraction and the reflection angle from a set of polarization measurements collected from multiple source positions. Computer simulation results show that the estimation accuracy generally improves with an increasing number of source position measurements. Laboratory results indicate that the proposed method is effective for recovering the reflection angle and that the estimated index of refraction provides a feature vector that is robust to the reflection angle.
Structure-property correlations in Pt/Co multilayers for magneto-optic recording

Abstract A series of Pt/Co (111)-oriented multilayer thin films were sputter-deposited under a number of deposition conditions to promote differences in the structure of the films. The defect density, grain boundary structure, layering and quality of texture were found to depend on the choice of sputtering pressure and gas, namely, Ar, Ar/Xe, or Xe. These differences were correlated to the magnetic and magneto-optic properties of the films. Of major interest were the effects of microstructure on the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and magnetic coercivity. It is found that the observed coercivity correlates well with the grain boundary structure. The perpendicular magnetic anisotropy on the other hand is better correlated with the quality of the layering. The roles of the stacking defect density, quality of the (111) texture, and the effects of grain shape on the perpendicular anisotropy are discussed as well.
From chaos to turbulence in Benard convection

Recent results showing multifractal dimensions of attractors at the transition to a chaotic state for small-aspect-ratio cells of mercury are presented. Also as the Rayleigh number is increased up to 10$^{11}$ in He gas a transition from a chaotic state to a \`soft turbulent state' and for a higher value of the control parameter to a \`hard turbulent state' is proposed.
Dual silencing of long and short Amblyomma americanum acidic chitinase forms weakens the tick cement cone stability

This study demonstrates that Amblyomma americanum (Aam) constitutively and ubiquitously expresses the long (L) and short (S) putative acidic chitinases (Ach) that are distinguished by a 210 base pair (bp) deletion in AamAch-S. Full-length AamAch-L and AamAch-S cDNA are 1959 and 1718 bp long, containing 1332 and 1104 bp open reading frames that code for 443 and 367 amino acid residues proteins with the former predicted to be extracellular and the latter intracellular. Both AamAch-L and AamAch-S mRNA are expressed in multiple organs as revealed by qualitative RT-PCR analysis. Furthermore, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that AamAch-L mRNA was downregulated in the mid-gut, but was unchanged in the salivary gland and in other organs in response to feeding. Of significant interest, AamAch-L and/or AamAch-S functions are probably associated with formation and/or maintenance of stability of A. americanum tick cement cone. Dual RNA interference silencing of AamAch-L and/or AamAch-S mRNA caused ticks to loosely attach onto host skin as suggested by bleeding around tick mouthparts and ticks detaching off host skin with a light touch. AamAch-L may apparently encode an inactive chitinase as indicated by Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant AamAch-L failing to hydrolyse chitinase substrates. Unpublished related work in our laboratory, and published work by others that found AamAch-L in tick saliva, suggest that native AamAch-L is a non-specific immunoglobulin binding tick saliva protein in that rAamAch-L non-specifically bound rabbit, bovine and chicken non-immune sera. We discuss findings in this study with reference to advancing knowledge on tick feeding physiology.
Association between haptoglobin, hemopexin and mortality in adults with sepsis

Introduction Plasma levels of cell-free hemoglobin are associated with mortality in patients with sepsis; however descriptions of independent associations with free hemoglobin and free heme scavengers, haptoglobin and hemopexin, are lacking beyond their description as acute phase reactants. We sought to determine the association of plasma levels of endogenous free hemoglobin and haptoglobin and hemopexin with in-hospital mortality in adults with sepsis.
Observed very long period Rayleigh-wave phase velocities across the Canadian shield

summary. The recent Indonesian earthquake (1977 August 19;Ms=8.0) makes possible a direct determination of Rayleigh-wave phase velocities at very long periods (200 to 300 s) over a pure shield path (College, Alaska-State College, Pennsylvania) by the two-station method. Results are in good agreement with previous models derived by regionalization of great-circle phase velocities and discussed in a previous paper (Okal, Paper I). Great-circle phase velocities computed at College and State College are correctly predicted by the models derived in Paper I, and further substantiate one of its main conclusions: no substantial structural differences between oceans and continents at depths greater than 240 km, are necessary to account for the presently available seismic data.
The accuracy of chromosomal microarray testing for identification of embryonic mosaicism in human blastocysts

Background Most previous studies of chromosomal mosaicism in IVF embryos were performed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods. While there are reports implicating chromosome aneuploidy in implantation failure following transfer and pregnancy loss by spontaneous miscarriage, the significance of mosaicism for the developmental potential of growing embryos is unknown. However, the low prevalence of chromosomal mosaicism in chorionic villus sampling and amniotic fluid specimens suggests the presence of selection against mosaic embryos for implantation and early pregnancy. The absence of evidence for selective allocation of abnormal cells to the trophectoderm (TE) of mosaic blastocysts permits these cells to be a good proxy for embryonic mosaicism detection by chromosomal microarrays (CMA). The purpose of this study was to establish the limits of detection and the prevalence of chromosome mosaicism in day 5/6 human embryos using CMA with TE biopsies.
Extraction, denaturation and hydrophobic properties of rice flour proteins

ABSTRACT: Rice proteins were extracted from defatted rice flour. Turbidity measurement of supernatants revealed isoelectric points of albumin (pH 4.1), globulin (pH 4.3 and pH 7.9), and glutelin (pH 4.8), at which they were precipitated with 82.3 to 93.2% recovery efficiency. Prolamin did not aggregate and precipitate upon pH adjustment, but was precipitated by acetone. Denaturation temperatures (73.3, 78.9, and 82.2 °C) as well as enthalpy values (2.88, 3.14, and 3.79 J/g), of albumin, globulin, and glutelin were different. Prolamin did not show any thermographic denaturation peak. Heat-denaturation of globulin and glutelin resulted in progressive increases in their surface hydrophobicities. Measurement of surface hydrophobicity would be an effective parameter to evaluate rice protein denaturation.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: Karl Barth and the Historicization of God's Being

Abstract: In the excurses of Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics IV/1, Barth invests the resurrection with greater ontological significance than is typically acknowledged in contemporary accounts of his mature theology. In this article, I systematically develop the numerous statements in CD IV/1 in which Barth conceptualizes the resurrection as the historical fulfillment of God's eternal being. Subsequently, I identify the similitude between Barth's theology of the resurrection and Hegel's as presented in his Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion. The article closes by suggesting that the similitude between Barth's view and Hegel's may include points of material correspondence.
Differential induction of programmed cell death in CD8+ and CD4+ T cells by the B subunit of cholera toxin.

Abstract We have recently demonstrated that a short-term treatment of parental splenocytes with the B subunit of cholera toxin (CT-B) abrogates the development of acute GVHD in F1 hybrid mice transplanted with these cells. In order to obtain better insight into the mechanism of the action of CT-B, we studied the effect of CT-B on survival of purified murine T cells and their subsets. We show that treatment with B subunit stimulates apoptosis in T cells, detectable following incubation in vitro. Although apoptosis was noticed in both CD8 + and CD4 + T cell subsets, the treatment preferentially stimulates programmed cell death (PCD) in CD8 + population. Thus, immunosuppressive action of CT-B in vivo may be in part due to its ability to eliminate CD8 + T cells.
Changes in pulmonary mechanics following caffeine administration in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

The effects of caffeine upon pulmonary mechanics were measured in 16 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Pulmonary function tests were performed immediately prior to and 1 hour following a dose of 10 mg/kg of caffeine. A 37% increase in minute ventilation (mean +/- SEM; 436.6 +/- 26.3 to 580.8 +/- 30.7 ml/min/kg) was seen with caffeine administration (P less than 0.001), primarily from a 42% increase in tidal volume (6.2 +/- 0.4 to 8.5 +/- 0.4 ml/kg) (P less than 0.001). Total lung resistance decreased by 20% (134.6 + 24.2 to 105.3 +/- 20.1 cmH2O/L/sec) (P = 0.01), and total pulmonary compliance improved by 47% (0.642 +/- 0.104 to 0.908 +/- 0.190 ml/cmH2O/kg) (P less than 0.01). In five matched control infants with BPD, no effects of placebo upon pulmonary mechanics were detected. Since caffeine has a wide therapeutic index with few side effects, it may be an effective adjunct in the treatment of infants with BPD.
Microfluidic chip for combinatorial mixing and screening of assays

This paper reports the design, fabrication and validation of a microfluidic well plate for combinatorial screening applications. Each well within the array is comprised of two 200 picoliter compartments that each contain a photonic crystal biosensor to enable the on-chip, in situdetection of (bio-) molecular binding events. This microfluidic chip utilizes arrays of Actuate-to-Open valves to isolate all compartments, which allows the chip to be decoupled from pneumatic control lines and thus to be transported freely between filling, sensing and characterization platforms. A proof-of-principle 4 × 4 protein/antibody binding assay was performed to demonstrate the discrete mixing and on-chip sensing capabilities.
Measurements of vacuum chamber impedance effects on the stored beam at CESR

Within the last year CESR (Cornell Electron Storage Ring) has changed its mode of operation from 7 nearly equally spaced bunches in the two counter-rotating beams to 9 trains of 2 bunches in each of the beams as the next step in the upgrade of the facility toward higher beam currents and increased luminosity. The upgrade program has included work to understand and document the transverse stability of a single beam composed of trains of bunches. Initial results from this work will be reported here.
iPhones for friends, refrigerators for family: How products prime social networks

We show that priming consumers with products associated with specific social networks increases the salience of those networks, influencing both word-of-mouth intentions and consumption. Consumers were exposed to friend- or family-related products (e.g., game consoles or refrigerators); when asked to list the first people they knew who came to mind, they were more likely to list members of primed networks (Study 1). Product priming also increases the speed with which product-relevant individuals come to mind (Study 2). In Study 3 consumers felt subjectively closer to networks primed by specific products, and this felt closeness predicted subsequent word-of-mouth intentions. Finally, Study 4 shows that priming relevant networks (e.g., family or friends) makes products associated with those networks more attractive.
Tropical rainforest biome of Biosphere 2: Structure, composition and results of the first 2 years of operation

The tropical rainforest biome in the Biosphere 2 mesocosm was managed with rainfall and temperature conditions to simulate a natural rainforest typical of the new world tropics. The establishment of the biome was based on the introduction of excessive numbers of species allowing self-organization of an ecologically unique rainforest. Over 282 species of plants from rainforest areas were planted within the topographically diverse rainforest biome (area of 1900 m 2 , volume of 35000 m 3 ), just before the Biosphere 2 closure in 1991. Approximately 61% of these species survived when counted in 1993, representing a plant species richness reduction to 172 species in 0.19 hectare. Rank order graphs show that a high diversity community resulted not unlike insular rainforests. The plants of the rainforest mesocosm, however, grew under anomalous conditions of soil (amended desert grassland soil), atmospheric composition (CO2 up to 4500 ppm by volume (ppmv)) and rainwater composition (high salinity and nutrients). Stem growth rates of a dominant canopy tree, Cecropia, were up to four times higher but had reduced diameter at breast height compared to natural counterparts. Human intervention in plant succession was also an important factor in shaping the ecology of the rainforest biome of Biosphere 2. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Implementing Municipal Tree Planting: Los Angeles Million-Tree Initiative

Urban forests are increasingly being seen as an important infrastructure that can help cities remediate their environmental impacts. This work reports on the first steps in implementing a million tree program in Los Angeles and the ways such a biogenic—living—infrastructure has been approached. Numbers of studies have been done to quantify the benefits of urban forests, but little has been written on the process of implementing urban tree planting programs. The investigative methods were primarily qualitative, involving interviews, attending meetings and conducting literature reviews. Results indicate that multiple nonprofit and city agency programs are involved in planting and maintaining trees and this has required coordination among groups that here-to-fore were unaccustomed to having to collaborate. The main finding that emerge from this research is that the implementation of such a program in Los Angeles is more complicated than it may seem due to several interacting factors: the need to rely on multiple public and private organizations to put trees into the ground and to maintain them; coordination of these multiple efforts must be centralized, but requires a great deal of time and effort and maybe resisted by some of the partners; funding for planting and long term maintenance must be pieced together from multiple sources; acceptance of trees by residents varies by neighborhood as does tree canopy cover; appropriate nursery supply can be limited; the location of the program within the city administration is determined by who initiates the program.
Writing Futures, Rewriting Pasts. Urbanization in Post-Apartheid South Africa: A Review Essay:

In this paper the spatial implications for Europe of major structural and institutional changes affecting the production system are examined. The concern is to establish whether these changes are enabling a greater localisation or globalisation of intrafirm and interfirm relations and, associated with this, greater scope for local economic development. The paper begins with a critical survey of an influential paradigm in which it is sustained that the transfer from Fordism to post-Fordism implies a return to regional economies. It is then argued that contemporary restructuring in Europe is very much a matter of a global extension of old and new forms of industrial organisation -- a process which does not augur well for self-sustaining development at the local level. This thesis is further sustained and elaborated through a consideration, in the second half of the paper, of the implications for less-favoured regions related to the transition to market forms of spatial governance at the level of the nation-state, and, at the level of the European Community, the policy reforms connected to the completion of the Single European Market.
Photoresist surface roughness characterization in additive lithography processes for fabrication of phase-only optical vortices

Roughness on the surface of phase-only micro-optical ele- ments limits their performance. An optical vortex phase element was fab- ricated, using additive lithography, with an optimized process to achieve minimal surface roughness. Shipley S1827 photoresist was used in order to obtain the appropriate additive lithography dynamic range for the desired phase profile. We investigated the effects of both postapplied and postexposure baking processes, bias exposure dose, as well as the effects of surfactant in the developer. We found the resist surface roughness to be a function of both the temperature and the time of the postapplication baking cycles, as well as the developer surfactant content. Based on our findings, an empirical correlation model was constructed to relate the process parameters with surface roughness measured quanti- ties. The maximum roughness of the optical surface, for the optimized pro- cess, was reduced to 40 percent of the value for the unoptimized process and the additive lithography useful exposure range was increased by 10 percent. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). (DOI: 10.1117/1 .JMM.11.4.043009)
Development and validation of a noninvasive method to determine arterial pressure and vascular compliance

The ability not only to record automated systolic and diastolic pressure, but also to derive measurements of the rate of pressure change during the cardiac cycle, would have great potential clinical value. A new method has been developed to obtain pressure measurements at 20-ms intervals by oscillometric cuff signal pattern recognition. Derivation of noninvasive pressure measurements is based on a T tube aorta and straight tube brachial artery, and assumes that the systolic phase of the suprasystolic cuff signal and the diastolic phase of the subdiastolic cuff signal most closely approximate systolic and diastolic aortic pressures, respectively. Arterial pressures obtained by this method were compared with simultaneous invasive measurements from the thoracic aorta in 36 patients. Good agreement was observed between noninvasive and invasive methods for systolic (146 +/- 4 vs 145 +/- 5 mm Hg), diastolic (80 +/- 2 vs 77 +/- 2 mm Hg), and mean (100 +/- 3 vs 100 +/- 3 mm Hg) arterial pressures, and correlation coefficients were r = 0.94, 0.91, and 0.95, respectively. To assess the validity of measurements of the rate of pressure change, oscillometric cuff signals from a subgroup of 14 patients were analyzed in detail for the peak positive pressure derivative (dP/dt(Max)), peak negative pressure derivative (dP/dt(Min)), and time interval between peak positive and peak negative pressure derivatives [t(pp)]. Results (mean +/- SEM) were: [table in text]. The incorporation of measurements of the rate of pressure change into a physical model of the brachial artery was used to derive vascular compliance. A significant correlation was observed between vascular compliance derived from the oscillometric signal and determinations by either thermodilution or Fick methods and noninvasive pressures (n = 20, r = 0.83, p 4%, representing a reproducible measure of vascular structure and function. We conclude that the measurement of absolute pressure and rate of pressure change show good correlation with catheter data and that vascular compliance can be reliably assessed by this new method. The technology should provide a valuable noninvasive tool for the assessment of both cardiac function and vascular properties.
Bisphosphonates in multiple myeloma: a fractured consensus.

Lytic bone disease is the most common complication of symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM) and contributes to most morbidity associated with this disease [1]. Th e introduction and more routine use of bisphosphonates have altered the landscape of bone disease in myeloma as it has in other cancers with bone metastasis as a prominent complication. It has been known for over a decade that bisphosphonates reduce the risk of bone events in myeloma, but controversy still surrounds selection of the specifi c drug as well as the monitoring of bone disease and ideal duration and frequency of use of this class of drugs in MM [2]. Th e survival of patients with MM has signifi cantly improved in the last decade, and is in no small part due to the improved supportive care, a major component of which is management of bone disease [3]. Th e Medical Research Council (MRC) IX randomized clinical trial unequivocally demonstrated a survival improvement with use of zoledronic acid compared with oral clodronate, irrespective of the presence of lytic disease [4]. Whether the incremental improvement in survival seen in this trial is still true in the setting of more eff ective therapies than the cyclophosphamide – thalidomide – dexamethasone (CTD) combination used in that trial is open to debate. While it answered the utility of an intravenous bisphosphonate over an oral one, it left unanswered whether zoledronic acid can be substituted with another intravenous bisphosphonate such as pamidronate, and what the ideal duration and frequency of administration should be and whether it can be guided by the activity of bone disease. In the current issue, Sanfi lippo and colleagues report the results of a retrospective study examining the pattern of use of bisphosphonates among veterans with myeloma as well as clinical outcomes [5]. Th ey report a signifi cant improvement in overall survival associated with the use of zoledronic acid compared with pamidronate in 1018 patients with newly diagnosed MM treated within the Veterans Health Administration system between 1 October 2002 and 30 September 2009. Employing sensitivity analyses and correcting for confounding factors, the authors clearly show a 22% reduction in the risk of death when treated with zoledronic acid. Interestingly, the authors were also able to demonstrate a reduced risk of skeletal related events with zoledronic
The persistent release of HMGB1 contributes to tactile hyperalgesia in a rodent model of neuropathic pain

High-mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) is a nuclear protein that regulates gene expression throughout the body. It can also become cytoplasmic and function as a neuromodulatory cytokine after tissue damage or injury. The manner in which HMGB1 influences the peripheral nervous system following nerve injury is unclear. The present study investigated the degree to which HMGB1 signaling contributes to the maintenance of neuropathic pain behavior in the rodent. Redistribution of HMGB1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm occurred in both sensory neurons derived from a tibial nerve injured (TNI) rat and in a sensory neuron-like cell line following exposure to a depolarizing stimulus. We also observe that exogenous administration of HMGB1 to acutely dissociated sensory neurons derived from naive or TNI rodents elicit increased excitability. Furthermore systemic injection of glycyrrhizin (50 mg/kg; i.p.), a known inhibitor of HMGB1, reversed TNI-induced mechanical hyperalgesia at fourteen days and three months following nerve injury. We have identified that a persistent endogenous release of HMGB1 by sensory neurons may be a potent, physiologically relevant modulator of neuronal excitability. More importantly, the use of the anti-inflammatory compound and known inhibitor of HMGB1, glycyrrhizin, has the ability to diminish persistent pain behavior in a model of peripheral neuropathy, presumably through its ability to neutralize the cyotkine. The identification of HMGB1 as a potential therapeutic target may contribute to a better understanding of mechanisms associated with chronic pain syndromes.
Knowledge, Technology and Intelligence for eInclusion

In eInclusion, the main interest has traditionally been in granting interaction with ICT, i.e. the accessibility of interfaces. Due to the developments toward an AmI (Ambient Intelligence) information society, the technology of interest in accessibility and its integration in multimedia interfaces matched to the user requirements and preferences are becoming of interest for the general customers. Therefore, the point made in the paper is that the concept of eInclusion, as it already happened at the political level, should be generalized to include actions able to guarantee well-being. Therefore, it becomes necessary to collect knowledge about activities necessary for living comfortably and enjoyably, to identify and implement an ICT environment offering the functionalities to carry them out and to make available the quantity and quality of intelligence necessary to adapt the environment to different users and contexts of use.
Improved Neck Simulation for Anthropometric Dummies

This paper describes the development of an improved neck simulation that can be adapted to current anthropometric dummies. The primary goal of the neck design is to provide a reasonable simulation of human motion during impact while maintaining a simple, rugged structure. A synthesis of the current literature on cervical spine mechanics was incorporated with the results of x-ray studies of cervical spine mobility in human volunteers and with the analysis of head-neck motions in human volunteer sled tests to provide a background for the design and evaluation of neck models. Development tests on neck simulations were carried out using a small impact sled. Tests on the final prototype simulation were also performed with a dummy on a large impact sled. Both accelerometers and high-speed movies were used for performance evaluation. A mathematical model of the cervical spine was developed for the purpose of comparing the neck simulation responses to the results obtained from the human volunteer sled tests. The features of the final prototype neck simulation are discussed and comparisons are made with current dummy neck performance.
Models of Respiratory Rhythm Generation in the Pre-Bötzinger Complex. II. Populations of Coupled Pacemaker Neurons

We have proposed models for the ionic basis of oscillatory bursting of respiratory pacemaker neurons in the pre-Botzinger complex. In this paper, we investigate the frequency control and synchroniz...
Chapter 5. Evidence-Based Practice for Treatment of Eating Disorders

SUMMARY. The purpose of this chapter is to review the status of evidence-based practice (EBP) for the treatment of students with eating disorders in university and college counseling centers. Several issues affecting the application of the research findings to service delivery for eating disordered students will be addressed. These include discussion of EBP research paradigms, populations studied, treatment interventions selected, other salient variables examined, utilization of appropriate assessment indices and meaningful outcome measures, and multicultural considerations. EBP relevant guidelines, implications and suggestions for future directions in college mental health are presented. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: Website:  2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
Strength of Ground Ceramics at Elevated Temperature

We proposed an expression for the strength of ground ceramics. The expression is the function of the maximum grain depth of cut g and the fracture toughness of the workpiece material, assuming that the nucleation of median crack during grinding is explained in the same way as that in Vickers indentation test. In this paper, the strength at elevated temperature has been estimated by using the expression. Under the condition that increasing temperature does not affect the crack size, the estimation was applicable to the strength of hot-pressed silicon nitride and sintered silicon carbide ceramics by considering the temperature dependence of the fracture toughness. At an elevated temperature, both materials showed an increase in critical value of g for the strength degradation after grinding. It is suggested that the setting g based on the strength of ground material at elevated service temperature leads to the reduction in the machining time to obtain the inherent strength of the workpiece material.
The psychosocial aspects of the genesis of depression in old age and the possibilities of using group psychotherapy

Abstract The author discusses a survey study on ageing phenomenon, and describes its manifestations in the context of biological, psychological and social nature. We pay attention to the increase of mental disorders especially depression, which is subsequently discussed and characterized. The paper is primarily aimed at highlighting the aspects affecting the formation of depression, which occurs in older ages and in particular the aspects that we call psychosocial summary. The author, however, does not link the formation of depression only with psychosocial factors, and points out that the formation of depression in seniors is shared with physical limitations, natural disease, and cognitive changes, but these physical changes contribute to the development of negative social phenomena such as loneliness, isolation, loss of contact, etc. Depression in older age has a strong social background, which means its treatment carries certain specifics, especially in the context of combining medication with psychotherapy. Therefore, within the presented summarizing study, in the second part the author focuses on psychotherapy as one of the possible supporting medical activities. The author then defines psychotherapy when working with a senior, as a planned and controlled therapy through an immediate influence on senior's psyche. The author puts a group form of therapy to the foreground and at the same time examines individual psychotherapeutic attitudes, which are suitable for the offered group therapy and could be helpful in the treatment of depressive life periods of an elderly person. The meaning of senior group therapy is mainly based on the possibility to provide or restore social support, which is inevitable in one's old age.
A Review of Brownian Motion Based Solely on the Langevin Equation with White Noise

We give a historical and mathematical review of Brownian motion based solely on the Langevin equation. We derive the main statistical properties without bringing in external and subsidiary issues, such as temperature, Focker-Planck equations, the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, spectral analysis, the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, among many other topics that are typically introduced in discussions of the Langevin equation. The method we use is the formal solution approach, which was the standard method devised by the founders of the field. In addition, we give some relevant historical comments.
First-principles calculations of the near-edge optical properties of β-Ga2O3

We use first-principles calculations based on many-body perturbation theory to investigate the near-edge electronic and optical properties of β-Ga2O3. The fundamental band gap is indirect, but the minimum direct gap is only 29 meV higher in energy, which explains the strong near-edge absorption. Our calculations verify the anisotropy of the absorption onset and explain the range (4.4–5.0 eV) of experimentally reported band-gap values. Our results for the radiative recombination rate indicate that intrinsic light emission in the deep-ultra-violet (UV) range is possible in this indirect-gap semiconductor at high excitation. Our work demonstrates the applicability of β-Ga2O3 for deep-UV detection and emission.
Culture of Adult Transgenic Zebrafish Retinal Explants for Live-cell Imaging by Multiphoton Microscopy.

An endogenous regeneration program is initiated by Muller glia in the adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) retina following neuronal damage and death. The Muller glia re-enter the cell cycle and produce neuronal progenitor cells that undergo subsequent rounds of cell divisions and differentiate into the lost neuronal cell types. Both Muller glia and neuronal progenitor cell nuclei replicate their DNA and undergo mitosis in distinct locations of the retina, i.e. they migrate between the basal Inner Nuclear Layer (INL) and the Outer Nuclear Layer (ONL), respectively, in a process described as Interkinetic Nuclear Migration (INM). INM has predominantly been studied in the developing retina. To examine the dynamics of INM in the adult regenerating zebrafish retina in detail, live-cell imaging of fluorescently-labeled Muller glia/neuronal progenitor cells is required. Here, we provide the conditions to isolate and culture dorsal retinas from Tg[gfap:nGFP]mi2004 zebrafish that were exposed to constant intense light for 35 h. We also show that these retinal cultures are viable to perform live-cell imaging experiments, continuously acquiring z-stack images throughout the thickness of the retinal explant for up to 8 h using multiphoton microscopy to monitor the migratory behavior of gfap:nGFP-positive cells. In addition, we describe the details to perform post-imaging analysis to determine the velocity of apical and basal INM. To summarize, we established conditions to study the dynamics of INM in an adult model of neuronal regeneration. This will advance our understanding of this crucial cellular process and allow us to determine the mechanisms that control INM.
Motivated Mind Perception: Treating Pets as People and People as Animals

Human beings have a sophisticated ability to reason about the minds of others, often referred to as using one’s theory of mind or mentalizing. Just like any other cognitive ability, people engage in reasoning about other minds when it seems useful for achieving particular goals, but this ability remains disengaged otherwise. We suggest that understanding the factors that engage our ability to reason about the minds of others helps to explain anthropomorphism: cases in which people attribute minds to a wide range of nonhuman agents, including animals, mechanical and technological objects, and supernatural entities such as God. We suggest that engagement is guided by two basic motivations: (1) the motivation to explain and predict others’ actions, and (2) the motivation to connect socially with others. When present, these motivational forces can lead people to attribute minds to almost any agent. When absent, the likelihood of attributing a mind to others, even other human beings, decreases. We suggest that understanding the factors that engage our theory of mind can help to explain the inverse process of dehumanization, and also why people might be indifferent to other people even when connecting to them would improve their momentary wellbeing.
Making Sense of Soft Information: Interpretation Bias and Ex-Post Lending Outcomes

We explore whether behavioral biases impede the effective processing and interpretation of soft information in private lending. Taking advantage of the internal reporting system of a large federal credit union, we delineate three important biases likely to affect the lending process: (1) limited attention (or distraction), (2) task-specific human capital, and (3) common identity. Specifically, we find that using soft information in lending decisions leads to worse loan quality when loan officers are busy or before weekends and around national holidays, when loan officers have earlier sales experience, and when both the officers and borrowers are men. Overall, we provide novel evidence of non-agency-related costs in the use of soft information in lending decisions.
Insect Flight Energetics

Due to the central importance of energy metabolism to several physiological systems, data for the flight metabolism of insects has been reviewed from a variety of standpoints in the past few years. The prodigious quantities of heat produced as a by-product of flight activity has necessitated consideration of flight metabolism in reviews of insect thermoregulation (Heinrich, 1974; Kammer and Heinrich, 1978; May, 1979; Bartholomew, 1981; Kammer, 1981; Heinrich, this volume). Similarly, the interrelation between flight metabolism and contraction of the flight muscles (Pringle, 1968; Kammer and Rheuben, this volume; Josephson, 1981) and in biochemical functioning of the insect flight motor (Kammer and Heinrich, 1978; Heinrich, 1981) have recently been examined. Finally, the mechanical characteristics and power requirements of flying insects should directly affect the levels of energy metabolism of insects during flight (Weis-Fogh, 1972, 1975; Kammer and Heinrich, 1978; Nachtigall, this volume; see also symposia edited by Wu et al. 1975; Rainey, 1976; Pedley, 1977; Nachtigall, 1980).
Vestibular and vision deficits following concussion in children under 12

Objective Vestibular and oculomotor visual (VOM) deficits are emerging as key characteristics of youth concussion. However, since most studies of paediatric concussion focus on adolescents, little is known about the extent to which younger children experience this deficit. To address this gap, we used an electronic health record (EHR) system across a large paediatric healthcare network to quantify the presence of VOM deficits following concussion in patients under age 12. Design Descriptive epidemiology. Setting Data were collected from all primary (n=31) and relevant specialty care (n=4) network settings. Participants We identified all patients aged 5–11 years who had ≥1 clinical visit for concussion at a network primary or specialty care site from 7/1/2014 through 6/30/2015. We included the 82% of these patients for whom a concussion electronic clinical decision support tool within the EHR was used during their initial visit. Outcome measures The proportion who demonstrated each VOM deficit – balance, saccades, gaze stability, and convergence – was calculated among all who were assessed for that deficit. Main results 871 patients were included (median [IQR]: 10 [8, 11] years). On physical examination, 58% had at least one VOM deficit. 44% had balance abnormalities, 39% had saccadic dysfunction, 28% had deficits in gaze stability, and 10% convergence insufficiency. Conclusions In this sample, vestibular oculomotor visual deficits following concussion in young children were common. Improved recognition of the deficits will lead to timely diagnosis and appropriate management, including school accommodations for oculomotor visual challenges and vestibular therapy for motion sensitivity issues. Competing interests None. KB, Arbogast serves as a consultant to the National Football League Players Association on head injury topics.
Minimizing GPS Dependency for a Vehicle’s Trajectory Identification by Using Data from Smartphone Inertial Sensors and Onboard Diagnostics Device

For the past few years, several studies have focused on identifying a vehicle’s trajectory with smartphone data. However, these studies predominantly used GPS coordinate information for that purpose. Considering the known limitations of GPS, such as connectivity issues at urban canyons and underpasses, low precision of localization, and high power consumption of smartphones while GPS is in use, this paper focuses on developing alternative methods for identifying a vehicle’s trajectory at an intersection with sensor data other than GPS to minimize GPS dependency. In particular, accelerometer and gyroscope data collected with smartphone inertial sensors and speed data collected with an onboard diagnostics device are used to develop algorithms for maneuver (i.e., left and right turns and through) and trip direction identification at an intersection. In addition, techniques for noise removal and orientation correction from raw inertial sensor data are described. The effectiveness of the method for trajectory ...
Erratum to: Editorial: Do Orthopaedic Surgeons Belong on the Sidelines at American Football Games?

In the November Editorial, “Editorial: Do Orthopaedic Surgeons Belong on the Sidelines at American Football Games?” a statistic was attributed to a JAMA study (Ref. 10) that should have been attributed to an article from the New York Times (Ref. 16). The sentence in question should read: “We accept that critique, provided that the skeptics acknowledge that the best-case estimate in support of the safety of football would result in a CTE prevalence estimate of 9%, since only another 1200 ex-NFL players have died [16] since this research group [10] began studying football players’ brains.”
Correlates of sexual coercion among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA

Experiences of coerced or forced sex have been associated with risk for HIV infection for all adults and may be more common for gays, lesbians, bisexuals (GLB) and people who inject drugs (PWID). In this study, we explored factors associated with prior 12-month experiences of forced or coerced sex among a sample of PWID, with a focus on sexual orientation and gender. PWID (N = 772) from Los Angeles and San Francisco were recruited using targeted sampling methods in 2011–2013 and surveyed on a range of items related to demographics, drug use, HIV risk, and violence, including experiences of forced or coerced sex in the prior 12 months. In this racially/ethnically diverse, mostly homeless, and low-income sample of PWID, 25% of participants were female and 15% identified as GLB. Sexual coercion was reported by 9% of gay and bisexual men, 8% of heterosexual females, 5% of lesbians and bisexual women, and less than 1% of heterosexual men. In multivariate analyses, compared to heterosexual males, gay or bisexual males (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 10.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.03, 56.23), and heterosexual females (AOR = 9.69; 95% CI = 2.04, 45.94) had increased odds of coerced sex in the prior 12 months. Having a paying sex partner (AOR = 3.49; 95% CI = 1.42, 8.54) or having had forced sex prior to the age of 16 by someone at least five years older (AOR = 4.74; 95% CI = 1.88, 11.93) also elevated the odds of coercive sex. Sexual coercion is common among PWID, but especially for gay and bisexual men and heterosexual females. Efforts to reduce sexual violence among PWID are urgently needed.