cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensitization of Human T Cells with Overlapping Pentadecapeptides Spanning the Wt1 Protein Induces Expansion of Leukemocidal T Cells Specific for Both Previously Identified and Novel WT1 Epitopes.

The oncofetal protein, WT1, is differentially expressed in 60–80% of acute leukemias and CML. Previously, four peptide epitopes presented by HLA-A0201 or HLA-A2402 have been identified. We used a pool of 15-mers with 10 amino acid overlaps spanning the full sequence of WT1, loaded on autologous monocyte-derived dendritic cells or EBV-transformed BLCL to sensitize and raise T cell lines from a series of normal donors expressing or not expressing HLA-A0201 or HLA-A2402. Specific 15-mers eliciting responses were identified by quantitating IFNg + CD8 + or CD4 + T cell responses to secondary stimulation with 15-mer subpools organized in a mapping grid with single overlaps. Responses against targets loaded with the identified stimulating 15-mer and sharing single HLA class I or II alleles permitted identification of restricting HLA alleles. Patients inheriting HLA-A0201 have generated CD8 + T cells in response to the complete pool which are selectively reactive against single 15-mers containing the known immunogen 252–260 RMFPNAPYL. However, in certain donors, responses to 15-mer 28, containing a heretofore unreported epitope 136–144 ALLPAVPSL, (which has a high predicted affinity for HLA-A0201) have been dominant. By mapping responses of T cells sensitized with the complete pool, defining the presenting HLA alleles and delineating immunogenic sequences within specific 15-mers, additional novel epitopes presented by HLA- B0801 and DRB 1 0301 have also been defined. T cells generated by this approach also lyse both peptide-loaded targets as well as primary WT1 + leukemic cells expressing the restricting HLA allele. Thus, sensitization with pools of overlapping synthetic 15-mers spanning WT1 may selectively stimulate WT1-specific CD4 + and CD8 + T cell lines restricted by HLA alleles other than HLA- A0201 or A2402 that are leukemocidal and therefore of potential use for adoptive immunotherapy.
Sustained Pharmacological Activation of Protein C (PC) in Baboons.

The introduction of two mutations at the specificity sites S3-S4 of thrombin (W215A and E217A) results in a mutant thrombin (WE) with more than 1000-fold reduced activity towards fibrinogen and PAR1. WE retains its antithrombotic activity via selective activation of the circulating PC pool and elevation of activated PC (APC) levels when administered as a bolus to primates (Gruber et al. Blood 2002). We investigated whether increased APC levels can be sustained and/or the PC pool exhausted by a 4 to 6 hour long infusion of WE in 15 baboons. In order to assess whether intravascular thrombomodulin availability is rate limiting in pharmacological PC activation, the effect of high dose WE administration on circulating APC (enzyme capture assay) and PC activity (Protac-activatable PC) levels were tested with or without co-administration of equimolar doses of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhsTM). Infusion of a very high dose of WE alone (110 ug/kg bolus followed by 110 ug/kg/h) gave a peak APC concentration of 201 ng/mL by 10 min. The endogenous APC concentration then sharply decreased with an apparent initial half life (T1/2) of 25 min - similar to that of exogenous human APC in baboons and almost returned to baseline (8 ng/mL) by the end of the treatment despite continued infusion of high dose WE. Thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complex levels gradually increased reaching an apparent equilibrium at 104 ng/mL by the 4th hour. D-Dimer levels increased throughout the treatment and reached a level that was 20-fold of the baseline value by the end of the treatment. Co-administration of rhsTM (180 ug/kg bolus + 180 ug/kg/h infusion) with the high dose WE also resulted in rapid PC activation and an early APC peak (240 ng/ml at 10 min). The enzyme peak was followed by a decline in APC concentration with an apparent initial T1/2 of 51 min to an average equilibrium concentration of 40 ng/mL by the end of the treatment. TAT levels sharply increased from the 3.5 ng/mL baseline level, reaching greater than 240 ng/ml by the 10th min of the treatment, and remained outside the range of the test. There was a nonsignificant increase in D-Dimer levels towards the end of the WE+rhsTM treatment. Approximately 40% and 80% of the Protac-activatable circulating PC pool was consumed by administration of WE and WE+rhsTM, respectively. Based on the findings we propose that: 1) there is sufficient PC substrate for a sustained pharmacological increase in endogenous APC levels; 2) either complex formation of WE with antithrombin is significantly accelerated by rhsTM or clearance of TAT is inhibited by rhsTM; 3) the existing endogenous soluble and/or endothelial thrombomodulin pool appears to be transiently depleted upon WE infusion; and 4) the circulating PC pool might not be homogeneous such that part of the PC pool is not activatable in vivo by infused WE+rhsTM. In summary, significant and sustained levels of endogenous circulating APC can be generated in baboons by infusion of rhsTM with the highly selective WE thrombin mutant.
Should delivery timing for repeat cesarean be reconsidered based on dating criteria

AbstractPurpose: We sought to examine if the method of pregnancy dating at five increasing term gestational ages is associated with increasing neonatal morbidity.Materials and methods: A cohort of women who underwent elective repeat cesarean delivery at ≥37 weeks’ gestation were identified from the NICHD MFMU Network registry. We excluded women who were in labor, those carrying a fetus with a congenital anomaly, those with a non-reassuring fetal heart tracing, and those with preeclampsia, preexisting chronic hypertension or diabetes. Composite neonatal morbidity was defined for our study as any of the following: NICU admission, hypotonia, meconium aspiration, seizures, need for ventilator support, NEC, RDS, TTN, hypoglycemia, or neonatal death. We compared composite neonatal morbidity rates among infants born at five different gestational age cutoffs according to their method of pregnancy dating.Results: At 39 and 40 weeks’ gestation, the lowest rate of neonatal complications was seen in pregnancies dated...
Linear and nonlinear soil-structure interaction analysis of buildings and safety-related nuclear structures

Abstract Soil-structure interaction (SSI) analysis is generally a required step in the calculation of seismic demands in nuclear structures, and is currently performed using linear methods in the frequency domain. Such methods should result in accurate predictions of response for low-intensity shaking, but their adequacy for extreme shaking that results in highly nonlinear soil, structure or foundation response is unproven. Nonlinear (time-domain) SSI analysis can be employed for these cases, but is rarely performed due to a lack of experience on the part of analysts, engineers and regulators. A nonlinear, time-domain SSI analysis procedure using a commercial finite-element code is described in the paper. It is benchmarked against the frequency-domain code, SASSI, for linear SSI analysis and low intensity earthquake shaking. Nonlinear analysis using the time-domain finite-element code, LS-DYNA, is described and results are compared with those from equivalent-linear analysis in SASSI for high intensity shaking. The equivalent-linear and nonlinear responses are significantly different. For intense shaking, the nonlinear effects, including gapping, sliding and uplift, are greatest in the immediate vicinity of the soil-structure boundary, and these cannot be captured using equivalent-linear techniques.
Psychological treatments for noncardiac chest pain: Recommendations for a new approach

Objective: Our objective is to describe the current state of treatment for NCCP, identify barriers to treatment and limitations of current approaches, and to recommend treatment strategies, which may address these challenges. Methods: We describe the underlying rationale for treating NCCP and review the current literature concerning NCCP treatments and other brief approaches to outpatient treatment for psychosomatic illness. Results: Most treatments for NCCP have been based on the Attribution Model. Although effective, these treatments are appropriate and acceptable to only a small minority of NCCP patients. The Biopsychosocial Model has been used to treat psychosomatic conditions in outpatient groups and may overcome or avoid many of the limitations inherent in current treatment strategies for NCCP. Conclusions: We recommend an intervention for NCCP that is brief, would be delivered in the emergency department setting (to take advantage of the Teachable Moment), and which is based on the Biopsychosocial Model.
Achieving the Public Health and Safety Potential of Substance Abuse Treatments

Heavy use of alcohol and drugs is associated with serious public health and public safety problems, including transmission of infectious diseases, disproportionate use of medical and social services, traffic accidents, and street crime (Gerstein & Harwood, 1990; Institute of Medicine, 1990; Merril, 1993; Rice, Kelman, & Miller, 1991). These alcohol- and drug-“related” problems not only reduce the safety and quality of daily life throughout this country, but they are also a source of substantial expense. For example, Rice and colleagues have estimated that the total cost to the country in 1990 was $99 billion for alcohol abuse alone, and approximately $67 billion for drug abuse (Rice, Kelman, & Miller, 1991). These economic, health, and safety issues have brought renewed interest in the expansion of treatment programs, more public financing for treatment, and even increased use of court-mandated treatments as a method of dealing with the public health and safety problems related to substance abuse (Institute for Health Policy at Brandeis University, 1993; Schmidt, 1995). At the same time, many segments of society are skeptical about the effectiveness of substance abuse treatments; there are those in government, healthcare financing, and the public at large who question whether treatment is “worth it.” As recently as July of last year, the Wall Street Journal questioned the effectiveness and value of substance abuse treatment, saying “... the success rate of treatment programs is highly uncertain” (Wall Street Journal, 1994, p. A12).
Asymptotic Solutions Without Special Functions for Steep and Shallow Shells

The exponential “boundary-layer” solutions for “steep” shells are well known as are the uniformly valid solutions for domes and toroids, which have a “shallow” region, i.e. a transition point in the differential equation. The uniformly valid solution requires, however, a special function, usually a Bessel function, but in some cases a generalized hypergeometric function. In this work the advantage of the exact eigenvalue of the coefficient matrix is explored. The first term of the formal expansion is essentially that of the boundary-layer solution, but with some extra elements which give the proper limit of a very shallow shell, i.e. a flat plate. From numerical calculations of edge flexibility coefficients, it is evident that the one term does not give a uniformly valid approximation; however, the error in the zone of transition from steep to shallow is bounded. Indeed the two-term approximation has at worst a 10% error. Thus the approach which requires only elementary functions seems more flexible and more readily adoptable for an automated calculation procedure.
Resilience through adaptive recreation in stroke survivors: A biopsychosocial approach

Introduction/Background Due to medical advances, survivability after stroke is increasing. Intensive rehabilitation focusing on regaining physical, cognitive, and language function, is often necessary after stroke. However, stroke survivors are at risk of chronic disability, depression, and social isolation. Community-based providers, such as adaptive recreation programs, are often challenged to continue the long-term job of rehabilitation and community reintegration after stroke. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of adaptive cycling participation (using modified equipment or assistive devices) on aspects of physical, psychological and social resilience in stroke survivors. We hypothesized that participants, who engaged in a 16-week cycling program, would demonstrate improvement on measures of all three aspects of resilience. Material and method The current study utilized a longitudinal design (baseline, 8, and 16 weeks). Outcome measures include: resting heart rate, 10 Meter Walk Test (10MWT), 2 Minute Walk Test (2MWT), Timed Up and Go, UW-Self-efficacy Scale, NeuroQOL Positive Affect and Well-being, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, NeuroQOL Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities (SSRA), Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. Due to sample size and exploratory design, we calculated effect sizes. Results We enrolled 18 stroke survivors (ages 25–72) in the study. Outcomes were available at all time points for 10–18 participants depending on the measure. Pairwise comparisons were calculated between baseline to 8-weeks and baseline to 16-weeks. We observed change score effect sizes > 0.5 for one social and two physical measures. For baseline to 8-weeks, the NeuroQOL-SSRA had a medium effect (Cohen's d = 0.564). For baseline to 16-weeks, the 2MWT and 10MWT had large and medium effects respectively (d = 1.068 & 0.612). Conclusion The results highlight the importance of exploring: (1) the influence of adaptive recreation on not only physical but social outcomes. Due to the exploratory design of this pilot, future research is warranted.
The Complexities of Mass Immunization Culture

This chapter recounts the uneven development of federal policy toward childhood immunization through the latter half of the twentieth century. It unfolded with President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Poliomyelitis Vaccination Assistance Act of 1955 and attained its most comprehensive coverage with President Willian J. Clinton’s Vaccines for Children Program, passed in 1993. Compulsion once again characterized public health policy. Commercialization also contributed to the emergence of a new and more complex anti-vaccination movement.
The best of both worlds: One-up assimilation strategies among middle-class immigrants

Abstract This paper applies Lacy’s (2004) concept of “strategic assimilation” to middle-class individuals migrating from the Global South to the U.S. and argues that immigrants can maintain ties to heritage culture as a status-enhancing assimilation strategy – what we call “one-up assimilation.” We draw on the omnivorism literature, which shows that broad cultural fluency and the ability to straddle multiple cultural worlds constitutes a form of cultural capital. We explain that middle-class immigrants who adopt a strategic assimilation approach are particularly well-suited to developing omnivorism and can use this cultural capital to symbolically subvert status hierarchies vis-a-vis middle-class natives. Using in-depth interviews with first-generation middle-class Dominican immigrants, we show that respondents pursue omnivorous lifestyles and perceive their bicultural fluency as an advantage they possess over their white middle-class U.S. counterparts. Consistent with theories on cultural distinction, we find that middle-class immigrants attempt to transmit this omnivore advantage to their children.
Religious politics in Turkey: from the birth of the republic to the AKP

Ceren Lord, in her Religious Politics in Turkey: From the Birth of the Republic to the AKP, challenges the conventional wisdom that sees Islamism as a mass movement that contested the secularist to...
The CaV1.2 L-type calcium channel regulates bone homeostasis in the middle and inner ear

Bone remodeling of the auditory ossicles and the otic capsule is highly restricted and tightly controlled by the osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL)/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β (RANK) system. In these bony structures, a pathological decrease in OPG expression stimulates osteoclast differentiation and excessive resorption followed by accrual of sclerotic bone, ultimately resulting in the development of otosclerosis, a leading cause of deafness in adults. Understanding the signaling pathways involved in maintaining OPG expression in the ear would shed light on the pathophysiology of otosclerosis and other ear bone-related diseases. We and others previously demonstrated that Ca2+ signaling through the L-type CaV1.2 Ca2+ channel positively regulates OPG expression and secretion in long bone osteoblasts and their precursor cells in vitro and in vivo. Whether CaV1.2 regulates OPG expression in ear bones has not been investigated. We drove expression of a gain-of-function CaV1.2 mutant channel (CaV1.2TS) using Col2a1-Cre, which we found to target osteochondral/osteoblast progenitors in the auditory ossicles and the otic capsule. Col2a1-Cre;CaV1.2TS mice displayed osteopetrosis of these bones shown by μCT 3D reconstruction, histological analysis, and lack of bone sculpting, findings similar to phenotypes seen in mice with an osteoclast defect. Consistent with those observations, we found that Col2a1-Cre;CaV1.2TS mutant mice showed reduced osteoclasts in the otic capsule, upregulated mRNA expression of Opg and Opg/Rankl ratio, and increased mRNA expression of osteoblast differentiation marker genes in the otic capsule, suggesting both an anti-catabolic and anabolic effect of CaV1.2TS mutant channel contributed to the observed morphological changes of the ear bones. Further, we found that Col2a1-Cre;CaV1.2TS mice experienced hearing loss and displayed defects of body balance in behavior tests, confirming that the CaV1.2-dependent Ca2+ influx affects bone structure in the ear and consequent hearing and vestibular functions. Together, these data support our hypothesis that Ca2+ influx through CaV1.2TS promotes OPG expression from osteoblasts, thereby affecting bone modeling/remodeling in the auditory ossicles and the otic capsule. These data provide insight into potential pathological mechanisms underlying perturbed OPG expression and otosclerosis.
Postobstructive pneumonia in lung cancer

Postobstructive pneumonia can complicate lung cancer, particularly in more advanced stages of the disease, producing significant clinical decline and a poorer prognosis. It can lead to complications such as empyema, lung abscess and fistula formation. Postobstructive pneumonia can also be the first manifestation of an underlying malignancy. There are multiple challenges in the management of these patients. Recognition and treatment of this entity can be complex and includes the use of imaging, administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics to cover the wide variety of microorganisms involved and the use of different interventional modalities to relieve the obstruction. Existing literature on postobstructive pneumonia is scarce. In this article, we review the pathophysiology, different diagnostic methods and the therapeutic options to treat this condition. The utility and efficacy of the various modalities that are currently available in clinical practice to the interventional pulmonologist are described in some detail.
Informal religious activity outside hegemonic religions: wild traditions and their relevance to evolutionary models

Evolutionary approaches to religious representations must be grounded in a precise description of the forms of religious activity that occurred before the emergence of state societies and doctrinal...
Create Social Responses to a Changing Environment

Communities across the globe, including the United States, face unprecedented environmental challenges influenced by factors such as climate change and an increasing global population. This chapter will focus specifically on natural disasters. While natural disasters have always existed, the current uptick in the frequency of disaster events, growing evidence that disasters negatively affect older adults disproportionally, and larger number of older adults comprising the world’s population than any other age group make it necessary to consider the specific impacts disasters have on the older adult population. Older adults have unique needs during disasters due to vulnerabilities common in late life, as well as social isolation. This chapter details the needs of older adults across the disaster event phases: pre-disaster mitigation and preparedness, during and post-disaster response, and long-term disaster recovery. The chapter concludes with future steps for social work research, policy, and practice.
Uncontrolled donation after circulatory death improves access to kidney transplantation: A decision analysis.

AIM Uncontrolled donation after cardiac death (uDCD) remains an underutilized source of kidney allografts in the United States. The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of the implementation of a uDCD program on transplantation rates and long-term survival for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States. METHODS A decision-analytic Markov state transition model was created using medical decision-making software (DATA 3.5; TreeAge Software, Inc) to estimate the impact of an uDCD program on transplantation rates and patient survival. Additionally, sensitivity analysis of uDCD donor pool increase was modeled. All model statistic parameters were extracted from the literature. RESULTS A uDCD program increased the rate of transplant at 10 years (37.8%, Accept uDCD group, vs 35.9%, Reject uDCD group). At 10 years, overall survival for Accept uDCD was 55.6% compared to 54.8% in the Reject uDCD. CONCLUSIONS Uncontrolled DCD improves access to transplant for ESRD patients on the kidney transplant waitlist, thereby improving long-term survival.
Nuclear spin conversion of water confined in solid parahydrogen

Abstract Rovibrational spectroscopy is used to monitor the nuclear spin conversion (NSC) kinetics of H217O and H216O trapped in solid parahydrogen (pH2) at low temperatures. Non-equilibrium water nuclear spin populations are produced via short-term in situ photolysis of 17O2-doped pH2 solids. The time constant for ortho-to-para conversion is measured to be 367(6) s for H217O and 1770(30) s for H216O. Repeated FTIR measurements indicate that the H2O NSC kinetics is insensitive to temperature (1.6 – 4.0 K), the orthohydrogen content (300 ppm – 3%), and IR radiation from the spectrometer over the stated ranges.
Emphysematous Cystitis Following Bone Marrow Transplant

Emphysematous cystitis is an exceedingly rare complication of urinary tract infection in children and adults. Characterized by air within the bladder wall, this life-threatening condition most often impacts diabetic women. The inciting pathogen is typically Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae, though many other organisms have also been reported. Diagnosis is most commonly made via computed tomography scan; however, plain radiographs have also been described to be diagnostic. Medical management is the mainstay of therapy, consisting of bladder decompression and treatment of the underlying infection. Urologic surgery is required in 10% of cases. We report a 10-year-old child with a recent history of bone marrow transplantation complicated by gut-associated graft-versus-host disease who was diagnosed with emphysematous cystitis following a change in his abdominal pain.
Flexible modelling of multivariate risks in pricing margin protection insurance: modelling portfolio risks with mixtures of mixtures

Margin Protection Programs (MPPs) are relatively new insurance plans, introduced by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). The attractiveness of these risk management instruments lies in the fact tha...
Assessing Institutional Compliance of Appropriate Use Criteria for First Time Outpatient Echocardiography

Background: In 2014 the ACC/AHA/ASE released the Appropriate Use Criteria for Initial Transthoracic Echocardiography in Outpatient Pediatric Cardiology (AUC). Goals of these recommendations included supporting the decision of the physician in delivering individual patient care and to serve as an educational and quality improvement tool. We evaluated our institution compliance with the AUC for first time outpatient echocardiography at our main campus and outreach clinics. Our goal was to reduce the number of rarely appropriate echocardiograms performed on first time outpatient visits to less than 20% over a twelve month period beginning in May 2018. Methods: All first time outpatient echocardiograms from 07/2017 - …
Diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorder among pregnant women in three state Medicaid programs from 2013 to 2016.

Abstract Substance use disorder (SUD) during pregnancy increases risks of adverse outcomes for mothers and children. Because Medicaid covers about half of all births and maternal SUD is a costly problem, describing the timing of enrollment and health care that Medicaid-enrolled pregnant women with SUDs receive is critical to understanding gaps in the timeliness and specificity of SUD diagnosis and treatment for pregnant women with SUDs. We used linked maternal and infant Medicaid claims and enrollment data and infant birth records from three states (n=72,086 mother-infant dyads) to estimate the share of sample women diagnosed with a specified SUD (e.g., opioid use disorder) before or during the birth month, with a specified SUD after the birth month, and with only an unspecified SUD diagnosed (e.g., drug use disorder complicating pregnancy). We also examined the timing of first observed Medicaid enrollment, SUD diagnosis and treatment, and maternal and infant costs. In the 24 months surrounding birth, 3.6% of women had a specified SUD diagnosis first observed before or during the birth month, 1.7% had a specified SUD diagnosis first observed after the birth month, and 6.0% had an SUD diagnosis that was not specified. Most women with a specified SUD diagnosis were enrolled in Medicaid before or early in pregnancy and initiated prenatal care in the first or second trimester, yet nearly one-third of these women received their specified SUD diagnosis after the birth month. Less than two-thirds of women with a specified SUD diagnosis received any SUD treatment during the study period (59.9% among those identified before or during the birth month and 63.1% among those observed after the birth month), and women with an unspecified SUD were about half as likely to get treatment (28.6%). Among treated women, more than two-thirds had the first observed treatment in the same month as their first observed SUD diagnosis. Findings point to a critical need for interventions as well as substantial opportunities to improve the identification of substance use–related needs and provision of treatment among women who birth in Medicaid. Changes in Medicaid and other public policy to reduce disincentives for pregnant and parenting women to report substance use during medical visits and to increase providers' abilities and motivation to equitably screen for as well as treat women with SUDs before, during, and after pregnancy could improve outcomes for mothers and their children. Improvements in SUD diagnosis would also improve prevalence estimates of specific types of SUD, which could contribute to better Medicaid policies aimed at prevention and treatment.
Large Deviations for Stochastic Processes

Introduction: Introduction An overview The general theory of large deviations: Large deviations and exponential tightness Large deviations for stochastic processes Large deviations for Markov processes and semigroup convergence: Large deviations for Markov processes and nonlinear semigroup convergence Large deviations and nonlinear semigroup convergence using viscosity solutions Extensions of viscosity solution methods The Nisio semigroup and a control representation of the rate function Examples of large deviations and the comparison principle: The comparison principle Nearly deterministic processes in $R^d$ Random evolutions Occupation measures Stochastic equations in infinite dimensions Appendix: Operators and convergence in function spaces Variational constants, rate of growth and spectral theory for the semigroup of positive linear operators Spectral properties for discrete and continuous Laplacians Results from mass transport theory Bibliography Index.
Budgeted generalized rate monotonic analysis for the partitioned, yet globally scheduled uniprocessor model

This paper solves the challenge of offline response time analysis of independent periodic tasks with constrained deadlines early in the software development cycle, under generalized rate-monotonic scheduling. CPU budgets are allocated to different applications and each application is composed of multiple periodic tasks that must share the same budget. Physical application requirements impose specifications on task periods and deadlines from the very beginning, but unlike the common assumption in traditional response time analysis, task execution times are not known. This is because task execution times depend on the exact system implementation, which is not finalized until later in the development cycle. Questions facing designers become: will my task meet its deadline given lack of knowledge of other tasks’ execution times? What is the smallest deadline that my task can meet? These questions are traditionally addressed by using a two level scheduler: CPU is partitioned and assigned to application, and task priorities are determined within the scope of an application, and when server becomes active it schedules the tasks locally. Such two level scheduling approach introduces priority inversion across applications. In our approach, different applications’ tasks are globally scheduled and yet the CPU resource is still partitioned and assigned to applications as a CPU budget. We schedule all the tasks globally while enforcing application budgets. The proposed new form of response time analysis is called budgeted generalized rate-monotonic analysis to compute the maximum response time for each task given only application budgets and task periods, but without knowledge of task execution times. We formulate this schedulability problem as a mixed integer linear programming problem and demonstrate a solution that computes the exact worst-case response times. Evaluation shows that our solution outperforms, in terms of schedulability, both global utilization bounds and mechanisms that attain temporal modularity via resource partitioning.
Load dump protection in 42 V automotive electrical distribution systems

Load dump protection in 42 V automotive systems can be provided by combining the use of both active control and passive transient voltage suppression devices (TVS). TVS devices currently available for automotive systems are analyzed and evaluated against the newly proposed 42 V bus voltage specifications. A new monolithic TVS device concept based on power MOSFET technology is proposed to meet the new 42 V specifications. Various active control strategies are also discussed in the paper.
Fine Structure in \({G_s}\left( {(\varphi } \right)){\text{I}}\)

Having established some structure for Kaplan-Markus flows, we now turn to other singular flows. We let ϕ be a flow in ℝ2 and Ω a component of \( {G_s}\left( \varphi \right) \). We note that Ω lies in a component of ℝ2∖ℱs(ϕ), which we denote as Ω0. We see at once by Corollary 3.27, that Ω is closed in Ω0. The boundaries of Ω in Ω0 lie entirely in \( {G_s}\left( \varphi \right) \), and by Theorem 3.12(c), each boundary point has either a periodic singular orbit or an a periodic orbit which does not spiral at either end, i.e. whose ends lie in ∂(Ω0). If \( {O_\varphi }(x) \) is periodic and lies in the interior of Ω, then \( {O_\varphi }(x) \) is singular on both sides, so that it separates the boundaries of Ω0. If, for some reason, we know that ∂(Ω0) has only finitely many components, then we know at once that there can be at most finitely many periodic orbits in the interior of Ω.
Mutants of Yeast with Altered Oxidative Energy Metabolism: Selection and Genetic Characterization

Isolation of a series of mutants, characterized by decreased ability to utilize nonfermentable carbon sources for growth and presence of all cytochromes, is reported. A total of 161 mutants, showing deficient growth on glycerol but able to reduce 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, were isolated, purified, and characterized by ability to grow on various carbon sources. Mutants showing decreased growth were examined by low-temperature spectroscopy, and the 35 strains shown to possess all cytochromes were retained for further studies. These strains were characterized by growth on various nonfermentable carbon sources, relative yield on glucose medium, and respiration (Q O 2 ) of glucose and ethyl alcohol. Genetic studies revealed that at least 19 of the 35 mutants are the result of mutation in single nuclear genes. Furthermore, at least 11 complementation groups are represented among these 19 mutants. Mutants within two complementation groups were shown to be very similar in various properties. These studies demonstrate that a large number of nuclear genes control oxidative energy metabolism and that the characteristics of mutants of the general class are extremely diverse.
Molecular mimicry: parasite evasion and host defense.

Molecular mimicry was formally defined as early as 25 years ago (Damian 1964) as the sharing of antigenic determinants between parasite and host. The possible consequences of molecular mimicry to the host-parasite relationship were then thought to be basically threefold: autoimmunity, parasite avoidance of host immunity, and the development of host antigenic polymorphisms. One focus of my 1964 paper, in common with the contributions of others (Sprent 1962; Dineen 1963), was on the second possibility, that of parasites coexisting with their hosts by means of their failure to stimulate immunity. Earlier, I had introduced the term “eclipsed antigen” for a mimetic parasite epitope that goes unrecognized as foreign in the host (Damian 1962). The idea to be conveyed was that a parasite’s epitope could be “hidden” behind the corresponding host epitope from the host’s immune recognition system. Although this term has not caught on to the extent that “molecular mimicry” has, I still believe it to be a potentially useful one, especially if modified to include more modern terminology: thus, “eclipsed epitope” or “eclipsed mimetic epitope”. A mimetic epitope may operate in immune evasion by modulating immunoregulation in the parasite’s favor (Damian 1984; Grossman et al. 1986; Kemp et al. 1986), e.g., as may occur in Fc receptor mimicry by schistosomes (Torpier et al. 1979; Tarleton and Kemp 1981) or by other mechanisms. In this case, it may be useful to call it an “aggressive epitope” or “aggressive mimetic epitope”, following the ideas on aggressive mimicry developed by Wickler (1968) and Vane-Wright (1976), and playing a bit loosely with the use of the term “epitope.” If a mimetic epitope provokes autoimmunity, then perhaps it could be referred to as an “autoimmunogenic epitope.”
Dislocation-mediated melting of anisotropic layers

Using the ideas of Kosterlitz and Thouless to describe dislocation-mediated melting of two-dimensional (2D) crystals, we consider the melting of anisotropic layers of molecules. Depending on the symmetry of the Burgers vector of the dislocation most prone to unbind, new types of melting behavior occur. In the most interesting case, the properties of the melted phase are described by three characteristic lengths. There are crossovers between regimes of 2D solidlike, 2D smecticlike, 2D nematiclike, and quasi-isotropic behavior. At the melting temperature, there are divergences in the anisotropic properties of the crystal due to one type of dislocation being free, but the other type being effectively bound. In the presence of an incommensurate crystalline substrate, the 2D smectic properties may be stabilized at large distances giving rise to a distinct smectic phase. Similarly, 2D smectic order may be stabilized by the interactions between the layers of a 3D smectic giving rise to a distinct "bismectic" phase, intermediate between the smectic-$C$ and -$H$ phases. Consequences of these results for various scattering experiments have been calculated. The general theory of dislocations in an anisotropic 2D solid is worked out in detail in Appendix A with explicit calculations for the interactions between dislocations and the stress and displacement fields associated with them.
Application of a histogram modification algorithm to the processing of raindrop images

Automatic processing of digital images of falling raindrops is complicated by a less than ideal grayscale image histogram. These his- tograms do not display a bimodal shape and lack an easily defined mini- mum, making it difficult to choose a threshold for creating a binary im- age. To help identify peaks in these histograms, and simplify threshold selection, a histogram modification technique originally developed by Peleg is used. This method was modified slightly and then applied to raindrop image processing. Its performance is quantified. © 2008 Society of
Tunable dynamic fragility and elasticity in dense suspensions of many-arm-star polymer colloids

A microscopic theoretical study of glassy dynamics in dense fluids of soft many-arm-star polymers is performed which elucidates the connection between local packing, shear elasticity and activated relaxation. A soft-jamming crossover is identified, below which particle-softness–dependent apparent power law concentration scaling of the shear modulus and supra-exponential relaxation occur. Dynamic fragility varies over a remarkably wide range, increasing logarithmically with star functionality. Beyond the soft-jamming threshold, the shear modulus increases linearly with volume fraction.
Compliance feedback control for part parellelism in grinding

A method is presented for controlling surface parallelism by manipulating the depth of cut during the grinding process. In vertical spindle surface grinding, achievable single-pass tolerances are often limited by the grinding wheel and machine compliance. The presented methodology consists of adjusting the depth of cut precisely during grinding to enhance the dimensional tolerance without the need for additional sparkout passes. In this methodology, the adjustment is based on the predicted deflection from the modelled compliance and the measured vertical force. Two independent methods are compared in identifying the compliance of the system. A commercial multi-axis CNC controller is reconfigured for processing the dynamometer measurement, calculating controlling commands, and actuating servo loops in real-time. As the deflection of the system varies with the grinding force, a tracking controller follows the predicted deflection of the wheel via depth of cut manipulation, thus cancelling out the part form errors. Experimental results over a range of process conditions are given which demonstrate the effectiveness of the compensation system in the context of ground part parallelism.
Experience report: CS1 in MATLAB for non-majors, with media computation and peer instruction

As computer programming is increasingly considered an essential literacy skill for all students, MATLAB courses in particular can play a role in introducing non-major students to a tool commonly used in many of their fields. This paper reports on our department's experience introducing a CS1 in MATLAB for non-majors course. The course assumed no prior programming experience and no training in linear algebra. Without linear algebra and without the ability to do domain-specific tailoring, we turned to Media Computation to contextualize the skills and motivate students. Media Computation is an approach to programming instruction that focuses on manipulation of visual, audio, and video media. The course design also featured the Peer Instruction lecture format, in which lectures are punctuated by frequent questions that students answer individually and in small groups. To our knowledge, this represents the first time that Media Computation and Peer Instruction pedagogies have been comprehensively adapted to a MATLAB course. This work shares selected materials designed for this course, and reports outcomes of the two terms the course has been offered.
Cytotoxicity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of curcumins I-III from Curcuma longa

Curcumin I, curcumin II (monodemethoxycurcumin) and curcumin III (bisdemethoxycurcumin) from Curcuma longa were assayed for their cytotoxicity, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. These compounds showed activity against leukemia, colon, CNS, melanoma, renal, and breast cancer cell lines. The inhibition of liposome peroxidation by curcumins I-III at 100 microg/ml were 58, 40 and 22%, respectively. The inhibition of COX-I and COX-II enzymes by the curcumins was observed. Curcumins I-III were active against COX-I enzyme at 125 microg/ml and showed 32, 38.5 and 39.2% inhibition of the enzyme, respectively. Curcumins I-III also showed good inhibition of the COX-II enzyme at 125 mg/ml with 89.7, 82.5 and 58.9% inhibition of the enzyme, respectively.
Misleading Report of Poor Screening Power of the Bender Gestalt: Comment on Margolis, Williger, Greenlief, Dunn, and Gfeller (1989)

Abstract In this article, I criticize the recent conclusions by Margolis, Williger, Greenlief, Dunn, and Gfeller (1989) that the Bender Gestalt (BG) test shows poor diagnostic sensitivity for dementia in older adults when compared with common neuropsychological (NP) tests. I show that application of age-adequate norms would result in substantial reductions in degree of assumed impairment on NP measures and dissipation of large and illusory diagnostic differences between BG and NP measures.
Evaluating management strategies to enhance biodiversity in conservation developments: Perspectives from developers in Colorado, USA

Conservation development (CD) refers to a set of land development techniques aimed at minimizing impacts on natural resources. Typically, homes are clustered and open space is set aside for conservation. The evidence for the effectiveness of CDs in conserving biodiversity is mixed, with some studies attributing these results to a lack of stewardship in conserved areas. The purpose of this research was to ask landowners and developers to evaluate which conservation practices, as part of a policy scenario, would be most acceptable. We surveyed landowners and developers who had created CDs in north-central Colorado; we solicited their attitudes about native wildlife conservation and willingness to adopt four conservation practices, given proposed incentive-based policies. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with respondents to elaborate on their response to these proposed incentives, as well as two potential funding mechanisms for managing the open space for biodiversity (homeowners’ association dues and a property tax). Overall, we found moderate support for the conservation practices, some interest in two types of incentives (a housing density bonus and fast-tracking permits), and opposition to the two proposed funding mechanisms for land stewardship. Our findings suggest that CD developers in Colorado would be willing to adopt conservation practices, and are generally supportive of incentive-based policies, but greater understanding of homeowners’ willingness to pay for conservation features is needed to gain support for a funding mechanism.
Advanced Approach For Detector Array Signal Acquisition

Linescanner sensor signal acquisition was investigated as part of the NASA Multi-spectral Linear Array (MLA) design study program. This paper presents a hybrid analog and digital approach which resulted from that investigation. As part of the signal acquisition, the analog signals are converted to digital form and processed to compensate for detector nonuniformity. This method requires only an 8 bit A to D converter to compensate for bias and gain nonuniformity and still provide nearly 8 bit resolution and accuracy in the output signal. This resulted from having control of the A to D conversion range and by using on board calibration measurements with a much higher accuracy than needed in the actual data. Very little accuracy was lost as a result of the bias and gain compensation. The paper describes this advanced approach along with the calibration algorithm used to achieve such performance.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interrelationships and distinct effects of internal reference prices on perceived expensiveness and demand

Although the role of reference prices is widely accepted, what reference price people use in what evaluation has received little attention. This article proposes that the compatibility of framing determines what reference price is used in different evaluations. Specifically, it is found that the market-framed fair reference price determines the market-framed perception of expensiveness and that the personally framed reservation price determines the personally framed demand. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Automated Event Detection and Activity Monitoring in Long Time-Scale Molecular Dynamics

Molecular dynamics trajectories of biological systems contain many events of great scientific interest, including conformational transitions, folding processes, and translocations of ligands and reaction products. In proteins these events often correspond to high-level tertiary or quaternary structure rearrangements, which alter the contacts between amino acid residues. Due to advances in computer architecture and software, molecular dynamics trajectories representing such structure-changing events have become easy to generate, but their length complicates scientific interpretation. The goal of this work is to simplify an important part of the analysis workflow (and to complement traditional visual inspection) by automating the mining of long trajectories. We present several new algorithms and implementation techniques that enable the detection of significant structure-changing events in a molecular dynamics trajectory. These algorithms include a coarse graining of side chain contacts, a contact metric based on higher-order generalizations of the Delaunay tetrahedralization, and median filters for detecting significant shifts in the ensemble mean of the resulting time series. We have also developed numerical techniques for suppressing trivial re-crossing events and a new kernel-based estimator of the contact alteration activity. These methods will be disseminated in a newly developed package, “TimeScapes,” which is compatible with molecular dynamics trajectories generated from any of a variety of popular simulation programs. Tests on microsecond time scale simulations suggest that the implementation is efficient and requires very little parameterization. The analysis provides a detailed listing of broken and formed contacts, and reliably detects allosteric and folding transitions, as well as stable intermediates, in the protein dynamics.