cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hierarchy of risk of childhood-onset rheumatoid arthritis conferred by HLA-DRB1 alleles encoding the shared epitope.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is estimated to affect ~1% of the adult population, is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in the world. A substantial majority of individuals with RA have rheumatoid factor (RF) and/or anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), and the presence of these antibodies has been associated with a worse prognosis. Some children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have a disease that phenotypically resembles RA, characterized by chronic inflammatory arthritis and the presence of the characteristic biomarkers seen in RA including RF and ACPA Such JIA patients presumably represent a subset of RA patients with childhood onset of RA (CORA), but it is unclear if CORA shares the same risk factors associated with adult-onset RA, which has its peak age of onset in the fifth decade, or if patients with CORA have additional risk factors that, once identified, will offer important insight into the etiopathogenesis of RA. Both genetic and environmental factors have been associated with the risk of developing RA in adults. A recent meta-analysis of genome-wide associations studies of RA brought the total number of loci with confirmed genetic association to 31(1). The strongest association observed to date has been with a subset of alleles encoding the class II Human leukocyte antigens (HLA). RA associated HLA-DRB1 alleles encode DRβ1 chains with conserved amino acid sequence in positions 70-74. The molecular structure encoding the susceptibility residues is termed the shared epitope (SE)(2). While associations between SE and risk of RA are well established, some alleles (e.g. HLA-DRB1*0401) appear to confer a greater degree of risk than others (HLA-DRB1*0101)(3). Tezenas Du Montcel et al proposed a classification based on the amino acid sequence at positions 70-74, and suggested that some classes of SE alleles conferred greater susceptibility than others (4, 5). While SE alleles have been evaluated in childhood cases of RA, often referred to in the literature as “seropositive juvenile rheumatoid arthritis” or “polyarticular RF+ juvenile idiopathic arthritis”, most prior cohorts were small, used low resolution HLA typing, and thus have been limited to evaluation of the presence or absence of SE (6-11). Our objectives were to investigate the association between SE-encoding HLA-DRB1 alleles and CORA, and to explore a possible hierarchy of risk conferred by SE alleles based on the amino-acid sequence in position 70-74, in a large cohort of CORA patients. We also sought to compare the frequencies of SE genotypes in children with CORA versus published frequencies in adults with RA.
Corruption, law, and justice: A conceptual clarification

Abstract This article suggests a concept of corruption based on Jurgen Habermas' theory of communicative action. Corruption, as defined in this study, is a colonization of social relations in which two or more actors undertake an exchange relation by way of a successful transfer of the steering media of money or power, thereby sidestepping the legally prescribed procedure to regulate the relation. Two types of corruption are identified: monetary and bureaucratic. In monetary corruption, the exchange relation is carried out by way of a transfer of money, and in bureaucratic corruption by way of a transfer of power. Both types of corruption can circumvent regulations spelled out by legitimate or systemic law. Corruption of social relations regulated by legitimate law involves a transformation from communicative action to strategic action. Corruption of social relations regulated by systemic law intensifies action-coordinating mechanisms aimed at monetary or bureaucratic success. The value of this approach is explicated with reference to some important topics of debate in corruption research.
Specific deletion of TRAF3 in B lymphocytes leads to B-lymphoma development in mice

TRAF3, a cytoplasmic adaptor protein, was recently identified as a candidate tumor suppressor in a range of human B-cell lineage neoplasms. Homozygous deletions and inactivating mutations of the Traf3 gene were detected in non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including splenic marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, as well as multiple myeloma and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.1-4 However, whether TRAF3 deletions or mutations have a causative role in B lymphomagenesis awaits further in vivo study using TRAF3-knockout mice.
Satellite Gravity Measurements Confirm Accelerated Melting of Greenland Ice Sheet

Using time-variable gravity measurements from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission, we estimate ice mass changes over Greenland during the period April 2002 to November 2005. After correcting for the effects of spatial filtering and limited resolution of GRACE data, the estimated total ice melting rate over Greenland is -239 +/- 23 cubic kilometers per year, mostly from East Greenland. This estimate agrees remarkably well with a recent assessment of -224 +/- 41 cubic kilometers per year, based on satellite radar interferometry data. GRACE estimates in southeast Greenland suggest accelerated melting since the summer of 2004, consistent with the latest remote sensing measurements.
Image segmentation via motion vector estimates

In the visual world moving edges in the periphery represent vital pieces of information that directs the human foveation mechanism to selectively gather information around these specific locations. This computationally efficient approach of allocating resources at key locations has inspired computer visionists to develop new target detection and hacking algorithms based on motion detection in image sequences. In this study we implemented a recursive algorithm for estimating motion vector fields for each pixel in a sequence of Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) images. Velocity information is used to segment the image and perform linear quadratic and acceleration-based frame interpolation to produce an apparent frame rate increase. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of low-rate digital fluoroscopy hence less exposure risks while preserving image quality. Furthermore the technique can be useful in the medical Picture Archival and Communication Systems (PACS) where image data can be compressed by storing and transmiting only the motion fields associated with the moving pixels. 1.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Precision of fit of two margin designs for metal-ceramic crowns.

Statement of Problem: Although metal-ceramic restorations are widely used, there is a lack of information about how the fit is affected by margin designs. Purpose: This study measured and compared the precision of fit of metal-ceramic crowns with two margin designs. Material and Methods: Thirty-two extracted human premolar teeth were prepared for complete-coverage restorations with an internally rounded shoulder preparation. Impressions were made from all teeth, and master dies were poured with improved stone type V. MC crowns were fabricated with a porcelain-butt margin on the buccal aspect (n = 32) and a feather-edge metal margin on the lingual aspect (n = 32), which served as a control group. Precision of fit was measured three times at the mid-buccal and mid-lingual margins of each crown with a profilometer. The data were statistically analyzed with the paired t-test (α < .05). Results: Mean marginal gap size of porcelain-butt margins was 27.93 μm (±15.84) and of feather-edge metal margins 42.43 μm (±24.12). The marginal gap size of feather-edge metal margins was statistically significantly greater than that of porcelain-butt margins (p = 0.0045). Conclusion: The marginal fit of porcelain-butt margins was significantly better than that of feather-edge metal margins. Clinical Implications: Porcelain-butt margins in this study had a better marginal fit than feather-edge metal margins, and thus have given clinicians evidence to prefer the use of porcelain-butt margins.
Spatial Distribution of Oak Mistletoe as It Relates to Habits of Oak Woodland Frugivores

This study addresses the underlying spatial distribution of oak mistletoe, Phoradendron villosum, a hemi-parasitic plant that provides a continuous supply of berries for frugivorous birds overwintering the oak savanna habitat of California's outer coast range. As the winter community of birds consuming oak mistletoe varies from group-living territorial species to birds that roam in flocks, we asked if mistletoe volume was spatially autocorrelated at the scale of persistent territories or whether the patterns predicted by long-term territory use by western bluebirds are overcome by seed dispersal by more mobile bird species. The abundance of mistletoe was mapped on trees within a 700 ha study site in Carmel Valley, California. Spatial autocorrelation of mistletoe volume was analyzed using the variogram method and spatial distribution of oak mistletoe trees was analyzed using Ripley's K and O-ring statistics. On a separate set of 45 trees, mistletoe volume was highly correlated with the volume of female, fruit-bearing plants, indicating that overall mistletoe volume is a good predictor of fruit availability. Variogram analysis showed that mistletoe volume was spatially autocorrelated up to approximately 250 m, a distance consistent with persistent territoriality of western bluebirds and philopatry of sons, which often breed next door to their parents and are more likely to remain home when their parents have abundant mistletoe. Using Ripley's K and O-ring analyses, we showed that mistletoe trees were aggregated for distances up to 558 m, but for distances between 558 to 724 m the O-ring analysis deviated from Ripley's K in showing repulsion rather than aggregation. While trees with mistletoe were aggregated at larger distances, mistletoe was spatially correlated at a smaller distance, consistent with what is expected based on persistent group territoriality of western bluebirds in winter and the extreme philopatry of their sons.
On the Reconstruction of Darcy Velocity in Finite-Volume Methods

The accuracy of particle tracking methods for advective transport in porous media depends in turn upon the accuracy of the computed velocity. In many advanced finite-volume methods used in practical applications, the velocity field is often only accurate up to the first order, and is typically defined only on mesh edges. We develop an inexpensive method for reconstructing a quasi-optimal accuracy-preserving velocity field inside the elements of a polygonal mesh. Numerical verification on quadrilateral meshes shows reduction of L 2-error in comparison with conventional reconstruction strategies.
Improved route error tolerant mechanism for AODV routing protocol in MANET

The ultimate goal of this paper is to improve the route error tolerant mechanism of Adhoc On demand Distance Vector Routing Protocol (AODV) for the dynamic MANET system. In traditional AODV, if the route error occurs at the middle of transmission means the source node reconstruct the route to start the transmission from the beginning. So, the vast delay is occurred in the network and also AODV does not consider the presence of malicious node while constructing the route. In the proposed mechanism, the route error is not sent to the source node. It is send to the node which is prior to itself in the route. So, forwarder node also can handle the route failure and the proposed scheme considers the presence of malicious node while constructing the route. The performance is evaluated by using the NS2 Simulator.
Carmine cochineal killers: the flower fly genus Eosalpingogaster Hull (Diptera: Syrphidae) revised

The flower fly genus Eosalpingogaster Hull, predator of the carminic acid producer cochineal (Dactylopiidae), is revised. Two new species are described (knutsonisp.n. and umbrasp.n.) and an identification key is provided for all known species. Diagnoses, illustrations, synonymies and distributional and biological data are given. Three new synonyms are proposed [texana Curran as jun.syn. of cochenillivora (Guerin-Meneville); liposeta Fluke and dactylopianus Blanchard as jun.syn. of nigriventris (Bigot)] and two lectotypes are designated for cochenillivora (Guerin-Meneville) and nigriventris (Bigot). Eosalpingogaster is elevated to full generic status based on adult morphological characters, biological data and a new phylogenetic analysis of molecular characters with genes 28S, 18S and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I. All data, images and drawings are available online as an example of the utility of international standards for biodiversity informatics.
Changing near-stream land use and river channel morphology in the Venezuelan Andes

: The shape of a river channel is linked to surrounding land use through interacting hydrologic and geologic processes. This study analyzes the relationship between the change in near-stream land use and the shape of the adjacent river channel over time. Three watersheds in the foothills of the Venezuelan Andes that have experienced differing degrees of development were studied to determine river channel width, sinuosity, and position relative to surrounding land use. Change in land use over time was obtained from multiple-date aerial photographs (1946 and 1980) referenced to 1996 Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery, and verified by field inspection. Measurements of land-use type and amount and river channel morphology from the two dates were made using geographic information system (GIS) methods. The three watersheds differed in the extent of deforestation, the location of remaining forested land, and how much land-use change had already occurred by 1946. Change in river channel morphology was greatest at the most deforested sites. Valley shape and channel constraint also had a discernible effect on change in channel morphology. This study introduces a method for analyzing change in coupled terrestrial-aquatic systems based on multiple-date, remotely sensed data and GIS analysis of spatial properties. The results document human impacts on river channels through a comparison of multiple watersheds over a 35-year time interval.
Hypothalamic Mechanisms in Cachexia

The role of nutrition and balanced metabolism in normal growth, development, and health maintenance is well known. Patients affected with either acute or chronic diseases often show disorders of nutrient balance. In some cases, a devastating state of malnutrition known as cachexia arises, brought about by a synergistic combination of a dramatic decrease in appetite and an increase in metabolism of fat and lean body mass. Other common features that are not required for the diagnosis include decreases in voluntary movement, insulin resistance, and anhedonia. This combination is found in a number of disorders including cancer, cystic fibrosis, AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, renal failure, and Alzheimer's disease. The severity of cachexia in these illnesses is often the primary determining factor in both quality of life, and in eventual mortality. Indeed, body mass retention in AIDS patients has a stronger association with survival than any other current measure of the disease. This has led to intense investigation of cachexia and the proposal of numerous hypotheses regarding its etiology. Most authors suggest that cytokines released during inflammation and malignancy act on the central nervous system to alter the release and function of a number of neurotransmitters, thereby altering both appetite and metabolic rate. This review will discuss the salient features of cachexia in human diseases, and review the mechanisms whereby inflammation alters the function of key brain regions to produce stereotypical illness behavior.
The relationship between covariance and anti-covariance mapping

Abstract Pyridine clusters are subjected to intense femtosecond laser pulses at fluences around 10 15 W cm −2 at 620 nm, which results in multiple ionization and concomitant Coulomb explosion. A combined covariance map is considered which can be viewed as the overlay of two maps that describe the statistical interaction of the resulting time-of-flight spectra of the pyridine clusters which lead to species having large values of kinetic energy. The combined map is constructed from ones involving both positive covariance values and anti-covariance values obtained in the same experimental study. Significantly, the individual points representing positive and anti-covariance effects arising from the ionization of the clusters via femtosecond laser pulses are found to be mutually exclusive of each other as exemplified in this pyridine study. Our extension of covariance mapping, which was originally formulated by Frasinski et al. for simple molecular interactions, and is further developed in the present study, elucidates the presence of competitive reactions within cluster systems by comparison of the two maps.
Bringing“The Gospel of Modernization”to Nigeria: American Nation Builders and Development Planning in the 1960s

Drawing on recent studies of development discourse, this essay explores the impact of two American academics affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Nigerian economic planning in the 1960s. Their published and unpublished writings provide a dramatic demonstration of how development discourse skewed American and Nigerian perceptions of reality, contributing to the failure of nation building during the First Republic. American “secular missionaries” promoted a “gospel of modernization,” a vision of Nigeria as a self-confident, unified nation-state that would offer Africa a model for development. They predicted the Nigerian National Development Plan of 1962–68, funded by American aid and private investment, would provide a “significant historical demonstration” that American-led modernization produces development and democracy. Instead, Nigeria's economy remained locked into neocolonial trade patterns, corruption blossomed, and ethnic conflict and political opportunism culminated in a bloody civil war from 1967 to 1970. Nigeria entered the twenty-first century with a staggering external debt, widespread poverty, and painful dependence on the West.
A program for calculation of activity coefficients at selected concentrations and temperatures

A program which calculates the mean activity coefficient of electrolytes in aqueous solutions has been written for the Texas Instruments TI-59 calculator. Using previously published [1] compact tables of three parameters, the activity coefficients at 25^oC for 227 electrolytes can be calculated at selected concentrations. The equations and parameters employed give results in good agreement with empirical determinations of mean activity coefficients over an extended range of concentrations, often >= 5m. The program uses the Debye-Huckle equation to estimate the mean activity coefficient at other temperatures. Good agreement with empirical results is obtained up to moderate concentrations at temperatures ranging from 15 to 80^oC.
SUPPRESSION OF DELAYED HYPERSENSITIVITY IN VITRO BY INHIBITION OF PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

Peritoneal cells from guinea pigs exhibiting delayed hypersensitivity are inhibited from migrating in vitro by specific antigen. This inhibition is prevented by the addition of puromycin to the culture medium. The amount of puromycin necessary to prevent the inhibition by antigen also suppressed the incorporation of C14-leucine into peritoneal cell protein. Additional evidence that the action of puromycin is due to its inhibition of protein synthesis has been obtained with analogues of puromycin; those that inhibit protein synthesis also prevent the action of antigen on the cells, while those analogues that do not inhibit protein synthesis have no effect. Actinomycin also prevents the inhibition of sensitive cells by antigen while chloramphenicol has no effect. The data indicate that the inhibition of sensitive cell migration by antigen requires active protein synthesis. The possible mechanisms by which inhibition of protein synthesis may influence the in vitro reactions of delayed hypersensitivity are discussed.
Three dimensional PNS solutions of hypersonic internal flows with equilibrium chemistry

An implicit procedure for solving parabolized Navier-Stokes equations under the assumption of a general equation of state for a gas in chemical equilibrium is given. A general and consistent approach for the evaluation of Jacobian matrices in the implicit operator avoids the use of unnecessary auxiliary quantities and approximations, and leads to a simple expression. Applications to two- and three-dimensional flow problems show efficiency in computer time and economy in storage.
Asymmetric Synthesis of the Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein Inhibitor Torcetrapib

Previously our group reported synthetic efforts used to synthesize kilogram quantities of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor torcetrapib, 1, via a mid-stage resolution. This ac...
Policies and market factors driving wind power development in the United States

Abstract In the United States, there has been substantial recent growth in wind energy generating capacity, with growth averaging 24 percent annually during the past five years. About 1700 MW of wind energy capacity was installed in 2001, while another 410 MW became operational in 2002. During 2003, development activity has remained strong, with an estimated 1600 MW of capacity installed. With this growth, an increasing number of States are experiencing investment in wind energy projects: currently about half of all States host at least one wind power project. This paper explores the key factors at play in the 12 States in which a substantial amount of wind energy capacity has been developed or planned. Some of the factors that are examined include policy drivers, such as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), Federal and State financial incentives; as well as market drivers, such as consumer demand for green power, natural gas price volatility, and wholesale market rules.
Part D Formulary and Benefit Design as a Risk-Steering Mechanism

In 2006, the Medicare Part D program intro? duced universal publicly subsidized prescription drug coverage to American seniors. The pro? gram relies upon competition among drug plans to provide coverage. Plans have enormous scope to design benefits and to set premiums, but they may not charge differential premiums based on risk.
The Caribbean Sheets and Layers Transects (C‐SALT) Program

C-SALT (Caribbean Sheets and Layers Transects) was a combined mesoscale, fine structure, and microstructure survey of the strong thermohaline staircase found in the tropical North Atlantic east of Barbados. This area lies at the confluence of the high-salinity subtropical underwater at 150 m depth and the fresh Antarctic intermediate water at 750 m depth. The superposition of these two extrema gives rise to a very strong destabilizing vertical salinity gradient that can drive salt finger convection. During spring and fall 1985 the C-SALT field program found an area of over 1 million km2, with staircase layering. The 5–30-m-thick layers were found to have horizontal coherence scales of hundreds of kilometers and revealed consistent temperature and salinity changes within layers. Tracer data imply enhanced vertical fluxes in the staircase relative to nearby regions; however, microstructure measurements indicate that the salt fingers were rather weak, at least in the fall. Direct shadowgraph observations suggest that the fingers were strongly tilted by the modest shears between layers. These results will require revisions in current models of salt fingering, but should contribute substantially to the goal of parameterizing the double-diffusive mixing processes.
Age: A Complex Variable

Interest in geriatrics has grown exponentially over the past decade. It is not merely a function of sentiment but rather a response to the realities dictated by demographic changes. As can be seen from Fig. 1, based on current projections, the present U.S. population of older people (those 65 years of age and over) will have more than doubled by the year 2030.1 It is expected that over 50 million people will belong to this group and will constitute 15–17% of the total population. Given achievements and improvements in health care, the figure of 17% could climb as high as 25–30%. These projections are not influenced by changes in fertility rates. The older generation in 2030 will by and large be the baby boom population of the 1940s and 1950s grown older.
FUNCTIONALIZING HETEROCYCLES BY ELECTRON-DEFICIENT BONDING TO A TRIOSMIUM CLUSTER

A new synthetic methodology for adding carbon-based nucleophiles to the carbocyclic ring of quinolines has been developed, based on the electron-deficient bonding of the C(8) carbon and the protective coordination of the nitrogen atom to the metal core in the complexes Os3(CO)9(μ3-η2-C9H5(R)N)(μ-H), 1a−1h. These compounds react with a wide range of carbanions (e.g., R‘Li) to give the nucleophilic addition products Os3(CO)9(μ3-η3-C9H7(5-R‘)N)(μ-H), 2a−2l, and Os3(CO)9(μ3-η3-C9H6(3-, 4-, or 6-R)(5-R‘)N)(μ-H), 3b−3g, after quenching with trifluoroacetic acid, in isolated yields of 25−86%. In the 6-substituted derivatives, this addition is stereoselective, forming only the cis-diastereomer. In the case the 6-chloro derivative, a second product is obtained, Os3(CO)9(μ3-η2-C9H5(6-Cl)(5-C(CH3)2CN)N)(μ-H)2, 4, the result of protonation at the metal core and rearrangement of the carbocyclic ring. The trans-diastereomer of the 6-substituted derivatives can be obtained by quenching the intermediate anion of the unsu...
Lifetime analysis of dynamically allocated objects

The choice of binding time disciplines has major consequences for both the run-time efficiency of programs and the convenience of the language expressing algorithms. Late storage binding time, dynamic allocation, provides the flexibility necessary to implement the complex data structures common in today's object oriented style of programming. In this paper we show that compile-time lifetime analysis can be applied to programs written in languages with static type systems and dynamically allocated objects, to provide earlier storage binding time for objects, while maintaining all the advantages of dynamic allocation.
Inside directors, board effectiveness, and shareholder wealth

Abstract We investigate whether inside managers are added to corporate boards for efficiency or entrenchment purposes. Our examination of inside director appointments finds that the stock-market reaction to the announcement is significantly negative when inside directors own less than 5% of the firm's common stock, significantly positive when their ownership level is between 5% and 25%, and insignificantly different from zero when ownership exceeds 25%. These results suggest that the expected benefits of an inside director's expert knowledge clearly out weigh the expected costs of managerial entrenchment only when managerial and outside shareholder interests are closely aligned.
Eberstadt and Forrestal: A National Security Partnership, 1909-1949

On the heels of New Deal administrators, an army of business executives arrived in Washington in 1940 to prepare the nation for war. Among this contingent were two wealthy investment bankers and longtime friends: Ferdinand Eberstadt and James Forrestal. Together they played integral roles in the massive war mobilization program and, later, in the formation of institutions for postwar national security. Jeffery M. Dorwart's research and analysis provide a fresh look at the friendships, connections, and mindsets that steered the growing federal government in the first half of the twentieth century. The result of these relationships was a system of corporatist management for wartime mobilization and for Cold War national security. Eberstadt, a key figure on numerous policy committees, and Forrestal, secretary of the navy during the 1940s and the first secretary of the new Department of Defense, shared a common background all the way to their college days at Princeton. Over the years, their friendship and their ties to a group of like-minded executives, whom Eberstadt termed the "Good Men," substantially shaped government policy. Dorwart's research on Eberstadt's role is especially enlightening, for it reveals how Eberstadt, an outside consultant and not a government employee or elected official, affected policy direction through his design of the National Security Act of 1947. "This is a significant contribution to American military and defense history. The author's use of the Good Man' idea effectively . . . illustrates how non-military ideas and influences have been fundamental in shaping national security policy."--Jerry Cooper, University of Missouri-St. Louis (formerly of the Command and General Staff College)
Kinetic Analysis of Ester Aminolysis Catalyzed by Nucleosides in a Nonpolar Medium. Evidence of Bifunctional Catalysis

Kinetic analysis of ester aminolysis in benzene catalyzed by 2‘,3‘,5‘-O-tris(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-protected nucleosides and 2-pyridone is reported. The catalytic rate constant k3‘ was determined for protected nucleosides A, C, G, U, and pseudouridine (Ψ). The relatively high value associated with C and 2-pyridone is indicative of bifunctional catalysis occurring through stabilization of the aminolysis transition state. The implications of this finding on the possible role C plays in biological catalysis during protein synthesis is hypothesized.
Effects of antipsychotic drugs on brain-stimulation detection: Preliminary observations

The effects of two antipsychotic drugs, haloperidol and clozapine, on the detection of electrical brain stimulation were investigated. Rats were trained to make an instrumental response to a brain stimulation cue delivered via an electrode implanted in one of several forebrain or midbrain loci. A response to this stimulation was reinforced by the delivery of a rewarding electrical stimulus via a second electrode implanted in the hypothalamus. By varying the current intensity of the cue stimulus, a detection threshold was determined in each subject both prior to and after administration of various doses of haloperidol or clozapine. Compared to changes on vehicle control days, both drugs produced a dose-related elevation of the detection thresholds. Although haloperidol was more potent than clozapine in most subjects, the minimal effective doses of haloperidol for affecting detection from forebrain loci were lower than for affecting detection from midbrain loci. A reverse differential sensitivity was observed after clozapine administration. Concurrent effects of these two drugs on latency to respond, as well as on both task defined strength of responding and ability to inhibit responding not only indicated the specificity of threshold elevations, but provided additional behavioral information concerning the actions of the two antipsychotic agents. It is proposed that the method employed in this experiment is suitable for measuring the effects of drugs on the discriminative or perceptual properties of electrical brain stimulation and may indicate central sites of drug action.
Nonlinear inferential control of pulp digesters

Monitoring and control of batch pulp digesters, which convert wood chips to pulp by Kraft process are discussed. The Kappa number, which represents the extent of delignification, is the key controlled variable, which cannot be measured on-line and must be estimated through secondary liquor measurements. Given a fixed batch time, the final Kappa number should be as close to the target Kappa number as possible, despite errors in the initial state estimates and input disturbances. To fulfill this objective, a state-observer-based model-predictive controller is designed using a detailed nonlinear dynamic model of the digester. The extended Kalman filter (EKF) using on-line measurements of various liquor characteristics is capable of recovering from significant errors in the initial state estimates. In addition, the EKF is shown to be robust to the errors in the covariance matrices and most model parameters, but quite sensitive to some model parameter errors. Coupled with the EKF, a finite-horizon model predictive controller (MFC) based on successive linearization of the nonlinear pulping model, is found to work efficiently for controlling the Kappa number and batch time.
Cyclopentenone signals for plant defense: Remodeling the jasmonic acid response

Compounds derived from the oxidative metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids are synthesized in response to external stimuli and serve important roles in controlling diverse processes in both plants and animals. Members of the eicosanoid family of lipid mediators have been studied extensively with respect to their biosynthesis from C20 fatty acids and their function in the regulation of cell differentiation, immune responses, and homeostasis in animal systems (1). In plants, oxygenated derivatives of C18 and C16 fatty acids participate in the regulation of many defense-related and developmental processes. Research on fatty acid-based signaling systems in plants has focused mainly on the hormonally active compound, jasmonic acid (JA). A rapidly growing body of literature indicates that plant defense responses against insect herbivores (Fig. 1) and some microbial pathogens are orchestrated by signaling pathways involving the biosynthesis and subsequent action of JA. In this issue of PNAS, Stintzi et al. (2) used an elegant biochemical genetic approach to determine whether the cyclopentenone precursor of JA, 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), is also a physiological signal for defense. Their demonstration that OPDA confers broad-spectrum resistance in the absence of JA marks a major advance in our understanding of jasmonate-signaled responses.
Characterization of SiC Passivation Using MOS Capacitor Ultraviolet-Induced Hysteresis

Different SiC thermal oxide passivation techniques were characterized using UV-induced hysteresis to estimate the fixed charge, Qf, and interface-trapped charge, Qit. Steam-grown oxides have a fixed charge density of Qf=-1x1012 cm-2, and a net interface-trapped charge density of Qit=4x1011cm-2. Addition of a thin low-pressure chemical-vapor deposited (LPCVD) silicon nitride layer decreased these parameters to Qf=-2x1011 cm-2 and Qit=4x1010 cm-2. Dry oxide shows a fixed charge density, Qf=-3x1012 cm-2 and interface-trapped charge density, Qit=4x1011 cm-2 which changes to Qf=+7x1010 cm-2 and Qit=1x1010 cm-2 with the addition of a LPCVD silicon nitride cap. Dry thermal oxide with a silicon nitride cap was used to passivate SiC MESFETs to achieve a power-added efficiency of 60% in pulsed operation at 3 GHz in Class AB bias conditions.
Primary central alveolar hypoventilation in a child: Early diagnosis during acute illness; trials with respiratory stimuli; studies related to endorphins

Primary central alveolar hypoventilation (PCAH) has been described in adults, children, and infants. It is usually diagnosed clinically at an advanced stage when the secondary effects of chronic hypoxia and hypercapnia become evident. We report here PCAH in its early stage in a 7-year-old child, whose disease appeared as acute respiratory failure during an acute illness. When the acute illness subsided, the salient features of PCAH remained and were studied in some detail. We also describe the child's response to respiratory stimuli, and some results related to endorphins, including his plasma endorphin levels and response to a trial of naloxone.
FT-Raman investigation of milled-wood lignins : softwood, hardwood, and chemically modified black spruce lignins

Abstract Raman spectroscopy is being increasingly applied to study wood and other lignin-containing biomass/biomaterials. Lignin's contribution to the Raman spectra of such materials needs to be understood in the context of various lignin structures, substructures, and functional groups so that lignin-specific features could be identified and the spectral information could be interpreted usefully. Additionally, to enhance the utility of Raman as a characterization tool, an understanding of chemical-treatment-induced changes to the lignin spectrum is important. In the present work, Raman spectra of four milled-wood lignins (MWLs)—black spruce, loblolly pine, aspen, and sweetgum—were compared, and using black spruce MWL, spectral changes brought about by alkaline hydrogen peroxide bleaching, hydrogenation, acetylation, and methylation reactions were analyzed. The band intensity changes depended upon the nature of the chemical treatments.
Pharmacological profile of neuroleptics at human monoamine transporters

Abstract Using radioligand binding techniques, we determined the equilibrium dissociation constants (KD) for 37 neuroleptics and one metabolite of a neuroleptic (haloperidol metabolite) for the human serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine transporters with [ 3 H ] imipramine, [ 3 H ] nisoxetine, and [ 3 H ] WIN35428, respectively. Among neuroleptics, the four most potent compounds at the human serotonin transporter were triflupromazine, fluperlapine, chlorpromazine, and ziprasidone (KD 24–39 nM); and at the norepinephrine transporter, chlorpromazine, zotepine, chlorprothixene, and promazine (KD 19–25 nM). At the human dopamine transporter, only pimozide (KD=69±3) ziprasidone (KD=76±5) had notable potency. These data may be useful in predicting therapeutic and adverse effects, including drug interactions of neuroleptics.
Assessment of Gluteus Maximus Muscle Area With Different Image Analysis Programs

Abstract Wu GA, Bogie K. Assessment of gluteus maximus muscle area with different image analysis programs. Objective To determine the effectiveness of a percutaneous gluteal stimulation system (GSTIM) by comparing assessments of axial computed tomography (CT) scans for the pelvic area. Design Comparing the measurements of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the gluteus maximus muscle between raters and 2 image analysis programs. Setting Retrospective axial CT scans of the pelvic area. Participants Men (N=9) with complete (below T6) spinal cord injury (SCI) and at least 2 years postinjury participated in the study (range, 29–75y; mean age, 51.8y). Intervention Comparing gluteus maximus CSA before and after a period of GSTIM. Main Outcome Measure Measurements made by 2 expert and 2 nonexpert raters were used to compare the repeatability and reliability of measuring muscle CSA. The longitudinal study presented is from repeated CT scans obtained over a 2-year period for 1 representative participant who received a GSTIM system. Results For repeatability, nonexpert raters measured a mean CSA of 35.2cm 2 (range, 20–45cm 2 ), while experts measured 21cm 2 (range, 10–35cm 2 ). A composite of all raters using the same program had SDs of 2.5 to 2.6cm 2 for a program available through the National Institutes of Health and 2.5 to 4.4cm 2 for a commercially available program. For reliability, differences between the 2 programs had mean differences in SD between 2.2 and 3.7cm 2 . Conclusions The same rater and program (preferably the more reliable ImageJ) is recommended for the course of a longitudinal study. Otherwise, significant error would be introduced. Furthermore, significant increases in the CSA of gluteal muscle compared with preintervention (baseline) measurements were observed for the participant receiving GSTIM.
Health characteristics and utilization of public sector health facilities among migrant agricultural workers in Orange County, New York.

Publicly subsidized medical clinics were established to provide migrant farmworkers with minimal access to mainstream medical care. Nevertheless, migrant farmworkers delay treatment health problems and refrain totally from use of medical facilities. The present study explores the health status and utilization of subsidized migrant clinics by farmworkers in a vegetable production county (Orange County) in upstate New York. Multivariate analysis indicated that economic resources, mental health status, health insurance coverage, language, education and utilization of acute care facilities are important predictors of these decisions.
Diagnosis of Childhood Depression: A Comparison of the Weinberg and DSM-III Criteria

Systematically interviewed children ( N = 102) aged 7 to 17 years were diagnosed by DSM-III criteria. Subgroups of children who met DSM-III depression criteria were compared to those who met the childhood depression criteria of Weinberg et al. (1973). Of the children meeting DSM-III criteria for depression, 78% also met Weinberg criteria; conversely, 58% of Weinberg depressed children met DSM-III depression criteria. Remaining children had other DSM-III diagnoses, predominantly behavior disorders and anxiety disorders. Children who met both the DSM-III and Weinberg criteria for depression were significantly more depressed on the Children's Depression Inventory than those who only met the Weinberg criteria. A substantial number of children had depressive symptoms according to parents, but these did not represent a change in their usual behavior and most did not meet DSM-III criteria. Independent validating measures of depression are necessary before final conclusions can be drawn regarding whose criteria are most accurate in describing childhood depression.
Thermal performance of a water-phase change material solar collector

Abstract A new type of solar collector was developed and its short term thermal performance was investigated. The solar collector, which exhibited a net solar aperture area of 1.44 m2, consisted of two adjoining sections one filled with water and the other with a phase change material with a melting and freezing range of about 45–50°C, i.e. paraffin wax in this study. The phase change material functioned both as an energy storage material for the stabilisation, theoretically, of the water temperature and as an insulation material due to its low thermal conductivity value. The results of the study indicated that the water temperature exceeded 55°C during a typical day of high solar radiation and it was kept over 30°C during the whole night. Covering the collector surface with an insulation blanket at a time when the water temperature was at its maximum improved the energy conservation of the water significantly. The instantaneous thermal efficiency values were between about 22% and 80%. The present solar collector was much advantageous over the traditional solar hot water collectors in Turkey in terms of total system weight and the cost in particular.
Change in attitude toward religion in a Southern University.

This paper describes change in attitude toward organized religion as measured in three surveys taken over a period of 9 yr. The attitude of the respondents who in each survey were undergraduate students at the University of Texas became less favorable toward organized religion during that period. Several variables were found to be related to attitude toward organized religion. These include sex, grade point average, major academic field, religious preference, and frequency of church attendance.
Illinois Soil Moisture under Sod Experiment

Abstract Long-term data collection of volumetric soil moisture under sod has been conducted in Illinois for more than 25 years. Numerous applied and modeling studies have been undertaken with these data, often relating results to regional conditions under a variety of surface covers. However, the actual level of representation of these data to nearby areas with different surface covers is unknown. In 2006/07, the Soil Moisture under Sod Experiment was conducted at Bondville, Illinois, to increase understanding of soil moisture variability across a very small area of seemingly uniform surface and near-surface conditions. Ten locations were chosen at random within a 5.9-ha sodded field for twice weekly neutron probe soil moisture observations over a period of more than 13 months. Measurements were taken at the surface and at 20-cm intervals down to 2 m, precisely matching the historic Illinois depth observations. A detailed surface terrain analysis was conducted to consider effects on soil moisture attribut...
Enzymic activity associated with postpartum involution of the uterus and with its regression after hormone withdrawal in the rat.

The activity of a lysosomal enzyme, acid phosphatase, was studied by a visualization technique during postpartum involution of the rat’s uterus and in its regression following hormone withdrawal. Uteri from virgin and pregnant animals served as controls. Little enzymic activity was detectable in uteri from virgin and pregnant rats. Immediately postpartum, marked enzymic activity developed around placental detachment sites, in the epithelial cells, and in macrophages and stromal cells in all uterine layers. Smooth muscle fibers acquired moderate acid phosphatase activity. The macrophages appeared to be derived at least in part from blood monocytes. Enzymic activity remained high during the period of rapid shrinkage and reorganization of the uterine wall, and subsequently declined. Changes also were demonstrated in the amounts of free lipid and stainable collagen. Uteri from ovariectomized rats exhibited qualitatively similar enzymic responses, as did those of estrogen-plus-progesterone-treated rats followi...
Seed Rain of Restored and Natural Prairie Wetlands

In prairie wetland restorations, seeds may be limiting plant recolonization but this has never been quantified in the field. We evaluated the seed rain in restored and natural wetlands to determine if seed limitation constrains plant recolonization. We were particularly interested in determining whether Carex species, dominant vegetation of seasonally flooded zones, are seed limited in restorations. We quantified seed rain over two years using seed traps and compared seed rain with on-site vegetation and seed banks. The seed rain, vegetation, and seed banks of restorations were dominated by annual species rather than the target non-invasive, native perennial vegetation. Invasive perennials were not dominant in the seed rain, vegetation, or seed banks of new restorations, despite the fact that they are abundant in many older restorations. The seed rain of natural wetlands was dominated by invasive perennials, which did not reflect the prevalence of native perennial vegetation onsite. Carex species were seed limited in both wetland types. Carex species need to be sown into prairie wetland restorations to overcome dispersal limitations and to pre-empt the perennial invasive species. In addition, landscape-scale perennial invasive species management is necessary to reduce the seed supply of undesirable species to all wetlands.
A Bayesian Computer Vision System for Modeling Human Interaction

We describe a real-time computer vision and machine learning system for modeling and recognizing human behaviors in a visual surveillance task. The system is particularly concerned with detecting when interactions between people occur, and classifying the type of interaction. Examples of interesting interaction behaviors include following another person, altering one's path to meet another, and so forth. Our system combines top-down with bottom-up information in a closed feedback loop, with both components employing a statistical Bayesian approach. We propose and compare two different state-based learning architectures, namely HMMs and CHMMs, for modeling behaviors and interactions. The CHMM model is shown to work much more efficiently and accurately. Finally, to deal with the problem of limited training data, a synthetic 'Alife-style' training system is used to develop flexible prior models for recognizing human interactions. We demonstrate the ability to use these a priori models to accurately classify real human behaviors and interactions with no additional tuning or training.