cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alkali Metal Induced Rupture of a Phosphorus−Phosphorus Double Bond. Electrochemical and EPR Investigations of New Sterically Protected Diphosphenes and Radical Anions [ArPPAr]•-

The synthesis and characterization of the new diphosphenes DmtPPDmt (2a) (Dmt = 2,6-dimesityl-p-tolyl) and DxpPPDxp (3a) (Dxp = 2,6-di(m-xylyl)phenyl) are described. The electrochemical behavior of 2a, 3a, and DmpPPDmp (1a) (Dmp = 2,6-dimesitylphenyl) has been examined by cyclic voltammetry. Compounds 1a−3a display reversible reductions in THF (room temperature, 0.1 M nBu4NBF4) at −2.08, −2.15, and −2.08 V vs SCE, respectively. Chemical and electrochemical reduction of solutions of 1a−3a led to the stable radical anions [DmpPPDmp]•- (1b), [DmtPPDmt]•- (2b), and [DxpPPDxp]•- (3b) which were studied by EPR spectroscopy. The EPR data indicate the unpaired spins reside in PP π* molecular orbitals. Chemical reduction of 1a−3a with either Na metal or sodium naphthalenide yields sodium salts Na[ArPPAr], which show additional EPR signals that have been attributed to the presence of ion-paired species. No ion pairing was detected by EPR spectroscopy for the corresponding magnesium, potassium, or lithium salts of 1...
An exploration of the Pulfrich effect.

.— The existence of a Pulfrich effect based on ocular convergence was demonstrated by having subjects with a neutral density filter over one eye observe a moving rod in a homogeneous environment. This effect was found to have a smailer magnitude than a Pulfrich effect that was obtained when the rod moved optically in the plane of a dot pattern and thus formed the central equivalents of retinal disparities with the dots of the pattern. Under the latter condition, the latency of subjects' reporting the depth effect was shorter when one end of the rod was visible than when both ends of the rod were concealed. This latency difference occurred because the visible end of the rod formed the equivalent of transverse disparities with the dots surrounding it. The presence of real transverse disparities is known to shorten latencies.
First-principles analysis of the effects of alloying Pd with Ag for the catalytic hydrogenation of acetylene-ethylene mixtures.

The effect of alloying Pd with Ag on the hydrogenation of acetylene is examined by analyzing the chemisorption of all potential C1 (atomic carbon, CH, methylene, and methyl) and C2 (acetylene, vinyl, ethylene, ethyl, ethane, ethylidene, ethylidyne, and vinylidene) surface intermediates and atomic hydrogen along with the reaction energies for the elementary steps that produce these intermediates over Pd(111), Pd75%Ag25%/Pd(111), Pd50%Ag50%/Pd(111), and Ag(111) surfaces by using first-principle density functional theoretical (DFT) calculations. All of the calculations reported herein were performed at 25% surface coverage. The adsorption energies for all of the C1 and C2 intermediates decreased upon increasing the composition of Ag in the surface. Both geometric as well as electronic factors are responsible for the decreased adsorption strength. The modes of adsorption as well as the strengths of adsorption over the alloy surfaces in a number of cases were characteristically different than those found over ...
The Perils of Success in the Workplace: Comparison Target Responses to Coworkers' Upward Comparison Threat

This field study investigated the coping behaviors utilized by award-winning real-estate agents who, as a consequence of their outperformance, perceived that they were the targets of threatening upward comparisons by those they had outperformed. We hypothesized that outperformers' comparison target discomfort (i.e., discomfort associated with being a target of upward comparisons) would moderate the relationships between comparison threat experienced by those outperformed and outperformers' modest self-presentation, avoidance behaviors, and socially motivated underachievement. Our results provide partial (and counterintuitive) support for our hypotheses, confirming that comparison target discomfort plays a complex role in determining outperformers' behavioral responses to being the target (real or imagined) of upward comparisons.
Crack blunting effects on dislocation emission from cracks.

A series of atomistic calculations is performed in order to establish criteria for dislocation emission from cracks in a model hexagonal lattice. We find that except for special orientations, additional tensile broken-bond effects must be added to existing theories based on shear effects, in order to correctly estimate the critical stress intensity ${\mathit{K}}_{\mathit{e}}$ required for dislocation emission. From this, a new ductility criterion for materials is proposed which does not depend on the intrinsic surface energy, but contains only the unstable stacking fault parameter.
Tolerizing allergic responses in the lung

The absolute requirement of the pulmonary immune system is to limit the inflammatory consequences of inhaled infectious agents while maintaining tolerance to harmless aeroallergens. This tolerance is maintained by a complex network of cells and molecules interacting with lung stromal cells. However, in some individuals there is a breakdown in tolerance to particles such as pollens, animal dander, or dust, resulting in the development of allergic pathology. Emerging evidence suggests that this breakdown in tolerance is influenced by the genetic background of individuals as well as environmental considerations such as early exposure to respiratory pathogens. Further understanding of the mechanisms used by the pulmonary immune system to maintain tolerance might result in exploitation of novel avenues for therapy to treat the growing number of chronic asthmatic patients.
Review Article: South Africa’s Multilingualism

Book reviewed in this article: Kamwangamalu, Nkonko, ed., Aspects of Multilingualism in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Special Issue of Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication
Super-pattern matching

Some recognition problems are either too complex or too ambiguous to be expressed as a simple pattern matching problem using a sequence or regular expression pattern. In these cases, a richer environment is needed to describe the “patterns” and recognition techniques used to perform the recognition. Some researchers have turned to artificial-intelligence techniques and multistep matching approaches for the problems of gene recognition [5], [7], [18], protein structure recognition [13], and on-line character recognition [6]. This paper presents a class of problems which involve finding matches to “patterns of patterns,” orsuper- patterns, given solutions to the lower-level patterns. The expressiveness of this problem class rivals that of traditional artificial-intelligence characterizations, and yet polynomial-time algorithms are described for each problem in the class.
The Promise of Cell Phones: From People Power to Technological Nanny

In this article I examine the deployment of cell phones in two different contexts. The first is the use of cell phones in a protest movement in the Philippines that resulted in the resignation of President Joseph Estrada in 2001. I then look at the marketing and consumption of cell phones in the (over)developed world, focusing on the USA. I argue that the Philippine protest movement, known as People Power II, indicates the medium's progressive potential, while the marketing of cell phones in the USA indicates the medium's reactionary potential, or, borrowing a term from Paul Virilio, the cell phone's potential as `technological nanny'. The comparison tries to steer between two orientations in cultural studies — which I characterize as the optimism of technoutopianism and the pessimism of techno-phobia — in order to appreciate the political potential of cell phones, in particular, and technology in general.
Specific airway conductance (SGaw) reflecting methacholine responsiveness is associated with BMI

Abstract Rationale During methacholine challenge (MC) a positive response is defined as a drop in FEV1 ≥20% or Specific Airway Conductance (SGAW) ≥35%. Changes in SGaw ≥35% in the absence of changes in FEV1 ≥20% have been reported. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of patients who experience ≥35% drop in SGaw. Methods From 1999-2003, both FEV1 and SGaw were measured in 567 patients who underwent methacholine challenge. A retrospective chart review was conducted and analysis of variance utilized to identify patient characteristics. Results Patients were divided into four groups based on their change in SGaw and FEV1: Group 1, FEV1 ≥20% and SGaw ≥35%, 147 patients; Group 2, FEV1 Conclusions Patients who experience decline in SGaw ≥35% during MC have increased BMI compared to patients with no significant change in SGaw. Our data suggest SGaw measurement should be performed for patients with increased BMI undergoing MC.
Dynamics of polymer bilayer films

We report grazing incidence coherent X-ray measurements from polymer bilayers consisting of spun-cast layers of Polystyrene (PS) and Poly(4-bromo styrene) (PBrS) supported on silicon wafers. For PS/PBrS/Si bilayers, the films are stable and we are able to probe equilibrium thermal surface height fluctuations using X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS). When the layers are inverted to PBrS/PS/Si, the films de-wet. In this geometry we can measure both the non-equilibrium evolution of the film structure using time-resolved surface diffuse X-ray scattering and quasi-equilibrium fluctuations of the de-wetting film using XPCS.
Interferon regulatory factor 3 plays an anti-inflammatory role in microglia by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway

Microglia are the principal cells involved in the innate immune response in the CNS. Activated microglia produce a number of proinflammatory cytokines implicated in neurotoxicity but they also are a major source of anti-inflammatory cytokines, antiviral proteins and growth factors. Therefore, an immune therapy aiming at suppressing the proinflammatory phenotype while enhancing the anti-inflammatory, growth promoting phenotype would be of great benefit. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a transcription factor required for the induction of IFNβ following TLR3 or TLR4 activation, is critical to the microglial phenotype change from proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory, and that this phenotype change can be greatly facilitated by IRF3 gene transfer. Cultures of primary human fetal microglia were transduced with IRF3 using recombinant adenovirus (Ad-IRF3) and subjected to microarray analysis, real-time PCR, immunoblotting and ELISA to determine inflammatory gene expression. Two different types of immune stimuli were tested, the TLR ligands, poly IC (PIC) and LPS, and the proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1/IFNγ. In addition, the role of the PI3K/Akt pathway was examined by use of a pharmacological inhibitor, LY294002. Our results show that Ad-IRF3 suppressed proinflammatory genes (IL-1α, IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, IL-8 and CXCL1) and enhanced anti-inflammatory genes (IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-10 and IFNβ) in microglia, regardless of the cell stimuli applied. Furthermore, Ad-IRF3 activated Akt, and LY294002 reversed the effects of Ad-IRF3 on microglial inflammatory gene expression. pAkt was critical in LPS- or PIC-induced production of IL-10 and IL-1ra. Significantly, microglial IFNβ protein production was also dependent on pAkt and required both Ad-IRF3 and immunological stimuli (PIC > IL-1/IFNγ). pAkt played much less prominent and variable roles in microglial proinflammatory gene expression. This anti-inflammatory promoting role of PI3K/Akt appeared to be specific to microglia, since astrocyte proinflammatory gene expression (as well as IFNβ expression) required PI3K/Akt. Our results show a novel anti-inflammatory role for the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in microglia. They further suggest that IRF3 gene therapy could facilitate the microglial phenotype switch from proinflammatory ("M1-like") to anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory ("M2-like"), in part, by augmenting the level of pAkt.
Supply chain supernetworks and environmental criteria

Abstract In this paper, we develop a framework for the modeling and analysis of supply chain networks with electronic commerce in which the decision makers are faced with multiple criteria, including environmental ones. We establish the optimality conditions for the manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, derive the equilibrium conditions, and provide the variational inequality formulation. We also propose a continuous time adjustment process for the study of the disequilibrium dynamics. Finally, we apply an algorithm for the determination of equilibrium prices and product shipments as well as the emissions generated in several supply chain examples.
Effects of in situ tidal salinity fluctuations on osmotic and lonic composition of body fluid in Southeastern Alaska Rocky intertidal fauna

Tidal fluctuations in salinity and temperature were monitored at a location on Lynn Canal, north of Juneau, Alaska. Organisms were collected from 4 tidal levels during each slack water over a period of 24 h. Body-fluid milliosmolality as well as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride levels were determined. Mytilus edulis were collected at the +1.0 m tidal level, where ambient salinity ranged from 7.9 to 25.1% and body fluids from 356±62 to 730±17 mOsm/kg water. Cucumaria vegea and Katherina tunicata were collected at the +0.6 m level, where ambient salinity ranged from 13.5 to 24.9‰ and body fluids from 461±27 to 662±50 and 443±31 to 616±38 mOsm/kg water, respectively. Eupentacta quinquesemita and Evasterias troschelii were collected at the -0.9 m level, where ambient salinity ranged from 11.0 to 28.2‰ and body fluids from 504±32 to 632±51 and 316±31 to 664±37 mOsm/kg water, respectively. Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis were collected subtidally at the -3.7 m level, where ambient salinity ranged from 14.1 to 28.0‰ and perivisceral fluids from 448±35 to 661±51 mOsm/kg water. Ion levels of the perivisceral fluid of c. vegae were not determined. Potassium appeared to be regulated by all animals except Evasterias troschelii. Little regulation occurred for calcium, magnesium, sodium and chloride by the organisms. Eupentacta quinquesemita appeared to be regulating all ions determined, but this may have been due to its microhabitat. Water temperature cycled inversely to salinity at all tidal levels. Ambient-water sodium, chloride and calcium levels deviated from levels that would be expected upon dilution of seawater with deionized water. There was not indication that body-fluid osmoconcentration of the species collected intertidally increased on exposure to air.
A regulation of the level of phosphorylated phospholamban by inhibitor-1 in rat heart preparations in vitro.

Abstract Inhibitor-1 following phosphorylation by protein kinase A inhibits phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. We have found that in the rat heart inhibitor-1 is present only in the cytosolic fraction and that its phosphorylation in ventricular slices was increased by isoproterenol but not by isoproterenol and propranolol together. Cardiac microsomal phosphoprotein phosphatase activity, with added phosphorylase a as the substrate, was inhibited 33% by phosphorylated inhibitor-1. Phosphorylated inhibitor-1 decreased the dephosphorylation by exogenous phosphoprotein phosphatase-1 of phospholamban present in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. These results suggest an interaction of cytoplasmic inhibitor-1 with either cytoplasmic or membrane-bound phosphoprotein phosphatase-1 with a subsequent effect on the level of phosphorylated phospholamban and the probable involvement of this interaction in the cardiac response to β-adrenergic hormones.
Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of juvenile papillomatosis of breast: A case report

The cytologic findings of juvenile papillomatosis (JP) have been rarely described. The clinical and cytologic findings were suggestive of a fibroadenoma, but due to the presence of 2 cc of clear fluid during the aspiration, fibrocystic change was in the differential diagnosis. Operation and subsequent examination of the mass identified a case of JP (so-called Swiss cheese disease of the breast). Because JP is a marker for breast carcinoma for the patients' families, and the patients may themselves be at increase risk for malignancy, it is important that this entity be considered in the differential diagnosis. The observations in this case indicate that it is difficult to diagnose JP only by cytology, but the combination of clinical findings—a well-circumscribed mass in a young patient with cystic fluid, but with a residual mass after aspiration due to the multicystic nature of JP—with the cytologic findings—sheets of hyperplatic breast epithelium with areas resembling fibroadenoma, macrophages, and apocrine cells—that appear to be sufficiently characteristic to suggest the diagnosis of JP.
Sustaining the equality of employee voice: a dynamic capability

Purpose – The paper seeks to addresses the ethically and strategically important question: “How can managers sustain the equality of employee voice in a dynamic environment?”.Design/methodology/approach – To address the above question, this paper conceptually integrates two theoretical streams that are prominent in their respective traditions: Amartya Sen's capabilities approach (SCA) in the economics and ethics literature and the dynamic capabilities approach (DCA) in strategic management.Findings – Adapting SCA, this paper conceptualizes “voice” as employees' “capability” or “freedom” to achieve what they morally “value” in an organization, and “justice” as the equality of employee voice. Following DCA, it outlines a framework for “dynamic capability” (“voice management capability”) building by managers. It describes the processes by which executives leverage their knowledge to find new ways of creating equality in employee voice and continually remedy inequities in a changing environment. The creation ...
The four Zn fingers of MBNL1 provide a flexible platform for recognition of its RNA binding elements

Muscleblind-like 1 (MBNL1) is an alternative splicing factor containing four CCCH Zinc fingers (ZnFs). The sequestration of MBNL1 by expanded CUG and CCUG repeats is a major component in causing myotonic dystrophy. In addition to binding the structured expanded CUG and CCUG repeats; previous results suggested that MBNL1 binds single-stranded RNAs containing GC dinucleotides. We performed a systematic analysis of MBNL1 binding to single-stranded RNAs. These studies revealed that a single GC dinucleotide in poly-uridine is sufficient for MBNL1 binding and that a second GC dinucleotide confers higher affinity MBNL1 binding. However additional GC dinucleotides do not enhance RNA binding. We also showed that the RNA sequences adjacent to the GC dinucleotides play an important role in MBNL1 binding with the following preference: uridines >cytidines >adenosines >guanosines. For high affinity binding by MBNL1, the distance between the two GC dinucleotides can vary from 1 to 17 nucleotides. These results suggest that MBNL1 is highly flexible and able to adopt different conformations to recognize RNAs with varying sequence configurations. Although MBNL1 contains four ZnFs, only two ZnF - GC dinucleotide interactions are necessary for high affinity binding.
Associations among processes and outcomes of care for Medicare nursing home residents with acute heart failure.

Objective To characterize Medicare skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents who become acutely ill with heart failure (HF) and assess the association between the outcomes of rehospitalization and mortality, and severity of the acute exacerbation, comorbidity, and processes of care. Design SNF medical record review of Medicare patients who developed an acute exacerbation of heart failure (HF) during the 90 days following nursing home admission. Setting A total of 58 SNFs in 5 states during 1994 and 1997. Participants Patients with 156 episodes of acute HF among 4693 random Medicare nursing home admissions. Measurements Demographic variables, symptoms, signs, comorbidity, nursing home characteristics, nurse staffing ratios, and processes of care were compared between acute HF subjects transferred to hospital and those not transferred; and between subjects who died within 30 days of an acute exacerbation and those who survived. Results After adjusting for age, disease severity, and comorbidity, residents whose change in condition was evaluated during the night shift were more likely to be hospitalized (OR 4.20, 95%CI 1.01–17.50). Residents who were prescribed an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or who received an order for skilled nursing observation more often than once a shift were 1/3 as likely to die as those who did not (OR 0.303, 95%CI 0.11–0.82), after adjusting for hypotension, delirium, do not resuscitate orders, and prior hospital length of stay. Conclusion For residents who develop an acute exacerbation of HF during a SNF stay, there is an association between attributes of nursing home care and the outcomes of rehospitalization and mortality.
KCNKØ: Single, Cloned Potassium Leak Channels Are Multi-Ion Pores

KCNKO was the first clone to show attributes of a leak conductance: voltage-independent potassium currents that develop without delay. Its novel product is predicted to have two nonidentical P domains and four transmembrane segments and to assemble in pairs. Here, the mechanistic basis for leak is examined at the single-channel level. KCNKO channels open at all voltages in bursts that last for minutes with open probability close to 1. The channels also enter a minutes-long closed state in a tightly regulated fashion. KCNKO has a common relative permeability series (Eisenman type IV) but conducts only thallium and potassium readily. KCNKO exhibits concentration-dependent unitary conductance, anomalous mole fraction behavior, and pore occlusion by barium. These observations argue for ion-channel and ion-ion interactions in a multi-ion pore and deny the operation of independence or constant-field current formulations. Despite their unique function and structure, leakage channels are observed to operate like classical potassium channels formed with one-P-domain subunits.
Modified “Rankine‐Hugoniot” shock fitting technique: Simultaneous solution for shock normal and speed

[1] We introduce a modification of the nonlinear least squares fitting technique of Vinas and Scudder and Szabo (VSSz) with simultaneous determination of the shock normal direction (θ and ϕ) and propagation speed (VS). Similar to the 2D case of the VSSz technique, the uniqueness of the solution can still be graphically demonstrated in the 3D space of the unknown variables. The modified technique is validated through the analysis of synthetic shocks and is also applied to an interplanetary shock observed by Wind. Our technique provides self-consistent 3D confidence regions for the parameters while the VSSz technique assumes the independence of the VS confidence interval from θ and ϕ. The 3D confidence region is highly dependent on VS resulting in θ and ϕ joint confidence regions that are generally significantly larger and oriented differently than those obtained by the VSSz technique. This also leads to significantly larger confidence intervals for the individual parameters determined by our modified technique. While the best fit values provided by the two techniques are usually close to each other, we also demonstrate the advantage of the VS best fit value determination with our technique in the case when a small density jump is combined with significant density fluctuations. The agreement between the best fit solutions of the techniques can also be used as a test for the correctness of the chosen upstream and downstream intervals.
Weight Loss via Diet and Exercise Improves Exercise Breathing Mechanics in Obese Men

Background Obesity alters breathing mechanics during exercise. Weight loss improves lung function at rest, but the effect of weight loss, especially regional fat loss, on exercise breathing mechanics is unclear. We hypothesized that weight loss, especially a decrease in abdominal fat, would improve breathing mechanics during exercise because of an increase in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV). Methods Nine obese men were studied before and after weight loss (13% ± 8% of total fat weight, mean ± SD). Subjects underwent pulmonary function testing, underwater weighing, fat distribution estimates (MRI), and graded cycle ergometry before and after a 12-week diet and exercise program. In seven men, esophageal and gastric pressures were measured. The effects of weight loss were analyzed at rest, at ventilatory threshold (VTh), and during peak exercise by dependent Student t test, and the relationship among variables was determined by correlation analysis. Results Subjects lost 7.4 ± 4.2 kg of body weight (P Conclusions Modest weight loss improves breathing mechanics during submaximal exercise in otherwise healthy obese men, which is clinically encouraging. Improvement appears to be related to the cumulative loss of chest wall fat.
Impression Management in Televised Debates: The Effect of Background Nonverbal Behavior on Audience Perceptions of Debaters' Likeability

This study examined whether a debater's background nonverbal behavior affected audience perceptions of her and her opponent's likeability. Students watched one of four versions of a televised debate. In each, while the speaking debater appeared on the main screen, subscreens displayed her opponent's background nonverbal behavior. In one version, the nonspeaking debater displayed a neutral expression, whereas in the others she displayed occasional disagreement, nearly constant disagreement, or both agreement and disagreement. After viewing the debates, students rated the debaters' likeability. Analysis indicated that background behavior influenced perceptions of the nonverbal communicator but not of the speaking debater.
Numerical simulation of morphological development during Ostwald ripening

The morphological evolution of a small number of particles undergoing Ostwald ripening in two dimensions was investigated using a boundary integral technique. The numerical calculations show that, in many cases, interparticle diffusional interactions do not induce large distortions in particle morphology from a circle, due to the strong local interaction between regions of different curvature on the same particle. Particle migration due to interparticle diffusional interactions was observed, with the migration distance larger than the initial radius of a particle, which is linked to the particle spatial arrangement. As diffusion is the mechanism for the migration, it is expected that particle movement is a generic aspect of the coarsening process at high volume fractions of coarsening phase and, possibly, at low volume fractions. The calculations support unambiguously the Ostwald ripening mechanism for flat formation during liquid-phase sintering. As such, the appearance or regions of low interfacial curvature is a dynamic phenomenon dependent on interparticle diffusion.
Can tamoxifen therapy be optimized for patients with breast cancer on the basis of CYP2D6 activity assessments

Can tamoxifen therapy be optimized for patients with breast cancer on the basis of CYP2D6 activity assessments?
How Effective is Vaccination in Preventing Pneumococcal Disease

Vaccination with a preparation that currently contains 23 pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (PPV23) successfully reduces the risk of serious pneumococcal infection by an estimated 50% to 80%. Because infants and young children do not respond to polysaccharide antigens, a conjugated polysaccharide vaccine that first contained 7 capsule types (PCV7) and now contains 13 capsule types (PCV13) was developed for use in them. A single study in patients with AIDS showed protection against pneumococcal disease by PCV13, but not after PPV23. Based on these observations, the CDC has now recommended that immunocompromized adults receive PCV13 followed 8 weeks later by PPV23.
Late Effects Following Radiation Therapy for Childhood Low-Grade Glioma

Materials/Methods: We prospectively enrolled 196 pediatric patients with tumors of the central nervous system. HR-QOL was evaluated using the validated PedsQL core and tumor modules, with possible scores of 0-100 (higher scores represent better HRQOL). Parent proxy reports (PPR) were collected for children aged 2-18, and child self reports (CSR) were collected for children 6 (when able). Assessments were completed twice during treatment (beginning and end) and then yearly. Patients who progressed were taken off study. Based on parents’ addresses, the following CTL socio-economic data was collected: median family income in the child’s census tract, percentage of individuals in the child’s census tract who attended at least some college, and the percentage of whites in the child’s census tract. These data were then dichotomized based on national medians (e.g., whether the median family income in the census tract was greater than or less than US median family income). Linear regression was used to evaluate whether any of the dichotomized census-tract level socioeconomic factors predicted for change in PedsQL tumor or core module scores from baseline to either end of treatment or one-year after treatment. Age, gender, treatment time (up-front or at progression), irradiated volume (focal or cranio-spinal), distance from our hospital, and extent of surgery (GTR, STR, or biopsy alone) were included as potential confounders. Results: Median age was 9 years (range, 1-19). Common histologies included: 54 patients (27.6%) with medulloblastoma, 36 (18.4%) with ependymoma, 32 (16.3%) with craniopharyngioma, 28 (14.3%) with germ cell tumors, and 26 (13.3%) with low-grade gliomas; 154 patients (80%) were treated up-front; the majority had focal radiation (n Z 116, 59.3%); seventy-seven (39.3%) had GTR. On multivariate analysis, patients living in a census tract with a median family income higher than the national median had a greater improvement in the PPR scores on the PedsQL core module at 1 year (relative improvement Z 18.4, p Z 0.006), but there was no association with the CSR. At no other time point did the dichotomized census-tract level variables predict change in PedsQL core or tumor module scores for either PPR or CSR. Conclusions: At 1-year after proton irradiation, higher median income in a child’s census tract predicts for a positive change in parent reported HRQOL. Neither proportion white nor education level significantly correlated with outcomes in the PPR or CSR of HRQOL Author Disclosure: S.M. McBride: None. K.A. Kuhlthau: None. J. Blossom: None. E. Van Der Weerd: None. J. Delahaye: None. S.M. MacDonald: None. N.J. Tarbell: None. T.I. Yock: None.
Behavioral tolerance to endotoxin is enhanced by adaptation to winter photoperiods.

Summary Seasonal changes in day length enhance or suppress aspects of immune function in mammals. Following adaptation to short, winter-like short photoperiods, cytokine and behavioral responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced simulated infections are attenuated in LPS-naive Siberian hamsters. This experiment examined whether diminished initial responses to LPS in short days (SDs) are accompanied by decrements in the development of innate immunological memory that leads to endotoxin tolerance. Male hamsters exposed to SDs (9 h-light/day) or kept in their natal long-day (LD) photoperiod (15 h-light/day) for 12–13 weeks were injected with bacterial LPS (625 μg/kg, i.p.) or sterile saline. Ten days later all hamsters were challenged with LPS (625 μg/kg, i.p.), and behavioral sickness responses (anorexia and reductions in nest building) were assessed. In LD hamsters, behavioral responses to the second LPS injection were markedly attenuated but still evident, indicative of partial tolerance. SD hamsters, in contrast, failed to exhibit anorexic or thermoregulatory responses to the second LPS injection, indicative of complete behavioral tolerance to LPS. Thus despite engaging greater naive responses to LPS, LD hamsters exhibited incomplete LPS tolerance relative to SD hamsters. The expression of behavioral tolerance to endotoxin is relatively diminished during the breeding season, a time of year when naive responses to endotoxin are at their greatest. During winter, enhancements in behavioral endotoxin tolerance may conserve energy and facilitate survival in the face of energetically challenging conditions.
Formal verification of sequential hardware: a tutorial

Various formal verification techniques and how they can be applied to sequential hardware, especially at the register-transfer level, are examined. The basic elements of a verification system, as illustrated on the relatively simple problem of verifying combinational circuits, are presented. The more complex problems involved in analyzing sequential systems and the techniques that have been developed to solve them are then considered. Throughout, the focus is on those techniques whose utility has been demonstrated on real systems, including higher order logic, temporal logic, predicate transformers, state-machine models, and model checkers. >
On Schwarz's domain decomposition methods for elliptic boundary value problems

Summary. We study the additive and multiplicative Schwarz domain decomposition methods for elliptic boundary value problem of order 2 r based on an appropriate spline space of smoothness $r-1$ . The finite element method reduces an elliptic boundary value problem to a linear system of equations. It is well known that as the number of triangles in the underlying triangulation is increased, which is indispensable for increasing the accuracy of the approximate solution, the size and condition number of the linear system increases. The Schwarz domain decomposition methods will enable us to break the linear system into several linear subsystems of smaller size. We shall show in this paper that the approximate solutions from the multiplicative Schwarz domain decomposition method converge to the exact solution of the linear system geometrically. We also show that the additive Schwarz domain decomposition method yields a preconditioner for the preconditioned conjugate gradient method. We tested these methods for the biharmonic equation with Dirichlet boundary condition over an arbitrary polygonal domain using $C^1$ cubic spline functions over a quadrangulation of the given domain. The computer experiments agree with our theoretical results.
Computational automotive color appearance

A computer graphic system has been developed that permits the interactive design of new automotive finishes. The software makes use of a reflection model for car paint that is based on industry standards for measuring the appearance characteristics of the paint. These measurements include gloss for the clearcoat and three aspecular measurements for the metallic basecoat. The program interface provides a means for altering the reflectance properties of the paint and for visualizing the effect of those changes on the color appearance of the car. The desired aspecular measurements for the new paint can be input to a paint formulation system so that the paint can be manufactured. A test of the system shows good correspondence between the designed and the fabricated paint.
On the neglect of volition in consumer research: A critique and proposal

Although much research has been performed on the role of attitudes in consumer behavior, very little effort has been devoted to the processes intervening between attitudes and action. This article briefly discusses the limitations with research on intentions and then introduces a model for representing volitional processes. Volitional processes are shown to be initiated by a general intention to pursue a goal or perform a target behavior. The initial stages in volitional decision making encompass a choice among means to accomplish a goal or perform a target act, which, in turn, is hypothesized to be a function of three appraisal processes: specific self-efficacies, instrumental beliefs, and affect toward possible means. A choice among means stimulates further processes consisting of plans and efforts aimed at the initiation, monitoring, and guidance of goal pursuit. We term these processes trying, and discuss subcomponents concerning scripted intentions, instrumental acts, psychological commitment, and mental and physical exertion characteristic of goal striving. The article closes with a summary of emerging research by various authors that addresses parts of the integrative framework proposed herein. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Charge transfer between a polymer particle and a metal plate due to impact

To elucidate the mechanism of contact-impact electrification of insulating particles, the authors measured the charge generated by collision of a single polymer particle onto a metal plate. It was not exclusively the normal component of the impact velocity that determined the amount of impact charging. In order to investigate this great contribution of the impact angle to the impact charging, impact stresses, contact times, and contact areas were measured, and the impact-contact process was discussed. Based on the idea that the "apparent contact area" is supported by some "real contact points" and that the number of these real contact points increases with the particle slipping, a new model called "effective contact area model" was proposed. >
Multilayer and anisotropic planar compact PBG structures for microstrip applications

Two novel microstrip planar photonic-bandgap (PBG) structures are presented, i.e., a multilayer PBG and an anisotropic PBG. The multilayer PBG, constituted of uniplanar compact (UC) PBGs stacked up below the line, produces huge gaps (> 140 %) through the suppression of parasitic transmission peaks and can achieve a two-fold size reduction with respect to UC-PBGs. The anisotropic PBG is a uniplanar structure exhibiting a propagation direction and an attenuation direction (AD) in a working range of the order of 35%, deep/sharp gaps broader than 65% in the AD, an excellent insensitivity to the line position and an extreme compact size of the order of /spl lambda//2 by /spl lambda//7.
Disordered pubertal development.

Puberty is the physiological sequence of events when secondary sexual characteristics develop and reproductive capacity is achieved. The start of puberty is characterised by the appearance of a palpable breast bud (stage B2) in girls and testicular volumes of >3.5 ml in boys. These changes are brought about in response to the pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus stimulating the release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary. It is still unclear why the GnRH neurons are usually inhibited after infancy until the start of puberty, although fat mass (via leptin signalling) and kisspeptin secreting neurons stimulating the GnRH system certainly play a role. LH acts on the gonads to increase the secretion of oestrogen in the female or nocturnal testosterone in the male that then promote growth in target tissues. FSH acts on the gonads to produce ovum or sperm, respectively. Androgens in particular promote other secondary sexual characteristics such as smelly feet and axillae, acne, body odour and mood swings – often most noticeable to the parents. The timing of puberty is very variable and is dependent on socioeconomic status, ethnicity, nutritional and genetic factors. There has been an apparent secular trend in the onset of female puberty, although the mean age of menarche has remained fairly stable during the last 2 decades, implying that the duration of puberty may be increasing in girls.1 Hence, the definition of early or late puberty is fairly arbitrary. In the UK, the ranges for normal onset of puberty are shown on the growth charts,2 with the 98th centile for start of testicular enlargement just less than 9 years in a boy and just over 8 years for B2 in a girl. Similarly, only 2% of boys have not started …
A Developmental Switch from TCRδ Enhancer to TCRα Enhancer Function during Thymocyte Maturation

Abstract V(D)J recombination and transcription within the TCRα/δ locus are regulated by three characterized cis -acting elements: the TCRδ enhancer (Eδ), TCRα enhancer (Eα), and T early α (TEA) promoter. Analysis of enhancer and promoter occupancy and function in developing thymocytes in vivo indicates Eδ and Eα to be developmental-stage–specific enhancers, with Eδ "on" and Eα "off" in double-negative III thymocytes and Eδ "off" and Eα "on" in double-positive thymocytes. Eδ downregulation reflects a loss of occupancy. Surprisingly, Eα and TEA are extensively occupied even prior to activation. TCRδ downregulation in double-positive thymocytes depends on two events, Eδ inactivation and removal of TCRδ from the influence of Eα by chromosomal excision.
Sugary Beverage Tax Policy: Lessons Learned From Tobacco

Excise taxes on sugary beverages have been proposed as a method to replicate the public health success of tobacco control and to generate revenue. As policymakers increase efforts to pass sugary beverage taxes, they can anticipate that manufacturers will emulate the strategies employed by tobacco companies in their attempts to counteract the impact of such taxes. Policymakers should therefore consider 2 complementary laws—minimum price laws and prohibitions on coupons and discounting—to accomplish the intended price increase.
Vine Pruning for Efficient Multi-Pass Dependency Parsing

Coarse-to-fine inference has been shown to be a robust approximate method for improving the efficiency of structured prediction models while preserving their accuracy. We propose a multi-pass coarse-to-fine architecture for dependency parsing using linear-time vine pruning and structured prediction cascades. Our first-, second-, and third-order models achieve accuracies comparable to those of their unpruned counterparts, while exploring only a fraction of the search space. We observe speed-ups of up to two orders of magnitude compared to exhaustive search. Our pruned third-order model is twice as fast as an unpruned first-order model and also compares favorably to a state-of-the-art transition-based parser for multiple languages.
Effects of differences between stimuli, responses, and reinforcer rates on conditional discrimination performance

In a discrete-trial conditional discrimination procedure, 4 pigeons obtained food reinforcers by pecking a key with a short latency on trials signaled by one stimulus and by pecking the same key with a long latency on trials signaled by a second stimulus. The physical difference between the two stimuli and the temporal separation between the latency values required for reinforcement were varied factorially over four sets of conditions, and the ratio of reinforcer rates for short and long latencies was varied within each set of conditions. Stimulus discrimination varied directly with both stimulus and response differences and was unaffected by the reinforcer ratio. Sensitivity to reinforcement, estimated by generalized-matching-law fits to the data within each set of conditions, varied directly with the response difference but inversely with the stimulus difference arranged between sets of conditions. Because variations in stimulus differences, response differences, and reinforcer differences did not have equivalent effects, these findings question the functional equivalence of the three terms of the discriminated operant: antecedent stimuli, behavior, and consequences.
DynGO: a tool for visualizing and mining of Gene Ontology and its associations

A large volume of data and information about genes and gene products has been stored in various molecular biology databases. A major challenge for knowledge discovery using these databases is to identify related genes and gene products in disparate databases. The development of Gene Ontology (GO) as a common vocabulary for annotation allows integrated queries across multiple databases and identification of semantically related genes and gene products (i.e., genes and gene products that have similar GO annotations). Meanwhile, dozens of tools have been developed for browsing, mining or editing GO terms, their hierarchical relationships, or their "associated" genes and gene products (i.e., genes and gene products annotated with GO terms). Tools that allow users to directly search and inspect relations among all GO terms and their associated genes and gene products from multiple databases are needed. We present a standalone package called DynGO, which provides several advanced functionalities in addition to the standard browsing capability of the official GO browsing tool (AmiGO). DynGO allows users to conduct batch retrieval of GO annotations for a list of genes and gene products, and semantic retrieval of genes and gene products sharing similar GO annotations. The result are shown in an association tree organized according to GO hierarchies and supported with many dynamic display options such as sorting tree nodes or changing orientation of the tree. For GO curators and frequent GO users, DynGO provides fast and convenient access to GO annotation data. DynGO is generally applicable to any data set where the records are annotated with GO terms, as illustrated by two examples. We have presented a standalone package DynGO that provides functionalities to search and browse GO and its association databases as well as several additional functions such as batch retrieval and semantic retrieval. The complete documentation and software are freely available for download from the website http://biocreative.ifsm.umbc.edu/dyngo .
Aflatoxicosis in the Broiler Chicken

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE aflatoxins are a group of hepatotoxic compounds produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus when growing on feedstuffs. They first discovered in 1960 as a result of turkey “X” disease which was responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 turkey poults. Although these toxins were first discovered in poultry diseases, most research efforts were channeled toward public health aspects after it was found that the aflatoxins can be responsible for tumor formation in mammalians (Schoental, 1967). The research on avian aflatoxicosis has not kept pace with the research in other animals and there still exists an incomplete description of aflatoxicosis in the chicken. Archibald et al. (1962) fed broiler chickens a diet containing peanut meal contaminated with unknown amounts of aflatoxin and observed no effects for up to two weeks. Thereafter, uneven growth and pale livers with lesions were observed. The livers did not appear to be enlarged. Carnaghan…
Treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia with 17p deletion: the saga continues.

Recent advances in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have allowed us to see for the first time that a combination treatment, in this case FCR (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and ri...