cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Irreversible binding of a carbostyril-based agonist and antagonist to the β-adrenoceptor in DDT1 MF-2 cells and rat aorta

The chemoreactive ligands 5(2-(((1′-(4′-isothiocyanatophenylamino)thiocarbonyl)-amino)-2-methyl-propyl)amino-2-hydroxypropoxy)-3,4-dihydrocarbostyril (DCITC) and 8-hydroxy-5(2-(((1′-(4′-isothiocya-natophenylamino)thiocarbonyl)amino)-2-methylprop-2-yl)amino-1-hydroxyethyl)-carbostyril (HCITC)were synthesized and shown to be potent irreversible antagonist and agonist ligands, respectively, for the β-adrenoceptor in DDT1 MF-2 (DDT) cells and the rat isolated aorta. In DDT cell membranes DCITC and HCITC inhibited (−)[125I]-iodocyanopindolol (CYP) binding to the β-adrenoceptor with IC50 values of 1.1 and 18 nM, respectively. (−)-Isoprenaline inhibited [125I]-CYP binding with an IC50 of 355 nM. Pretreatment of membranes with either chemoreactive ligand produced a time- and concentration-dependent decrease in the β-adrenoceptor content, indicating irreversible receptor binding. DCITC at concentrations up to 10 μM did not stimulate cyclic AMP accumulation in DDT cells nor did it amplify forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation. In the rat isolated aorta, DCITC (0.1 μM) did not affect either the phenylephrine-mediated tissue contraction or the acetylcholine-mediated relaxation. DCITC attenuated the maximal (−)-isoprenaline-mediated relaxation of a phenylephrine contracted aorta in a concentration-dependent manner and shifted the dose-response curves for (−)-isoprenaline to the right. The DCITC-induced decrease in maximal response was not reversed by extensive tissue washing. By use of the operational model of agonism, the calculated dissociation constant for (−)-isoprenaline ws 286 nM and the estimated receptor reserve for this agonist was 23% at the maximal response. HCITC and (−)-isoprenaline stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in DDT cells with pD2 values (negative logarithm to base 10 of EC50) of 7.95 and 7.97, respectively, and both mediated the same maximal stimulation. In the rat isolated aorta, HCITC produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of the tissue with a pD2 value of 6.62, whereas the pD2 for (−)-isoprenaline was 7.03. However, HCITC produced a greater maximal relaxation of the tissue than (−)-isoprenaline. The HCITC-mediated stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation and relaxation of the isolated tissue were blocked when the β-antagonist propranolol was added concurrently. In contrast, once the HCITC-mediated responses were established, the addition of propranolol did not result in any attenuation indicating that HCITC is an irreversible β-agonist.
The Path of a Ray of Light Tangent to the Surface of the Earth

The general equations of the path of a ray of light passing through the terrestrial atmosphere are outlined. The path of the ray tangent to the earth’s surface is calculated for the U. S. Standard Atmosphere. From this is prepared a table of horizon dip, horizon distance, and refraction for altitudes from sea level to 100,000 feet.
Untangling the make-up of the NIR reflectance peak in coastal waters and its impact on remote sensing retrievals of [Chl] and fluorescence height algorithms

Recent studies show that the contribution of the chlorophyll fluorescence component to the NIR reflectance is significant only for relatively low concentrations of minerals; furthermore, Fluorescence Line Height (FLH) algorithms do not work properly for [Chl] > 5-10 mg/m 3 because of the deviation of elastic reflectance from the baseline. But even for relatively low chlorophyll concentration [Chl] values the relationship between FLH and [Chl] is affected by several factors which should be taken into account. The sensitivity of this relationship to atmospheric correction schemes, incident and viewing angles and chlorophyll retrieval algorithms are analyzed, and a special correlation procedure is developed to minimize these effects. Effective fluorescence quantum yield distributions retrieved from field measurements and satellite imagery are also compared with the previously indirectly estimated values based on the analysis of the shift of the observed NIR reflectance peak from the fluorescence peak at 685 nm.
The heritage and future of the Russian intelligence community

(1998). The heritage and future of the Russian intelligence community. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 175-184.
The Effects of Erotica Exposure On Drinking Replication and Extension

Despite considerable research on the effects of alcohol on sexuality, little is known about the effects of sexual excitation on drinking. We investigated the effects of erotica exposure, anticipation, and belief in alcohol-induced disinhibition on wine consumption. Following exposure to neutral, erotic, or deviant-erotic stimulus slides, male volunteers participated in an ad lib wine consumption task. Half the participants were led to anticipate further exposure to the stimulus material. For participants in the no-anticipation condition, exposure to erotica but not to deviant-erotica led to more drinking than did exposure to neutral materials. In the anticipation condition, high believers in alcohol's disinhibitory powers drank more than low believers. These findings are discussed in terms of arousal-induced drinking and alcohol's putative excuse-giving effects regarding sexual behavior.
A new estimator for the finite population distribution function

SUMMARY In this paper we propose a new estimator for the finite population distribution function when there is auxiliary information available about the population. The new estimator has a smaller asymptotic mean squared error than two leading estimators in the literature. In fact, it is in an optimised form in terms of mean squared error. Results are reported for simulation studies on real and artificial populations.
Are monocular arrays discriminable from binocular arrays

On each trial of this experiment, a subject was visually stimulated by one or two shadows on a translucent background in a Telebinocular. For each subject, there were 40 trials of monocular stimulation by one shadow, 40 trials of monocular stimulation by two shadows (one in each hemifield), and 40 trials of binocular stimulation by two shadows (one in the left hemifield of one eye and another in the right hemifield of the other eye). Across these randomly ordered trials, 52 subjects were unable to discriminate two right-eye shadows from two left-eye shadows and were unable to discriminate two monocularly perceived shadows from two binocularly perceived shadows. Generally, subjects tended to misidentify right-hemifield shadows as right-eye shadows and tended to misidentify two-hemifield shadows as two-eye shadows.
Building a future in disability and public health

Abstract The Disability Section is one of the newest sections in the American Public Health Association (APHA) and represents people with disabilities as an underserved population in all areas of public health practice. Issues involving people with disabilities cut across the overarching domains of education, training, research, and service. Therefore, every constituency group, interest area, or section in the APHA must recognize the importance of addressing disability-related issues in any initiative that focuses on improving the health of our nation. While achieving section status within APHA has given “disability” increased visibility in the largest and most prominent public health organization in the world, focusing our future on infusing disability content and perspectives on issues that impact people with disabilities in other areas of public health (e.g., environment, gerontological health, medical care, public health education and health promotion, etc.) requires an understanding of the other side’s perspective. For this to occur, the Disability Section must be used as a base for recruiting and deploying health professionals who have an interest in a dyadic area of public health (e.g., medical care and disability, gerontological health and aging with a disability), and who can begin serving in leadership positions in other sections in APHA. Building capacity within and across the other sections in APHA will be our greatest challenge over these next few years. Our journey has just begun.
Simplified lattice beam elements for geometrically nonlinear static,dynamic, and postbuckling analysis

A SIMPLE beam finite element for modeling the geo-/mjnetrically nonlinear behavior of flexible space lattice beams with repetitive geometry is developed. The element is formulated using expressions for the strain and kinetic energies of an equivalent beam continuum. To account for the nonlinear effects, the incremental stiffness matrix of the equivalent continuum is used. To evaluate the present nonlinear formulation and assess its accuracy, a series of three nonlinear beam problems are solved using this simple element: 1) static large-deflection analysis, 2) large-amplitude free-vibration analysis, and 3) buckling and postbuckling analysis. Alternative solutions for the three examples show that the present formulation may be used as an efficient substitute for a detailed truss model in static and dynamic geometrically nonlinear analysis of beamlike lattice structures.
X-ray spectral measurements for tungsten-anode from 20 to 49 kVp on a digital breast tomosynthesis system.

Purpose: This paper presents new spectral measurements of a tungsten-target digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) system, including spectra of 43–49 kVp. Methods: Raw x-ray spectra of 20–49 kVp were directly measured from the tube port of a Selenia Dimensions DBT system using a CdTe based spectrometer. Two configurations of collimation were employed: one with two tungsten pinholes of 25 μ m and 200 μ m diameters, and the other with a single pinhole of 25 μ m diameter, for acquiring spectra from the focal spot and from the focal spot as well as its vicinity. Stripping correction was applied to the measured spectra to compensate distortions due to escape events. The measured spectra were compared with the existing mammographicspectra of the TASMIP model in terms of photon fluence per exposure, spectral components, and half-value layer (HVL). HVLs were calculated from the spectra with a numerical filtration of 0.7 mm aluminum and were compared against actual measurements on the DBT system using W/Al (target-filter) combination, without paddle in the beam. Results: The spectra from the double-pinhole configuration, in which the acceptance aperture pointed right at the focal spot, were harder than the single-pinhole spectra which include both primary and off-focus radiation. HVL calculated from the single-pinhole setup agreed with the measured HVL within 0.04 mm aluminum, while the HVL values from the double-pinhole setup were larger than the single-pinhole HVL by at most 0.1 mm aluminum. The spectra from single-pinhole setup agreed well with the TASMIP mammographicspectra, and are more relevant for clinical purpose. Conclusions: The spectra data would be useful for future research on DBT system with tungsten targets.
The macrofollicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: a study of 17 cases.

Abstract We report 17 cases of a distinctive variant of encapsulated papillary carcinoma that is likely to be confused with macrofollicular adenoma or nodular goiter. The tumors showed the unusual combination of macrofollicles and foci of the conventional follicular variant of papillary carcinoma. Macrofollicles occupied over 50% of the cross-sectional area of the tumors. The macrofollicles were lined either by cells with large ground-glass nuclei, cells with large but less pale nuclei with stippled chromatin, or cuboidal cells with hyperchromatic nuclei. Solid foci were present in four tumors, and a focal insular growth pattern was noted in a fifth tumor. All patients were females ranging in age from 15 to 69 years (mean, 35.4 years). Despite the large size of the tumors (mean diameter, 4.8 cm), only two metastasized to cervical lymph nodes. One of these neoplasms showed extrathyroidal extension, while the other widely invaded the thyroid tissue through the tumor capsule. Multicentric foci of papillary carcinoma with a follicular nonsclerosing growth pattern were demonstrated in the contralateral lobe in two thyroid glands. All patients with follow-up were alive and symptom-free 2 months to 6 years following surgery.
The controversy surrounding hemoglobin and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents: what should we do now?

Treatment of the anemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) has been intensely debated during the past 2 years. Treatment with ESAs has transformed the lives of millions of patients with CKD, with fewer blood transfusions and improved quality of life. However, randomized trials have suggested that targeting greater hematocrits/hemoglobin levels and/or exposure to high doses of ESAs is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular complications and mortality. The US Food and Drug Administration has inserted a boxed warning for ESAs and, along with the National Kidney Foundation–Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI), decreased recommended target hemoglobin ranges for ESA therapy. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has decreased ESA dosing recommendations in the Medicare claims policy for ESAs. Managing the anemia of CKD in the era of the hemoglobin level and ESA controversy has required aiming for appropriate hemoglobin levels, using the lowest effective ESA dose, and better managing the problem of ESA hyporesponsiveness.
Isogenic Group B Streptococci Devoid of Capsular Polysaccharide or |[beta]|-Hemolysin: Pulmonary Hemodynamic and Gas Exchange Effects during Bacteremia in Piglets

ABSTRACT: Group B β-hemolytic streptococcus (GBS) causes thromboxane (Tx)-associated pulmonary hypertension and hypoxemia in neonatal animals and human infants. The components of GBS that induce these features of sepsis are incompletely characterized. The capsular polysaccharide has been implicated based on the effects of GBS extracts. We used isogenic mutants of a parent GBS strain (COH 31 r/s) devoid of capsular polysaccharide or β- hemolysin to determine if these components caused the acute features of GBS bacteremia. In neonatal piglets, we observed a similar increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR, mm Hg/L/min) during a 1 h infusion at 5 × 108 colony-forming unit/kg/h of COH 31 r/s (n = 5, 11.6 ± 1.4 to 67.1 ± 17.9), an isogenic GBS mutant devoid of type III CP (n = 5, 12.5 ± 1.4 to 56.9 ± 5.0), and an isogenic GBS mutant devoid of β-hemolysin (n = 4, 11.0 ± 1.9 to 51.9 ± 7.9). All three GBS strains caused increases in blood TxB2 levels, mild arterial hypoxemia, mild reduction in mixed venous PO2 and a 30-40% reduction in cardiac output after a 1 h infusion. The Tx-synthase inhibitor, dazmegrel, completely reversed pulmonary hypertension, and partially reversed arterial hypoxemia and TxB2 levels to baseline values for all GBS strains. In six additional piglets, infusion of polystyrene beads of similar size to GBS at a dose of 5 × 108 beads/kg/h caused no changes in gas exchange or blood TxB2 levels, but a mild increase in PVR (13.3 ± 2.0 to 17.7 ± 3.5). This suggests a nonspecific response to circulating particulates is not the major cause of the acute features of GBS bacteremia in piglets. We conclude that type III capsular polysaccharide and β-hemolysin are not essential for type III GBS to cause acute Tx-associated pulmonary hypertension and hypoxemia in piglets.
Waiving Technical Default: The Role of Agency Costs and Bank Regulations

This paper examines whether the characteristics of banks and borrowers are associated with banks' decisions to waive violations of debt covenants. The findings suggest that banks possess sufficient private information about firms, and they use this information in their waiver decisions. Banks' decisions to waive violations vary with the borrowers' agency costs, debt features, the banks' characteristics and regulatory circumstances, and the bank-firm business relationship. There is no evidence that syndicated loans, bank structure, and adverse economic conditions are significant determinants of the waiver decision. Research findings offer valuable insight into the theoretical and practical implications of debt covenants and agency costs.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease-linked protein SIMPLE functions with the ESCRT machinery in endosomal trafficking

Mutations in small integral membrane protein of lysosome/late endosome (SIMPLE) cause autosomal dominant, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) type 1C. The cellular function of SIMPLE is unknown and the pathogenic mechanism of SIMPLE mutations remains elusive. Here, we report that SIMPLE interacted and colocalized with endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) components STAM1, Hrs, and TSG101 on early endosomes and functioned with the ESCRT machinery in the control of endosome-to-lysosome trafficking. Our analyses revealed that SIMPLE was required for efficient recruitment of ESCRT components to endosomal membranes and for regulating endosomal trafficking and signaling attenuation of ErbB receptors. We found that the ability of SIMPLE to regulate ErbB trafficking and signaling was impaired by CMT-linked SIMPLE mutations via a loss-of-function, dominant-negative mechanism, resulting in prolonged activation of ERK1/2 signaling. Our findings indicate a function of SIMPLE as a regulator of endosomal trafficking and provide evidence linking dysregulated endosomal trafficking to CMT pathogenesis.
Probe samples and the minimum sum method for medicare fraud investigations

Random sampling of paid medicare claims has been legally acceptable for investigating suspicious billing practices by health care providers since 1986. A population of payments made to a given provider during a given time frame is isolated and a probability sample selected for investigation. A lower confidence bound for the total amount overpaid to the provider is then used as a recoupment demand. Edwards et al. (Health Serv Outcomes Res Methodol 4:241-263, 2005) show that methods based on the Central Limit Theorem can fail badly and propose an alternative method, called the minimum sum method, for fixed sample sizes. In this paper the sampling is performed in two stages. In case of little abuse in the first stage the investigation is stopped; otherwise a second sample is examined. Based on this strategy a lower confidence bound for the total number of universe payments in error and a corresponding lower bound for the total overpayment amount are defined. Criteria for choosing the sampling parameters are considered. Relative efficiencies are studied.
Repeats in genomic DNA: mining and meaning.

Abstract For hundreds of millions of years, perhaps from the very beginning of their evolutionary history, eukaryotic cells have been habitats and junkyards for countless generations of transposable elements, preserved in repetitive DNA sequences. Analysis of these sequences, combined with experimental research, reveals a history of complex ‘intracellular ecosystems’ of transposable elements that are inseparably associated with genomic evolution.
Artificial damping in multigrid methods

Abstract When the solution and problem coefficients are highly oscillatory, the computed solution may not show characteristics of the original physical problem unless the numerical mesh is sufficiently fine. In the case, the coarse grid problem of a multigrid (MG) algorithm must be still huge and poorly-conditioned, and therefore, it is hard to solve by either a direct method or an iterative scheme. This article suggests a MG algorithm for such problems in which the coarse grid problem is slightly modified by an artificial damping (compressibility) term. It has been numerically observed that the artificial damping, even if slight, makes the coarse grid problem much easier to solve, without deteriorating the overall convergence rate of the MG method. For most problems, 2–6 times speed up have been observed.
Response of the medalist

Having served as a member and as chairman of the Edison Medal Committee, I am deeply sensible of the great honor that you have conferred on me. I cannot tell you how much this Medal means to me, nor can I tell you how much I appreciate this recognition of my work by the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.
The distribution of 51cr-labeled lymphocytes into antigen-stimulated mice. Lymphocyte trapping.

The localization of syngeneic (51)Cr-labeled lymph node cells was investigated in CBA/J mice previously challenged with sheep erythrocytes, Salmonella H antigen, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, C57BL/6J skin, or rat skin. The effect of time, dose, and route of antigen administration on lymphocyte migration was studied in both primary and secondary responses. When the distribution pattern of lymphocytes was examined after 20-24 hr, it was found that increased localization of labeled cells occurred in spleen after intravenous or intraperitoneal antigen injection, and in draining lymph nodes after subcutaneous antigen injection or skin grafting. Increased localization (trapping) of lymphocytes was antigen dose dependent and could be demonstrated when 1-6 hr had elapsed between intravenous antigen administration, or when 24 hr had elapsed between subcutaneous antigen administration and intravenous cell infusion. Trapping was transient, lasting approximately 24 hr. Maximal trapping of lymphocytes in the draining nodes occurred 9 days after skin grafting in the first-set allograft response, and 3 days after grafting in the second-set allograft and first-set xenograft responses. The cell type trapped, the specificity and mechanism of action of the trap, and the role of lymphocyte trapping in the initiation of immune responses are discussed.
Oleate and other long chain fatty acids stimulate low density lipoprotein receptor activity by enhancing acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase activity and altering intracellular regulatory cholesterol pools in cultured cells.

Modification of dietary fatty acid composition results in changes in plasma cholesterol levels in man. We examined the effect of in vitro fatty acid supplementation on low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity in cultured cells and questioned whether changes were related to fatty acid-induced alterations in acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity. Preincubation of cultured cells (i.e. human skin fibroblasts, J774 macrophages, and HepG2 cells) with oleic acid (oleic acid:bovine serum albumin molar ratio 2:1) at 37 degrees C for longer than 2 h resulted in a 1.2- to 1.5-fold increase in LDL cell binding at 4 degrees C and LDL cell degradation at 37 degrees C. Scatchard analysis showed that oleic acid increased LDL receptor number but not LDL affinity (Kd). Fatty acid supplementation of J774 macrophages increased both LDL receptor activity and cholesteryl ester accumulation. The ACAT inhibitor, 58-035, eliminated both effects, and increased ACAT activity preceded stimulation of LDL receptor activity by 1-2 h. Supplementation of macrophages with triolein emulsion particles also increased LDL cell binding and degradation, and addition of cholesterol to the emulsions abolished this effect. Among fatty acids tested, oleate (18:1), arachidonate (20:4), and eicosapentanoate (20:5) demonstrated the greatest effects. We hypothesize that certain fatty acids delivered to cells either in free form, or as triglyceride, first increase cellular ACAT activity, which then causes a decrease in an intracellular free cholesterol pool, signaling a need for increased LDL receptor activity. This mechanism may play a role in the effect of certain dietary fatty acids on LDL metabolism in vivo.
Dynamo generation in Mercury

Observations during the most recent encounter of the planet Mercury by Mariner 10 seem to have confirmed the existence of a small but intrinsic magnetic dipole of about 3 × 10^(−3) gauss R_M^3, where R_M is the radius of Mercury. This field may be small enough to have a non-dynamo explanation, but it is nevertheless of interest to examine whether dynamo generation is possible for the present Mercury.
Optical fiber sensor for oxygen with Raman scattering sampling

The Resonance Raman spectra of hemoglobin (Hb) molecules are exclusively due to scattering of the heme group, and the spectrum of a partially oxygenated Hb sample can be employed as a measure of oxygen partial pressure. A optical fiber oxygen sensor based on immobilized Hb is proposed by taking advantage of the Resonance Raman spectra of oxyHb and deoxyHb.
Structure and Function of Plant Cell Wall Polysaccharides

Studies of the primary structures of polysaccharides of growing plant cell walls have shown that these structures are far more complex than was anticipated just a few years ago. This complexity can best be appreciated by considering xyloglucan, a hemicellulose present in the cell wall of both monocots and dicots, and rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) and rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I), two structurally unrelated pectic polysaccharides. This realization led us to postulate that cell wall polysaccharides have functions beyond determining the size, shape and strength of plants. Some years ago we demonstrated that oligosaccharide fragments of a branched beta-linked glucan of fungal cell walls can elicit the production of phytoalexins (antibiotics) in plants by inducing the formation of the enzymes responsible for synthesis of the phytoalexins. It has now been ascertained and confirmed by synthesis that the elicitor activity resides in a very specific hepta-beta-D-glucoside. The heptaglucoside has been shown to elicit phytoalexins by activating the expression of specific genes, that is, by causing the synthesis of the mRNAs that encode the enzymes that synthesize phytoalexins. In other words, complex carbohydrates can be regulatory molecules. Further experiments established that oligosaccharide fragments of polysaccharides, produced by acid or base hydrolysis or by enzymolysis of primary cell walls of plants, also evoked defence responses in plants. Subsequently, we learned that defined fragments of polysaccharides, released from covalent attachment within plant cell walls, can function as regulators of various physiological processes such as morphogenesis, rate of cell growth and time of flowering and rooting, in addition to activating mechanisms for resisting potential pathogens. Examples of plant oligosaccharides with regulatory properties (called oligosaccharins) will be described.
The Micro-Level Consequences of Democracy Promotion: A Field Experiment in Rural Cambodia

Since the early 1990s, efforts to promote democracy throughout the world have proliferated, yet as many scholars and policy-makers lament, the effects of these democracy promotion programs are poorly understood. This article presents a randomized field experiment of a "real" democracy promotion program undertaken by a prominent international non- governmental organization in Cambodia. We show that exposure to multi-party town hall meetings has positive effects on citizen knowledge about politics, attitudes towards democracy, and reported political behavior, but has null effects on citizen confidence in the political process. Several months after each intervention, qualitative evidence suggests that problem issues in treatment villages were more likely to be addressed than in control villages. Additionally, results from an election more than a year after the final intervention suggest longer term changes in voting behavior.
From Politics To Policy: A New Payment Approach In Medicare Advantage

While the Medicare Advantage program’s future remains contentious politically, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC’s) recommended policy of financial neutrality at the local level between private plans and traditional Medicare ignores local market dynamics in important ways. An analysis correlating plan bids against traditional Medicare’s local spending levels likely would provide an alternative method of setting benchmarks, by producing a blend of local and national rates. A result would be that the rural and lower-cost urban “floor counties” would have benchmarks below currently inflated levels but above what financial neutrality at the local level—MedPAC’s approach—would produce.
Finite population estimators in stochastic search variable selection

Monte Carlo algorithms are commonly used to identify a set of models for Bayesian model selection or model averaging. Because empirical frequencies of models are often zero or one in high-dimensional problems, posterior probabilities calculated from the observed marginal likelihoods, renormalized over the sampled models, are often employed. Such estimates are the only recourse in several newer stochastic search algorithms. In this paper, we prove that renormalization of posterior probabilities over the set of sampled models generally leads to bias that may dominate mean squared error. Viewing the model space as a finite population, we propose a new estimator based on a ratio of Horvitz--Thompson estimators that incorporates observed marginal likelihoods, but is approximately unbiased. This is shown to lead to a reduction in mean squared error compared to the empirical or renormalized estimators, with little increase in computational cost. Copyright 2012, Oxford University Press.
Information Feedback Analysis in Deep Excavations

Deep excavation often causes displacement of adjacent structures. Hence, necessary construction measures must be taken in order to minimize such disturbances. Appropriate construction measures depend on effective and reliable estimation of the induced ground movement during an excavation. This paper presents a systematic procedure, referred to as “information feedback analysis,” which is used to predict excavation-induced deformation by collecting field information, such as displacements. With the use of optimization algorithms, the analyses result in a “best set” of soil parameters. These back-calculated soil parameters are then used to predict the deformation in the subsequent stages, one stage at a time, until the end of the excavation, which result in additional updated information continuously entered into the system, and hence, the prediction becomes progressively more and more accurate. This study has shown that the proposed approach exhibits at least two advantages over the conventional analysis. ...
The relative roles of specific N- and C-terminal phosphorylation sites in the disassembly of intermediate filament in mitotic BHK-21 cells

Previously we identified p34cdc2 as one of two protein kinases mediating the hyperphosphorylation and disassembly of vimentin in mitotic BHK-21 cells. In this paper, we identify the second kinase as a 37 kDa protein. This p37 protein kinase phosphorylates vimentin on two adjacent residues (thr-457 and ser-458) which are located in the C-terminal non-alpha-helical domain. Contrary to the p34cdc2 mediated N-terminal phosphorylation (at ser-55) which can disassemble vimentin intermediate filaments (IF) in vitro, p37 protein kinase phosphorylates vimentin-IF without obviously affecting its structure in vitro. We have further examined the in vivo role(s) of vimentin phosphorylation in the disassembly of the IF network in mitotic BHK cells by transient transfection assays. In untransfected BHK cells, the interphase vimentin IF networks are disassembled into non-filamentous aggregates when cells enter mitosis. Transfection of cells with vimentin cDNA lacking the p34cdc2 phosphorylation site (ser55:ala) effectively prevents mitotic cells from disassembling their IF. In contrast, apparently normal disassembly takes place in cells transfected with cDNA containing mutated p37 kinase phosphorylation sites (thr457:ala/ser458:ala). Transfection of cells with vimentin cDNAs lacking both the N- and C-terminal phosphorylation sites yields a phenotype indistinguishable from that obtained with the single N-terminal mutant. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the site-specific phosphorylation of the N-terminal domain, but not the C-terminal domain of vimentin plays an important role in determining the state of IF polymerization and supramolecular organization in mitotic cells.
An Improved Branch-and-Bound Method for Maximum Monomial Agreement

The NP-hard maximum monomial agreement problem consists of finding a single logical conjunction that is most consistent with or “best fits” a weighted data set of “positive” and “negative” binary vectors. Computing weighted voting classifiers using boosting methods involves a maximum agreement subproblem at each iteration, although such subproblems are typically solved in practice by heuristic methods. Here, we describe an exact branch-and-bound method for maximum agreement over Boolean monomials, improving on the earlier work of Goldberg and Shan [Goldberg, N., C. Shan. 2007. Boosting optimal logical patterns. Proc. 7th SIAM Internat. Conf. Data Mining, SIAM, Philadelphia, 228--236]. Specifically, we develop a tighter upper bounding function and an improved branching procedure that exploits knowledge of the bound and the particular data set, while having a lower branching factor. Experimental results show that the new method is able to solve larger problem instances and runs faster within a linear programming boosting procedure applied to medium-sized data sets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository. The new algorithm also runs much faster than applying a commercial mixed-integer programming solver, which uses linear programming relaxation-based bounds, to an integer linear programming formulation of the problem.
Mortality in End-Stage Renal Disease A Reassessment of Differences between Patients Treated with Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis

Recent registry studies comparing mortality between peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients show conflicting results. The purpose of this study is to determine whether previously published results showing higher mortality for patients treated with PD versus HD in the United States continue to hold true over the period 1987-1993. National mortality rates for PD and HD were extracted from the U.S. Renal Data System (USRDS) annual reports for the cohort periods: 1987-1989, 1988-1990, 1989-1991, 1990-1992, and 1991-1993. Using Poisson regression, death rates per 100 patient years were compared between PD and HD for each cohort period controlling for age, gender, race, and cause of end-stage renal disease (diabetes versus nondiabetes). When incident patients and patients with a prior transplant were included in the analysis, starting with the 1989-1991 cohort, we found little or no difference in the relative risk (RR PD:HD) of death between PD and HD (1987-1989: RR = 1.17, P < 0.001; 1988-1990: RR = 1.12, P < 0.001; 1989-1991: RR = 1.06, P = NS; 1990-1992: RR = 1.06, P = NS; 1991-1993: RR = 1.08, P = 0.043). After a test for goodness-of-fit, separate analyses for diabetic patients and nondiabetic patients were done to examine unexplained variation in death rates. For nondiabetic patients, there was less than a 1% difference in the adjusted 1-yr survival between PD and HD from 1989-1993 (1989-1991: RR = 1.05, P = NS; 1990-1992: RR = 1.04, P = NS; 1991-1993: RR = 1.07, P < 0.01). Among diabetic patients, the PD:HD death rate ratio varied significantly according to gender and age. For the average male diabetic patient, there was little or no difference in risk between PD and HD from 1989-1993 (1989-1991: RR = 1.02, P = NS; 1990-1992: RR = 1.05, P = NS; 1991-1993: RR = 1.08, P < 0.01). For diabetic patients under the age of 50, those treated with PD had a significantly lower risk of death than those treated with HD (1989-1993: 0.84 < or = RR < or = 0.89, P < 0.005). Over the same period, female diabetic patients treated with PD had a higher risk, on average, than HD (1.18 < or = RR < or = 1.19, P < 0.001) as did diabetic patients over the age 50 (1.28 < or = RR < or = 1.30, P < 0.001). Unlike previously published results that were restricted to prevalent-only patients, this national study of both prevalent and incident patients found little or no difference in overall mortality between PD and HD. The recent trends in mortality likely reflect the inclusion of incident patients, but they may also reflect changes in case-mix differences and/or improved PD practice. Additional incident-based studies that allow for additional case-mix adjustments are needed to better compare outcomes between HD and PD.
A national survey of health promotion activities in health systems agencies.

Abstract This paper reports the results of a national survey of the involvement of health systems agencies (HSAs) in health promotion. Responses were received from 72% of the 203 agencies surveyed, representing all DHEW regions. Survey data include information on resource allocations within the agencies for staff activities related to remedial health care services and facilities, prevention, and health promotion. More than 90% of the responding agencies reported planning activities for health promotion, and more than one-half of these agencies were actively working to develop health promotion programs in their areas. An index of involvement of health promotion was used in this assessment. The results reveal substantial involvement in health promotion on the part of HSAs. It is suggested that HSAs may be attempting to address at the local level a major deficiency in our health care system which has not received adequate attention, namely the provision of services and programs to enhance health.
Effects of Two Error-Correction Procedures on Oral Reading Errors Word Supply Versus Sentence Repeat

The effects of two error-correction procedures on oral reading errors and a control condition were compared in an alternating treatments design with three students who were moderately mentally retarded. The two procedures evaluated were word supply and sentence repeat. The teacher supplied the reader with the correct word immediately after each student error during the word-supply condition. During the sentence-repeat condition, the teacher supplied the correct word immediately after each student error, required the student to repeat the correct word, complete reading the sentence, and then reread the entire sentence. Both word-supply and sentence-repeat procedures were effective in reducing oral reading errors when compared to a no-intervention control condition, but sentence repeat was superior to word supply. In addition, a similar relationship was found between the two procedures when the students were tested for retention on the same reading passages a week later. These results show that sentence repeat is more effective than is the commonly used word-supply procedure in remediating the oral reading errors of students with moderate mental retardation.
Transfer through the tropopause and within the stratosphere

The evidence for tropospheric-stratospheric mass exchange is reviewed. A large fraction of the exchange appears to occur in the vicinity of the middle latitude tropopause discontinuity and the concomitant jet stream. Calculations of the flux of radioactive substances in the troposphere support this view. Computations of the horizontal flux of ozone in the lower stratosphere are presented for the I.G.Y. period divided into three-month seasons. Indications are that the large-scale quasi-horizontal transient eddies can transport ozone polewards in sufficient quantities to account for the spring build-up of ozone. Such large-scale mixing, as opposed to mean meridional motions, also allows explanation of the distribution of radioactive tungsten in the stratosphere. Transports appear to be polewards and downwards between latitudes 20° and 60°. Independent meteorological evidence, in the form of isentropic cross-sections and values of the covariance between the meridional and vertical components of the wind, support the mixing scheme. The observed counter-gradient eddy flux of heat can be explained from the model. Distributions of certain other trace substances are not at variance with the model. From a preliminary examination of the angular momentum transport processes up to 60 km it appears that transient eddies are also important to these levels but there is not yet sufficient global coverage to evaluate the contributions due to mean motions and standing eddies.
The Use of Portuguese Relationship Terms in Kalapalo (Xingu Carib) Encounters: Changes in a Central Brazilian Communications Network.

The introduction of Portuguese relationship terms into a system used by the Carib-speaking Kalapalo is explained in terms of internal social developments rather than language contact or acculturation. Upper Xingu Society is described as a linguistically diverse communications network that operates within two types of situations: ‘personal’ situations which emphasize verbal codes and focus on individual relationships and roles, and ‘non-personal’ situations which emphasize non-verbal ritualized performance in an intervillage context, focusing on local group identity rather than the qualities of individual ‘persons’. The adoption of Portuguese terms represents an elaboration of the system by which certain kinds of male relatives are designated as ‘persons’, and in the context of interaction between men speaking mutually unintelligible languages has circumvented the problem of language loyalty for intervillage communication. (Lexical borrowing, language loyalty, relationship terms, South American languages.)
Quantitative variation in la antigen expression plays a central role in immune regulation.

The analysis of la antigen function has focused primarily on allelic variants of Ia molecules. In this review Charles Janeway and his colleagues discuss evidence that quantitative rather than qualitative variation in Ia antigen expression had a major role in immunoregulation and immunologically mediated disease.
CSN1 N-Terminal–dependent Activity Is Required for Arabidopsis Development But Not for Rub1/Nedd8 Deconjugation of Cullins: A Structure-Function Study of CSN1 Subunit of COP9 Signalosome

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a multifunctional protein complex essential for arabidopsis development. One of its functions is to promote Rub1/Nedd8 deconjugation from the cullin subunit of the Skp1-cullin-F-box ubiquitin ligase. Little is known about the specific role of its eight subunits in deneddylation or any of the physiological functions of CSN. In the absence of CSN1 (the fus6 mutant), arabidopsis CSN complex cannot assemble, which destabilizes multiple CSN subunits and contributes, together with the loss of CSN1, to the phenotype of fus6. To distinguish CSN1-specific functions, we attempted to rescue the complex formation with deletion or pointmutation forms of CSN1 expressed as transgenes in fus6. We show that the central domain of CSN1 is critical for complex assembly, whereas the C-terminal domain has a supporting role. By expressing the C231 fragment, which contains the structural information but lacks the presumed functional domain located at the N terminus, we have rescued the complex formation and restored the Rub1/Nedd8 deconjugation activity on cullins (fus6/C231). Nonetheless, fus6/C231 exhibits pleiotropic phenotype, including photomorphogenic defects and growth arrest at seedling stage. We conclude that CSN1 N-terminal domain is not required for the Rub1/Nedd8 deconjugation activity of cullins, but contributes to a significant aspect of CSN functions that are essential for plant development.
Nutrition Monitoring: Interface of Science and Policy

Exemples d'utilisation de resultats de controle biologique pour la politique et les decisions de programmes; description des progres recents pour ameliorer le systeme de controle nutritionnel national
The Role of Native Language Phonology in the Production of L2 Contrasts.

We present findings of an investigation into the acquisition of the English /s/–/ʃ/ contrast by native speakers of Korean and Japanese. Both of these languages have the phones [s] and [ʃ], and both languages exhibit a pattern—or motivate a rule—whereby /s/ is realized as [ʃ] before the vowel [i] and the glide [j]—that is, high front vocoids. The crucial difference, and the focus of this study, is that in Korean [s] and [ʃ] are allophones of /s/, whereas in Japanese the two sounds arguably instantiate different phonemes. We present production data showing that the differences in the functioning of [s] and [ʃ] in the second language learner’s native language have different consequences for the acquisition patterns and the error types produced in the learning of this contrast.
PATCH COLONIZATION DYNAMICS IN CAROLINA CHICKADEES (POECILE CAROLINENSIS) IN A FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPE: A MANIPULATIVE STUDY

Abstract Habitat and landscape features that influence the rate of interpatch movement and colonization may determine the likelihood that a species will persist in fragmented landscapes. We simulated patch extinction by removing Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) from woodland fragments in an Ohio agricultural landscape in January 2002. We then monitored the woodlands to determine their dates of reoccupation and subsequent use for breeding by the birds. All woodlots were eventually reoccupied, regardless of size or degree of isolation, but woodlots in less-forested landscapes connected to other woodland by habitat corridors were reoccupied sooner than unconnected woodlots. Reoccupation was more likely to occur during periods of mild wind chill. Following reoccupation, individual Carolina Chickadees were more often temporarily absent from smaller woodlots, which suggests that they may have used woodlots that insufficiently met foraging or breeding requirements. Carolina Chickadees were more likely ...
Minimal unitary representation of 5d superconformal algebra F(4) and AdS6/CFT5 higher spin (super)-algebras

Abstract We study the minimal unitary representation (minrep) of SO ( 5 , 2 ) , obtained by quantization of its geometric quasiconformal action, its deformations and supersymmetric extensions. The minrep of SO ( 5 , 2 ) describes a massless conformal scalar field in five dimensions and admits a unique “deformation” which describes a massless conformal spinor. Scalar and spinor minreps of SO ( 5 , 2 ) are the 5 d analogs of Dirac's singletons of SO ( 3 , 2 ) . We then construct the minimal unitary representation of the unique 5 d superconformal algebra F ( 4 ) with the even subalgebra SO ( 5 , 2 ) × SU ( 2 ) . The minrep of F ( 4 ) describes a massless conformal supermultiplet consisting of two scalar and one spinor fields. We then extend our results to the construction of higher spin AdS 6 / CFT 5 (super)-algebras. The Joseph ideal of the minrep of SO ( 5 , 2 ) vanishes identically as operators and hence its enveloping algebra yields the AdS 6 / CFT 5 bosonic higher spin algebra directly. The enveloping algebra of the spinor minrep defines a “deformed” higher spin algebra for which a deformed Joseph ideal vanishes identically as operators. These results are then extended to the construction of the unique higher spin AdS 6 / CFT 5 superalgebra as the enveloping algebra of the minimal unitary realization of F ( 4 ) obtained by the quasiconformal methods.