cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A qualitative assessment of program characteristics for preventing secondary conditions in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a major public health problem that affects 2 to 5 percent of the population. Individuals with FASD are at high risk for secondary conditions , such as mental health problems, school disruptions, and trouble with the law. Evidence - based intervention programs are needed to prevent and treat secondary conditions in this population. Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify intervention program characteristics for preventing secondary conditions in individuals with FASD from the perspectives of parents and service providers. Methods This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to identify program characteristics for preventing secondary conditions . Twenty - five parents of children (ages 3 t o 33) with FASD and 18 service providers participated in focus groups or individual interviews. Data was systematically analyzed using a framework approach. Themes did not differ by participant type. Results Participants emphasized five primary characteristics of intervention programs for individuals with FASD. Programs need to 1) be avail able to individuals across the lifespan, 2) have a prevention focus , 3) be individualized, 4) be comprehensive, and 5 ) be coordinated across systems and developmental stages. Participants discussed a variety of specific intervention strategies for each developmental stage and setting. Conclusions Program characteristics identified in t his study are consistent with a positive behavior support framework. This framework is discussed in the context of research on existing interventions for individuals with FASD, and recommendations for future intervention development and evaluation are highlighted.
Duality Gaps in Stochastic Integer Programming

In this note, we explore the implications of a result that suggests that the duality gap caused by a Lagrangian relaxation of the nonanticipativity constraints in a stochastic mixed integer (binary) program diminishes as the number of scenarios increases. By way of an example, we illustrate that this is not the case. In general, the duality gap remains bounded away from zero.
Microwave Transmission Technique for Accurate Impedance Characterization of Superconductive Bolometric Mixers

The impedance of the supconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer was measured in the range 0.2-4 GHz. A special technique relying on determination of S21 transmission parameter of the device was used. Many advantages of the techinque (wide frequency range, in sity calibration, low tes power, accuracy) are demonstrated. The estimate of the mixer bandwidth from the impedance data using the mixer theory is in good agreement with the results ofthe direct bandwidth measurements.
Using Vote Counts' Digits to Diagnose Strategies and Frauds: Russia ∗

Tests of the digits of vote counts have been proposed to diagnose election fraud. Both the second-digit Benford's-like Law (2BL) and the idea that the last digits should be uniformly distributed have been proposed as standards for clean elections. Many claim that election fraud is rampant in recent Russian federal elections (since 2004), so Russia should be a good setting in which to see whether the digit tests add any diagnostic power. Using precinct-level data from Russia, I first use a randomization test to identify sets of precincts (called UIKs in Russia) in which vote counts for candidates are augmented compared to vote counts in a comparison sets of UIKs. These are a subset of UIKs in which turnout percentages or the percentage of votes for Putin (or United Russia) are divisible by five. Then I run tests of the second and last digits of the UIK vote counts both for the entire set of UIKs in an election year and separately for various sets of UIKs. The digit tests produce surprising and on balance implausible results. For example, they suggest that none of the votes for Putin in 2004 and 2012 or for United Russia in 2011 were fraudulent, while votes for Medvedev in 2008 were fraudulent. The usefulness of simple and direct application of either kind of digit tests for fraud detection seems questionable, although in connection with more nuanced interpretations they may be useful.
Subplate pioneers and the formation of descending connections from cerebral cortex

The adult cerebral cortex extends axons to a variety of subcortical targets, including the thalamus and superior colliculus. These descending projections are pioneered during development by the axons of a transient population of subplate neurons (McConnell et al., 1989). We show here that the descending axons of cortical plate neurons appear to be delayed significantly in their outgrowth, compared with those of subplate neurons. To assess the possible role of subplate neurons in the formation of these pathways, subplate neurons were ablated during the embryonic period. In all cases, an axon pathway formed from visual cortex through the internal capsule and into the thalamus. In half of all cases, however, cortical axons failed to invade their normal subcortical targets. In the other half, targets were innervated normally. Subplate neurons are therefore likely to provide important cues that aid the process by which cortical axons grow toward, select, and invade their subcortical targets.
Diabetes mellitus: A significant co‐morbidity in the setting of lung cancer?

Background: To evaluate the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on clinical outcomes in patients managed surgically for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for pathological I-IIIA NSCLC at Duke University from 1995–2005 were analyzed. Postoperative mortality was defined as any death occurring within 30 days of resection or during the initial hospitalization after surgery. Disease recurrence at the surgical margin, ipsilateral hilum, and/or mediastinum was considered a local/regional recurrence (LRR). Survival and LRR rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using a log rank test. A multivariate regression analysis assessed the association between candidate factors, including DM, and disease recurrence and survival. Results: Of 957 patients, DM was present in 122 (13%). DM was associated with an increased risk of postoperative mortality (7.4% vs. 3.2%, P= 0.04). However, the proportion of patients undergoing sublobar resections, mediastinal lymph node dissection, and receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, was no different among patients with or without DM. Five-year LRR rates were 27% in patients with DM, versus 21% in patients without DM (P= 0.23). Survival at five years was 43% for patients with DM, and 47% for patients without DM (P= 0.10). On multivariate analysis, DM was not independently associated with a higher risk of LRR (hazard ratio [HR] 1.33, P= 0.34), distant recurrence (HR 0.86, P= 0.58), or overall survival (HR 1.08, P= 0.63). Conclusions: Although a higher risk of postoperative mortality was noted in patients with DM, a detriment in local or distant disease control or overall survival was not observed.
Phenotypic alterations in breast cancer cells overexpressing the nuclear receptor co-activator AIB1

Estrogen signaling plays a critical role in a number of normal physiological processes and has important implications in the treatment of breast cancer. The p160 nuclear receptor coactivator, AIB1 (amplified in breast cancer 1), is frequently amplified and overexpressed in human breast cancer and has been shown to enhance estrogen-dependent transactivation. To better understand the molecular and physiological consequences of AIB1 overexpression in breast cancer cells, an AIB1 cDNA was transfected into the low AIB1 expressing, estrogen-receptor (ER) negative breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-436. The features of a derivative cell line, designated 436.1, which expresses high levels of AIB1, are described and compared with the parental cell line. A significant increase in the levels of CREB binding protein (CBP) was observed in 436.1 cells and immunofluorescent staining revealed altered AIB1 and CBP staining patterns compared to the parental cells. Further, transient transfection assays demonstrated that the overall estrogen-dependent transactivation in 436.1 cells is approximately 20-fold higher than the parental cells and the estrogen dose-response curve is repositioned to the right. Finally, cDNA microarray analysis of approximately 7,100 cDNAs identified a number of differentially expressed genes in the 436.1 cells. These observations lend insight into downstream signaling pathways that are influenced by AIB1.
Studies of 37Ar via the 36Ar(d, pγ)37 Ar reaction

Abstract The 37 Ar states below an excitation energy of 3.7 MeV have been studied via the 36 Ar(d, pγ) 37 Ar reaction at deuteron bombardment energies in the vicinity of 3 MeV. Direct γ-ray spectra were recorded in Ge(Li) spectrometers at θ γ = 0° and 90° with gas target pressures in the range 25 to 3000 Torr. The following excitation energies were observed for the low-lying levels of 37 Ar: E x = 1408.8 ± 1.5, 1611.2 ± 0.8, 2218.2 ± 1.5, 2490.6 ± 1.3, 2796.3 ± 1.8, 3171.3 ± 1.7, 3186.4 ± 1.7, 3273.4 ± 1.6, 3516.1 ± 1.8, 3526.1 ± 2.1 and 3607.7 ± 2.9 keV. An upper limit on the mean lifetime of τ ≦ 30 ps was deduced from the Doppler shift for all of the above states except the relatively long-lived 1611 keV state. Proton-gamma angular correlation studies were performed in a collinear geometry at E d = 2.800, 2.975 and 3.100 MeV . The following spin restrictions resulted therefrom: E x (J) = 1611 ( 5 2 , 7 2 ), 2218 ( 5 2 , 7 2 ), 2491 ( 3 2 , 5 2 ), 2796 (≦ 7 2 ), 3171 ( 3 2 , 5 2 ), 3273 ( 3 2 , 5 2 ), 3516 ( 3 2 ), 3526 ( 7 2 ), and 3608 ( 3 2 , 5 2 ) . The results of the present and previous studies on the low-lying levels of the 37Ar structure are synthesized and compared with existing shellmodel calculations.
On the time required for retention

In block structured languages, upon entry to a block or procedure, storage is allocated for the identifiers declared in the block or procedure. There are two choices as to when to deallocate this storage:1) upon exit from the block or procedure,2) when the storage becomes inaccessible.In the deletion strategy, storage for blocks and procedures is allocated and deallocated in a last-in-first-out order. Therefore, storage for blocks and procedures can be managed efficiently on a pushdown stack. However, deletion gives rise to dangling references in the use of pointer, label, and procedure values.Retention is both more secure and more general in that it eliminates all possibility of dangling references, and it therefore removes all restrictions on the use of pointer, label, and procedure values.This paper develops an implementation of generalized (single task) block structured languages with compile time type determinability, which is capable of handling full retention but which keeps the run time cost of many well-stacked programs near that of the same program on a typical ALGOL 68 style implementation.
Effects of ischaemia and coronary reperfusion on regional myocardial blood flow and on the epicardial electrogram

Effects of reperfusion on the epicardial electrogram and on regional myocardial blood flow were investigated in 3 groups of dogs undergoing acute anterior wall ischaemia for 1 (Group I), 2 (Group II), or 6 (Group III) hours. Regional blood flow was assessed utilising the microsphere technique. Rapid development of abnormal Q waves, associated with accelerated decrease or loss of R wave electromotive forces, was observed after reperfusion in the central ischaemic zone in 25% of dogs in Group I, 75% of dogs in Group II, and in 92% of animals in Group III. These rapidly evolving changes occurred concomitant with significant reductions in mean S-T segment elevation. In contrast to the epicardial electrogram changes in the central ischaemic zone, coronary reperfusion was not associated with development of abnormal Q waves or accelerated loss of R wave amplitude in the peripheral ischaemic zone or in the border zone in Group I animals. However, in Group II, Q waves appeared in the peripheral ischaemic zone in all but one of the dogs developing Q waves in the central ischaemic zone. Border zone Q waves appeared in only 17% of these animals. In Group III, Q waves appeared in the peripheral ischaemic zone in 92% and in the border zone in 75% of animals. Impaired reflow of blood to ischaemic zones was seen following coronary reperfusion. In Group I mean flow was 88±10% of nonischaemic flow in endocardial layers of the central ischaemic zone after reperfusion. In contrast, mean flow to this region in Group II and Group III animals was only restored to 59 ±17% and 53 ± 11% of nonischaemic flow, respectively. Pathological findings of subendocardial haemorrhage and transmural oedema were uniformly present in areas showing reduced reflow and abnormal 0 waves after reperfusion.
“Mens sane in Corpore Sano”: The mind and body as an “odd couple” and as an oddly coupled unity

(1997). “Mens sane in Corpore Sano”: The mind and body as an “odd couple” and as an oddly coupled unity. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Vol. 17, Somatization: Bodily Experience and Mental States, pp. 204-222.
On the stochastic powers of nonnegative reducible matrices

A nonnegative n × n (n > 1) matrix A is said to be reducible if there is a permutation matrix P such that PAPT is of the form ECOB, where E and B are nonvoid square matrices. A nonnegative matrix A is stochastic if each row sum is 1. Suppose A is an n × n reducible matrix which has a stochastic power, i.e., there is a smallest integer p such that Ap is stochastic. Let A1, A2, A3, …, Ag be the isolated irreducible blocks of matrices on the main diagonal of the normal form of A. Then there are smallest positive integers, p1, p2, p3, …, pg such that Ap11, Ap22, Ap33, …, Apgg are all stochastic and p is the least common multiple of p1, p2, p3, …, pg.
Pneumoperitoneum 48 Days After Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Background and Objectives: Postoperative pneumoperitoneum following laparoscopic surgery is self-limited, typically resolving within days. Methods: We analyzed the case of a 48-y-old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain 48 d after a total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Imaging studies revealed free air under the diaphragm suggesting a perforated viscus. Results: An exploratory laparotomy was performed, but no perforations or organic traumas were found intraoperatively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the longest period of time reported for persistent pneumoperitoneum after laparoscopic surgery. Conclusion: Absent clinical findings, introduction of atmospheric air into the abdominal cavity during the original laparoscopic surgery was the most likely cause and is supported by the literature. Pneumoperitoneum observed up to 48 d status post laparoscopic hysterectomy, in the absence of peritoneal signs, fever, leukocytosis, or hemodynamic instability, may be considered for expectant management and serial inspection for clinical change.
Residual Resistivity of Gold Alloys: Dependence on Periodic Table

The residual resistivities of dilute alloys of gold are calculated by the same method which was employed in a similar study of the residual resistivities of copper and silver alloys. As in the earlier work, the calculated results agree well with experiment with the exception of the alloys gold-copper and gold-silver. The application of the modification of the Friedel sum condition to other problems is suggested.
Fuzzy Sets: An application to Warnings and Instructions

Instructions and Warnings while often requiring the reader to make fairly precise sensory judgements or physical actions, yet convey these requests in the qualitative terms of common discourse, such as the phrase “fairly precise” in this sentence, or the instruction “press firmly”. The consequences of “not following instructions” can range from less than satisfactory product performance (e.g., “poor shine”) to broken equipment or even serious personal injury. The writer of instructions and warnings must know (1) how such qualitative or “fuzzy” terms will be quantitatively translated into action and (2) how to design terms (e.g. “press firmly but not hard”) to produce the desired user action. This paper describes initial work undertaken to apply fuzzy set theory to these problems and comparison of empirical definitions of a membership function.
INDUCTION OF ANTHERIDIA IN ASCOBOLUS STERCORARIUS

A B S T R A C T Sexual organs develop in the hermaphroditic, heterothallic ascomycete Ascobolus stercorarlus only when strains of opposite mating-type are paired under appropriate conditions. A previous study of the two reciprocal compatible interactions, A-antheridial/a-ascogonial and a-antheridial/ A-ascogonial, revealed several differences between them. The present study of the induction of antheridia has uncovered several other differences. Such induction occurred on severed hyphae, non-germinated oidia and germinated oidia of mating-type A but not of a under two different sets of conditions: (1) when such elements were placed on an agar medium containing only the secretions of a compatible mycelium, and (2) when they were in close proximity to a second group of compatible non-germinated or germinating oidia on an agar surface. This tendency for vegetative elements of A to differentiate as male structures more readily than those of a is consistent with the previous observation that the interaction of A-antheridial/a-ascogonial is generally the more vigorous one. It may also be responsible for a condition approaching functional sexual dimorphism in many mixed (A + a) mycelial cultures. THE SEXUAL PROCESS in typical heterothallic euascomycetes is essentially an interaction between two hermaphroditic, haploid mycelia of compatible mating-types (Drayton, 1932; Gwynne-Vaughan and Williamson, 1932; Ames, 1934; Zickler, 1937). The genetic factors that determine mating-type in these fungi are two alleles, A and a, at a single locus, first identified
Role of arginase in vessel wall remodeling.

Arginase metabolizes the semi-essential amino acid L-arginine to L-ornithine and urea. There are two distinct isoforms of arginase, arginase I and II, which are encoded by separate genes and display differences in tissue distribution, subcellular localization, and molecular regulation. Blood vessels express both arginase I and II but their distribution appears to be cell-, vessel-, and species-specific. Both isoforms of arginase are induced by numerous pathologic stimuli and contribute to vascular cell dysfunction and vessel wall remodeling in several diseases. Clinical and experimental studies have documented increases in the expression and/or activity of arginase I or II in blood vessels following arterial injury and in pulmonary and arterial hypertension, aging, and atherosclerosis. Significantly, pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of arginase in animals ameliorates abnormalities in vascular cells and normalizes blood vessel architecture and function in all of these pathological states. The detrimental effect of arginase in vascular remodeling is attributable to its ability to stimulate vascular smooth muscle cell and endothelial cell proliferation, and collagen deposition by promoting the synthesis of polyamines and L-proline, respectively. In addition, arginase adversely impacts arterial remodeling by directing macrophages towards an inflammatory phenotype. Moreover, the proliferative, fibrotic, and inflammatory actions of arginase in the vasculature are further amplified by its capacity to inhibit nitric oxide synthesis by competing with nitric oxide synthase for substrate, L-arginine. Pharmacologic or molecular approaches targeting specific isoforms of arginase represent a promising strategy in treating obstructive fibroproliferative vascular disease.
Foreland basin structural growth recorded in the Turonian Ferron Sandstone of the Western Interior Seaway Basin, USA

Tectonic forcing of stratigraphic architecture is likely in foreland basins. Tectonic driving forces are increasingly being invoked to explain stratigraphic patterns in the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway Basin of North America, yet the evidence is largely circumstantial, and the details of driving forces remain elusive. In this paper I show direct stratigraphic evidence for syndepositional growth of a structural arch with at least 50 m of relief during accumulation of the upper Turonian Ferron Sandstone in south-central Utah, United States. Progressive growth of the arch was superimposed on several high-frequency stratal cycles that were driven by a more regionally extensive process (geodynamic or eustatic) and that produced laterally amalgamated sandstone bodies in a depositional strike-parallel orientation (north-south). All of this stratigraphy was then truncated by a more or less planar erosion surface (sequence boundary) that can be traced physically over at least 67 km north-south. This surface was later tilted northward, such that the upper member of the Ferron Sandstone thins progressively southward from 50 to 10 m over 67 km. The facies juxtapositions revealed by the Ferron Sandstone could, if seen in exposure of limited lateral extent, be wrongly interpreted as recording regionally extensive relative sea-level drops and potentially used in error as evidence for substantial eustatic sea-level falls during the Turonian. The folding and tilting documented in this study can be clearly attributed to geodynamic and/or tectonic driving forces, likely related to migration of a forebulge.
Coherent-state theory for the LST quasispin group

Abstract An extended coherent-state theory is used to give a simple construction for the matrix elements of the L = 0 pair operators of the LST SO(8) ⊃ U(4) quasispin algebra leading to a more explicit construction of n -nucleon states in the orbital seniority scheme.
The interference wiretap channel with an arbitrarily varying eavesdropper: Aligning interference with artificial noise

In this work, a Gaussian two-user MIMO interference channel is considered in the presence of an external eavesdropper whose channel is completely unknown to the legitimate communication parties and can be varying in an arbitrary fashion from one channel use to the next. We improve our recent result by deriving a larger achievable secrecy degrees of freedom region. In the achievable scheme, the transmitter injects artificial noise to confuse the eavesdropper, and at the same time aligns the injected noise with the interference from the other user at the intended receiver. The achieved secure degrees of freedom are shown to be closely connected to the rank of the effective channel matrix through which the eavesdropper observes the artificial noise. The precoding matrix is then designed to ensure that this rank cannot be reduced under any possible Eve's channel state.
PARALLEL BUDDY MEMORY MANAGEMENT

Shared memory multiprocessor systems need efficient dynamic storage allocators, both for system purposes and to support parallel programs. Memory managers are often based on the buddy system, which provides fast allocation and release. Previous parallel buddy memory managers made no attempt to coordinate the allocation, splitting and release of blocks, and as a result needlessly fragment memory. We present a fast and simple parallel buddy memory manager that is also as space efficient as a serial buddy memory manager. We test our algorithms using memory allocation/deallocation traces collected from a parallel sparse matrix algorithm.
Cell therapy for myocardial infarction: Special delivery

The experimental finding that exogenous cell-based therapies stimulate myocardial repair or actual regeneration has revolutionized our understanding of cardiac biology. Traditionally accepted principles – that cardiac myocytes are terminally differentiated; that myocardial infarction (MI) causes irreversible myocardial damage; that healing consists solely of scarring, fibrosis and remodeling – have been replaced by the expectation of new cell-based therapies to repair the damage of MI. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are bone marrow-derived non-hematopoietic cells with the potential to differentiate along various lineages depending upon environmental cues from their niche: bone and cartilage 1 ; fat, tendon, and muscle 2 ; and cardiomyocytes 3 . These cells were recognized in 1968 by Friedenstein who isolated cells from guinea pig bone marrow which were adherent in culture and which differentiated into bone. 4 Surface antigens specific for human MSCs were identified in 1992 by Haynesworth. 5 Although MSCs are rare, representing approximately 0.01% of the bone marrow mononuclear cell fraction, they have attractive features for therapy, including the ability to expand many log-fold in vitro , 6 and unique immune characteristics 7,8 allowing their use as an allogeneic graft. The development of MSCs as a therapy for heart damage has followed a logical progression from in vitro studies through small animal and large animal studies, and now into clinical trials. 9 Yet as this sequence has unfolded, questions resulting from the later stage science have pointed out the need to return to cell culture and pre-clinical investigations throughout the process. Rather than being a one-way progression, we have seen that large animal studies are critical to understanding mechanisms of cell therapy, so that the optimal scientific approach involves the parallel conduct of basic, preclinical translational, clinical translational and mechanistic studies. MSCs have shown a high degree of efficacy in rodent 10 , canine 11 , and porcine models 12 , and hold promise as a therapy for ischemic heart disease and acute MI. 25 Preclinical studies indicate that their delivery by myocardial injection can reduce infarct size even in chronic infarction. 13 In a small clinical trial of patients with chronic MI and severe LV dysfunction, bone marrow mononuclear cell injection improved LV function and heart failure symptoms. 14 For cardiac applications, MSCs may be among the most active constituents of the bone marrow. Crucial questions exist in the field, relating in large part to dose, timing, and route of administration. These questions are essential for translational understanding of the therapy, and are related to mechanistic questions. It is in this context that it has become essential to compare delivery methods and their impact on cell retention and subsequent therapeutic efficacy. To date various
Grammaticality Judgment as a Function of Explicit and Implicit Instruction in Spanish.

This study investigated whether the methodologies of explicit and implicit language instruction account for differences in the identification of grammatically well-formed sentences for college students who have completed one semester of college Spanish. Students in the explicit language classes were instructed in the grammar-translation approach wherein explicit statements of the rules of grammar were taught. Students in the implicit language classes were instructed in the comprehension of Spanish sentences through the use of pictures and Total Physical Response activities. A grammaticality judgment test was used to compare the grammatical knowledge of these two instructional groups. The grammatical elements and the lexical items of the grammaticality judgment test were units that were common to both methods of instruction. Students in the implicit grammatical instruction classes achieved significantly higher scores than students in the explicit grammatical instruction classes. These results suggest that language instructional procedures result in the use of different language processes to judge the grammaticality of sentences.
On the Theory of the Brownian Motion

With a method first indicated by Ornstein the mean values of all the powers of the velocity $u$ and the displacement $s$ of a free particle in Brownian motion are calculated. It is shown that $u\ensuremath{-}{u}_{0}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}t)$ and $s\ensuremath{-}\frac{{u}_{0}}{\ensuremath{\beta}[1\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}t)]}$ where ${u}_{0}$ is the initial velocity and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ the friction coefficient divided by the mass of the particle, follow the normal Gaussian distribution law. For $s$ this gives the exact frequency distribution corresponding to the exact formula for ${s}^{2}$ of Ornstein and F\"urth. Discussion is given of the connection with the Fokker-Planck partial differential equation. By the same method exact expressions are obtained for the square of the deviation of a harmonically bound particle in Brownian motion as a function of the time and the initial deviation. Here the periodic, aperiodic and overdamped cases have to be treated separately. In the last case, when $\ensuremath{\beta}$ is much larger than the frequency and for values of $t\ensuremath{\gg}{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, the formula takes the form of that previously given by Smoluchowski.
Modeling and Analysis of a Hybrid CAC Scheme in Heterogeneous Multimedia Wireless Networks

A hybrid call admission control CAC scheme for a heterogeneous multimedia mobile network is proposed and investigated. In addition to the reservation of the system capacity to the cells, the network center also reserves an amount of bandwidth for a possible dynamic allocation to all cells in order to increase the system utilization and minimize the blocking probability of calls. In each cell, a specific class of calls may need a specific bandwidth for connection, a specific call connection time period, and may possess a specific mobility feature. By considering the specific characteristics for different classes of calls, each cell of the network has the capability to provide service to at least a minimum number of calls for each class. This paper successfully derives an analytical expression for the stationary distribution of the number of calls in the whole network and obtains explicit mathematical formulae for measuring system performance, including the utilization of the network, the blocking probability for each class of calls, and the throughput of the network. The consistency of the numerical analysis with the theoretical results and the simulation analysis based on the model description confirms the correctness of the modeling and analysis.
SCAN-Lite: enterprise-wide analysis on the cheap

Background data analysis due to virus scanning, backup, and desktop search is increasingly prevalent on client systems. As the number of tools and their resource requirements grow, their impact on foreground workloads can be prohibitive. This creates a tension between users' foreground work and the background work that makes information management possible. We present a system called SCAN-Lite that addresses this tension. SCAN-Lite exploits the fact that data in an enterprise is often replicated to efficiently schedule background data analyses. It uses content hashing to identify duplicate content, and scans each unique piece of content only once. It delays scheduling these scans to increase the likelihood that the content will be replicated on multiple machines, thus providing more choices for where to perform the scan. Furthermore, it prioritizes machines to maximize use of idle time and minimize the impact on foreground activities. We evaluate SCAN-Lite using measurements of enterprise replication behavior. We find that SCAN-Lite significantly improves scanning performance over the naive approach, and that it effectively exploits replication to reduce total work done and the impact on client foreground activity.
Potential of Antisense Technology in the Treatment of Immunological Disorders

Oligonucleotide-mediated modification of gene expression offers the possibility of intervening therapeutically in a variety of immune-mediated conditions. This approach involves parenteral administration of a nuclease-resistant oligonucleotide specific for the sequence of a targeted gene. The oligonucleotide can be directed at: (i) the gene itself (called the triplex approach), which typically targets regulatory sequences; (ii) messenger RNA after transcription, which targets the coding region; or (iii) the protein product. For intracellular modification of gene expression, the oligonucleotide must be able to enter the cell and the appropriate cellular compartment for action. Enclosing the oligonucleotide in liposomes improves cellular uptake and reduces the amount of oligonucleotide required for administration. The latter is important for reducing the possible toxic effects of large amounts of an oligonucleotide. Indeed, a therapeutic oligonucleotide preparation must be relatively specific and have a good therapeutic: toxic ratio in humans. To date, in vitro studies with antisense oligonucleotides against several interleukins, interleukin receptors, adhesion molecules and T cell receptors suggest that this approach is a promising one for immune-mediated diseases. The results of some in vivo studies are also encouraging, although it is not yet clear that the effects seen result from an antisense mechanism of action. This review examines both the possibilities and the problems of this approach to immunomodulation.
Kiwis and kids, communities and connections: The lessons of energy express on bridging policy and community discourse

Intervention programs for low-income children and families must work to connect the policies and practices of intervention to the communities that they intend to serve. This article describes Energy Express, a summer reading and nutrition program for children in low-income communities across the state of West Virginia. Energy Express has consistently demonstrated beneficial effects in maintaining and improving children's reading and in increasing collaboration between schools and other community organizations. The success of the program in each community is attributed in part to the ways in which the program acknowledges and values local knowledge, the purposeful tension between centralization of planning and purpose and localization in implementation, and the understanding of the multiple meanings of community. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Phase locking of ring dye lasers using incoherent beam coupling

Phase locking of two ring dye lasers is demonstrated by using a counterrotating mode coupling technique in conjugation with incoherent beam coupling in barium titanate. (AIP)
Effects of nitrogen fertilization on tritrophic interactions

Tritrophic interactions (plant—herbivore—natural enemy) are basic components of nearly all ecosystems, and are often heavily shaped by bottom-up forces. Numerous factors influence plants’ growth, defense, reproduction, and survival. One critical factor in plant life histories and subsequent trophic levels is nitrogen (N). Because of its importance to plant productivity, N is one of the most frequently used anthropogenic fertilizers in agricultural production and can exert a variety of bottom-up effects and potentially significantly alter tritrophic interactions through various mechanisms. In this paper, the potential effects of N on tritrophic interactions are reviewed. First, in plant-herbivore interactions, N availability can alter quality of the plant (from the herbivore’s nutritional perspective) as food by various means. Second, nitrogen effects can extend directly to natural enemies through herbivores by changes in herbivore quality vis-a-vis the natural enemy, and may even provide herbivores with a defense against natural enemies. Nitrogen also may affect the plant’s indirect defenses, namely the efficacy of natural enemies that kill herbivores attacking the plant. The effects may be expressed via (1) quantitatively and/or qualitatively changing herbivore-induced plant volatiles or other plant features that are crucial for foraging and attack success of natural enemies, (2) modifying plant architecture that might affect natural enemy function, and (3) altering the quality of plant-associated food and shelter for natural enemies. These effects, and their interactive top–down and bottom-up influences, have received limited attention to date, but are of growing significance with the need for expanding global food production (with accompanying use of fertilizer amendments), the widening risks of fertilizer pollution, and the continued increase in atmospheric CO2.
Biochemical and structural characterization of C-terminal constructs of bovine soluble guanylate cyclase

Background Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is the key enzyme in the NO-sGC-cGMP signaling cascade crucial in regulating the cardiovascular system. Low output of this system causes hypertension and acute heart failure, which are the leading causes of death globally. Mammalian sGC is a heterodimer. Each of the two homologous subunits (a and b) contains three domains: an N-terminal regulatory domain (HNOX: Heme Nitric oxide OXygen), a central dimerization HNOX associated (HNOXA) and coiled-coil (CC) domain, and a C-terminal catalytic domain (GC). The enzyme is basally active, but NO binding to the heme group in the b subunit’s regulatory domain enhances sGC catalytic output several hundred fold. The exact mechanism by which the regulatory domain relays the NO activation signal to the catalytic domain remains elusive. Furthermore, it has been proposed that the HNOX regulatory domain inhibits the activity of the catalytic GC domain [1]. Winger et al. showed that the GC heterodimer by itself exhibits catalytic activity in the presence of Mg and Mn[1]. On the contrary, Wedel et al. propose that additional amino acids are required for dimerization, folding, and catalytic activity [2]. We aim to test the hypothesis that additional domains are necessary for full activity of the catalytic domain by combining mutagenesis, activity assays, fluorescence spectroscopy, Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), and protein crystallography.
The contribution of home value appreciation to us economic growth1

Home value growth has played an important role in mitigating the effects of the 2001 US economic recession and sustaining subsequent economic growth. Home price appreciation builds home equity, which stimulates consumption expenditures in two ways. The first channel is through a wealth effect on consumption; a number of studies have found that the home equity wealth effect is much stronger than the stock equity wealth effect. Second, home equity extraction through first mortgage refinance or placing of second mortgages enables additional home improvement and consumer durable spending. Home values are driven by local economic conditions, not a valuation bubble; local markets with a strong economy will continue to enjoy house price growth above the national average, while weak economies will also experience weak house price performance.
Plasma insulin concentration is more tightly linked to plasma leptin concentration than is the body mass index

This study tested the hypothesis that the integrated plasma insulin response to oral glucose is a more sensitive predictor of the fasting plasma leptin concentration than the body mass index (BMI) or waist to hip ratio (WHR). For this purpose, we determined the fasting plasma leptin concentration and plasma insulin response to a 75-g oral glucose challenge in 76 healthy female subjects, with a BMI of 19.1 to 36. 6 kg/m 2 and a WHR of 0. 57 to 1. 1. The results demonstrated that fasting plasma leptin concentrations were significantly correlated with both the BMI ( r =. 64, P r =. 61, P r =. 27). Since the BMI and the insulin response were also significantly related ( r =. 34, P =. 003), multivariate analysis was performed to determine if the BMI and insulin response were independent determinants of the fasting leptin concentration. This analysis indicated that both the BMI and insulin response were significantly related to plasma leptin ( P
A Computerized Procedure for Estimating Chemical Changes in Thermal Process Systems

Chemical changes caused by heating in a continuous flow, helically coiled tube indirect UHT process system were evaluated and compared to a nonflow vat process system. A computerized procedure was developed to estimate the rates (R) and accumulated values (Fc) of chemical changes in the various stages of the UHT and vat thermal processes. The procedure could also be used to determine the conditions necessary to optimize quality and/or nutrient retention. Data were based on 300°F and 3.3 set holding time in the continuous process and 180°F for 30 min holding time in the vat system, Approximately 10% of the overall chemical changes occurred during the heating period for both processes, 88% and 87% during the holding periods, and 2% and 6% during the cooling respectively for the UHT and vat processes.
Test of the threshold law for triple photoionization in atomic oxygen and neon.

The threshold behavior for triple photoionization of atomic oxygen and neon has been studied over a range of 10 eV in order to test the Wannier law for multiple ionization and its applicability to different states of angular momentum and spin. The cross sections are found to follow a power law in $E$ with an exponent of 2.17 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.09, which is consistent with the value of 2.162 predicted by Klar and Schlecht. The energy range of validity of this law appears to be about 5.5 eV. For the case of atomic oxygen the absolute value for the constant of proportionality is found to be 5.3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}24}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/${\mathrm{eV}}^{2.17}$.
The evolution of spinnable cotton fiber entailed prolonged development and a novel metabolism.

A central question in evolutionary biology concerns the developmental processes by which new phenotypes arise. An exceptional example of evolutionary innovation is the single-celled seed trichome in Gossypium (“cotton fiber”). We have used fiber development in Gossypium as a system to understand how morphology can rapidly evolve. Fiber has undergone considerable morphological changes between the short, tightly adherent fibers of G. longicalyx and the derived long, spinnable fibers of its closest relative, G. herbaceum, which facilitated cotton domestication. We conducted comparative gene expression profiling across a developmental time-course of fibers from G. longicalyx and G. herbaceum using microarrays with ∼22,000 genes. Expression changes between stages were temporally protracted in G. herbaceum relative to G. longicalyx, reflecting a prolongation of the ancestral developmental program. Gene expression and GO analyses showed that many genes involved with stress responses were upregulated early in G. longicalyx fiber development. Several candidate genes upregulated in G. herbaceum have been implicated in regulating redox levels and cell elongation processes. Three genes previously shown to modulate hydrogen peroxide levels were consistently expressed in domesticated and wild cotton species with long fibers, but expression was not detected by quantitative real time-PCR in wild species with short fibers. Hydrogen peroxide is important for cell elongation, but at high concentrations it becomes toxic, activating stress processes that may lead to early onset of secondary cell wall synthesis and the end of cell elongation. These observations suggest that the evolution of long spinnable fibers in cotton was accompanied by novel expression of genes assisting in the regulation of reactive oxygen species levels. Our data suggest a model for the evolutionary origin of a novel morphology through differential gene regulation causing prolongation of an ancestral developmental program.
What is a Diode Laser Oscillator

This paper attempts to summarize some of the discussions that took place during the “Rump” Session at the 2012 International Semiconductor Laser Conference. The discussion mostly centered around the topic of how one can identify lasing in a given structure, and how one might differentiate between the different kinds of possible light emission.
Candidates' Perception of Voter Competence: a Comparison of Winning and Losing Candidates

This study, based on the two-wave questionnaire data collected from legislative candidates in Iowa, attempts to test the “congratulation-rationalization effect,” a highly provocative hypothesis that John Kingdon formulated regarding politicians' beliefs about voters. The hypothesis asserts that winning candidates tend to develop complimentary beliefs about voters while losing candidates tend to develop beliefs deprecating to voters. The results of analysis indicate, however, no significant difference between winners and losers in terms of the direction and magnitude of changes in their beliefs about voters, suggesting that the hypothesis is invalid. When the hypothesis is reformulated in terms of “dissonance states” rather than “election outcomes,” the evidence is strongly supportive. Among winners, those who perceive a high degree of dissonance more than those who perceive little dissonance tend to change their beliefs about voters in a favorable direction. Conversely, among losers, those who perceive a high degree of dissonance more than those who perceive little dissonance tend to change their beliefs in an unfavorable direction. Therefore, the “congratulation-rationalization” hypothesis can be sustained only if cast in direct dissonance terms.
Kinds and location of mutations induced by (±)-7β,8α- dihydroxy-9α,10α-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene in the coding region of the hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase gene in diploid human fibroblasts

To gain insight into the mechanisms by which mutations are induced in human cells by carcinogens, we have determined the kinds and location (spectrum) of mutations induced in the coding region of the hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) gene by (+/-)-7 beta, 8 alpha-dihydroxy-9 alpha, 10 alpha-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene (BPDE). Individual populations of diploid human fibroblasts were treated with BPDE, or were left untreated (control). After a suitable expression period, the progeny cells were selected for resistance to 6-thioguanine. Individual drug-resistant colonies were isolated, and the mRNA in the lysate of 100-400 cells from each colony was copied directly into cDNA using reverse transcriptase. The cDNA of the HPRT gene of 29 unequivocally independent mutants from BPDE-treated populations and 13 from the control populations was amplified 10(11)-fold, and the product was sequenced directly. Twenty-three of the 29 BPDE-induced mutants examined contained a single base pair substitution; four exhibited two base pair substitutions. Eight out of 13 control mutants exhibited base pair substitutions, and four others were missing a complete exon. Thirty of the 32 base pair substitutions in the BPDE-induced mutants involved G.C base pairs, primarily G.C----T.A transversions. The majority (89%) of the base pair substitutions observed in the mutants from the control population involved an A.T base pair. Base substitutions were found throughout the coding region of the gene, but 41% of those seen in mutants from the BPDE-treated population and 44% of those from the untreated population were located in the first half of exon 3.
Smoking and posttraumatic stress symptoms among adolescents: Does anxiety sensitivity matter?

The present study examined the hypothesized moderating role of anxiety sensitivity (AS) in the relationship between lifetime smoking history and posttraumatic stress symptoms among 64 traumatic event-exposed adolescents. As predicted, the relationship between smoking status and posttraumatic stress symptom levels was moderated by AS. Specific facets of AS also were examined. Disease concerns, but not unsteady, mental illness, or social concerns, moderated the association between smoking and symptom level. These findings are generally consistent with findings from adult samples, but importantly extend this area of research to another phase of the lifespan.
Intralabyrinthine fluid dynamics: Meniere disease.

Purpose of reviewMeniere disease has long been postulated to be a disorder of intralabyrinthine fluid dynamics.Recent findingsMore recent developments in this field indicate that the control of fluid movement may be at a cellular level and that hormonal influence may be important.SummaryThe control