cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HTLV-1 Tax Protein Induces the Secretion of Th1 Cytokines and β-Chemokines from Dendritic Cells

HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis is characterized by highly stimulated immune response that includes elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines/ chemokines, and oligoclonal expansion of Tax-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid. Studies have shown that the HTLV-1 transactivator protein Tax is available for immune recognition by antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells. In this study, we have shown that the treatment of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDCs) with extracellular Tax induces the secretion of Th1 cytokines (IL-12, and TNF-α) and βchemokines (MIP-Iα, MIP-Iβ, and RANTES). A significant dose-dependent increase was observed with IL-12 (5-, 7-, and 24-fold) and TNF-α (5-, 6-, and 9.6-fold) with Tax treatment for 24 hr at concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/ ml, respectively. All three chemokines exhibited both doseand time-dependent increase in the presence of Tax. More specifically, after 24 hr treatment with Tax (0.1, 1 and 10 μg/ml), MIP-1a was induced by 3.7-, 5.3-, and 6fold, MIP-1b by 2-, 3.7-, and 3.7-fold, and RANTES by 7-, 8-, and 20-fold, respectively. The mRNA expression of these cytokines/chemokines was confirmed by real time PCR and was in direct correlation with observations regarding their protein expression. from 2005 International Meeting of The Institute of Human Virology Baltimore, USA, 29 August – 2 September 2005
A knowledge-based approach to object-oriented legacy code reuse

Software reuse has been demonstrated to increase productivity, reduce costs and improve software quality. Most research in the area of extraction of reusable code from legacy code has concentrated on code created in the functional decomposition paradigm. However, in recent years much object-oriented code has been written. This paper describes a knowledge-based approach to the identification of reusable components in object-oriented legacy code.
Inhibition of Antiviral Signaling Pathways by Paramyxovirus Proteins

The Paramyxoviridae family includes enveloped, negative-sense, single-stranded (ss) RNA viruses, that are major and ubiquitous disease-causing pathogens of humans and animals. Among them are important viruses that cause acute respiratory morbidity, particularly in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised subjects of any age. The family is taxonomically divided into two subfamilies: the Paramyxovirinae, with five genera; and the Pneumovirinae, which includes two genera. The classification of the viruses is based on their genome organization, morphological and biological characteristics, and sequence relationship of the encoded proteins. To date, the paramyxovirus P gene-encoded proteins, the nonstructural (NS) (NS1 and NS2) proteins of pneumoviruses, and the envelope glycoproteins G and small hydrophobic (SH) protein have been shown to play a major role in antagonizing type I interferon (IFN) signaling and other host innate immune responses. A discussion of the inhibitory function for each of these proteins is presented in this chapter. A small hydrophobic (SH) protein (64 amino acids) is an integral membrane protein of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) expresses an SH protein that is nearly three times longer than the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) SH and does not affect viral replication. During the early phase of RSV infection (12 to 24 h), the retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)/mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS) complex is important in canonical pathway activation.
The dream deferred: Why multicultural education fails to close the achievement gap. A cultural historical analysis

AbstractThe authors critically examine multicultural education and its failure to address the stark differences that characterize student achievement in North America in terms of a praxis that would bring equity in learning or other developmental outcomes. Arguing that dismantling proportional group based inequality depends on the systematic reform of structures and policies currently perpetuating the correlation between children's ethnocultural and economic history and their school achievement, we draw from a cultural historical theoretical framework to outline how the multiple and complex factors influencing underachievement might be better understood and, moreover, effectively counteracted in ways that begin to reverse the rates of school failure for U.S. ethnic minority students, in particular U.S. English learners.
Sensor based on piezoresistive microcantilever technology

A new type of micromechanical sensor has been developed that incorporates piezoresistive microcantilevers, such as those used in scanning force microscope (SFM) instruments. In these devices, the microcantilever is in direct contact with an active sensing material, which may be a common organic polymer or a biologically active sensing layer. Upon analyte exposure, the cantilever directly measures the swelling or volume expansion experienced by an active sensing material. Individual microcantilever sensors may be incorporated into an array in which pattern recognition techniques are used to identify a wide variety of chemical or biological analytes. In addition, these devices are compact, lightweight, and require only simple, inexpensive support electronics.
Chemiluminescence of polymers: Applications to weapons materials☆

Abstract We have designed and built an apparatus for the purpose of exposing samples of solid polymers to varying temperatures, atmospheres and stress levels wh
Independent Repression of Bile Acid Synthesis and Activation of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) by Activated Hepatocyte Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4 (FGFR4) and Bile Acids

The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor complex is a regulator of adult organ homeostasis in addition to its central role in embryonic development and wound healing. FGF receptor 4 (FGFR4) is the sole FGFR receptor kinase that is significantly expressed in mature hepatocytes. Previously, we showed that mice lacking mouse FGFR4 (mR4–/–) exhibited elevated fecal bile acids, bile acid pool size, and expression of liver cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), the rate-limiting enzyme for canonical neutral bile acid synthesis. To prove that hepatocyte FGFR4 was a negative regulator of cholesterol metabolism and bile acid synthesis independent of background, we generated transgenic mice overexpressing a constitutively active human FGFR4 (CahR4) in hepatocytes and crossed them with the FGFR4-deficient mice to generate CahR4/mR4–/– mice. In mice expressing active FGFR4 in liver, fecal bile acid excretion was 64%, bile acid pool size was 47%, and Cyp7a1 expression was 10–30% of wild-type mice. The repressed level of Cyp7a1 expression was resistant to induction by a high cholesterol diet relative to wild-type mice. Expression of CahR4 in mR4–/– mouse livers depressed bile acid synthesis below wild-type levels from the elevated levels observed in mR4–/–. Levels of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which is part of a pathway implicated in bile acid-mediated repression of synthesis, was 30% of wild-type levels in mR4–/– livers, whereas CahR4 livers exhibited an average 2-fold increase. However, cholate still strongly induced phospho-JNK in mR4–/– livers. These results confirm that hepatocyte FGFR4 regulates bile acid synthesis by repression of Cyp7a1 expression. Hepatocyte FGFR4 may contribute to the repression of bile acid synthesis through JNK signaling but is not required for activation of JNK signaling by bile acids.
Comprehensive access to printed materials (CAPM)

The CAPM Project features the development and evaluation of an automat ed, robotic on-demand scanning system for materials at remote locations. To date, we have developed a book retrieval robot and a valuation analysis framework for evaluating CAPM. We intend to augment CAPM by exploring approaches for automated page turning and improved valuation. These extensions will results in a more fully automated CAPM system and a valuation framework that will not only be useful for assessing CAPM specifically, but also for library services and functions generally.
A methodology for the analysis of rural primary health care delivery systems

Abstract A methodology for the analysis of rural primary health care delivery systems is presented. The basic approach is that the dynamics of rural primary health care delivery systems can be understood as an interaction between consumer and provider models. Computer modelling techniques can be used to analyze the efficiency of particular rural health care systems based on site-specific geographical data and economic data regarding the cost of gasoline and other costs to the consumer and provider. The methodology is relevant in developing countries as well as in the United States.
Cytoplasmic inclusions induced by wheat streak mosaic virus

Ultrastructural examinations of wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV)-infected leaf tissue, using various fixation protocols, revealed cytoplasmic inclusions consisting of pinwheels, scrolls, laminated aggregates, nonviral crystal, virus aggregates, and fibrous masses. Five to eight minutes in 5% glutaraldehyde followed by fixation in 1% osmic acid for 15 min resulted in well-fixed, contrasty cytoplasm and compact WSMV aggregates. The morphology of pinwheels and associated structures was stable under varying conditions of fixation. Elongated elements, concluded to be WSMV particles, were observed in plasmodesmata and frequently terminated in extraprotoplasmic sacs or fan-shaped aggregates in the cytoplasm. Plasmodesmata were spatially related to pinwheel inclusions and may play a role in their ontogeny. Cell wall thickenings containing modified plasmodesmata occurred in WSMV-infected cells. WSMV-infected cells of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and green foxtail Setaria viridis L.) were studied.
Refinery constructors incorporated: A case study in adaptation to advanced telecommunications technology

This paper illustrates the application of a broadly based approach to the implementation of an advanced communications system in an international setting. The failure of an initial implementation is discussed. The subsequent removal of the failed system and redesign of the second implementation process with overt consideration of sociotechnical factors are discussed. This article challenges a conventional view that focusing on technology, e.g., hardware and software, is the major determinant of success in implementation. The intrusion of computer-based technology into the office environment mandates considering the sociotechnical aspects of implementation such as work-group impacts, job design issues, and organizational adaptation. This study, in a field setting, describes the results of socialand technical considerations in systems implementation and illustrates the “bottom-line” impact of a specific investment in information technology in a large multinational corporation.
Methods of interconversion between linear viscoelastic material functions. Part II—an approximate analytical method

Abstract A new, very simple approximate interconversion method is proposed and verified by examples. This technique, employing the slope of the source function on logarithmic scales, is found to substantially enhance the accuracy compared to existing approximate methods. The new method is based on the characteristic mathematical properties of the narrow-band weight functions involved in the interrelationships between broad-band material functions. With the material functions represented locally by a power law, they are interrelated in terms of adjustment factors expressed through the local, log–log slope of the given (source) function. A number of existing approximate interconversion methods are also tested and compared with the new method. In Part I ( Park and Schapery, 1998 ) , an efficient numerical interconversion method, based on a Prony (exponential ) series representation of both the source and target functions, was presented ; such a series representation is not needed here. The new method, when applied to the prediction of broad-band time-dependent functions from Laplace or Fourier transforms, is an approximate method of transform inversion that is applicable to functions which are not necessarily viscoelastic material functions.
A Television Experiment in College Economics

Although nearly two dozen studies have dealt with the use of TV in teaching economics in one way or another, much remains to be said on the subject. Danielsen and Stauffer provide some interesting new information on the effectiveness of television as compared with conventional techniques. Their experimental design, as well as their immediate findings, will be of interest to others employing television as a teaching device.
Steady-state matrix cracking of ceramics reinforced by aligned fibers and transforming particles

Abstract M atrix fracture in ceramic composites is analysed for ceramics which are reinforced by both dilatantly transforming particles and fibers which are aligned in the direction perpendicular to the crack surfaces. Numerical results for the matrix cracking strength are given in terms of parameters associated with the individual reinforcing mechanisms, and coupling parameters that characterize their interaction. An energy balance relation governing the steady-state matrix cracking is presented. The results suggest that transforming particles could increase the matrix cracking strength of aligned-fiber composites by up to about a factor of two.
Global VOR Gain Adaptation During Near Fixation to Foveal Targets

Long-term rotational vestibulo-ocular (VOR) adaptation occurs during systematic dysmetria between visual and vestibular afferents, adjusting eye-rotation angular velocity to re-establish retinal stability of the visual field. Due to translational motion of the eyes during head rotation, VOR gain is higher when fixating near objects. The current study measures VOR in humans before and after 6 min of exposure to a foveal near-target during sinusoidal whole-body rotation at 0.45 Hz. All of six participants showed post-exposure increases in open-loop VOR gain after fixating near targets, demonstrating a mean modulation increase of open-loop VOR gain from 0.86 before adaptation to 1.2 after adaptation. We discuss a number of theoretical and applied implications.
The apparent late-time gain in a photodissociation iodine laser

Abstract It is shown that mass diffusion caused by an initial inhomogeneous flash lamp absorption can produce an apparent late-time increase of the axial gain in an iodine photodissociation laser.
Vibrational CARS thermometry and one-dimensional numerical simulations in CH4/H2/air partially-premixed flames

Abstract Temperature measurements were obtained along the nozzle centerline of CH4/H2/air partially premixed flames, in a counter-flow burner, using N2 vibrational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (VCARS). Measurements were performed for flames with no H2 and varying percentages of CH4 in the fuel stream and for flames with nearly constant CH4 content and varying H2 content in the fuel stream. VCARS measurements were compared against 1-D numerical simulations using different chemical mechanisms within the frame work of COSILAB software. All the mechanisms compared well against experimental data except for flames at low equivalence ratio where the San Diego mechanism performed the best. Interestingly, the peak flame temperature remained nearly constant with increasing percentage of H2 in the fuel stream. The presence or absence of thermal diffusion made little difference in the comparison between numerical simulations and experiments. The influence of radiation on nozzle centerline temperature profiles was also investigated.
The time dependence of surface energy in cohesive fracture

The time-temperature dependence of the cohesive fracture energy is deduced from experiments on a centrally cracked sheet of butadiene-acrylonitrile-acrylic acid viscoelastic terpolymer crosslinked with an epoxy curing agent. Analytic results based upon a cylindrical flaw model of the crack permit the segregation of the fracture energy time dependence from that of the relaxation modulus.
The reversible plasticization of the aromatic copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and 60 mol % p‐acetoxybenzoic acid with 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol

In recent mechanooptical studies with solution cast films of the aromatic copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and 60 mol % p-acetoxybenzoic acid from 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol, a volatile solvent with bp 59°C, we observed that the solvent plasticizes and affects considerably the stress–strain behavior of the copolyester at ambient temperature. Whereas a dry copolyester film is typically brittle failing at ≤ 10% strain, a film containing 12% w/w 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol can be stretched readily to ≥ 300% strain. When the solvent is removed by evaporation or by heating at an elevated temperature (≥ 120°C), the films lose their ductility, indicating that the plasticization is reversible.
"Time Is Not on Our Side": Cultural vs. Structural Explanations of Black American Women Students' Achievement in the Urban, Nonelite University.

Drawing primarily on 42 in-depth interviews with working-, lower-, and underclass black American women students at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), this article challenges the cultural argument that credits black women students' lower educational achievement to their adherence to oppositionalcultural forms and a preindustrial time sense that inhibits success in higher educational contexts. It argues such an explanation gives too much autonomy to culture while failing to situate the everyday responses of working-class black women students within the complex of race, class, and gender forces that affect them. Documenting that urban, nonelite university black women students are bound up in that stratification complex such that they come to the university while attempting to cope with financial hardship and heavy employment loads, I suggest the individual costs they pay are much less time to devote to academic activities and, hence, lower academic achievement.
Multiple Myeloma Cancer Stem Cells

Multiple myeloma is characterized by the clonal expansion of neoplastic plasma cells within the bone marrow, elevated serum immunoglobulin, and osteolytic bone disease. The disease is highly responsive to a wide variety of anticancer treatments including conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, corticosteroids, radiation therapy, and a growing number of agents with novel mechanisms of action. However, few if any patients are cured with these modalities and relapse remains a critical issue. A better understanding of clonogenic multiple myleoma cells is essential to ultimately improving long-term outcomes, but the nature of the cells responsible for myeloma regrowth and disease relapse is unclear. We review evidence that functional heterogeneity exists in multiple myeloma and discuss potential strategies and clinical implications of the stem-cell model of cancer in this disease.
Ultrasonic sensor system for CaF2 interface monitoring with rods permanently embedded in crystal

The interface position of a CaF2 crystal was successfully monitored during growth using an innovative ultrasonic sensor system. The sensor system utilizes a top entry approach consisting of probe rods permanently positioned at the bottom of the crucible. Ultrasonic time of flight data (TOF) is used to determine interface position. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Modeling Nucleon Generalized Parton Distributions

We discuss building models for nucleon generalized parton distributions (GPDs) H and E that are based on the formalism of double distributions (DDs). We find that the usual "DD+D-term'' construction should be amended by an extra term, generated by GPD E(x,\xi). Unlike the $D$-term, this function has support in the whole -1 < x< 1 region, and in general does not vanish at the border points|x|=\xi.
Camptothecin Sensitivity Is Mediated by the Pleiotropic Drug Resistance Network in Yeast

The antineoplastic alkaloid camptothecin interferes with the catalytic cycle of DNA topoisomerase I rendering it a cellular poison. Camptothecin stabilizes a covalent enzyme-DNA intermediate that is converted into lethal double strand DNA lesions during S phase of the cell cycle. Yeast SCT1 mutants were isolated in a screen for mutations in genes other than TOP1 that result in camptothecin resistance. Here we report SCT1 is allelic to PDR1 and that a Thr-879 to Met substitution in the PDR1-101 transcription factor confers multiple drug resistance. PDR1 regulates the expression of several gene products including the ATP-binding cassette transmembrane transport proteins PDR5, YOR1, and SNQ2. The PDR1 T879M mutant increased PDR5 transcription compared with wild-type PDR1 strains. Deletion of PDR1 or the downstream effector SNQ2 increased cell sensitivity to camptothecin, whereas deletion of YOR1 or PDR5 had little effect on camptothecin sensitivity. However, the camptothecin resistance accompanying GAL1-promoted overexpression of PDR5 suggests some substrate promiscuity among the ATP-binding cassette transporters. These data underscore the role of the pleiotropic drug resistance network in regulating camptothecin toxicity and are consistent with a model of decreased intracellular concentrations of camptothecin resulting from the increased expression of the SNQ2 transporter.
The development of radiotracer methods for laminar flow measurements in small channels—II. The tracer-sphere method

Abstract A method is developed which utilizes entrained rigid radioactive spheres to measure laminar volumetric flow rate and channel volume. The tracer-sphere velocity is shown to be simply related to the undisturbed average channel velocity. A detector response moments method is used to measure the tracer-sphere velocities. A dual tracer-sphere technique is proposed to determine both the channel velocity and radius by measuring the velocities of two tracer spheres of different radii. Feasibility experiments indicate flow rate measurements are accurate to within 3% for this method.
The VC dimension of k-fold union

The known O(dklogk) bound on the VC dimension of k-fold unions or intersections of a given concept class with VC dimension d is shown to be asymptotically tight.
Serious Tourists: Mexican Landscape and Masculine Identity in Mina Loy’s “Mexican Desert” and William Carlos Williams’s “Desert Music”

Mina Loy and William Carlos Williams employ drastically disparate images of the Mexican landscape as a means of articulating both their respective positions as tourists and their increasingly frustrated relationships to masculinity. Loy’s austere “Mexican Desert,” in its description of an isolated and enervated desert landscape, serves as an elegy to the poet’s husband, who had disappeared in Mexico shortly before the poem’s inscription. Meanwhile, Williams’s explicitly autobiographical “Desert Music” chronicles his tour of the Juarez market and cantinas, where his visual consumption of the tawdry urban geography encourages him to contemplate his anxieties regarding his literary profession, his flagging health, and his identity as a man. While Loy’s unforgiving desert finally presents her husband’s once-hyperbolic masculinity as wholly drained and defeated, Williams’s survey of the border city successfully rehabilitates his identity as both a poet and a man.
Modulus and yield resistance of glassy blends containing diluents manifesting varying degrees of mobility: Polyphenylene ether/polystyrene/diluent mixtures

The glass temperatures, moduli, and yield stresses for shear failure have been characterized for homogeneous blends of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), homopolystyrene (1/1), and a number of diluents of Tgs from −134 to +32°C. In a blend series based of a given diluent, the mechanical properties vary with blend Tg at rates that are characteristics of the particular diluent. These characteristic rates are found to depend strongly on the Tg of the neat diluent. Thus, for blends all with Tg = 90°C, for example, modulus and yield stress differ by as much as 50% over the range of diluents. Low-temperature relaxation measurements together with a number of previous dynamic spectroscopy studies of polymer/diluent systems at low temperatures suggest that many single-phase polymer/diluent blends may exhibit two primary relaxations—the depressed alpha relaxation of the resin and a somewhat elevated alpha relaxation of the diluent—at quite different temperatures. Both of these relaxations influence stiffness and strength properties at intermediate temperatures. The often-studied antiplasticization phenomena are viewed as a aberrations from a much more general influence of plasticizers on properties at temperatures below the alpha relaxation of the resin.
Rapamycin: Biological and therapeutic effects, binding by immunophilins and molecular targets of action

Rapamycin has been demonstrated to be a potent antiproliferative agent. In vitro, it has been instrumental in further defining intracellular signaling pathways associated with mitogenic stimuli. While the direct intracellular target of rapamycin-FKBP complexes remains elusive, its use in the analysis of the regulation of cell cycle progression and proliferation has led to a greater understanding of the complexity of cell growth control. The potential clinical utility of rapamycin is beginning to be appreciated. Whether it will be efficacious as an antifungal or an antitumor drug remains uncertain; it is likely to be useful as a potent immunosuppressive agent. It has clear efficacy in a number of animal models of allogeneic transplantation, and may be useful in the treatment of autoimmune disease. Its unique mechanism of action complements that of CsA, and it appears to be largely nonoverlapping for toxicity. Several in vivo models have shown that the combination of rapamycin and CsA is synergistic, and this approach may allow treatment with doses of each drug which are individually less toxic. However, human trials with rapamycin have not yet been reported, and the spectrum of toxicity is therefore incompletely defined. Nevertheless, rapamycin is likely to be useful in the treatment of autoimmune disease and graft rejection and to be an effective agent used alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive agents.
Milieu therapy under the primary caretaker system at the University of Michigan's Children's Psychiatric Hospital

The inpatient service at the University of Michigan's Children's Psychiatric Hospital is a multidisciplined program whose purpose is to create a therapeutic milieu in which emotionally disturbed children can live while being effectively treated. The work of the primary staff as milieu therapist on the ward is a key factor in the success or failure of many cases. This paper describes the therapeutic milieu, the primary caretaker system of staffing, and the specific role of the primary staff as milieu therapist at the hospital.
Enkephalin-immunoreactive perikarya in the cat raphe dorsalis

Abstract The serotonin-containing nucleus raphe dorsalis (RD) of the cat contains numerous leucine-enkephalin immunoreactive cells, throughout its rostral-caudal extent. The distribution of the enkephalin neurons closely parallels the cytoarchitectural boundaries of the RD, as described in previous Nissl preparations. Enkephalin perikarya are most numerous along the midline of the RD, but also extend ventrally, into the dorsal portion of the nucleus centralis superior, and laterally, into the ‘wings’ of the rostral RD, at the level of the IV nucleus. The possible contribution of these enkephalin cells to endogenous pain control systems is discussed.
Proinflammatory effects of TH2 cytokines in a murine model of chronic small intestinal inflammation.

Background & Aims: Strict T H 1 polarization is believed to underlie the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation in Crohn's disease. In the present study we tested the hypothesis that T H 2 cytokines also may participate in disease development in SAMP1/YitFc mice that spontaneously develop terminal ileitis with perianal manifestations. Methods: Cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was studied by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) were purified and stimulated cytokine secretion was analyzed. Blockade of interferon (IFN)-γ or interleukin (IL)-4 was performed by using specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). CD4+/IL-4-secreting lymphocytes were purified from SAMP1/YitFc mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and their ability to induce ileitis was tested after transfer to SCID recipients. Results: Initiation of ileitis in SAMP1/YitFc mice was T H 1-mediated because up-regulation of IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) preceded the histologic injury, whereas IFN-γ neutralization prevented the development of chronic inflammation ( P P H 2 cytokine secretion by lamina propria lymphocytes ( P P Conclusions: Our results indicate that both T H 1 and T H 2 pathways mediate Crohn's-like ileitis and suggest that combined T H 1/T H 2 manipulation may offer a therapeutic advantage for the treatment of Crohn's disease.
Impacts of family and community violence exposure on child coping and mental health

An ecological stress process model was employed to explore relations between children's exposures to family and community violence and child mental health, and emotionally-regulated coping (ERC) as a protective factor among Latino, European-American, and African-American school-aged children (n = 91; girls, n = 50[54 %]) living in single-parent families who were either homeless and residing in emergency shelters or housed but living in poverty. Mothers reported domestic violence experiences and their child's history of physical/sexual abuse, community violence exposures, and mental health. Children reported on exposure to community violence, internalizing symptoms, and coping. The mental health impacts of multi-level violence exposures and ERC as a moderator of associations between violence exposures and child mental health was tested with structural equation modeling. Family abuse was uniquely associated with PTSD, and community violence with anxiety and aggression. Latent interaction tests revealed that ERC moderated relations between family abuse and anxiety, aggression and PTSD. Emotionally-regulated coping appears to play a protective role for children's mental health in contexts of violence exposure, offering opportunities for intervention and prevention.
Mathematical models in biology: from molecules to life

A vexing question in the biological sciences is the following: can biological phenotypes be explained with mathematical models of molecules that interact according to physical laws? At the crux of the matter lies the doubt that humans can develop physically faithful mathematical representations of living organisms. We discuss advantages that synthetic biological systems confer that may help us describe life’s distinctiveness with tractable mathematics that are grounded on universal laws of thermodynamics and molecular biology.  2011 John Wiley & Sons,
Analytic structure of the ac quasienergy in the complex-field plane.

Motivated by the possibility of developing new computational techniques for studying multiphoton ionization of atoms by monochromatic radiation, we have analyzed, in a nonrigorous fashion, the behavior of the ac quasienergy as a function of the complex field strength F. We elaborate upon earlier work of Manakov and Fainshtein [Theor. Math. Phys. 48, 815 (1981)] and conjecture that the ac quasienergy is a multivalued analytic function ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{ac}}$(F) whose branches originate from different unperturbed (real or ``shadow'') atomic levels for real values of F. We further conjecture that the branch points of ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{ac}}$(F) are of the square-root type. These branch points occur at complex values of F where two branches coalesce, and, as F sweeps along the real axis, the passage past a branch point coincides with the passage past either an intermediate multiphoton resonance (R) or a multiphoton ionization threshold (T). Branch points of type-R group into quadruplets, while branch points of type-T group into pairs. The two branches that intersect at a type-R branch point are both physically accessible, and originate from real levels, while only one of the two branches that intersect at a type-T branch point is physically accessible\char22{}the unphysical type-T branch is a ``shadow'' eigenvalue, which corresponds to a state with unphysical boundary conditions. We discuss the probability for the atom to make a transition from one branch to another when F is a slowly varying function of time. Normally, a type-R branch point enhances the ionization signal, while a type-T branch point diminishes the signal. In partial support of some of our conjectures, we present results of an accurate numerical study of the quasienergy (and its perturbation expansion) for the ground state of both the hydrogen atom and a model atom (an electron bound to a zero-range potential).
832 ABNORMAL CT BRAIN SCANS IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA (ALL)

The results of CT brain scans in 2 groups of children with ALL are reviewed. In Group I, 25 asymptomatic children 3-5 yrs from initial diagnosis were studied upon discontinuation of therapy. Mild ventricular dilation (5/25) and cerebral calcifications (1/25) were noted. Of the 6 patients with abnormal CT scans, radiotherapy + intrathecal methotrexate were used in 4/6 patients and intrathecal therapy alone in 2/6 patients. Subsequent neurological complications were uncommon (1/25). In Group II, 14 children who developed neurologic syndromes were studied while still receiving therapy. Leukoencephalopathic syndromes were diagnosed in 10/14 children; central nervous system (CNS) leukemia occurred in 6/10 children. CT scan abnormalities occurred in 9/10 patients. CT scans indicated ventricular dilation alone in 1 patient, and both ventricular and subarachnoid space dilation in 8 patients; in addition, 2 patients had areas of intracerebral calcification in areas of decreased attenuation coefficient. CNS infections were subsequently identified in 2/10 patients (toxoplasmosis and St. Louis encephalitis). Significant CT scan abnormalities are more likely to be seen in patients with antecedent clinical problems or in patients receiving more intensive CNS therapy.
A Patent Infarct-Related Artery Is Associated With Reduced Long-term Mortality After Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty for Postinfarction Ischemia and an Ejection Fraction <50%

Background Prognosis after myocardial infarction (MI) is influenced by the presence of post-MI ischemia and possibly the patency of the infarct-related artery. The purpose of this study was to compare long-term outcome (reinfarction and death) in patients with open versus closed coronary arteries after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty performed for MI complicated by persistent ischemia. Methods and Results Between 1981 and 1989, 505 patients underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for post-MI ischemia at the Deaconess Hospital. Long-term incidence (mean follow-up, 34 months) of death, nonfatal reinfarction, repeated coronary angioplasty, and coronary bypass surgery was determined for 479 patients and then compared on the basis of the status of the artery, open versus closed, at the end of angioplasty. The 5-year Kaplan-Meier actuarial mortality rate was 4.9% for 456 patients with open infarct-related arteries and 19.4% for 23 patients with closed infarct-related arteries (P=...
Scaling in the ideal Bose gas

We have made a detailed study of scaling in the ideal Bose gas in order to resolve the apparent inconsistencies that occur in the scaling laws when the dimensionality of the system is greater than four. We have found that there are not one, but two critical exponents associated with the specific heat singularity that appear in the scaling laws. We have proposed a modification of the scaling laws which is correct in any dimension.
Problem solving strategies: A selection mechanism, some implications, and some data.

Abstract Beach and Mitchell (in press) have proposed a contingency model for the selection of decision strategies. The strategy that the decision maker sees as offering the greatest expected net gain is the one selected (i.e., selection is based on a cost-benefit analysis). The present paper expands the range of applicability of this model, develops the selection mechanism in greater detail, examines the implications of variations in the costs and benefits, and presents the results of two studies that test some of these implications.
An ontology-based multimedia annotator for the Semantic Web of language engineering

The development of the Semantic Web, the next-generation Web, greatly relies on the availability of ontologies and powerful annotation tools. However, there is a lack of ontology-based annotation tools for linguistic multimedia data. Existing tools either lack ontology support or provide limited support for multimedia. To fill the gap, we present an ontology-based linguistic multimedia annotation tool, OntoELAN, which features: (1) the support for OWL ontologies; (2) the management of language profiles, which allow the user to choose a subset of ontological terms for annotation; (3) the management of ontological tiers, which can be annotated with language profile terms and, therefore, corresponding ontological terms; and (4) storing OntoELAN annotation documents in XML format based on multimedia and domain ontologies. To our best knowledge, OntoELAN is the first audio/video annotation tool in the linguistic domain that provides support for ontology-based annotation. It is expected that the availability of such a tool will greatly facilitate the creation of linguistic multimedia repositories as islands of the Semantic Web of language engineering.
RCM‐E simulation of the 13 March 2009 steady magnetospheric convection event

[1] We investigate the role of depleted flux tubes in both large-scale configurations and transient reconfigurations during the 13 March 2009 steady magnetospheric convection (SMC) event. A series of numerical simulations with different plasma boundary conditions were carried out using the Rice Convection Model with an equilibrated magnetic field model (RCM-E) in order to examine what kind of local-time-dependent entropy distribution could best reproduce the observed overall configurations during this SMC event. The results are summarized as follows: (1) the simulation with data-driven boundary conditions (called D run) produces a depleted plasma sheet over all the local times and yields the best overall agreement with multipoint observations of THEMIS and GOES spacecraft in the plasma sheet and the inner magnetosphere. (2) The simulation with empirical model boundary conditions (called E run) predicts an overstretched magnetic field and larger plasma pressure than observations. (3) The simulations with a persistent low-entropy flow channel around the midnight sector during the entire SMC interval result in plasma pressure distribution as large as the E run in the inner edge of the plasma sheet. Our simulation indicates that at least for this event, the pressure-balance inconsistency is avoided during a strong earthward convection interval only when the entire plasma sheet earthward of 20 RE is supplied with low-entropy plasma. Further simulations show that the earthward transport of plasma sheet bubbles in the background of D run, which mimics the overall configuration best, tends to cause smaller magnetic field dipolarization and produce smaller magnitudes of flows than bubble injections in the background of E run. The results are consistent with the fact that although there are transient flow bursts during SMCs, none of them are accompanied by significant large-scale reconfigurations in the near-Earth plasma sheet.
Aphid stylet transmission of poly-l-ornithine treated tobacco mosaic virus☆

Abstract Aphids can transmit to tobacco plants, via their mouthparts, poly- l -ornithine-treated TMV acquired through a membrane. Untreated TMV could not be transmitted by aphids. Some ways in which polyornithine might act in making transmission possible are discussed.
HYPERTONIC SALINE AND ITS EFFECT ON INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE, CEREBRAL PERFUSION PRESSURE, AND BRAIN TISSUE OXYGEN

OBJECTIVE: Hypertonic saline is emerging as a potentially effective single osmotic agent for control of acute elevations in intracranial pressure (ICP) caused by severe traumatic brain injury. This study examines its effect on ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and brain tissue oxygen tension (Pbto 2 ). METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients with severe traumatic brain injury who were treated with 23.4% NaCl for elevated ICP were evaluated. Bolt catheter probes were placed in the noninjured hemisphere, and hourly ICP, mean arterial pressure, CPP, and Pbto 2 values were recorded. Thirty milliliters of 23.4% NaCl was infused over 15 minutes for intracranial hypertension, defined as ICP greater than 20 mm Hg. Twenty-one male patients and 4 female patients aged 16 to 64 years were included. The mean presenting Glasgow Coma Scale score was 5.7. RESULTS: Mean pretreatment values included an ICP level of 25.9 mm Hg and a Pbto 2 value of 32 mm Hg. The posttreatment ICP level was decreased by a mean of 8.3 mm Hg (P < 0.0001), and there was an improvement in Pbto 2 of 3.1 mm Hg (P < 0.01). ICP of more than 31 mm Hg decreased by 14.2 mm Hg. Pretreatment CPP values of less than 70 mm Hg increased by a mean of 6 mm Hg (P < 0.0001). No complications occurred from this treatment, with the exception of electrolyte and chemistry abnormalities. At 6 months postinjury, the mortality rate was 28%, with 48% of patients achieving a favorable outcome by the dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Scale. CONCLUSION: Hypertonic saline as a single osmotic agent decreased ICP while improving CPP and Pbto 2 in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Patients with higher baseline ICP and lower CPP levels responded to hypertonic saline more significantly.
Evaluation of spectral unmixing techniques using MODIS in a structurally complex savanna environment for retrieval of green vegetation, nonphotosynthetic vegetation, and soil fractional cover

Abstract This study tests the performance of spectral mixture analysis (SMA) and multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) for estimation of green vegetation (GV), nonphotosynthetic vegetation (NPV), and soil fractions in the heterogeneous, structurally complex savannas of the western Kalahari using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) nadir-bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) adjusted reflectance (NBAR) product. Extensive fieldwork took place during the dry and wet seasons of 2009 to 2011 at 15 sites distributed along a 950 km long transect, stretching across western Botswana, each site was visited once during the wet season and once during the dry season. Data collection included a traditional line-intercept transect (LPIT) and a new spectral line point intercept transect method (SLPIT) were used to test the performance of a variety of unmixing procedures (MESMA vs. SMA) and endmember models. The results for this structurally complex landscape are consistent with results from similar studies undertaken in more homogeneous areas. GV cover was retrieved much more accurately than NPV or soil cover. MESMA also produced estimates of fractional cover with less error than simple SMA. However, the errors observed are greater than those observed for more homogeneous environments. Unlike the line-point intercept method, which requires user interpretation of vegetation greenness, the new method uses spectral data collected across the entire reflected solar spectrum to derive estimates of GV, NPV and soil fractional cover through spectral unmixing. Our results show that that the SLPIT fractions generally agree better with remotely-derived fractions than the LPIT-derived fractions. However, remote sensing of GV, NPV, and soil fractional cover, especially in heterogeneous landscapes and at the spatial resolution of MODIS, remains challenging. Nonetheless, the data do show that at this resolution various unmixing methods have the potential to inform our understanding of ecosystem dynamics in these environments.
Dysregulated Neuronal Activity Patterns Implicate Corticostriatal Circuit Dysfunction in Multiple Rodent Models of Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder that targets the corticostriatal system and results in progressive deterioration of cognitive, emotional, and motor skills. Although cortical and striatal neurons are widely studied in animal models of HD, there is little information on neuronal function during expression of the HD behavioral phenotype. To address this knowledge gap, we used chronically implanted micro-wire bundles to record extracellular spikes and local field potentials (LFPs) in truncated (R6/1 and R6/2) and full-length (knock-in, KI) mouse models as well as in transgenic HD rats (tgHD rats) behaving in an open-field arena. Spike activity was recorded in the striatum of all models and in prefrontal cortex (PFC) of R6/2 and KI mice, and in primary motor cortex (M1) of R6/2 mice. We also recorded LFP activity in R6/2 striatum. All HD models exhibited altered neuronal activity relative to wild-type (WT) controls. Although there was no consistent effect on firing rate across models and brain areas, burst firing was reduced in striatum, PFC, and M1 of R6/2 mice, and in striatum of KI mice. Consistent with a decline in bursting, the inter-spike-interval coefficient of variation was reduced in all regions of all models, except PFC of KI mice and striatum of tgHD rats. Among simultaneously recorded neuron pairs, correlated firing was reduced in all brain regions of all models, while coincident bursting, which measures the temporal overlap between bursting pairs, was reduced in striatum of all models as well as in M1 of R6/2s. Preliminary analysis of striatal LFPs revealed aberrant behavior-related oscillations in the delta to theta range and in gamma activity. Collectively, our results indicate that disrupted corticostriatal processing occurs across multiple HD models despite differences in the severity of the behavioral phenotype. Efforts aimed at normalizing corticostriatal activity may hold the key to developing new HD therapeutics.
Heterotaxy syndrome with functional single ventricle: does prenatal diagnosis improve survival?

Background Despite improved outcome for many single ventricle lesions, staged reconstruction for heterotaxy syndrome with a functional single ventricle continues to have a high mortality. Prenatal identification of heterotaxy syndrome may improve long-term survival. Methods Our database was reviewed from January 1996 to December 2004 for patients with heterotaxy syndrome. Assessment was made for prenatal diagnosis and echocardiographic characteristics of heterotaxy syndrome. We sought to assess the accuracy of fetal echocardiography in the diagnosis of heterotaxy syndrome and determine whether prenatal diagnosis and other risk factors have an impact on survival in patients with heterotaxy syndrome. Results Of 81 patients that met criteria, 43 (53%) had prenatal diagnosis. Prenatal diagnosis had high specificity and positive predictive value for all findings but had low sensitivity for anomalous pulmonary veins. Among the 70 patients born alive, survival was 60% with median follow-up of 51.4 months (range, 6.5 to 109.7 months). Prenatal diagnosis did not improve survival (p = 0.09). None of the 11 patients with complete heart block (CHB) survived past 3 months of age. Two patients underwent heart transplantation as their first intervention and have survived. CHB and anomalous pulmonary venous connection were associated with shorter duration of survival. Conclusions Prenatal diagnosis of heterotaxy syndrome does not improve survival in patients who undergo single ventricle reconstruction. The most potent risk factors for poor outcome (CHB, anomalous pulmonary veins) are likely not impacted by identification in utero. In light of the poor outcome, cardiac transplantation as an initial therapy may be a viable option for some patients.