cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning to Estimate Centers of Mass of Arbitrary Objects

This paper introduces a reinforcement learning algorithm with robot manipulation to learn an arbitrary object’s center of mass whose physical material composition is unknown. Robot learning is through manipulation of the object in a sequence of actions. The effectiveness of the algorithm is demonstrated in simulation to locate the centers of mass of rocks with complex shapes, with even or uneven mass distributions, and confirmed by vertically stacking the rocks along their learned centers of mass both in simulation and in real experiments.
Rhetoric and Cape Town’s Campaign to Defeat Day Zero:

This article examines a targeted drought awareness campaign by the city of Cape Town in South Africa to prevent a looming water crisis dubbed Day Zero. Using rhetorical criticism and commonplaces, ...
COMÉRCIO TRANS-IMPERIAL E MONARQUISMO NO RIO DA PRATA REVOLUCIONÁRIO: MONTEVIDÉU E A PROVÍNCIA CISPLATINA (1808-1822)

Resumo: Devido a crise de legitimidade desencadeada pela invasao napoleonica da Espanha em 1808, diferentes projetos politicos surgiram nas colonias hispano-americanas. No Rio da Plata, enquanto Buenos Aires emergiu como um polo revolucionario, a cidade portuaria de Montevideu optou por projetos politicos monarquicos e monarquistas. Este artigo examina a relacao entre o comercio trans-imperial e monarquismo no Rio da Prata, e especialmente em Montevideu. Os projetos monarquicos no Rio da Prata estavam intimamente associados a manutencao de redes de comercio trans-imperiais e a manutencao da ordem politica e economica do periodo colonial. O monarquismo representava a continuidade dos principios legais do antigo regime, proporcionava seguranca e estabilidade ao comercio trans-imperial e, acima de tudo, impedia as mudancas economicas, politicas e sociais propostas pelos projetos revolucionarios. Alem disso, este trabalho contribui para os debates sobre os multiplos significados de soberania e autonomia politica durante a era das revolucoes na America iberica.
A Practical Guide to Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has significantly changed the paradigm of AF treatment over the past decade. Catheter ablation is now considered a standard-of-care treatment option for patients with symptomatic drug refractory AF. Multiple clinical trials have been published describing the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation in different AF patient populations as well as comparing catheter ablation to antiarrhythmic drug therapy. However, there is scant information available in published form that describes the actual process of performing AF ablation which includes trans-septal puncture, use of intra-cardiac echo and complex catheter manipulation. The purpose of this chapter is to review and describe the required sequential steps for AF ablation. The efficacy of newer technologies such as remote magnetic catheter manipulation will also be touched on as well as a discussion relating to the diagnosis and treatment of left atrial macro-reentrant flutter. The optimal periprocedural anticoagulation strategy for AF ablation is still under debate especially with the relatively recent approval of direct factor Xa and thrombin inhibitors for AF management. Recent experience with uninterrupted periprocedural warfarin and the newer oral anticoagulants will also be discussed.
An algorithmic framework for the optimization of computationally expensive bi-fidelity black-box problems

We introduce an algorithm for the optimization of problems whose objective functions are evaluated by computationally expensive black-box simulations and for which an analytic description of the ob...
Investigation of status in coal-burning fluorosis areas in Luoyang city of Henan in 2006

Objective To investigate the distribution status of coal-burning fluorosis (endemic fluorosis) areas in Luoyang and to provide scientifc evidence for making strategies in prevention and control. Methods In 2006, a household per village was chosen to carry the general survey so as of disease condition, living habits and housing structure among 941 coal-burning pollution fluorine sickness natural villages in Yanshi, Mengjin, Xin'an, Luanchuan counties and Geely area which were under the jurisdiction of Luoyang. In the general survey, the sampled village having a population of more than 500 person was considered as a major survey village, and water fluoride, 8 - 12 year-old child fluorine spot on tooth and the urinary fluoride were surveyed. Water fluoride and the child urinary fluoride determination used the fluoride ion selective electrode method, and the children's dental fluorosis used Dean method. Results The endemic fluorosis of Luoyang existed 742 in endemic fluomsis villages, compared with history, a decrease of 199 in number. Ninety-six point seven per cent( 142 543/147 419) of the households were consuming smoke-free coal. Households using intact kitchens accounted for 93.6%( 137 919/147 419). Of which 63.0%(86 889/137 919) of kitchens were mixed up with bedrooms. Total 125 060 people were using coal- fired furnace for heating, of which 87.8%(109 802/125 060) had smoke-free facilities, 12.2%(15 258/125 060) had none. Among 52 endemic villages with population of more than 500 people surveyed, a total of 183 water samples were collected, 2 had water fluoride exceeding 1.0 rag/L, the highest water fluoride being 1.04 rag/L, averaging 0.39 mg/L Sixteen villages had a prevalence rate of dental fluorosis for children less than 30.00%, accounting for 30.8% (16/52), 36 endemic villages the prevalence of dental fluorosis detection rate of more than 30.00%, accounting for 69.2%(36/52). Twenty-thrce villages had a dental fluorosis index greater than 0.6, severe dental fluorosis was not found. Real-time measurement of 1408 urine samples of children aged 8 - 12 showed that urine fluoride highest value 6.88 nag/L, the minimum value of 0.10 mg/L, geometric mean 1.10 mg/L. The prevalence rate of dental fluorosis for children was 36.06%. Conclusions In Luoyang city, numbers of coal-burning endemic fluorosis villages are less than before, children's dental fluorosis has significantly declined, however some people still use kitchens connecting with bedrooms and lack smoke-free facilities, they need to be educated to change lifestyle and improve furnace to reduce soot fluoride pollution. Key words: Coal; Fluoride poisoning; Air pollution, indoor
Synthesis of an Anthracene-Based Macrocyclic Diphosphine Ligand

The synthesis and coordination chemistry of cis-macrocyclic diphosphine (PhPA)2 (A = C14H10 or anthracene), which features rigid, sterically encumbering groups in its macrocyclic backbone, is repor...
How Tourist, Business, and Colonization Maps Shaped North American Views of Cuba, 1898-1913

This article will survey a selection of maps associated with North American investment, colonization, and tourism in Cuba during the first 15 years following the Spanish American War; during this p...
Exercise intolerance in kidney diseases: physiological contributors and therapeutic strategies.

Exertional fatigue, defined as the overwhelming and debilitating sense of sustained exhaustion that impacts the ability to perform activities of daily living, is highly prevalent in chronic kidney ...
Arthroplasty Rates Not Increasing in Young Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A National Database Review, 2005 Versus 2014.

Abstract Background For 20 years, authors have predicted an expansion in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) utilization. Over this same period, the introduction of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs has dramatically altered the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with hopes of preventing articular damage and obviating the need for prosthetic replacement. The goal of our investigation was to evaluate TKA and THA utilization in young patients with RA ( Methods Using relevant International Classification of Disease Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and Current Procedural Terminology codes, the Truven MarketScan Database (over 46 million enrollees) was queried to determine THA and TKA incidence rates for RA and OA patients aged Results For patients with OA, TKAs increased substantially from 0.07% in 2005 to 0.1% in 2014 (+42.9% change, P Conclusions Dramatic increases in THA and TKA rates for OA patients aged
Research advances in pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

In recent years, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) has increased because of the growing prevalence of obesity and overweight in the pediatric population. It has become the most common form of chronic liver diseases in children and the related research on NAFLD is expanded. The "two-hit" and "multiple hit" hypothesis have been widely accepted, and some research has shown that genetic, diet structure and environmental factors appear to play a crucial role in the development of pediatric NAFLD. Though it is expected by researchers, there is not an available satisfactory noninvasive marker for the diagnosis of this disease. Fortunately, some new non-invasive prediction scores for pediatric NAFLD have been developed. There is currently no established special therapy, and lifestyle intervention should be adequate for most cases of NAFLD in children. This article reviews the advances in the current knowledge and ideas concerning pediatric NAFLD, and discusses the diagnosis, perspective therapies and scoring methods for this disease.
Contraception Policies in U.S. Jails, Prisons, and Juvenile Detention Systems: A National Survey

Contraception is an important health care service for incarcerated women, yet its availability in U.S. prisons, jails, and juvenile detention systems is unknown. We surveyed 6 jails, 22 state priso...
Inferring Stratigraphic Position of Fossil Vertebrates from the Niobrara Chalk of Western Kansas

The stratigraphy of the Smoky Hill Chalk Member of the Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas is well understood as a result of the work of Hattin (1982) and Stewart (1988). Marker units identified by Hattin (1982) allow quick determination of the stratigraphic position of a specific outcrop. This study demonstrates that it is now possible to determine the stratigraphic positions of specimens from locality data, thus permitting one to infer stratigraphic position of specimens collected long ago. This technique is particularly useful in the upper half of the Smoky Hill Chalk Member, where biostratigraphy is not informative. The stratigraphic distribution of the type skulls of the pterosaur Pteranodon is examined as an example of the procedure, which in turn demonstrates that the procedure can have the power to reject hypotheses. Inferring stratigraphic positions of fossil vertebrates may be useful in further studies of the large collections of fossil vertebrates from the Smoky Hill Chalk Member. In addition, examination of the stratigraphic distribution of outcrops of the Smoky Hill Chalk Member in western Kansas suggests that most of the fossil vertebrates collected from the member came from a rather restricted stratigraphic interval between Marker Units 15 and 20.
Estimation of the long term uninsured in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

This study provides a summary of the capacity of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to produce national estimates of the continuously uninsured population over a four year time frame and the adopted estimation strategy. The paper reports on the employed methodology that permits more accurate estimates of the long term uninsured than heretofore derived. This is accomplished through the linkage of the survey to the National Health Interview Survey, allowing for a reconciliation of insurance coverage responses covering overlapping time periods. The production of national estimates of the long term uninsured for a four year interval is a new MEPS output, and this study identifies the characteristics of the uninsured. The utility of this information to improve behavioral models of health care expenditure patterns is also described.
Experimental determination of band offset energies between Zr silicate alloy dielectrics and crystalline Si substrates by XAS, XPS and AES and ab initio theory: a new approach to the compositional dependence of direct tunneling currents

XPS, AES and XAS studies of non-crystalline Zr silicate alloys have identified the band edge electronic structure, and the compositional dependence of valence and conduction band offset energies. These results are integrated into a two band tunneling model for a conduction band with localized Zr 4d* followed by extended Si 3s* states with composition-independent conduction band offset energies, respectively, of /spl sim/1.4 and 3.2 eV. The model predicts a minimum tunneling current for ZrO/sub 2/ content in the mid-alloy composition range.
Understanding the Meaning of the “Mood of the Country”

Assessing the “mood of the country” has become a staple in the diet of American public opinion polling (Hugick and DiAngelo 2006; Ladd 1992). Major polling organizations routinely ask questions about whether Americans are “satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time” or whether “things in this country are heading in the right direction or...off on the wrong track.” However, as Hugick and DiAngelo (2006) rightly remind us, “Interpreting the results of these direction questions...is a challenge for professional pollsters, let alone more casual consumers of national media polls.” What do changes in these mood indicators actually mean? Do the readings of the “mood” mean the same thing at one time as they do at another? If not, in what sense are they leading or misleading indicators of the “the mood of the country”? These are among the questions we address in this investigation.
Can Institutional Networks Mitigate Labor Market Disadvantages? Evidence from College Summer Job Searches*

Objective. This study examines whether the use of institutional (school-based) networks may help students from disadvantaged backgrounds secure summer employment opportunities that are on a par with those of their more advantaged classmates who may possess more resource-rich personal and familial networks. Methods. The study draws on unique data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen to examine the strategies that a national representative sample of nearly 4,000 white, black, Asian, and Hispanic students on 28 campuses used to obtain summer employment and the characteristics of these summer jobs. Multinomial logistic regression techniques are applied to examine the types of contacts students used and jobs they found, while OLS regression is employed to examine the wages and occupational prestige of summer positions. Results. The study reveals that students who obtained their summer jobs through institutional contacts had significantly higher earnings and held positions with higher occupational prestige than students using most other methods (controlling for race/ethnicity, prior work experience, and parental education). I also found that minority students are at least as likely as white students to draw on these institutional networks. In addition, there were no differences by SES, suggesting that this type of capital is both accessible and accessed by a wide range of students. Conclusions. This study provides evidence that summer jobs obtained through institutional networks are more likely to be in desirable sectors, on average pay better, and have higher occupational prestige scores than jobs obtained by most other methods.
Think Locally, Act Locally: Building a Robust Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

This report analyzes behavioral patterns of entrepreneurs who participate in 1 Million Cups® (1MC) Kansas City, a Kauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation program designed to engage, educate, and connect entrepreneurs. We published our first paper about 1MC in March 2013, which presented results of an initial survey among 1MC participants to identify their demographic characteristics, information about whether they were a founder or co-founder of a startup, and their attendance patterns at 1MC. This second paper is based primarily on another round of surveys we conducted in May 2013 and January 2014. This time, we deepen our analysis particularly on local networking activities, such as entrepreneurs’ connections to other local programs and information collection via Twitter activities.Key findings include:• Entrepreneurs follow local entrepreneurs. While the most popular Twitter accounts in the United States belong to celebrities, entrepreneurs are studious by primarily following entrepreneurship-focused accounts, such as those by other entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial programs, and individuals affiliated with local entrepreneurship support organizations.• Entrepreneurship is a local phenomenon. The most influential Twitter feeds among the entrepreneurs surveyed are primarily local.• Local network thickens over time. The network of 1MC participants gets considerably more connected over the eight months of our analysis.• Different programs reach different entrepreneurs. While the attendance of 1MC in Kansas City — more than 250 weekly — is by no means small, we observe heterogeneity within the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. We found a considerable overlap between 1MC and Startup Weekend attendees, as well as a strong connection between Kauffman FastTrac® and KCSourceLink® participants/users; however, there is little overlap between 1MC and FastTrac, and no evidence of a single “catch-all” program. One interpretation of these results is that different types of entrepreneurs use different types of programs to meet their needs.• Entrepreneurial demand is high for peer-based learning and networking. The fast growth experienced by the 1MC program, from Kansas City to the soon-to-be thirty-five other cities across the country, suggests that there is a demand from entrepreneurs for opportunities to learn from and connect with their local peers.Implications:• Think local. Policymakers, entrepreneurship supporters, and entrepreneurs themselves should keep in mind the locally structured nature of entrepreneurial networks. Thus, it will be most effective to communicate with entrepreneurs within a local sphere.• One size does not fit all. A single popular entrepreneurship program does not necessarily reach many types of entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurs seek out and build a diverse array of networks. When creating or promoting new entrepreneurship programs, policymakers and entrepreneurship-supporters should consider what types of entrepreneurs are already served by current existing programs and what types of entrepreneurs still are underserved.
Requirement for a 1-kilobase 5'-flanking sequence for barbiturate-inducible expression of the cytochrome P-450BM−3 gene in Bacillus megaterium

Abstract In a previous publication (Wen, L.-P., and Fulco, A. J. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 6676-6682), we described the cloning of the gene encoding cytochrome P-450BM-3, a catalytically self-sufficient fatty acid monooxygenase induced by barbiturates in Bacillus megaterium. We have now subcloned a 1.6-kilobase segment of DNA from this cloned gene that includes the barbiturate-responsive regulatory region as well as 88 bases encoding the NH2-terminal portion of cytochrome P-450BM-3. From this, we generated two series of 5' and 3' deletion derivatives and examined their effects on gene expression. When the 1.6-kilobase fragment or the 1.3-kilobase 5'----3' deletion derivative is inserted into Escherichia coli on a vector containing a promoterless chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene with the sequence encoding the NH2-terminal portion of P-450BM-3 placed immediately in front of the CAT gene, CAT activity is constitutive and unaffected by pentobarbital. On the other hand, the basal level of CAT is low in B. megaterium transformed by the same construct but is strongly inducible by pentobarbital. Furthermore, the multicopy plasmid containing this regulatory region causes a dramatic decrease in both the basal and pentobarbital-induced expression of chromosomally encoded P-450BM-3 in B. megaterium. This competition effect, unlike CAT expression, is independent of the orientation of the regulatory DNA segment in the plasmid. Removal of 0.3 kilobase or more from the 3' end of the 1.6-kilobase segment of DNA or 0.6 kilobase from the 5' end abolishes the competition effect and also eliminates basal and inducible CAT expression in B. megaterium. In transformed E. coli, constitutive CAT expression is maintained when as little as 0.3 kilobase of DNA from the 3' end of the 1.6-kilobase segment is inserted in the correct orientation in front of the CAT gene. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the synthesis of cytochrome P-450BM-3 in B. megaterium is under positive control and requires gene interaction with at least one trans-acting factor, presumably a protein, to activate transcription from the P-450BM-3 promoter. The binding of this putative protein is mediated by at least two regulatory regions (R1 and R2) that span about 1 kilobase of the 5'-flanking region of the gene.
Function of the maize mitochondrial chaperonin hsp60: specific association between hsp60 and newly synthesized F1-ATPase alpha subunits.

Abstract Mitochondria contain a protein, hsp60, that is induced by heat shock and has been shown to function as a chaperonin in the assembly of mitochondrial enzyme complexes composed of proteins encoded by nuclear genes and imported from the cytosol. To determine whether products of mitochondrial genes are also assembled through an interaction with hsp60, we looked for association between hsp60 and proteins synthesized by isolated mitochondria. We have determined by electrophoretic, centrifugal, and immunological assays that at least two of those proteins become physically associated with hsp60. In mitochondrial matrix extracts, this association could be disrupted by the addition of Mg-ATP. One of the proteins that formed a stable association with hsp60 was the alpha subunit of the multicomponent complex F1-ATPase. We have not identified the other protein. These results indicate that hsp60 can function in the folding and assembly of mitochondrial proteins encoded by both mitochondrial and nuclear genes.
Randomized test case generation for hybrid systems: metric selection

We are developing a randomized approach to test generation for hybrid systems, and control systems in general, using techniques from robotic path planning which have proved successful in solving high dimensional nonlinear problems. A critical component of the proposed algorithm is the choice of "metric" - how one decides the closeness of two states - which is nontrivial in the hybrid state space. In this paper we introduce four metrics for hybrid systems; and benchmark the algorithm using each of these metrics on a popular example problem from the literature and compare the impact of metric choice on computational efficiency.
Attainment of space-charge dominated beams in a synchrotron

For a given rf cavity voltage, there is a maximum attainable peak current in an ion storage ring. This occurs when the electric field from the beam space charge is balanced by the field from the rf cavity. In this limit, the linear charge density distribution is parabolic and incoherent synchrotron motion is suppressed. The beam energy spread cannot be determined from the bunch length which depends only on the beam current and rf voltage. This has been observed using the high energy electron-cooling system at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility.
An overview of amorphous chains in block and segmented copolymers: Their influence on bulk structure and material properties

The influence of amorphous chains on bulk structure and material properties is examined in block and segmented copolymer systems whose components are in a variety of morphological states including: rubber-rubber; rubber-glass; glass-glass; rubber-crystalline glass-crystalline; and, crystalline-crystalline. The effects of external variables, such as temperature, time, and internal variables, such as molecular weight and composition ratio on the magnitude of the role played by the amorphous chains in these systems are discussed.
Growth Factor Receptor-binding Protein 10 (Grb10) as a Partner of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase in Metabolic Insulin Action

The regulation of the metabolic insulin response by mouse growth factor receptor-binding protein 10 (Grb10) has been addressed in this report. We find mouse Grb10 to be a critical component of the insulin receptor (IR) signaling complex that provides a functional link between IR and p85 phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase and regulates PI 3-kinase activity. This regulatory mechanism parallels the established link between IR and p85 via insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins. A direct association was demonstrated between Grb10 and p85 but was not observed between Grb10 and IRS proteins. In addition, no effect of mouse Grb10 was observed on the association between IRS-1 and p85, on IRS-1-associated PI 3-kinase activity, or on insulin-mediated activation of IR or IRS proteins. A critical role of mouse Grb10 was observed in the regulation of PI 3-kinase activity and the resulting metabolic insulin response. Dominant-negative Grb10 domains, in particular the SH2 domain, eliminated the metabolic response to insulin in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. This was consistently observed for glycogen synthesis, glucose and amino acid transport, and lipogenesis. In parallel, the same metabolic responses were substantially elevated by increased levels of Grb10. A similar role of Grb10 was confirmed in mouse L6 cells. In addition to the SH2 domain, the Pro-rich amino-terminal region of Grb10 was implicated in the regulation of PI 3-kinase catalytic activity. These regulatory roles of Grb10 were extended to specific insulin mediators downstream of PI 3-kinase including PKB/Akt, glycogen synthase kinase, and glycogen synthase. In contrast, a regulatory role of Grb10 in parallel insulin response pathways including p70 S6 kinase, ubiquitin ligase Cbl, or mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 was not observed. The dissection of the interaction of mouse Grb10 with p85 and the resulting regulation of PI 3-kinase activity should help elucidate the complexity of the IR signaling mechanism.
Sublancin is not a lantibiotic but an S-linked glycopeptide

Sublancin is shown to be an S-linked glycopeptide containing a glucose attached to a Cys residue, establishing a new post-translational modification. The activity of the S-glycosyl transferase was reconstituted in vitro and the enzyme is shown to have relaxed substrate specificity allowing the preparation of analogs of sublancin. Glycosylation is essential for its antimicrobial activity.
Drug Abuse Education

(1972). Drug Abuse Education. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 5, Drug Abuse 1972, pp. 97-98.
Resistance steps in underdamped Josephson-junction arrays.

The response of N\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}N underdamped Josephson-junction arrays to dc-current bias and dc-voltage bias is studied numerically. The current-voltage (I-〈V〉) relation reveals a substantial hysteresis. If a dc-current bias is applied to inhomogeneous underdamped arrays (i.e., arrays with a random distribution of junction critical currents), the I-〈V〉 curve exhibits many (but no more than N) steplike increases of resistance, in agreement with experiments of Tighe, Johnson, and Tinkham. These steps are shown to arise from row-switching behavior of the arrays, in which one or several rows of junctions across the width of the array switch simultaneously from a supercurrent state to a resistively dissipative state. If the array is voltage biased rather than current biased, this row-switching behavior is observed even in homogeneous underdamped arrays, in qualitative agreement with the experiments of van der Zant et al. The resistive steps persist in an applied magnetic field and melt at sufficiently high temperature. We find no evidence for row switching in overdamped arrays, whether they are current biased or voltage biased. We speculate briefly about the physical origins of this behavior.
Health care providers and direct-to-consumer access and advertising of genetic testing in the United States

Marketing pressures, regulatory policies, clinical guidelines, and consumer demand all affect health care providers' knowledge and use of health-related genetic tests that are sold and/or advertised to consumers. In addition, clinical guidelines, regulatory policies, and educational efforts are needed to promote the informed use of genetic tests that are sold and advertised to consumers and health care providers. A shift in culture regarding the regulation of genetic tests that are sold directly to consumers is suggested: by recent actions taken by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including letters sent to direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing companies stating that their tests meet the definition of medical devices; by public meetings held by the FDA to discuss laboratory developed tests; and by the convening of the Molecular and Clinical Genetics Panel to gather input on scientific issues concerning DTC genetic tests that make medical claims. This review provides a brief overview of DTC advertising and the regulation of pharmaceuticals and genetic tests in the United States. It highlights recent changes in the regulatory culture regarding genetic tests that are sold to consumers, and discusses the impact on health care providers of selling and advertising genetic tests directly to consumers.
The effect of age on beta-adrenergic receptors and adenylate cyclase activity in rat erythrocytes.

Abstract Beta-adrenergic receptors and catecholamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity were studied in erythrocytes obtained from rats 6 weeks, 6 months, and 15 months of age. Intact erythrocytes from 6 week old rats contained significantly more beta receptors (411 ± 31 sites/cell) than 6 month (328 ± 21) or 15 month old rats (335 ± 16), as determined by binding of [ 125 I] iodohydroxybenzylpindolol. Erythrocytes from 6 week old rats also contained significantly greater isoproterenol-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity (95.0 ± 9.4pmoles/10 9 cells) than erythrocytes from 6 month (27.9 ± 3.3) or 15 month old rats (23.7 ± 3.6). The erythrocyte population of 6 week old rats was bigger (mean corpuscular volume = 62 ± 2 μ 3/cell ) than the older rat erythrocytes (47 ± 1 μ 3 and 48 ± 1 μ 3 ). When the data were expressed relative to a unit of cell volume, there was no difference in the density of beta receptors among all three populations but a progressive and significant fall in hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity. In the rat erythrocyte, the age-related loss of adenylate cyclase activity is not accompanied by changes in β-receptor density.
Multi-path routing in dynamic spectrum access networks: A mechanism design approach

In this paper, we address the problem of incentive based routing in Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) networks, where each secondary node incurs a cost for routing traffic from a flow and also has a certain capacity that the node can provide to the flow. We propose a path auction scheme in which each secondary node announces its cost and capacity to the routing mechanism, both of which are considered as private information known only to the node. We design a route selection mechanism and a pricing function that can induce nodes to reveal their cost and capacity honestly (making our auction truthful), while minimizing the expected payment that needs to be given to the nodes that relay traffic (making our auction optimal). By considering capacity constraint of the nodes, we explicitly support multiple path routing. For deploying our path auction based routing mechanism in DSA networks, we provide polynomial time algorithms.
Theory of ternary III–V semiconductor phase diagrams

Abstract Liquidus-solidus phase paradigms of III–V semiconductors are calculated using the Cluster Variation Method and related techniques developed recently. The liquid phase is treated assuming a lattice model. An equilibrium state is derived by minimizing the grand potential ( G ), keeping the chemical potential fixed. The resulting nonlinear equations are solved using the Natural Iteration Method which has a property that the value of G always decreases at each iteration cycle. The phase boundary is derived from an intersection of two G curves; the correct forms of G values to be used are derived from geometrical considerations. Ternary phase diagrams calculated for InGaAs and InSbAs agree well with previous calculations of Stringfellow and Greene and with experimental data. For ternary cases, a tie line connecting coexisting liquid and solid phases are proved to be orthogonal to the phase boundary curve in the chemical potential diagram.
Apoptosis and increased generation of reactive oxygen species in Down's syndrome neurons in vitro

Down's syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is the most common genetic cause of mental retardation. Development of the DS brain is associated with decreased neuronal number and abnormal neuronal differentiation, and adults with DS develop Alzheimer's disease. The cause of the neurodegenerative process in DS is unknown. Here we report that cortical neurons from fetal DS and age-matched normal brain differentiate normally in culture, but DS neurons subsequently degenerate and undergo apoptosis whereas normal neurons remain viable. Degeneration of DS neurons is prevented by treatment with free-radical scavengers or catalase. Furthermore, DS neurons exhibit a three- to fourfold increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species and elevated levels of lipid peroxidation that precede neuronal death. These results suggest that DS neurons have a defect in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species that causes neuronal apoptosis. This defect may contribute to mental retardation early in life and predispose to Alzheimer's disease in adults.
Synthesis of a Nucleoside Bioconjugate System as a Potential Anti-HIV Agent

Synthesis and anti-HIV data for a bioconjugate molecule incorporating a HIV protease inhibitor (A74704) and a HIV RT inhibitor (d4T) are presented.
Does human capital raise farm or nonfarm earning more? New insight from a rural Pakistan household panel

This study explores how human capital affects farm household earnings using two tools to refine measurement of human capital effects. First, it employs a two-sector model to allow the allocation of family labor between farm and nonfarm activities. Second, it accounts for village fixed effects to evaluate whether results from panel data differ meaningfully from a cross-sectional data analysis with local binary variables. The results show that education has a negligible effect on farm earnings; instead, experience appears to be the principal channel by which human capital affects agricultural performance in a traditional rural setting. Our results also suggest that prior models that fail to separate nonfarm activities spuriously exaggerated the effect of education to the farm sector. In addition, typical cross-sectional analyses that ignore fixed effects may cause the effects of education on rural household earnings to be significantly overstated. The fact that panel data regressions accounting for village-level fixed effects found only one instance of education raising earnings—the effect of literacy on nonfarm income—suggests that considerable heterogeneity may have been ignored in cross-sectional data analyses, especially ones that omitted village-level effects.
(Ac)Counting (for) their dead: Responsiveness to Iraqi civilian casualties in the US House of Representatives

While the subject of wartime civilian casualties has been recognized as an important issue in International Relations (IR), foreign policy and IR scholars have not systematically examined why and how US politicians respond to civilian deaths. This article explores the ethics of and reasons for responsiveness to Iraqi civilian deaths among politicians in the US House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008. The article argues that legislative deliberative responsiveness to civilian deaths is integral to a just debate about war. It finds evidence that partisanship, ideology and sex are associated with responsiveness to civilian deaths, and reveals stark differences in the purposes and tone of Democratic and Republican rhetoric about civilian casualties. The article provides researchers with a more thorough understanding of how and why civilian costs of war emerge within debates among US politicians, and has implications for studies on discourse ethics, congressional war politics and US foreign policy.
Morbidity, Mortality, and Antihypertensive Treatment Effects by Extent of Atherosclerosis in Older Adults With Isolated Systolic Hypertension

Background and Purpose The Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP) demonstrated a significant reduction in stroke and coronary event rates among participants randomly assigned to active blood pressure treatment. Selected participants were evaluated for peripheral atherosclerosis and followed up for cardiovascular events beyond the end of the SHEP trial. Antihypertensive treatment effects were evaluated based on the presence or absence of clinical or subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods As an ancillary study to SHEP, 190 participants at the Pittsburgh center were evaluated for peripheral atherosclerosis, defined as either an internal carotid stenosis (by duplex scan) or lower extremity arterial disease (identified by ankle blood pressure). Participants were subsequently followed up for cardiovascular events. Results Estimates of 4-year mortality rates were 4.8% for participants with no atherosclerosis, 16.7% for those with subclinical atherosclerosis, and 23% among those with clinical evidence of atherosclerosis ( P <.001). Fatal plus nonfatal cardiovascular event rates were 10.9%, 29.8%, and 58.3% for the three groups, respectively ( P <.001). Differences remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, treatment assignment, smoking, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Individuals assigned to placebo at the beginning of SHEP had higher cardiovascular event rates than individuals assigned to active treatment ( P =.011), with the most striking difference 3 or more years after the end of the SHEP trial. When this analysis was stratified by the presence or absence of detectable atherosclerosis, the absolute treatment effect was largest among those with evidence of disease. Conclusions Individuals with systolic hypertension and evidence of peripheral atherosclerosis are at high risk for cardiovascular events. Targeting this group for antihypertensive therapy would result in the prevention of a large number of cardiovascular events.
Mouse Hypothalamic Somatostatin Release: Roles of Calcium and Calmodulin

We employed a short term system of dispersed adult mouse hypothalamic cells, as previously described in the rat, to examine the roles of calcium and calmodulin in SRIF release. Incubation studies were performed 24 h after hypothalamic cell dispersion. SRIF release, as determined by RIA was stimulated in a dose-dependent manner by the membrane-depolarizing agents KCl, ouabain, and veratridine as well as by the calcium ionophore A23187. The stimulation of SRIF release induced by depolarizing agents was abolished or diminished by 1) omission of extracellular calcium, 2) chelation of extracellular calcium by EGTA, and 3) the calcium channel blocker verapamil, indicating calcium dependence of this process. Three chemically distinct groups of calmodulin inhibitors were employed to study the role of calmodulin in stimulus-secretion coupling of hypothalamic SRIF. The neuroleptic calmodulin inhibitors trifluperazine (1 μM), chlorpromazine (10 μM), and promethazine (10 μM) as well as the naphthalene sulfonamide cal...
Statistical Significance, Effect Size, and Replication: What Do the Journals Say?

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of journal representatives toward the reporting of results from statistical significance tests and the use of techniques such as effect size and replication. An electronic survey was completed by 194 journal representatives. The results suggest that the majority of journals do not have written policies concerning the reporting of results from statistical significance testing. However, the respondents indicated a willingness to accept manuscripts containing statistically nonsignificant results, supported effect-size reporting, and believed replications were acceptable for publication.
On the Electrical Conductivity of Polar Semiconductors at High Frequencies

Stolz' expression for the complex electrical conductivity of polar semiconductors as a function of the applied frequency is numerically evaluated. The conductivity is represented in the usual form of the frequency spectrum, as well as in the form of an Argand diagram. The latter representation shows that this dispersion function of the complex conductivity of polar semiconductors is almost identical to the dispersion function of the dielectric permittivity given by Cole and Cole. From the approximate symmetry of the dispersion function in logarithmic relaxation time space, it is concluded that the relaxation time can be determined with reasonable accuracy from the peak of the imaginary part of the complex conductivity, or from the inflection point of the real part.
Hydrogen and carbon target preparation for a positive ion accelerator

Abstract A detailed description is given of the techniques used to make hydrogen and carbon targets for the Hanford 2 MeV positive ion accelerator. The hydrogen targets were made by adsorbing deuterium or tritium onto either titanium or zirconium. These metals were mounted on their platinum and tantalum backing disks by evaporation or by sintering. Targets ranged in thickness from 200 to 15000 μg per square centimeter with atomic ratios of 1 to 1. Carbon targets were made by mounting carbon on platinum backing disks by evaporation, painting, or cracking. Targets ranged in thickness from 100 to 5000 μg per square centimeter.
Object Individuation and Physical Reasoning in Infancy: An Integrative Account

Much of the research on object individuation in infancy has used a task in which two different objects emerge in alternation from behind a large screen, which is then removed to reveal either one or two objects. In their seminal work, Xu and Carey (1996) found that it is typically not until the end of the first year that infants detect a violation when a single object is revealed. Since then, a large number of investigations have modified the standard task in various ways and found that young infants succeed with some but not with other modifications, yielding a complex and unwieldy picture. In this article, we argue that this confusing picture can be better understood by bringing to bear insights from a related subfield of infancy research, physical reasoning. By considering how infants reason about object information within and across physical events, we can make sense of apparently inconsistent findings from different object-individuation tasks. In turn, object-individuation findings deepen our underst...
Target Structure-Based Discovery of Small Molecules that Block Human p53 and CREB Binding Protein Association

Lysine acetylation of human tumor suppressor p53 in response to cellular stress signals is required for its function as a transcription factor that regulates cell cycle arrest, senescence, or apoptosis. Here, we report small molecules that block lysine 382-acetylated p53 association with the bromodomain of the coactivator CBP, an interaction essential for p53-induced transcription of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 in response to DNA damage. These chemicals were discovered in target structure-guided nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy screening of a focused chemical library constructed based on the structural knowledge of CBP bromodomain/p53-AcK382 binding. Structural characterization shows that these chemicals inhibit CBP/p53 association by binding to the acetyl-lysine binding site of the bromodomain. Cell-based functional assays demonstrate that the lead chemicals can modulate p53 stability and function in response to DNA damage.
Music Therapy as Grief Therapy for Adults With Mental Illness and Complicated Grief: A Pilot Study

This randomized, controlled, mixed-methods pilot study examined the effectiveness and experiences of grief-specific music therapy, in addition to standard care, with adults (N=10) who have complicated grief (CG) and mental illness, as compared to standard care alone. The study tested Worden's (2009) theories of grief therapy as well as a new grief-specific music therapy intervention, based on Shear, Frank, Houck, and Reynolds' (2005) imaginal dialogue intervention and Austin's (2008) method of vocal psychotherapy. Results demonstrated that participants in the experimental group had a greater decrease of grief symptoms, as measured by the ICG-R, as compared with the control group.
A Rational Approach to Drug Use in Pregnancy

Abnormalities occur in approximately three percent of all newborns. Of these, about five to 10 percent are caused by teratogens with an estimated one percent the result of drug use. The teratogenic effects of drugs are time related, species related, and dose related. Presented below is information about drugs known and suspected of producing teratogenic effects. Also, counseling of the gravida is discussed. Nurses need to communicate accurate information to the patient and then allow the patient to weigh the benefits of the drug against its potential risk.
Relationship of family environment and parental psychiatric diagnosis to impairment in ADHD.

ABSTRACT Objective Family environmental factors as well as parental attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) status have shown associations with variability in ADHD. The purpose of the present study was to examine the links among family environment, parental psychiatric diagnosis, and child impairment within a sample of ADHD-affected sibling pairs (ASPs) ages 5 to 18 years. Method Parents in 220 ASP families completed a measure of family functioning, the Family Environment Scale. Children's impairment was measured by clinical ratings of global functioning and by maternal ratings of behavior. Results Parents of children with ADHD rate their families as higher in conflict and lower in achievement and organization than normative samples. High family conflict is significantly associated with impairment in ADHD ASPs accounting for ∼40% of the sibling similarity in impairment. Parental psychiatric diagnosis revealed no significant direct link to sibling impairment, but rather a significant indirect link to impairment mediated by family conflict. Direct associations with parental diagnosis depend on birth order of the ASP members despite the comparable mean impairment scores for older and younger ADHD siblings. Conclusions There are strong links between impairment in children with ADHD and family environment. Different processes and mechanisms may contribute to impairment in different children in the same family. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 2006;45(3):346-354.