cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in phonation threshold pressure with induced conditions of hydration

Summary The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the relationship between phonation threshold pressure and level of hydration in human subjects. Six adult subjects produced consonant-vowel-consonant strings as quietly as possible at low, medium, and high pitches in no-treatment, hydrated, and slightly dehydrated conditions. Average oral pressures for these trials were used to estimate minimal subglottal pressures required for phonation (phonation threshold pressure). Main effects for hydration and for pitch were significant, as was the interaction of hydration times pitch. Overall, the lowest pressures were seen for the hydrated (or “wet”) condition, and reduction in baseline pressures was greatest for high pitches in this condition. The highest pressures were found for the dry condition, and the greatest increase in pressure relative to the baseline was found at low pitches for this condition. Threshold pressures for intermediate (speaking) pitches were not affected by hydration condition. The findings are consistent with previously reported theoretical predictions regarding the relationship between oscillation threshold pressures and tissue viscosity. They are also consistent with previous empirical reports on the effect of direct hydration of vocal fold tissue in nonhuman subjects.
Solvent effect on the conformation of the Hoechst 33258 agent

Abstract The conformational preferences of the Hoechst 33258 agent were studied with ab initio, semiempirical molecular orbital, electrostatic calculations and by Monte Carlo free energy simulations with explicit solvent representation using the adaptive umbrella sampling method. The semiempirical approach to calculating the solvation free energies was found in qualitative agreement with the Monte Carlo result. The optimal conformation in the solvent was found to be close to the previously calculated optimal conformation for binding.
Finite size scaling for the 3-D abelian Higgs model

Abstract We present an analysis of the 3-dimensional abelian Higgs model using finite size scaling theory. When gauge and Higgs field are in different representations of the gauge group U(1), we find disordered and Higgs separated by a second-order line. The Wilson loop shows an area and perimeter behaviour respectively in these two phases. When the Higgs and gauge fields are in the same representation, there is a simple phase for all finite gauge and Higgs coupling.
Pro-Oxidants in Spontaneous Development of Oxidized Flavor in Milk

Summary The objective of this study was to clarify the roles of copper, ascorbic acid, and xanthine oxidase in the spontaneous development of oxidized flavor in milk. At a mole ratio as low as 3.5 moles of neocuproine to one of copper, the cuprous chelator neocuproine effectively prevented oxidized flavor. Consequently, of the metals in milk, copper must have been the only one affected, indicating that it is an essential metal catalyst in lipid oxidation. Destruction of ascorbic acid by the relatively specific catalyst ascorbic acid oxidase prevented spontaneous peroxidation; but when the original ascorbic acid level was restored, spontaneous oxidized flavor developed. With less specific light and hydrogen peroxide treatments to destroy ascorbic acid, some anomalies were noted. It was concluded that at the copper concentrations normally present in milk, ascorbic acid is an essential reactant in spontaneous, as in copper-induced, oxidized flavor. At copper levels above 1μg/g, ascorbic acid was not necessary for lipid peroxidation, presumably because at the higher copper-protein ratios, protein substituted for ascorbic acid in reducing cupric copper to cuprous. In milk, in washed milk, and even in a model system containing only copper and a reducing agent in buffered linoleate, ascorbic acid was a more effective promoter of lipid oxidation than any other reducing agent tested. It is postulated that the pro-oxidant activity of ascorbic acid depends on its ability to reduce copper from cupric to cuprous, and on a specific association between copper and ascorbic acid that in some unexplained manner increases its pro-oxidant properties. A number of experiments was directed toward establishing a role for xanthine oxidase in lipid oxidation reactions, but no consistent results were obtained to support the hypothesis that spontaneous development of oxidized flavor depends on the activity of xanthine oxidase in milk.
Solid-state 13C-NMR spectroscopy of adduction products of 2,5-hexanedione with ribonuclease, albumin, and rat neurofilament protein

Abstract The Paal-Knorr condensation reaction between the γ-diketone 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) and e-amine moieties of proteins of various molecular weight, including ribonuclease (RNase), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and rat neurofilament (NF), has been investigated by solid-state 13C-NMR spectroscopy. These proteins all reacted with 2,5-HD with the formation of 2,5-dimethylpyrrole (2,5-DMP) derivatives. The size and complexity of the protein affected the rate of formation of 2,5-DMP derivatives. Using the selective reducing reagent NaCNBH3, the Paal-Knorr reaction intermediates were trapped by conversion into amines, which were identified by solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The secondary autoxidation reaction following the formation of 2,5-DMP derivatives was also studied by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.
Comparison of Cigarette and Water-Pipe Smoking By Arab and Non–Arab-American Youth

Background Water-pipe smoking is a rapidly growing form of tobacco use worldwide. Building on an earlier report of experimentation with cigarette and water-pipe smoking in a U.S. community sample of Arab-American youth aged 14–18 years, this article examines water-pipe smoking in more detail (e.g., smoking history, belief in harmfulness compared to cigarettes, family members in home who smoke water pipes) and compares the water-pipe–smoking behaviors of Arab-American youth with non–Arab-American youth in the same community. Methods A convenience sample of 1872 Arab-American and non–Arab-American high school students from the Midwest completed a 24-item tobacco survey. Data were collected in 2004–2005 and analyzed in 2007–2008. Results Arab-American youth reported lower percentages of ever cigarette smoking (20% vs 39%); current cigarette smoking (7% vs 22%); and regular cigarette smoking (3% vs 15%) than non–Arab-American youth. In contrast, Arab-American youth reported significantly higher percentages of ever water-pipe smoking (38% vs 21%) and current water-pipe smoking (17% vs 11%) than non–Arab-American youth. Seventy-seven percent perceived water-pipe smoking to be as harmful as or more harmful than cigarette smoking. Logistic regression showed that youth were 11.0 times more likely to be currently smoking cigarettes if they currently smoked water pipes. Youth were also 11.0 times more likely to be current water-pipe smokers if they currently smoked cigarettes. If one or more family members smoked water pipes in the home, youth were 6.3 times more likely to be current water-pipe smokers. The effects of ethnicity were reduced as a result of the explanatory value of family smoking. Conclusions Further research is needed to determine the percentages, patterns, and health risks of water-pipe smoking and its relationship to cigarette smoking among all youth. Additionally, youth tobacco prevention/cessation programs need to focus attention on water-pipe smoking in order to further dispel the myth that water-pipe smoking is a safe alternative to cigarette smoking.
The Solar Flare Heavy Ion Environment for Single-Event Upsets: A Summary of Observations over the Last Solar Cycle, 1973-1983

A summary of observations of the flux of 25 to 400 MeV/nucleon heavy ions from solar flares is presented covering the period from late 1973 to early 1984. Distributions of flare occurrence frequency versus fluence, energy spectra, and composition are presented for the 30 events observed during this period, to quantify the variability of the heavy ion environment. A comparison of these data to a model environment suggests some refinements to the model. LET spectra based on the worst case flare observed are presented to illustrate the significance of the flare ion distribution and the importance of accurate shielding estimates.
Assessing subjective perception of audio quality by measuring the information flow on the brain-response channel

In this paper, we use mutual information (MI) as a measure to quantify the subjective perception of audio quality by directly measuring the brainwave responses of human subjects using a high resolution electro-encephalogram (EEG). Specifically, we propose an information theoretic model to interpret the entire “transmission chain” comprising stimulus generation, brain processing by the human subject, and EEG measurements as a nonlinear, time-varying communication channel with memory. In the conducted experiment, subjects were presented with audio whose quality varies between two quality levels. The recorded EEG measurements can be modeled as a multidimensional Gaussian mixture model (GMM). In order to make the computation of the MI feasible, we present a novel approximation technique for the differential entropy of the multidimensional GMM. We find the proposed information theoretic approach to be successful in quantifying audio quality perception, with the results being consistent across different subjects and distortion types.
The Effect of Need on the Allocation Behavior of Children

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to explore the application of the justice of need in school children. Children in Grades 1 to 8 were presented with four vignettes in which hypothetical pairs of children competed in a hurdle-jumping contest. In one version, no distinction was made between the attributes of the two children; in the other three, one member was described as younger, poorer, or both. The subjects divided 20 quarters to create awards for the competitors. The younger subjects of the second experiment made larger allocations to the low performer described as poorer (a task-irrelevant disadvantage) than the older subjects, p < .01; the same comparison in the first experiment approached significance, p < .04. The older children of the first experiment made larger allocations for younger (a task-relevant disadvantage) performers than the younger subjects. The application of need and equality was more prominent for the younger children, and the application of equity was more prominent for the...
Young Adult Women’s Reports of Their Male Romantic Partner’s Pornography Use as a Correlate of Their Self-Esteem, Relationship Quality, and Sexual Satisfaction

Pornography is both prevalent and normative in many cultures across the world, including United States’ culture; however, little is known about the psychological and relational effects that it can have on young adult women involved in heterosexual romantic relationships in which their male partners view pornography. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between men’s pornography use, both frequency and problematic use, on their heterosexual female partner’s psychological and relational well-being among 308 young adult college women. In addition, psychometric properties for the Perceived Partner’s Pornography Use Scale are provided. Participants were recruited at a large Southern public university in the United States and completed an online survey. Results revealed women’s reports of their male partner’s frequency of pornography use were negatively associated with their relationship quality. More perceptions of problematic use of pornography was negatively correlated with self-esteem, relationship quality, and sexual satisfaction. In addition, self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between perceptions of partner’s problematic pornography use and relationship quality. Finally, results revealed that relationship length moderated the relationship between perceptions of partner’s problematic pornography use and sexual satisfaction, with significant dissatisfaction being associated with longer relationship length.
Mechanisms of inactivation of respiratory viruses by IgA, including intraepithelial neutralization

Abstract IgA is thought to provide three levels of anti-viral protection in the respiratory and other mucous membranes. First, IgA antibodies can complex with free virions, preventing their adhesion to the epithelium. Second, since IgA is actively transported by the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) through epithelial cells into the mucosal secretions, IgA may be able to interrupt virus production within infected epithelial cells by binding to newly synthesized viral proteins. Finally, since mucosal immunoglobulins are produced by plasma cells in the lamina propria, IgA antibodies, via the pIgR, can potentially shuttle viral antigens released from epithelial cells back into the mucosal secretions.
Intratympanic membrane cholesteatoma: A rare bilateral presentation within a single-institution case series

Abstract Intratympanic membrane cholesteatoma is the accumulation of keratinaceous debris within the tympanic membrane. In the absence of trauma or previous surgery, this finding is extremely rare. We review our series of intratympanic membrane cholesteatomas. Of the 182 charts reviewed, seven were identified that had intratympanic cholesteatoma with no antecedent trauma or surgery. Mean age was 38.6 months. Six patients had left-sided lesions, and one patient had bilateral lesions. One patient had mild conductive hearing loss. Management was surgical in all cases, with follow-up to ensure complete removal and lack of recurrence.
A Comparison of Emissions and Fuel Economy from Hybrid-Electric and Conventional-Drive Transit Buses

Hybrid-electric transit buses offer potential benefits over conventional transit buses of comparable capacity, including reduced fuel consumption, reduced emissions, and the utilization of smaller ...
Fluphenazine treatment in the psychotic child: clinical-evoked potential correlations.

Abstract The efficacy of fluphenazine in the treatment of the adult schizophrenic patient is widely acknowledged. It displays a wide safety margin and was found to have an excellent antipsychotic effect, especially in a high dosage range, 19, 22, 46 without producing toxicity or marked extrapyramidal side effects. 7, 25 The drug's dual mode of action—there is a stimulatory component, more prevalent in low dosages, and an inhibitory component that is more pronounced in the higher dosage range—widens its therapeutic spectrum. 13 The introduction of depot forms (fluphenazine enanthate and decanoate) has facilitated the management of the patient to a great extent. 6, 16–18 Finally, the drug's effect on the central nervous system (CNS) has also been documented extensively by means of visual and computer-analyzed awake EEG studies, 1, 2, 10, 13, 51 all-night sleep EEG studies, 14 and evoked potential investigations. 30 However, in sharp contrast to the ample knowledge we have about the fluphenazine effects on the adult psychotic patient, the information about its action in the psychotic child is rather scarce. While it is often assumed that a drug's mode of action in the adult patient is quite similar to that in children, recent investigations involving amphetamine, for instance, proved otherwise: while in adults amphetamine induces a significant latency decrease in the evoked potential, which is associated with a stimulatory effect in behavior, in hyperkinetic children a significant latency increase can be observed which is accompanied by the well-known clinical “paradoxical” tranquilizing effect. 41 Thus, in order to fill this vacuum of information about the mode of action of fluphenazine on the clinical symptomatology and brain activity in the psychotic child, the present study was carried out with a special interest in the relationship between clinical changes and alterations in the visual evoked potential (VEP) during treatment.
On the Dynamics of the East African Jet. III: Arabian Sea Branch

Abstract Barotropic simulations of the East African jet are extended to include the Arabian Sea branch of the flow and to allow for flow over the mountains of Africa. Large-scale mass source-sink forcing, present to the east of the model orography, drives the low-level circulation. Many features of the southeast trades, cross-equatorial flow and southwest monsoon are simulated. Among them are the separation of the jet from the African highlands, a wind speed maximum over the Arabian Sea and a reinforcement of the southwest monsoon by the Arabian northerlies. Splitting of the jet over the Arabian Sea is not simulated. Starting from a state of rest, a well-developed southwest monsoon is achieved in a week of simulated time. Inclusion of a prescribed Southern Hemisphere midlatitude disturbance excites a significant response in the cross-equatorial flow, even though flow is permitted over the African mountains. Downstream, the surges excite a response over both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The bay r...
Ultrasonic vocalizations in male deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdi): Their role in male sexual behavior

Abstract The occurrence of 35-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations was examined during sexual behavior tests in deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus bairdi ). Males which copulated always preceded the onset of copulation with ultrasonic calls. In males failing to exhibit copulatory behavior, ultrasonic emissions were seldom detected. Among copulating males, vocalization rate was highest before copulation and after ejaculation, and declined during copulation. Also, precopulatory vocalization rate was inversely related to the length of time from production of first ultrasound to first intromission. It is suggested that 35-kHz vocalizations of male deer mice may be an important component of their sexual behavior repertoire which serves to facilitate mating.
Energy Transfer and Exciplex Formation and Their Impact on Exciton and Charge Carrier Dynamics in Organic Films

We report F€ resonant energy transfer (FRET) with a F€ radius R0 of 4.8 nm and exciplex formation in composites containing two functionalized anthradithiophene (ADT) derivatives, ADT-TES-F (donor, D) and ADT-TIPS-CN (acceptor, A) depending on the D-A distance. In composites containing bulk D/A heterojunctions, exciplex photoluminescence (PL) emission peaked at ∼668 nm dominated the PL spectra. The exciplex contributed to charge carrier photogeneration on nanosecond time scales in composites, in contrast to sub-500 ps carrier photogeneration observed in ADT-TES-F pristine films. Finally, significantly slower charge carrier recombination was obtained in composites, as comparedtothatofpristineADT-TES-F films,duetoelectrontrappingattheADT- TIPS-CN enabling the hole to propagate in the ADT-TES-F host. SECTION: Electron Transport, Optical and Electronic Devices, Hard Matter
Evidence for a Second, High Affinity Gβγ Binding Site on Gαi1(GDP) Subunits

It is well known that Gαi1(GDP) binds strongly to Gβγ subunits to form the Gαi1(GDP)-Gβγ heterotrimer, and that activation to Gαi1(GTP) results in conformational changes that reduces its affinity for Gβγ subunits. Previous studies of G protein subunit interactions have used stoichiometric amounts of the proteins. Here, we have found that Gαi1(GDP) can bind a second Gβγ subunit with an affinity only 10-fold weaker than the primary site and close to the affinity between activated Gαi1 and Gβγ subunits. Also, we find that phospholipase Cβ2, an effector of Gβγ, does not compete with the second binding site implying that effectors can be bound to the Gαi1(GDP)-(Gβγ)2 complex. Biophysical measurements and molecular docking studies suggest that this second site is distant from the primary one. A synthetic peptide having a sequence identical to the putative second binding site on Gαi1 competes with binding of the second Gβγ subunit. Injection of this peptide into cultured cells expressing eYFP-Gαi1(GDP) and eCFP-Gβγ reduces the overall association of the subunits suggesting this site is operative in cells. We propose that this second binding site serves to promote and stabilize G protein subunit interactions in the presence of competing cellular proteins.
Hybrid simulations of quasineutral phenomena in magnetized plasma

A new class of numerical algorithms for computer simulation of low frequency electromagnetic and electrostatic phenomena in magnetized plasma is presented. Maxwell's equations are solved in the limits of quasineutrality and negligible transverse displacement current (Darwin's model). Electrons are modeled as a fluid with polarization effects ignored. Ions are described as particles. A novel feature of these algorithms is the use of the electron fluid equation of motion to determine the electric field, which renders these numerical schemes remarkably simple and direct. The simulation plasma is either periodic or bounded by particle reflecting conducting walls. Both fully nonlinear codes with spatial grids and linearized gridless codes have been implemented.
A study on the radiation tolerance of the optic nerves and chiasm after stereotactic radiosurgery

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the risk of clinically significant radiation optic neuropathy (RON) for patients having stereotactic radiosurgery of benign tumors adjacent to the optic apparatus. Methods and materials We reviewed the dose plans and clinical outcomes of 218 gamma knife procedures (215 patients) for tumors of the sellar and parasellar region (meningiomas, n = 122; pituitary adenomas, n = 89; craniopharyngiomas, n = 7 patients). Previous surgery or radiation therapy was performed in 156 (66%) and 24 (11%) patients, respectively. Median follow-up was 40 months (range 4–115). Results The median maximum radiation dose to the optic nerve was 10 Gy (range 0.4–16.0). Four patients (1.9%) developed RON at a median of 48 months after radiosurgery. All had prior surgery, and 3 of 4 had external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in their management either before ( n = 2) or adjuvantly ( n = 1). The risk of developing a clinically significant RON was 1.1% for patients receiving 12 Gy or less. Patients receiving prior or concurrent EBRT had a greater risk of developing RON after radiosurgery ( p = 0.004). Conclusion RON occurred in less than 2% of our patients, despite the majority (73%) receiving more than 8 Gy to a short segment of the optic apparatus. Knowledge of the dose tolerance of these structures permits physicians to be more aggressive in treating patients with sellar or parasellar tumors, especially those with hormone-producing pituitary adenomas that appear to require higher doses to achieve biochemical remission.
Complex Daphnia interactions with parasites and competitors.

Abstract Species interactions can strongly influence the size and dynamics of epidemics in populations of focal hosts. The “dilution effect” provides a particularly interesting type of interaction from a biological standpoint. Diluters – other host species which resist infection but remove environmentally-distributed propagules of parasites (spores) – should reduce disease prevalence in focal hosts. However, diluters and focal hosts may compete for shared resources. This combination of positive (dilution) and negative (competition) effects could greatly complicate, even undermine, the benefits of dilution and diluter species from the perspective of the focal host. Motivated by an example from the plankton (i.e., zooplankton hosts, a fungal parasite, and algal resources), we study a model of dilution and competition. Our model reveals a suite of five results: • A diluter that is a superior competitor wipes out the host, regardless of parasitism. Although expected, this outcome is an ever-present danger in strategies that might use diluters to control disease. • If the diluter is an inferior competitor, it can reduce disease prevalence, despite the competition, as parameterized in our model. However, competition may also reduce density of susceptible hosts to levels below that seen in focal host–parasite systems alone. • As they decrease disease prevalence, diluters destabilize dynamics of the focal host and their resources. Thus, diluters undermine the stabilizing effects of disease. • The four species combination can generate very complex dynamics, including period-doubling bifurcations and torus (Neimark–Sacker) bifurcations. • At lower resource carrying capacity, the diluter’s dilution of spores is ‘helpful’ to the focal host, i.e., dilution can elevate host density by reducing disease. But, as the resource carrying capacity increases further, the equilibrium density of the diluter increases while the density of the focal host decreases, despite competition. Namely, the negative effects of competition start to outweigh the positive effects of dilution from the perspective of equilibrium density of the focal host.
Diagnostic difficulties and treatment implications.

Summary: Differentiation between types of epileptic seizures has been aided in recent years by the introduction of intensive neurodiagnostic techniques and the development of increasingly detailed classification systems. Paradoxically, these developments have not simplified the task of matching the appropriate antiepileptic drug to a particular seizure type. It is reasonable to assume that anticonvulsant drugs will have different effects on different types of seizures, but faulty, circular reasoning can enter the picture if one also assumes that responses of seizures to different drugs signify different seizure types. There are several examples of differential diagnoses that can fall prey to this problem, including the diagnosis between partial seizures with secondary generalization and generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and the diagnosis between complex partial seizures and absence seizures with automatisms, among others. Considerations of etiology in future classification systems can further complicate the problem: should one then choose an anticonvulsant drug on the basis of individual seizure type or on the basis of the type of epilepsy? Ramifications of this issue extend even to the drug approval process. Official sanction is not given for use of a drug for a seizure type not included in the original efficacy studies, even if later scientific evidence shows that seizure type to be related to a type that is included. New trials must be undertaken. These problems arise from how we choose to classify seizures.
ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE ACTIVATES A NONINACTIVATING K+ CURRENT IN ADRENAL CORTICAL CELLS THROUGH NONHYDROLYTIC BINDING

Bovine adrenal zona fasciculata (AZF) cells express a noninactivating K+ current (IAC) that is inhibited by adrenocorticotropic hormone and angiotensin II at subnanomolar concentrations. Since IAC appears to set the membrane potential of AZF cells, these channels may function critically in coupling peptide receptors to membrane depolarization, Ca2+ entry, and cortisol secretion. IAC channel activity may be tightly linked to the metabolic state of the cell. In whole cell patch clamp recordings, MgATP applied intracellularly through the patch electrode at concentrations above 1 mM dramatically enhanced the expression of IAC K+ current. The maximum IAC current density varied from a low of 8.45 +/- 2.74 pA/pF (n = 17) to a high of 109.2 +/- 26. 3 pA/pF (n = 6) at pipette MgATP concentrations of 0.1 and 10 mM, respectively. In the presence of 5 mM MgATP, IAC K+ channels were tonically active over a wide range of membrane potentials, and voltage-dependent open probability increased by only approximately 30% between -40 and +40 mV. ATP (5 mM) in the absence of Mg2+ and the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog AMP-PNP (5 mM) were also effective at enhancing the expression of IAC, from a control value of 3.7 +/- 0.1 pA/pF (n = 3) to maximum values of 48.5 +/- 9.8 pA/pF (n = 11) and 67.3 +/- 23.2 pA/pF (n = 6), respectively. At the single channel level, the unitary IAC current amplitude did not vary with the ATP concentration or substitution with AMP-PNP. In addition to ATP and AMP-PNP, a number of other nucleotides including GTP, UTP, GDP, and UDP all increased the outwardly rectifying IAC current with an apparent order of effectiveness: MgATP > ATP = AMP-PNP > GTP = UTP > ADP >> GDP > AMP and ATP-gamma-S. Although ATP, GTP, and UTP all enhanced IAC amplitude with similar effectiveness, inhibition of IAC by ACTH (200 pM) occurred only in the presence of ATP. As little as 50 microM MgATP restored complete inhibition of IAC, which had been activated by 5 mM UTP. Although the opening of IAC channels may require only ATP binding, its inhibition by ACTH appears to involve a mechanism other than hydrolysis of this nucleotide. These findings describe a novel form of K+ channel modulation by which IAC channels are activated through the nonhydrolytic binding of ATP. Because they are activated rather than inhibited by ATP binding, IAC K+ channels may represent a distinctive new variety of K+ channel. The combined features of IAC channels that allow it to sense and respond to changing ATP levels and to set the resting potential of AZF cells, suggest a mechanism where membrane potential, Ca2+ entry, and cortisol secretion could be tightly coupled to the metabolic state of the cell through the activity of IAC K+ channels.
Tuberculosis research: Going forward with a powerful ''Translational Systems Biology'' approach

Due to the complexity of the immune response to a Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, identifying new, effective therapies and vaccines to combat it has been a problematic issue. Although many advances have been made in understanding particular mechanisms involved, they have, to date, proved insufficient to provide real breakthroughs in this area of tuberculosis research. The term "Translational Systems Biology" has been formally proposed to describe the use of experimental findings combined with mathematical modeling and/or engineering principles to understand complex biological processes in an integrative fashion for the purpose of enhancing clinical practice. This opinion piece discusses the importance of using a Translational Systems Biology approach for tuberculosis research as a means by which to go forward with the potential for significant breakthroughs to occur.
Analysis of Stratified Flow and Separation over Complex Bathymetry in a Field-Scale Estuarine Model

Tidal flows in estuaries produce surface-coherent structures, such as eddies, when the flow interacts with complex topography. These coherent structures, in turn, can be used to infer the properties of the flow, such as speed and direction, turbulent intensity, stratification, suspended sediment concentration, and bathymetry. While simulation of coherent structures is straightforward in smaller domains with idealized geometries, it is extremely difficult to accurately simulate them in real field-scale domains. Accurate simulation of small-scale features requires that the model first accurately simulate the large-scale, tidally-induced flow, which depends to great extent on accurate simulation of salinity and the complex flow features over mudflats that can become exposed during low tides. In this paper, we will analyze the stratified tidal flow over a sill in the Snohomish River estuary and the associated eddies that are produced. We will first discuss model details that are required to simulate the tidal-scale hydrodynamics in the domain that is O(10 km) in extent, followed by the flow physics of the eddies with length scales of O(1 m).
Fermions in the U(1)Y hypercharge theory

Abstract The U (1) Y hypercharge sector of the standard electroweak theory is studied on the lattice. It is shown that, for fermions with both nonsinglet ψ L and ψ R , the doubler modes can be removed in the continuum limit while the masses of the physical fermions can be tuned appropriately. Data from simulations will be discussed and compared with recent analytic calculations.
Power, Privilege, and Feminist Theory/Practice

I begin with a series of “starting points” (rendered simplistically, without the nuance, supporting argumentation for, and qualifications of them that warrant elaboration). These offer a context for the next section: assessing the contributions and activism of feminist scholars. I then consider prevailing—in contrast to feminist—analyses of power and schematically detail the contributions of feminist theory/practice. This illuminates what I consider our most productive, politically consequential, and transformative insight: theorizing “feminization as denigration.” A concluding section explores why feminists face so much resistance and what is at stake in persevering.
Effects of terbium chelate structure on dipicolinate ligation and the detection of Bacillus spores

Abstract Terbium-sensitized luminescence and its applicability towards the detection of Bacillus spores such as anthrax are of significant interest to research in biodefense and medical diagnostics. Accordingly, we have measured the effects of terbium chelation upon the parameters associated with dipicolinate ligation and spore detection. Namely, the dissociation constants, intrinsic brightness, luminescent lifetimes, and biological stabilities for several Tb(chelate)(dipicolinate) x complexes were determined using linear, cyclic, and aromatic chelators of differing structure and coordination number. This included the chelator array of NTA, BisTris, EGTA, EDTA, BAPTA, DO2A, DTPA, DO3A, and DOTA (respectively, 2,2′,2″-nitrilotriacetic acid; 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2′,2″-nitrilotriethanol; ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid; ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid; 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid; 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,7-diacetic acid; diethylenetriamine-N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentaacetic acid; 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid; and 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid). Our study has revealed that the thermodynamic and temporal emission stabilities of the Tb(chelate)(dipicolinate) x complexes are directly related to chelate rigidity and a ligand stoichiometry of x = 1, and that chelators possessing either aromaticity or low coordination numbers are destabilizing to the complexes when in extracts of an extremotolerant Bacillus spore. Together, our results demonstrate that both Tb(EDTA) and Tb(DO2A) are chemically and biochemically stable and thus applicable as respectively low and high-cost luminescent reporters for spore detection, and thereby of significance to institutions with developing biodefense programs.
Shifted simplicial complexes are Laplacian integral

We show that the combinatorial Laplace operators associated to the boundary maps in a shifted simplicial complex have all integer spectra. We give a simple combinatorial interpretation for the spectra in terms of vertex degree sequences, generalizing a theorem of Merris for graphs. We also conjecture a majorization inequality for the spectra of these Laplace operators in an arbitrary simplicial complex, with equality achieved if and only if the complex is shifted. This generalizes a conjecture of Grone and Merris for graphs.
A Cafeteria-based Tasting Program Improved Elementary School Children's Fruit Preferences and Self-efficacy to Consume Fruits and Vegetables

This quasi-experimental study examined the influence of a cafeteria-based tasting program on children’s fruit and vegetable (FV) preferences and self-efficacy, social norms and outcome expectations to consume FV. Third and fifth graders in the intervention schools were offered tastes of eightFV for eight weeks followed by two weeks of tasting four months post-intervention (follow-up). Preferences for 38 FV and self-efficacy, social norms and outcome expectations to consume FV were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and after follow-up tastings. Sixty-eight percent of the intervention-group children tasted fruits at least eight times and vegetables at least 20 times during the 8-week tasting program and were included in the analysis (52% third graders, 48% boys). Children who participated in tasting reported increased preferences for less commonly served fruits from baseline to post-intervention and frombaseline to follow-up and greater self-efficacy to consume FV from baseline to follow-up when compared to control-group children.
A Contextual Analysis of Battered Women’s Safety Planning:

This study explored a frequently overlooked area of research—battered women’s safety planning strategies. Interviews were conducted with 160 women who experienced violence from an intimate partner and had at least one child aged 5 to 12. Women employed numerous and diverse strategies in attempting to keep themselves and their children safe. Their choices depended on several contextual factors, including severity of violence and relationship with assailant. Although contacting domestic violence programs and staying at domestic violence shelters were most likely to improve women’s situations, no strategies were universally effective. Clusters of safety planning strategies were identified to further understand women’s actions. Women who experienced the most violence and had assailants who engaged in the most behaviors indicative of potential lethality were most actively engaged in safety planning but remained in serious danger. These findings highlight the importance of community response and support in protecting survivors and holding assailants accountable.
Transmission error analysis and avoidance for IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensors on rotating structures

Wireless sensors are increasingly adopted in manufacturing and vehicular systems for monitoring critical components under continuous operation. Many such components move rapidly and frequently in metallic containments with challenging radio propagation characteristics. For wireless sensors mounted on rotating structures, previous experimental studies observed an eminent increase in packet transmission errors at higher rotation speeds. Such errors were found to occur at specific locations around the rotating spindle's periphery and such locations depended sensitively on sensor location and surrounding geometry. This paper analyses the expected packet error rates with different rotation speeds and error region distributions, and proposes a transmission error avoidance approach based on online error pattern inference and transmission time control for IEEE 802.15.4 compatible sensor radios. Simulation studies showed a 50% error reduction and up to 75% throughput increase; higher throughput gains are expected for applications with more frequent and larger size data transmissions.
Personality type and curriculum preference in primary care.

Summary The study was conducted to examine the impact which personality types may have on the selection process of two preclinical medical school curricula. The two curricula run concurrently at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. One curriculum has a conventional-lecture format, and the other a new student-centered curriculum, which is designed to graduate students planning careers in rural primary-care. Results indicated that those students preferring the innovative curriculum were personality types unlikely to enter rural primary-care, whereas students preferring the conventional curriculum had personality profiles more consistent with those making rural primary-care career choices. Discussion deals with the implications of personality type and curriculum choice in terms of the curriculum goals and educational method.
Treatment With Ganciclovir of Adenovirus Pneumonia in a Cardiac Transplant Patient

/ 2213 5138 Mp 439 Wednesday Oct 22 11:39 AM EL–AJM (v. 103, no. 4) 5202 REFERENCES 1. Demarmels Biasiutti F, Lammle B. Thrombophilieabklarung: Indikation und Durchfuhrung. Therapeutische Umschau. 1992;49:850–858. 2. Dahlback B, Carlsson M, Svensson PJ. Familial thrombophilia due to a previously unrecognized mechanism characterized by poor anticoagulant response to activated protein C: prediction of a cofactor to activated protein C. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1993;90:1004–1008. 3. Bertina RM, Koeleman BPC, Koster T, et al. Mutation in blood coagulation factor V associated with resistance to activated protein C. Nature. 1994;369:64–67. 4. Kreiter H, Fink U. Ein Fall von Leberschadigung nach Coumarin-Medikation. Med Klin. 1967;62:12–15. 5. Den Boer W, Loeliger EA. Phenprocoumon-induced jaundice. Lancet. 1976;i:912. 6. Slagboom G, Loeliger EA. Coumarin-associated hepatitis. Report of two cases. Arch Intern Med. 1980;140:1028–1029. 7. de Man RA, Wilson JHP, Schalm SW, et al. Phenprocoumon-induced hepatitis mimicking non-A, non-B hepatitis. J Hepatology. 1990;11:318–321. 8. Hohler T, Schnutgen M, Helmreich-Becker I, et al. Drug-induced hepatitis: a rare complication of oral anticoagulants. J Hepatology. 1994;21:447–449. 9. Ehrenforth S, Scharrer I, Herrmann G. Phenprocoumon-induzierte nekrotisierende Hepatitis. Dtsch Med Wschr. 1995;120:1529–1530. 10. Wolley S, Burger HR, Zellweger U. Phenprocoumon-induzierte cholestatische Hepatitis. Dtsch Med Wschr. 1995;120:1507–1510. 11. Gondocs C, Szalay L, Balo-Banga JM, Feher J. Syncumar induced toxic liver damage. Orv Hetil. 1990;131:1477–1479. 12. Rehnqvist N. Intrahepatic jaundice due to warfarin therapy. Acta Med Scand. 1978;204:335–336. 13. Matsukawa R, Uemura S, Fukuchi S, et al. Thrombosed St. Jude medical prosthesis with drug induced hepatitis due to warfarin potassium—a case report. Nippon Kyobu Geka Gakkai Zasshi. 1994;42:413–415. 14. Esmon CT. The protein C anticoagulant pathway. Arterioscler Thromb. 1992;12:135–145.
Interactive information retrieval systems with minimalist representation

Almost any information you might want is becoming available on-line. The problem is how to find what you need. One strategy to improve access to existing information sources, is intelligent information agents - an approach based on extensive representation and inference. Another alternative is to simply concentrate on better information organization and indexing. Our systems use a form of conceptual indexing sensitive to users' task-specific information needs. We aim for minimalist representation, coding only select aspects of stored items. Rather than supporting reliable automated inference, the primary purpose of our representations is to provide sufficient discrimination and guidance to a user for a given domain and task. This paper argues, using case studies, that minimal representations can make strong contributions to the usefulness and usability of interactive information systems, while minimizing knowledge engineering effort. We demonstrate this approach in several broad spectrum applications including video retrieval and advisory systems.
Joint channel and symbol estimation by oblique projections

The problem of simultaneous blind channel and symbol estimation of a single-input multiple-output (SIMO) communication channel is considered. It is shown that the outer product of the channel vector and the channel input sequence can be obtained by a linear estimator that has the finite sample convergence property. Furthermore, this estimator can be obtained by the use of oblique projections. An order detection algorithm that avoids the use of subjective thresholding is also proposed. Applications to multiuser detection are also considered.
Dense disparity estimation with a divide-and-conquer disparity space image technique

A new divide-and-conquer technique for disparity estimation is proposed in this paper. This technique performs feature matching following the high confidence first principle, starting with the strongest feature point in the stereo pair of scanlines. Once the first matching pair is established, the ordering constraint in disparity estimation allows the original intra-scanline matching problem to be divided into two smaller subproblems. Each subproblem can then be solved recursively until there is no reliable feature point within the subintervals. This technique is very efficient for dense disparity map estimation for stereo images with rich features. For general scenes, this technique can be paired up with the disparity-space image (DSI) technique to compute dense disparity maps with integrated occlusion detection. In this approach, the divide-and-conquer part of the algorithm handles the matching of stronger features and the DSI-based technique handles the matching of pixels in between feature points and the detection of occlusions. An extension to the standard disparity-space technique is also presented to compliment the divide-and-conquer algorithm. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed divide-and-conquer DSI algorithm.
Patterns of SAT Scores, Choice of STEM Major, and Gender

Using Baccalaureate and Beyond 2001 data, we found that STEM major was associated with an SAT pattern less common among females than males, in which the student’s quantitative score exceeded the verbal score. Verbal ability was negatively associated with STEM major. Implications for career theory and test interpretation are discussed.
Laminotomy/medial facet approach in the excision of thoracic disc herniation.

Object. The author describes a technique of thoracic discectomy that has evolved from the posterolateral transfacet and the transpedicular approaches but that spares the pedicle and most of the facet joint. Methods. This approach was used to remove a total of 11 discs (T6‐12) in seven patients. The follow-up period ranged from 8 months to 3 years. In four patients with axial and/or girdle pain significant improvement was demonstrated. The paraparesis in one patient with myelopathy improved postoperatively; that in another patient improved but recurred 8 months postoperatively. In one patient who experienced preoperative leg weakness, the weakness was slightly increased postoperatively, but this sequela was only transient. There were no other complications, and there were no deaths. Conclusions. This technique appears safe and effective. It can be adapted to the conventional laminectomy known to spine surgeons and requires no specialized instruments. Further trials appear warranted.
Kappa-Opioid Antagonists as Pruritogenic Agents

Norbinaltorphimine (norBNI), the prototype kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, N-benzylnorBNI, and 5′-guanidinonaltrindole (GNTI) precipitate stereotyped scratching after subcutaneous injection behind the neck of Swiss-Webster mice. The intensity of the behavioral activation and its repetitive nature represent one of the most arresting sights in preclinical psychopharmacology. The rank order for both potency and efficacy was GNTI > norBNI > N-benzylnorBNI. Although nalfurafine, the clinically tested kappa-opioid receptor agonist, decreased the incidence of GNTI-induced compulsive scratching in a dose-related manner, it is likely that this antagonism is mediated by mechanisms additional to a possible direct interaction with kappa receptors.
Mechanisms of interleukin-22’s beneficial effects in acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a disorder characterized by parenchymal injury of the pancreas controlled by immune cell-mediated inflammation. AP remains a significant challenge in the clinic due to a lack of specific and effective treatment. Knowledge of the complex mechanisms that regulate the inflammatory response in AP is needed for the development of new approaches to treatment, since immune cell-derived inflammatory cytokines have been recognized to play critical roles in the pathogenesis of the disease. Recent studies have shown that interleukin (IL)-22, a cytokine secreted by leukocytes, when applied in the severe animal models of AP, protects against the inflammation-mediated acinar injury. In contrast, in a mild AP model, endogenous IL-22 has been found to be a predominantly anti-inflammatory mediator that inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration via the induction of Reg3 proteins in acinar cells, but does not protect against acinar injury in the early stage of AP. However, constitutively over-expressed IL-22 can prevent the initial acinar injury caused by excessive autophagy through the induction of the anti-autophagic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL. Thus IL-22 plays different roles in AP depending on the severity of the AP model. This review focuses on these recently reported findings for the purpose of better understanding IL-22's regulatory roles in AP which could help to develop a novel therapeutic strategy.