cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interview With Tim Gill

Presents an interview conducted with Tim Gill. Gill is the creator of the QuarkXPress desktop publishing software, and the founder of Quark, Inc. Gill was active in Quark right from its founding in 1981 until 2000, during which time QuarkXPress enjoyed significant market success and a devoted following.
Synchronization of Unified Chaotic System with Unknown Parameters

The adaptive synchronization of unified chaotic system is studied when the parameter of drive system is unknown and the parameter of response system is adjustable.Based on Lyapunov stability theory and combining driving method,two new adaptive control methods for the synchronization of unified chaotic system are presented by employing multiple controllers and only a single controller.The analytical expression of synchronization controller and adaptive law of parameter are given.Numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the developed methods.
"I Actually Don't Know What HIV Is": A Mixed Methods Analysis of College Students' HIV Literacy.

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major public health issue with young adults facing a disproportionately higher rate of the burden. Our goal was to address the current literacy related to HIV, including biomedical prevention methods and barriers to care, such as cultural factors, from a sample of college students. Methods: We conducted a convergent parallel mixed methods analysis where both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed separately. A thematic analysis was conducted to assess qualitative results, while descriptive statistics were conducted to assess quantitative survey results. Results: HIV literacy was limited, with several participants reporting that they did not understand what HIV meant. While the majority knew the use of condoms, knowledge of other biomedical prevention methods was limited, as was the understanding the risk factors of HIV, with participants noting sharing a toilet seat and promiscuity as risk factors. Self-efficacy for HIV prevention was low among participants with many reporting that cultural barriers prevented discussion of risky behaviors and prevention methods in their families and social groups. Conclusion: Targeted, culturally sensitive, health education initiatives are needed to understand the high, low, or no risks of HIV as well as address stigmas related to HIV.
Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory Services

Besides underwriting, extending various loans (mortgages, car loans, credit cards, etc.), foreign exchange deals and trading in derivatives, banks are greatly involved in merger and acquisition (M&A) advisory services. The closeness that banks have with their clients provides the opportunity for many to accompany their client in any business endeavors they engage in. M&As constitute an integral part of many organizations’ long-range growth strategy. Companies merge or acquire others in order to create or add value to their businesses. The benefits resulting from M&As are referred to as “synergies or efficiencies”, that is, the combined value of the businesses involved is greater than the sum of each business’ value when operating individually. Revenue enhancement, cost reduction, lowering taxes, and lowering cost of capital are among the most sought-after benefits.
Auditory brainstem development and plasticity

During development and adulthood, the normal activity of the auditory nerve plays a critical role in the maintenance of both fundamental structural, molecular, and functional parameters of auditory nerve synapses, and the postsynaptic excitatory or inhibitory neurons within the cochlear nucleus (CN). In addition, normal activity within the synaptic circuits of the CN is key to developing and maintaining appropriate synapse connectivity as well as the initiation of binaural sound processing in the superior olivary complex (SOC). Development plays a critical role in the proper neuronal connectivity and establishes a topographic map along the entire auditory pathway. Furthermore, evidence shows that neurons and synaptic circuits in the auditory brainstem are not hard-wired, but instead are plastic in response to hearing deficits. Whether this plasticity in response to hearing loss is compensatory or pathological is still unknown.
Coexistence of radiation-induced glioma and acute pontine infarct 40 years after radiotherapy for glioma: A case report.

Abstract We report an unusual case of radiation-induced glioma with a very long latent period. The patient had a history of brain stem glioma diagnosed 40 years earlier treated by radiotherapy. For treatment of radiation-induced glioma, radiotherapy was utilized again. Following therapy, the patient presented with an acute pontine infarct. To the best of our knowledge this may be the first report of radiation-induced glioma and radiation-induced stroke occurring within the same patient.
Training Sparse Neural Networks using Compressed Sensing

Pruning the weights of neural networks is an effective and widely-used technique for reducing model size and inference complexity. We develop and test a novel method based on compressed sensing which combines the pruning and training into a single step. Specifically, we utilize an adaptively weighted $\ell^1$ penalty on the weights during training, which we combine with a generalization of the regularized dual averaging (RDA) algorithm in order to train sparse neural networks. The adaptive weighting we introduce corresponds to a novel regularizer based on the logarithm of the absolute value of the weights. We perform a series of ablation studies demonstrating the improvement provided by the adaptive weighting and generalized RDA algorithm. Furthermore, numerical experiments on the CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100, and ImageNet datasets demonstrate that our method 1) trains sparser, more accurate networks than existing state-of-the-art methods; 2) can be used to train sparse networks from scratch, i.e. from a random initialization, as opposed to initializing with a well-trained base model; 3) acts as an effective regularizer, improving generalization accuracy.
Sea of Genes: A Reflection on Visualising Metagenomic Data for Museums

We examine the process of designing an exhibit to communicate scientific findings from a complex dataset and unfamiliar domain to the public in a science museum. Our exhibit sought to communicate new lessons based on scientific findings from the domain of metagenomics. This multi-user exhibit had three goals: (1) to inform the public about microbial communities and their daily cycles; (2) to link microbes' activity to the concept of gene expression; (3) and to highlight scientists' use of gene expression data to understand the role of microbes. To address these three goals, we derived visualization designs with three corresponding stories, each corresponding to a goal. We present three successive rounds of design and evaluation of our attempts to convey these goals. We could successfully present one story but had limited success with our second and third goals. This work presents a detailed account of an attempt to explain tightly coupled relationships through storytelling and animation in a multi-user, informal learning environment to a public with varying prior knowledge on the domain and identify lessons for future design.
Twins, Telomeres, and Aging-in Space!

BACKGROUND The landmark National Aeronautics and Space Administration Twins Study represented an integrated effort to launch human space life science research into the modern age of molecular- and "omics"-based studies. As part of the first One-Year Mission aboard the International Space Station, identical twin astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly were the subjects of this "out of this world" research opportunity. Telomeres, the natural ends of chromosomes that shorten with cell division and a host of lifestyle factors and stresses, are key molecular determinants of aging and aging trajectories. METHODS We proposed that telomere length dynamics (changes over time) represent a particularly relevant and integrative biomarker for astronauts, as they reflect the combined experiences and environmental exposures encountered during spaceflight. Telomere length (quantitative polymerase chain reaction and telomere fluorescence in situ hybridization) and telomerase activity (quantitative polymerase chain reaction -telomere repeat amplification protocol) were longitudinally assessed in the space- and earth-bound twins. Chromosome aberrations (directional genomic hybridization), signatures of radiation exposure, were also evaluated. RESULTS The twins had relatively similar telomere lengths before spaceflight, and the earth-bound twins' telomeres remained relatively stable over the course of the study. Surprisingly, the space twins' telomeres were longer during spaceflight, and upon return to Earth shortened rapidly, resulting in many more short telomeres after spaceflight than before. Chromosomal signatures of space radiation exposure were also elevated during spaceflight, and increased inversion frequencies persisted after spaceflight, suggestive of ongoing genome instability. CONCLUSION Although the definitive mechanisms underlying such dramatic spaceflight-associated shifts in telomere length remain unclear, improved maintenance of telomere length has important implications for aging science and improving healthspan for those on Earth, as well.
Inhibition of TGFβ-activated kinase 1 promotes inflammation-resolving microglial/macrophage responses and recovery after stroke in ovariectomized female mice

Abstract TGFβ-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) is a master regulator that drives multiple cell death and proinflammatory signaling pathways, making it a promising therapeutic target to treat ischemic stroke. However, whether targeting TAK1 could improve stroke outcomes has never been tested in female subjects, hindering its potential translation into clinical use. Here we examined the therapeutic effect of 5Z-7-Oxozeaenol (OZ), a selective TAK1 inhibitor, in ovariectomized female mice after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). OZ significantly reduced neuronal cell death and axonal injury at the acute stage and mitigated neuroinflammation at the subacute stage after MCAO in ovariectomized female mice. Consistent with RNA sequencing analysis that TAK1 activation contributed to microglia/macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses in the post-stroke brain, inhibition of TAK1 with OZ caused phenotypic shift of microglia/macrophages toward an inflammation-resolving state. Furthermore, microglia/macrophage-specific TAK1 knockout (TAK1 mKO) reproduced OZ's effects, causally confirming the role of TAK1 in determining proinflammatory microglial/macrophage responses in post-stroke females. Post-stroke treatment with OZ for 5 days effectively promoted long-term neurological recovery and the integrity of both gray matter and white matter in female mice. Together, the TAK1 inhibitor OZ elicits long-lasting improvement of stroke outcomes in female mice, at least partially through enhancing beneficial microglial/macrophage responses and inflammation resolution. Given its therapeutic efficacy on both male and female rodents, TAK1 inhibitor is worth further investigation as a valid treatment to ischemic stroke.
BINDING THE BOUND: STATE EXECUTIVE EMERGENCY POWERS AND DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY IN THE PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented increase in unilateral lawmaking by governors under each state's emergency executive power statute. These actions have been met with controversy and a significant amount of resistance. This Note argues that the resistance to COVID-19 rules in the United States may be partially attributable to the way state emergency power statutes concentrate virtually all the power to enact emergency rules in the hands of governors. As this Note demonstrates, the state executive emergency power regime, like all emergency power frameworks, grapples with the inherent tension between technocratic agility and democratic legitimacy. Drawing on a novel fifty-state survey, this Note shows how, notwithstanding the drafters' attempt to balance executive power with legislative constraint, the statutes as written effectively place all substantive decisionmaking in the hands of the governor, leaving only a binary on/off switch for the legislature to terminate the state of emergency. This consolidation of power in a chronic emergency bypasses the deliberative legislative process, increasing technocratic agility at the expense of democratic legitimacy. This Note suggests a revision to the statutes, inspired by the Congressional Review Act, that would encourage legislative deliberation through a fast-track approval process, while still preserving the prerogative of the governor to enact pandemic policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Columbia Law Review is the property of Columbia Law Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Semiclassical limit of an inverse problem for the Schrödinger equation

It is a classical derivation that the Wigner equation, derived from the Schrodinger equation that contains the quantum information, converges to the Liouville equation when the rescaled Planck constant $$\varepsilon \rightarrow 0$$ . Since the latter presents the Newton’s second law, the process is typically termed the (semi-)classical limit. In this paper, we study the classical limit of an inverse problem for the Schrodinger equation. More specifically, we show that using the initial condition and final state of the Schrodinger equation to reconstruct the potential term, in the classical regime with $$\varepsilon \rightarrow 0$$ , becomes using the initial and final state to reconstruct the potential term in the Liouville equation. This formally bridges an inverse problem in quantum mechanics with an inverse problem in classical mechanics.
Financial Market Effects of Asset Purchase Programs in Emerging Markets: An Early Assessment

Central banks in some emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) have employed asset purchase programs, in many cases for the first time, in response to pandemic-induced financial market pressures. Using panel regressions, this paper examines the effects of recent announcements of asset purchase programs (APP) on financial market developments in EMDEs. The results suggest that the asset purchase programs in EMDEs have been more effective at lowering government and private sector bond yields and sovereign CDS than announcements of policy rate cuts and spillovers from advanced-economy asset purchase announcements. The reduction in bond yields driven by APP announcements was largest in economies with higher consumer price inflation, initial bond yields, and CDS spreads and did not result in currency depreciation on average. The effects are consistent with reduced risk premia being a key channel for the operation of EMDE APPs.
Characterizing Instant Messaging Apps on Smartphones

Proliferation of smart devices has fueled the popularity of using mobile instant messaging (IM) apps at a rapid pace. While the IM apps on smartphones have become increasingly popular, there has only been a little research on understanding the characteristics of these apps. Because most of the IM apps use proprietary protocols, it is challenging to analyze their internal operations. In this work, we present a comprehensive characterization of mobile IM apps using experiments on LTE cellular network. We decompose the operations of an IM app into multiple independent states which allows us to systematically study them. We characterize the energy and bandwidth efficiency of each of the states and provide numerous insights. Our analysis reveals that typing notification feature of the IM apps is a major contributor to the energy consumption. We also find that the bandwidth efficiency of current IM apps are alarmingly poor compared to other applications such as email and web surfing. These, along with other findings, provided in this work can help improve the energy and network performance of IM apps.
Effect of antecedent soil moisture content on soil critical shear stress in agricultural watersheds

Abstract Agricultural fields act as major sources of sediment pollution for surface waters. Grassed waterways are often used as a best management practice to prevent gully erosion and control the amount of sediment delivered from the edge of agricultural fields to receiving water bodies. A widely accepted method for estimating erosion of cohesive soils (excess shear stress equation) involves determining the critical shear stress of the soil and comparing it to the shear stress exerted by the flow. Antecedent soil moisture is an important factor influencing runoff and erosion and understanding the relationship between antecedent moisture and critical shear stress for key features within an agricultural watershed (e.g. field and grassed waterway) can improve soil erosion prediction. Critical shear stress was measured in situ using a Cohesive Strength Meter for varying soil moisture conditions in a 3 × 3 m grid in: (1) a field and (2) a grassed waterway, in an agricultural watershed located in Southwestern Wisconsin. Soil properties including bulk density, organic matter content, plastic limit, liquid limit and plasticity index were also measured. Results showed that critical shear stress in the grassed waterway and in the agricultural field increased as soil moisture increased until the soil moisture content reached a breakpoint that was approximately equal to the plastic limit. Above this breakpoint, critical shear stress of the soil decreased making the soil more susceptible to erosion. Exponential relationships between critical shear stress and soil moisture content below the breakpoint indicate that soil moisture explained more of the variability in critical shear stress for the grassed waterway (68%) compared to the agricultural field (27%). These relationships were used in conjunction with the excess shear stress equation and continuous soil moisture measurements to demonstrate changes in soil erosion rate with changes in soil moisture.
Phytoremediation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated sediment : A greenhouse feasibility study

Contaminated sediments dredged from navigable waterways often are placed in confined disposal facilities to prevent further spread of the pollutants. Reducing contaminants to acceptable levels would allow for disposal of the sediments and further dredging activity. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate plant treatments and the addition of an organic amendment to decrease the concentration of PCB congeners found in Arochlor 1260. Sediment treated with the amendment and either low transpiring plants or no plants had the greatest removal of the PCB congeners. High-transpiring plants apparently prevented the highly reducing conditions required for reductive dechlorination of highly chlorinated PCBs. Most likely, the amendment provided labile carbon that initiated the reducing conditions needed for dechlorination. The sediment moisture content and moisture-related plant parameters were significant predictors of the PCB loss. Carex aquatalis and Spartina pectinata are predicted to be the most effective plant treatments for phytoremediation of PCBs.
A novel electronic architecture used to support biomedical photo-acoustic imaging

In this paper, the electronic architecture used in the implementation of a 128-channel biomedical photo-acoustic imaging system is described. The goal of our research was to verify that the electronic system developed is well-suited for our photo-acoustic imaging application. In essence, we investigated the analog front end for our imaging system, including the data acquisition system. The imaging system described herein was designed for use with a 128-element circularly phased transducer array, with an approximate bandwidth of 9 MHz, centered about 5.5 MHz. Our implemented architecture was highly specific for our research application. Specifically, we relaxed any usual transducer probe size limitations to allow us to bring the entire analog front end as close to the transducer insertion point as possible. In our case, each of the 128 transducer elements has a dedicated high-gain, low-noise, pre-amplifier stage within five inches. Even though our end user application is photo-acoustic imaging, other imaging modalities, such as conventional ultrasonic imaging, can be supported.
SU-E-T-152: Building An Ultrafast, Earthquake Proof Treatment Planning System

Purpose: Situated 20 miles from 5 major fault lines in California’s Bay Area, Stanford Universityhas a critical need for IT infrastructure planning to handle the high probability devastating earthquakes. Recently, a multi-million dollar project has been underway to overhaul Stanford’s radiation oncology information systems, maximizing planning system performance and providing true disaster recovery abilities. An overview of the project will be given with particular focus on lessons learned throughout the build. Methods: In this implementation, two isolated external datacenters provide geographical redundancy to Stanford’s main campus datacenter. Real-time mirroring is made of all data stored to our serial attached network (SAN) storage. In each datacenter, hardware/software virtualization was heavily implemented to maximize server efficiency and provide a robust mechanism to seamlessly migrate users in the event of an earthquake. System performance is routinely assessed through the use of virtualized data robots, able to log in to the system at scheduled times, perform routine planning tasks and report timing results to a performance dashboard. A substantial dose calculation framework (608 CPU cores) has been constructed as part of the implementation. Results: Migration to a virtualized server environment with a high performance SAN has resulted in up to a 45% speed up of common treatment planning tasks. Switching to a 608 core DCF has resulted in a 280% speed increase in dose calculations. Server tuning was found to further improved read/write performance by 20%. Disaster recovery tests are carried out quarterly and, although successful, remain time consuming to perform and verify functionality. Conclusion: Achieving true disaster recovery capabilities is possible through server virtualization, support from skilled IT staff and leadership. Substantial performance improvements are also achievable through careful tuning of server resources and disk read/write operations. Developing a streamlined method to comprehensively test failover is a key requirement to the system’s success.
Internet Communication with End-to-End Performance Guarantees

This paper describes the Session Reservation Protocol (SRP). SRP is defined in the DARPA Internet family of protocols. It allows communicating clients to reserve the resources, such as CPU and network bandwidth, necessary to achieve given performance (delay and throughput) objectives. The immediate goal of SRP is to enable IP-based distributed systems to handle “continuous media” (digital audio and video). However, SRP is applicable to any application that requires guaranteed-performance communication. The design goals of SRP include (1) independence from transport protocols (SRP can be used with standard protocols such as TCP or with specialized protocols); (2) compatibility with IP (data packet formats are not modified); (3) a host implementing SRP can benefit from its use even when communicating with hosts not supporting SRP. SRP is based on a workload and scheduling model called the DASH Resource Model. This model defines a parameterization of client workload, an abstract interface for hardware resources, and an end-to-end algorithm for negotiated resource reservation based on cost minimization. SRP implements this end-to-end algorithm, handling those resources related to network communication. The approach can easily be applied to other network environments such as OSI communication.
Distinct pathogenic processes between Fig4-deficient motor and sensory neurons

Loss of function of the FIG4 gene causes Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)-4J with many features also found in motor neuron disease (MND). Mechanisms for the degeneration are unknown. We investigated this using Fig4-deficient pale tremor (plt) mice, a mouse model of CMT4J. Ultrastructural studies in sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) confirmed abundant vacuoles with membrane disruption. The vacuoles became detectable as early as postnatal day 4 in the DRG. However, the vacuoles were absent or minimal in the spinal motor neurons or cortical neurons in 2- to 5-week-old plt mice. Instead, a large number of electron-dense organelles, reminiscent of those in lysosomal storage disorders, accumulated in the motor neurons, but not in the sensory neurons of DRG. This accumulation was associated with increased levels of lysosomal proteins, such as LAMP2 and NPC1, but not mannose-6-phosphate receptor, an endosomal protein that is usually excluded from the lysosomes. Our results suggest that Fig4 deficiency affects motor neurons differently from sensory neurons by mechanisms involving excessive retention of molecules in lysosomes or disruption of vacuolated organelles. These two distinct pathological changes may contribute to neuronal degeneration.
Gate triggering: a new framework for minimizing glitch power dissipation in static CMOS ICs and its ILP-based optimization

Glitches are an important source of power dissipation in static CMOS ICs that can contribute to as much as 70% of total power dissipation in certain cases (e.g., arithmetic modules). Although research into various aspects of glitch power dissipation has been undertaken in the past, most approaches to addressing it are ad hoc and limited in their applicability. In this paper, we propose a new framework, gate triggering, for systematically minimizing glitch power dissipation in static CMOSICs. The framework is based on the idea that glitches can be effectively minimized by triggering logic evaluation at a gate only when all of its inputs have stabilized. For this purpose, to every potentially glitchy gate is added a small amount of control logic, which, when enabled, triggers logic evaluation at the gate. A clocked delay chain is employed to generate enable signals at the proper times for all gates to be triggered. We present an integer linear programming (ILP) formulation to minimize the overheads (viz. delay element, control logic, and extra wiring) of our approach subject to a critical-path delay constraint. Application of the new approach to test circuits (such as ripple carry adder and array multiplier) in 1.2 /spl mu/ technology yields 95% or more elimination of glitch power dissipation with negligible area and timing overheads after optimization. An added advantage of the approach is that short-circuit power dissipation at all triggered gates is also minimized-short-circuit power dissipation in current standard-cell based designs can exceed 50% of the total power dissipation.
Small Events Lead to Bigger Things

Robert Cleland Growing up, I never considered becoming a biologist. That may seem rather strange, considering that my father was a botanist/geneticist. However, I rarely spent any time in his lab, and plants were almost never discussed at the dinner table. My mother, a chemist, had much more
Eine Analyse zur häufig behaupteten Schädlichkeit digital modulierter Mobilfunkstrahlen

In the public discussion regarding the health risks of mobile phone system radiation, it is emphasized that the pulse slope of digital modulation, as defined in the GSM-Standard, will cause biological effects. In contrast, the high field strength of broadcasting and television radiation is not considered to be relevant. This paper compares quantitatively the slope of the digital GSM pulses with that of the synchronizing pulse of the television signal. The result shows clearly that the pulse spectrum of the television signal contains that of the GSM signal; in addition, the synchronizing impulse of television exhibits a much steeper slope. Considering the countrywide normal radiation intensities of television and mobile phone systems, it can be stated that the worldwide exposure to the common television signals over more than 50 years can disprove the contention of adverse biological health effects of the pulse slope of digitally modulated radiofrequency.
Accumulation of Dynamic Catch Bonds between TCR and Agonist Peptide-MHC Triggers T Cell Signaling

TCR-pMHC interactions initiate adaptive immune responses, but the mechanism of how such interactions under force induce T cell signaling is unclear. We show that force prolongs lifetimes of single TCR-pMHC bonds for agonists (catch bonds) but shortens those for antagonists (slip bonds). Both magnitude and duration of force are important, as the highest Ca2+ responses were induced by 10 pN via both pMHC catch bonds whose lifetime peaks at this force and anti-TCR slip bonds whose maximum lifetime occurs at 0 pN. High Ca2+ levels require early and rapid accumulation of bond lifetimes, whereas short-lived bonds that slow early accumulation of lifetimes correspond to low Ca2+ responses. Our data support a model in which force on the TCR induces signaling events depending on its magnitude, duration, frequency, and timing, such that agonists form catch bonds that trigger the T cell digitally, whereas antagonists form slip bonds that fail to activate.
THE EFFECT OF DIRECT REACTIONS ON THE COMPOUND NUCLEAR-REACTION AMPLITUDE IN A SOLUBLE MODEL.

Abstract A soluble model for nucleon-nucleus scattering is presented. The model is studied using the K -matrix theory of nuclear reactions in a projected formalism in order to investigate the effect of direct reactions on the compound nuclear-reaction amplitude. The effect of these direct transitions is shown to lead to an energy-dependent renormalization of the widths and energies of the compound nuclear discrete states. This renormalization is shown to be expressable in terms of a new coupling constant for the residual separable interaction strength, which has a critical value for large values of the interaction strength. The model is also used to study these renormalizations in a perturbation expansion, and the convergence of the perturbation theory is then examined. A discussion of the divergence of the perturbation series and the appearance of quasi-bound states is given. The convergence of the Born series for the T -matrix and K -matrix are compared. The continuum damping of the energy shift of a coherent state is examined. A discussion of the threshold behavior of continuum-continuum transitions and the coherent effect of many channels in damping the shift of such states is given. An analytically soluble model for studying quasiparticle scattering and isobaric analog resonances is given.
The Computerphobia Reduction Program: Year 1. Program development and preliminary results

The program development and first-year results of a 3-year U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) grant are described. The identification of computerphobics and the types of discomfort they experience are defined. A clinically based 5-week model computerphobia reduction and skills-acquisition program is presented. Screening and assessment measures are outlined and three treatment modules—two individual treatments (systematic desensitization and thought stopping) and an information/support group—are described. The first-year results demonstrate significant pretreatment-to-posttreatment change in anxiety, attitudes, cognitions, and feelings. Plans are discussed for further evaluation and program expansion.
Picosecond waveguide modulation in conjugated polymers

Abstract The technique of time-resolved waveguide modulation is applied to optical waveguides of the conjugated polymers, polydiacetylene-(CH 2 ) 4 OCONHOCOC 4 H 9 (poly-4BCMU) and poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT). This method yields values of the sign and magnitude of the complex intensity-dependent refractive index, n 2 , for guided be agt 630 nm ( poly -4 BCMU ) and at 1.06 μm (P3HT), upon pumping near the principal absorption band. In poly-4BCMU, n 2 is real and negative, with a magnitude in the order of −10 −7 (MW/cm 2 ) −1 . The decay of 2.5 ps closely matches the decay of the bleaching of the exiton absorption following resonant excitation. These results are consistent with phase-space filling by excitons as the principal nonlinear mechanism. In P3HT, fn 2 has a negative real part and a positive imaginary part, with |n 2 |≌1×10 −4 ( MW/cm 2 ) −1 , for a pump photon energy of 2.06 eV. The positive imaginary part correllates with a photoinduced absorption at 1.06 μm (1.17 eV), indicating a shift of oscillator strength from the interband transition to localized absorptions in the infrared. The negative real part implies that the observed photoinduced absorption peaks at an energy below 1.17 eV.
Myelopathy following intrathecal chemotherapy in a patient with extensive Burkitt's lymphoma and altered immune status.

Abstract A 30-year-old homosexual man presented with widespread Burkitt's lymphoma. On the basis of immunologic and viral studies, he was suspected of having the acquired Immune deficiency syndrome. Following chemotherapy that included Intrathecal cytosine arabinoside and methotrexate, brain stem edema, paraplegia, and an elevated cerebrospinal fluid level of myelin basic protein developed. Autopsy revealed vacuolar demyelination of spinal cord, brain stem, and cerebellum. The pathologic findings were similar to those reported to occur In myelopathy associated with intrathecal chemotherapy, but far more extensive. The contribution of the suspected acquired immune deficiency syndrome is unknown.
Salt-binding effects in hydrophobic-interaction chromatography

Abstract Many separations of proteins are performed on hydrophobic interaction columns. Elution is achieved with salt gradients, but anomalous elution behavior is observed often. In this investigation, we show that the binding of salt to proteins may explain these anomalies. Presumably, salt binding alters the number and distribution of protein surface groups, including charged groups. Analysis of retention data was carried out by non-linear regression until the minimum sum of squares was found between the observed capacity factor and that computed from a retention model based upon Wyman's theory of thermodynamic linkage. The relation of retention to salt concentration as described by this model is compared to surface tension models and to relative elution orders based on hydrophobicity scales.
COLOR RESPONSES OF THE FACE FLY, MUSCA AUTUMNALIS

Adult face flies, Musca autumnalis De Geer, were exposed to defined impure colors in the laboratory and in the field and their relative attraction to the colors was compared to the calculated tristimulus coefficients and radiances of the colors. A positive, asymptotic relationship of the form Y' = 0.001 X + 40/X was found to exist between the ultraviolet chromaticity coefficient (z) of a source and its attraction to face flies, which indicates the existence of trichromatic vision. A correlation coefficient (r) of 0.94 was calculated between the z values of 21 colors and their relative attractiveness to face flies. The attraction of face flies to combinations of ultraviolet (350 nm) and specific visible wavelengths was consistent with the existence of 3 distinct photoreceptors whose peak sensitivities occur at ca. 350 nm, 475–525 nm and 550 nm. RESUME Reactions aux couleurs de Musca autumnalis (Diptera: Muscidae) Des adultes de Musca autumnalis De Geer ont ete exposes a des couleurs non monochromatiques au laboratoire et dans le champ. Les attractions relatives de ces couleurs ont ete comparees a leurs coefficients calcules du tristimulus et a leurs radiances. Une relation asymptotique positive de la forme y' = 0,001 X + 40/X a ete etablie entre le coefficient de chromacite U.V (z) d'une source et son attraction, ce qui indique une vision trichromatique. Un coefficient de correlation (r) de 0,94 a ete calcule entre les valeurs de z pour 21 couleurs et leur attractivite relative pour M. autumnalis. L'attraction de M. autumnalis par des combinaisons d'U.V (350 nm) et de longueurs d'onde precises du visible est explicable par l'existence de 3 photorecepteurs differents dont les sensibilites maximales sont a 350 nm, 475–525 nm et 550 nm.
Dose-dependent kinetics for theophylline: Observations among ambulatory asthmatic children

In order to assess the clinical impact of dose-dependent kinetics for theophylline, the relationship between serum concentration and daily dosage among patients under the care of the University of Iowa Pediatric Allergy and Pulmonary Service was examined. Dosage was titrated clinically, with the final adjustment based on a serum theophylline measurement. Of 200 charts initially reviewed, 42 patients were found in whom at least two peak serum concentrations had been measured at different doses of the same theophylline preparation. In 30 (15% of initial 200) of these 42 patients, the percent change in serum concentration exceeded the percent change in dose by at least 50%. Subsequently, 300 additional charts were reviewed to identify a total of 26 patients with three steady-state serum concentrations at three different doses. Only five of these patients demonstrated a linear relationship between dose and serum concentration; the other 21 demonstrated disproportionate changes compatible with parallel first-order and dose-dependent kinetics. Thus, clinically important dose-dependent kinetics for theophylline occur in at least 15% of children, and theophylline dosage therefore must be adjusted in small increments in order to avoid disproportionately large changes in serum concentration with consequent risks of toxicity during continuous therapy.
Early rearrangements of genes encoding murine immunoglobulin kappa chains, unlike genes encoding heavy chains, use variable gene segments dispersed throughout the locus.

Abstract Immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (TH) gene segments located closest to the joining (JH) gene segments are preferentially rearranged during ontogeny, indicating that chromosomal position influences the frequency of rearrangement. In addition, certain VH gene segments are repeatedly rearranged, suggesting that the DNA sequence or structure surrounding these segments may increase the probability of rearrangement. To determine whether there is similar based rearrangement of kappa variable (V kappa) gene segments, 25 rearrangements were sequenced from murine fetal and neonatal B-cell hybridomas and from subclones of a pre-B cell line that rearranged V kappa genes during in vitro culture. Four gene segments were isolated twice and one gene segment was isolated three times, suggesting that the process that targets individual variable gene segments for repeated rearrangement operates on both the VH and V kappa loci. Based on a current map of the V kappa locus, the rearranged gene segments belong to nine families that are dispersed throughout the locus. Thus, in these cell types, V kappa rearrangements use germ-line gene segments located across the entire locus, whereas the corresponding VH rearrangements use gene segments proximal to the JH gene segments. Heterogeneity of V kappa rearrangements would add diversity to the biased pool of VH rearrangements, producing a broad repertoire of antibodies early in development.
Transcriptional regulation of mouse liver metallothionein-I gene by glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoid hormones play an important part in the regulation of many essential metabolic processes1. These include the synthesis of stress-related ‘acute-phase’ proteins2 and the timing of developmental events in numerous tissues including fetal lung, liver and intestine, and adult mammary gland1. Among the proteins that are induced by glucocorticoids during stress and fetal development are the metallothioneins (MT)3–6. These small, cysteine-rich proteins are found primarily in the liver and kidney. They bind heavy metals and are thought to be involved in zinc homeostasis and heavy metal detoxification7. We show here that the accumulation of MT mRNA in mouse liver in response to the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, is due to transcriptional activation of the metallothionein gene.
The moral bases for public health interventions.

Members of the public health professions, practitioners and academicians alike, traditionally hold as their primary goals the development and dissemination of practices that will prevent disease and disability. Other aspects of public health, such as those relating to med? ical care access and costs, wax and wane in importance but remain secondary to disease prevention. This paper is focused on the traditional goals of public health. My principal purpose is to suggest the need for examining the moral underpinnings of the public health interven? tions that we endorse. I do not address the fashionable or timely intervention issues in public health but rather the permanent underpinnings that provide a framework for assessing the moral bases for a proposed intervention. There are three major reasons why most activities intended to prevent disease require an explicit moral justification: they are enforceable by the police power of the state; they are supported by taxes; and they are meddlesome or intrusive. Therefore, I suggest that a preventive intervention should be endorsed only by a person who can justify it to himself, or herself, in explicit moral terms. I describe the four major types of prevention activi? ties: education, policy advocacy, legislation, and re? search. The potential moral justifications for programs of these types are also presented and evaluated. The enhancement of the will of the individual, used to justify health education, is a highly moral justification when it is adhered to. Paternalism and doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people are also moral justifi? cations in most instances. Other justifications, such as conserving government resources and "doing good" with funds raised through taxes, have a limited moral basis. Little has been written of the need for fundamental rationales for prevention programs. This void appears to reflect a perception that activities that are intended to do good have a self-evident justification. However, al? though widely subscribed to in the public health com-
The Transformation of Teaching

The challenges to higher education in the twenty-first century include developing an increased sensitivity to individual differences among students and encouraging diverse approaches to instruction. Promoting new ways for students to learn involves getting to know students better, experimenting with various methods for transmitting content, and, ultimately, in humanizing the educational environment.
Myoglobinuria and muscle pain are common in patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2I

Fukutin-related protein ( FKRP; OMIM #606596) is critical for the appropriate glycosylation of α-dystroglycan, a component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. The 12-kb FKRP gene is composed of 3 noncoding exons and 1 exon encompassing the entire open reading frame.1 Mutations in FKRP cause autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy with a wide range of clinical severity. A common missense mutation, c.826C>A (p.L276I), has been identified. Generally, individuals homozygous for this mutation have a mild form of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) 2I, compound heterozygotes with 1 c.826C>A allele have a more severe form of LGMD 2I, and those with 2 unique alleles are most severely affected, including some with congenital muscular dystrophy.1,2 We report a high incidence of myoglobinuria and muscle pain in a retrospective study of patients with LGMD 2I. ### Methods. #### Standard protocol approvals, registrations, and patient consents. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for all recruitment and data collection. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants or their legal guardians. This study was posted on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00313677). All patients with FKRP mutations were eligible for enrollment from 2006 to the present. #### Genetic testing. FKRP mutations were confirmed in the University of Iowa …
Drug use and the elderly in relation to changing etiologies of hyperkalemia

Since there has been an increase in the use of medications known to change renal potassium handling, we reassessed the prevalence of and factors associated with hyperkalemia (potassium ≧ 5.1 mmol L−1) in 100 hospitalized patients. The prevalence of hyperkalemia was 10.4%. Fifty-three patients were receiving one or more medications associated with changes in potassium homeostasis. The medications were potassium supplements (22 patients), converting enzyme inhibitors (12 patients), heparin (12 patients), beta-blocking drugs (9 patients), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (3 patients), and potassium-sparing diuretics (2 patients). Beta-blocking drugs, or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs were never the sole associated factor. After medications, the second most important factor associated with hyperkalemia (47 patients) was increased age (≧ 70 yr). Other factors included diabetes mellitus (26 patients), and chronic renal failure (15 patients). Eleven patients were HIV antibody positive. Sixty-seven patients had two or more risk factors. The data suggests that drug therapy may now be the most frequent factor associated with hyperkalemia. Also, patients with advanced age and HIV positivity are now major groups at risk.
252Cf neutron sources for interstitial afterloading

Abstract 252 Cf neutron sources for interstitial afterloading have been developed to investigate the value of this radionuclide in cancer therapy. One μg of 252 Cf emits 2.3 million neutrons per sec at an average energy of 2.3 McV. 252 Cf seed assemblies resemble 192 Ir seed-in-ribbon sets and contain essentially point sources of 252 Cf permanently sealed on 1-cm centers within a flexible plastic tube. Because the effective half-life of 252 Cf is 2.6 years, the seed assemblies are not disposable and must be reused until their activities have decreased to unsuitable levels. In-hospital preparation of afterloading kits is described. 252 Cf seed assembly systems are loaned by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration, Savannah River Operations Office, for clinical investigations under a protocol of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, National Cancer Institute.
Identification of Novel Bioactive Aldehyde-modified Phosphatidylethanolamines Formed by Lipid Peroxidation

Lipid aldehydes generated by lipid peroxidation induce cell damage and inflammation. Recent evidence indicates that γ-ketoaldehydes (isolevuglandins, IsoLGs) form inflammatory mediators by modifying the ethanolamine headgroup of phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs). To determine if other species of aldehyde-modified PEs (al-PEs) with inflammatory bioactivity were generated by lipid peroxidation, we oxidized liposomes containing arachidonic acid and characterized the resulting products. We detected PE modified by IsoLGs, malondialdehyde (MDA), and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), as well as a novel series of N-acyl-PEs and N-carboxyacyl-PEs in these oxidized liposomes. These al-PEs were also detected in high-density lipoproteins exposed to myeloperoxidase. When we tested the ability of al-PEs to induce THP-1 monocyte adhesion to cultured endothelial cells, we found that PEs modified by MDA, HNE, and 4-oxononenal induced adhesion with potencies similar to those of PEs modified by IsoLGs (∼2μM). A commercially available medium-chain N-carboxyacyl-PE (C11:0CAPE) also stimulated adhesion, whereas C4:0CAPE and N-acyl-PEs did not. PEs modified by acrolein or by glucose were only partial agonists for adhesion. These studies indicate that lipid peroxidation generates a large family of al-PEs, many of which have the potential to drive inflammation.