cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining the influence of active ingredients of motivational interviewing on client change talk

Abstract Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidenced-based intervention designed to help clients explore and resolve ambivalence around substance use. MI combines a humanistic tradition with behavioral components to facilitate client decisions concerning behavior change. As such, there is marked interest in the relationship between the two active ingredients of MI – the relational, or person-centered, components and the technical, or directional, behavioral components – on client in-session language. Yet, few studies have examined how these active ingredients operate in concert. Therefore, the current study evaluated the constellation of relational skills associated with client language, as well as the influence of technical skills on the relationship between provider relational skills and client change language. Specifically, we tested a latent construct of relational skill and its direct association with the proportion of client change talk. We then explored the mediating role of reflections of change and sustain talk (RefCT and RefST) on this relationship. The data for this secondary analysis are from Project ELICIT (N = 131), a randomized control trial evaluating the effects of MI training on client change language. We found support for a latent construct of relational skill (i.e., empathy, acceptance, collaboration, and autonomy/support). However, the relational skill construct did not predict client change language. There was support for an indirect effect, such that relational skills predicted RefCT and RefST, and RefCT and RefST predicted client change language. These results suggest that the synergistic implementation of the relational and technical components of MI is critical to facilitating a higher percentage of change talk.
Price Discovery in the Stock, OTC Corporate Bond, and NYSE Corporate Bond Markets

This paper examines intraday price discovery in three closely-related U.S. markets: stocks, Over-The-Counter (OTC) corporate bonds, and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) electronically-traded corporate bonds. We calculate the Hasbrouck (1995) information shares of these three markets over five years. We find that OTC corporate bond trades have a 5.7% information share, despite zero pre-trade transparency in the OTC market. Further, NYSE corporate bonds have a 45.8% information share, despite having a tiny market share, because of publicly-displayed, frequently-updated bid-ask quotes that can be traded at any time. OTC corporate bond information shares are inversely related to credit quality and are relatively constant over time. This is consistent with multi-security informed trading theory and the Merton (1974) corporate bond model. NYSE corporate bond information shares are positively related to their update frequency. Thus, the subset of NYSE bonds that are updated more frequently are more informative.
Lagrangian Transport by Nonbreaking and Breaking Deep-Water Waves at the Ocean Surface

AbstractUsing direct numerical simulations (DNS), Deike et al. found that the wave-breaking-induced mass transport, or drift, at the surface for a single breaking wave scales linearly with the slop...
Public Revenue, Financial Inclusion and Value-Added Tax in Argentina

Argentina’s tax-to-GDP ratio ranked at the bottom of worldwide tables of middle-income countries prior to the 2000s. By 2015, Argentina transformed from a low-tax to a high-tax country matching Brazil for the highest tax-to-GDP ratio in the region. No tax expert anticipated this outcome—quite the opposite. A rise in Value-Added Tax (VAT) revenue occurred as overall tax revenue increased, and this trend continued after a period of economic growth ended. This chapter explains how the government engineered this result by way of financial inclusion measures that targeted middle-class Argentines and their inclusion into the formal banking system. As financial inclusion drew more people into the formal banking system, consumers began to use less cash and more credit and debit cards causing more consumption to occur in formal markets (“easily taxed”) and less in informal markets (“less taxed”).
Unusual dihydrazone formation in the fischer‐indole cyclization. The synthesis of novel nonclassical annulated 2,4‐Diamino‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine antifolates

The synthesis of seven novel tetracyclic 2,4-diaminopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines as conformationally restricted nonclassical antifolates was achieved via an unusual Fischer-indole cyclization of dihydrazones. An attempted synthesis of 2,4-diamino-6-hydrazinopyrimidine afforded 2-amino-4,6-dihydrazinopyrimidine which when reacted with appropriate ketones gave the dihydrazones. The dihydrazones in turn under Fischer-indole cyclization conditions afforded target conformationally restricted tetracyclic products.
Exome-by-phenome-wide rare variant gene burden association with electronic health record phenotypes

Abstract Background By coupling large-scale DNA sequencing with electronic health records (EHR), “genome-first” approaches can enhance our understanding of the contribution of rare genetic variants to disease. Aggregating rare, loss-of-function variants in a candidate gene into a “gene burden” to test for association with EHR phenotypes can identify both known and novel clinical implications for the gene in human disease. However, this methodology has not yet been applied on both an exome-wide and phenome-wide scale, and the clinical ontologies of rare loss-of-function variants in many genes have yet to be described. Methods We leveraged whole exome sequencing (WES) data in participants (N=11,451) in the Penn Medicine Biobank (PMBB) to address on an exome-wide scale the association of a burden of rare loss-of-function variants in each gene with diverse EHR phenotypes using a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) approach. For discovery, we collapsed rare (minor allele frequency (MAF) ≤ 0.1%) predicted loss-of-function (pLOF) variants (i.e. frameshift insertions/deletions, gain/loss of stop codon, or splice site disruption) per gene to perform a gene burden PheWAS. Subsequent evaluation of the significant gene burden associations was done by collapsing rare (MAF ≤ 0.1%) missense variants with Rare Exonic Variant Ensemble Learner (REVEL) scores ≥ 0.5 into corresponding yet distinct gene burdens, as well as interrogation of individual low-frequency to common (MAF > 0.1%) pLOF variants and missense variants with REVEL≥ 0.5. We replicated our findings using the UK Biobank’s (UKBB) whole exome sequence dataset (N=49,960). Results From the pLOF-based discovery phase, we identified 106 gene burdens with phenotype associations at p Conclusion Our study presents 12 exome-by-phenome-wide robust gene-phenotype associations, which include three proof-of-concept associations and nine novel findings. We show the value of aggregating rare pLOF variants into gene burdens on an exome-wide scale for unbiased association with EHR phenotypes to identify novel clinical ontologies of human genes. Furthermore, we show the significance of evaluating gene burden associations through complementary, yet non-overlapping genetic association studies from the same dataset. Our results suggest that this approach applied to even larger cohorts of individuals with WES or whole-genome sequencing data linked to EHR phenotype data will yield many new insights into the relationship of genetic variation and disease phenotypes.
Adherence to Guideline-Based Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Gynecology among Alabama Providers.

Objectives Surgical site infection (SSI) is a preventable cause of postoperative morbidity. The appropriate use of perioperative antibiotics for prevention of SSIs is a well-established quality metric. Little is known about the adherence to guidelines-based antibiotic prophylaxis among Alabama obstetricians and gynecologists. Our aims were to determine their adherence to guidelines-based antibiotic prophylaxis and identify the factors that are predictive of nonadherence. Methods Online, self-administered survey of Alabama obstetricians and gynecologists. Results Providers reported not providing the indicated antibiotics and/or giving nonindicated antibiotics in almost all surgical scenarios. The exceptions included hysterectomies, in which almost all (96%) providers routinely gave indicated antibiotics. No providers reported giving antibiotics during intrauterine device placement or endometrial biopsies, which is appropriate. The only factor predictive of inappropriate antibiotic use was the absence of a standing antibiotic protocol. Conclusions Alabama gynecologic surgeons can and should improve their compliance with guidelines-based antibiotic prophylaxis. More research is needed to determine which interventions would improve adherence in this provider population; our study suggests that the implementation of a standing antibiotic protocol may be a reasonable first step.
Thermal-Mechanical Stability of a Large Spacecraft Structure within a Jovian Orbit

Pointing stability of spacecraft payloads is a vital part of ensuring high quality science return. This is especially true for fly-by missions that rely on precise pointing knowledge and control among a suite of elements to provide appropriate co-alignment between both optical and in-situ instruments. The Europa Clipper mission plans to execute over 45 fly-bys of Jupiter's moon Europa. To do this, the spacecraft will be put into highly elliptical orbits around Jupiter. Throughout each orbit, the Clipper spacecraft will experience a variety of thermal environments near 5 AU. It will be commanded to operate in a wide range of power cycles, experience cold soaks of up to nine hours in eclipse, then immediately be impacted by direct solar flux, and ultimately pass within 25km of Europa's icy surface. The most stressing duration for the spacecraft from a distortion perspective will be within +/-48 hours of closest approach to the Europan surface, due to the increased power demand from the instruments on the Nadir-pointed deck, as well as the electronic boxes in the Avionics Vault. Despite the structural distortions due to evolving thermal environments and demanding power schedules, the spacecraft is expected to maintain adequate pointing of its instruments throughout the orbit, especially during the fly-by, where the majority of science is captured. The objective of this work is to identify the driving thermal scenarios and analyze the Spacecraft-level thermal-mechanical distortions. The Europa Clipper Mechanical and Thermal teams have analyzed the thermal gradients of the Clipper spacecraft throughout an entire orbit of Jupiter. This transient analysis included appropriate power profiles, spacecraft attitudes and external albedo loads of orbit E41 of the 17F12v2 mission schedule. A thermal model (TM) of the spacecraft was linked to the NASTRAN structural finite element model (FEM). Thirty strategic points along the orbit were selected to map thermal gradients from the TM to the FEM and assess distortion of the structures. This integrated modeling and analysis effort provided confidence in the mechanical system design of the Europa Clipper spacecraft. Sensitive areas were then highlighted, which led to design modifications, aimed to provide thermal-mechanical stability robustness moving forward. This paper will discuss the modeling and analysis approach, results, design improvements, and lessons learned.
Learning GMMs with Nearly Optimal Robustness Guarantees.

In this work we solve the problem of robustly learning a high-dimensional Gaussian mixture model with $k$ components from $\epsilon$-corrupted samples up to accuracy $\widetilde{O}(\epsilon)$ in total variation distance for any constant $k$ and with mild assumptions on the mixture. This robustness guarantee is optimal up to polylogarithmic factors. At the heart of our algorithm is a new way to relax a system of polynomial equations which corresponds to solving an improper learning problem where we are allowed to output a Gaussian mixture model whose weights are low-degree polynomials.
Factors Associated with Hurricane Evacuation: A Statistical Meta-Analysis of Studies, 1999-2018.

Objective Hurricane evacuation is one of the strategies employed by emergency management and other agencies to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with hurricanes. However, factors associated with residents' evacuation decision-making have been inconsistent. In this study, we conducted a statistical meta-analysis to identify factors associated with hurricane evacuation as well as moderators of the evacuation decision. Methods A systematic literature search identified 36 studies published between 1999 and 2018. Pooled estimates were calculated using random-effects models, and heterogeneity across studies was checked using both Q and I2 statistics. Meta-regression methods were used to identify moderators. Publication bias was assessed using both visual (funnel plots) and statistical methods. Results Mobile home residence, perception of risk, female sex, and Hispanic ethnicity were statistically associated with hurricane evacuation, while geographic region modified the relationship between Hispanic race and evacuation. Conclusions Agencies responsible for preparedness may utilize these findings to identify specific population sub-groups for hurricane evacuation communication and other interventions. Future studies should consider statistical interactions and explore opportunities for research translation to emergency officials.
Debt Crises: For Whom the Bell Tolls ⇤

What a country has done in the past, and what other countries are doing in the present can feedback for good or for ill. We develop a simple model that can address hysteresis and contagion in sovereign debt markets. When a country’s fundamentals change, those changes affect information acquisition about that country but also affect the allocation of investment funds worldwide, inducing changes in the dynamics of sovereign spreads in seemingly unrelated economies.
Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Are Activated by Toxoplasma gondii to Present Antigen and Produce Cytokines

Infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii leads to the induction of a Th1-type response dominated by IFN-gamma production and control of this pathogen. Cells of the innate immune system are essential in initiating this response both through the production of IL-12 as well as the presentation of parasite-derived Ags to MHC-restricted T cells. Although dendritic cells (DCs) have been implicated in these events, the contribution of individual DC populations remains unclear. Therefore, multiparameter flow cytometry was used to identify and characterize subsets of murine DCs during acute toxoplasmosis. This approach confirmed that infection leads to the expansion and activation of conventional DC (cDC) subsets. Unexpectedly, however, this analysis further revealed that plasmacytoid DCs are also expanded and that these cells up-regulate MHC class II and costimulatory molecules associated with their acquired ability to prime naive CD4(+) T cells. Furthermore, T. gondii-activated plasmacytoid DCs produce high levels of IL-12 and both plasmacytoid DC maturation and cytokine production are dependent on TLR11. Together these studies suggest that pDCs are a prominent DC subset involved in the initial stages of T. gondii infection, presenting parasite Ags and producing cytokines that are important for controlling infection.
Alias Types for Recursive Data Structures

Linear type systems permit programmers to deallocate or explicitly recycle memory, but are severely restricted by the fact that they admit no aliasing. This paper describes a pseudo-linear type system that allows a degree of aliasing and memory reuse as well as the ability to define complex recursive data structures. Our type system can encode conventional linear data structures such as linear lists and trees as well as more sophisticated data structures including cyclic and doubly-linked lists and trees. In the latter cases, our type system is expressive enough to represent pointer aliasing and yet safely permit destructive operations such as object deallocation. We demonstrate the flexibility of our type system by encoding two common space-conscious algorithms: destination-passing style and Deutsch-Schorr-Waite or "link-reversal" traversal algoithms.
Partnerships for preventing violence: A locally-led satellite training model

Local face-to-face provider training has the benefit of enabling participants to network with people in their communities who are working on similar issues, to engage in interactive discussions, and to learn from local experts and local program examples. However, face-to-face training has considerable costs (labor and expense) and provides limited exposure to national experts. In recent years, technology has allowed training methods to expand to include distance learning methods (satellite and web-based). The newer methods can decrease per-person training costs, provide exposure to national experts, and result in wide dissemination of information. Yet these distance learning methods often limit the ability of participants to interact and network with each other and substantially reduce opportunities to apply the learning objectives to local circumstances. To maximize the benefits of both models, the Harvard School of Public Health, the Prevention Institute, and the Education Development Center developed, implemented, and evaluated Partnerships for Preventing Violence (PPV), an innovative six-part satellite training series on the public health approach to preventing youth violence. Using a unique hybrid methodology that combines satellite training with local, face-to-face facilitation by trained experts, PPV trained over 13,000 people, generated youth violence prevention activities across the country, and created a national cadre of youth violence prevention leaders.
Measurement of excess charge at polarized electrodes with field effect transistors

Abstract Direct measurement of the excess charge at the solution/gold polarized interface with field effect transistors is described. The difficulties caused by the surface conductivity of silicon nitride and by the contamination of the gold surface with titanium were overcome by attaching a short piece of gold wire directly to the gates adding a thick layer of encapsulation.
Visualization of flow and combustion processes in a square piston engine simulator

A square-piston engine simulator used at Berkeley to study both spark-ignited and diesel engine processes is described. The square piston configuration provides optical access to fluid mechanical and combustion processes through two flat quartz windows used as cylinder walls. Results from three previous research projects are reviewed to illustrate the engine's capabilities. Since these studies, we developed and used a color schlieren cinematography system to record in-cylinder processes. Color schlieren movies of both spark-ignition and diesel combustion reveal the essential fluid mechanical and combustion features within the engine. For these movies, the authors redesigned the diesel fuel system and installed a new liquid fuel injection system for spark-ignited operation. By preventing fuel and soot condensation on the windows, these new fuel systems improved the quality of our Schlieren images.
Reliability of Redundant Systems

This articles provides a brief concept of how to evaluate the reliability of redundant systems with various aspects including dynamic redundancy, imperfect coverage, fail-safe redundancy, noncoherent systems, degradable redundancy, multiple failure modes, k-out-of-n system redundancy, weighted systems, and load-sharing redundancy. Keywords: redundant systems; reliability; failure modes; optimization; load-sharing systems; optimal design
Parallelism in Low-Level Computer Vision — A Review

In this paper we review various parallel algorithms and architectures used in Computer Vision. The problem of visual recognition is divided into three conceptual levels — low-level, intermediate-level and high-level. There are few conceptual difficulties in parallelizing low-level vision and most of them have been parallelized. However, not much work has been done in parallelizing intermediate and high-level vision. We present parallel algorithms for low-level vision.
Selective inhibition of axon outgrowth by antibodies to NGF in a model of temporal lobe epilepsy

The molecular basis of the axonal reorganization that follows seizure- induced brain injury is unknown. Elevations in neurotrophins following seizures suggest that growth factors may play a role in this process. After pilocarpine-induced seizures, robust axonal sprouting from dentate granule cells and cholinergic forebrain neurons was evident in the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. Intraventricular infusions of an NGF-specific antibody that blocks NGF biological activity in vitro attenuated the cholinergic axonal sprouting and the increases in cell body size of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons that followed seizure-induced injury in vivo. In contrast to its effects on the cholinergic network, the NGF antibody did not decrease the sprouting of dentate granule cell axons into the inner molecular layer. These results suggest that NGF may have a functional and system- specific role in the remodeling of networks that follows repetitive seizures.
Interests Aren’t Everything: An Exploration of Economic Explanations of Immigration Policy in a New Destination

Current debates around US immigration policy are playing out against a backdrop that has changed significantly in the past 20 years: immigrants have increasingly gravitated towards “new destinations”; a large and growing portion of immigrants are undocumented; and the federal vacuum in responding to the promise and problems of these new immigration trends has devolved policy to the states. As a result, we have seen innovation on the state level as policymakers seek to accommodate, welcome or resist immigration, with varying degrees of success. In this paper, we explore the case of Utah as a new immigration destination, seeking to understand its transformation from a state with very inclusive immigrant policies as late as 1999 to one currently adopting highly restrictive immigrant policies. To explain this trajectory, we test three prominent materialist theories of public policy: instrumentalism, structuralism and strategic-relational approaches. We draw on a decade’s worth of primary data – including data on state-level legislation, key economic indicators, public statements concerning immigration from the private business sector and the LDS Church, and the editorial content of the state’s two major newspapers regarding immigration – to examine the policy explanations that grow out of interest-based theories of the state. Whereas these theories provide robust explanations for a large and diverse array of public policies, we find that they fall short in explaining immigration policy. While conventional wisdom – and extensive scholarly research – suggests that economic interests drive policy, we find that the policies around immigrants challenge this economic reductionism, suggesting the need for more complex and ideational accounts of this important phenomenon.
Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation

How does one predict which patient can be successfully extubated and removed from mechanical ventilation? This is usually simple in patients with known good pulmonary function prior to an acute, now reversed, event (e.g., drug overdose with central nervous system depression or surgery) in whom no new acute compromising event has occurred (e.g., aspiration, stroke). It is not simple in patients recovering from a prolonged ventilatory or respiratory illness that required mechanical ventilation or when a short acute ventilatory illness is superimposed on a chronic condition that may compromise respiratory reserve (Table 1). In this latter situation, knowledge and use of measures that allow some degree of prediction of readiness for withdrawal (liberation) from mechanical ventilation are often useful.
Completely positive module maps and completely positive extreme maps

Let A, B be unital C*-algebras and Po00(A, B) be the set of all completely positive linear maps of A into B. In this article we characterize the extreme elements in Po (A, B, p), p =)(1) for all m) G P (A, B, p), and pure elements in POO (A, B) in terms of a self-dual Hilbert module structure induced by each 4) in POC (A, B). Let P4, (B(H))R be the subset of P4, (B(H), B(H)) consisting of R-module maps for a von Neumann algebra R C B(H). We characterize normal elements in PO (B(H))R to be extreme. Results here generalize various earlier results by Choi, Paschke and Lin.
Measurement and FEM modeling of a reconfigurable-patch antenna for use in the wideband gapfiller satellite system

A reconfigurable aperture (recap) patch antenna with resonant frequencies of 18 GHz and 28 GHz is demonstrated for use in the wideband gapfiller satellite system The antenna is characterized experimentally with a metal strip representing a closed switch and a gap representing an open switch. The return loss is matched to within 1.5 dB at the two frequencies, consistent with nearly equal resonant impedance. Antenna patterns at 18 GHz show half-power beam-widths (HPBW) of 65/spl deg/ (E-plane) and 115/spl deg/ (H-plane) with slight asymmetry. The antenna patterns at 28 GHz show HPBWs of 75/spl deg/ (E-plane) and 50/spl deg/ (H-plane). Finite-element method (FEM) computations are performed and compared with experimental results.
Microwave spectrum of GeF2

Abstract The microwave spectrum of GeF2 has been observed and assigned in the ground (0, 0, 0), the three first excited, and the (0, 2, 0) vibrational states. The equilibrium structure of GeF2 is r e = 1.7321 A and αe = 97°10′. The dipole moment of GeF2 has been determined to be 2.61 debye by measurement of the Stark effect. The harmonic force constants have been obtained by combining the inertial defects of the vibrational states with previously reported vibrational frequencies. These force constants are fe = 4.08, f α r e 2 = 0.31 6 , frr = 0.26, f rα r e = −0.01 millidynes/rA . The cubic force constants have been obtained from the changes in the rotational constants with vibrational state and are f rrr =−22.6, f aaa r e 3 =−0.4, f rrr ′=−0.3, f rra r e =−0.0, f raa r e 2 =−0.3, f rr ′ a r e =−0.2 millidynes/ A 2 , where f xyz = ∂ 3 V ∂x∂y∂z
Coordinated control of automated devices and photovoltaic generators for voltage rise mitigation in power distribution circuits

A coordinating, model-centric control strategy for mitigating voltage rise problems due to photovoltaic (PV) penetration into power distribution circuits is presented. The coordinating control objective is to maintain an optimum circuit voltage distribution and voltage schedule, where the optimum circuit operation is determined without PV generation on the circuit. In determining the optimum circuit voltage distribution and voltage schedule, the control strategy schedules utility controls, such as switched capacitor banks and voltage regulators, separate from PV inverter controls. Optimization addresses minimizing circuit losses and motion of utility controls. The coordinating control action provides control set-points to the PV inverters that are a function of the circuit loading or time-of-day and also the location of the PV inverter. Three PV penetration scenarios are considered, 10%, 20%, and 30%. Baselines with and without coordinating controls for circuit performance without PV generation are established, and these baselines are compared against the three PV penetration scenarios with and without coordinating control. Simulation results are compared and differences in voltage variations and circuit losses are considered along with differences in utility control motion. Results show that the coordinating control can solve the voltage rise problem while minimizing circuit losses and reducing utility control motion. The coordinating control will work with existing PV inverter controls that accept control setpoints without having to modify the inverter controls.
Determination of inverse electric field strength of Ta218O5 film produced in biological electrolytes using 18O(p, α)15N nuclear reaction analysis

Abstract A 18O(p, α)15N nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) method was developed for the determination of inverse electric field strengths (also referred to as anodic constants) of Ta2O5 oxide films prepared in biological solutions (urine, blood plasma and serum). The results show that fresh biological electrolytes have inverse electric field strengths equal to 17.5 ± 1.2, 17.3 ± 1.2, 17.3 ± 0.8 A/V for plasma, serum and urine, respectively compared to 16.2 ± 0.2 and 15.7 A/V, for 3% ammonium citrate water and distilled water, respectively. The inverse electric field strength is shown to depend on the pH variation, the metal substrate and the electrolytic ionic concentration. Freezing or aging of the biological sample results in greater variation and reduction of solution pH. Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) analyses show no incorporation of ions of Z > 11.
Relationship Disruption in Adults with Cognitive Disabilities

Adults with cognitive disabilities residing in group homes face special challenges in establishing and maintaining friendships, and in coping when they are disrupted—for example, when a housemate m...
Two-Year Survival in Patients With Mixed Symptoms of Depression and Cognitive Impairment: Comparison With Major Depression and Primary Degenerative Dementia

The authors compared the 2-year survival rates of patients with 1) mixed clinical presentations (n=58), 2) major depression without cognitive impairment (n = 51), and 3) primary degenerative dementia without depression (n = 34). Two-year survival rates were 100% in healthy controls, 91% in patients with major depression, and 76.1% and 78.3%, respectively, in patients with primary degenerative dementia and mixed symptoms. Patients with cognitive impairment (either primary degenerative dementia or mixed symptoms) were 2.55 times more likely to die within the 2-year follow-up than patients with major depression. These data are consistent with previous observations that survival rates of elderly patients with organic mental syndromes are lower than those of elderly patients with "functional" or "psychogenic" disorders.
Peroxisome proliferators activate growth regulatory pathways largely via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α-independent mechanisms

Abstract Peroxisome proliferators (PPs) induce liver tumors in rodents through an unknown mechanism requiring PP-activated receptor (PPAR) α. Since PPs possess growth modulatory activities that may be important to their hepatocarcinogenicity, we aimed at dissociating the activation of growth signaling pathways from the PPARα-mediated response induced by PPs in cultured rat primary hepatocytes. Pretreatment with the differentiation-promoting agent dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) increased PPARα mRNA/protein and enhanced the expression of PPARα-regulated genes [fatty acyl Co-A oxidase (FACO), cytochrome P450 4A1 (CYP4A1)] induced by PPs. In contrast, DMSO reduced the expression of immediate early genes (IEG) expression (c-myc, c-jun, c-fos, junB, egr-1) and inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and p38 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the inhibitors Tyrphostin and PD98059 dowregulated IEG/ERKs induction and slightly enhanced the FACO/CYP4A1 response induced by the PP WY-14,643. The stimulation of signal transduction pathways by PPs can be dissociated from PPARα activation, thus suggesting that PPs could activate growth regulatory pathways largely via PPARα-independent mechanisms.
Auditory Cortical Responses to Electrical Stimulation of the Inferior Colliculus: Implications for an Auditory Midbrain Implant

The success and limitations of cochlear implants (CIs) along with recent advances in deep brain stimulation and neural engineering have motivated the development of a central auditory prosthesis. I...
Vernier-effect optical interrogation technique for fiber Bragg grating sensors.

This work demonstrates a new technique for real-time optical sensor interrogation by exploiting a novel Vernier effect between the multiple (comb) wavelength responses of a multiplexed fiber Bragg grating array and the fixed discrete wavelengths of an all-solid-state tunable laser. Sets of output photodetector voltages serve as high-resolution optical
External view of the DARPA grand challenge

The 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge (DCG) was a 'Huge Leap Forward for Robotics R&D' according to the DARPA Grand Challenge tracking website. Similar to the transatlantic flight competition that spurred commercial flights all over the world, the Grand Challenge was a step forward in the area of navigation for unmanned ground vehicles. However, questions like 'What are the important technologies brought forth by the Grand Challenge?' and 'How can these technologies assist our soldiers in the field?' need to be addressed. This paper will look at the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge from the perspective of individuals involved in some of the Army's unmanned ground vehicle programs. Information will be presented contrasting this year's competition to the one held in 2004. Details of the enabling technologies from many of the competitors will be discussed along with problems they encountered at the National Qualification Event (NQE) and on Race Day. Finally, thoughts will be presented on how these technologies may be harvested in commercial and DOD research and development for current and future systems.
Molecular aspects of hydrogen-deuterium exchange in macromolecules.

Abstract Hydrogen-deuterium exchange in peptide CONH groups has been traditionally examined from a restrictive viewpoint, merely that of a chemical probe for the measurement of α-helix content of polypeptides and proteins. Studies with model amides show, however, that the exchange is also very sensitive to H + , OH − , general acids and general bases and other features of the environment of the CONH group. Comparison of synthetic macromolecules, containing amide groups, with small molecules reveals many similarities in behavior of the H-D exchange reaction, but also striking differences in rate constant under certain conditions. The effect of the macromolecular environment can be understood in terms of the molecular details of the mechanism of exchange. It is thus profitable to consider H-D exchange as a particularly simple example of a chemical reaction whose kinetic character is altered in a polymeric matrix and to use these studies as a basis for understanding the modified behavior of this and other reactions in a protein environment.
An experimental study of energy consumption and thermal comfort for electric and hydronic reheats

This paper compares the performances of electric and hydronic reheat modes for variable-air-volume units using experimental data for a building. The comparisons are made based on the daily energy consumption associated with each reheat mode and comfort performances within a building zone. Data are collected from a full-scale heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. Weather conditions are considered and the corresponding energy distributions are evaluated. The results showed that the energy for the air handling unit using hydronic reheat is lower than that using electric reheat by about 24% when the air handling unit is operated in either the mechanical or mechanical and economizer cooling mode and 33% for the economizer cooling mode. The reheat energy for the variable-air-volume units using hydronic reheat is lower by about 75% than for electric reheat for either the mechanical or mechanical and economizer cooling mode and 54% for the economizer cooling mode. The main reason for the low-energy consumption using hydronic reheat is attributed to the lower requirement for the minimum air flow across the reheat coil. Electric reheat provides a slightly cooler comfort environment than that for hydronic reheat.
A 2D sketch interface for a 3D model search engine

This sketch describes our experiences with creating query interfaces for an online search engine for 3D models. With the advent of affordable powerful 3D graphics hardware, and the improvement of model acquisition methods, an increasing number of 3D models is available on the web, creating a need for a 3D model search engine [Paquet and Rioux 2000; Suzuki 2001]. An important problem that arises for such an application is how to create an effective query interface. To investigate this issue, we created several different query interfaces, and tested them both in controlled experiments as well as in a publicly available 3D model search engine.
Development of a thermal diode heat pipe for cryogenic applications

The paper describes the development of a cryogenic thermal diode heat pipe for space flight applications. The diode has ethane working fluid, and uses the liquid blockage technique with an internal blocking orifice, to accomplish shutoff in the reverse mode. The pipe is 0.635 cm OD by 75.82 cm long including a 2.54 cc excess liquid reservoir. Experimental data are presented for forward mode throughput vs tilt, film coefficients, and reverse mode characteristics. Transport capacity is 1000 w-cm at 2.5 cm tilt. Evaporator and condenser film coefficients were 0.92 and 1.64 w/sq cm K, respectively.
Adaptive Grid Method for Problems in Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer

A new method for generating adaptive grids for time-dependent and steady problems in multidimensional fluid mechanics and heat transfer has been developed. The method can be used with many existing grid generation schemes or can be used as an independent grid generation technique. The present adaptive method is based upon the placement of grid points in proportion to the gradients that appear in the dependent variable. The multidimensional results presented in the paper are for the unsteady heat conduction equation and have included steep gradients due to geometry and unsteady boundary conditions. The method has performed in an impressive fashion, although there is a need to control grid skewness better. A study of one-dimensional problems associated with combustion and cell Reynolds number has demonstrated the technique's accuracy and versitility. The paper also discusses the relationship of the method to other grid generation techniques, as well as extensions of the new method.
Nuclear moment of inertia and spin distribution of nuclear levels

We introduce a simple model to calculate the nuclear moment of inertia at finite temperature. This moment of inertia describes the spin distribution of nuclear levels in the framework of the spin-cutoff model. Our model is based on a deformed single-particle Hamiltonian with pairing interaction and takes into account fluctuations in the pairing gap. We derive a formula for the moment of inertia at finite temperature that generalizes the Belyaev formula for zero temperature. We show that a number-parity projection explains the strong odd-even effects observed in shell model Monte Carlo studies of the nuclear moment of inertia in the iron region.
Metal redistribution during fluid exsolution and migration in the Middle Banded series of the Stillwater Complex, Montana

Abstract Olivine-bearing zones III and IV (OB-III and -IV) of the Stillwater Complex, MT preserve evidence of fluid migration particularly in the variation of apatite compositions. This feature, coupled with the lack of evidence of the addition of substantial amounts of primitive magma, allows these zones to be used to test the importance of volatile fluids in redistributing metals. The concentrations of Cu, Au, Ag, and As all show marked increases at and/or below the levels inferred to represent the top of the fluid migration front in the crystal pile. However, no significant sulfide enrichment is associated with the maximum metal enrichments. The Au concentration peak is much sharper and offset stratigraphically above that of Cu and corresponds with the maximum Cl content of interstitial apatite. These concentration profiles are modeled numerically, assuming fluid transport and chromatographic concentration of the metals. Mass-balance calculations indicate that cumulates significantly below the level of the inferred fluid-saturation front lost Cu while those at or immediately below gained Cu. We conclude that Cl-rich fluids redistributed the background metal concentrations. Although no dramatic enrichments are observed (enrichment factors range from two to three), the results demonstrate the potential importance of fluids in redistributing and concentrating metals in layered intrusions.
Ca2+-activated K+ channel-associated phosphatase and kinase activities during development.

In ovine basilar arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs), the fetal “big” Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel activity is significantly greater and has a lower Ca2+ setpoint than BK channels from adult cell...
Species Distribution and Population Connectivity of Deep-Sea Mussels at Hydrocarbon Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

Hydrocarbon seepage is widespread and patchy in the Gulf of Mexico, and six species of symbiont containing bathymodiolin mussels are found on active seeps over wide and overlapping depth and geographic ranges. We use mitochondrial genes to discriminate among the previously known and a newly discovered species and to assess the connectivity among populations of the same species in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Our results generally validate the morphologically based distribution of the three previously known GoM species of Bathymodiolus, although we found that approximately 10% of the morphologically based identifications were incorrect and this resulted in some inaccuracies with respect to their previously assigned depth and geographical distribution patterns. These data allowed us to confirm that sympatry of two species of Bathymodiolus within a single patch of mussels is common. A new species of bathymodiolin, Bathymodiolus sp. nov., closely related to B. heckerae was also discovered. The two species live at the same depths but have not been found in sympatry and both have small effective population sizes. We found evidence for genetic structure within populations of the three species of Bathymodiolinae for which we had samples from multiple sites and suggest limited connectivity for populations at some sites. Despite relatively small sample sizes, genetic diversity indices suggest the largest population sizes for B. childressi and Tamu fisheri and the smallest for B. heckerae and B. sp. nov. among the GoM bathymodiolins. Moreover, we detected an excess of rare variants indicating recent demographic changes and population expansions for the four species of bathymodiolins from the Gulf of Mexico.
Gender differences in memory test performance among children and adolescents

Gender differences among children and adolescents were examined on 14 separate measures of short-term memory. A nationally stratified sample of 1,279 children and adolescents, 637 males and 642 females, ranging in age between 5 and 19 years, were assessed on the 14 subtests of the Test of Memory and Learning (TOMAL). Factor structure of the TOMAL was determined to be invariant as a function of gender. Using age-corrected deviation scaled scores calculated at 1-year intervals, results of a one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed only two significant differences in absolute scores across gender on the 14 memory subtests. A profile of normal variations in patterns of memory test performance across gender revealing relative strengths for females on verbal tasks and males on spatial tasks is presented for clinical use and future normative comparisons.
Novel multivalent effects of pyrazinoylguanidine in patients with azotemia

In patients with azotemia, urea excretion, urea clearance, and urea/creatinine clearance ratio were increased by pyrazinoylguanidine in a dose-related manner. Urine volume and excretion of sodium > chloride > potassium tended to increase during administration of pyrazinoylguanidine. Systemic arterial pressure declined while pyrazinoylguanidine was given at 300 or 600 mg b.i.d. for 3 days. At both doses pyrazinoylguanidine reduced plasma renin activity during the first 2 hours. Between days 1 and 3 only the high dose of pyrazinoylguanidine decreased plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone levels. These findings with pyrazinoylguanidine are consistent with those of secretion of urea in human subjects across the renal tubules and indicate that this process is susceptible to pharmacologic alteration, even in the presence of severe renal insufficiency. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1990) 47, 629–638; doi:10.1038/clpt.1990.84
Low-Pressure Solubility of Carbon Dioxide in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids Measured with a Quartz Crystal Microbalance

The solubility of carbon dioxide in a series of imidazolium-based room-temperature ionic liquids has been determined using a quartz crystal microbalance. Henry's constants were obtained for CO2 in nine different ionic liquids: 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium bis[trifluoromethylsulfonyl]amide (C3mimTf2N), 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[trifluoromethylsulfonyl]amide (C4mimTf2N), C4mimTf2N with polyethylenimine, 1-n-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[trifluoromethylsulfonyl]amide (C6mimTf2N), 1-methyl-3-n-octylimidazolium bis[trifluoromethylsulfonyl]amide (C8mimTf2N), 1-methyl-3-(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl)imidazolium bis[trifluoromethylsulfonyl]amide (C8F13mimTf2N), 1,4-dibutyl-3-phenylimidazolium bis[trifluoromethylsulfonyl]amide, 1-butyl-3-phenylimidazolium bis[trifluoromethylsulfonyl]amide, and 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (C3mimPF6). All results were obtained at 25 °C with CO2 pressures at or less than 1 bar. A comparison of results helps in understanding the role of ch...
Relationship Between Neonatal Behavioral Responses and Lactation Outcomes

The purpose of this preliminary descriptive research was to determine if there was a relationship between neonatal behavioral responses as measured by the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) and lactation outcomes for participating infants.
The contribution of HLA class I antigens in immune status following two doses of rubella vaccination.

Abstract The variability of humoral and cellular immune responses modulated by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes is a significant factor in the protective effect of rubella vaccines. We performed HLA class I typing in a group of 346 healthy schoolchildren and young adults who previously received two doses of measles-mumps-rubella-II vaccine. Rubella virus–specific humoral (serum antibody) immunity and cell-mediated immunity (lymphocyte proliferation) were assessed. Median values for antibody levels and stimulation indices (SI) were 38.63 IU/ml and 2.29 IU/ml, respectively. The alleles that provided suggestive, but not conclusive, evidence of HLA association with rubella seropositivity were HLA-B*2705 (median, 24.68 IU/ml; p = 0.160), B*4501 (median, 61.22 IU/ml; p = 0.098), Cw*0303 (median, 30.34 IU/ml; p = 0.102) and Cw*0704 (median, 26.58 IU/ml; p = 0.144). These alleles approach, but do not achieve, statistical significance. Of all the alleles analyzed, HLA-B*3503 (median SI, 3.00; p = 0.031) and HLA-Cw*1502 (median SI, 3.19; p = 0.035) were positively associated with lymphoproliferative responses to rubella virus antigens, whereas the HLA-B*3901 (SI, 1.34; p = 0.066) allele was negatively associated. This suggests that class I HLA alleles may have limited associations with humoral and cellular immune responses to rubella vaccine. These data may facilitate our understanding of immune response variation in a genetically outbred heterogeneous population.
The IBM 2560 multi-function card machine

The IBM 2560 Multi-Function Card Machine (MFCM) provides the System/360 Model 20 with a unique and versatile input/output capability. It combines the facilities of a card reader, card punch, collator, interpreter, and card document printer, all under control of the Model 20 processor. (See Fig. 1.) Two card hoppers, an optical read station that reads both primary and secondary cards, a common punch station, an optional printing station, and five selective radial stackers provide the Model 20 system with a card handling capacity never before possible with one pass of the cards.