cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Excitability curves of physiological and pathological dog auricle in the intact animal.

Summary1. Three types of excitability curves of the dog auricle are described which were obtained by the method of permanent electrode implantation on either right or left auricle of the dog heart. 2. A normal curve can always be obtained within the first 12 hours after the operation. It consists of an absolute refractory period, a relative refractory period with a smoothly declining slope and a constant threshold level averaging 0.6 m. amp. 3. After 24 hours altered curves of two types appeared (a) one that showed a normal refractory period but a high diastolic threshold level. The elevated threshold was believed due to separation of the electrodes from the myocardium by fibrin deposit. (b) A curve with an abnormal refractory period as well as an elevated diastolic threshold. These latter were found to be associated with pathological changes in the myocardium under the electrodes as well as with the presence of epicardial fibrinosis.
Size Control of Porous Silicon-Based Nanoparticles via Pore-Wall Thinning

Photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals are very attractive for biomedical and electronic applications. Here a new process is presented to synthesize photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals with diameters smaller than 6 nm from a porous silicon template. These nanoparticles are formed using a pore-wall thinning approach, where the as-etched porous silicon layer is partially oxidized to silica, which is dissolved by a hydrofluoric acid solution, decreasing the pore-wall thickness. This decrease in pore-wall thickness leads to a corresponding decrease in the size of the nanocrystals that make up the pore walls, resulting in the formation of smaller nanoparticles during sonication of the porous silicon. Particle diameters were measured using dynamic light scattering, and these values were compared with the nanocrystallite size within the pore wall as determined from X-ray diffraction. Additionally, an increase in the quantum confinement effect is observed for these particles through an increase in the photoluminescence intensity of the nanoparticles compared with the as-etched nanoparticles, without the need for a further activation step by oxidation after synthesis.
Sensitive Method for Biomolecule Detection Utilizing Signal Amplification with Porphyrin Nanoparticles

Disease diagnosis requires identification of biomarkers that occur in small quantities, making detection a difficult task. Effective diagnosis is an even greater challenge in low-resource areas of the world. Methods must be simple, stable, and sensitive so that tests can be easily administered and withstand uncontrolled environmental conditions. One approach to this issue is development of stable signal amplification strategies. In this work, we applied the nanocrystal-based signal amplification method to tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin nanoparticles (TCPP NPs). The dissolution of the nanoparticle into thousands of porphyrin molecules results in amplified detection of the biomarker. By using nanoparticles as the signal-generating moiety, stability of the detection method is increased relative to commonly used enzyme-based assays. Additionally, the inherent fluorescent signal of TCPP molecules can be measured after nanoparticle dissolution. The ability to directly read the TCPP fluorescent signal increases...
Vibrations of Structures

In this chapter, we look at the effect inertia has on the response of structures. For thin-walled structures and frames, the out-of-plane (or transverse) flexural vibration is more dominant than the in-plane, and we concentrate on analyzing this. Throughout, we alternate between the free and forced responses, although restricting ourselves to the linear behaviors.
Vibrational Relaxations and Dephasing in Electron-Transfer Reactions.

The rates of nonadiabatic electron-transfer reactions depend on four main factors: the probability of finding the system in a conformation in which the reactant and product states have the same energy, the electronic coupling that drives oscillations between the two diabatic states, the dephasing that damps these oscillations, and the vibrational or electronic relaxations that trap the product state by transferring energy to the surroundings. This paper develops a simple expression that combines these factors in a relatively realistic manner. Values for all the parameters in the expression can be obtained from microscopic quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical simulations. The theory is tested by calculations of the rates of electron transfer from excited indole rings to a variety of acceptors in peptides and indole–acrylamide compounds. For the systems that are studied, the theory gives considerably better agreement with experiment than expressions that do not consider the rates of vibrational relaxatio...
“No One Will Speak for Us”: Empowering Undocumented Immigrant Women Through Policy Advocacy

ABSTRACTThis article draws on data from an exploratory study involving an organized group of Mexican immigrant mothers engaged in community-based policy advocacy in the Pacific Northwest. Participants in the project lobbied state legislators on bills expanding the rights of undocumented immigrants—most notably, bills granting access to in-state tuition and driver’s licenses. In-depth interviews (n=12) reveal that through this process, participants came to see themselves as political subjects, despite their unauthorized legal status. Findings reveal that participants’ engagement in the policy process is centered on the idea of expressing needs and reflects their interest in improving individual, family, and community well-being. In this sense, their participation in politics flows from their roles as mothers and caregivers. By illuminating the experiences of a group—undocumented immigrant women—often overlooked in research on immigration policy and practice, this case offers a counter-narrative to the domi...
Psoriasis and Cardiomyopathy: A Review of the Literature

Psoriasis is an idiopathic chronic immune-mediated skin condition in which the body's immune system undergoes several derangements, including increased antigen presentation by T cells and increased T-helper cell type 1 cytokines, resulting in skin lesions as well as arthritis. Despite that cardiovascular involvement in psoriasis is common and reported in up to 47% of cases, this association is not well recognized by physicians, dermatologists, and cardiologists. Psoriasis is considered the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the United States and affects approximately 7.4 million people. Although its exact etiology is unclear, inflammatory response to infectious agents has been proposed as one of the mechanisms. We present a concise review of the literature associating psoriasis with dilated cardiomyopathy and the proposed pathophysiologic processes for the main goal of increased awareness.
Urban Income Inequality and the Great Recession in Sunbelt Form: Disentangling Individual and Neighborhood-Level Change in Los Angeles

New social transformations within and beyond the cities of classic urban studies challenge prevailing accounts of spatial inequality. This paper pivots from the Rust Belt to the Sunbelt accordingly, disentangling persistence and change in neighborhood median income and concentrated income extremes in Los Angeles County. We first examine patterns of change over two decades starting in 1990 for all Los Angeles neighborhoods. We then analyze an original longitudinal study of approximately six hundred Angelenos from 2000 to 2013, assessing the degree to which contextual changes in neighborhood income arise from neighborhood-level mobility or individual residential mobility. Overall we find deep and persistent inequality among both neighborhoods and individuals. Contrary to prior research, we also find that residential mobility does not materially alter neighborhood economic conditions for most race, ethnic, and income groups. Our analyses lay the groundwork for a multilevel theoretical framework capable of explaining spatial inequality across cities and historical eras.
Structural Models of Developmental Theory in Psychology

This is a response to the presentation by Wohlwill (this volume). To begin, I must admit that I have been a follower of Wohlwill’s research for a long time. In particular my own research has benefited from Wohlwill’s classic work on The age variable in psychological research (see Wohlwill, 1970, 1973). His current paper adds clarity and force to these issues so here I continue my enthusiastic support of Wohlwill’s work.
Soundness And Completeness

This chapter contains a proof that the basic tableau rules are sound and complete with respect to generalized Henkin models. Soundness is by the “usual” argument, is straightforward, and is what I begin with. Completeness is something else altogether. For that I use the ideas developed simultaneously in [Tak67, Pra68], where they were applied to give a non-constructive proof of a cut eliminat ion theorem.
FUS causes synaptic hyperexcitability in Drosophila dendritic arborization neurons

Mutations in the nuclear localization signal of the RNA binding protein FUS cause both Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These mutations result in a loss of FUS from the nucleus and the formation of FUS-containing cytoplasmic aggregates in patients. To better understand the role of cytoplasmic FUS mislocalization in the pathogenesis of ALS, we identified a population of cholinergic neurons in Drosophila that recapitulate these pathologic hallmarks. Expression of mutant FUS or the Drosophila homolog, Cabeza (Caz), in class IV dendritic arborization neurons results in cytoplasmic mislocalization and axonal transport to presynaptic terminals. Interestingly, overexpression of FUS or Caz causes the progressive loss of neuronal projections, reduction of synaptic mitochondria, and the appearance of large calcium transients within the synapse. Additionally, we find that overexpression of mutant but not wild type FUS results in a reduction in presynaptic Synaptotagmin, an integral component of the neurotransmitter release machinery, and mutant Caz specifically disrupts axonal transport and induces hyperexcitability. These results suggest that FUS/Caz overexpression disrupts neuronal function through multiple mechanisms, and that ALS-causing mutations impair the transport of synaptic vesicle proteins and induce hyperexcitability.
SGLT inhibition: a possible adjunctive treatment for type 1 diabetes

Purpose of review To identify and evaluate the recent trials of sodium-glucose cotransporter 1 and 2 (SGLT1 and SGLT2, respectively) inhibitor use in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). SGLT-2 inhibitors have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are effectively used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, many studies (phase I-III) have validated their effects beyond improving glycemic control and have shown potential adjunctive use in adult patients with T1D treated with insulin therapy alone. Recent findings A review of the literature showed that there is a potential adjunctive role for the SGLT inhibitors with insulin in T1D for improving glycemic control. The inTandem3 (A phase III study to evaluate the safety of sotagliflozin in patients with type 1 diabetes who have inadequate glycemic control with insulin therapy alone) and the DEPICT-1 (Dapagliflozin evaluation in patients with inadequately controlled type 1 diabetes) trials demonstrated significant benefits in adult patients with T1D. The SGLT inhibitors may become the first oral medication to be approved for adjunctive use in T1D. Summary The risk of diabetic ketoacidosis still remains a concern, but considering additional benefits beyond glucose control, with proper counseling and education, these medications may allow a larger number of patients to achieve target glucose control without weight gain or increased risk of hypoglycemia.
Abstract 17914: C-Reactive Protein and Sleep Apnea Symptoms in World Trade Center Responders

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is particularly prevalent in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). OSA is not an isolated sleep disturbance: the extent of its role as a causative agent in development and progression of CVD is under investigation. The hypoxemic stress that occurs during apneas leads to systemic inflammation and studies have shown correlations in the severity of OSA and the elevation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP). We seek to characterize the association of CRP and patients at risk for OSA as assessed by the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) and hypothesize that a positive relationship might improve diagnosis of OSA. Methods We evaluated 1,976 participants in the Law Enforcement Cardiac Screening Program, a subset of the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program. Abnormal CRP is defined as CRP >/= 2 mg/L. Subjects with a positive response in 2 of the 3 categories from the Berlin Questionnaire are considered to be at high risk for OSA. We used chi-squared test and multivariate binary logistic regression in SPSS 19.0 to analyze the relationship between CRP and risk for OSA. Results Mean age is 46.77 ± 5.38 years and mean CRP is 3.26 ± 6.29. CRP >/= 2 was significantly related to high risk for OSA, p = 0.001. When adjusted for age, gender, and family history of coronary artery disease, CRP >/= 2 and risk for OSA are still significantly correlated ( p Conclusion CRP >/= 2 is associated with being at high risk for OSA. This association may trigger more practitioners to screen their patients with high CRP values for OSA. The presence of a positive inflammatory marker with its implications for systemic disease may encourage patients to undergo the time-consuming diagnosis of and to be adherent to the cumbersome treatment of OSA, potentially resulting in improvement of their cardiovascular health, an exciting area for further research. Funding Source: NY Fraternal Order of Police, via Office of the NY Attorney General Charity Fund.
The erbium micropeel: a prospective, randomized trial of the effects of two fluence settings on facial photoaging.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that a series of low-energy, single-pass ablative laser resurfacing micropeels can reduce photoaging with decreased downtime. This randomized, prospective single-blinded trial sought to determine the ideal settings of sequential erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser treatments that maximize efficacy and patient satisfaction. METHODS: Forty-six subjects with mild-to-moderate facial dyschromia and rhytides were evenly randomized to two Er:YAG treatment arms. Patients in the lower fluence (LF) (2.5 J/cm2) and higher fluence (HF) (3.8 J/cm2) groups each received three one-pass, full-face treatments one month apart. Patient and investigator assessments of rhytides, dyschromia and global appearance were performed at baseline and at four, eight and 20 weeks using a nominal scale from 1–4. Adverse events and patient satisfaction were also evaluated. RESULTS: Patient scores showed rhytid improvement only with HF treatments. Investigator scores at three months post-treatment showed dyschromia was significantly improved in both study arms, with a 24 and 36 percent reduction for the LF and HF groups, respectively. Global appearance scores improved by 25 and 32 percent, respectively. A trend towards greater post-procedure erythema and time-to-erythema resolution was observed in the HF group. Mild peeling was the most common adverse event. Individuals who underwent LF treatments were more likely to pursue future treatments. CONCLUSION: Both settings resulted in moderate but significant improvement in dyschromia, although only HF treatment improved rhytides. The decreased downtime of LF treatments made this the preferred choice of patients.
Eindimensionale Optimierung (Liniensuche)

Bei vielen Optimierungsalgorithmen muss (immer wieder) auf einer Gerade (oder einem endlichen Stuck einer Gerade) eine optimale Schrittweite λ k bestimmt werden, so dass aus einem Ausgangspunkt x k und der Bewegungsrichtung d k ein neuer Iterationspunkt x k+1 = x k + λ k d k entsteht. Dabei spielt es eigentlich keine Rolle, ob wir im ℝ n auf einer Gerade optimieren oder eine einfache Punktion von ℝ nach ℝ betrachten. In jedem Fall entsteht das sogenannte Liniensuche-Problem: $$ \min \Theta (\lambda ) = f({{x}_{k}} + \lambda {{d}_{k}})\quad unter\quad \lambda \in [a,b],a,b \in \bar{\mathbb{R}}. $$
General equilibrium economy-wide impacts of the increased energy taxes in Vietnam

Abstract The Vietnamese Government is proposing a new tax levy on either petroleum products or coal, or both. That is, the Government expects to increase the current tax rates to the maximum levels set previously. In this instance, the tax on coal is intended to increase by 50%, while the tax on petroleum products is intended to increase by 33.33%. This study employs a computable general equilibrium model to assess the effects of these increases in taxes on the Vietnamese economy, focusing on energy, transportation, and the private sectors. Results show that an increase in tax on petroleum products will considerably affect the country with a reduction of real GDP by 1.99%. Exports and imports are also highly unfavorably affected. In this instance, the total emission level will be reduced by 7.12%. The increased tax on coal, however, will allow Vietnam to experience much lower unfavorable effects, while being able to cut a substantial amount of the emission level. For example, real GDP would only decline by 0.51%, while total emission level will be reduced by 10.25%. If these taxes are increased together, Vietnam will experience considerable contractions in the economy, but it is able to reduce a substantial emission level.
Pharmacist-led telehealth disease management program for patients with diabetes and depression.

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to determine whether a pharmacist-led telehealth disease management program is superior to usual care of nurse-led telehealth in improving diabetes medication ...
What Is Computing All About

We begin our explorations of what computing is all about by studying a game. It’s a one-person domino game, so it is a little boring, for there is no opponent to beat. This version of the domino game is played with three differently configured pieces, each of which is available in unlimited quantity. The three pieces are as in Figure 1.1.
Efficient implementation of MPI-3 RMA over openFabrics interfaces

Abstract The Message Passing Interface (MPI) standard supports Remote Memory Access (RMA) operations, where a process can read or write memory of another process without requiring the target process to be involved in the communication. This enables new more efficient programming models. This paper describes the RMA design and implementation in MPICH-OFI, an MPICH-based open source implementation of the MPI standard that uses the OpenFabrics Interfaces* (OFI*) to communicate with the underlying network fabric. MPICH-OFI is based on a new communication layer called CH4, which was designed to achieve high performance by minimizing the runtime software overhead and by having an internal API that is well aligned with MPI functions. MPICH-OFI uses the OpenFabrics Interfaces (OFI), a lightweight communication framework to support modern high-speed interconnects. Thanks to CH4 and OFI, MPICH-OFI achieves low latency and high bandwidth for RMA operations. Our experimental results using microbenchmarks show that MPICH-OFI achieves more than 3x better put/get latency and bandwidth than MPICH CH3, 10% better latency than Open MPI and MVAPICH2, and more than 1.7x bandwidth than MVAPICH2 for small messages ( ≤ 4KB), on Intel® Omni-Path Architecture.
Biological Aspects of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Ferroptosis

Since its discovery in 2012, ferroptosis has been well characterized as an iron-dependent regulated form of cell death caused by the accumulation of lipid-based reactive oxygen species. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response is one of the interesting biological events in ferroptosis. Recent studies reveal that the ferroptotic agent-induced ER stress response plays an important role in the crosstalk between ferroptosis and apoptosis. This chapter presents the current state of knowledge on the ferroptotic agent-induced ER stress response and its role in the crosstalk between ferroptosis and other types of cell death.
SMARTS: the social media-based addiction recovery and intervention targeting server.

Motivation Substance abuse and addiction is a significant contemporary health crisis. Modeling its epidemiology and designing effective interventions requires real-time data analysis along with the means to contextualize addiction patterns across the individual-to-community scale. In this context, social media platforms have begun to receive significant attention as a novel source of real-time user-reported information. However, the ability of epidemiologists to use such information is significantly stymied by the lack of publicly available algorithms and software for addiction information extraction, analysis and modeling. Results SMARTS is a public, open source, web-based application that addresses the aforementioned deficiency. SMARTS is designed to analyze data from two popular social media forums, namely, Reddit and Twitter and can be used to study the effect of various intoxicants including, opioids, weed, kratom, alcohol, and cigarettes. The SMARTS software analyzes social media posts using natural language processing, and machine learning to characterize drug use at both the individual- and population-levels. Included in SMARTS is a predictive modeling functionality that can, with high accuracy, identify individuals open to addiction recovery interventions. SMARTS also supports extraction, analysis and visualization of a number of key informational and demographic characteristics including post topics and sentiment, drug- and recovery-term usage, geolocation, and age. Finally, the distributions of the aforementioned characteristics as derived from a set of 170,097 drug users are provided as part of SMARTS and can be used by researchers as a reference. Availability The SMARTS web server and source code are available at: http://haddock9.sfsu.edu/. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Cooper’s Animal Offences: The Confusion of Species in Last of the Mohicans

In this chapter, I examine James Fenimore Cooper’s novel Last of the Mohicans, which I argue reveals a familiar interest in animals, even while roughly and contradictorily translating it into American culture and nature. The novel foregrounds the symbolic power of animals as totems for seemingly “natural” cultures, and in doing so shows both how use of animals for symbolic power works to blur boundaries between human and animals, and to essentialize differences between groups of people in the service of racist and nationalist ideologies.
A meta-engine for building domain-specific search engines

Abstract In recent years, domain-specific search (DSS) has emerged as a growing and important area of applied research in artificial intelligence (AI) and information retrieval (IR). Over the last 6 years of research, our group has developed a ‘meta-engine’ called myDIG (my Domain-specific Insight Graphs) that provides a relatively easy and customizable workflow for building DSSs without advanced technical training in crawling, information retrieval or user-interfaces. The myDIG system has been applied to some important and difficult use cases (most notably, fighting human trafficking), in addition to being used in classrooms by graduate students for building complex DSSs from scratch.
If You Build It, Will They Come? Examining Motivations of Extension Master Gardener Volunteers

Gardening activities are considered an outcome of environmental stewardship at many scales, including wildlands, urban areas, and public and private lands. Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteer...
Field assessment of bacteria and nutrient removal by vegetative filter strips

Abstract: Strategies are sought to reduce the impact of nonpoint sources of pollution, including fecal bacteria, and meet TMDL criteria. Vegetative filter strips (VFSs) are one such strategy, though <span style="line-height: 135%; font-family:
Utilizing Evolutionary Life History Theories in Family Studies

To provide a more holistic view of the family, scholars seek theoretical principles that can bridge and enhance existing paradigms. In this article, we introduce evolutionary life history theory and describe 4 midlevel life history theories (psychosocial acceleration, paternal investment, differential susceptibility, and parent-offspring conflict). These theories will enable family scholars to expand their understanding of contemporary human families from an evolutionary perspective by creating novel research questions that will lead to innovative, interdisciplinary research.
Older than the Bill of Rights: The Ancient Origins of the Right to Privacy

The origin of a legal right to privacy is usually traced to the late 19th Century, when a highly influential article of the same name appeared in the Harvard Law Review by Charles Warren and Louis Brandeis. The belief that a legal right of privacy did not exist before Warren and Brandeis appears to have led many “originalists” to argue that no such right is to be found in the U.S. Constitution. On this reasoning, claims such as those made by Justice Douglas in Griswold that there exists a right of privacy “older than the Bill of Rights,” are anachronistic and absurd. Recently, however, prominent social historians have traced, beginning in the 16th Century, an increasing appreciation of the value of individual privacy in many different areas of European culture. The growing social importance of the value of privacy is reflected by changes in religious practices, in artistic expression, in eating habits, in architecture, in clothing, and in growing sexual modesty. Paralleling these cultural developments are legal debates beginning in the early 16th Century, and rulings by common law Courts beginning in the 17th Century, challenging the practice of inquisitorial courts to compel an accused person to testify against himself; the investigational use of torture; and the prosecution of individuals based on heretical or treasonous thoughts. At the same time, judges begin to place increasing limits on the ability of state officials to search private homes for evidence. By the middle of the 18th century, as the concept of a sphere of privacy becomes widely recognized in society, one finds a judicial scholar like Blackstone treating as settled law the idea that “private vices” and “particular modes of belief or unbelief” are beyond the jurisdiction of the magistrate to punish. More generally in Blackstone’s work, one can see the concept of individual privacy begin to be developed as an integral part of his understanding of liberty. Blackstone’s concept of liberty in turn bears a surprisingly close relationship to the much later notion of “ordered liberty,” developed in 20th Century Supreme Court jurisprudence, where Constitutional limits were placed on the power of the state to intrude into various aspects of the private lives of individuals.
Abstract 19072: Cardiac Autonomic Dysfunction in Mice Lacking Methyl CpG Binding Protein 2

Background: Rett Syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder primarily caused by mutations in Methyl-CpG-binding protein (MECP2), a transcriptional regulator. Twenty-five percent of all deaths in RTT are sudden and unexpected, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction is hypothesized to be the cause of sudden deaths in RTT. However, the role of MeCP2 in cardiac autonomic function has not been investigated in depth. Design/Methods: Male (2 months) and female (9 months) Mecp2 deficient and wildtype mice were implanted with ETA-F10 telemeters and 24h recordings were taken to calculate heart rate, heart rate variability, and incidence of arrhythmic events. Effects of pharmacological stimulants or inhibitors on heart rate were normalized to saline injection response. Results: Male Mecp2 deficient mice (NULL) have a decreased heart rate (WT = 634 ±3, NULL = 518 ±8, p<0.001), while female deficient mice (NULL/+) do not present with a decreased heart rate. Interestingly, NULL and NULL/...
TDS: a tool for testing distributed component-based applications

Applications that utilize the broker-based architecture are often composed of several components that need to be tested both separately and together. An important activity during testing is the assessment of the adequacy of test sets. The interface mutation based test adequacy criterion for components can be used for test adequacy assessment. TDS is a tool that assists a tester in performing Interface Mutation testing. The architecture of the tool and the features are described here.
Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis in Rat Liver Microsome Fractions

Rat liver microsome fractions contain two general kinds of inhibitors of amino acid incorporation in vitro. The first is derived from lysosomes contaminating the microsome fractions. Lysosomes may be removed from rough vesicles (ribosomes plus endoplasmic membranes) by a density centrifugation technique. Lysosomal inhibition of incorporation in vitro is much more prominent in normal than in regenerating liver microsomes even though the lysosome content is the same, suggesting that normal lysosomes release their degradative enzymes more readily during incubation. Rough vesicles from normal and regenerating livers are alike in activity, as are the polyribosomes derived therefrom. The second inhibitor is a heat-labile factor associated with the endoplasmic reticular membrane, which requires oxidized glutathione under certain conditions and which can be reversed by an excess of guanosine triphosphate or sulfhydryl reagents. The inhibitor-sensitive step is the transfer of amino acids from aminoacyl soluble ribonucleic acid to protein. Enzymes catalyzing the transfer of amino acids from soluble ribonucleic acid to protein are less than half as active (per mg of supernatant protein) in normal as in regenerating liver when tested at limiting concentration and in the absence of GTP. Their activity is equalized in the presence of an excess of GTP. The enzymes from normal liver also increase in activity upon aging at 0°, to become more nearly equal in activity to the enzymes from regenerating liver.
A Formal Monitoring-Based Framework for Software Development and Analysis

A formal framework for software development and analysis is presented, which aims at reducing the gap between formal specification and implementation by integrating the two and allowing them together to form a system. It is called monitoring-oriented programming (MOP), since runtime monitoring is supported and encouraged as a fundamental principle. Monitors are automatically synthesized from formal specifications and integrated at appropriate places in the program, according to user-configurable attributes. Violations and/or validations of specifications can trigger user-defined code at any points in the program, in particular recovery code, outputting/sending messages, or raising exceptions. The major novelty of MOP is its generality w.r.t. logical formalisms: it allows users to insert their favorite or domain-specific specification formalisms via logic plug-in modules. A WWW repository has been created, allowing MOP users to download and upload logic plug-ins. An experimental prototype tool, called Java-MOP, is also discussed, which currently supports most but not all of the desired MOP features.
Parent Marital Quality and the Parent–Adolescent Relationship: Effects on Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes

Although a number of studies examined the implications of marital disruption for adolescent well-being, few studied the implications of marital relationship quality on health outcomes for children in married-couple families. The present study examines how parent marital quality among intact families interacts with the quality of parent–adolescent relationships to predict physical health, mental health, and substance use in middle adolescence and early adulthood. The study uses data from the NLSY97 cohort, a nationally representative sample of adolescents who are being followed into adulthood. Predictors include the quality of the parent marital relationship, the quality of the parent–adolescent relationship, marital structure, and a number of contextual covariates and control variables. Combined parent marital quality and parent–adolescent relationship groups were developed using latent class analyses and were used to predict positive and negative health behaviors during the teen and early adult years. Re...
A cyber-physical system approach to artificial pancreas design

Healthcare costs in the US are among the highest in the world. Widespread chronic diseases such as diabetes constitute a significant cause of rising healthcare costs. Despite the increased need for smart healthcare systems that monitor patients' body balance, there is no coherent theory that facilitates the design and optimization of efficient and robust cyber physical systems. In this paper, we propose a mathematical model for capturing the dynamics of blood glucose characteristics (e.g., time dependent fractal behavior) observed in real world measurements via fractional calculus concepts. Building on our time dependent fractal model, we propose a novel mathematical model as well as hardware architecture for an artificial pancreas that relies on solving a constrained multi-fractal optimal control problem for regulating insulin injection. We verify the accuracy of our mathematical model by comparing it to conventional nonfractal models using real world measurements and showing that the nonlinear optimal controller based on fractal calculus concepts is superior to nonfractal controllers. We also verified the feasibility of in silico realization of the proposed optimal control algorithm by prototyping on FPGA platform.
Atomic fluorescence in a pulsed hollow cathode discharge with a copper vapor pumped dye laser

Abstract Application of a pulsed glow discharge as an atomizer for atomic fluorescence spectroscopy with a copper vapor laser pumped dye laser excitation source was investigated. The discharge system was synchronously pulsed with the laser to provide a low noise background and the low pressure, inert gas atmosphere contributed to an almost ideal environment for fluorescence measurement. The high repetition rate of the copper vapor laser (6000 Hz) improved the detection efficiency over lower repetition rate laser systems. Disposable graphite cup electrodes were used as demountable hollow cathodes for measurement of aqueous samples. The samples were injected into the cathode cups and dried using a programmable electrothermal device for reproducibility. The discharge chamber was a commercially available vacuum chamber adapted for both flowing and static gas environments. Operational parameters, such as chamber pressure, discharge voltage, sample volume, and cathode cup diameter were evaluated for maximum fluorescence signal. The maximum signals were observed at discharge voltages of 480 V for solid samples and above 1000 V for aqueous samples. The chamber pressure (2–14 Torr) was not critical. Sample sizes of over 40 μl gave no signal increase. Maximum fluorescence signals were obtained 10–15 s (60 000–90 000 shots) following the initiation of laser-discharge pulsing. Linear calibration curves were obtained for lead and iridium with limits of detection of 15 fg and 2 pg, respectively. Although the signal was higher in a static gas environment, the signal to noise ratio was lower than in a flowing gas system.
Bimodal operation of the ryanodine-sensitive transducer calcium channel.

Abstract Ryanodine binds to the transducer calcium channel complex that links depolarization of the transverse tubule to calcium release from the terminal cisternae during excitation-contraction coupling of skeletal muscle. Ryanodine exerts a bimodal action on the transducer calcium channel complex depending upon membrane potential and concentration. When the transmembrane potential is at resting level (−90 mV inside cell vs outside), low concentrations of ryanodine 10−10 M to 10−8 M favor calcium influx from outside which in turn causes calcium release from the terminal cisternae via calcium operated calcium channels. The leak from the terminal cisternae is insufficient to cause contraction but does cause a large increase in aerobic energy utilization by the Ca-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. When the transmembrane potential is made more positive (−40 mV) the transducer channel is opened to the terminal cisternae of sarcoplasmic reticulum and is maintained in an open state by ryanodine allowing calcium efflux from the terminal cisternae to the sarcoplasm. At higher concentrations of ryanodine the transducer-calcium channel becomes open to the terminal cisternae and its store of ionized calcium leaks from the terminal cisternae in sufficient quantities to cause a contracture. The ryanodine-sensitive calcium transducer calcium channel operates in a bimodal manner. At low concentrations
University of Washington Libraries Digital Registry

Summary In 1998, the University of Washington Libraries transferred point of delivery for online services to the Web. Part of this transfer involved the design and implementation of a database of electronic resources, called the Digital Registry. Web resources are cataloged using existing workflows and data elements are transferred from the MARC record in the catalog to an SQL database. Records are mapped to subject categories by Library of Congress classification and organized within this by resource types. This article examines design considerations, workflows, maintenance, and usage of the resulting product.
IMMUNOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS OF CELL CONSTITUENTS OF PNEUMOCOCCUS SECOND PAPER.

In this paper the general immunological significance of the intact pneumococcus cell and of its protein and carbohydrate components is discussed.
Coal swelling in binary solvent mixtures: pyridine―chlorobenzene and N,N-dimethylaniline―alcohol

Abstract Illinois No. 6 coal has been swollen in pyridine—chlorobenzene mixture and the composition of the solvent inside the coal measured. Pyridine disrupts the non-covalent crosslinks in coal, so the addition of very small amounts of pyridine leads to an enormous increase in the uptake of chlorobenzene by the coal. The sites which interact specifically with pyridine can be titrated by measuring the composition of the solvent absorbed by the coal. Bruceton coal has been swollen by mixtures of alcohols with N,N-dimethylaniline. About the same amount of methanol, ethanol, and propanol are absorbed by pyridine-extracted coal, suggesting the existence of specific sites for alcohol binding. Significantly less t-butanol is bound, presumably due to steric effects. The swelling behaviour of extracted and unextracted coals are quite different, since pyridine extraction destroys many non-covalent crosslinks. The interactions of these solvents with coal are very sensitive to the ability of the solvents to interact specifically with the coal and, in doing so, to destroy non-covalent crosslinks.
Human dispersal into interior Alaska: antecedent conditions, mode of colonization, and adaptations

Abstract In spite of more than a half-century of exploration, no definitive evidence has yet come to light for human occupation in eastern Beringia preceding 12,000 yr BP. The oldest dates — between 11,500 and 12,000 yr BP — are from sites in interior and northern Alaska. Archaeological sites dating to this time period, such as the Broken Mammoth site in the central Tanana River Valley, have yielded evidence of pioneer colonization by groups with relatively little knowledge of lithic resources. Three possibly older cave sites — Bluefish Caves, Lime Hills Caves, and Trail Creek Caves — have stratigraphic and taphonomic problems that are not easily resolved. No sites in the glaciated coastal zone of southern Alaska are Pleistocene in date, and numerous objections can be raised to the viability of the coastal migration hypothesis, particularly in the western Gulf of Alaska region. For northern and interior Alaska, the earliest colonization appears to have been a “push–pull” phenomenon, linked to the dissolution of the Bering Land Bridge through a combination of rising sea levels and ameliorating climate. The climate of the “Birch-Poplar” rise in the terminal Pleistocene may have forced the extinction of obligate grazers such as mammoth and horse, but it seems to have favored other taxa such as bison and elk, at least until 9000 yr BP. Faunal data from the Broken Mammoth site in the central Tanana valley, with good organic preservation, demonstrate the utilization of a wide diversity of taxa, including small game, waterfowl, and fish. Faunal and sedimentological data give slight support to a Younger Dryas reversal, but this was dwarfed by the mid-Holocene period of dry, windy conditions during which interior Alaska may have been largely abandoned.
Management of the burned trauma patient: balancing conflicting priorities.

Abstract Purpose: Approximately 5% of multiple trauma patients sustain concomitant burns. Complicated management issues arise in these patients as burn and trauma care often conflict. This study reviews 53 consecutive burned multiple trauma patients in order to examine common management conflicts and recommend appropriate compromises in caring for these difficult patients. Procedure: A retrospective review of 53 consecutive burn patients with coincident trauma admitted to The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) from 1993–2001 was performed. Findings: In the study period, 53 patients were admitted to the Massachusetts General Hospital with concomitant burns and trauma. Of this group, 42 (79%) were male. Average age was 31.5 ± 15.0. Mechanisms included 11 motor vehicle collisions (MVC), 10 explosions, 10 electrocutions with subsequent falls, nine house fires, four motorcycle collisions (MCC), three pedestrian versus car accidents, two falls into fires, two plane crashes, and one each of a lawnmower accident and a patient drawn into a machine. Average burn size was 25.4% ± 22.4. The most common traumatic injury was fracture (52). Management of fractures in burn patients and resuscitation in head injured burn patient represented the most common conflicts in patient care. There were five deaths (9.4%) in this series. Conclusions: Burns are a rare but significant complication in the trauma patient. Outcomes are dependent on rapid trauma evaluation as well as effective resuscitation and wound management. Given the complexities of their problems, these patients necessitate a balanced multidisciplinary approach to maximize their potential for full recovery. Thoughtful compromise between trauma and burn priorities is frequently necessary.
The impact of length‐variable data and alignment criterion on the phylogeny of Decapodiformes (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)

In molecular phylogenetics, mode of analysis is typically the primary reason cited for obtaining different topologies. However, sequence alignment is as important in determining topology as analytical method or optimality criterion, particularly for length-variable sequences. We investigate the effect of alignment strategy and parameters in an analysis of length-variable 18S rDNA sequences from 41 oceanic squids (Decapodiformes), focusing particularly on the impact of including variable regions on the resulting topology. Decapodiformes are an enigmatic group of molluscs whose evolutionary relationships remain unclear because standard molecular analyses have continued to produce poorly supported or poorly resolved trees, possibly due to elevated levels of molecular evolution. We find that alignment strategy (Clustal X versus POY) has a greater affect on topology than does parameter choice. Some groups were robust to shifts in methodology, including cuttlefishes (Sepiidae), bobtail squids (Sepiolidae) and pygmy squids (Idiosepiidae). No alignment strategy supported the monophyly of Oegopsida, although Myopsida did consistently form a monophyletic group. The variable regions consistently provided more well-supported and well-resolved trees than the conserved regions alone, indicating the phylogenetic importance of including length-variable data. © The Willi Hennig Society 2007.
A concise and accurate solution for a polarization model in radiative transfer

Abstract The discrete-ordinates method is used to develop a solution to a basic polarization problem in radiative transfer. In particular, a solution for the coupled I and Q components of the Stokes vector is developed for a polarization model based on a mixture of Rayleigh and isotropic scattering. The solution is evaluated for the case of a finite plane-parallel layer that has a polarized beam incident on one surface and which has Lambertian reflection on the other surface.
Magnetic Susceptibility Measurements To Detect Coal Fly Ash From The Kingston Tennessee Spill In Watts Bar Reservoir

An estimated 229 000 m3 of coal fly ash remains in the river system after dredging to clean-up the 2008Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) spill in Kingston, Tennessee. The ash is heterogeneous with clear,orange and black spheres and non-spherical amorphous particles. Combustion produces iron oxides thatallow low field magnetic susceptibility (cLF) and percent frequency dependent susceptibility (cFD%) to beused to discriminate between coal fly ash and sediments native to the watershed. Riverbed samples withcLF greater than 3.0 _ 10_6 m3/kg, have greater than 15% ash measured by optical point counting. cLF ispositively correlated with total ash, allowing ash detection in riverbed sediments and at depth in cores.The ratio of ash sphere composition is altered by river transport introducing variability in cLF.Measurement of cLF is inexpensive, non-destructive, and a reliable analytical tool for monitoring the fateof coal ash in this fluvial environment
Malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells with the tobacco‐specific nitrosamine, 4‐(methylnitrosamino)‐1‐(3‐pyridyl)‐1‐butanone

Sufficient evidence has demonstrated that cigarette smoking is causally associated with various types of human cancers. In the United States, about 90% of deaths from lung cancer among men and 79% of those among women are associated with smoking. Tobacco-specific nitrosamines are formed from nicotine and related tobacco alkaloids and are the most carcinogenic compounds of tobacco smoke. The most potent N-nitrosamine contained in tobacco smoke is 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, NNK. In the our study, the oncogenic transforming effects of graded doses of NNK were examined using papillomavirus-immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells. Growth kinetics, saturation density, resistance to serum-induced terminal differentiation, anchorage independent growth and tumorigenicity in nude mice were used to investigate the various stages of transformation in bronchial epithelial cells. We show here that immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells in culture can be malignantly transformed by treatment with NNK (100 microg/ml or 400 microg/ml) for 7 days. Transformed cells produced progressively growing subcutaneous tumors upon inoculation into nude mice. Immunofluorescence staining for keratin expression confirmed the epithelial nature of the tumor cells. Increased expression of p16, beta-catenin and PCNA in the established cell lines were detected by immunofluorescence staining and quantified by confocal microscopy. These data suggested that NNK can induce malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells, and the tumor cell lines established are useful models in investigating the carcinogenic mechanism(s) of NNK.