cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vibrational Energy Distributions through Kinetic Analysis. Early Collisional Relaxation of T1 Pyrazine

A new kinetics-based method is described for determining the distribution of vibrational energy contents in a highly excited, precollisional polyatomic sample. The method can be applied to excited species whose population decay constant depends on vibrational energy. In such cases a sample’s decay kinetics will show a distribution of rate constants corresponding to the underlying initial distribution of vibrational energies. This method is illustrated using low-pressure pyrazine samples whose total T1 population is measured by triplet-triplet transient absorption and kinetically analyzed to obtain a decay constant distribution modeled as a sum of Gaussian peaks. The result is then transformed into a vibrational energy distribution using an independently determined calibration curve. The sample’s relatively narrow nascent energy distribution appears to evolve into a bimodal form through collisions with helium atoms. It is estimated that approximately 0.7% (on average) of the gas kinetic encounters between an excited triplet pyrazine molecule and a helium atom lead to vibrational deactivation of ca. 2000 cm -1 .
Therapeutic strategies for allergic diseases

Many drugs are now in development for the treatment of atopic diseases, including asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. These treatments are based on improvements in existing therapies or on a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in atopic diseases. Although most attention has been focused on asthma, treatments that inhibit the atopic disease process would have application to all atopic diseases, as they often coincide. Most of the many new therapies in development are aimed at inhibiting components of the allergic inflammatory response, but in the future there are real possibilities for the development of preventative and even curative treatments.
Validating Reciprocity: Supporting Young Fathers' Continued Involvement With Their Children

Although young fathers are important contributors to families, their involvement has long been overlooked in research literature. This article details in-depth interviews conducted with 13 young fathers to identify factors related to their family involvement. Findings, informed by generative theory, indicate that many factors support involvement. Fathers draw support from internal resources and positive relationships, and negative past experiences can serve as motivating factors. Additionally, validating reciprocity between fathers and children maximizes emotional rewards and minimizes emotional costs, thereby contributing to involvement. Relevant recommendations are discussed, including replacing deficit fatherhood models with generative research to build on young fathers’ existing motives for involvement, and incorporating validating reciprocity into parenting programs, to help fathers respond to their children.
Gel-Based Processing of Glass-Ceramic Particulate Composites

Glass-ceramic composites were successfully fabricated by incorporating amorphous lithium aluminosi Iicate (LAS) particulates into a silica gel matrix. LAS volumes in the composites were varied from 50 to 75%, and all composites were easily cast, dried and fired without segregation or cracking. Elevated temperature processing resulted in crystallization of the LAS into a P-spodumene solid solution phase as well as densification of the gel-derived glass matrix. An inverse relationship was found between densification efficiency and LAS volume percent.
The geometry of the Hodgkin-Huxley model

Abstract The Hodgkin-Huxley model for the “space-clamped” (i.e., having variables independent of position) squid giant axon is described by a system of four coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations. In this study, the behavior under various conditions of the solution vector of these equations is predicted qualitatively. This is done by studying the geometry of the phase space of an approximation to the four dimensional system obtained by assuming that the two “rapid” components of the system, V and m , are described by algebraic rather than differential equations. Using this method, known properties of the solution of the Hodgkin-Huxley equation, such as threshold, repeated oscillation under constant current stimulus, etc., are explained qualitatively. The direct relation between the Hodgkin-Huxley equations and simpler systems such as the Fitz Hugh equations, which have been used as an aid to the understanding of the Hodgkin-Huxley model, is examined. The roles of the various activation and inactivation components of the Hodgkin-Huxley model are clarified and the effect of modification of those components is studied.
Detailed investigation of the radical-induced destruction of chemical warfare agent simulants in aqueous solution.

The persistence of delivered chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in a variety of environmental matrices is of serious concern to both the military and civilian populations. Ultimately understanding all of the degradation pathways of the various CWAs in different environmental matrices is essential for determining whether native processes would offer sufficient decontamination of a particular material or if active chemical decontamination is required. Whereas much work on base-promoted chemical degradation has been reported, additional remediation strategies such as the use of advanced oxidation or reduction process free radical treatments may also be a viable option. We have examined here the primary kinetics and reaction mechanisms for an extensive library of chemical warfare agent simulants with the oxidizing hydroxyl radical and reducing hydrated electrons in water. From these values, it is seen that the reductive destruction occurs primarily through a single mechanism, consisting of hydrated electron captu...
Classifying Web pages by content

This paper describes a classification strategy for multimedia documents and reviews the prospects for detecting and filtering documents, such as Web pages, that may be pornographic. We examine several colour filtering algorithms with a view to producing a reliable skin filter. The results, very simple features extracted from an image-only database containing around two-thousand hand-labelled images, are surprisingly good. When the image results are combined with a simple text analysis scheme we are able to achieve a very accurate classification.
In vivo and in vitro activation of T-antigen receptors on leukocytes and platelets.

Serological studies on a patient whose red cells are polyagglutinable due to T activation have demonstrated concomitant T activity of the separated leukocytes and platelets. Normal leukocytes and platelets are not T active, but activation can be induced in vitro by treatment with neuraminidase or with pneumo- coccus type I11 filtrate. Such T-active cells absorb anti-T from Arachis hypogea lectin. Tests on different types of separated leukocytes show that both neutrophils and lymphocytes have latent T antigen receptors. Neuraminidase treatment of platelets does not change their ability to promote clot retraction, to aggregate with ADP, or to take up serotonin.
One loop back reaction on power law inflation

We consider quantum-mechanical corrections to a homogeneous, isotropic, and spatially flat geometry whose scale factor expands classically as a general power of the comoving time. The effects of both gravitons and the scalar inflaton are computed at one loop using the manifestly causal formalism of Schwinger [J. Math. Phys. {bold 2}, 407 (1961); {ital Particles, Sources and Fields} (Addison, Wesley, Reading, MA, 1970)] with the Feynman rules recently developed by Iliopoulos {ital et al.} [Nucl. Phys. B {bold 534}, 419 (1998)]. We find no significant effect, in marked contrast to the result obtained by Mukhanov and co-workers [Phys. Rev. Lett. {bold 78}, 1624 (1998); Phys. Rev. D {bold 56}, 3248 (1997)] for chaotic inflation based on a quadratic potential. By applying the canonical technique of Mukhanov and co-workers to the exponential potentials of power law inflation, we show that the two methods produce the same results, within the approximations employed, for these backgrounds. We therefore conclude that the shape of the inflaton potential can have an enormous impact on the one loop back reaction. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Marijuana as a treatment for epilepsy and multiple sclerosis? A "grass roots" movement.

Indian hemp, when pure and administered carefully, is one of the most valuable medicines we possess. —Queen Victoria’s personal physician1 The use of cannabis (marijuana) for medical purposes dates back almost five millennia. Western medicine publicly advocated marijuana’s medicinal properties in the mid-1800s; by the beginning of the 20th century, numerous articles in the medical literature recommended its use for a variety of disorders, including multiple neurologic conditions. The compound was available “over the counter” in pharmacies across the United States at that time.2 Cannabis remained on US formularies until 1941. It was removed only after Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which severely hampered physicians from prescribing it.2 Currently in the United States, the drug is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, thus criminalizing the use of this pharmaceutical agent. In the United States, there have been numerous challenges to the laws that pertain to cannabis use for medical purposes. These challenges have resulted in 10 states allowing an exemption from criminal penalties for defined patients who possess and use medical marijuana under physician supervision. Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, …
Metabolism of N-(purin-6-ylcarbamoyl)-L-threonine riboside in rat and man.

Abstract N-(purin-6-ylcarbamoyl- L -threonine riboside-8-14C (Ado-CO-thr-8-14C) and N-(purin-6-ylcarbamoyl- l -[U-14C]threonine riboside (Ado-CO-thr-14C) were synthesized by using adenosine-8-14C and threonine [U-14C], respectively, as labeled starting materials. The Ado-CO-thr-8-14C and Ado-CO-thr-14C were given intravenously and orally to rat and to man. Of the 2·4 × 106 dis/min administered intravenously to rats, 73 per cent was excreted in urine. More than 79 per cent of this excreted activity was in unchanged Ado-CO-thr, 2·2 per cent in the free base, N-(purin-d-ylcarbamoyl)- l -threonine (Ade-CO-thr), and less than 2 per cent in adenosine. Radioactivity in adenine, inosine, hypoxanthine and uric acid was less than 0·1 per cent. When the labeled Ado-CO-thr was administered orally, less than 5 per cent of the radioactivity was excreted in urine. Similar results were obtained in man. These data revealed that Ado-CO-thr is quite a stable modified nucleoside in vivo. Intravenously administered, Ado-CO-thr was not incorporated into rat t-RNA. In vitro, it did not serve as a substrate for adenosine deaminase, xanthine oxidase and adenosine kinase. Incubation of Ado-CO-thr with urease, acylase, protease, peptidases and similar other enzymes did not lead to any structural change in the molecule. It is suggested that naturally occurring urinary Ado-CO-thr originates from t-RNA and is excreted quantitatively in urine.
Transfluxor Controlled Electroluminescent Display Panels

The feasibility of displaying images according to electrical signals using an array of electroluminescent cells magnetically controlled has been demonstrated by a working model. A transfluxor is associated with every electroluminescent cell. Each transfluxor is set by the coincidence of row and column current pulses to a level determined by the amplitude of the video signal, stores this level, and transmits energy continuously to the cell in proportion to the stored level. Both halftone and on-off control of brightness is possible. Scanning is accomplished by magnetically switching row and column conductors. The array has 1200 elements arranged in 30 rows of 40 each. The picture is uniform, exhibits good halftones, and has a maximum brightness of four foot lamberts. To obtain sufficient voltage from the transfluxor to excite electroluminescence, drive by short, fast-rising pulses is used. Light output data for such pulses were obtained and it was found that a steeper dependence of light output upon voltage, a different color spectrum, and higher efficiency resulted than is obtained with sine-wave drive. A modification using a linear transformer to couple the transfluxor and electroluminescent cell and driven by sine waves to operate as a transfluxor-tuned resonant circuit was demonstrated to be economical in driving and setting power. For some applications, the full storage afforded by a transfluxor at each picture element is not necessary. A system was investigated which uses fewer transfluxors storing only a row of picture information at a time.
Ecological Transfers in Non-Human Communities Parallel Economic Markets in a General Equilibrium Ecosystem Model

Synopsis: The oft-cited analogies between ecological and economic systems are exploited to develop a many-species model of population dynamics. In economies, markets are the fundamental institutions in which the interaction of demands and supplies determine the quantities and prices of goods. However, economic markets are not appropriate for ecological communities, because markets rely on voluntary exchange, whereas plants and animals engage in involuntary transfers of biomass. A properly defined counterpart to markets based on biomass transfers permits a general equilibrium model of predator/prey and competitive interactions in a many-species community. Functional response from optimal foraging and predation risk provide the demand and supply, respectively, in the biomass transfers. Energy per unit time is scarce and predators and prey make optimum choices with respect to functional response and risk avoidance based on required energy expenditures. The energy expenditures are similar to economic prices: they determine foraging strategies and are beyond the control of the predators and prey, yet they are determined by the aggregate choices of all predators and prey and by population densities. The energies acquired from foraging are used in a new way to construct difference equations that determine the population dynamics.
Introduction to the Special Issue on “Understanding and Predicting Change in the Coastal Ecosystems of the Northern Gulf of Mexico”

ABSTRACT Brock, J.C.; Barras, J.A., and Williams, S.J., 2013. Introduction to the Special Issue on “Understanding and Predicting Change in the Coastal Ecosystems of the Northern Gulf of Mexico”. In: Brock, J.C.; Barras, J.A., and Williams, S.J. (eds.), Understanding and Predicting Change in the Coastal Ecosystems of the Northern Gulf of Mexico, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 63, pp. 1–5. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The coastal region of the northern Gulf of Mexico owes its current landscape structure to an array of tectonic, erosional and depositional, climatic, geochemical, hydrological, ecological, and human processes that have resulted in some of the world's most complex, dynamic, productive, and threatened ecosystems. Catastrophic hurricane landfalls, ongoing subsidence and erosion exacerbated by sea-level rise, disintegration of barrier island chains, and high rates of wetland loss have called attention to the vulnerability of northern Gulf coast ecosystems, habitats, bui...
Fathers' participation in day care

Day care researchers have primarily examined the roles and responsibilities of women. As a result, information about the experiences of fathers in day care is limited and less well focused. Four aspects of child care, including the location of care, fathers' type and level of involvement, and family structure, were used to organize a review of research concerning fathers' roles and involvement in day care. The following questions were considered. Where and how do fathers participate in day care? What factors encourage or discourage their participation, commitment and involvement? What effect does fathers' increased involvement in the care of children within the family have on their participation in day care? How might increased father participation in day care affect other members of the day care system? Questions such as these must be addressed before fathers’, as well as mothers’, roles and responsibilities in day care can be understood and evaluated.
Relationship of P‐glycoprotein and carcinoembryonic antigen expression in human colon carcinoma to local invasion, dna ploidy, and disease relapse

BACKGROUND The clinical significance of expression of the MDR1 gene product P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in relation to the intrinsic drug resistance and progression of human colon cancer is largely unknown. To elucidate the role of P-gp in these cancers further, the frequency and intensity of P-gp and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) immunostaining were measured at the single-cell level and correlated with known prognostic indices (i.e., DNA ploidy, vessel/lymphatic microinvasion, histologic grade, and disease relapse). METHODS Fifty-two untreated Dukes' Stage B2 colon cancers were immunostained with the anti-P-gp monoclonal antibodies JSB-1 and HYB-241, and anti-CEA. DNA content and cell proliferation were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS JSB-1 and HYB-241 detected P-gp in 44 and 42 of 52 carcinomas, respectively, and CEA was found in 50 of the 52 tumors. The level of P-gp expression was not associated with DNA ploidy, indices of local invasiveness, or histologic grade. In a multivariate analysis, however, a high level of P-gp expression (as assessed by JSB-1), DNA aneuploidy, microinvasion, and single carcinoma cell invasion individually predicted disease relapse (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that diffuse P-gp immunostaining is present in the majority of Stage B2 human colon cancers and therefore may be an important contributor to their intrinsic drug resistance. The association between a high level of P-gp expression and disease relapse suggests that P-gp can be of prognostic value in Stage B2 colon cancers.
Use of the American College of Radiology BI-RADS guidelines by community radiologists: concordance of assessments and recommendations assigned to screening mammograms.

OBJECTIVE. This study evaluated the use of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) by community radiologists by determining the concordance of assessment categories and recommendations assigned to screening mammograms.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study comprised the interpretations of 82,620 consecutive screening mammograms by 18 radiologists between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 1998. For all mammograms, assessment categories and recommendations were compared to determine whether they were in accordance with BI-RADS guidelines. Overall patterns of discordance were analyzed, and comparisons of discordant patterns by assessment category, patient age, breast density, and year of examination were made.RESULTS. The overall discordance between BI-RADS assessments and recommendations was low (3%). The assessment with the highest discordance was “probably benign finding” (category 3), at 53.5%. Mammograms obtained in 1998 were almost half as likely to have assessmen...
Intron splice sites of Papilio glaucus PglRh3 corroborate insect opsin phylogeny.

Full-length cDNA clones encoding the PglRh3 opsin from the tiger swallowtail butterfly Papilio glaucus were isolated from cDNA synthesized from adult head tissue total RNA. This cDNA consists of 1679 nucleotides and contains a single open reading frame predicted to be 379 amino acids in length. PCR amplification of genomic DNA with primers spanning the coding region yielded a single 2760 bp fragment which was sequenced. The PglRh3 gene has nine exons and eight introns, four of which are in unique locations relative to the positions of introns in other known insect opsin sequences. Phylogenetic analyses of amino acid and nucleotide sequence data places PglRh3 within a clade of insect visual pigments thought to be sensitive to long wavelengths of light. The genomic structure of PglRh3 is the first characterized from a member of this opsin clade. Three PglRh3 intron positions are shared with Drosophila Rh1, and one of these is also shared with Drosophila Rh2. By contrast, none of the known intron locations in a clade of anciently diverged ultraviolet- and blue-sensitive visual pigments are shared by P. glaucus PglRh3, Drosophila Rh1 or Rh2. The placement of introns within opsin genes therefore independently supports the clustering of a putatively long-wavelength-sensitive clade with a clade of blue‐green-sensitive visual pigments. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Environmental Phthalate Exposure and Preterm Birth

Importance Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal mortality, with a variety of contributing causes and risk factors. Environmental exposures represent a group of understudied, but potentially important, factors. Phthalate diesters are used extensively in a variety of consumer products worldwide. Consequently, exposure in pregnant women is highly prevalent. Objective To assess the relationship between phthalate exposure during pregnancy and preterm birth. Design, Setting, and Participants This nested case-control study was conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Women were recruited for a prospective observational cohort study from 2006-2008. Each provided demographic data, biological samples, and information about birth outcomes. From within this group, we selected 130 cases of preterm birth and 352 randomly assigned control participants, and we analyzed urine samples from up to 3 time points during pregnancy for levels of phthalate metabolites. Exposure Phthalate exposure during pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures We examined associations between average levels of phthalate exposure during pregnancy and preterm birth, defined as fewer than 37 weeks of completed gestation, as well as spontaneous preterm birth, defined as preterm preceded by spontaneous preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of the membranes (n = 57). Results Geometric means of the di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) metabolites mono-(2-ethyl)-hexyl phthalate (MEHP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), as well as mono- n -butyl phthalate (MBP), were significantly higher in cases compared with control participants. In adjusted models, MEHP, MECPP, and Σ DEHP metabolites were associated with significantly increased odds of preterm birth. When spontaneous preterm births were examined alone, MEHP, mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, MECPP, Σ DEHP, MBP, and mono-(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate metabolite levels were all associated with significantly elevated odds of prematurity. Conclusions and Relevance Women exposed to phthalates during pregnancy have significantly increased odds of delivering preterm. Steps should be taken to decrease maternal exposure to phthalates during pregnancy.
The theoretical bandwidth advantage of CDMA over FDMA in a Gaussian MAC

We develop an expression for the minimum extra bandwidth needed for a frequency-division multiple-access (FDMA) system to out perform its code-division (CDMA) counterpart uniformly (that is, for all rate n-tuples) in a Gaussian multiple-access channel (MAC). For equal-power sources, the behavior of this factor is as an iterated logarithm of the number of users; hence it increases slowly yet is unbounded. Asymmetric power cases are also studied and it is shown that the equal power scenario provides the least bandwidth expansion factor assuming constant constraint on total power.
Education and poverty in rural China

We analyze household and school survey data from poor counties in six Chinese provinces to examine the effects of poverty, intra-household decision-making, and school quality on educational investments (enrollment decisions) and learning outcomes (test scores and grade promotion). Unlike previous studies, we use direct measures of credit limits and women's empowerment. Drawing a distinction between the effects of wealth (measured by expenditures per capita) and credit constraints, we find that the former improves learning while the latter reduces educational investments. We find evidence of a story of gender bias in which academically weak girls are more likely to drop out in primary school while most boys continue on to junior secondary school. Women's empowerment reduces the likelihood of dropping out but does not affect other outcomes. Finally, our measures of school quality have some effect on the duration of primary school enrollment but not on learning.
Isolated growth hormone deficiency: studies in pregnancy.

ABSTRACT Metabolic studies have been performed before, during and following pregnancy in a patient with isolated growth hormone deficiency. Oral glucose tolerance tests were interpreted as diabetic but remained comparable throughout pregnancy at the expense of an augmented insulin release. Decreased sensitivity to exogenous insulin was observed with advancing pregnancy. Amino acid infusion provoked a diminished insulin response throughout gestation and again post partum. While immunoassayable growth hormone (HGH) was absent in all studies, human placental lactogen (HPL) was detectable in increasing concentrations from the 21st day of gestation until delivery. A comparison of these findings with those of normal pregnancy is discussed.
Structure and dynamics of blood-clotting-inspired polymer-colloid composites

Dynamic protein and cell aggregates form during the process of blood clotting, particularly in the initial stages where the crosslinks are physical. These aggregates are the scaffold for the final clot. Recently, it has been shown that such aggregates can be formed in the absence of cells, using silica colloids instead [H. Chen, M. A. Fallah, V. Huck, J. I. Angerer, A. J. Reininger, S. W. Schneider, M. F. Schneider and A. Alexander-Katz, Nat. Commun., 2013, 4, 1333]. Here we study the dynamics and structure of such aggregates using computer simulations. Our models are highly coarse-grained, and allow us to probe large length scales over long time scales. Here, we probe the system changing multiple aspects that contribute to the aggregation process, namely density of polymers and colloids, length of polymers, number of binding units per chain, shear rate, etc. In particular we find that the dynamics and structure of the polymers is dominated by the length of the polymers, as well as the number of binders per polymer. Interestingly the density does not have a large effect. Counter-intuitively, long polymers tend to form looser aggregates and sharply transform at higher rates to rather dense aggregates, while at lower rates the structure of the aggregates for the smaller polymers is much more compact. For all the different conditions, we find that they all behave qualitatively the same, yet there are some marked quantitative differences that can be exploited in real experiments. Our results complement recent studies on such aggregates and are important for understanding this newly discovered class of aggregates that could potentially have applications in multiple technologies.
Polarization models of halo phenomena. I. The parhelic circle

An optical model of the parhelic circle is computed which includes the Stokes parameters of polarization. The model is based on one of two closely related mechanisms in crystals which are known to exist in cirrus clouds. An analysis of the circumstances of occurrence shows that one mechanism—external reflection from the side faces of ice crystal plates with c axes vertical—probably generates most parhelic circles.
Ethnic links, location choice and performance: A test of the rural motel industry

This paper explores whether membership in ethnically based groups influences conduct and performance in a spatially dispersed industry. We test two propositions. First, when group members own several units in a given market, prices and revenues might be similar to when just one person owned these units. Second, if group membership provides such performance benefits, members may locate their units to obtain these benefits. Using over a thousand hotels located in rural Texas, we test the role of ethnic group membership by examining hotels owned by individuals with the surname “Patel”. This surname is common in the hotel industry, with some estimates of Patels owning one in four U.S. motels. Though most are not directly related, much anecdotal evidence suggests that Patels try to lessen the competition among their units. Interestingly, we find that for Patel-owned hotels, proximity of other Patels confers no performance gains. While collocating at a regional level, Patels do not collocate at the finer zip code level, which prevents them from coordinating to enhance performance.
The voices of Jacob on the streets of Brooklyn: Black and Jewish Israelites in and around Crown Heights

In this article, I show how categories of identity formation such as “race,”“religion,”“Blackness,” and “Jewishness” may be used—often in tandem—as historiographic tools, helping communities lay claim to contested pasts. I examine the historiographic discourses of Blacks and Jews in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights, focusing on the competing claims of Israelite descent advanced by the Lubavitch Hasidim and the Black Hebrew Israelites. Although I trace the roles of both race and religion in these historical narratives, I argue that such categories cannot fully account for the histories and identities of many Crown Heights residents.
Multidonor Analysis Reveals Structural Elements, Genetic Determinants, and Maturation Pathway for HIV-1 Neutralization by VRC01-Class Antibodies.

Antibodies of the VRC01 class neutralize HIV-1, arise in diverse HIV-1-infected donors, and are potential templates for an effective HIV-1 vaccine. However, the stochastic processes that generate repertoires in each individual of >1012 antibodies make elicitation of specific antibodies uncertain. Here we determine the ontogeny of the VRC01 class by crystallography and next-generation sequencing. Despite antibody-sequence differences exceeding 50%, antibody-gp120 cocrystal structures reveal VRC01-class recognition to be remarkably similar. B cell transcripts indicate that VRC01-class antibodies require few specific genetic elements, suggesting that naive-B cells with VRC01-class features are generated regularly by recombination. Virtually all of these fail to mature, however, with only a few—likely one—ancestor B cell expanding to form a VRC01-class lineage in each donor. Developmental similarities in multiple donors thus reveal the generation of VRC01-class antibodies to be reproducible in principle, thereby providing a framework for attempts to elicit similar antibodies in the general population.
Immunization with Ehrlichia P28 Outer Membrane Proteins Confers Protection in a Mouse Model of Ehrlichiosis

The obligately intracellular bacterium Ehrlichia chaffeensis that resides in mononuclear phagocytes is the etiologic agent of human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis (HME). HME is an emerging and often life-threatening, tick-transmitted infectious disease in the United States. Effective primary immune responses against Ehrlichia infection involve generation of Ehrlichia-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing CD4(+) T cells and cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells, activation of macrophages by IFN-γ, and production of Ehrlichia-specific antibodies of the Th1 isotype. Currently, there are no vaccines available against HME. We evaluated the ability of 28-kDa outer membrane proteins (P28-OMP-1) of the closely related Ehrlichia muris to stimulate long-term protective memory T and B cell responses and confer protection in mice. The spleens of mice vaccinated with E. muris P28-9, P28-12, P28-19, or a mixture of these three P28 proteins (P28s) using a DNA prime-protein boost regimen and challenged with E. muris had significantly lower bacterial loads than the spleens of mock-vaccinated mice. Mice immunized with P28-9, P28-12, P28-19, or the mixture induced Ehrlichia-specific CD4(+) Th1 cells. Interestingly, mice immunized with P28-14, orthologs of which in E. chaffeensis and E. canis are primarily expressed in tick cells, failed to lower the ehrlichial burden in the spleen. Immunization with the recombinant P28-19 protein alone also significantly decreased the bacterial load in the spleen and liver compared to those of the controls. Our study reports, for the first time, the protective roles of the Ehrlichia P28-9 and P28-12 proteins in addition to confirming previous reports of the protective ability of P28-19. Partial protection induced by immunization with P28-9, P28-12, and P28-19 against Ehrlichia was associated with the generation of Ehrlichia-specific cell-mediated and humoral immune responses.
On the chromatic number of set systems

An (r; l)-system is an r-uniform hypergraph in which every set of l vertices lies in at most one edge. Let mk(r; l) be the minimum number of edges in an (r; l)-system that is not k-colorable. Using probabilistic techniques, we prove that
Optimal Control Based Sensor Deployment Incorporating Centralized Data Fusion

Data fusion methods that involve combining information from multiple sensors can be used to satisfy detection and false alarm requirements in a distributed sensor network (DSN) based detection system. However, due to limited sensing and communication capabilities of sensors, the positions at which sensors are deployed play an important role in determining overall system performance. We study the problem of determining the positions where a fixed number of sensors are to be deployed in order to 1) meet false alarm requirements, and 2) minimize the squared error (SE) between achieved and required detection probabilities. Towards this end, we propose a novel treatment of the deployment problem within the optimal control theory framework. Specifically, we model the deployment problem as a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) problem, where the sensor positions serve as control vectors. Based on this formulation, we develop two sequential sensor deployment algorithms and study the impact of dynamically updating the collaboration radius. Simulation results show that, in comparison with existing heuristic algorithms, our proposed algorithms use up to 30% fewer number of sensors to satisfy detection and false alarm requirements when using a fixed collaboration radius. Additionally, we show that the use of a dynamic collaboration radius can save up to 45% in the number of sensors used relative to the fixed collaboration case.
Multilocus Sequence Typing Has Better Discriminatory Ability for Typing Vibrio cholerae than Does Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis and Provides a Measure of Phylogenetic Relatedness

Twenty-two Vibrio cholerae isolates, including some from “epidemic” (O1 and O139) and “nonepidemic” serogroups, were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) by using three housekeeping genes, gyrB, pgm, and recA; sequence data were also obtained for the virulence-associated genes tcpA, ctxA, and ctxB. Even with the small number of loci used, MLST had better discriminatory ability than did PFGE. On MLST analysis, there was clear clustering of epidemic serogroups; much greater diversity was seen among tcpA- and ctxAB-positive V. cholerae strains from other, nonepidemic serogroups, with a number of tcpA and ctxAB alleles identified.
Kinematic analysis of side-by-side stepping with intentional and unintentional synchronization

Interpersonal synchronization of stepping during side-by-side walking may assist in the rehabilitation of gait for mildly impaired individuals. However, little is known regarding the effects of step synchronization on lower limb movement kinematics. The purpose of this study was to compare normal treadmill walking to walking under conditions of intentional and unintentional synchronization of stepping. Twenty pairs of subjects walked on side-by-side treadmills independently, paired (side-by-side under conditions in which unintentional synchronization was likely to occur), and paired with forced synchronization (instructed to purposely synchronize stepping). Of these 20 pairs, six pairs (12 individuals) demonstrated unintentional synchronization for over 99% of the paired walking trial. An optical motion capture system was used to compare lower limb kinematics for each of the three walking conditions in these six pairs. The data indicated that forced synchronization of stepping resulted in steps that were significantly smaller and faster when compared to independent and unintentional synchronization conditions. In addition, stride time standard deviation was reduced for both the intentional and unintentional synchronization conditions, but these reductions were not significant. No differences were noted between the unintentional synchronization and independent walking conditions. These results suggest that unintentional synchronization might be preferable to intentional synchronization for gait rehabilitation in certain individuals. Additional work is necessary to understand the effects of side-by-side walking and its potential for use in a therapeutic setting.
Functionality of Varroa-Resistant Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) When Used in Migratory Beekeeping for Crop Pollination

ABSTRACT Two types of honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), bred for resistance to Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman were evaluated for performance when used in migratory crop pollination. Colonies of Russian honey bees (RHB) and outcrossed bees with Varroa-sensitive hygiene (VSH) were managed without miticide treatments and compared with colonies of Italian honey bees that served as controls. Control colonies were managed as groups which either were treated twice each year against V. destructor (CT) or kept untreated (CU). Totals of 240 and 247 colonies were established initially for trials in 2008 and 2009, respectively. RHB and VSH colonies generally had adult and brood populations similar to those of the standard CT group regarding pollination requirements. For pollination of almonds [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb] in February, percentages of colonies meeting the required six or more frames of adult bees were 57% (VSH), 56% (CT), 39% (RHB), and 34% (CU). RHB are known to have small ...
Wise Mind project: a school-based environmental approach for preventing weight gain in children.

Objective: The Wise Mind pilot study compared the efficacy of an environmental approach for prevention of inappropriate weight gain in children with an active control condition that used an environmental approach for modifying expectancies related to the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. Research Methods and Procedures: A total of 670 second to sixth grade students from four schools were enrolled in the study. The study spanned 2 academic years, and 586 students were available for evaluation at the end of the study. Two schools were randomly assigned to each treatment arm. The environmental approach for weight gain prevention focused on modification of eating habits and physical activity, and the active control group focused on modification of expectancies related to substance use. Results: Using an intention to treat design, the study found no differences in weight gain prevention between the two interventions. The weight gain prevention program was associated with reduction of total caloric intake, reduction of dietary fat intake, reduction of protein intake, and increased physical activity in comparison with the active control group and relative to baseline. These changes in food intake were attributed to changes in food selections that resulted from modification of school cafeteria menus and food preparation. Discussion: The Wise Mind school-based weight gain prevention program induced behavioral changes in healthy eating and physical activity but did not induce significant changes in body weight in comparison with the control arm. Recommendations for future research are provided.
The contrasting effects of a dietary soya lecithin product and corn oil on lipoprotein lipids in normolipidemic and familial hypercholesterolemic subjects.

The effect of 36 g per day of an oral soya lecithin product (LEC), supplementing an ad libitum diet, on the plasma lipoprotein lipid levels of 12 subjects with normolipidemia and 6 with hypercholesterolemia was evaluated and compared with the effect of 30.5 g corn oil (CO), containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) equivalent to those in the LEC, to determine whether the PUFA content of the LEC was responsible for changes in the lipoprotein lipids. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CH) was increased by LEC (normolipidemics, n = 12 : ↑ 4.4 ± 2.0% (x ± SEM), P < 0.05; hypercholesterolemics, n = 6: ↑ 8.7 ± 2.4%, P < 0.02) but was not changed by CO. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH) was reduced significantly by CO (normolipidemics: ↓ 12.3 ± 2.3%, P < 0.002; hypercholesterolemics: ↑ 9.8 ± 1.5%, P < 0.002) and reduced to a lesser extent by LEC (normolipidemics: ↑ 6.2 ± 1.3%, P = < 0.05; hypercholesterolemics: ↑ 4.4 ± 4.5%, 0.4 < P < 0.5). Total cholesterol (T-CH) was not modified as a result of taking LEC, because of opposite HDL- and LDL-CH responses, but was reduced as a result of taking CO (normolipidemics: ↓ 8.4 ± 1.2%, P < 0.002; hypercholesterolemics: ↑ 6.2 ± 1.5%, P < 0.01). The T-CH/HDL-CH ratio was decreased by approximately the same amount as a result of taking LEC (normolipidemics: ↑ 7.2 ± 1.5%, P < 0.002; hypercholesterolemics:↑ 9.2 ± 3.7%,0.05 < P < 0.1) and CO (normolipidemics: ↓ 7.8 ± 2.0,0.05 < P < 0.10;hypercholesterolemics:↑ 9.5 ± 2.1%, P < 0.001). The triglycerides were generally reduced in normolipidemics taking either supplement but were increased in hypercholesterolemics taking LEC and not changed in those taking CO. The hypercholesterolemics also increased their body weight when taking LEC (P < 0.05). We conclude that LEC may increase HDL-CH by a mechanism independent of its PUFA content, whereas the PUFA content of both LEC and CO may alter the LDL-CH levels.
dup(4p 15→4pter) in a 19‐year‐old woman resulting from a maternal 4;14 translocation

We describe a 19-year-old woman who has a duplication of 4p. The karyotype is 46,XX, - 14, + der(14),t(4;14) (p15;p12)mat in lymphocytes and skin fibroblasts. The patient has coarse hair, prominent forehead and tip of nose, coloboma, scoliosis, and mental retardation.
Chaos, Strange Attractors, and Weather.

Abstract Some of the basic principles of the theory of dynamical systems are presented, introducing the reader to the concepts of chaos theory and strange attractors and their implications in meteorology. New numerical techniques to analyze weather data according to the above theory are also presented.
The African Diaspora's Impact on Homeland National Identity

Many African countries have finally joined the ranks of "emigrant states", with their citizens or nationals -- most of whom never forgot the homeland -- spread across the world and within the continent. As African governments have moved to either partner or structure the African diaspora's well-known long-distant social obligations to the homeland with a view to extending the frontiers of their citizens' loyalty, their conceptions of the diaspora have been transformed, just as the diaspora itself has taken advantage of this rapprochement to assert rights claims in many ways unimagined three decades ago. This paper explores the outlines of these transformations by focusing on four dimensions of diaspora-homeland transnationalism, namely diaspora remittances, investments and other economic activities; renegotiation of citizenship and nationality laws; diaspora membership and participation in homeland political associations within the homeland and from their foreign locations; and the impact of African diaspora's cyber-citizenship and cyber-political activities on the conception of national and cultural identities within the homeland and among diaspora communities.
NEUROBLASTOMA AND PATERNAL OCCUPATION A CASE-CONTROL ANALYSIS

The peak incidence of neuroblastoma during early infancy suggests that prezygotic or prenatal exposures to carcinogens could be implicated. Several recent epidemiologic studies have suggested an association between parental exposure to petrochemicals and ionizing radiation and the development of cancer in the offspring. This paper is a population-based case-control analysis of the birth certificate data of 157 children who died in Texas from neuroblastoma in 1964-1978 and 314 controls randomly selected from all live births in Texas. Children of fathers employed in occupations with electromagnetic field exposure were at significantly increased risk (odds ratio = 2.13). The odds ratio was 11.75 for children of fathers who reported themselves to be electronics workers (6 cases, 1 control).
Power in Collaborative Rulemaking Processes: Writing the Rules for US Hydroelectric Project Licensing

In the United States, government agencies at the national and state levels increasingly have resolved conflict using collaborative tools such as facilitated negotiation, policy dialogues, mediation, and negotiated rule-making. Despite growing use of these tools, numerous writers caution against the notion that collaboration should be embraced as the preferred solution to complex policy disputes. Concerns have been raised about the relative power and authority of participants in such processes, reflecting the potential for exclusion, domination, or cooptation of some parties. Some research suggests that differences in political resources account for the privileging of some parties in negotiated rulemaking processes (Langbein, 2002). The objective of this research is to enrich our understanding of the forms and expressions of power employed by parties to collaborative rulemaking processes. A collaborative rulemaking process is analyzed using Hardy & Phillips (1998) framework of power to understand the means by which parties attempt to frame the conflict and establish the legitimacy of their claims. This analysis offers insight into how organizations seek to satisfy their interests within a collaborative process through the use of authority, resources and discursive legitimacy. It also illustrates how organizations seek to enhance their discursive legitimacy by linking their efforts to larger societal values.
Physiology, Pharmacology, and Topography of Cholinergic Neocortical Oscillations In Vitro

Lukatch, Heath S. and M. Bruce MacIver. Physiology, pharmacology, and topography of cholinergic neocortical oscillations in vitro. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 2427–2445, 1997. Rat neocortical brain slices...
Database machines

There is much to be said on the limitations of the conventional Von Neumann processors and the available hardware organizations for database applications. Through research and development, several recent efforts have been in the investigation and development of new architectures and special prupose machines for supporting database applications. This panel aims to familiarize the attendants with 1) the motivations for works on data machines, 2) the objectives and characteristics of several categories of database machines, 3) the accomplishments made in this area of research and development, 4) the problems and current issues confronting the area, and 5) the impact of the current and future technologies on database management.