cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association, interaction, and replication analysis of genes encoding serotonin transporter and 5-HT3 receptor subunits A and B in alcohol dependence

On the basis of the converging evidence showing regulation of drinking behavior by 5-HT3AB receptors and the serotonin transporter, we hypothesized that the interactive effects of genetic variations in the genes HTR3A, HTR3B, and SLC6A4 confer greater susceptibility to alcohol dependence (AD) than do their effects individually. We examined the associations of AD with 22 SNPs across HTR3A, HTR3B, and two functional variants in SLC6A4 in 500 AD and 280 healthy control individuals of European descent. We found that the alleles of the low-frequency SNPs rs33940208:T in HTR3A and rs2276305:A in HTR3B were inversely and nominally significantly associated with AD with odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval of 0.212 and 0.073, 0.616 (P = 0.004) and 0.261 and 0.088, 0.777 (P = 0.016), respectively. Further, our gene-by-gene interaction analysis revealed that two four-variant models that differed by only one SNP carried a risk for AD (empirical P < 1 × 10−6 for prediction accuracy of the two models based on 106 permutations). Subsequent analysis of these two interaction models revealed an OR of 2.71 and 2.80, respectively, for AD (P < 0.001) in carriers of genotype combinations 5′-HTTLPR:LL/LS(SLC6A4)–rs1042173:TT/TG(SLC6A4)–rs1176744:AC(HTR3B)–rs3782025:AG(HTR3B) and 5′-HTTLPR:LL/LS(SLC6A4)–rs10160548:GT/TT(HTR3A)–rs1176744:AC(HTR3B)–rs3782025:AG(HTR3B). Combining all five genotypes resulted in an OR of 3.095 (P = 2.0 × 10−4) for AD. Inspired by these findings, we conducted the analysis in an independent sample, OZ-ALC-GWAS (N = 6699), obtained from the NIH dbGAP database, which confirmed the findings, not only for all three risk genotype combinations (Z = 4.384, P = 1.0 × 10−5; Z = 3.155, P = 1.6 × 10−3; and Z = 3.389, P = 7.0 × 10−4, respectively), but also protective effects for rs33940208:T (χ 2 = 3.316, P = 0.0686) and rs2276305:A (χ 2 = 7.224, P = 0.007). These findings reveal significant interactive effects among variants in SLC6A4–HTR3A–HTR3B affecting AD. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects.
The effect of ammonia on the O‐linked glycosylation of granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor produced by chinese hamster ovary cells

Ammonium ion concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 mM are shown to significantly reduce the sialylation of granuiocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) produced by recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells. Specifically, the degree of completion of the final reaction in the O-linked glycosylation pathway, the addition of sialic acid in an alpha(2,6) linkage to N-acetylgalactosamine, is reduced by NH(4) (+) concentrations of as low as 2 mM. The effect of ammonia on sialylation is rapid, sustained, and does not affect the secretion rate of G-CSF. Additionally, the effect can be mimicked using the weak base chloroquine, suggesting that the effect is related to the weak base characteristics of ammonia. In support of this hypothesis, experiments using brefeldin A suggest that the addition of sialic acid in an alpha(2,6) linkage to N-acetylgalactosamine occurs in the trans-Golgi compartment prior to the trans-Golgi network, which would be expected under normal conditions to have a slightly acidic pH in the range from 6.5 to 6.75. Ammonium ion concentrations of 10 mM would be expected to reduce significantly the differences in pH between acidic intracellular compartments and the cytoplasm. The pH-activity profile for the CHO O-linked alpha(2,6) sialytransferase using monosialylated G-CSF as a substrate reveals a twofold decrease in enzymatic activity across the pH range from 6.75 to 7.0.Mathematical modeling of this sialylation reaction supports the hypothesis that this twofold decrease in sialyltransferase activity resulting from an ammoniainduced increase in trans-Golgi pH could produce the observed decrease in G-CSF sialylation. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Brief announcement: brokerage and closure in a strategic model of social capital

This paper introduces a model of strategic network formation grounded in two disparate modes of acquiring social capital - brokerage and closure - through the unification of a dual-level view of interactions between individuals and between groups of individuals referred to as structural autonomy. After motivating and introducing the model, we establish the existence of equilibrium and propose interesting open questions and extensions to the basic model for future research.
The effects of minoxidil on the development of the chick embryo

Abstract The effects of minoxidil were studied on chick embryos of 24 and 48 hours of incubation. Minoxidil (3%) was injected into the air sacs of the eggs at doses of 20, 30, 40, and 50 ul per egg. The controls received 100 ul of physiological saline. All the embryos, including controls, were examined at day 13. The total number of eggs used in this study was 300. At 24 hours incubation, the percentage of survival ranged from 87 to 21 as the dosages of minoxidil were increased from 20 ul to 50 ul per egg (controls = 87%). The survival of the embryos ranged from 79% to 9% after the 48-hour treatment with the similar dosages of minoxidil utilized for the 24-hour group (controls = 83%. A low incidence of gross malformations such as twisted limbs, abnormal beak, short neck and everted viscera were observed; however, the increased incidence was not statistically significant when compared to controls. Body hemorrhage and edema were of high occurence among the treated embryos. These effects are probably secondary to the known pharmacological effects of minoxidil. The frequency and types of gross malformations did not very much in the 24 or 48-hour treated groups. The results of this study indicate that minoxidil is embryolethal at higher doses and causes body hemorrhage and edema during chick embryogenesis.
Residues of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in the Spring River, Missouri

Contamination of the Spring River in southwest Missouri by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p -dioxin (TCDD) is believed to result from several well-defined point source waste disposal sites. Analyses of 31 fish samples and samples of crayfish, mussels, other aquatic invertebrates, and sediments collected in 1981-1983 demonstrated a rapid decline in TCDD levels in biota both upstream and downstream of the area of contamination and are believed to indicate a continuing, long term input of TCDD into the river. Mean concentrations of TCDD 0.5 km downstream from the area of contamination were 38 parts per trillion (pptr) in whole fish and 20 pptr in fish fillet; mean concentrations beyond 14 km downstream were below 4 pptr in both whole fish and fillets. Caged mussels (65 day exposure) did not accumulate TCDD (detection limit, 10 pptr). High fish consumption by local sportsmen may indicate maximum permissible concentrations of less than 5 pptr. in fish fillets.
On the vorticity patterns at the 300 hPa level during NO2 episode days in Athens

The vertical thermal structure of the troposphere and the vorticity patterns at the 300 hPa level were examined for days with high concentrations of NO2 in Athens. Twenty days with maximum daily concentrations exceeding 300 µg/m3 were selected at two stations near the center of the city from the years 1989, 1991 and 1992. It was found from soundings of 02.00 LST that the vertical thermal structure was warmer than normal on these days and that at the 850 hPa level the temperature exceeded the normal values by at least 5 °C on half of the days. A nocturnal surface inversion also existed on all days and the increase in potential temperature (Θ) between the surface and 1000 hPa was at least 4°C. One or two days before the occurrence of the episodes, one or more negative vorticity centers were found at the 300 hPa level, approaching Greece from the north or northwest. The negative vorticity advection caused by the approach of these centers produced the warming of the troposphere by subsidence.
Thermal desorption mass spectrometry of organic salts

Mass spectra of a series of alkyl, alkyl/aryl and biologically important quaternary ammonium and phosphonium compounds have been obtained by a direct thermal process. No means of ionization other than the heating of a salt coated filament is used. The spectra consist primarily of even electron ions for which decomposition schemes involving four-center reactions are proposed. These spectra are similar to those obtained in fission fragment induced desorption, laser induced desorption and field desorption/collisional activation, but they are produced by a far simpler means.
SOD1 (A4V)-mediated ALS presenting with lower motor neuron facial diplegia and unilateral vocal cord paralysis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative neuromuscular disease that presents with upper and lower motor neuron signs. Although the majority of ALS cases are sporadic, 10% are familial, of which 20%–25% result from mutations in the superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene. We describe a novel case of SOD1 (A4V)-mediated ALS that presented with lower motor neuron facial diplegia and unilateral vocal cord paralysis. This case expands the phenotypic expression of the A4V mutation. Muscle Nerve, 2009
Undocumented immigrants in the Los Angeles garment industry: Displacement or Dual Labor Market?

Since the mid-1970's undocumented immigration (and in California particularly, its Hispanic component) has captured the attention of the media, the public, and government policy makers. Many have viewed this immigration as a problem that mandated the recent revision of our immigration laws, and they also have called for strengthened enforcement of our international borders. One major economic aspect of this purported problem concerns the labor market impact of undocumented immigrants (referred to in most popular accounts as "illegal aliens"). Some observers have maintained that undocumented immigration causes unemployment by creating competition with U.S. citizens and legal residents for a limited pool of existing jobs. This viewpoint, which I shall refer to as the "naive displacement hypothesis" implies that each job held by an undocumented worker is likely to be at the cost of a job loss for a citizen worker. A telephone survey among Southern Californians conducted for the Urban Institute in 1983 found that 48.2 percent of those responding thought that undocumented immigrants were taking jobs away from California residents (Muller and Espenshade 1985:201).
All-metal collection system for preparative-scale gas chromatography purification of low-boiling-point compounds

Abstract We describe a purification system based on a commercial preparative-scale gas chromatograph with a custom-designed condenser, collector, and fraction handling system. In our fraction collector design, all the wetted surfaces were either 316 stainless-steel or nickel. The collectors and the integrated gas-handling manifold were designed to be used down to liquid nitrogen temperature and up to 7 MPa of pressure to accommodate low-boiling-point compounds, such as refrigerants. The design, operation, and performance of this apparatus are presented.
The Effect of Hawaii’s Ban The Box Law on Repeat Offending

The social stigma accompanying an official criminal record hinders the ability of an individual to acquire quality and stable employment, which is problematic because of the often reported nexus between unemployment and criminal behavior. Ban the box laws that limit an employer’s use of criminal background checks during the hiring process are being established across the country to help integrate ex-offenders into the labor force. The current study investigates whether Hawaii’s 1998 ban the box law reduced repeat offending in Honolulu County. Logistic regression results show that a criminal defendant prosecuted in Honolulu for a felony crime was 57 % less likely to have a prior criminal conviction after the implementation of Hawaii’s ban the box law. By mollifying the social stigma attached to a criminal record during the hiring process, Hawaii’s ban the box law proved to be extremely successful in attenuating repeat felony offending.
Synthesis and Ceramic Conversion Reactions of 9-BBN-Modified Allylhydridopolycarbosilane: A New Single-Source Precursor to Boron-Modified Silicon Carbide

The design, synthesis, and properties of a new type of poly(borocarbosilane) polymer, 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-modified allylhydridopolycarbosilane (AHPCS−9-BBN), that has proven to be an excelle...
MOBIDIC and Fieldata

In the 1950s, the "Golden Age of the Signal Corps, " a farsighted U.S. Army Signal Corps program foreshadowed many of the advanced computing and communications technologies that were not to be generally available for several decades. These technologies included compatible computers made by several manufacturers, high-availability systems, standardized interfaces and communication codes, and large-capacity disk files. The early genesis of Fieldata is described as well as the development program for the MOBIDIC machines. Details on machine reliability are provided, together with descriptions of the Fieldata code, the MOBIDIC instruction set, the operation of the MOBIDIC I/O converters, and the MOBIDIC real-time system.
An Analysis of Influence-Gaining Behaviors of Principals in Schools of Varying Levels of Instructional Effectiveness

To exert leadership in schools, principals need to understand how to influence teachers. Using established bases of social power, this study examined how principals in "effective" and in other schools gained influence over their teachers. Principal-as-expert emerged as the most important influence-gaining behavior.
A faculty member and department chair's perspectives from 12 years in a co-funded position

Abstract Co-funding of faculty positions has always been an opportunity to expand scarce faculty resources. In today's economic climate, co-funding faculty positions is an increasingly enticing opportunity. A co-funded faculty position is a mutually beneficial cost- and time-sharing arrangement between a College of Pharmacy and the pharmacy practice institution, with the salary and benefits being paid by one or the other institution with a contract for reimbursement for partial salary and benefits. These positions can provide benefits to the faculty member, the college, and the institution, but they can be complex and challenging to develop and maintain. Keys to success for the co-funded faculty member include a clear understanding of positional responsibilities of all parties involved, effective time management, written documentation of services provided, good communication, balance, flexibility, and creating an identity as a faculty member and as a clinical pharmacist. Keys to success for the Department Chair include having a multiyear detailed contract with a well-defined position description and an exit clause, an institutional and faculty performance evaluation process, understanding of institutional issues including careful selection of an institution with which to partner, and creating appropriate department balance. With thoughtful planning and ongoing commitment from each party involved, the co-funded faculty position can be a cost-effective way to increase pharmacy practice faculty positions and pharmacy practice experience offerings for training in real-world practice environments.
Exponential approximations in collision theory

The exponential form of the scattering matrix, S=exp (i A/ħ), is used to obtain a quantitative and qualitative formulation of quantal collision theory in the short wavelength regime. It is shown that to the lowest order in ħ and in the strength of the potential, A is determined by the usual first-order perturbation theory integrals, and that the exponential form above provides the proper way of extending perturbation theory in the short wavelength limit. When a classical trajectory for the relative motion can be defined, A can be obtained using semi-classical, first-order perturbation theory. Here A is the matrix representation of the classical action along the collision trajectory. In the weak coupling regime, the exponential form reduces to the usual results of first-order perturbation theory. For limited coupling, it is shown that perturbation theory correctly determines the selection rules and the ratios of the transition probabilities, S≅a0 I+a1 A, where a 0 and a 1 are given numbers, of magnitude be...
Screening for postpartum depression in an inner-city population

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of positive screens for postpartum depression by using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in an inner-city population. Study Design: At their postpartum visits, women who were seen in two inner-city practices between February 20 and April 30, 2002, self-administered the EPDS. A threshold of 10 or more points was selected as a positive screen for postpartum depression. If the patient responded that she had thoughts of harming herself or others, she was referred immediately for social work or psychiatric evaluation. Otherwise, providers were blinded to the results of the screen. Results: Of the 443 patients who were scheduled for postpartum visits during this time period, 285 (64%) patients presented for their postpartum visit. One hundred twenty-one (42%) of these patients participated in the study and 1 patient did not complete the questionnaire. Twenty-seven (22%) of the 121 patients had a positive screen for postpartum depression. Eight patients (6.6%) reported experiencing suicidal ideation within the previous week. Without use of the screening tool, providers identified 16 (13%) patients who they thought were at risk for postpartum depression. Of those 16 patients, 14 had positive screens on the EPDS. Eight patients eventually had clinical depression diagnosed. There was a significant relationship between women with elevated scores on the EPDS and a personal history of depression ( P P P Conclusion: A larger than expected number of women had a positive screen for postpartum depression in our population. This unexpected finding suggests the need for more resources to be directed toward the research, identification, and treatment of postpartum depression in inner-city populations. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1217-9.)
Phosphorylcholine and phosphorylethanolamine in human and rhesus monkey lenses.

Phosphorylcholine (P-choline) and phosphorylethanolamine (P-ethanolamine) are important precursors of phospholipids. The metabolism and concentration of P-choline has been shown to change in animal models of cataract, especially in oxidatively or osmotically stressed rat lenses. The concentrations of P-choline and P-ethanolamine were determined in monkey lenses and in normal and cataractous human lenses, and the rate of synthesis of P-choline was determined in human and monkey lenses. The concentration of P-choline in 53 clear human lenses was 0·94 m m (±0·31 s.d. ), and was relatively unaffected by age, eye bank storage, or freezing. There was a 70% decrease in P-choline in brown cataracts but no significant change from normal in nonbrown cataracts. The concentration of P-ethanolamine in human lenses was 0·45 m m (±0·26 s.d. ), and it appeared to decrease during frozen storage of lenses and in cataracts. The concentrations of P-choline and P-ethanolamine in 12 rhesus monkey lenses were 1·51 m m (±0·27 s.d ) and 0·75 m m (±0·14 s.d. ), respectively. The rate of synthesis of P-choline in monkey lenses incubated with [ 3 H] choline was 8 nmol hr −1 g −1 wet weight in 1 m m choline. Adult human lenses incubated in 1 m m choline synthesized P-choline at a rate of 23 nmol hr −1 g −1 (±6 s.d. ). This limited capacity for P-choline synthesis in primate lenses may contribute to the lower P-choline concentration relative to rat lenses, which contain 11 m m P-choline and can synthesize P-choline at an apparent maximum rate of 130 nmol hr −1 g −1 .
EXPERIMENTAL PULMONARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS.

Abstract Human pulmonary schistosomiasis mansoni is almost invariably preceded by severe hepato-splenic disease and the development of portal-systemic collateral circulation. In order to simulate these conditions in the experimental animal, mice were submitted to partial portal vein ligation (which leads to extensive portal-systemic collateral circulation within 3 days) 4 weeks following exposure to cercariae of S. mansoni . This led to a diversion of approximately 16 per cent. of the eggs from the liver to the lungs. There was an almost fourfold increase in average lung weight and a doubling of average inferior vena cava pressure by 11 weeks following infection. Sections of the lungs revealed many granulomata and severe pulmonary arteritis. Two mice had granulomatous myocarditis.
Hydrogen bonding in silicon-hydrogen alloys

Abstract Infra-red and Raman spectra have been obtained from thin films of silicon-hydrogen and silicon-hydrogen-deuterium alloys deposited from low pressure, r.f. excited plasmas in mixtures of SiH4/Ar and SiH4/D2/Ar respectively. The spectra are analysed using a valence-force-field model based on effective force constants determined from SiH4. For alloys deposited onto substrates held at 25°C it is concluded that the structure is best described as a pseudobinary alloy of the form (Si)x(Si2H4)1_ x . In contrast, for material deposited on to a substrate at a temperature T s⩾250°C, the hydrogen is incorporated onto Si-sites containing predominantlv one H-atom.
Analyses of microvascular permeability in response to mediators of immediate hypersensitivity

Abstract Mediator-induced changes in microvascular permeability were studied in rodent skin. To monitor these changes, Evan's blue dye, iodinated rat albumin and IgG, and tritiated neutral dextran molecules having different molecular radii were used. After intradermal injections of serotonin, histamine, and bradykinin, the degree of radiolabeled tracer efflux was determined by measuring the extent of blueing and the level of radioactivity in skin biopsy specimens. Although the mediators varied in potency on a molar basis (serotonin > bradykinin > histamine), the efflux resulting from each was similar. Furthermore, kinetic studies revealed that each of these vasoactive agents caused a marked but transient increase in macromolecular permeability that lasted less than 30 minutes. To determine the pore size created and the effect of charge on the transudation of macromolecules into the interstitium, fractions of neutral [ 3 H]dextrans with a known molecular size (average radii, 12 and 4.4 nm, respectively) were infused either singly or in combination with 125 I-labeled rat albumin and/or IgG before intradermal injection of serotonin, histamine, bradykinin, or compound 4880. Regardless of the mediator used, no differences could be demonstrated in macromolecular efflux, as indicated by either the molecular size of the charge of the tracer used. Thus, all mediators of immediate hypersensitivity reactions that were studied produce venular gaps >12 nm in addition to displaying similar vasopermeable characteristics.
Effects of Biosecurity Risk and Food Scare Events on Food Prices and Demand: Discussion

This session focused on food scare events and agricultural market consequences, specifically: (a) policies for preparedness and response us ing financial risk analysis and game theory; (b) resiliency of demand to food safety scares; and (c) the relationship between food safety scares, market price impacts, and volatility. Three papers address this, and we will discuss them separately and then appraise the overall session.
A New Array Fabric for Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architecture

Coarse-grained reconfigurable architectures (CGRA) employ square or rectangular arrays composed of many computational resources for high performance. Though these array fabrics are mostly suitable for embedded systems including multimedia applications, they occupy large area and consume much power. Therefore, reducing area and power of CGRA is necessary for the reconfigurable architectures to be used as a competitive IP core in embedded systems. In this paper, we propose a new array fabric for designing CGRA to reduce area and power consumption without any performance degradation. This cost-effective approach is able to reduce the array size through efficient arrangement of array components and their inter-connections. Experimental results show that for multimedia applications, the proposed array fabric reduces area up to 40.32% and saves power by up to 28.35 % when compared with the existing CGRA architecture.
Structural and kinetic study of differences between human and Escherichia coli manganese superoxide dismutases.

Human manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is characterized by a product inhibition stronger than that observed in bacterial forms of MnSOD. Previous studies show that the conserved, active-site residue Tyr34 mediates product inhibition; however, the protein environment of Tyr34 is different in human and Escherichia coli MnSOD. We have prepared two site-specific mutants of human MnSOD with replacements of Phe66 with Ala and Leu (F66A and F66L, respectively), altering the surroundings of Tyr34. Pulse radiolysis was used to generate superoxide, and measurements of catalysis were taken in single-turnover experiments by observing the visible absorbance of species of MnSOD and under catalytic conditions observing the absorbance of superoxide. The mutation of Phe66 to Leu resulted in a mutant of human MnSOD with weakened product inhibition resembling that of E. coli MnSOD. Moreover, the mechanism of this weakened product inhibition was similar to that in E. coli MnSOD, specifically a decrease in the rate constant for the oxidative addition of superoxide to Mn 2+ MnSOD leading to the formation of the peroxide-inhibited enzyme. In addition, the crystal structures of both mutants have been determined and compared to those of wild-type human and E. coli MnSOD. The crystallographic data suggest that the solvent structure and its mobility as well as side chain conformations may affect the extent of product inhibition. These data emphasize the role of residue 66 in catalysis and inhibition and provide a structural explanation for differences in catalytic properties between human and certain bacterial forms of MnSOD.
Some Analogies of Hierarchical Order in Biology and Linguistics

The ubiquity of hierarchical order is obvious, and the obvious is hard to explain, but a number of workers [1] have suggested the possibility of constructing a theory (or cluster of theories), rooted in such disciplines as thermodynamics, information theory, topology, and logic, which might reveal the underlying unity of a wide variety of branching and multi-level systems. It is the purpose of this paper to contribute to both the empirical and theoretical aspects of this discussion, by examining levels of structure and function in molecular biology and linguistics, and by developing, from parallelisms between these two areas, a hierarchical model of possibly greater generality.
Spatial distribution of primary individuals

This paper examines the regional and intraurban distribution of primary households [in the United States]. Macro-scale data from the 1960 and 1970 Censuses are used to examine the evolving regional patterns of primary individuals and households. Using intraurban data for the 1970s the paper also examines the impact of recent rapid growth in the number of primary individuals on the spatial distribution of primary households within urban areas. Inferences are drawn with respect to the macro- and micro-scale distributions of primary individuals and households and the impact of continued growth of this subpopulation on urban form and population distribution. A primary household is defined as one headed by an individual who lives alone or with unrelated persons. (EXCERPT)
Asteroid exploration with autonomic systems

NASA is studying advanced technologies for a future robotic exploration mission to the asteroid belt. The prospective ANTS (Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm) mission comprises autonomous agents including "worker" agents (small spacecraft) designed to cooperate in asteroid exploration under the overall authority of at least one "ruler" agent (a larger spacecraft) whose goal is to cause science data to be returned to Earth. The ANTS team (ruler plus workers and messenger agents), but not necessarily any individual on the team, exhibit behaviors that qualify it as an autonomic system, where an autonomic system is defined as a system that self-reconfigures, self-optimizes, self-heals, and self-protects. Autonomic system concepts lead naturally to realistic, scalable architectures rich in capabilities and behaviors. In-depth consideration of a major mission like ANTS in terms of autonomic systems brings new insights into alternative definitions of autonomic behavior. This paper gives an overview of the ANTS mission and discusses the autonomic properties of the mission.
Molecular dynamics formulation of the particle swarm optimization method

We propose an inter-disciplinary approach to particle swarm optimization (PSO) by establishing a molecular dynamics (MD) formulation of the algorithm, leading to a physical theory for the swarm environment. The physical theory provides new insights on the operational mechanism of the PSO method. In particular, a thermodynamic analysis, which is based on the MD formulation, is introduced to provide deeper understanding of the convergence behavior of the basic classical PSO algorithm. The thermodynamic theory is used to propose a new acceleration technique for the PSO. This technique is applied to the problem of synthesis of linear array antennas and very good improvement in the convergence performance is observed.
Effect of an Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program on Sleep Quality/Sleep Disturbance in Seniors With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Pilot Study

A convenience sample of senior adults with rheumatoid arthritis enrolled and not enrolled in the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program (AFEP) were compared to determine the eight-week program’s acceptability as an intervention for sleep quality/sleep disturbance in people with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as to determine if this outcome measure was appropriate as justification for possible larger studies. Results of an analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a statistically significant difference in sleep quality/sleep disturbance scores between the groups. This study provided preliminary, cautious evidence of a relationship between participation in the AFEP and its effect on sleep quality as an outcome measure for further study.
Cardiac related death in thalassaemia major: time trend and risk factors in a large Greek Unit.

Background: Cardiac complications are the leading cause of death in thalassaemic patients (TM) worldwide. Improved management protocols including new chelators and imaging have reduced cardiac-related deaths but also require more advanced analytical methods to reflect temporal fluctuations in mortality risk. Objectives: To evaluate time patterns of risk of cardiac death in TM patients according to birth cohort, gender and degree of haemosiderosis and to apply new flexible methods of analysis that may allow assessment of trends in risks as affected by innovations in management. Design and methods: Cardiac-free survival and time trend of the risk of cardiac-related death were assessed in 648 transfusion-depended thalassaemic patients (48.3% females) managed in a single unit located in Athens, Greece. Patients were classified according to birth cohort (prior or after 1/1/1975) and according to the severity of haemosiderosis (mild, moderate and severe) as estimated by the mean ferritin levels during the last 5 yr of follow-up. Results: The median time of observation was 27.8 yr and 84 cardiac deaths were recorded. A parametric analysis predicted a non-monotonous time pattern for the cardiac risk with an initial increasing phase until the fourth decade of life followed by a drop off in deaths. Women have 23% longer life expectancy than men (P = 0.010) while patients born after 1975 die of heart complications at an older age compared to those born prior to 1975 (time ratio = 1.34, P = 0.003). Patients with mild and moderate haemosiderosis lived 89% (P < 0.001) and 43% (P < 0.001) longer, respectively, compared with patients with severe haemosiderosis. Conclusions: These results on risk of death in thalassaemia, accord with expectations. This type of analysis will be useful in the future when the expected impact of cardiac MRI with appropriate tailoring of chelation therapy using all current and future options will modify the pattern of risk of cardiac death observed to date.
Tympanometric measures in ears with negative middle ear pressure, and tests of some common assumptions

AbstractObjective: To test the assumptions concerning the compensation of middle ear pressure (MEP) in using peak Ytm and the tympanogram asymmetry phenomenon, and to address the variability and reliability of 226 Hz tympanometry under negative MEP. Design: (1) Repeated measures in normal ears with experimentally-induced negative MEP; (2) Retrospective analysis of clinical data from ears with negative MEP. Study sample: Experimental data: 57 adult ears. Clinical data: 200 adult ears. Results: Mean peak Ytm significantly increased (˜ 0.10 mmhos) under negative MEPs (> − 190 daPa). TW increased, up to ˜50 daPa, for MEP ≤ − 130 daPa. Vea decreased when MEP ≤ − 190 daPa. With increasing negative MEP, peak Ytm and tympanogram gradient tended to decrease. The within-subject variation of all measures and difference between normal and negative MEP were small. Conclusions: The tympanometry procedure increases peak Ytm in ears with low to moderate negative MEP, and decreases gradient and Vea with high negative MEP....
Reasoning Exercises in Assisted Living: a cluster randomized trial to improve reasoning and everyday problem solving.

© 2014 Williams et al. This work is published by Dove Medical Press Limited, and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress.com/permissions.php
Biogenesis of Catecholestrogens: A Mechanism for Metabolic Activation of Estrogens

Abstract Catecholestrogens (CE) are products of aromatic hydroxylation at C−2 or C−4 of primary estrogens and their synthetic steroidal agonists. CE are generated in a number of target organs where they may act as. local mediators of estrogen action. They have also been implicated in carcinogenesis, since CE are substrates for redox cycling and hence, a potential source of free radicals. Biogenesis of CE can occur via two mechanisms, one monooxygenase and the other peroxidative. These two mechanisms have different implications for estrogen action because of differences in their co−factor requirement and in the amounts of 2− and 4−hydroxylated estrogens they generate. This review focuses on the phase I enzymes, the cytochromes P450 that catalyze 2− and 4−hydroxylation of estrogens, on the distinctive properties of 2− and 4−OHCE and on the phase II enzymes responsible for their inactivation.
‘It's our turn to play’: performance of girlhood as a collective response to gendered ageism

In our society that values men over women and youth over old age, sexism and ageism intersect to erode women's status more rapidly and severely than men's. However, limited attention is given to women's responses to their devaluation, particularly collective efforts to either resist or accommodate dominant beliefs about ageing women. We examine membership in the Red Hat Society, an international organisation for middle-aged and older women, as a response to gendered ageism. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with members (N = 52), our analysis focuses on the group's ‘performance of girlhood’, which involves adopting children's social roles, dressing up and playing. We examine its resonance with a dominant cultural metaphor for old age as ‘second childhood’, illustrating how it not only provides opportunities for resistance to gendered ageism but also contributes to its entrenchment. The behaviours constitute a performative act that resists gendered ageism by increasing ageing women's visibility and asserting their right to leisure. However, its accommodative features reproduce inequality by valuing youth over old age and depicting older women as girls engaging in frivolous activities, which can be seen as obstructing social change.
Securing sensitive content in a view-only file system

One of the most fundamental problems in computer security is protecting sensitive digital information from unauthorized disclosure. There are a number of challenges, such as spyware, removable media, and mobile devices, which make this a very hard problem. The problem becomes even more difficult when the adversary is somebody who is authorized to view the data. This is what is commonly referred to as an insider information leak. Insider leaks often occur out of malice, but sometimes are just due to plain negligence, as was the case with a recent leak of 26 million U.S. veterans' names, birth dates, and social security numbers. Current systems make an attempt to protect against this type of disclosure, but use rudimentary techniques that can be easily bypassed by a knowledgeable attacker. Examples include disabling "print" and "save" menu options within an application or scanning network traffic for signatures of known sensitive content. This paper examines a new method for protecting sensitive content from unauthorized disclosure, a View-Only File System (VOFS). VOFS relies on trusted computing primitives and virtual machine (VM) technology to provide a much greater level of security than current systems. In VOFS, a secure virtual machine on the client authenticates itself with a content provider and downloads sensitive data. Before allowing the user to view the data in his or her non-secure VM, the VOFS client disables non-essential device output. This prevents the user, or any malicious software, from printing, uploading, or stealing the sensitive content. When the user is done viewing a sensitive file, VOFS will reset the machine to previous state and resume normal device activity. Our goal is to provide near-seamless access to view-only files, while at the same time securing them from unauthorized digital replication. This paper presents the initial design, development plan, and evaluation plan for VOFS.
Coded DNA Self-Assembly for Error Detection/Location

This paper proposes a novel framework in which DNA self-assembly can be analyzed for error detection/ location. The proposed framework relies on coding and mapping functions that allow to establish the presence of erroneous bonded tiles based on the pattern to be assembled (as defined by the tile set) and its current aggregate. As a widely used pattern and instantiation of this process, the Sierpinski Triangle self-assembly is analyzed in detail.
Trauma and memory: Trauma and memory

The study of traumatic memories challenges several basic notions about the nature of memory: (i) that memory always is a constructive process; (ii) that memory is primarily declarative (i.e. that people can articulate what they know in words and symbol) (iii) that memory is present in consciousness in a continuous and uninterrupted fashion; and (iv) that memory always disintegrates in accuracy over time. A century of study of traumatic memories shows that (i) semantic representations may coexist with sensory imprints; (ii) unlike trauma narratives, these sensory experiences often remain stable over time, unaltered by other life experiences; (iii) they may return, triggered by reminders, with a vividness as if the experience were happening all over again; and (iv) these flashbacks may occur in a mental state in which victims are unable to precisely articulate what they are feeling and thinking. The present paper reviews the literature on traumatic memories and discusses the recent neuroimaging studies which seem to clarify the neurobiological underpinnings of the differences between ordinary and traumatic memories.
Coincidence of the thermal melting points of crystalline and amorphous Si and coincidence of thresholds for pulsed beam annealing of crystalline and amorphous Si and GaAs

Abstract In spite of the excess enthalpy of amorphism, neither the normal thermal melting point of Si nor the threshold absorbed energy density for pulsed electron and pulsed laser beam annealing of Si and GaAs is significantly dependent on whether the sample is initially amorphous or crystalline. However, the duration of the period of high optical reflectivity and the magnitude of atomic diffusion during the annealing event are much enhanced near threshold if the sample is initially amorphous. Here these facts are explained in terms of conventional theory of covalent bonding and of the normal thermal melting process and in terms of the “Plasma Annealing” theory of pulsed beam annealing.
The Cognitive-Cultural Systems of the Research Laboratory

A central challenge for science studies researchers in developing accounts of knowledge construction in science and engineering is to integrate the cognitive, social, cultural, and material dimensions of practice. Within science studies there is a perceived divide between cognitive practices, on the one hand, and cultural practices, on the other. Any such divide, though at times analytically useful, is artificial. Producing scientific knowledge requires the kind of sophisticated cognition that only rich social, cultural, and material environments can enable. This paper aims to move in the direction of an integrative account of these dimensions of practice. It discusses model-based reasoning practices in biomedical engineering research laboratories construed as ‘evolving cognitive-cultural systems’.
Coexistent phase mixtures in the anti-plane shear of an elastic tube

We study the detailed structure of the deformed configuration of an elastic tube whose cross section is a convex ring that is subjected to a prescribed relative axial displacement of its lateral boundaries. The material is assumed to have a non-convex stored energy function. Special attention is paid to the situation when there is no minimizer of the associated anti-plane shear minimization problem, but, nevertheless, the energy functional has an infimum. The non-existence of a minimizer to this problem for a certain interval of prescribed relative axial displacement of the lateral boundaries implies that among all “admissible” deformations there is none with this boundary data for which the values of the stored energy function correspond to its convex points almost everywhere in the body. Because of this, we find that to reach the infimum the tube divides into three subdomains: one of high strain, one of low strain, and one of intermediate “mixed” strain. In the intermediate “mixed” strain subdomain, the field values of the stored energy correspond to convex combinations of convex, but not strictly convex, points of the stored energy function. The main variational problem then gives rise to a free boundary problem in which the subdomain where the strict convexity of the stored energy function breaks down must be determined as part of the solution. The characterization of this intermediate phase mixture region is one of the goals of this work.
Currency-based updates to distributed materialized views

In currency-based updates, processing a query to a materialized view has to satisfy a currency constraint which specifies the maximum time lag of the view data with respect to a transaction database. Currency-based update policies are more general than periodical, deferred, and immediate updates; they provide additional opportunities for optimization and allow updating a materialized view from other materialized views. Algorithms for determining the source and timing of view updates and validating the resulting cost savings through simulation results are presented. >
Effects of oral administration of sodium citrate or acetate to pigs on blood parameters, postmortem glycolysis, muscle pH decline, and quality attributes of pork.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of oral administration of sodium citrate (CIT) or acetate (ACE) to pigs on blood parameters, postmortem glycolysis, pH decline, and quality attributes of pork. Previous studies have shown that CIT has the potential to inhibit phosphofructokinase (PFK), a key enzyme in postmortem muscle glycolysis. In Exp. 1, CIT, ACE, or water was orally administered (0.75 g/kg of BW) to 24 pigs. After a 30-min rest, pigs were exercised, and blood samples were taken at 45 and 75 min after oral treatment. Citrate and ACE tended (P = 0.08) to increase blood pH and increased (P = 0.02) bicarbonate levels immediately after exercise. After a 30-min rest, blood pH of pigs administered ACE tended (P = 0.09) to remain higher, whereas blood pH of CIT-treated pigs was similar to that of control pigs. Bicarbonate levels in ACE- and CIT-treated pigs were still greater (P 0.10) on muscle pH or postmortem concentrations of the glycolytic metabolites of glucose-6 phosphate, fructose-6 phosphate, fructose-1,6 bisphosphate, glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, or lactate. Minor, but inconsistent, differences in quality attributes were found in LM chops, and no differences in quality attributes were found between control and CIT- or ACE-treated pigs for inside and outside semimembranosus muscles (P > 0.10). There was no significant inhibition of the PFK enzyme by orally administered CIT or ACE; however, the PFK glycolytic metabolite data analysis indicated that PFK was a main regulatory enzyme in postmortem muscle.
Measuring Informativeness of Data by Entropy and Variance

Measuring informativeness of data or news is particularly important as it quantifies the amount of “learning”. This is central to scientific progress as well as to assessing the direction and value of “information” and technologies. As is the case with all “indices”, the desirability of any measure of information depends on at least two considerations: First is the inference/investigative technique that would utilize the information. The second is the distributional characteristics of the information which is to be summarized. As examples, least squares techniques are, by design, incapable of utilizing any information other than the “variation” in a distribution/data. And, the Gaussian distributions/data are entirely characterized by the first two moments; any index will thus be a function of the same moments. These two considerations need to be borne in mind when contrasting entropy and variance as indices of informativeness or uncertainty.