cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4895: CT20p as a therapeutic for lung cancer with elevated chaperoning containing TCP1 (CCT) expression levels

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related fatalities worldwide and although there is a substantial effort in the development of improved, more specific, and less debilitating therapies, very little progress has been made accomplishing this goal. We propose the use of CT20p, a therapeutic peptide developed by our laboratory, as novel therapy for lung cancer. We have previously demonstrated that CT20p has tumor specific cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells and it induces tumor regression in xenograft models of breast cancer. We have also determined Chaperonin containing T-complex (CCT) to be the intracellular target of CT20p and that susceptibility to CT20p correlates with its expression levels, with tumor cells expressing high levels of CCT being the most susceptible. CCT is a large macromolecular complex composed of 8 subunits (CCTα, CCTβ, CCTγ, CCTδ, CCTe, CCTζ, CCTη, CCTθ). Immunoblot probing against four relevant CCT subunits (CCTβ, CCTγ, CCTδ, CCTe) was used to determine their relative expression level in five small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines when compared to normal lung cells. We determined that the expression levels of the four probed CCT subunits varied amongst the five SCLC cell lines, however, the four CCT subunits were always expressed at higher levels when compared to normal lung cells. Immunohistochemistry staining for CCTβ was used on tissue microarray (TMA) of lung cancer progression. Results were interpreted on a scale of 1 to 4 (with 4 being the strongest staining). We determined that CCTβ levels increase with cancer severity and identified a significant correlation between CCTβ levels and cancer progression in both small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and Squamous cell lung carcinoma (SqCLC). Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we have found CCT gene alterations in clinical lung cancer cases range from 10% to 43%, however, only CCT4 gene amplification in SqCLC cases correlated with decreased survival. Altogether, these results suggest that CT20p has the potential for being a therapeutic for multiple types of lung cancer due to increased target expression. Citation Format: Ana C. Carr, Amr S. Khaled, Rania Bassiouni, Annette R. Khaled. CT20p as a therapeutic for lung cancer with elevated chaperoning containing TCP1 (CCT) expression levels [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4895. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4895
Neighbourhood socioeconomic status and cross-sectional associations with obesity and urinary biomarkers of diet among New York City adults: the heart follow-up study

Objective To determine whether neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and biomarkers of diet (urinary sodium and potassium excretion). Design A cross-sectional study. Setting The data reported were from the 2010 Heart Follow-up Study, a population-based representative survey of 1645 adults. Participants Community-dwelling diverse residents of New York City nested within 128 neighbourhoods (zip codes). Primary and secondary outcome measures BMI (kg/m2) and WC (inches) were measured during in-home visits, and 24-hour urine sample was collected to measure biomarkers of diet: sodium (mg/day) and potassium (mg/day), with high sodium and low potassium indicative of worse diet quality. Results After adjusting for individual-level characteristics using multilevel linear regressions, low versus high neighbourhood SES tertile was associated with 1.83 kg/m2 higher BMI (95% CI 0.41 to 3.98) and 251 mg/day lower potassium excretion (95% CI −409 to 93) among women only, with no associations among men (P values for neighbourhood SES by sex interactions Conclusion Our results suggest that women may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood. Future neighbourhood research should explore sex differences, as these can inform tailored interventions. Trial registration number NCT01889589; Results.
Electro-Optical Bistability in Semiconductor Laser

Optical bistability in a single semiconductor transistor laser are realized and demonstrated based on the modulation of cavity photon density via the base quantum-wells for photon-generation and collector intra-cavity photon assisted tunneling for photon-absorption.
Ab initio study of quantum confinement effects in (PbI2)7 semiconductor clusters

Molecular orbital theory is used in the context of ab initio Hartree-Fock calculations to study the origin of quantum confinement effects in layered Pb{sub 7}I{sub 14} clusters. As the cluster geometry is energy optimized in several steps, the structure distends into two quasi-hemispherical iodine layers sandwiching a hexagonal lead layer. At the equilibrium geometry for the lowest electronic state, Pb-Pb in-plane interactomic distances are contracted by 11.3% compared to the experimental bulk PbI{sub 2} values. Optical spectra are observed to be blue-shifted by 0.3-2.1 eV relative to the energy band gap of crystalline PbI{sub 2}.
Ethical and Legal Aspects of In-Vitro Fertilization and Artificial Insemination by Donor

All areas of medical practice are shaped by ethical and legal mandates. When a physician provides infertility services, however, ethical and legal concerns reach an even greater prominence. The infertility specialist is in the awesome role of facilitating the creation of new life. A task of that level of importance brings with it responsibilities of an equal magnitude. Clinicians performing in-vitro fertilization and artificial insemination should be especially sensitive to the ethical and legal concerns raised by the selection of patients and donors, the informed consent process, and record-keeping. As reproductive technologies such as these develop, the clinician not only has a duty to monitor their safety and efficacy, but also to provide extensive information to the participants and to society at large to make possible informed decisions about how best to enhance the benefits and avoid the risks of these new technologies.
Assay methods for disulfiram and metabolites in biological materials

Numerous methods have been published for the determination of disulfiram (DSSD) and its metabolites in biological material. The very multiplicity of published methods, most of which have been used subsequently only by their authors, if at all, is indicative of the difficulties inherent to the problem. Brien and Loomis (1983a) have written a comprehensive and detailed review of this subject. Accordingly, this chapter deals first with a discussion of overriding issues; secondly, with methods deemed noteworthy because of their inherent advantages, and thirdly with such other methods as were used in measuring the plasma levels of DSSD and metabolites, values from which the pharmacokinetic parameters listed in the tables of Chapter 7 were computed.
Signale und Rauschen

Jede analytische Messung besteht aus zwei Komponenten. Eine Komponente tragt die Information uber den Analyten, fur den sich der Chemiker interessiert. Die zweite, Rauschen 1 genannt, besteht aus Fremdinformation, die unerwunscht ist, da sie die Mes-und Wiederholgenauigkeit einer Analyse mindert und auserdem den Grenzwert fur die Menge, bei der ein Analyt noch nachgewiesen werden kann, heraufsetzt.2 In diesem Kapitel beschreiben wir einige der gangigen Ursachen des Rauschens und was man tun kann, um dieses zu minimieren.
Small Mammals in the Northern Flint Hills Prairie: Overwinter Changes in Abundance

It is assumed that abundance of individual species of rodents and shrews in temperate regions decrease overwinter owing to winter mortality and cessation of reproduction. We wanted to examine this autumn versus spring pattern by using a 32-year long-term dataset from seven treatment sites on Konza Prairie Biological Station near Manhattan, Kansas, although we could not examine mortality or reproduction directly. We specifically wanted to determine first whether long-term patterns for species of small mammals showed that abundance decreased from autumn to spring and secondarily whether these patterns held among years and different habitat types. The decrease from autumn to spring was supported but, for individual species, varied from a 4% decrease to a 99–100% decrease. For the ten species that had at least one capture in either autumn or spring, the years in which autumn abundance was greater than that in spring varied among species; the range was from 44% of years for thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) to 100% for Elliot's short-tailed shrew (Blarina hylophaga). Likewise, patterns of decrease varied considerably among habitat types when spring abundance was compared as a percent of autumn abundance in the six most common species in seven research treatments. For example, spring abundance of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), the most common small mammal, was only 52–54% of that in autumn for ungrazed sites that were burned annually, burned every 4 years or burned infrequently, whereas it was 105–130% of autumn abundance in bison-grazed sites that were burned annually or burned infrequently. Among the seven research treatments, the two least variable species decreasing in abundance from autumn to spring were Elliot's short-tailed shrews (spring populations were only 0–2% of those in autumn) and hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus; spring populations only 0–15% of those in autumn). Given the length of the study period, the high proportion of years that numbers of the common rodents increased from autumn to spring within the highly diverse mosaic of prairie studied suggests that a significant level of reproduction can occur between autumn and spring in many years, a life history trait that requires more study, especially in light of global climate change.
Size of Protein is a Major Factor that Affects Retention on Preparative IMAC Columns.

Immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) is a specific high-capacity technique used in large-scale purification of proteins. IMAC exploits the ability of immobilized metal ions to form coordination bonds with atoms in the side chains of certain amino acids. The technique is generally robust. However, several factors still affect column binding capacity, retention, yield and purity of proteins during IMAC. It was observed that the recovery of 6× histidine, (His)6-tagged proteins from metal affinity columns differ significantly depending on the size of the protein. To test this observation, we determined the effect of protein size, flow-rate, number and position of (His)6 tag on the retention of highly expressing proteins on commercial Ni2+ and Co2+ IMAC columns. All experiments were performed in phosphate buffer to eliminate interference of amine-containing buffers with the binding of the (His)6 tag to the columns. Column retention was determined as the ratio of protein of interest in the supernatant (input) to flow-through (output). Data obtained suggest that regardless of the flow-rate, (His)6 tag position and number, the size of protein is a major factor affecting column retention and therefore recovery during column IMAC purification. Small and medium-sized proteins (~ 50 kDa) have higher column retention than bigger proteins, resulting in higher recovery. These outcomes provide important information to consider when performing IMAC.
Liquidity Affects Job Choice: Evidence from Teach for America

Can access to a few hundred dollars of liquidity affect the career choice of a recent college graduate? In a three-year field experiment with Teach For America (TFA), a prestigious teacher placement program, we randomly increase the financial packages offered to nearly 7,300 potential teachers who requested support for the transition into teaching. The first two years of the experiment reveal that although most applicants do not respond to a marginal $600 of grants or loans, those in the worst financial position respond by joining TFA at higher rates. We continue the experiment into the third year and self-replicate our results. For the highest-need applicants, an extra $600 in loans, $600 in grants, and $1,200 in grants increase the likelihood of joining TFA by 12.2, 11.4, and 17.1 percentage points (or 20.0%, 18.7%, and 28.1%), respectively. Additional grant and loan dollars are equally effective, suggesting a liquidity mechanism. A follow-up survey bolsters the liquidity story and also shows that those drawn into teaching would have otherwise worked in private-sector firms.
Parenting paused: Pathological video game use and parenting outcomes

For most people, playing video games is a normal recreational activity, with little disruption to gamers' emotional, social, or physical health and well-being. However, for a small percentage of gamers, video gaming can become pathological (Fam, 2018). Substantial research has examined pathological gaming in teens and young adults (Cheng, Cheung, & Wang, 2018; Choo, Gentile, Sim, Khoo, & Liau, 2010), yet pathological gaming in adults (c.f. Holgren, 2017), especially in the context of parenthood, has been relatively ignored. The current study sought to address this limitation by studying associations between pathological gaming characteristics and parenting outcomes in a sample of men and women who have had a child in the last year. Fathers spent more time than mothers playing video games and displayed more pathological video gaming tendencies. Pathological gaming for mothers and fathers was related to increased depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between pathological gaming and decreased feelings of parental efficacy, perceived parental competence, increased parenting stress, and increased perceived impact of parenting. Pathological video game playing was also directly related to decreased feelings of parental efficacy for mothers and fathers. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
Abrogation of Constitutive and Induced Type I and Type III Interferons and Interferon-Stimulated Genes in Keratinocytes by Canine Papillomavirus 2 E6 and E7

Cutaneous papillomaviruses can cause severe, persistent infections and skin cancer in immunodeficient patients, including people with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (XSCID). A similar phenotype is observed in a canine model of XSCID; these dogs acquire severe cutaneous papillomavirus infections that can progress to cancer in association with canine papillomavirus type 2 (CPV2). This canine model system provides a natural spontaneous animal model for investigation of papillomavirus infections in immunodeficient patients. Currently, it is unknown if CPV2 can subvert the innate immune system and interfere with its ability to express antiviral cytokines, which are critical in the host defense against viral pathogens. The aim of the current study was to determine if the oncogenes E6 and E7 from CPV2 interfere with expression of antiviral cytokines in keratinocytes, the target cells of papillomavirus infections. We determined that E6 but not E7 interferes with the constitutive expression of some antiviral cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-β and the IFN-stimulated gene IFIT1. Both E6 and E7 interfere with the transcriptional upregulation of the antiviral cytokines in response to stimulation with the dsDNA Poly(dA:dT). In contrast, while E6 also interferes with the transcriptional upregulation of antiviral cytokines in response to stimulation with the dsRNA Poly(I:C), E7 interferes with only a subset of these antiviral cytokines. Finally, we demonstrated that E7 but not E6 abrogates signaling through the type I IFN receptor. Taken together, CPV2 E6 and E7 both impact expression of antiviral cytokines in canine keratinocytes, albeit likely through different mechanisms.
Validation of the functional assessment of chronic illness therapy - General treatment satisfaction (FACIT-TS-G) in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background Patient-reported treatment satisfaction is associated with medication adherence and persistence, making it increasingly important in the multiple sclerosis (MS) population, where disease modifying treatments (DMTs) can be vital in preventing accumulation of disability. Therefore, the valid assessment of treatment satisfaction is critical in MS care. The current study aimed to examine the validity of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy – General Treatment Satisfaction (FACIT-TS-G) in an MS population. Methods Patient-reported outcome (PRO) data were collected from 555 MS patients (mean age 47.99±11.57; 76.4% female; 78.7% White/Caucasian) as part of routine clinical care. The FACIT-TS-G reliability, validity, and factor structure were examined. FACIT-TS-G scores were compared between DMT administration type (oral, injection, infusion) and examined as a possible predictor of switching DMT type at 1-to-2-year follow-up. Results The FACIT-TS-G showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.836), convergent validity, and known-group validity. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a single factor. DMT infusion administration was associated with slightly greater FACIT-TS-G scores than injection (p = 0.013, 95% CI: 0.269, 2.273) and oral administration (p = 0.030, 95% CI: 0.087, 1.717). FACIT-TS-G scores did not predict the likelihood of switching DMT type at follow-up (p>0.05). Conclusion Our findings support the use of the FACIT-TS-G as a PRO measure of treatment satisfaction in MS. Moreover, results suggest DMT administration via infusion is associated with greater treatment satisfaction. Future research is needed to examine treatment satisfaction in the context of other outcomes.
Smoking's effects on respiratory sinus arrhythmia in adolescent smokers.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) has emerged as an indicator of how well the body maintains homeostasis and flexibly responds to environmental demands. Previous research has shown that smoking has both acute and chronic effects on RSA in adults. More recent work has focused on adolescent smokers because the natural decrease in RSA over the lifespan might be hastened by smoking at an early age. The goal of the current study, then, was to examine the acute effects of smoking on RSA and mean heart rate (HR) in a group of adolescent smokers. Participants completed two experimental sessions separated by 6–10 weeks, during which resting electrocardiogram (EKG) data were collected before and after smoking or not smoking a single cigarette ad libitum. Results indicate that smoking significantly decreased resting RSA and increased mean HR. In addition, those who smoked their first cigarette earlier in life (i.e., before age 8 or 10) evidenced a greater decrease in RSA during their smoking session relative to those who tried smoking after age 10. Importantly, these findings are largely consistent with the adult literature and suggest that smoking has acute effects on both RSA and HR in adolescence.
Autoimmune retinopathy: findings and limitations from optical coherence tomography angiography.

To report novel findings and limitations from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in the evaluation of autoimmune retinopathy (AIR). We retrospectively reviewed features of five patients diagnosed with AIR and five controls. OCTA scans were obtained and manually segmented to provide accurate measurements of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), vessel density, and retinal thickness at different levels. The total retina and superficial vessel density throughout the whole scan were similar between AIR and controls (p = 0.14 and p = 0.11), whereas deep vessel density was decreased in AIR compared controls (p = 0.02). Decreased vessel density was most pronounced in the parafoveal and perifoveal areas (p = 0.01 and p = 0.01). AIR patients also had reduction of total retinal thickness in the perifoveal zone (p = 0.03), corresponding to outer retinal thinning (p = 0.001). This small series shows that AIR patients have reduced deep vessel density, particularly in the parafoveal and perifoveal regions and a decrease in macular thickness. These findings show correlation with the classic “flying saucer” sign seen on OCT.
Overexpression of schizophrenia susceptibility factor human complement C4A promotes excessive synaptic loss and behavioral changes in mice

The complement component 4 (C4) gene is linked to schizophrenia and synaptic refinement. In humans, greater expression of C4A in the brain is associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia. To investigate this genetic finding and address how C4A shapes brain circuits in vivo, here, we generated a mouse model with primate-lineage-specific isoforms of C4, human C4A and/or C4B. Human C4A bound synapses more efficiently than C4B. C4A (but not C4B) rescued the visual system synaptic refinement deficits of C4 knockout mice. Intriguingly, mice without C4 had normal numbers of cortical synapses, which suggests that complement is not required for normal developmental synaptic pruning. However, overexpressing C4A in mice reduced cortical synapse density, increased microglial engulfment of synapses and altered mouse behavior. These results suggest that increased C4A-mediated synaptic elimination results in abnormal brain circuits and behavior. Understanding pathological overpruning mechanisms has important therapeutic implications in disease conditions such as schizophrenia.
Maternal self-efficacy is associated with mother-child feeding practices in middle childhood.

Abstract Objective Maternal self-efficacy (MSE) is a well-established correlate of health outcomes in young children, though little is known about this association in older children. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine how MSE relates to mother-child feeding practices in middle childhood. Methods A total of 306 children ages 8–12 (Mean age = 9.72, SD = 0.91, 52.9% female) and their mothers participated in this study. Mothers completed the New General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Child Feeding Questionnaire. A series of hierarchical regression models were used to examine how MSE related to maternal food restriction, maternal pressure to eat, and maternal food monitoring. Results After accounting for maternal Body Mass Index (BMI), education, and age, and child Body Mass Index Percentile (BMI%ile) and age within the first step of each regression model, MSE emerged as a significant predictor for maternal restriction of foods (p = .024) and maternal food monitoring (p = .048). MSE was not significantly related to maternal pressure to eat. Conclusions This study is the first to establish that higher MSE is significantly related to healthier mother-child feeding practices in middle childhood, providing preliminary justification for enhancing MSE within comprehensive family interventions to support child weight-related health.
Can we define a unique microscopic pressure in inhomogeneous fluids

The estimation of a microscopic pressure tensor in an adsorbed thin film on a planar surface remains a challenge in both experiment and theory. While the normal pressure is well-defined for a planar surface, the tangential pressure at a point is not uniquely defined at the nanoscale. We report a new method that allows us to calculate the local pressure tensor and its spatial integral using an arbitrary contour definition of the “virial-route” local pressure tensor. We show that by integrating the local tangential pressure over a small region of space, roughly the range of the intermolecular forces, it is possible to define a coarse-grained tangential pressure that appears to be unique and free from ambiguities in the definition of the local pressure tensor. We support our argument by presenting the results for more than ten types of contour definitions of the local pressure tensor. By defining the coarse-grained tangential pressure, we can also find the effective thickness of the adsorbed layer and, in the case of a porous material, the statistical pore width. The coarse-grained in-layer and in-pore tangential pressures are determined for Lennard-Jones argon adsorbed in realistic carbon slit pores, providing a better understanding of the pressure enhancement for strongly wetting systems.
0087 Suicide in the time of COVID-19: a perfect storm

Statement of purposeSuicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and Kentucky Precipitating suicide circumstances in Kentucky between 2005 and 2017 most often included depressed mood;mental health, intimate partner, and physical health problems;and substance misuse These known risk factors will likely intensify as the risk of spreading the virus continues, indefinitely Methods/ApproachFinkel’s I-cubed (I3) model, not previously applied to suicide, is a novel and validated meta-theoretical framework that can model multiple and interacting risk and protective factors This theory allows for the incorporation of the pandemic dimension, in order to understand suicidal behaviors and guide future research in this new way [encompassing intrapersonal (eg, comorbid physical and psychiatric illnesses), interpersonal (eg, relationship), and extrapersonal (eg, community, cultural, geographical) determinants] ResultsPreliminary data show that suicides in Kentucky during March were about 50% lower than the average of the previous four years Overall, suicides have continued to be lower through August The lower rate does not imply that the pandemic will not impact state and national suicide rates Historically, suicide rates decrease during the early phase—or ‘honeymoon’ period—of a crisis and during periods of high community cohesion Following the honeymoon period, however, rates will likely increase According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the next phase in a disaster is disillusionment, as people realize the limits of assistance As the crisis becomes chronic, increasing gaps between those that return to business as usual and those that have continued needs lead to feelings of abandonment This phase can last months and even years SignificanceAs we acclimate to a new way of life, we must be proactive and innovative in understanding the effects of the pandemic and then developing targeted pandemic suicide prevention efforts and messages aimed at our most vulnerable populations
Neural Correlates of Auditory Hypersensitivity in Fragile X Syndrome.

The mechanisms underlying the common association between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and sensory processing disorders (SPD) are unclear, and treatment options to reduce atypical sensory processing are limited. Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a leading genetic cause of intellectual disability and ASD behaviors. As in most children with ASD, atypical sensory processing is a common symptom in FXS, frequently manifesting as sensory hypersensitivity. Auditory hypersensitivity is a highly debilitating condition in FXS that may lead to language delays, social anxiety and ritualized repetitive behaviors. Animal models of FXS, including Fmr1 knock out (KO) mouse, also show auditory hypersensitivity, providing a translation relevant platform to study underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. The focus of this review is to summarize recent studies in the Fmr1 KO mouse that identified neural correlates of auditory hypersensitivity. We review results of electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in the Fmr1 KO mice and highlight EEG phenotypes that are remarkably similar to EEG findings in humans with FXS. The EEG phenotypes associated with the loss of FMRP include enhanced resting EEG gamma band power, reduced cross frequency coupling, reduced sound-evoked synchrony of neural responses at gamma band frequencies, increased event-related potential amplitudes, reduced habituation of neural responses and increased non-phase locked power. In addition, we highlight the postnatal period when the EEG phenotypes develop and show a strong association of the phenotypes with enhanced matrix-metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity, abnormal development of parvalbumin (PV)-expressing inhibitory interneurons and reduced formation of specialized extracellular matrix structures called perineuronal nets (PNNs). Finally, we discuss how dysfunctions of inhibitory PV interneurons may contribute to cortical hyperexcitability and EEG abnormalities observed in FXS. Taken together, the studies reviewed here indicate that EEG recordings can be utilized in both pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, while at the same time, used to identify cellular and circuit mechanisms of dysfunction in FXS. New therapeutic approaches that reduce MMP-9 activity and restore functions of PV interneurons may succeed in reducing FXS sensory symptoms. Future studies should examine long-lasting benefits of developmental versus adult interventions on sensory phenotypes.
A National Biomedical Tracer Facility (NBTF)

The production, supply, and sale of isotopes and related services originating in Department of Energy production and research facilities has been a long-standing activity of DOE and predecessor organizations (AEC and ERDA). The authority for this activity is derived from the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.
Probability, Random Signals, and Statistics

INTRODUCTION Randomness, Random Signals and Systems Probability and Random Processes Typical Engineering Applications Why Study Probability and Random Signals Key Features of the Book Rules for the Presentation BASIC CONCEPTS IN PROBABILITY Basics of Set Theory Fundamental Concepts in Probability Conditional Probability Independent Events Total Probability Theorem and Bayes' Rule Combined Experiments and Bernoulli Trials THE RANDOM VARIABLE Concept of Random Variable Cumulative Distribution Function Probability Density Function Uniform Distribution Gaussian Distribution and Central Limit Theorem Some Other Commonly Used Distributions Expectation and Moments Functions of a Random Variable Conditional Distributions Generation of Random Numbers Determination of Distribution from Data Characteristic Functions MULTIPLE RANDOM VARIABLES Joint Distribution Functions Joint Density Function Independence of Random Variables Expectation and Moments Relation between Two Random Variables Uniform Distributions Jointly Gaussian Random Variables Functions of Random Variables Conditional Distributions INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS Introduction Sample Mean and Sample Variance Empirical Distributions Statistical Inference Parameter Estimation Hypothesis Testing Linear Regression and Curve Fitting RANDOM PROCESSES Concept of Random Process Characterization of Random Processes Classification of Random Processes Correlation Functions Properties of Autocorrelation Functions Sample Mean and Sample Correlation Functions Relationship between Two Random Processes Properties of Crosscorrelation Functions Gaussian Random Processes POWER SPECTRAL DENSITY Concept of Power Spectral Density Properties of Power Spectral Density White Noise Power Spectrum Estimation Cross-Power Spectrum Power Spectrum in Laplace Domain Some Facts about Fourier Transforms LINEAR SYSTEMS WITH RANDOM INPUTS Deterministic Linear Systems Time-Domain Analysis Frequency-Domain Analysis Summary of Input-Output Relationships Linear Systems with White Noise Input Equivalent Noise Bandwidth Output of a Linear System as a Gaussian Process OPTIMAL LINEAR SYSTEMS Introduction Signal-to-Noise Ratio The Matched Filter The Wiener Filter Plus each chapter includes a summary, additional examples, problems, computer exercises, and self-test problems with solutions.
The Fractionation of Human Plasma-Proteins: III. Purification of Complement Factors D and I Using Affinity Chromatography

A purification protocol for complement factors D and I was designed as part of a larger scheme for the purification of more than 20 human plasma proteins. The key affinity step in the purification of both serine proteases, factors D and I, was affinity chromatography using benzamidine Sepharose. The recoveries were 19 and 12% for factors D and I, respectively.
Activation of glucose transport in skeletal muscle by phospholipase C and phorbol ester: Evaluation of the regulatory roles of protein kinase C and calcium

It has been hypothesized on the basis of studies on BC3H-1 myocytes that diacylglycerol generation with activation of protein kinase C (PKC) is involved in the stimulation of glucose transport in muscle by insulin (Standaert, M. L., Farese, R. V., Cooper, R. D., and Pollet, R. J. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 8696-8705). In the present study, we used the rat epitrochlearis muscle to evaluate the possibility that PKC activity mediates the stimulation of glucose transport by insulin in mammalian skeletal muscle. Phospholipase C from Clostridium perfringens (PLC-Cp), which generates diacylglycerol from membrane phospholipids, and 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA) induced increases in glucose transport activity (assessed using 3-O-methylglucose transport) that were approximately 80 and approximately 20% as great, respectively, as that induced by a maximal insulin stimulus. PLC-Cp and PMA both caused a approximately 2-fold increase in membrane-associated PKC activity. In contrast, insulin did not affect PKC activity. These findings argue against a role of diacylglycerol-mediated PKC activation in the stimulation of skeletal muscle glucose transport by insulin. They also show that the BC3H-1 myocyte is not a good model for studying regulation of glucose transport in skeletal muscle. Neither the submaximal nor maximal effects of PLC-Cp and insulin on glucose transport were additive, suggesting that PLC-Cp interferes with insulin action. The maximal effects of PLC-Cp and hypoxia or muscle contractions were also not additive. However, the submaximal effects of hypoxia and PLC-Cp were completely additive. These findings raise the possibility that PLC-Cp stimulates glucose transport by the exercise/hypoxia-activated, not the insulin-activated, pathway in skeletal muscle. Exposure to PLC-Cp activated glycogen phosphorylase and potentiated twitch tension in response to electrical stimulation, providing evidence that PLC-Cp increases cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration. Dantrolene, an inhibitor of Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, completely blocked both the activation of phosphorylase and the stimulation of glucose transport by PLC-Cp. These findings provide evidence that an increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration is involved in the activation of glucose transport in skeletal muscle by PLC-Cp.
Fatty Acid Synthesis in Protozoan Parasites

Three metabolic pathways can be used by protozoan parasites for the de novo synthesis of fatty acids. Parasites employ diverse strategies involving these three pathways, as well as scavenging from the host, to obtain fatty acids required for growth. Keywords: type I fatty acid synthase; type II fatty acid synthase; fatty acid elongase pathway; apicomplexa; trypanosomatids
Continuous repetitive stimuli are more effective than bursts for evoking LHRH release in bullfrog sympathetic ganglia

Effects of different patterns of presynaptic stimulation upon release of leuteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) were studied by monitoring LHRH-induced slow currents from individual postsynaptic neurons in bullfrog sympathetic ganglia. LHRH-mediated synaptic currents in ganglionic B and C neurons were recorded by a single- electrode voltage-clamp technique. Using continuous stimulation, release increased with frequency between 2 and 20 Hz, then declined. Though bursts of stimuli always evoked more release than continuous stimuli of the same average frequency, they were invariably less effective than continuous stimulation at the intraburstal frequency. This demonstrates that frequency, not bursting structure, governs peptide release. The dependence of release upon stimulus frequency was altered when extracellular Ca2+ concentration was changed, implying that release does not depend intrinsically upon stimulation frequency, but simply on the availability of Ca2+.
The pinwheel asynchronous atomic broadcast protocols

We discuss two asynchronous atomic broadcast protocols that provide fast delivery and stability times, use a small number of messages to accomplish a broadcast, distribute evenly the processing load, use efficient flow control techniques, and provide gracefully degraded performance in the presence of communication failures. In a prototype implementation on top of UDP and Ethernet, for a group of three broadcast servers, these protocols achieve a throughput of up to a thousand independent broadcasts per second and measure average delivery and stability times of 2.9 and 4.7 msec. >
Circadian rhythms and depression: effects of exercise in an animal model

There is a clear link between altered circadian rhythms and depressive disorders, although the nature of this relationship is unknown. In addition, exercise affects both mood and alters clock function. To investigate the relationship between circadian rhythms, depression, and exercise, 3-wk-old mice housed on a 12:12-h light-dark cycle were exposed to chronic stress (CS) for 6 wk before being placed into constant darkness (DD). One-half of both the control and stressed mice were given access to a running wheel. Stressed mice consumed significantly less of a 2% sucrose solution during CS and exhibited a significant increase in immobility in the forced swim test 3 wk after the termination of stress relative to control mice. These effects were more pronounced in mice without running wheels. Stressed mice also exhibited altered percent distribution of total activity and increased fragmentation of daily activity rhythms during CS relative to control mice. Alterations in percent distribution were more pronounced in animals without running wheels. No activity rhythm changes were seen in DD, and there were no differences in light-induced phase shifts between stressed and control mice. These results suggest that CS causes long-term depressive-like symptoms but does not have long-lasting effects on activity rhythms. These changes were more pronounced in mice without running wheels, suggesting that exercise may protect against the harmful effects of stress.
Reflexión y resistencia: diálogos del arte con la regeneración urbana en Guayaquil

La regeneracion urbana ha transformado radicalmente a la ciudad de Guayaquil: el desarrollo de mega proyectos publicos, la mejora de servicios y la masiva construccion de infraestructura se han acompanado de normativas y regulaciones concomitantes que han modulado en cierta medida aspectos sociales, economicos y culturales. El innegable impacto positivo que ha tenido este fenomeno en la ciudad no esta exento de que se senalen algunos aspectos problematicos que conllevan estos procesos y las dinamicas que de ellos derivan. Durante varios anos han aparecido en los circuitos artisticos publicos obras que entablan dialogos y preguntas en torno a estas aristas. Lejos de plantearse como una oposicion tozuda a los aspectos provechosos de la regeneracion, el campo artistico ha dado senales de querer establecer un espacio para el ejercicio ciudadano critico afincado en la reflexion. Este texto se diseno para una conferencia visual presentada en uno de los nucleos teoricos que convoco la mas reciente Bienal de La Habana (Nuevos Signos de Visualidad Urbana y el Arte), por lo que aqui se reune y contextualiza una seleccion de este tipo de obras.
Bringing Back the Social Affordances of the Paper Memo to Aerospace Systems Engineering Work

Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is a relatively new field that brings together the interdisciplinary study of technological components of a project (systems engineering) with a model-based ontology to express the hierarchical and behavioral relationships between the components (computational modeling). Despite the compelling promises of the benefits of MBSE, such as improved communication and productivity due to an underlying language and data model, we observed hesitation to its adoption at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. To investigate, we conducted a six-month ethnographic field investigation and needs validation with 19 systems engineers. This paper contributes our observations of a generational shift in one of JPL's core technologies. We report on a cultural misunderstanding between communities of practice that bolsters the existing technology drag. Given the high cost of failure, we springboard our observations into a design hypothesis - an intervention that blends the social affordances of the narrative-based work flow with the rich technological advantages of explicit data references and relationships of the model-based approach. We provide a design rationale, and the results of our evaluation.
Brushing techniques for exploring volume datasets

Describes several visualization techniques based on the notion of multi-resolution brushing to browse large 3D volume datasets. Our software is implemented using public-domain libraries, and is designed to run on average-equipped desktop computers such as a Linux machine with 32 MBytes of memory. Empirically, our system allows scientists to obtain information from a large dataset with over 8.3 million numbers in interactive time. We show that very large scientific volume datasets can be accessed and utilized without expensive hardware and software.
Aging of pressure-sensitive adhesives III. Studies of surface oxidation with multidetector size exclusion chromatography

The use of multidetector size exclusion chromatography is described for studying oxidation in styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer films. It is shown that exposure of these films to atmospheric oxygen causes surface oxidation of the isoprene midblocks and that the antioxidant system used is incapable of preventing this. Higher temperature exposure initially merely accelerates the surface reaction but is followed after an induction period by severe bulk-phase degradation. The implications of ambient temperature surface oxidation of SIS-based pressure-sensitive adhesives are discussed.
Counting stable cycles in unimodal iterations

Abstract A simple, explicit formula is given for the number of primitive, stable N -cycles associated with unimodal iterations. The derivation is independent of the observation of Metropolis, Stein and Stein that cycle occurrence can be related to the theory of symmetry types of periodic sequences.
Methodology for supply chain disruption analysis

Given the size, complexity and dynamic nature of many supply chains, there is a need to understand the impact of disruptions on the operation of the system. This paper presents a network-based modelling methodology to determine how changes or disruptions propagate in supply chains and how those changes or disruptions affect the supply chain system. Understanding the propagation of disruptions and gaining insight into the operational performance of a supply chain system under the duress of an unexpected change can lead to a better understanding of supply chain disruptions and how to lessen their effects. The modelling approach presented, Disruption Analysis Network (DA_NET), models how changes disseminate through a supply chain system and calculates the impact of the attributes by determining the states that are reachable from a given initial marking in a supply chain network. This ability will permit better management of the supply chain and thus will allow an organization to offer quicker response times ...
The Adiabatic Elastic Constants of Rock Salt

The velocities of propagation of 10-Mc/sec longitudinal and transverse sound waves in single crystals of rock salt have been measured over the temperature range from 60\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K by means of the ultrasonic pulse method. From these velocities the adiabatic elastic constants have been calculated, with the results that ${c}_{11}=4.828\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.015$, ${c}_{44}=1.273\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$, and ${c}_{12}=1.276\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.025$ at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in units of dyne/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{11}$. The values of these elastic constants extrapolated to absolute zero temperature are in these units, 5.750, 1.327, and 0.986, respectively. The adiabatic compressibility has been calculated from ${c}_{11}$ and ${c}_{12}$ and is 4.07\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/dyne at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The Debye characteristic temperature is computed to be 292.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K at $T=0$\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K.
A stochastic nonlinear constitutive law for concrete

An incremental three-dimensional stress-strain relationship for concrete with induced anisotropy has been developed. The nonlinearity and path-dependency are modeled by expressing the elastic moduli at each increment as function of the octahedral and deviatoric strains, based on a uniaxial stochastic model developed earlier. Predictions of multiaxial response under proportional and nonproportional loading are in good agreement with experimental results
Deficits in syntaxin 1 phosphorylation in schizophrenia prefrontal cortex.

Background Schizophrenia has been described as a disease of the synapse. On the basis of previous studies reporting reductions in the levels and activity of CK2 (also know as casein kinase 2 or II) in the brain of subjects with schizophrenia, we hypothesized that CK2-mediated phosphorylation of the presynaptic protein syntaxin 1 (Stx 1) is deficient in schizophrenia. This in turn could affect the binding of Stx 1 to its protein partners and result in abnormal neurotransmitter release and synaptic transmission. Methods We analyzed post mortem prefrontal cortex samples from 15 schizophrenia cases and matched controls by quantitative immunoblotting. Results In addition to replicating previous findings of reduced CK2 levels, we show that as predicted, the deficit in CK2 correlates with a deficit in phospho-Stx 1. In contrast, we find that these deficits are not present in depression cases. Further, we show that the reduced levels of CK2 and phospho-Stx 1 are not due to treatment with antipsychotic drugs (APDs). In fact, APDs seem to increase both CK2 and phospho-Stx 1, suggesting that their therapeutic action may be associated with the reversal of these deficits. Finally, we show that lower phospho-Stx 1 levels are associated with reduced binding of Stx 1 to SNAP-25 and MUNC18 and decreased SNARE complex formation. Conclusions Our findings constitute the first report of altered phosphorylation of a key component for neurotransmitter release in humans and suggest that regulation of Stx 1 by CK2-mediated phosphorylation could play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.