cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coenzyme A-disulfide reductase from Staphylococcus aureus: evidence for asymmetric behavior on interaction with pyridine nucleotides.

An unusual flavoprotein disulfide reductase, which catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of CoASSCoA, has recently been purified from the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus [delCardayre, S. B., Stock, K. P., Newton, G. L., Fahey, R. C., and Davies, J. E. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 5744-5751]. Coenzyme A-disulfide reductase (CoADR) lacks the redox-active protein disulfide characteristic of the disulfide reductases; instead, NADPH reduction yields 1 protein-SH and 1 CoASH. Furthermore, the CoADR sequence reveals the presence of a single putative active-site Cys (Cys43) within an SFXXC motif also seen in the Enterococcus faecalis NADH oxidase and NADH peroxidase, which use a single redox-active cysteine-sulfenic acid in catalysis. In this report, we provide a detailed examination of the equilibrium properties of both wild-type and C43S CoADRs, focusing on the role of Cys43 in the catalytic redox cycle, the behavior of both enzyme forms on reduction with dithionite and NADPH, and the interaction of NADP+ with the corresponding reduced enzyme species. The results of these analyses, combined with electrospray mass spectrometric data for the two oxidized enzyme forms, fully support the catalytic redox role proposed for Cys43 and confirm that this is the attachment site for bound CoASH. In addition, we provide evidence indicating dramatic thermodynamic inequivalence between the two active sites per dimer, similar to that documented for the related enzymes mercuric reductase and NADH oxidase; only 1 FAD is reduced with NADPH in wild-type CoADR. The EH2.NADPH/EH4.NADP+ complex which results is reoxidized quantitatively in titrations with CoASSCoA, supporting a possible role for the asymmetric reduced dimer in catalysis.
Ankyrin-based Patterning of Membrane Microdomains: New Insights Into a Novel Class of Cardiovascular Diseases

The organization of membrane-spanning proteins within discrete microdomains is critical for their physiologic function. This is especially important in the heart, where ion transporter and force-transducing microdomains are responsible for excitation-contraction coupling, anisotropic depolarization, and mechanotransduction. The following review will discuss recent advances in our understanding of the patterning of ion channel and force-transmitting membrane microdomains in cardiomyocytes, focusing on the T-tubule and intercalated disc.
Control Strategy Reconfiguration for a Multilevel Inverter Operating with Bypassed Cells

This paper analyzes the fault-tolerant operation of a Series Connected H-Bridge inverter topology (SCHB) supplying an induction machine. The standard approach considers a bypass of the faulty cells by means of a contactor and it carries out a reconfiguration of the modulator in order to generate balanced phase output voltages. The price that must be paid for this emergency operating mode is a reduction of the maximum voltage that the inverter can supply to the machine., therefore the limits for the torque and flux controllers must be also changed. In this work a standard stator flux oriented control strategy is modified to permit the operation the machine according to the new voltage limit. Experimental results are discussed, which validate the ideas presented in this work.
The Elaboration Likelihood Model: Implications for the Practice of School Psychology.

Abstract Understanding the formation and change of attitudes is important to the practice of school psychology. We review a contemporary theory of attitude change, the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion (ELM, Petty & Cacioppo, 1981, 1986), and address its relevance to school psychology. The ELM provides an integrative framework for understanding the antecedents and consequences of attitude change and specifies the various processes by which source, message, recipient, channel, and context variables have an impact on attitudes. A key postulate in the ELM is that attitude change can result from relatively thoughtful (central route) or nonthoughtful (peripheral route) processes. The ELM also holds that the more thoughtful the change, the more likely the new attitude is to persist, resist counterpersuasion, and influence behavior. Illustrations of the utility of the ELM for school psychology are presented along with some caveats and research suggestions.
A fuzzy genetic algorithm for automatic channel assignment for tactical HF radio networks

An innovative method for automatically allocating channels to groups of tactical HF radio nets is described. The method finds an optimal channel assignment that provides good propagation for each net, as determined by propagation prediction models, while avoiding channel interference. The method solves this difficult optimization problem using a genetic algorithm coupled with a set of goodness criteria that evaluate channel assignments using fuzzy logic. The method finds channel assignments similar to those created by expert human system designers.
Mothers' and fathers' behaviors toward the toy play of their infant sons and daughters

The sex-typed toy play of 10-, 14-, and 18-month-old infants and their parents' behaviors toward their activities were observed during a laboratory play session. Girls were more likely to play with and offer dolls to parents than boys at all ages. Mothers and fathers treated sons and daughters very similarly. However, the sex and the age of the infant affected parental behaviors toward children's toy play. The data suggest that, contrary to previous claims regarding fathers as the chief sex role socialization agents, mothers and fathers may be equally involved in the socialization of sons and daughters.
Thematics of counterterrorism: comparing 24 and MI-5/Spooks

This paper examines terrorism and counterterrorism as they are manifest in the popular culture of the USA and UK, focusing on two contemporary televisual works, namely, 24 and the series named MI-5 when aired in the US or Spooks when broadcast in the UK. I compare similarities and differences in the representation of agents (individuals) and agencies (organisations) involved in counterterrorism, and how such representations impact upon the two democratic polities. I explore themes of legitimisation, normalisation, and subversion in these works.
Absorption Cross Section of Helium and Argon in the Extreme Ultraviolet

The absorption of radiation of wavelength between 240 A and 1000 A in helium and argon was measured photometrically in a grazing incidence vacuum spectrograph. For helium a sharp absorption edge was observed at 504.3 A. Near this edge the photoionization cross section at 495.7 A was found to be 6.95\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. The variation of the cross section as a function of the wavelength was in agreement with the computed curves by Wheeler and Vinti within the experimental error limit. For argon three absorption edges exist at 786.8 A, 778.0 A, and 424.0 A corresponding to the ${M}_{3}$, ${M}_{2}$, and ${M}_{1}$ edges, respectively. Possible autoionization phenomena between the ${M}_{2}$ and ${M}_{3}$ edges were observed. The cross section at the ${M}_{2}$ edge was found to be 3.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}17}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ which is comparable with the value computed by Dalgarno.
An Architectural Comparison of Contemporary 16-Bit Microprocessors

Today's microprocessors exhibit powerful computing capabilities. Their characteristic differences favor each machine for a distinct portion of the applications spectrum.
Caudal regression in adrenocortical dysplasia (acd) mice is caused by telomere dysfunction with subsequent p53-dependent apoptosis

Adrenocortical dysplasia (acd) is a spontaneous autosomal recessive mouse mutation that exhibits a pleiotropic phenotype with perinatal lethality. Mutant acd embryos have caudal truncation, vertebral segmentation defects, hydronephrosis, and limb hypoplasia, resembling humans with Caudal Regression syndrome. Acd encodes Tpp1, a component of the shelterin complex that maintains telomere integrity, and consequently acd mutant mice have telomere dysfunction and genomic instability. While the association between genomic instability and cancer is well documented, the association between genomic instability and birth defects is unexplored. To determine the relationship between telomere dysfunction and embryonic malformations, we investigated mechanisms leading to the caudal dysgenesis phenotype of acd mutant embryos. We report that the caudal truncation is caused primarily by apoptosis, not altered cell proliferation. We show that the apoptosis and consequent skeletal malformations in acd mutants are dependent upon the p53 pathway by genetic rescue of the limb hypoplasia and vertebral anomalies with p53 null mice. Furthermore, rescue of the acd phenotype by p53 deficiency is a dosage-sensitive process, as acd/acd, p53(-/-) double mutants exhibit preaxial polydactyly. These findings demonstrate that caudal dysgenesis in acd embryos is secondary to p53-dependent apoptosis. Importantly, this study reinforces a significant link between genomic instability and birth defects.
Web-Ice: Integrated Data Collection and Analysis for Macromolecular Crystallography

New software tools are introduced to facilitate diffraction experiments involving large numbers of crystals. While existing programs have long provided a framework for lattice indexing, Bragg spot integration, and symmetry determination, these initial data processing steps often require significant manual effort. This limits the timely availability of data analysis needed for high-throughput procedures, including the selection of the best crystals from a large sample pool, and the calculation of optimal data collection parameters to assure complete spot coverage with minimal radiation damage. To make these protocols more efficient, a network of software applications and application servers has been developed, collectively known as Web-Ice. When the package is installed at a crystallography beamline, a programming interface allows the beamline control software (e.g. Blu-Ice, DCSS) to trigger data analysis automatically. Results are organized based on a list of samples that the user provides, and are examined within a Web page, accessible both locally at the beamline and remotely. Optional programming interfaces permit the user to control data acquisition through the Web browser. The system as a whole is implemented to support multiple users and multiple processors, and can be expanded to provide additional scientific functionality. Web-Ice has a distributed architecture consisting of several stand-alone software components working together via a well defined interface. Other synchrotrons or institutions may integrate selected components or the whole of Web-Ice with their own data acquisition software. Updated information about current developments may be obtained at http://smb.slac.stanford.edu/research/developments/webice.
Coupling of surface acoustic waves to a two-dimensional electron gas.

When a surface acoustic wave (SAW) is coupled piezoelectrically to a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), a velocity shift and attenuation of the SAW are induced that reflect the conductivity of the 2DEG. This paper considers the case of an ${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$As heterostructure with a 2DEG a distance d from a (100) surface of the crystal where the SAW's are propagated in the [011] direction at wave vector q. It is found that the velocity shift \ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{s}}$ and the attenuation coefficient \ensuremath{\kappa} satisfy the well known equation (\ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{s}}$/${\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{s}}$)-(i\ensuremath{\kappa}/q)=(${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}^{2}$/2)/[1+i${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{xx}}$(q,\ensuremath{\omega})/\ensuremath{\sigma} $_{\mathit{m}}]$, where ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{xx}}$(q,\ensuremath{\omega}) is the complex conductivity at wave vector q and frequency \ensuremath{\omega}=${\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{sq}}$ with ${\mathit{v}}_{\mathit{s}}$ the velocity of the SAW. The coefficients \ensuremath{\alpha} and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{m}}$ are calculated and it is found that \ensuremath{\alpha} has a nontrivial dependence on the product qd. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Fabrication techniques for surface-acoustic-wave and thin-film optical devices

The techniques of photolithography, electron lithography, X-ray lithography, ion bombardment etching, and liftoff are reviewed, and their advantages and disadvantages assessed from the point of view of fabricating surface-acoustic-wave and thin-film optical devices.
The DSM-5 and the art of medicine: certainly uncertain.

The recently published Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), is regarded as the primary source of information for psychiatric diagnostic criteria, but critic...
RURAL HOSPITAL HEALTH PROMOTION: PROGRAMS, METHODS, RESOURCE LIMITATIONS

Most hospitals provide health promotion programs for community residents. There is little information concerning the specific types of services offered by rural hospitals. A questionnaire was sent to every acute care hospital in Iowa (N=124), including 99 rural hospitals and 25 urban hospitals. Surveys were returned from 95 rural hospitals (96%) and 20 urban hospitals (80%). Results indicated that 98.9% of rural hospitals offered health promotion services to community residents. These services provided on average 7.5 programs on a regular basis, while using only 1.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Urban hospitals provided 9.5 regular programs with 2.4 FTE. The most common types of rural promotion programs were blood pressure screening, cholesterol screening, safety and protection programs, diet/nutrition programs, prenatal/maternal health, and breast cancer screening. Over 40% of rural respondents stated that other less common programs, including substance abuse prevention and mental health promotion, were needed but could not be offered because of resource limitations; these types of services were offered more commonly in urban hospitals. Rural hospital health promotion programs are attempting to meet a wide variety of programming needs with limited resources, and attention may be well directed towards finding how best to provide various programs with limited resources to maximize their impact on community health.
Polyamines found in gingival fluid enhance the secretory and oxidative function of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro

Summary Many bacterial and host cells contain large amounts of polyamines that can be released at infection sites as a result of cell lysis. Consequently, the putrescine and spermidine content of gingival fluid from inflamed periodontal pockets (0.1 to 1 mM) is sharply elevated in comparison to peripheral blood. At these levels, polyamines potentiated fMet-Leu-Phe-induced Ca2+ signaling in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in vitro. Consistent with the essential role of Ca2+ signaling in PMN activation, secondary granule release and superoxide anion production by fMet-Leu-Phe-stimulated PMNs was enhanced in the presence of polyamines. Thus, polyamines may play a local role in modulating the antimicrobial activity of PMNs in periodontal disease.
Reduced Serum Albumin Concentration in the Elderly: A Report from the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program

The relation of serum albumin concentration to age was assessed in a series of hospitalized medical patients. Those with disease states (e.g., dysproteinemia, renal insufficiency, hepatic dysfunction, malnutrition) potentially associated with abnormal serum albumin levels were excluded, leaving a study population of 11,090 patients. The mean serum albumin concentration fell progressively with each decade of age, from 3.97 gm/100 ml in subjects aged less than 40, to 3.58 gm/100 ml in those aged 80 or older (F greater than 50.0, P less than .001). The percentage of patients with a normal serum albumin level (4.0 gm/100 ml or higher) also decreased progressively with age, whereas the frequency of a low serum albumin level increased with age. Sex, primary diagnosis, blood urea nitrogen concentration, duration of hospitalization, and geographic location of the hospital did not influence the findings. The reduced serum albumin concentration in the elderly could contribute to age-dependent changes in the clinical effects of certain albumin-bound drugs, since pharmacologic activity can be influenced by the extent of albumin binding, in turn related to albumin concentration.
Exciton migration in crystals of CsMnCl3·2H2O and CsMnBr3·2H2O

Abstract A rapid exciton migration in crystals of the infinite chain salts, CsMnCl 3 ·2H 2 O and CsMnBr 3 ·2H 2 O, is indicated by the temperature-dependent luminescence quench, resulting from small concentrations of Cu 2+ . The exciton migration requires thermal activation. The dependence of luminescsnce quench on Cu 2+ concentration indicates that exciton motion in CsMnCl 3 ·H 2 O is not strictly one-dimensional.
On a limiting case of a theorem of Kato and Kuroda

Cook [5] and Jauch [6] introduced an abstract version of the two characteristic matrices of Mijller [2] and called them wave operators. At the same time Jauch [6] emphasized that wave operators corresponding to physically realistic systems have an additional property that he called completeness. Several different authors formulated criteria for the existence and completeness of wave operators for various abstract and concrete classes of operators [3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15-17, 20, 22-241. For the pair of operators (d, d + p) recently this problem was taken up again by Kato and Kuroda [25, 26, 33, 341. Here, as usual, il denotes the negative Laplacian acting in free space and p denotes a potential. They formulated general criteria on the potential for the existence and completeness of the wave operators. According to their abstract theory it also follows that the absolutely continuous parts of the perturbed and unperturbed operator are unitarily equivalent. In this paper, we consider a limiting case of their cnndition. Roughly speaking, we treat potentials with decay exponent equal to one and satisfying an additional smallness condition at infinity. This additional smallness condition is in accordance with a result of Dollard [14] which says that, for the Coulomb potential, the wave operators do not exist. At the same time in this paper, we illustrate that an estimate formulated elsewhere [27] in conncction with a different problem [18] can be applied to study wave operators. In Section 2, our condition is formulated and the corresponding Theorem 2.1 is stated. In Section 3, we state a version of an abstract theorem of Kato and Kuroda. This theorem is implicit in their work [25] and we state it for completeness only. In Section 4 we verify the assumptions of this abstract theorem for potentials satisfying the assumptions of Section 2.
Independent component analysis to hyperspectral image classification

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a popular approach to blind source separation. In this paper, we investigate itsapplication to hyperspectral image classification. In particular, the performance of Joint Approximate Diagonalization ofEigerimatrices (JADE) algorithm is studied. The major advantage of using ICA is its capability of classifying objectswith unknown spectral signatures in an unknown image scene, i.e., unsupervised classification. However, ICA suffersfrom computational expensiveness, which limits its application to high dimensional data analysis. In order to make itapplicable to hyperspectral image classification, a data preprocessing procedure is employed to select the most importantbands based on the band image quality. The number of bands ought to be selected is predetermined by an estimationmethod. The preliminary results from experiments demonstrate the potential of ICA in conjunction with band selectionto unsupervised hyperspectral image classification.Keywords: Independent Component Analysis. Unsupervised Classification. Band Selection. Remotely Sensed Imagery.Hyperspectral imagery.
Developing an Experimental Database for Mitral Valve Computational Modeling, Surgical Repair, and Device Evaluation

Numerical models of the heart’s mitral valve are being used to study valve biomechanics, facilitate predictive surgical planning, and are used in the design and development of repair devices. These models have evolved from simple two-dimensional approximations to complex three-dimensional fully coupled fluid structure interaction models. However, to date these models lack direct one-to-one experimental validation. Moreover, as computational solvers vary considerably based on researcher implementation, experimental benchmark data are critically important to ensure model accuracy. To this end, a multi-modality in-vitro pulsatile left heart simulator was used to establish a database of geometric and hemodynamic boundary conditions coupled with resultant valvular and fluid mechanics.© 2013 ASME
Hepatitis C, iron status, and disease severity: Relationship with HFE mutations☆

Background & Aims: Mild to moderate hepatic iron loading is common in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We sought to determine whether mutations in the hemochromatosis gene, HFE, are associated with iron overload and acceleration of disease progression in hepatitis C patients. Methods: A total of 316 patients with chronic hepatitis C were studied: 198 consecutive patients undergoing liver biopsy for compensated liver disease and 118 who underwent liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease. Serum iron studies, quantitative hepatic iron concentration, histologic activity index, and HFE genotype were determined. Results: Among patients with compensated liver disease, the presence of HFE mutations was independently associated with elevations in serum iron level, serum transferrin-iron saturation, serum ferritin level, and hepatic iron index (P < 0.05). After adjustment for duration of infection with hepatitis C virus, HFE mutations were also independently associated with the presence of bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis (odds ratio, 18; 95% confidence interval, 1.7–193). HFE mutations were not independently associated with iron loading in patients with end-stage liver disease. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of HFE mutations between patients with compensated and end-stage liver disease (42% vs. 33%, respectively; P = 0.67). Conclusions: The presence of HFE mutations is independently associated with iron loading and advanced fibrosis in patients with compensated liver disease from chronic hepatitis C, especially after controlling for duration of disease. These results suggest that HFE mutations accelerate hepatic fibrosis in hepatitis C but may not be responsible for progression to end-stage liver disease.
Suggestibility, Submission to Parents and Peers, and Extrapunitiveness, Intropunitiveness, and Impunitiveness in Children

(1951). Suggestibility, Submission to Parents and Peers, and Extrapunitiveness, Intropunitiveness, and Impunitiveness in Children. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 233-241.
ATG12 Conjugation to ATG3 Regulates Mitochondrial Homeostasis and Cell Death

ATG12, an ubiquitin-like modifier required for macroautophagy, has a single known conjugation target, another autophagy regulator called ATG5. Here, we identify ATG3 as a substrate for ATG12 conjugation. ATG3 is the E2-like enzyme necessary for ATG8/LC3 lipidation during autophagy. ATG12-ATG3 complex formation requires ATG7 as the E1 enzyme and ATG3 autocatalytic activity as the E2, resulting in the covalent linkage of ATG12 onto a single lysine on ATG3. Surprisingly, disrupting ATG12 conjugation to ATG3 does not affect starvation-induced autophagy. Rather, the lack of ATG12-ATG3 complex formation produces an expansion in mitochondrial mass and inhibits cell death mediated by mitochondrial pathways. Overall, these results unveil a role for ATG12-ATG3 in mitochondrial homeostasis and implicate the ATG12 conjugation system in cellular functions distinct from the early steps of autophagosome formation.
Breast tumor cells isolated from in vitro resistance to trastuzumab remain sensitive to trastuzumab anti-tumor effects in vivo and to ADCC killing

An understanding of model systems of trastuzumab (Herceptin) resistance is of great importance since the humanized monoclonal antibody is now used as first line therapy with paclitaxel in patients with metastatic Her2 overexpressing breast cancer, and the majority of their tumors has innate resistance or develops acquired resistance to the treatment. Previously, we selected trastuzumab-resistant clonal cell lines in vitro from trastuzumab-sensitive parental BT-474 cells and showed that cloned trastuzumab-resistant cell lines maintain similar levels of the extracellular Her2 receptor, bind trastuzumab as efficiently as the parental cells, but continue to grow in the presence of trastuzumab and display cell cycle profiles and growth rates comparable to parental cells grown in the absence of trastuzumab (Kute et al. in Cytometry A 57:86–93, 2004). We now show that trastuzumab-resistant and trastuzumab-sensitive cells both surprisingly display trastuzumab-mediated growth inhibition in athymic nude mice. This demonstrates that resistance developed in vitro is not predictive of resistance in vivo. The observation that in vitro resistant cells are sensitive to trastuzumab in vivo could be explained by antibody dependant cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Therefore, both parental and trastuzumab-resistant cells were assayed for ADCC in real time on electroplates with and without trastuzumab in the presence of a natural killer cell line (NK-92), and granulocyte or mononuclear cellular fractions isolated from human peripheral blood. Mononuclear cells and NK-92 cells were more effective in killing both parental and trastuzumab-resistant cells in the presence of trastuzumab. Both trastuzumab-resistant cells and trastuzumab-sensitive cells showed similar susceptibility to ADCC despite displaying divergent growth responses to trastuzumab. The granulocyte fraction was able to kill these cells with equal efficacy in the presence or absence of trastuzumab. These results support a model of trastuzumab tumor cell killing in vivo mediated primarily by ADCC from the mononuclear fraction of innate immune cells and suggest that in the clinical setting not only should changes in signaling transduction pathways be studied in acquired tumor resistance to trastuzumab, but also mechanisms by which tumors impede immune function should be evaluated.
Using Empirical Bayes Techniques in the Law School Validity Studies

Abstract The law school validity studies are primarily concerned with the prediction of first-year average in law school from Law School Aptitude Test score and undergraduate grade point average. Traditionally, a separate admitting equation is estimated in each law school by the method of least squares based on data from students who attended the law school in recent years. These least squares equations can fluctuate rather wildly from year to year. This study employs empirical Bayes techniques to obtain admitting equations that are better than the least squares admitting equations in two ways: for each law school, the empirical Bayes admitting equations are more stable in time than the least squares admitting equations; and the empirical Bayes admitting equations predict student performance more accurately than the least squares admitting equations.
Amino acid metabolism in dysmature newborn rats--possible explanation for the antihypoglycemic effect of prenatal glucocorticoids.

Letter to the Editor: Amino Acid Metabolism in Dysmature Newborn Rats — Possible Explanation for the Antihypoglycemic Effect of Prenatal Glucocorticoids
The application of demographic models to anthropological data

There has recently been great interest in the demography of primitive human populations. This can often be dealt with successfully by the use of demographic theory and model life tables; however, small populations present problems not encountered in large national censuses. This paper discusses some of these problems and illustrates the determination of model life tables in anthropology with a particular population, the Yanomama Indians. The concern is for the methods to be used, and their applicability, and not with the specific population illustrating them. By applying theoretical models, one can derive information that is otherwise unavailable but is necessary in the important biomedical, social, and ecological understanding of primitive societies.
Hierarchical control using networks trained with higher-level forward models

We propose and develop a hierarchical approach to network control of complex tasks. In this approach, a low-level controller directs the activity of a "plant," the system that performs the task. However, the low-level controller may be able to solve only fairly simple problems involving the plant. To accomplish more complex tasks, we introduce a higher-level controller that controls the lower-level controller. We use this system to direct an articulated truck to a specified location through an environment filled with static or moving obstacles. The final system consists of networks that have memorized associations between the sensory data they receive and the commands they issue. These networks are trained on a set of optimal associations generated by minimizing cost functions. Cost function minimization requires predicting the consequences of sequences of commands, which is achieved by constructing forward models, including a model of the lower-level controller. The forward models and cost minimization are used only during training, allowing the trained networks to respond rapidly. In general, the hierarchical approach can be extended to larger numbers of levels, dividing complex tasks into more manageable subtasks. The optimization procedure and the construction of the forward models and controllers can be performed in similar ways at each level of the hierarchy, which allows the system to be modified to perform other tasks or to be extended for more complex tasks without retraining lower-levels.
The applicability of urinary creatinine as a method of specimen normalization in the cystic fibrosis population.

Background Urine specimens are commonly used in biomarker research. Urinary creatinine (UCr) is often used to adjust for urine analyte concentration. We aim to explore the applicability of UCr as a normalization method in a cystic fibrosis (CF) population during hospitalization.
Lumbar Curvature in Standing and Sitting in Two Types of Chairs: Relationship of Hamstring and Hip Flexor Muscle Length

A purpose of this study was to determine the difference in the lumbar curves of subjects while they stood compared with while they sat in two chairs with different seat angles—the Balans® Multi-Chair (BMC) and a standard conventional chair (SCC). An additional purpose was to determine the relationship between lumbar curvature and 1) anthropometric factors and hamstring and hip flexor muscle length during standing and during sitting in the two chairs and 2) amount of time spent sitting. Sixty-one men between 20 and 30 years of age served as subjects. Lumbar curve measurements were taken with a flexible ruler with the subjects first standing and then sitting in the two chairs. Hamstring and hip flexor muscle lengths were indicated by range-of-motion measurements taken with a gravity goniometer. Age, number of hours spent sitting per day, upper body length, and right leg length also were recorded. Subjects had significantly more lumbar extension when they sat in the BMC than when they sat in the SCC. Hip flexor length was the only factor that appeared to relate significantly to the difference between the standing lumbar curve and the lumbar curves in the BMC and the SCC.
Computerized dynamic assessment (C-DA): Diagnosing L2 development according to learner responsiveness to mediation

Dynamic assessment (DA) derives from the sociocultural theory of mind as elaborated by Russian psychologist L. S. Vygotsky. By offering mediation when individuals experience difficulties and carefu...
A Tableau-Based Federated Reasoning Algorithm for Modular Ontologies

Many real world applications of ontologies call for reasoning with modular ontologies. We describe a tableau-based reasoning algorithm based on Package-based Description Logics (P-DL), an modular ontology language that extends description logics. Unlike Classical approaches that assume a single centralized, consistent ontology, the proposed algorithm adopts a federated approach to reasoning with modular ontologies wherein each ontology module has associated with it, a local reasoner. The local reasoners communicate with each other as needed in an asynchronous fashion. Hence, the proposed approach offers an attractive approach to reasoning with multiple, autonomously developed ontology modules, in settings where it is neither possible nor desirable to integrate all involved modules into a single centralized ontology.
Low pulse pressure with high pulsatile external left ventricular power: influence of aortic waves.

Elevated pulse pressure (pp) is considered to be a risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events since it is directly related to an elevated myocardial workload. Information about both pressure and flow wave must be provided to assess hemodynamic complexity and true level of external left ventricular power (ELVP). pp value as a single feature of aortic waves cannot identify true level of ELVP. However, it is generally presumed that ELVP (and consequently LV workload) is positively correlated with pp. This study examined this positive correlation. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that aortic wave dynamics can create destructive hemodynamic conditions that increase the ELVP even though pp appears to be normal. To test this hypothesis, a computational model of the aorta with physiological properties was used. A Finite Element Method with fluid–structure interaction was employed to solve the equations of the solid and fluid. The aortic wall was assumed to be elastic and isotropic. The blood was assumed to be an incompressible Newtonian fluid. Simulations were performed for various heart rates (HR) and different aortic compliances while keeping the shape of the inlet flow and peripheral resistance constant. As expected, in most of the cases studied here, higher pp was associated with higher LV power demand. However, for a given cardiac output, mean pressure, and location of total reflection site, we have found cases where the above-mentioned trend does not hold. Our results suggest that using pp as a single index can result in an underestimation of the LV power demand under certain conditions related to the altered wave dynamics. Hence, in hypertensive patients, a full analysis of aortic wave dynamics is essential for the prevention and management of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and congestive heart failure.
The conflicting themes of nonviolence and violence in ancient Indian asceticism as evident in the practice of fasting

In many ancient Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist texts, the path of the ascetic lifestyle involves an injunction to practice nonviolence, a requirement that conflicts with the violence that the ascetic inflicts upon him/herself by going naked, clothed in coarse garments made of discarded cloth, tree bark, or grass, excessive limits on food in-take, self-mutilation, sleep deprivation, and practicing various forms of extreme austerities in an effort to gain control over one's body, breathing rhythms, and mind. In spite of taking a vow of nonviolence, many Indian ascetics inflict painful harm upon their own bodies that represents a process of marking their bodies, which enables them to create their own bodies in particular ways that distinguish them from ordinary members of society by means of practicing their regimen of discipline. These bodily marks or characteristics make it easy for people within society to recognize their religious status outside of normal social intercourse and on the margins of Indian culture. A popular method of marking an ascetic's body is through extreme forms of fasting, a type of practice pushed to its most excessive extent by the vow to fast unto death by a Jain ascetic. Using fasting as an example of self-inflicted violence by the Indian ascetic, helps us to witness that violence and nonviolence are relative concepts because their degrees of social acceptability differ among religious cultures and even within particular religions. The relative nature of violence and nonviolence can also be traced to its acceptability during changing historical periods and circumstances. Even though violence and nonviolence are relative notions, violence signifies actions that injure, causes harm or pain, or destroys an object, animal, or person, whereas nonviolence is relative to other persons, animals, or things.
Cyclins: wheels within wheels.

Cycimns were originally defined as proteins which are synthesized in each cell cycle and destroyed at every mitosis. Cyclins were discovered by T. Hunt and students at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, duningthe 1982 Physiology Course (1). They labeled eggs ofthe sea urchin Arbacia punctulata with [35S]methionine after fertilization and analyzed the temporal pattern of protein synthesis on a i-D SDS2-gel. Sea urchin eggs divide very rapidly and synchronously after fertilization, and Hunt noticed that one protein of ‘ -55 kDa was very strongly labeled after fertilization but appeared to be precipitously destroyed once in each cell cycle, at about the time the egg divided. He named this protein cyciin. By the criterion of synthesis in interphase and destruction at mitosis, cyclins were also identified by Hunt and colleagues in a second sea urchin, Lytechinus pictus, and in the clam Spisula so/idissima (1). Interestingly, in these organisms there appeared to be two cycIins of slightly different molecular mass, which subsequently came to be called Aand B-type cycimns. Aand B-type cyclmns have been cloned from various organisms and are related to one another in the central portion (approximately onethird) of the protein, which has been termed the cyclmn box (2). There are conserved motifs within the cyclmn box which in turn are used to classify the proteins as either A-type on B-type (Fig. 1). in addition, another class of cyciins has since been isolated from budding yeast, as genes which affect the size at which a cell divides and as suppressors of a mutant form of the cell division cycle gene, CDC28 (3-5). These cycimns are only distantly related to other cyciins on the basis of sequence homology, and they appear to have a role in a completely different pant of the cell cycle, G1 phase (6; reviewed in Ref. 7). The common element between the mitotic cyclmns and the G1 cyclins, accounting for their structural homology, is probably that they both bind the protein kinase encoded by the cdc2/ CDC28 gene. The cdc2 gene was isolated by P. Nurse as a cell division cycle mutant in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (8) and shown to encode a 34 kDa protein with all the hallmarks of a protein kinase (9). Nurse found that, at the restrictive temperature, a cdc2 mutant would arrest at two points in the cell cycle: at START in G1 phase before commitment to DNA replication, and in G2
Content-based video sequence representation

The compact representation of video sequences is important for many applications, including very low bit-rate video compression and digital image libraries. We discuss here a novel approach, called generative video, by which video sequences are compactly represented in terms of their contents. This is achieved by reducing the video sequence to constructs. Constructs encode video sequence contents, such as, the shape and the velocity of independently moving objects, and the camera motion. Constructs are of two types: world images and generative operators. World images are augmented images incrementally generated. Generative operators, access video sequence contents and reconstruct the sequence from the world images. The reduction of a video sequence to constructs proceeds in steps. First, the shape of independently moving regions in the image is tessellated into rectangles. Second, world images are generated using the tessellated shape representation. This is described with an experiment using a real video sequence.
Fatigue in Textile Fibers: Part XI: Fatiguing by Cyclic Tension: Effects of Temperature, Stroke, and Frequency on Lifetimes

Supplementing earlier studies, experiments have been conducted on polyester (PET), aromatic polyamide (APA), and polypropylene (PP) fiber samples at various strokes and at temperatures ranging from...
Group technology and cellular manufacturing

A number of survey papers on group technology and cellular manufacturing system design have been published. Many of them focus primarily on clustering techniques that manipulate rows and columns of the part-machine processing indicator matrix to form a block diagonal structure. Since the last survey paper was published, there have been some developments in cellular manufacturing system design. A number of papers that consider practical design constraints while designing cellular manufacturing systems have been published. The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough survey of papers on group technology and cellular manufacturing system design. Its purpose is also to state some important design factors that cannot be ignored. >
"Nurse, my head hurts": a review of childhood headaches.

Headache, a frequent occurrence during childhood, can have a number of etiologies. Most headaches are benign, but all require appropriate assessment. Common types include sinusitis, migraine, and muscle contraction (tension). Headache assessment includes both history and physical examination. The headache history consists of the history of present illness, past history, family history, and environmental and social history. Physical examination begins with general observation and vital sign measurement and proceeds to specific inspection of the head, neck, and facial structures. The nursing interventions carried out are dependent on the interpretation of assessment findings. Pharmacologic interventions, commonly acetaminophen or ibuprofen, may be appropriate if pain management protocols exist. Nonpharmacologic strategies for headache relief include reassurance, rest, ingestion of simple and complex carbohydrate foods, relaxation exercises, or home care. Children with migraine headaches benefit from specifi...
The effects of prolonged thwarting on instfumental response extinction

To study the effects of prolonged frustration on extinction of a subsequently learned running response, one group of rats (CF) were subjected to a treatment in their individual home cages in which food was visible but unattainable for extended periods of time. A control group (NF) remained untreated. All Ss were then trained in a runway under conditions of continuous reinforcement followed by extinction. Both groups were then retrained in the runway with continuous reinforcement followed by a second extinction. In the second extinction, visible but unattainable food, rather than nonreward, was employed. Ss from Group CF extinguished faster and retraced more than did those from Group NF in the first extinction; in the second extinction, the differences were in the same direction but were not significant.
Metaphoric reference: when metaphors are not understood as easily as literal expressions.

Gibbs (1990) found that metaphoric referential descriptions take longer to read than literal references, in contrast to the usual result that metaphors and literal sentences are about equally easy to comprehend. This study was performed as an investigation of Gibbs's finding. In Experiment 1, subjects received story contexts in which characters clearly shared knowledge relevant to the metaphoric referring term. In Experiment 2, we tried to ensure that the intended referent was very salient by mentioning it in the sentence just prior to the crucial sentence. Neither of these manipulations eliminated the large response time advantage for literal referring expressions. In Experiment 3, the same metaphors were used as sentence predicates rather than as referring expressions: the metaphors were no more difficult to understand than literal paraphrases. Possible explanations for the difficulty of metaphoric references, as opposed to metaphoric predicates, are discussed.
The Brain Basis of Individual Differences in Language Comprehension Abilities

Individual differences in language abilities must be manifest by differences in brain functioning. Thus, comprehensive theories of the biological basis of language should account for systematic variability between individuals. This article is divided into two sections summarizing research on individual differences in the language comprehension network and their theoretical implications. The first section reviews research on individual differences in three network-level characterizations of brain function: neural efficiency, neural adaptability, and functional synchronization. The second section describes some of the implications of this research for theories of language in the brain. The role of the right hemisphere in language comprehension, the brain bases of word knowledge and verbal working-memory capacity, and potential mechanisms underpinning neural adaptability are discussed.
Monitoring variability of multivariate processes

The paper focuses on determining changes in process variability of multivariate processes. The problem is compounded by the fact that any of the elements in the variance-covariance matrix of variables could change, leading to a change in the process variability. While it may not be feasible to maintain individual control charts for each element of the variance-covariance matrix, some aggregate measure of the variability criteria could be monitored to initially determine if a change has occurred in the process variability. A couple of aggregate measures are proposed and the performance of these suggested measures is explored through a simulation procedure. Compared to the traditional method, which monitors the determinant of the variance-covariance matrix, these alternatives perform well. The performance measure used is the mean time to first detection of a change in the process variability.
Salivary Cortisol Can Replace Free Serum Cortisol Measurements in Patients With Septic Shock

Background There is a renewed interest in adrenal function during severe sepsis. Most studies have used total serum cortisol levels; however, only free serum cortisol is biologically active. The aim of this study was to determine the validity of salivary cortisol levels as a surrogate for free serum cortisol levels during septic shock. Methods Fifty-seven patients with septic shock were studied to determine the correlation between total serum cortisol and salivary cortisol to free serum cortisol levels. Thirty-eight patients were included in the salivary to free serum cortisol correlation. Salivary cortisol level was tested by enzyme immunoassay. Serum total cortisol, free cortisol, and cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) levels were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, equilibrium analysis, and radioimmunoassay, respectively. Results The mean ± SD age was 56.6 ± 18.5 years. Fifty-seven percent were women. APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) II score median was 26, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II median was 61, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment median was 13. The correlation between salivary and free serum cortisol levels was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.63-0.89; P P Conclusions Salivary cortisol level can be used as a surrogate of free serum cortisol level in patients with septic shock with very good correlation. Salivary cortisol testing is noninvasive, easy to perform, and can be conducted daily. Trial registry ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00523198; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov