cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design an artificially intelligent automaton for the real-world dynamics of the Amtrak rail road track

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of employing an artificially intelligent automaton to the task of monitoring Amtrak rail-road track system in a real time transportation environment. The neural net-based system (automaton) processes several quantities that portray the localized existence of the Amtrak system. These quantities may be one or more of location of the switch on the rail-road track, switch number, time of observation, and the switch name. Given these quantities, it is desired that the state of the system, (which can only belong to one of several distinct categories) be predicted as outputs of the automaton. Possible outputs are conditions classified as NORMAL, NOT NORMAL, REVERSE, and NOT REVERSE. Implicit in the choice of a configuration of inputs and outputs is the hypothesis of the existence of a multi-variable mapping connecting these inputs and outputs-a mapping that hopefully coincides with the real-world dynamics of the rail-road track. The neural net-based system is tested on a specific, already in place transportation control system-the centralized electrification & traffic control (CETC) system operated by Amtrak on the northeast corridor. The CETC is chosen because the clear value, which such an operational safety and security monitor would bring to it. The test results obtained in this paper confirm that artificial neural networks can be effectively used to solve the pattern recognition problem posed by Amtrak system. To the best of the author's knowledge no similar work is outstanding, planned or anticipated at this time.
Effect of transportation on the estrous cycle and concentrations of hormones in mares

Effect of transportation on estrous behavior, duration of the estrous cycle, ovulation, pregnancy rates and concentrations of serum cortisol, plasma ascorbic acid (AA), LH, estradiol and progesterone in mares was investigated. Fifteen mares were transported for 792 km (12 h) during the preovulatory stage of estrus. Transported mares were bled immediately before transport (baseline), at midtrip and 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h post-transport and twice daily from d 1 before transport to d 1 (estrogen) or 3 (LH) post-ovulation. Blood samples also were taken for progesterone on d 0, 2, 6, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 post-ovulation. Nontransported control mares (n = 15) were bled on the same schedule as transported mares. There was no difference (P greater than .05) in number of mares ovulating, estrous behavior, duration of the estrous cycle or pregnancy rate between groups. Cortisol in transported mares increased to concentrations greater (P less than .05) than those in control mares at midtrip and 0 h post-transport. Concentrations of AA in transported mares also increased (P less than .05) at midtrip, then decreased (P less than .05) below baseline at 24 h post-transport. Concentrations of LH and estradiol increased (P less than .05) above baseline throughout the blood-sampling period. Increases apparently were due to preovulatory surges of these hormones. Increase in LH concentrations in transported mares, however, was greater (P less than .05) than that in control mares at 0 h post-transport.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Etiological heterogeneity in Hodgkin's disease: HLA linked and unlinked determinants of susceptibility independent of histological concordance

Forty-one multiplex families, from published sources and new data from the National Cancer Institute, segregating for Hodgkin's disease and HLA, have been studied. A reanalysis of these data strongly suggests a recessive mode of inheritance for susceptibility to Hodgkin's disease. The HLA haplotype sharing data between affected relatives demonstrate that approximately 60% of cases in multiplex families are due to an HLA-linked susceptibility gene, the remaining 40% being due to other familial factors. The data clearly support the hypothesis of etiological heterogeneity for Hodgkin's disease, with both HLA-linked and HLA-unlinked factors being responsible. Finally, there is an increased concordance of histological types between affected relatives, but this concordance seems independent of HLA sharing.
Extending desktop applications to the web

Web applications have become the major means to allow ubiquitous access to backend systems via a web browser. Several technologies such as JSP, ASP.NET, or Java Server Faces exist today that help in developing web applications. These technologies do not support the migration of existing legacy desktop applications written with a GUI class library such as Swing, Qt, or GTK to web applications. The framework presented in this paper allows the programmer to expose arbitrary desktop applications as web applications without requiring any changes in the source code of that application. Dialogs are rendered using HTML and JavaScript and a flexible event model transparently forwards user interaction at a web browser to the application running at the backend. By employing a cross-language compiler it is also possible to transparently execute parts of the application on the client side inside the web browser.
Nucleotide metabolism during brine shrimp embryogenesis.

Changes in the amounts of acid-soluble nucleotides during embryonic development of the encysted egg of the brine shrimp, Artemia salina, have been determined. Significant quantities of diguanosine tetraphosphate, the most abundant compound in the nucleotide pool, are apparently not utilized until hatching, at which time the amount falls precipitously. Diguanosine triphosphate, a homologue of the tetraphosphate, does not change appreciably in amount throughout development, but may participate in a reaction catalyzed by a nucleoside phosphokinase. Adenosine triphosphate increases over 5-fold during the first few hours of development and again after hatching, but is virtually absent from the dormant cyst. Early development is associated with the rapid appearance of nucleotides in the hatch medium. These nucleotides appear to arise by diffusion from cracked and nonviable eggs and not by an active secretory process of the normally developing embryo.
Abuse-case-based assurance arguments

This paper describes an extension to abuse-case-based security requirements analysis that provides a lightweight means of increasing assurance in security relevant software. The approach is adaptable to lightweight software development processes but results in a concrete and explicit assurance argument. Like abuse-case-based security requirements analysis, this approach is suitable for use in projects without security experts. When used in this way (without security experts) it will not produce as much assurance as the more traditional alternatives, but arguably give better results than ad hoc consideration of security issues.
Measuring and evaluating TCP splitting for cloud services

In this paper, we examine the benefits of split-TCP proxies, deployed in an operational world-wide network, for accelerating cloud services. We consider a fraction of a network consisting of a large number of satellite datacenters, which host split-TCP proxies, and a smaller number of mega datacenters, which ultimately perform computation or provide storage. Using web search as an exemplary case study, our detailed measurements reveal that a vanilla TCP splitting solution deployed at the satellite DCs reduces the 95th percentile of latency by as much as 43% when compared to serving queries directly from the mega DCs. Through careful dissection of the measurement results, we characterize how individual components, including proxy stacks, network protocols, packet losses and network load, can impact the latency. Finally, we shed light on further optimizations that can fully realize the potential of the TCP splitting solution.
Interdisciplinary collaborative project-based instruction: students in two distinct courses teach each other by building software to solve biological problems (618.38)

We developed and piloted a novel approach to interdisciplinary instruction; this approach relies on well-defined interdependent roles for biology (BIO) and computer science (CS) students in a proje...
How complex is the unified modeling language

Unified Modeling Language (UML)has emerged as the software industry's dominant modeling language. It is the de facto modeling language standard for specifying, visualizing, constructing, and documenting the components of software systems. Despite its prominence and status as the standard modeling language, UML has its critics. Opponents argue that it is complex and difficult to learn. Some question the rationale of having nine diagramming techniques in UML and the raison d'etre of those nine techniques in UML. Others point out that UML lacks a comprehensive methodology to guide its users, which makes the language even more convoluted. A few studies on UML can be found in the literature. However, no study exists to provide a quantitative measure of UML complexity or to compare UML with other object-oriented techniques. In this research, we evaluate the complexity of UML using complexity metrics. The objective is to provide a reliable and accurate quantitative measure of UML complexity. A comparison of the complexity metrical values of UML with other object-oriented techniques was also carried out. Our findings suggest that each diagram in UML is not distinctly more complex than techniques in other modeling methods. But as a whole, UML is very complex-2-11 times more complex than other modeling methods.
Cardiac Donor Selection and Management

Heart transplantation remains the gold standard treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure. In the USA, the number of available donors has remained stable despite the steadily increasing need for organs. Optimal donor selection and management are critical to deriving the greatest benefit from this limited resource. Methods to expand the donor pool without compromising long-term outcomes for heart recipients are needed.
Properties of Yeast Cell Ghosts Obtained by Ribonuclease Action

Cell ghosts were obtained from Candida utilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the action of some conformational isomers of pancreatic ribonuclease which passed through the cell wall and penetrated the cell membrane. In the interior, the enzyme caused extensive disorganization of the cellular structure as evidenced by the results of vital staining and electron microscopy. Ribonucleic acid was degraded to fragments that leaked out into the suspending medium. Other cytoplasmic constituents, including the amino acid pool, were released, but most of the cellular protein and deoxyribonucleic acid remained in the ghosts. The lesions in the cytoplasmic membrane were too small to be seen by conventional electron microscopy. The membrane clung to the cell wall even after obliteration of most of the intracellular structure.
Regulatory Competence and Early Disruptive Behavior Problems: The Role of Physiological Regulation

OVERVIEW Childhood externalizing behavior problems, including aggression, inattention, and defiance, have been the focus of considerable recent theoretical and empirical work (Broidy, Nagin, Tremblay, Bates, Brame, & Dodge, 2003; Campbell, 2002; Dodge & Pettit, 2003; Hinshaw, 2002; Moffit, 1993). This emphasis is due largely to the observation that such problems are moderately stable and predictive of other, more serious kinds of disorders in middle childhood (Olson, Bates, Sandy, & Schilling, 2002) and adolescence (Moffit, Caspi, Dickson, Silva, & Stanton, 1996). Risk factors for early behavior problems include child dispositional characteristics, such as temperament and biology (Bates, Pettit, Dodge, & Ridge, 1998; Hill, Degnan, Calkins, & Keane, 2006; Shaw, Gilliom, Ingoldsby, & Nagin, 2003); family factors, such as stress, psychopathology, and negative coercive behavior (Cummings, Davies, & Campbell, 2000); and contextual factors, such as social class, peers, school experiences, and neighborhoods (Coie, Terry, Lenox, Lochman, & Hyman, 1998; Dodge et al., 2003). Despite recent efforts to understand the trajectory of early disruptive behavior problems, much remains to be known about the mechanisms that maintain, ameliorate, or exacerbate such problems very early in development (Hinshaw, 2002).
A Review of “Magical Moments of Change; How Psychotherapy Turns Kids Around”

Dr. Terr is in private practice in San Francisco, and is a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Terr has written several books including Too Scared To Cry, Un...
α-Tocopherol retards autoxidation and prolongs the shelf-life of liposomes

Abstract All liposomes undergo autoxidation that is accelerated by elevated temperature, light, metal ions and some solutes. As a result, there is a dramatic, often abrupt, change in liposome permeability. Incorporation of α-tocopherol into liposomes prolongs the characteristic induction phase of autoxidation. When liposome shelf-life is based on retention of trapped [ 14 C] sucrose, α-tocopherol at 0.1 mol% doubles the shelf-life of multilamellar liposomes containing no cholesterol that are stored in air and light at 22°C. Proportional increases in shelf-life result from increasing amounts of α-tocopherol. Incorporation of cholesterol further improves the shelf-life. A benefit of incorporation of α-tocopherol into liposomes is improved stability in plasma. When it is difficult to avoid exposure of liposomes to oxygen, as for example, when they are to be used as in vitro or in vivo drug carriers, incorporation of α-tocopherol may prove prudent.
Multiple ephrins regulate hippocampal neurite outgrowth.

Increasing evidence indicates that the eph family of ligands and receptors guides the formation of topographic maps in the brain through repulsive interactions. For example, we have recently found that in the hippocamposeptal system, the ligand ephrin-A2, which is expressed in an increasing gradient from dorsal to ventral septum, selectively induces pruning of topographically inappropriate medial hippocampal axons. The recent detection of ephrins A3 and A5, as well as A2, in the septum raised critical functional questions. Do the ligands act combinatorially, ensuring appropriate three-dimensional spatiotemporal projection, or do they exert entirely distinct actions in addition to guidance mechanisms? To approach these alternatives, we cloned mouse ephrin-A2 and compared the activities of the three ligands. Here, we show that these ligands reduce the number of hippocampal neurites in a similar fashion. The effect was regionally specific; medial hippocampal neurites were reduced 1.5- to 1.8-fold, whereas lateral hippocampal neurites were not significantly affected, conforming to topographic projection in vivo. Furthermore, we found that ephrins regulated neurite number in a stage-specific fashion, affecting E19 hippocampal neurites more than E16 neurites. Our observations suggest that all three septal ephrins, A2, A3, and A5, play spatiotemporally specific roles in guiding topographic projections from the hippocampus. J. Comp. Neurol. 425:315–322, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ontology-Driven Cyber-Security Threat Assessment Based on Sentiment Analysis of Network Activity Data

Sentiment analysis is gaining acceptance as a tool for automated understanding of consumer attitudes and preferences. Based on well-designed rule sets that describe how most people express their sentiments, sentiment analysis models enable automated processes to understand human responses. In this paper, we describe our vision of extending sentiment analysis to the novel domain of cyber-security. Our proposal combines: 1) ontological modeling of attacks, defenses, and attacker goals; 2) sentiment analysis of combinations of elements indicative of probable attacks; and 3) semantic reconciliation of borderline cases to more definitively classify ambiguous network activity as threatening or innocuous. This method has achieved good results (86% correct) in assessing consumer sentiments, and we believe that more detailed models can improve on this accuracy even in the complex domain of cyber-security.
A dolomitized shelfedge hardground in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract An elongated calcareous hardground occurs on the shelfedge northeast of the Mississippi Trough. High-resolution seismic reflection profiles show that the hardground is in 90–110 m of water, is 70–250 m wide, at least 2.3 km long, and of low relief (5–10 m). The hardground is composed of dolostone and coquinoid limestone, and exhibits a dead biofacies of nodular and encrusting calcium carbonate-secreting organisms that are significantly different from those forms living in the adjacent unconsolidated sediments. Cementation of the hardground substrate by primary dolomite was initiated during early diagenesis close to the sea floor and progressed by concretionary growth under an interstitial environment partially open to marine molecular fluxes. The bicarbonate necessary to form the dolomite came from an admixture of isotopically light thermogenic and sedimentary organic carbon sources and an isotopically heavier marine source. Exposed surfaces of the dolostone, which have been heavily bioeroded, are covered by an oxidized, goethite-rich, reddish-brown rind. The coquina is primarily composed of whole and fragmented mollusk shells and was deposited in a higher-energy environment than the precursor sediments of the dolostone. The hardground was preserved during the Holocene transgression because of its lithified nature and the top has been intermittently swept free of finer detritus by current action.
Pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic modeling of caffeine: Tolerance to pressor effects

We propose a parametric pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model for caffeine that quantifies the development of tolerance to the pressor effect of the drug and characterizes the mean behavior and inter-individual variation of both pharmacokinetics and pressor effect. Our study in a small group of subjects indicates that acute tolerance develops to the pressor effect of caffeine and that both the pressor effect and tolerance occur after some time delay relative to changes in plasma caffeine concentration. The half-life of equilibration of effect with plasma caffeine concentration is about 20 minutes. The half-life of development and regression of tolerance is estimated to be about 1 hour, and the model suggests that tolerance, at its fullest, causes more than a 90% reduction of initial (nontolerant) effect. Whereas tolerance to the pressor effect of caffeine develops in habitual coffee drinkers, the pressor response is regained after relatively brief periods of abstinence. Because of the rapid development and regression of tolerance, the pressor response to caffeine depends on how much caffeine is consumed, the schedule of consumption, and the elimination half-life of caffeine.
Effects of alcohol warnings and advertisements: A test of the boomerang hypothesis

Two experiments examined the effects of warnings and advertisements on memory, intentions, and benefit and risk perceptions. The experiments were designed to replicate an important recent study (Snyder & Blood, 1992), where it was suggested that an alcohol warning may have a boomerang effect such that drinkers perceive alcohol as having more benefits when the warning is present. In Experiment 1, a planned comparison did not support the boomerang effect. A larger sample size was used in Experiment 2 to increase the statistical power to detect the boomerang effect, but the effect was not observed. In both experiments there was evidence that advertisements led to greater perceived benefits and lower perceived risks. There was some evidence that warnings increased perceived risk and reduced advertising effects on perceived benefits. Subjects' sex and alcohol use were often strongly related to the dependent measures. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Nonspecific esterase isozyme polymorphism in natural populations of Gossypium thurberi

Abstract Examination of seed samples of Gossypium thurberi by means of acrylamide gel electrophoresis was undertaken to detect the presence of molecular polymorphism in nonspecific esterases. Although little morphological variation is observed within and between populations of this species, six different non-specific seed esterase zymograms were demonstrated suggesting that high molecular polymorphism is present. Studies using urea indicated that the specific isozyme patterns did not result from secondary alterations in structures of polypeptide species during extraction and therefore are not in vitro artifacts.
EVALUATION OF PROTEIN QUALITY OF FIVE VARIETIES OF LENTILS USING Tetrahymena pyriformis W

The protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis W was used to assess protein quality in two cultivars and three experimental lines of lentils. Cooked, freeze-dried lentil powders and two protein fractions (legumin albumin) were evaluated and showed small but significant (P < 0.05) differences. The protein in whole (nonfractionated) lentil powder supported 15–19% of the growth supported by the control protein, casein; two of the experimental breeding lines supported more Tetrahymena growth than did the cultivars. The albumin fractions supported almost three times more growth and the legumins supported slightly growth than did the lentil powders. Supplementation studies with intact lentil powders showed sulfur-containing amino acids to be first limiting. Lentil powders with essential amino acids added to simulate casein produced less than half as much growth as did casein.
Covariability in diet and physical activity in African-American girls

Objective: Our goal was to examine 12-week covariability in diet and physical activity changes among 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls and if these changes predicted percent change in BMI. Research Methods and Procedures: Covariability among percent changes [(post − pre)/pre × 100] in nutrients, food groups, and physical activity was assessed among 127 8- to 10-year-old African-American girls. Pearson correlation and hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed. Results: Percent change in percentage kilocalories from carbohydrate was negatively correlated with percent change in both percentage kilocalories from fat (r = −0.85; p ≤ 0.01) and protein (r = −0.51; p ≤ 0.01). No statistically significant relationships were observed in percent changes among food group variables. Negative relationships were observed between percent changes in fruit/100% juice and percentage kilocalories from fat (r = −0.20; p ≤ 0.05) and between percent changes in minutes of moderate-to-vigorous and sedentary activity (r = −0.60; p ≤ 0.01). No significant associations were observed between percent change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and diet variables or percent change in BMI or waist circumference and percent change in diet or physical activity. Discussion: No relationships were observed between percent changes in physical activity and dietary variables. Percent change in diet and/or physical activity did not predict percent change in BMI. This may have been due to the small sample size, the small changes in diet or physical activity, the short duration of the intervention, or because data from different interventions were combined. Understanding these relationships could have significant implications for addressing the obesity epidemic.
Remaining technical barriers to obtaining general acceptance of geosynthetics

Abstract Over the past 10 to 20 years, geosynthetics have developed into a viable subset of civil engineering materials. The specific applications are usually in the environmental, geotechnical and transportation related areas. However, the majority of designers and facility owners in these areas have had little formal education in polymeric materials, in general, nor in geosynthetics, in particular. Thus there is often a reluctance toward their use, particularly in critical situations. Unfortunately, this reluctance is often framed around reasons that are quite unfounded. Reflecting on this situation, we have selected three major areas of technical concern which require a critical assessment and additional investigation. They are the following: • • Geotextile filtration concerns when dealing with fine cohesionless soils, sediment and microorganism laden permeants, and dynamic or high gradient flow rates. • • Geotextile and geogrid time dependent behavior under load which involves both creep and stress relaxation. Geomembranes, geonets and geocomposites are sometimes challenged in this same manner. • • Polymer degradation concerns and related lifetime prediction methods. This applies to all geosynthetics used in permeant civil engineering systems. New research by the authors has been added in each of the above topics along with suggested future efforts. The conclusion to the paper presents what we feel to be a logical, technical-based, mindset for the use of geosynthetics in civil engineering applications.
The reversibility of leukoplakia caused by smokeless tobacco

This case describes an instance of reversibility of bilateral mucosal leukoplakic lesions caused by the long-term use of smokeless tobacco. The dentist should recognize the lesion, advise the patient to stop the tobacco usage, observe the reversibility of the lesion, and assist the patient in stopping the tobacco habit permanently.
Immunochemical detection of hemoglobin-derived radicals formed by reaction with hydrogen peroxide: involvement of a protein-tyrosyl radical

Abstract To investigate the involvement of a hemoglobin radical in the human oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) or metHb/H 2 O 2 system, we have used a new approach called “immuno-spin trapping,” which combines the specificity and sensitivity of both spin trapping and antigen:antibody interactions. Previously, a novel rabbit polyclonal anti-DMPO nitrone adduct antiserum, which specifically recognizes protein radical-derived nitrone adducts, was developed and validated in our laboratory. In the present study, the formation of nitrone adducts on hemoglobin was shown to depend on the oxidation state of the iron heme, the concentrations of H 2 O 2 and DMPO, and time as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by Western blotting. The presence of reduced glutathione or L-ascorbate significantly decreased the level of nitrone adducts on metHb in a dose-dependent manner. To confirm the ELISA results, Western blotting analysis showed that only the complete system (oxy- or metHb/DMPO/H 2 O 2 ) generates epitopes recognized by the antiserum. The specific modification of tyrosine residues on metHb by iodination nearly abolished antibody binding, while the thiylation of cysteine residues caused a small but reproducible decrease in the amount of nitrone adducts. These findings strongly suggest that tyrosine residues are the site of formation of the immunochemically detectable hemoglobin radical-derived nitrone adducts. In addition, we were able to demonstrate the presence of hemoglobin radical-derived nitrone adducts inside red blood cells exposed to H 2 O 2 and DMPO. In conclusion, our new approach showed several advantages over EPR spin trapping with the anti-DMPO nitrone adduct antiserum by demonstrating the formation of tyrosyl radical-derived nitrone adduct(s) in human oxyHb/metHb at much lower concentrations than was possible with EPR and detecting radicals inside RBC exposed to H 2 O 2 .
Epidemic Cocaine Abuse: America's present, Britain's future?

Summary Epidemic cocaine abuse has become a major problem in America and may be spreading to England. The paper reviews the historical setting in which cocaine first became a problem in America at the turn of the century and its recent re-emergence. Possible reasons for this are explained including myths as to its safety, relationship to prior marijuana use, celebrity endorsements and the role of the media, changes in the route of administration and the reinforcing effects of the drug itself. Since heavy cocaine use is now understood to cause a physiologic as well as a psychologic dependence, treatment may need to deal with neurochemical changes possibly involved in the persistent relapses. Pharmacologic approaches to remedy this, especially use of certain tricyclics, are discussed as are a variety of psychological treatments including behavioral, supportive and relapse prevention methods. The paper concludes by listing possible interventions that might lessen the problem if adopted including steps that can be taken in the realms of education, law enforcement, and treatment.
Charge dependence of the nucleon-nucleon interaction due to pion-mass difference.

We calculate the charge-dependent effects on the nucleon-nucleon scattering length due to the mass difference between charged and neutral pions. This is done within the framework of the field-theoretic Bonn nucleon-nucleon interaction model, which is based entirely on meson exchange. We find that the pion-mass difference can account for about 80% of the experimental discrepancy between the proton-proton (or neutron-neutron) and proton-neutron scattering lengths. This is the first consistent calculation of the pion-mass difference effects taking into account all important one- and two-boson-exchange contributions to the nuclear force.
Variations in coping stages for individuals with chronic kidney disease: Results from an exploratory study with patient navigators

Using a cross-sectional design, we examined coping stages (Kubler-Ross) among patients with end-stage renal disease at nephrology practices incorporating professional social workers as patient navigators, providing person-centered education and support (N = 420). We evaluated associations with behavioral counseling constructs (assess–advise–agree–assist–arrange). Coping stages comprised denial = 35.24 percent, acceptance = 24.05 percent, depression = 21.43 percent, bargaining = 12.86 percent, and anger = 6.43 percent. Compared to denial, other coping stages showed increased odds ratios for transplant referral agreement, transplant referral evaluations, understanding treatments, understanding donation procedures, plans to recruit donors, active donor recruitment, and potential living donor(s). Assessment of coping stages, and strategies to influence these, may be key factors in guiding patients to living donor kidney transplantation.
The Stability and Functionality of Chemically Crosslinked Microtubules

A variety of bifunctional crosslinking agents have been explored for stabilizing microtubule shuttles used for the active transport of nanomaterials in artificial environments. Crosslinking agents that target amine residues form intertubulin crosslinks that produce crosslinked microtubules (CLMTs) with structural and functional lifetimes that can be up to four times as long as those achieved with taxol stabilization. Such CLMTs are stable at temperatures down to -10 degrees C, are resistant to depolymerization induced by metal ions such as Ca2+, and yet continue to be adsorbed and transported by self-assembled monolayers containing the motor protein kinesin. However, crosslinkers that target cysteine residues depolymerize the MTs, probably by interfering with the guanosine triphosphate binding site. The impact of crosslink attributes, including terminal group chemistry, chain length, crosslink density, and specific location on the tubulin surface, on microtubule stability and functionality are discussed.
The University of Washington three-stage tandem Van de Graaff accelerator

Abstract The 3-stage Model FN Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator at the University of Washington and its operating characteristics are described. With the 3 stages, the machine produces proton and deuteron beams up to 0.6 μA in intensity at energies up to 25.5 MeV. The neutral-negative system is now being replaced with a terminal source so as to increase the energy and versatility of the 3-stage configuration. Various improvements to the accelerator and the ancillary equipment have been made since initial operation (1965). These include new ion sources, polarized ion source, beam stabilization systems, and miscellaneous other equipment. Maintenance problems and procedures are also discussed. The accelerator combination has proved to be a versatile and relatively reliable instrument for a wide variety of nuclear research.
Endovascular management of vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations. Influence of the normal venous drainage on the choice of a treatment strategy

Vein of Galen arteriovenous malformations (VGAM) are rare intracranial vascular lesions mostly involving young children. Endovascular therapy is the current standard of care. Albeit interventional techniques have greatly reduced the once dismal vital and functional prognoses previously associated with these lesions, the treatment of VGAMs remains a complex therapeutic challenge. This article reviews the available endovascular options for VGAM therapy, emphasizing three points that we have identified as critical in our practice for the establishment of a treatment strategy: (1) the importance of the deep cerebral venous anatomy, in particular the existence of normal drainage through the Galenic system in spite of the VGAM; (2) the concept of treatment staging, for arterial as well as for venous interventions; and (3) the definition of a therapeutic goal that can be attained at a reasonable cost in terms of complication risks and functional outcome.
A programmable system for acquisition and reduction of respiratory physiological data

A portable software package (TIDAL—Tools for Intelligent Data Acqusition in the Laboratory) for acquiring and analyzing respiratory physiological data is described. TIDAL supports flow-, volume-, and concentration-measuring devices, and any other instruments that produce linear analog outputs. The system allows users to specify the names and types of channels to be sampled, and the calculations involved in reducing samples to breath-to-breath values. The specification of channels and calculations is given in EDL, and Experiment Description Language designed for respiratory physiology. EDL comprises a set of internal functions (primitives) which can be combined into arbitrarily complex expressions. To simplify EDL programming, TIDAL includes a macro processor and a standard macro library; the library contains definitions for a wide variety of respiratory variables. Examples are inspiratory and expiratory times and total volumes, mean inspired and expired gas volumes and concentrations, and end-tidal concentrations. Variables that are derived from these primary data, such as respiratory quotient, are also easily specified. TIDAL is written entirely in the C programming language, with special attention to portable coding practices. The code is organized in a modular structure that eases porting to multiple hardware/compiler/operating system environments.
Comparative fungal responses in managed plant communities infested by spotted (Centaurea maculosa Lam.) and diffuse (C. diffusa Lam.) knapweed

Abstract Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa Lam.) and diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa Lam.) infested plant communities that are being studied for improved management practices to enhance native perennial grass species were evaluated for selected fungal responses during 2000–2003. Replicated plots were treated using combinations of carbohydrate addition to reduce soil N availability, reseeding with desirable mid- and late-seral plant species, and reintroducing a native late-seral soil microbial community using whole soil inoculum. The responses of extraradical filamentous fungi, mycorrhizae (infection intensity, arbuscules and vesicles) and systemic endophytic fungal (SEF) of native perennial grasses were evaluated in relation to plant community relative biomass, litter mass and soil C:N ratio in treated versus replicated untreated control plots. Soil filamentous fungal and plant community changes occurred with combined treatments (sucrose, seeding, soil inoculum) and were most evident in the diffuse knapweed-invaded sites during 2003. Based on overall correlations for the 2000–2003 experimental period, total and active filamentous fungi were inversely related to the relative biomass of invasive plants, particularly of spotted knapweed. The native perennial grasses had lower mycorrhizal infection intensity at the spotted knapweed site, in comparison with the diffuse knapweed infested site, where soil inoculation also appeared to be related to higher SEF and mycorrhizal infection occurrence. These results suggest that a mycocentric approach, involving soil management to maintain filamentous fungal hyphal lengths, while decreasing active fungal development, may create a soil environment more conducive to maintenance of desired indigenous plant species.
OUTPATIENT PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDICS: Common and Important Conditions

Many common pediatric orthopedic conditions can be managed by the pediatrician who has a knowledge of the natural history of these conditions. An accurate diagnosis is necessary to provide proper treatment, give advice to patients, or make referrals to the proper specialist. The authors' find that in approximately 95% of cases, a specific diagnosis can be made and that 40% of patient referrals for orthopedic problems could have been managed by the primary care physician. This article discusses some of the more common pediatric orthopedic problems often encountered by primary care physicians.
In vivo necrosis of large S-91 mouse melanomas by DL-B-phenyllactic acid plus L-cysteine

Abstract Intraperitoneal injections of DL-B-phenyllactic acid plus L-cysteine and sodium bicarbonate dissolved in distilled water produced necrosis of established large S-91 mouse melanomas carried subcutaneously in male DBA/2 mice. Normal mouse tissues showed no major differences by light microscopy and apparently there were no acute toxic effects. It is suggested that L-cysteine can mimic the effect of transitory hypoxia or chilling formerly necessary for PLA to exert its selective pigmented malignant melanoma inhibitory properties.
Style/Risk-Adjusted Performance

The M-squared risk-adjusted performance measure, developed by Leah Modigliani and Franco Modigliani, calibrates all similar funds against the same broad market index; this is a desirable property. There may be times, however, when a “style mandate” may place to a fund at a distinct advantage (or disadvantage) relative to other funds. In such cases, the author shows that the M-squared methodology can be combined with Sharpe style analysis to produce a “style/risk-adjusted performance” measure. This measure is more difficult to calculate, but when there are strong style effects it can provide a useful additional perspective on performance.
Lessons Learned from Experiential Group Work Learning

This study evaluated the efficacy of student-led support groups designed to increase students' perceived knowledge of social group work. The student groups described here were based on theories of experiential learning described by Kolb and colleagues. The mixed-method evaluation used Clements' 17-item scale to measure readiness for group practice and narrative journal entries submitted by students about their experiences in the class. This was part of a larger study to determine whether student-led support groups decreased levels of stress among BSW students. Although limited in scope, this research suggests that student-led groups may improve BSW students' knowledge, skills, and readiness for group work practice.
Inefficacy Interim Monitoring Procedures in Randomized Clinical Trials: The Need to Report

If definitive evidence concerning treatment effectiveness becomes available from an ongoing randomized clinical trial, then the trial could be stopped early, with the public release of results benefiting current and future patients. However, stopping an ongoing trial based on accruing outcome data requires methodological rigor to preserve validity of the trial conclusions. This has led to the use of formal interim monitoring procedures, which include inefficacy monitoring that will stop a trial early when the experimental treatment appears not to be working. For participants, inefficacy monitoring is especially important as it ensures that they are not being treated worse than if they had not enrolled on the trial. We discuss the importance of reporting with trial results the formal interim inefficacy monitoring guidelines that were utilized, and, if none were used, the reasons for their absence. A survey of two leading medical journals suggests that this is not current practice.
VISUAL HAZE DETECTION THRESHOLD ASSESSMENT BY ASCENDING METHOD OF LIMITS AND A TRANSFORMED STAIRCASE PROCEDURE IN APPLE JUICE SIMULATIONS UNDER “ STORE LIKE” CONDITIONS

Visual haze detection thresholds were assessed in thirty panelists by two methods: the ascending method of limits and a transformed staircase procedure (UDTR, from Wetherill and Levitt 1965). The 3AFC test was used as the response procedure for both methods. Experimental samples consisted of an apple juice simulation (water with food coloring). Haze was added to the samples using formazin, and was calibrated to eleven levels ranging from 0.75-13.30 NTU. Haze detection thresholds under store-like conditions (3.55 ± 0.57 [mean ± S.E.] and 3.16 ± 0.50 NTU by the two methods, respectively) were higher than those found previously under more controlled viewing conditions. No differences were found between methods, genders, or order of method presentation (p > 0.05); a practice effect showed a slight improvement in detection thresholds between sessions (p = 0.05). Nonparametric tests confirmed the similarities in the threshold estimates from the two methods. The two methods estimated visual haze detection thresholds equally well. However, the ascending method of limits may be preferred method due to the shorter time involved in administration.
ENGINEERING ORIENTED HEME PROTEIN MAQUETTE MONOLAYERS THROUGH SURFACE RESIDUE CHARGE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS

We have designed and synthesized four-α-helix-bundle proteins that accommodate heme groups to act as molecular “maquettes” of more complex natural electron-transfer proteins. These bundles can be oriented at an air−water interface and transferred onto solid surfaces to facilitate the exploration of the factors that govern biological electron transfer. We find that the orientation of these maquettes on an air−water interface can be controlled by choosing the distribution of charged amino acids along the sides of the helices exposed to water. The four α-helices were assembled either as two subunits, where each subunit consists of two α-helices linked by a terminal cysteine disulfide bond, or as a single, four-helix covalent unit consisting of two helix−loop−helix molecules linked by a terminal cysteine. In either case, when each α-helix contains both positively charged lysines and negatively charged glutamates, addition of the heme binding bundles to an air−water interface causes them to open up and lie on ...
Using Metrics of Curation to Evaluate Information-Based Ideation

Evaluating creativity support environments is challenging. Some approaches address people’s experiences of creativity. The present method measures creativity, across conditions, in the products that people make. This research introduces information-based ideation (IBI), a paradigm for investigating open-ended tasks and activities in which users develop new ideas. IBI tasks span imagining, planning, and reflecting on a weekend, vacation, outfit, makeover, paper, internship, thesis, design, campaign, crisis response, career, or invention. What products do people create through engagement in IBIq Curation of digital media incorporates conceptualization, finding and choosing information objects, annotation, and synthesis. Through engagement in IBI tasks, people create curation products. This article formulates a quantitative methodology for evaluating IBI support tools, building on prior creative cognition research in engineering design to derive a battery of ideation metrics of curation. Elemental ideation metrics evaluate creativity within curated found objects. Holistic ideation metrics evaluate how a curation puts elements together. IBI support environments are characterized by their underlying medium of curation. Curation media include lists, such as listicles, and grids, such as the boards of Pinterest. An in-depth case study investigates information composition, an art-based medium representing a curation as a freeform visual semantic connected whole. We raise two creative cognition challenges for IBI. One challenge is overcoming fixation—for instance, when a person gets stuck in a counterproductive mental set. The other challenge is to bridge information visualization’s synthesis gap, by providing support for connecting findings. To address the challenges, we develop mixed-initiative information composition (MI2C), integrating human curation of information composition with automated agents of information retrieval and visualization. We hypothesize that MI2C generates provocative stimuli that help users overcome fixation to become more creative on IBI tasks. We hypothesize that MI2C’s integration of curation and visualization bridges the synthesis gap to help users become more creative. To investigate these hypotheses, we apply ideation metrics of curation to interpret results from experiments with 44 and 49 participants.
Is dietary restriction beneficial for human health, such as for immune function?

Purpose of reviewThe impact of dietary restriction on physiologic function in humans is now beginning to be examined. The clinical trials are fueled by decades of animal experiments showing that dietary restriction delays the aging process and decreases the incidence of many age-associated diseases.
On superposition of heterogeneous edge processes in dynamic random graphs

This paper builds a generic modeling framework for analyzing the edge-creation process in dynamic random graphs in which nodes continuously alternate between active and inactive states, which represent churn behavior of modern distributed systems. We prove that despite heterogeneity of node lifetimes, different initial out-degree, non-Poisson arrival/failure dynamics, and complex spatial and temporal dependency among creation of both initial and replacement edges, a superposition of edge-arrival processes to a live node under uniform selection converges to a Poisson process when system size becomes sufficiently large. Due to the convoluted dependency and non-renewal nature of various point processes, this result significantly advances classical Poisson convergence analysis and offers a simple analytical platform for future modeling of networks under churn in a wide range of degree-regular and -irregular graphs with arbitrary node lifetime distributions.
Model and experiments on soil remediation by electric fields

Abstract The dominant transport process for removing charged species from soils by electric fields is electromigration. In the case of heavy metals, the polarity and magnitude of the charge depends on the pH. Positive ions are generally stable at low pH and negatively charged complexes dominate at high pH. The transport is further complicated by the strong dependence of solubility on pH, with many heavy metals being virtually insoluble in moderately alkaline conditions. It was found experimentally that under certain conditions, strong pH gradienis can develop in the soil trapping the metals by a process of isoelectric focusing, A numerical model of the transport and electrochemical processes was extended for the first time to incorporate complexation and precipitation reactions and was found to closely reproduce the experimental findings. The model demonstrates the role played by background ions and electroneutrality in governing the distribution of species, and how the concomitant variations in the elect...