cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of environmental changes on degradation of chiral pollutants in soils.

Numerous anthropogenic chemicals of environmental concern—including some phenoxy acid herbicides, organophosphorus insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, phthalates, freon substitutes and some DDT derivatives—are chiral. Their potential biological effects, such as toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and endocrine disrupter activity, are generally enantiomer-selective, and different enantiomers are preferentially degraded (transformed) by micro-organisms in various environments1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Here we use field and laboratory experiments to demonstrate that environmental changes in soils can alter these preferences, and to suggest that the preferences shift owing to different groups of related microbial genotypes being activated by different environmental changes. In Brazilian soils, almost all pasture samples preferentially transformed the non-herbicidal enantiomer of dichlorprop ((RS)-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propionic acid), while most forest samples either transformed the herbicidal enantiomer more readily or as rapidly as the non-herbicidal enantiomer. Organic nutrient enrichments shifted enantioselectivity for methyl dichlorprop ((RS)-methyl 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propionic acid) strongly towards preferentially removing the non-herbicidal enantiomer in soils from Brazil and North America, potentially increasing phytotoxicity of its residues relative to that of the racemate. Assessments of the risks chemical pollutants pose to public health and the environment need to take into account the chiral selectivity of microbial transformation processes and their alteration by environmental changes, especially for pesticides as up to 25 per cent are chiral9.
Is dental education in step with current geriatric health promotion initiatives

As dramatic changes in U.S. society continue to stress our health care system, we must consider new strategies to meet the oral health needs of older individuals. Several recent national initiatives, including the Healthy People 2000 health objectives and the Surgeon General9s Workshop on Health Promotion and Aging, provide measurable health objectives and suggestions for educational activities in the area of geriatric oral health promotion. Using these and other recent documents like "Practitioners for 2005, An Agenda for Action for U.S. Health Professional Schools," we can evaluate current educational programs in geriatric dentistry, as well plan programs and health promotional activities that meet the future needs of dental professionals and the patients they serve.
Processing the nonstructural polyproteins of Sindbis virus: nonstructural proteinase is in the C-terminal half of nsP2 and functions both in cis and in trans

The processing of the Sindbis virus nonstructural polyprotein translated in vitro has been studied. When Sindbis virus genomic RNA was translated in a reticulocyte lysate, polyprotein P123 was cleaved efficiently to produce nsP1, nsP2, and nsP3. Inhibition of this processing by anti-nsP2 antibodies, but not by antibodies specific for nsP1, nsP3, or nsP4, suggested that the viral proteinase was present in nsP2. To localize the proteolytic activity more precisely, deletions were made in a full-length cDNA clone of Sindbis virus, and RNA was transcribed from these constructs with SP6 RNA polymerase and translated in vitro. Although virtually all of the nsP1, nsP3, and nsP4 sequences could be deleted without affecting processing, deletions in the N-terminal half of nsP2 led to aberrant processing, and deletions in the C-terminal half abolished proteolysis. However, inactive polyproteins containing the nsP2 deletions could be processed by exogenously supplied proteins translated from virion RNA, demonstrating that cleavage was virus specific and not due to a protease present in the reticulocyte lysate and that the deleted polyproteins still served as substrates for the enzyme. From these results and from experiments in which processing was studied at increasingly higher dilution, we have concluded the following: (i) the viral nonstructural proteinase is located in the C-terminal half of nsP2; (ii) in the P123 precursor the cleavage between nsP2 and nsP3 occurs efficiently as a bimolecular reaction (in trans) to remove nsP3, while the bond between nsP1 and nsP2 is cleaved inefficiently, but detectably, in trans, but no autoproteolysis of P123 was detected; (iii) once nsP3 has been removed, the bond between nsP1 and nsP2 in the P12 precursor is cleaved efficiently by autoproteolysis (in cis). This mode of processing leads to a slow rate of cleavage, particularly early in infection, suggesting that the polyproteins might play roles in virus RNA replication distinct from those of the cleaved products. A hypothesis is presented that the proteinase is a thiol protease related to papain.
Effect of sulfur dioxide on flotation of chalcopyrite

Abstract The mechanism of sulfur dioxide on collectorless and collector-induced flotation of chalcopyrite was studied by cyclic voltammetry on a rotating disc electrode, and by contact angle measurements. The first step in oxidation of chalcopyrite is the release of iron that upon hydrolysis may stay at the surface to render the surface hydrophilic. In stirred solutions, a significant amount of iron goes into solution to expose a copper–sulfur (Cu–S)-rich layer that leads to hydrophobicity. The Cu–S-rich layer reacts with the collector more readily than the original chalcopyrite or the iron-covered surface. In the absence of xanthate, the contact angles were larger when sulfur dioxide was present, indicating removal of some of the iron oxide at the surface. When sulfur dioxide and xanthate were added together, the contact angles were lower than those with xanthate alone. These results indicate that improved flotation may be obtained if treatment with sulfur dioxide precedes collector addition.
Nature of alkalic volcanic rock series

The alkalic rocks are here regarded as a category in a classification of igneous rock series (rock associations) and not as a class in petrographic systematics. The alkalic series as a whole are characterized by higher Na2O+K2O content than the subalkalic series in the alkali vs. SiO2 diagram. At least three different trends (types) of differentiation appear to exist in large-scale alkalic volcanic associations. One (here designated as the Kennedy trend) starts from weakly nepheline-normative basalt and shows increasing normative nepheline with advancing fractionation to reach a phonolitic composition. Another (here called the Coombs trend) starts from hypersthene-normative basalt and shows increasing normative hypersthene and then normative quartz with advancing fractionation to reach a comenditic composition. Besides these two trends, it seems that many alkalic associations exist which show a differentiation trend starting from nepheline-normative basaltic composition and leading to hypersthenenormative, and then to quartz-normative compositions (here designated as the straddle-B type). Alkalic rocks of these three trends are higher not only in Na2O+K2O but also in Rb, Ba, Sr and Zr than subalkalic rocks. The alkalic basalts as a whole are characterized by higher contents of such elements and not by any degree of silica undersaturation. It is widely believed that alkalic rocks are characterized by the presence of normative nepheline as well as by the absence of orthopyroxene and pigeonite. Indeed such a relationship holds for the Kennedy trend, but it is not always valid for other types of alkalic associations. Some alkalic rocks of the Coombs trend and straddle-B type have quartz (or other silica minerals) and orthopyroxene and pigeonite.
Web Portal Usability Tests for the Nevada Climate Change Portal

Web technologies have proven to be very helpful to users and have proliferated. As web technologies evolve rapidly, the runtime environment for web user interfaces is constantly changing. Unique web portals have been created to deliver climate change related information and data. One of these portals, discussed in this paper, is called the Nevada Climate Change Portal. Currently, there are questions regarding how to develop this portal while it is still in its early stages of development. In an attempt to answer some of these questions, usability testing has been performed to assess the fitness of this web portal for its stated requirements. The usability tests are described herein, which employ the methods of accessibility testing and competitive testing.
The Classification of Cutaneous Melanoma

Forty years ago, a clinical and histological classification scheme and prognostic factors were described for cutaneous melanoma. This scheme included the subtypes superficial spreading, nodular and lentigo maligna, and prognostic factors including tumor thickness, ulceration, and mitotic activity. There have been some tweaks to the classification scheme, but these basic findings form the foundation for melanoma diagnosis and staging today. Currently, no molecular marker or target has proved reliably useful in the staging or treatment of melanoma. Measurement with a simple ruler serves as the basis for the staging of primary cutaneous melanoma, while the recognition of primary tumor mitotic activity and ulceration also remain significant factors. Recently, mutational analysis has revealed a correlation of activating mutations with the morphological descriptors from decades ago. Future classification schemes may have more power in predicting response to therapy by integrating specific genomic and intra-tumoral expression profiles with histologic findings.
Personality traits, problems, and disorders: Clinical applications to substance use disorders

Research on personality traits has made significant contributions to understanding clinical syndromes such as substance abuse and personality disorder. This paper reviews evidence that supports the role of constellations of personality traits and personality disorders that are commonly observed in substance abusers. The potentially overlapping behavioral expression of some personality traits, disorders, and substance use creates challenging measurement issues that can only be resolved through sophisticated assessment strategies. A reliable and valid assessment should depend on a multi-level assessment of personality traits, personality-related problems, and personality disorders involving both self-report and structured clinical interviews. A comprehensive assessment approach should guide the development and evaluation of promising therapeutic strategies and inform revisions to the psychiatric nosology of personality disorders.
Extracting play primitives for a robot playmate by sequencing low-level motion behaviors

In this paper, we discuss a methodology to extract play primitives, defined as a sequence of low-level motion behaviors identified during a playing action, such as stacking or inserting a toy. Our premise is that if a robot could interpret the basic movements of a humanpsilas play, it will be able to interact with many different kinds of toys, in conjunction with its human playmate. As such, we present a method that combines motion behavior analysis and behavior sequencing, which capitalizes on the inherent characteristics found in the dynamics of play such as the limited domain of the objects and manipulation skills required. In this paper, we give details on the approach and present results from applying the methodology to a number of play scenarios.
Properties of nonnegative solutions of degenerate elliptic equations

This is a report on some recent work concerning interior behavior of nonnegative solutions of degenerate elliptic equations. Uniform interior Harnack inequalities and precise interior behavior of Greens functions are discussed.
THE EXTENDED MIND

. The extended mind is the thesis that some mental—typically cognitive—processes are partly composed of operations performed by cognizing organisms on the world around them. The operations in question are ones of manipulation, transformation, or exploitation of environmental structures. And the structures in question are ones that carry information pertinent to the success or efficacy of the cognitive process in question. This essay examines the thesis of the extended mind and evaluates the arguments for and against it.
Comments on “Randomized Cloud Seeding in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado”

Abstract Several aspects of the study by Elliott et al. (1978) of the Colorado River Basin Cloud Seeding Pilot Project are discussed. Issues addressed include the design of the project, the diffusion of the seeding agent, anomalous ice nucleus concentrations in the target area, and statistical analysis of the randomized experiment.
On the canonical approach to quantum gravity

General relativity has the property that, under the natural projection mapping, the image of the constraint surface in the phase space is a proper subset of the configuration space. This feature is not shared by other field theories of direct physical interest such as the Yang-Mills theory, nor by constrained systems which have been modeled after general relativity and analyzed in detail. Therefore, to gain insight into this feature, a new example with a finite number of degrees of freedom is introduced and quantized. The analysis suggests that, in the canonical approach, the reduced phase-space method is likely to yield an incomplete description of quantum gravity. In particular, contrary to the indication provided by this method, quantum gravity may admit states with negative energies.
Fast Local Trust Region Technique for Diffusion Tensor Registration Using Exact Reorientation and Regularization

Diffusion tensor imaging is widely used in brain connectivity research. As more and more studies recruit large numbers of subjects, it is important to design registration methods which are not only theoretically rigorous, but also computationally efficient. However, the requirement of reorienting diffusion tensors complicates and considerably slows down registration procedures, due to the correlated impacts of registration forces at adjacent voxel locations. Based on the diffeomorphic Demons algorithm (Vercauteren , 2009), we propose a fast local trust region algorithm for handling inseparable registration forces for quadratic energy functions. The method guarantees that, at any time and at any voxel location, the velocity is always within its local trust region. This local regularization allows efficient calculation of the transformation update with numeric integration instead of completely solving a large linear system at every iteration. It is able to incorporate exact reorientation and regularization into the velocity optimization, and preserve the linear complexity of the diffeomorphic Demons algorithm. In an experiment with 84 diffusion tensor images involving both pair-wise and group-wise registrations, the proposed algorithm achieves better registration in comparison with other methods solving large linear systems (Yeo , 2009). At the same time, this algorithm reduces the computation time and memory demand tenfold.
Measles virus polypeptide synthesis in infected cells

Abstract The synthesis of measles virus polypeptides has been studied using an inhibitor of virus-induced cell fusion, carbobenzoxy- d -phenylalanyl- l -phenylalanyl-nitro- l -arginine (SV4814). Cells infected at a multiplicity of 10 fuse extensively by 17 hr and die shortly thereafter, making it difficult to detect viral polypeptides. Cells protected from fusion by SV4814 survive and continue to produce virus, and the synthesis of viral polypeptides can be followed for 4 days. The previously described measles virion polypeptides G, 2, NP, 5, and M have been identified in infected cells, and, in addition, a polypeptide (L) with a molecular weight of ∼200,000 has been found in infected cells and in small amounts in virions. (New designations suggested for polypeptides G, 2, and 5 are H, P, and F 1 , respectively.) A glycosylated polypeptide ( F 0 , MW ∼62,000) has also been found in infected cells, but not in virions. This polypeptide is thought to be the precursor of two polypeptides which appear under pulse-chase conditions: F 1 (MW ∼40,000), which is not glycosylated, and F 2 , a small glycosylated polypeptide detected with [ 3 H]glucosamine labeling. In addition to facilitating studies of measles virus polypeptide synthesis, the use of SV4814 has shown that cell fusion is the major factor in early cell death caused by measles virus, but that cell death ultimately ensues in the absence of cell fusion, indicating another mechanism of measles virus-induced cell damage.
Software Design and the Future of the Virtual Classroom

ABSTRACT This paper reviews the software functionality that has evolved over the past two decades of research in Computer Mediated Communications at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) to create a Virtual Classroom® to support distance education. Based upon many years of evaluating its effectiveness we also summarize our views about the software functionality needed for further improvement of this approach to distance education. This view of a future Virtual Classroom® allows the instructor complete control over the learning materials and the tools to easily to weave in the learners as co contributors to a growing web of course knowledge. Beyond the current basic tools of the Virtual Classroom® we discuss the future role for hypertext, gaming and simulation, animation and multimedia and the role of the educator as a facilitator of a collaborative learning process. Both the proper software and the proper pedagogical techniques are necessary in order to obtain maximum effectiveness in the asynchronous...
Functionalization of Carbon Nano-onions by Direct Fluorination

Carbon nano-onions (CNO) are made of concentric fullerene-like shells and range from double- and triple- to multilayered structures. They remain the least studied allotrope of carbon yet. In the present study, a one-step process for functionalization of CNO (50−100 nm diameter) by addition of fluorine through direct fluorination at variable temperatures is reported. The reactions of CNO at three different temperatures, 350, 410, and 480 °C, yield fluorinated nano-onions (F-NO) of approximately C10.1F, C3.3F, and C2.3F stoichiometry, respectively, representing a new family of nanoscale fluorocarbon materials. The F-NO were characterized by a set of materials characterization methods including FTIR, Raman, UV−vis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction, and thermal gravimetric analysis. SEM and TEM images show that even after breaking of the graphene layers in CNO by fluorine, the F-NO products retain the spherical onion-shaped morp...
Regeneration of interfacial adhesion in fiber reinforced composites

Abstract Our studies of the regeneration of interfacial adhesion in micro-composites have shown that fiber/thermoplastic (aramid/polycarbonate) bonds can be completely regenerated, the degree of regeneration depending on both time and temperature of heating. Complete regeneration requires high temperatures, suggesting that mechanical interlocking resulting from flow of heat-softened resin into fiber surface crevices may be the primary mechanism of bond strength regeneration. Only partial regeneration of fiber/thermosetting resin (epoxy with aramid and carbon fibers) bond strength has been achieved, and this appears to be independent of fiber and reheating time. Apparently, the viscoelastic behavior of the resin is a critical factor in bond strength regeneration.
94 LEFT VENTRICULAR WALL STIFFNESS IN YOUNG SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Eight week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and nor-motensive Kyoto-Wistar controls (WKY) were studied in order to determine the effect of hypertrophy on passive elastic left ventricular wall stiffness. After perfusion cooling and arrest, excised hearts were mounted on mitral and aortic cannulae and maintained in calcium-free Krebs solution (4°C). From multiple static pressure-volume cycles over a 0-10 mmHg pressure range, LV chamber distensibility (ΔV/ΔP) data were fitted to the equation P=A+Bexp[C(ΔV)]. Unstressed chamber volume (Vo) and LV mass (LVM) were then determined. Assuming a spherical geometry for the LV, elastic wall stiffness moduli, (Es) from linear elasticity theory and uniaxial stiffness (Us) on the basis of large deformation theory, were derived from the pressure volume data. At any given stress level, LV wall stiffness is greater in the young SHR than in WKY early in the development of myocardial hypertrophy and hypertension.
Fuzzy Measures Defined by Fuzzy Integral and their Absolute Continuity

Abstract Given a measurable space (X, F ), a fuzzy measure μ on (X, F ), and a nonnegative functionfonXthat is measurable with respect to F , we can define a new set function ν on (X, F ) by the fuzzy integral. It is known that ν is a lower semicontinuous fuzzy measure on (X, F ) and, moreover, if μ is finite, then ν is a finite fuzzy measure as well. In this paper, we generalize in several different ways the concept of absolute continuity of set functions, as defined in classical measure theory. In addition, we investigate the relationship among these generalizations by using the structural characteristics of set functions such as null-additivity and autocontinuity, and determine which types of absolute continuity of fuzzy measures are possessed by the fuzzy measure (or the lower semicontinuous fuzzy measure) obtained by the fuzzy integral.
INTERNODAL DELAY ISSUES IN LONG-RANGE, ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC FORECASTS

Five mechanisms are examined by which traffic-controlled intersections can interact within a long-range traffic forecast, and the computational implications of each are explored. These mechanisms apply to networks that can adapt to changing travel behaviors over a long period of time. One mechanism relates to user-optimal equilibrium traffic assignment, which is a prerequisite for the remaining four: the chopping of traffic streams by signals, the smoothing of traffic streams by signs or meters, progressive signalization, and deployment of newly warranted traffic control devices. The inclusion of nodal interactions in traffic forecasts can substantially improve the precision of traffic forecasts but may require a very large increase in computational effort.
Attitudes of Decision Makers Toward Adult Day Care.

There is a growing body of literature on adult day care, but there appear to be no studies of those who make decisions about older adults’participation. This article begins to fill this gap. The results suggest several directions for entrepreneurs and local planners. Adult day-care centers need to advertise extensively to children of older adults, their special friends, and older adults themselves. Large centers in central locations would probably not be as successful as small programs, perhaps in churches catering to a local homogeneous clientele. Centers arranged for the convenience of the decision makers, providing care during nonworking hours and transportation, would probably flourish. The data consist of 1985-1986 telephone interviews with 247 current and potential decision makers who lived in Greensboro, N.C.
Feeding behaviors and weight loss outcomes over 64 months

Maintenance of reduced body weight following intentional weight loss is often unsuccessful. Identification of behaviors associated with sustained reductions should aid in dietary weight management. This survey assessed associations between an array of appetitive indices and weight loss outcomes in a sample of 80 adults participating in an open-labeled, unsupervised weight management program over a 64-month period. Participants were divided into maintainers (weight loss >5 kg at Year 1, sustained reduction >75% at Month 64), rebounders (weight loss >5 kg at Year 1, <75% reduction at Month 64), and nonresponders (weight loss <5 kg at Year 1). Nonresponders spent significantly more time shopping for food weekly, tended to have the highest total exposure time to food and to eat with fewer people than the other groups. Maintainers reported higher mean hunger over the course of a day, tended to spend more time preparing food and consumed less energy from fat and foods that they rated as predominantly bitter. Rebounders had significantly lower dietary restraint scores and tended to have less control over the purchase and preparation of foods in their diet. Individuals with different long-term weight loss outcomes possess distinct feeding-related attributes that may provide a basis for improved intervention strategies.
Managing complexity to maximize science return: Science planning lessons learned from Cassini

Cassini-Huygens ended its four-year prime mission on July 1, 2008. Significant challenges to developing and executing the science plan for the orbiter mission had to be overcome to return a wealth of science data from its tour of the Saturnian system. These operational challenges reflected the complexity of the mission, of the tour, of the spacecraft, of its instruments, and of the ground system environment. This paper discusses in-depth the lessons learned from the science planning operations of Cassini including the multi-step uplink process designed to select, integrate and implement science observations. Aspects of system engineering, spacecraft design, spacecraft subsystems, flight hardware and software, ground software, instrument and science operations that either facilitated or complicated science return are also addressed.
Interaction of Melanosomal Proteins with Melanin

Melanin is deposited in melanosomes upon a proteinaceous matrix enveloped by a melanosomal membrane. Since melanin is highly detergent insoluble, we hypothesized that the detergent solubility of proteins of the melanosomal matrix might be inversely related to the state of melanosomal melanization. Immunoblotting analyses were performed on extracts of albino and black melanocytes to test this hypothesis. The protein products of the silver (si) and the pink-eyed-dilution (p) loci as well as other matrix constituents were present at twofold higher levels in extracts of albino cells. When black cells were rendered amelanotic by growing cultures in the presence of the tyrosinase inhibitor phenylthiourea, the apparent levels of these proteins were also increased. To obviate the potential role of different levels of synthesis in contributing to these differences, we developed a cell-free melanosomal melanization assay. Upon incubation of a melanosome-rich fraction with the melanin precursor l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (Dopa) followed by immunoblot analysis, the si locus protein, the p locus protein, and other putative matrix constituents became rapidly insoluble in SDS when compared with the members of the tyrosinase- related family of melanosomal membrane proteins. Our results suggest that melanosomal proteins that interact with melanin may be identified by their relative insolubility in SDS under conditions of increasing melanization. In addition to the si locus protein and other putative melanosomal matrix proteins, the membrane-bound p locus protein may also interact closely with melanin.
Revising our Curriculum/Empowering Students: Teachers‘ Preparation and Perceptions about Bilingual Writing

While emphasis on writing instruction has been a main concern in teaching Spanish to bilingual students in the U. S., it is an area in which very few theoretical advances have been made; in Mexico’s case the situation is even more challenging. Therefore, based on classroom observations, and individual interviews with both teachers and students, and on the collection of class syllabi, this paper seeks to describe the current state of affairs regarding Spanish and English writing instruction for bilingual students in both countries. The main objectives are: 1) the analysis and comparison of the diverse teaching methodologies that high school teachers use to teach Spanish and English writing; 2) the analysis of the effects that the specific observed writing instruction has on students’ perceptions about their own writing in both languages; and 3) the analysis of the perceptions that teachers have about their students’ writing.
Predicting Performance Of Optical Systems Undergoing Thermal/Mechanical Loadings Using Integrated Thermal/Structural/Optical Numerical Methods

Predicting performance of electro-optical systems that operate while being subjected to thermal/mechanical loadings has been accomplished by integrating computer-based numerical tools. Honeywell has interfaced thermal, structural, and optical computer programs on both CDC 6600 and Honeywell 6080 computers into a Thermal/Structural/ Optical (TSO) evaluation process. The TSO process integrates the separate analyses by automatizing data transfers among the individual technology programs to permit rapid evaluation of optical systems undergoing thermal/mechanical loadings. The design/analysis process involves iterating the following: thermal/ mechanical error budgets, TSO evaluations of electro-optical systems, and comparisons of TSO results with error budget line items. This paper presents how the TSO process has interfaced the individual technology programs, examples of TSO applications to Honeywell electro-optics systems, and test data from systems that have been subjected to thermal/mechanical loadings. The thermal/mechanical loadings include cryogenic loads, steady state acceleration, random vibration, and decaying dynamic loads. The examples show how the process has been effectively used during the design/analysis stages of projects to evaluate alternate design concepts. The resulting process has resulted in a cost-effective methodology for predicting performance of electro-optical systems undergoing theral/mechanical loadings.
B Cell-Intrinsic MyD88 Signaling Prevents the Lethal Dissemination of Commensal Bacteria during Colonic Damage

The Toll-like receptor adaptor protein MyD88 is essential for the regulation of intestinal homeostasis in mammals. In this study, we determined that Myd88-deficient mice are susceptible to colonic damage that is induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) administration resulting from uncontrolled dissemination of intestinal commensal bacteria. The DSS-induced mortality of Myd88-deficient mice was completely prevented by antibiotic treatment to deplete commensal bacteria. By using cell type-specific Myd88-deficient mice, we established that B cell-intrinsic MyD88 signaling plays a central role in the resistance to DSS-induced colonic damage via the production of IgM and complement-mediated control of intestinal bacteria. Our results indicate that the lack of intact MyD88 signaling in B cells, coupled with impaired epithelial integrity, enables commensal bacteria to function as highly pathogenic organisms, causing rapid host death.
A multi-attribute, multi-weight clustering approach to managing ;e-mail overload

The increasing volume of electronic mail communication threatens to cause a state of "e-mail overload" where the volume of messages exceeds individuals' capacity to process them. To address this problem, this study extends the application of hierarchical clustering to the domain of e-mail. We report on the design and development of a system that applies a multi-weight, multiattribute clustering approach to a collection of messages. We found strong evidence that clustering messages improves users' ability to locate messages compared to an ordered list, and promising (though weaker) evidence of even greater improvement when given the ability to adjust attribute weights.
An Experimental Investigation of Acoustic Band Gaps and Localization in Granular Elastic Chains

We assembled a chain composed of a periodic arrangement of aluminum and steel spheres encased in a 4-rod polycarbonate holder with tunable static precompression applied by means of a lever actuated system. To excite periodic oscillations we perturbed the chain with a piezo-stack actuator driven by both continuous and finite bursts of a sinusoidally varying periodic signal. The amplitude of the periodic signal ranged from linear to strongly nonlinear regimes. We report the tunability of the frequency range for the band gap edges as a function of the material parameters, chain geometry and stress conditioning. We analyze the data by means of force-time plot and Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT). We observe a dramatic reduction of the transmitted wave amplitude for harmonic excitations with fundamental frequencies within the gap. The application of both continuous and short bursts of perturbation allows for observation of different dynamic phenomena at selected frequency ranges (in particular close to the lower optical branch edge). By varying the amplitude of the dynamic excitation (and therefore the level of the nonlinearity present in the system) we seek localized discrete breathing modes and surface instabilities. The comparison between continuum theory, discrete numerical modeling and experiments show a qualitative agreement and provide fundamental understanding for future investigation and numerous engineering applications. The challenges and considerations involved with the construction of an experimental system capable of capturing and leveraging on the described phenomena will be detailed.
The Effect of Police Employment on Crime

* * * The effects of police employment on index violent trim rates and index property crime rates are studied using a maximum likelihood technique to estimate two-wave multivariate panel models. Separate analyses are carried out for a sample of 252 U.S. suburbs and for a sample of 269 U.S. cities for the years 1960 and 1970.
Performance of disturbance augmented control design in turbulent wind conditions

Abstract This paper investigates the use of disturbance models in the design of wind turbine individual pitch controllers. Previous work has used individual pitch control and disturbance models with the Multiblade Coordinate Transformation to design controllers that reduce the blade loads at the frequencies associated with the rotor speed. This paper takes a similar approach of using a disturbance model within the H ∞ design framework to account for periodic loading effects. The controller is compared with a baseline design that does not include the periodic disturbance model. In constant wind speeds, the disturbance model design is significantly better than the baseline design at canceling blade loads at the rotor frequencies. However, these load reduction improvements become negligible even under low turbulent wind conditions. The two controllers perform similarly in turbulent wind conditions because disturbance augmentation improves load reduction only at the multiples of the rotor frequency in the yaw and tilt moment channels whereas turbulence creates strong collective bending moments. In addition, turbulent wind contains energy across a broad frequency spectrum and improvements at multiples of the rotor frequency are less important in these conditions. Therefore inclusion of periodic disturbance models in the control design may not lead to the expected load reduction in fielded wind turbines.
Special considerations in the modeling of induced strain actuator patches bonded to shell structures

Based on the thin-shell Donnel theory, a model to represent the action of discrete induced strain actuator patches bonded to the surface of a circular cylindrical shell has been developed. The model provides estimates of the curvature due to the out-of-phase actuation and the in-plane strains due to the in-phase actuation of the bonded actuator patches. The magnitudes of the induced curvature and the in-plane strain are found to be identical to those of plates; however, due to the cylindrical strain- displacement relations, the in-plane and out-of-plane displacements are coupled. Expressions for the equivalent forces and moments that represent the action of the actuator patches have been developed. Due to the curvature of the shell, the representation of the in-phase actuation with an equivalent in- plane line force applied along the edge of the actuator results in the application of erroneous rigid-body transverse forces. To avoid these rigid body forces, a method to represent the in-phase actuation with a system of self-equilibrating forces is proposed. The action of the actuator is then represented by an equivalent in-plane force and a transverse distributed pressure applied in the region of the actuator patch. Finite element verification of the proposed model is presented. The displacements due to the actual actuator actuation are compared with the proposed model, and very good agreement is found.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Astrocyte-mediated trophic support of developing serotonin neurons: effects of ethanol, buspirone, and S100B

Previously, this laboratory demonstrated that the development of serotonin (5-HT) neurons and S100B-immunopositive glia proximal to these neurons is impaired in the offspring of ethanol-fed rats. However, maternal treatment with a 5-HT(1A) agonist, e.g., buspirone or ipsapirone, between gestational days 13 and 20 prevented most of the ethanol-associated changes to developing 5-HT neurons and S100B-immunopositive glia in offspring. The present in vitro studies examined the hypothesis that the protective effects of a 5-HT(1A) agonist on ethanol-exposed, developing 5-HT neurons are mediated in part by astrocyte-produced factors such as S100B. Primary cultures of fetal 5-HT neurons were maintained in conditioned medium (CM) that was obtained from ethanol- and buspirone-treated astrocytes. In order to assess the potential contribution of S100B to the protective effects of buspirone, a mouse monoclonal antibody to S100B was added to the CM to block the biological effects of this protein. These studies demonstrated that CM, obtained from ethanol-treated astrocytes, was unable to support normal development of 5-HT neurons; there was a significant reduction in the number of 5-HT neurons/well. However, CM that was obtained from astrocytes that were co-treated with buspirone and ethanol prevented the ethanol-associated reduction, and the protective effects of buspirone required S100B. We also investigated whether exogenous S100B could protect 5-HT neurons from damage caused by direct exposure to ethanol. Direct exposure of fetal brainstem neurons to ethanol in chemically-defined medium was associated with a significant reduction in the number of 5-HT immunopositive neurons/well. However, exogenous S100B protected 5-HT neurons from the ethanol-associated reduction. Our observations suggest that the protective effects of buspirone on ethanol-exposed, developing 5-HT neurons are mediated in part by the astrocyte-produced factor S100B.
An architecture for rehabilitation task practice in socially assistive human-robot interaction

New approaches to rehabilitation and health care have developed due to advances in technology and human robot interaction (HRI). Socially assistive robotics (SAR) is a subcategory of HRI that focuses on providing assistance through hands-off interactions. We have developed a SAR architecture that facilitates multiple task-oriented interactions between a user and a robot agent. The architecture accommodates a variety of inputs, tasks, and interaction modalities that are used to provide relevant, real-time feedback to the participant. We have implemented the architecture and validated its technological feasibility in a small pilot study in which a SAR agent led three post-stroke individuals through an exercise scenario. In the following, we present our architecture design, and the results of the feasibility study.
The air traffic flow control problem as an application of network theory

Abstract In this paper the air traffic flow control is approached as a constrained optimization problem on a multicommodity network. The proposed dynamic mathematical model, by means of a suitable time discretization, has been changed into a “static” one, in order to use static network flow algorithms while taking into account the “unsteady” nature of the air traffic congestion problems. The complexity of the model requires some preliminary effort, such as the identification of some characteristic parameters of the system. In this paper, the network theory is applied to evaluate the influence of the time discretization interval on the model significancy with respect to the actual traffic situation. In particular, a computational example concerning the Rome air traffic control region is presented and the relative results are discussed.
Evaluation of the repeated-dose liver micronucleus assay using 2,4-dinitrotoluene: a report of a collaborative study by CSGMT/JEMS.MMS.

Abstract The liver micronucleus assay using young adult rats has the potential to detect liver carcinogens by repeated dosing, and could be expected to be integrated into repeated-dose toxicity studies using a hepatocyte isolation method without the traditional in situ collagenase perfusion. In this study, to assess the performance of the repeated-dose liver micronucleus assay, 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), which is a rodent liver carcinogen, was administered orally to male rats at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day once daily for 14 or 28 consecutive days, and the frequencies of micronucleated hepatocytes (MNHEPs) and micronucleated immature erythrocytes (MNIMEs) were examined. Significant increases in the MNHEPs were observed at 50 mg/kg/day or more in the 14-day treatment, and 50 and 100 mg/kg/day in the 28-day treatment. These increases were dependent on both the dose and the number of administrations, which indicates the possibility that the MNHEPs accumulate as a result of repeated dosing. In contrast, no increase in the MNIMEs was observed. In conclusion, the repeated-dose liver micronucleus assay using young adult rats is sufficiently sensitive to detect the genotoxicity of 2,4-DNT at a low dose.
17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 deficiency in a male pseudohermaphrodite

Objective To present the clinical, biochemical, and genetic features of a male pseudohermaphrodite whose condition was caused by 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 (17β-HSD3) deficiency. Design Case report. Setting Gynecology practice in a university teaching hospital. Patient(s) A 15-year-old black American male pseudohermaphrodite with 17β-HSD3 deficiency. Intervention(s) Laboratory evaluation, genetic mutation analysis, bilateral gonadectomy, and hormone replacement. Main Outcome Measure(s) Endocrinologic evaluation and genetic analysis. Result(s) A diagnosis of 17β-HSD3 deficiency made on the basis of hormone evaluation was confirmed through genetic mutation analysis of the HSD17B3 gene. Female phenotype was attained after gonadectomy, passive vaginal dilatation, and hormone therapy. Conclusion(s) Deficiency of 17β-HSD3 was diagnosed in this patient on the basis of endocrinologic evaluation and was confirmed with genetic mutation analysis. The patient was able to retain her female sexual identity after surgical and medical treatment.
Attention, Reward, and Information Seeking

Decision making is thought to be guided by the values of alternative options and involve the accumulation of evidence to an internal bound. However, in natural behavior, evidence accumulation is an active process whereby subjects decide when and which sensory stimulus to sample. These sampling decisions are naturally served by attention and rapid eye movements (saccades), but little is known about how saccades are controlled to guide future actions. Here we review evidence that was discussed at a recent symposium, which suggests that information selection involves basal ganglia and cortical mechanisms and that, across different contexts, it is guided by two central factors: the gains in reward and gains in information (uncertainty reduction) associated with sensory cues.
Incorporation of [14C]glucosamine into synaptosomes in vitro.

— Synaptosomes isolated from rat cerebral cortex by zonal centrifugation in-corporated radioactive glucosamine into macromolecules in vitro as glucosamine, galactosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, and glucuronic acid. The largest percentage of incorporated radioactivity was recovered in the particulate fraction in which radioactive carbohydrates were bound in covalent linkage requiring acid hydrolysis or enzymatic digestion for release. Less than 20 per cent of the particulate radioactivity represented incorporation into gangliosides. Some 20 per cent of the radioactivity was incorporated into proteins as glucosamine, identified in hydrolysates by paper chromatography and by the amino acid analyser. After incubation, radioactivity was demonstrable in the proteins as sialic acid by paper chromatography and specific enzymic digestion; and as glucuronic acid by chromatography, electrophoresis, and digestion with hyaluronidase. Incorporation of carbohydrate was stimulated by sodium and potassium at concentrations demonstrated to enhance incorporation of amino acids, and involved the macro-molecules of all subsynaptosomal fractions. Significant incorporation of radioactivity was found in the synaptic plasma membrane. The synthesis of glycoproteins was suggested by simultaneous incorporation of [14C]glucosamine and [3H]leucine into glycopeptides subsequently hydrolysed and subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and two-dimensional paper chromatography and electrophoresis. Such studies demonstrated that amino acids and carbohydrates may be incorporated into glycoproteins of the synaptic membrane and suggest the possibility of local synthesis as well as modification of material brought to the nerve ending by axoplasmic flow.
Autism in Down's syndrome: family history correlates

Although the association of autism with Down's syndrome is said to be uncommon, several reports have described the co-occurrence of the two disorders. This report describes three additional cases of Down's syndrome with autism. In all the patients, a history suggestive of the broader phenotype of autism was obtained in parents. This suggests that familial factors specific to autism may play an important role even when autism complicates a known medical condition such as Down's syndrome.