cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I on the immune system of aged female monkeys.

The aging process is associated with a significant reduction in circulating GH and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels. During this period, immune function also declines. Rodent data suggest that treatment with recombinant human GH (rhGH) or rhIGF-I enhances immune function in normal adult mice. To determine whether rhGH and/or rhIGF-I treatment could improve immune function in aged female rhesus monkeys, we administered rhIGF-I (120 micrograms/kg x day), rhGH (100 micrograms/kg x day), a combination of therapies, or excipient alone by sc infusion using Alzet pumps over a 7-week period. At 28 days, the pumps were replaced, and the animals were bled and immunized with tetanus toxoid. At the end of the 7-week period, the animals were killed. rhGH and rhIGF-I increased serum GH and IGF-I levels, respectively; rhGH and rhIGF-I in combination induced the highest serum IGF-I levels (906 +/- 261 ng/ml vs. control, 185 +/- 36 ng/ml at death). rhGH and rhIGF-I also increased IGFBP-3 levels. rhGH infusion r...
Cohesive properties of bcc and fcc rubidium from ab initio pseudopotentials

Total-energy calculations have been performed for Rb at zero temperature using a self-consistent ab initio pseudopotential approach within a local-density-functional scheme. The energy difference between fcc and bcc Rb, and the energy barrier between these structures, are found to be extremely small near the equilibrium volume. Agreement of the calculated cohesive properties of bcc Rb with experimental values is good in view of the softness of the material. A transition from bcc to fcc has been calculated to occur at a pressure of about 52 kbar for T=0 K, which compares favorably with the observed value of 70 kbar for this transition at room temperature.
Are facilities following best practices of pediatric abdominal CT scans

Abstract Background Established guidelines for pediatric abdominal CT scans include reduced radiation dosage to minimize cancer risk and the use of intravenous (IV) contrast to obtain the highest-quality diagnostic images. We wish to determine if these practices are being used at nonpediatric facilities that transfer children to a pediatric facility. Methods Children transferred to a tertiary pediatric facility over a 16-mo period with abdominal CT scans performed for evaluation of possible appendicitis were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, diagnosis, radiation dosage, CT contrast use, and scan quality. If CT scans were repeated, the radiation dosage between facilities was compared using Student t-test. Results Ninety-one consecutive children transferred from 29 different facilities had retrievable CT scan images and clinical information. Half of CT scans from transferring institutions used IV contrast. Due to poor quality or inconclusive CT scans, 19 patients required a change in management. Children received significantly less radiation at our institution compared to the referring adult facility for the same body area scanned on the same child (9.7 mSv versus 19.9 mSv, P = 0.0079). Conclusion Pediatric facilities may be using less radiation per CT scan due to a heightened awareness of radiation risks and specific pediatric CT scanning protocols. The benefits of IV contrast for the diagnostic yield of pediatric CT scans should be considered to obtain the best possible image and to prevent additional imaging. Every facility performing pediatric CT scans should minimize radiation exposure, and pediatric facilities should provide feedback and education to other facilities scanning children.
Hematology: Azacitidine improves survival in myelodysplastic syndromes.

In the past, myelodysplastic syndromes were managed primarily by supportive care measures, which had limited effects on symptomatic cytopenias or on the rate of leukemic transformation of these disorders. A new study reports that administration of the hypomethylation agent azacitidine significantly increases overall survival in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes compared with conventional care.
Cooperative coupling in allosteric systems

Abstract Allosterism of the Monod type applies only to systems with more than one binding site and two (noncooperative) states with intrinsic binding constants. Allosterism is then defined by an interconversion constant Lo ( > 1) and a ratio of intrinsic binding constants, c ( c > 0.1, and strong, when c ≤ 0.1. Cooperativity is the stronger, the smaller c. Cooperativity may exist only between a restricted number of binding sites. The binding of Ca2+ to Calmodulin shows this behavior under certain conditions. An (internal) indicator for binding may signal binding to both states or to only one. The results would be quite different with the extent of the difference determined by the extent of cooperativity (c in relation to the particular Li near 1). The size of Lo cannot be ignored in reference to the size of c. Effectors external to the ligand could alter Lo to shift cooperative behavior. Effectors could also make Lo too small or too large for any allosteric behavior to appear.
ETCare: a randomized, controlled, masked trial comparing two solutions for upper airway care in the NICU.

Small quantities of normal saline are sometimes instilled into the endotracheal tube of intubated neonates, to assist with the removal of thick secretions and maintain patency of the endotracheal tube. However, saline is detrimental to the innate immune system of the upper airway mucosa, rapidly unfolding and inactivating antimicrobial peptides such as LL-37. We previously reported the preparation and feasibility testing of ‘ETCare’, a low-sodium, physiologically based solution for airway care, and we now report results of a randomized, masked, controlled, two-centered study testing ETCare vs sterile saline among 60 intubated NICU patients. Sixty intubated NICU patients were randomized to having their airway care with ETCare vs saline. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) tolerance – patients will tolerate ETCare for airway care as well as they tolerate saline, (2) nosocomial infections – ETCare will result in fewer tracheal aspirates where organisms grow and fewer cases of nosocomial sepsis, and (3) chronic lung disuse – ETCare will result in fewer patients discharged home on supplemental O2. Thirty NICU patients with an endotracheal tube in place were randomized to receive their airway care with ETCare, and 30 to receive their care with saline. Only the pharmacist was aware of the randomization; the two solutions were visually indistinguishable and were dispensed in identical syringes. Tolerance of the solutions was similar. The ETCare recipients had trends toward fewer positive blood cultures (odds ratios (OR), 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.13 to 1.68), and fewer discharges home on supplemental O2 (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.14 to 1.32; P=0.075). On the basis of this study and our previous 10-patient feasibility trial, we maintain that, for airway care, intubated NICU patients tolerate ETCare as well as saline. Data from this study can be used in estimating the sample sizes needed for a phase III trial. We speculate that such a trial will demonstrate that, compared with saline, ETCare will result in fewer nosocomial infections and less chronic lung disease.
Molecular Basis of Pip2 Gating KirBac1.1

KirBac1.1 is a bacterial inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channel, which, in contrast to its eukaryotic homologues, is strongly inhibited by phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Previously, we labeled introduced cysteines in the KirBac1.1 cytoplasmic domain with small molecule fluorophores to examine PIP2 dependent structural rearrangements by FRET. The major cytoplasmic β-sheet tilts inwardly, and the small cytoplasmic β-sheet moves inwardly to narrow the channel pore upon PIP2 inhibition. By scanning mutagenesis, we have identified several residues that are essential for PIP2 inhibition of KirBac1.1, but away from the PIP2 binding pocket. R165C and R165A maintain similar channel activity to that of wild type, whereas channel activities of N168C and R170C are significantly reduced. However, all four mutations abolish PIP2 inhibition. On the R165A background, we introduced single cysteine throughout the KirBac1.1 cytoplasmic domain and studied PIP2-induced structural rearrangements using small molecule fluorophore FRET. Compared with the wild type background, the R165A mutation also abolishes the PIP2 induced tilting motion of the major cytoplasmic β-sheet, and the inward movements of the small cytoplasmic β-sheet parallel to the pore axis. Thus R165A uncouples PIP2 binding from channel closure, as well as the associated movements of the cytoplasmic domain, confirming that the wild type cytoplasmic domain motions are necessary for channel closure.
Selenocompounds in juvenile white sturgeon: estimating absorption, disposition, and elimination of selenium using Bayesian hierarchical modeling.

Abstract The biological function of selenium (Se) is determined by its form and concentration. Selenium is an essential micronutrient for all vertebrates, however, at environmental levels, it is a potent toxin. In the San Francisco Bay-Delta, Se pollution threatens top predatory fish, including white sturgeon. A multi-compartmental Bayesian hierarchical model was developed to estimate the fractional rates of absorption, disposition, and elimination of selenocompounds, in white sturgeon, from tissue measurements obtained in a previous study ( Huang et al., 2012 ). This modeling methodology allows for a population based approach to estimate kinetic physiological parameters in white sturgeon. Briefly, thirty juvenile white sturgeon (five per treatment) were orally intubated with a control (no selenium) or a single dose of Se (500 μg Se/kg body weight) in the form of one inorganic (Selenite) or four organic selenocompounds: selenocystine (SeCys), l -selenomethionine (SeMet), Se-methylseleno- l -cysteine (MSeCys), or selenoyeast (SeYeast). Blood and urine Se were measured at intervals throughout the 48 h post intubation period and eight tissues were sampled at 48 h. The model is composed of four state variables, conceptually the gut ( Q 1 ), blood ( Q 2 ), and tissue ( Q 3 ); and urine ( Q 0 ), all in units of μg Se. Six kinetics parameters were estimated: the fractional rates [1/h] of absorption, tissue disposition, tissue release, and urinary elimination ( k 12 , k 23 , k 32 , and k 20 ), the proportion of the absorbed dose eliminated through the urine ( f 20 ), and the distribution blood volume ( V ; percent body weight, BW). The parameter k 12 was higher in sturgeon given the organic Se forms, in the descending order of MSeCys > SeMet > SeCys > Selenite > SeYeast. The parameters k 23 and k 32 followed similar patterns, and f 20 was lowest in fish given MSeCys. Selenium form did not affect k 20 or V . The parameter differences observed can be attributed to the different mechanisms of transmucosal transport, metabolic reduction, and storage of the Se forms, which, in general, appear to be similar to that in mammals. We have demonstrated that the Bayesian approach is a powerful tool for integrating quantitative information from a study with sparse blood and urinary measurements and tissue concentrations from a single time point, while providing a full characterization of parameter variability. The model permits the quantitative mechanistic interpretation and predictions of Se absorption, disposition, and elimination processes. Furthermore, the model represents a first step towards population based physiological toxicokinetic modeling of Se in white sturgeon.
Trypanosoma cruzi: use of herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase as a negative selectable marker.

Abstract Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan that causes Chagas' disease, was transfected with a fusion gene of hygromycin phosphotransferase and herpes simplex virus–thymidine kinase, HyTK . Transfectants selected in hygromycin had thymidine kinase activity, whereas controls did not. In vitro growth of the mammalian life-stage forms, amastigotes and trypomastigotes, was inhibited 98% by the nucleoside analogue ganciclovir (5 μg/ml). Growth of the insect-stage form, epimastigotes, was not inhibited by ganciclovir (up to 250 μg/ml) or other nucleoside analogues. Intracellular uptake of ganciclovir by epimastigotes was found to be 10-fold less than that by amastigotes. Mice infected with the HyTK -expressing parasites and treated with ganciclovir had a statistically significant reduction of parasitemia by 57%; however, complete eradication of parasites was not achieved. The parasites recovered from the treated mice continued to be susceptible to ganciclovir in vitro . Parasite clones with higher expression of thymidine kinase were more sensitive to ganciclovir, suggesting that greater expression of the thymidine kinase gene may lead to parasites that can be fully eradicated from infected experimental animals.
Effect of acid hydrolysis on the molecular weight of kappa carrageenan by GPC-LS

Abstract Kappa carrageenan was subjected to acid-catalyzed hydrolysis under closely controlled pH and temperature conditions. The effect of acid hydrolysis was followed by measuring the change in molecular weight by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) coupled to a triple detector system consisting of a single (90) angle laser light scattering (RALLS) detector, a viscometer and a refractometer. The changes in the weight average ( M w ) molecular weight of kappa carrageenan can be described by a first-order random hydrolysis process involving selective attack at carrageenan glycosidic linkages. Kinetic parameters are also calculated and a general mathematical model is presented relating hydrolysis rate to pH and temperature. The model was used to compare carrageenan molecular weight change to published data on gel strength variation.
Leveling the CS1 playing field

This paper includes several reasons for the underrepresentation of women in computing, and then describes two low-cost project instances that address the reasons for the decline in women's enrollment in computing classes. One project spans seven semesters from fall 2000 to spring 2006 at a small liberal arts school; the other, the spring 2006 semester at a large research institution. Concluding sections provide anecdotal and statistical evidence that the project is successful over two time periods within two diverse schools.
Modeling and simulation of a tubular recycle photobioreactor for macroalgal cell suspension cultures

Abstract Photosynthetic cell suspension cultures derived from marine plants have the potential to produce biomass containing pharmacologically active metabolites within photobioreactor systems under controlled conditions. The tubular recycle photobioreactor in particular can promote the mass cultivation of photosynthetic cell suspension cultures. This photobioreactor has two sections: a coiled tubular section which illuminates the culture with a small light path, and a non-illuminated aeration tank which supplies dissolved CO 2 needed for photosynthetic biomass production. The culture is recycled between the two sections. A batch reactor model was developed to predict the cell density vs. time profile for the cultivation of photosynthetic cell suspension cultures in the tubular recycle photobioreactor. This model uniquely couples culture illumination parameters in the tubular section to interphase CO 2 mass transfer parameters in the aeration tank. Model simulations show that the tubular recycle photobioreactor is operating at saturation growth kinetics with respect to light. The model predicts a critical cell density at which photosynthetic biomass production switches from a rate-limited process to a CO 2 delivery limited process. Rate-limited growth proceeds only to this critical cell density, and then further growth is CO 2 mass transfer limited until the final cell density at complete dissolved limiting nutrient consumption is achieved. Sensitivity analyses reveal that the CO 2 mass transfer coefficient in the aeration tank, the residence time of the culture in the tubular section, the ratio of tubular section to aeration tank liquid volume, and the partial pressure of CO 2 in the aeration gas all affect the overall biomass production rate by affecting the CO 2 delivery modes to the tubular photobioreactor.
Treatment with placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells mitigates development of bronchiolitis obliterans in a murine model

Objective Bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown therapeutic potential in acute lung injury. Recently, placenta-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) have shown similarities with bone marrow–derived MSCs in terms of regenerative capabilities and immunogenicity. This study investigates the hypothesis that treatment with PMSCs reduces the development of bronchiolitis obliterans in a murine heterotopic tracheal transplant model. Methods A murine heterotopic tracheal transplant model was used to study the continuum from acute to chronic rejection. In the treatment groups, PMSCs or PMSC-conditioned medium (PMSCCM) were injected either locally or intratracheally into the allograft. Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or blank medium was injected in the control groups. Tracheal luminal obliteration was assessed on sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Infiltration of inflammatory and immune cells and epithelial progenitor cells was assessed using immunohistochemistry and densitometric analysis. Results Compared with injection of PBS, local injection of PMSCs significantly reduced luminal obliteration at 28 days after transplantation ( P = .015). Intratracheal injection of PMSCs showed similar results to local injection of PMSCs compared with injection of PBS and blank medium ( P = .022). Tracheas treated with PMSC/PMSCCM showed protection against the loss of epithelium on day 14, with an increase in P63+CK14+ epithelial progenitor cells and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. In addition, injection of PMSCs and PMSCCM significantly reduced the number of neutrophils and CD3+ T cells on day 14. Conclusions This study demonstrates that treatment with PMSCs is protective against the development of bronchiolitis obliterans in an heterotopic tracheal transplant model. These results indicate that PMSCs could provide a novel therapeutic option to reduce chronic rejection after lung transplant.
Development and bioanalytical validation of a liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc in human plasma

Background Maraviroc is a CCR5 antagonist that has been utilized as a viral entry inhibitor in the management of HIV-1. Current clinical trials are pursuing maraviroc drug efficacy in both oral and topical formulations. Therefore, in order to fully understand drug pharmacokinetics, a sensitive method is required to quantify plasma drug concentrations.
Controls on loss-on-ignition variation in cores from two shallow lakes in the northeastern United States

Loss-on-ignition analysis of Quaternary lake sediments provides an inexpensive and easy way to investigate past environmental changes. The mass loss on ignition at 550 °C (LOI) from lake sediment cores may vary because of temporal changes in: (1) sediment composition controlled by factors such as productivity, inorganic inputs, and decomposition; and (2) the patterns of sediment accumulation controlled by factors such as basin morphology and water level. Climatic changes can alter both. Here, modern surface samples and transects of sediment cores, collected across small (<10 ha), shallow (<4 m) lakes in the northeastern United States, show that LOI varies little (2–5%) across the deep portions of these small lakes at a given time. Large changes in LOI occur only at the transition into the littoral (shallow) zone. LOI variations in sediment cores that exceed 2–5%, therefore, appear to represent meaningful environmental changes. However, because of the many possible controls, changes in the LOI of a single core are often hard to interpret. Multiple cores increase the interpretability. At lakes studied here, similar LOI trends among several cores confirm that some LOI changes resulted from basin-wide shifts in sediment composition. Differences among cores, however, developed during the early- and mid-Holocene and indicate that the edge of the littoral zone moved towards the centers of the lakes during two periods of low lake levels, at ca. 11 000–8000 and ca. 5400–3000 cal yr B.P. The basin-wide balance of sediment sources controlled the LOI from deep-water sediments, but sedimentation patterns, which changed as lake levels changed, were also important. LOI differences among cores may therefore help identify past lake-level changes in other lakes.
On extreme points of convex sets

Summary A convex subset K of a vector space E over the field of real numbers is linearly bounded (linearly closed) if every line intersects K in a bounded (closed) subset of the line. A hyperplane is the set of x e E that satisfy a linear equation f ( x ) = c , where f is a linear functional and c is a real number. A main, but not the only, purpose of this note is to establish the following simple theorem, inspired in part by an interesting observation of Karlin's [1], and, in part, by certain anticipated applications.
Exercise Training and the Cardiovascular Consequences of Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension: Plausible Mechanisms for Improving Cardiovascular Health

The coexistence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension is especially damaging to cardiovascular health. Most trials of exercise training for these conditions have focused on glycemic control and blood pressure reduction. Less is known about the effects of exercise on the cardiovascular consequences of diabetes and hypertension. This article reviews the available evidence and plausible mechanisms by which exercise training may improve the cardiovascular health of persons with type 2 diabetes and hypertension and provides practical guidelines for exercise prescription. A MEDLINE search was performed for January 1985 to June 2002. Bibliographies from relevant articles, professional society clinical practice guidelines, and books were also reviewed. Because few large, randomized trials exist on these topics, meta-analyses, smaller trials, nonrandomized trials, and animal studies were also considered. Data quality was determined by publication in peer-reviewed journals or professional society literature. Type 2 diabetes and hypertension result in abnormalities in central and peripheral parameters of cardiovascular structure and function. Evidence for an exercise training benefit is strongest for improvements in endothelial vasodilator function and left ventricular diastolic function. The data for exercise training's improvement of arterial stiffness and system inflammation and reduction of left ventricular mass are less robust. However, this assertion is based more on a lack of randomized controlled trials rather than data to the contrary. Exercise training also reduces total and abdominal fat. These changes in body composition mediate improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood pressure and may improve endothelial vasodilator function. The current evidence, albeit not fully confirmed in randomized trials, suggests that the benefits of exercise training go beyond the recognized benefits of glycemic control and blood pressure reduction.
Treatment of unilateral visual impairment in preschool children modestly improves visual acuity

Abstract Question How effective is treatment for unilateral visual impairment detected by preschool vision screening? Study design Multicentre randomised controlled trial. Main Results Glasses plus patch treatment slightly but significantly improved visual acuity (both uncorrected and best corrected) compared with no treatment in children with mild to moderate unilateral visual impairment at 52 weeks (see Table 1; see notes). Glasses alone modestly improved best corrected visual acuity compared with no treatment; however there was no significant difference in uncorrected visual acuity between these groups. Table 1 LogMAR visual acuity scores by treatment group at 52 weeks. Visual acuity No treatment Glasses alone Glasses plus Patch Mean logMAR Mean logMAR Mean difference (95% CI) from no treatment Mean logMAR Mean difference (95% CI) from no treatment Uncorrected 0.424 0.381 0.043 (-0.05 to 0.013) 0.336 0.088 (0.01 to 0.17) Best corrected 0.301 0.216 0.085 (0.02 to 0.15) 0.193 0.109 (0.05 to 0.17) Authors’ conclusions Treatment with glasses alone or in combination with patches can modestly improve visual acuity in children with mild to moderate unilateral visual impairment, compared with no treatment.
X-ray characterization of HnacnacR and the first vanadium β-diiminate dimer (R = mesityl)

The synthesis, characterization, and X-ray crystal structure of HnacnacR (R = mesityl) 1 as well as the structure of the first vanadium β-diiminate dimer, di-μ-hydroxo-di(nacnacR)divanadyl(IV) (R = mesityl) 2 are reported. The reported β-diimine, 1, is prepared through a condensation reaction between 2,4,6-trimethylaniline and 2,4-pentanedione. Compound 1 crystallizes in the space group with Z′ = 8; 2 also crystallizes in with Z′ = 1. The vanadium(IV) in 2 has the expected distorted square pyramidal geometry. Although the hydroxide hydrogen atoms can be found in the electron difference map, the existence of the bridging hydroxide in 2 was further confirmed through bond distance comparisons and bond valence sum analysis. Compound 1 was characterized by NMR, IR, and X-ray crystallography. (HnacnacR (R = mesityl) = 4-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylimino)-2-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylamino)pent-2-ene; mesityl = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl).
Stage II endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium: Clinical implications of cervical stromal invasion

Abstract Objectives Endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium (EEC) is the most common histologic type of endometrial cancer, with stage being the most critical prognostic factor. Cervical involvement (CI), divided into IIA (epithelial involvement) and IIB (stromal invasion), is overall associated with decreased survival (70 vs 90%). However, the impact on prognosis of sub-stages IIA vs IIB is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of cervical involvement as well as its substaging in patients diagnosed with EEC. Methods Eighty-one patients treated for stage II EEC were identified (1993–2003) in our institution. They were stratified into Group 1 (46) with available slides for review and Group 2 (35) with information obtained from the pathology report. All pathology reports, for all 81 patients, contained information on cervical glandular and stromal involvement. In Group 1, 1 to 6 slides of cervix (mean 3) were reviewed. Tumors were classified as Stage IIA or IIB according to the most recent FIGO criteria. Stromal invasion (SI) in Group 1 tumors was sub-classified in 4 subgroups based on depth of invasion; A) ≤1 mm; B) >1 mm and ≤3 mm; C) >3 mm and ≤5 mm and D) >5 mm. Other histopathologic parameters evaluated include grade, depth of myometrial invasion (MI), and lymphovascular invasion (LI). Clinical data included age, type of surgery, type of radiation, and survival. Statistical analysis was performed. Results Patients ranged in age from 33–91 (median 64) years. In Group 1, 11 patients had stage IIA and 35 stage IIB tumors. Depth of SI ranged from 1–12 mm (mean 3.4 mm). The pathologists reviewing the slides in Group 1 agreed with the initial reported description of cervical glandular and stromal involvement. In Group 2, 15 patients had stage IIA and 20 stage IIB tumors with no further information regarding depth of SI. In Group 1, 12 EECs were Grade 1, 29 Grade 2, and 5 Grade 3. Thirty tumors had 50% MI and LVI was present in 11. In Group 2, 13 tumors were Grade 1, 13 Grade 2, and 9 Grade 3. Twenty-one had p =0.001), LVI ( p =0.017), and type of treatment ( p =0.022) were predictors of survival in stage II EECs. Conclusions This study showed that the distinction between stage IIA and IIB or depth of SI does not affect survival in patients with EEC. LVI and type of hysterectomy performed were predictors of survival in stage II EECs. Our results suggest that substaging should be eliminated, women with suspect cervical SI should be offered a radical hysterectomy, and that the presence of LVI may be a useful tool in guiding recommendations about the need for adjuvant radiation therapy.
An evaluation of video intelligibility for novice american sign language learners on a mobile device

Language immersion from birth is crucial to a child's language development. However, language immersion can be particularly challenging for hearing parents of deaf children to provide as they may have to overcome many difficulties while learning sign language. We intend to create a mobile device-based system to help hearing parents learn sign language. The first step is to understand what level of detail (i.e., resolution) is necessary for novice signers to learn from video of signs. In this paper we present the results of a study designed to evaluate the ability of novices learning sign language to ascertain the details of a particular sign based on video presented on a mobile device. Four conditions were presented. Three conditions involve manipulation of video resolution (low, medium, and high). The fourth condition employs insets showing the sign handshapes along with the high resolution video. Subjects were tested on their ability to emulate the given sign over 80 signs commonly used between parents and their young children. Although participants noticed a reduction in quality in the low resolution condition, there was no significant effect of condition on ability to generate the sign. Sign difficulty had a significant correlation with ability to correctly reproduce the sign. Although the inset handshape condition did not improve the participants' ability to emulate the signs correctly, participant feedback provided insight into situations where insets would be more useful, as well as further suggestions to improve video intelligibility. Participants were able to reproduce even the most complex signs tested with relatively high accuracy.
A Model for Reading and Writing about Primary Sources: The Case of Introductory Psychology

Readings from primary sources are integrated into introductory psychology via short writing assignments. Selected readings are reviewed briefly with respect to course goals and students' interest and comprehension. Content-oriented feedback at several stages of students' writing is used to focus and facilitate conceptual mastery of primary sources. Issues of time management, grading, and plagiarism are discussed briefly. Student and instructor evaluations of the course endorse writing as a means to introduce original sources in psychology courses.
Video traces: creating common space between university and public schools for preparing new teachers

The preparation of new teachers has been an enduring issue of the field of education (Handbook on Research on Teaching, 1963; 1973; 1986; 2001). The objectives of this paper are to describe the interaction among different stakeholders in teacher education facilitated by a novel technology-based approach, Video Traces. The analysis suggests that this is a potentially effective approach for making mutual learning across public school and university-based teacher educators more concrete, visible and compelling. In our paper, we (a) present an overview of the pedagogical philosophy that guided the design of the Video Traces medium, (b) describe the enduring problem in teacher education we are using Video Traces to address, and (c) present data and analysis from our approach in the context of North American educational system.
IMMUNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF PATIENTS WITH THALASSEMIA MAJOR AT RISK FOR AIDS

Immunological analysis of 29 patients with thalassemia major has been undertaken to determine factors that might influence development of AIDS in cases of blood transfusion acquired Human Immunodefiency Virus, HIV, disease. Natural Killer, NK, activity against the K562 tumor target was very reduced in 72% (21 of 29) of cases initially and in 7 of 9 patients studied repeatedly. Augmentation in vitro with interferon α (800 I.U.) could be achieved in 11, or 52% of cases in contrast to 100% of controls. Of these 11, 8 showed boosting into low normal range. In addition some patients with normal endogenous NK could not be boosted in vitro. Of 25 patients studied for mononuclear proliferation in vitro 14 (56%) had reduced activation to mitogen. Study of Tymphocyte subpopulations by flow cytometry showed that few patients had percentages of T3+, T4+, or T8+ lymphocytes outside normal range although low normal T8+% was seen. However, 4 patients had reduced T4+/T8+ ratios with proportionately increased T8+% and borderline T4+%. All of these patients had serum antibodies to HIV. All 4 had very low endogenous NK that could not be augmented into normal range in vitro and 3 of 4 had poor proliferative response. Three patients with normal T4+/T8+ but poor function (1 had low T3+%) also had HIV antibodies. These data indicate probable high risk of AIDS in thalassemia patients with HIV disease and suggest that altered NK associated with thalassemia may potentiate this process since low NK and absence of interferon are found in both HIV antibody negative and positive patients.
Promoting symmetric weight selection in data envelopment analysis: A penalty function approach

Traditionally, data envelopment analysis models assume total flexibility in weight selection, though this assumption can lead to several variables being ignored in determining the efficiency score. Existing methods constrain weight selection to a predefined range, thus removing possible feasible solutions. As such, in this paper we propose the symmetric weight assignment technique (SWAT) that does not affect feasibility and rewards decision making units (DMUs) that make a symmetric selection of weights. This allows for a method of weight restrictions that does not require preference constraints on the variables. Moreover, we show that the SWAT method may be used to differentiate among efficient DMUs.
Hemisphericity Style, Sex, and Performance on a Line-Bisection Task: An Exploratory Study:

118 subjects classified as preferring either a right or a left hemisphericity style were asked to bisect a set of horizontal lines with each hand. Analyses showed no significant differences between right- and left-style subjects; however, men's performance indicated a significantly greater left pseudoneglect than women's.
Pretrial Publicity, the Timing of the Trial, and Mock Jurors' Decision Processes

Pretrial publicity and a temporal interval between the news and trial were explored for their effects upon the jury's deliberation process and verdict. Publicity (neutral, negative) and trial timing (immediate, delayed) were manipulated in a 2 × 2 design. Twenty 12-person simulated juries were exposed either to neutral or negative publicity and viewed a videotaped criminal trial immediately following news exposure or after a one-week delay between news and trial. Dichotomous pre-and postdeliberation verdicts, probability of guilt scales, trial recall, ratings of companion jurors, perceptions of attorneys, assessments of the news article, and recall of news facts were measured. Deliberations were tape recorded and content analyzed. Juries exposed to neutral and negative publicity did not significantly differ on conviction rate, deliberation length, or on quality of deliberations. Prejudicial news elicited counter remarks about the threatening nature of the publicity to the defendant's right to a fair trial. Individual juror data revealed that while the news manipulation did not significantly affect predeliberation verdicts or attention to trial events, negative news lowered jurors' probability estimates of guilt and facilitated their recall of news facts. A discriminant analysis predicting jury verdict indicated a lack of support for prior research showing damaging effects from prejudicial pretrial publicity. Findings are explored for methodological implications and for usefulness of theoretical notions of reactance, and “sleeper effects”.
Balanced thermal structure of an intensifying tropical cyclone

This study tests the hypothesis that the formation of a virtual potential temperature dipole in a developing tropical cyclone is a balanced response to the growth of an associated mid-level vortex. The dipole is collocated with the vortex and consists of a warm anomaly in the upper troposphere and a cool anomaly in the lower troposphere. An axisymmetric approximation to the observed potential vorticity distribution is inverted subject to non-linear balance for two successive days during the formation of typhoon Nuri in 2008. Good agreement is found between the area-averaged actual and balanced virtual temperature dipoles in these two cases. Furthermore, a strong correlation exists between the degree of bottom-heaviness of convective mass flux profiles and the strength of the balanced virtual potential temperature dipole. Since the dipole is balanced, it cannot be an immediate artefact of the existing convection, but rather is an inherent feature of the developing cyclone. Cloud resolving numerical modelling suggests that the dipole temperature anomaly actually promotes more bottom-heavy convective mass flux profiles, as observed. Such profiles are associated with low-level mass and vorticity convergence via mass continuity and the circulation theorem, resulting in low-level spin-up. The present work thus supports the hypothesis that the low-level spin-up associated with tropical cyclogenesis is made possible by the thermodynamic environment created by a strong mid-level vortex. Keywords: tropical cyclones, tropical cyclogenesis, nonlinear balance, geophysical fluid dynamics (Published: 11 December 2012) Citation: Tellus A 2012, 64 , 19181, http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/tellusa.v64i0.19181
Culturally Sensitive Implementation of Cognitive Therapy in Treating Depression

ABSTRACT Cognitive therapy alone and in combination with medications has proven to be an effective intervention when treating unipolar depression. An interactional model of assessing depression and cognitive process variables can elicit and specify culturally relevant symptoms, issues, sources, and outcome variables.
Upgrading the Undergraduate Gas Turbine Lab

A study of gas turbine engines is an important component of an integrated thermodynamics and fluid mechanics two-course sequence at the United States Military Academy (USMA). Owing to the ubiquity of gas turbines in military use, graduating cadets will encounter a variety of these engines throughout their military careers. Especially for this unique population, it is important for engineering students to be familiar with the operation and applications of gas turbines. Experimental analysis of a functional auxiliary power unit (APU) from an Army utility helicopter has been a key component of this block of instruction for several decades. As with all laboratory equipment, the APU has experienced intermittent maintenance issues, which occasionally render it unusable for the gas turbine laboratory in the course. Because of this, a very basic virtual laboratory was implemented which integrated video of the physical laboratory with key parameters and behind-the-screen data collection for use in engine analysis.A revitalized version of both the physical and virtual gas turbine laboratory experiences offered in the thermal-fluids course will include substantial improvements over the existing setup. The physical laboratory, which is centered on a refurbished APU from a medium-sized commercial aircraft, will continue to incorporate measurements of temperature and pressure throughout the combustion process, as well as fuel flow rate. In an improvement over the original laboratory setup, an orifice plate will be used to measure the flow rate of bleed air exiting the turbine, which had not previously been open during engine testing. Additionally, the air flow through the anti-surge valve was not metered in the original version of the physical laboratory. However, the anti-surge air flow can account for nearly 25% of the total air flow, and performance calculations in the physical laboratory will now account for this loss. The turbine output shaft will run a water-brake dynamometer. All instrumentation will be converted to digital signals and projected on a large screen outside the test area through a LabVIEW front panel. The virtual laboratory will include the same metering options as the operational APU. In addition, the virtual laboratory will include the option to alter engine operating parameters, such as inlet temperature and pressure or exhaust temperatures, and students may conduct broad parameter sweeps across ranges of possible inputs or desired outputs. These improvements will enable students to gain a deeper understanding of gas turbine operation and capabilities in practical applications. The improved laboratory will be implemented in Spring, 2014.© 2014 ASME
Evaluating the effects of climate change on summertime ozone using a relative response factor approach for policymakers

The impact of climate change on surface-level ozone is examined through a multiscale modeling effort that linked global and regional climate models to drive air quality model simulations. Results are quantified in terms of the relative response factor (RRFE), which estimates the relative change in peak ozone concentration for a given change in pollutant emissions (the subscript E is added to RRF to remind the reader that the RRF is due to emission changes only). A matrix of model simulations was conducted to examine the individual and combined effects of future anthropogenic emissions, biogenic emissions, and climate on the RRFE. For each member in the matrix of simulations the warmest and coolest summers were modeled for the present-day (1995–2004) and future (2045–2054) decades. A climate adjustment factor (CAFC or CAFCB when biogenic emissions are allowed to change with the future climate) was defined as the ratio of the average daily maximum 8-hr ozone simulated under a future climate to that simulate...
Economic Censorship and Free Speech: The Circle of Communication between Advertisers, Media, and Consumers

Abstract Anecdotal evidence of economic censorship (EC) is plentiful. It is well documented that media avoid certain topics, or even present biased news coverage, in acquiescence to advertiser demands. The result is diminished information for media users. Observers, explicitly or implicitly, have blamed the advertising industry for such “censorship.” Rather than examine just the monetary pressures placed on media, this paper considers the broader economic and communication dynamics involved in those media decisions. In exploring these issues, the authors posit a model which characterizes EC as an appropriate consequence of free speech, rather than an impingement on it.
Experimental Investigation of Centrifugal Compressor Stabilization Techniques

Results from a series of experiments to investigate techniques for extending the stable flow range of a centrifugal compressor are reported. The research was conducted in a high-speed centrifugal compressor at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The stabilizing effect of steadily flowing air-streams injected into the vaneless region of a vane-island diffuser through the shroud surface is described. Parametric variations of injection angle, injection flow rate, number of injectors, injector spacing, and injection versus bleed were investigated for a range of impeller speeds and tip clearances. Both the compressor discharge and an external source were used for the injection air supply. The stabilizing effect of flow obstructions created by tubes that were inserted into the diffuser vaneless space through the shroud was also investigated. Tube immersion into the vaneless space was varied in the flow obstruction experiments. Results from testing done at impeller design speed and tip clearance are presented. Surge margin improved by 1.7 points using injection air that was supplied from within the compressor. Externally supplied injection air was used to return the compressor to stable operation after being throttled into surge. The tubes, which were capped to prevent mass flux, provided 9.3 points of additional surge margin over the baseline surge margin of 11.7 points.
Scattering from stellar acoustic-gravity potentials: II. Phase shifts via the first Born approximation

Abstract Using the first Born approximation, properties of the scattering phase shift are investigated for waves that are scattered by a schematic representation of a large-scale “stellar potential,” i.e., one for which the star itself is viewed as the potential inducing a phase shift in an incoming wave. In particular, the phase shift properties are examined as functions of the relative wavenumber (α) and the azimuthal wavenumber (l), high l-values being of interest in helioseismology.
Restrained drinking: risk factor for problems with alcohol?

Abstract A seven-item Drinking Restraint Scale (DRS) has been developed which indicates that a style of alcohol consumption, equivalent in a number of ways to the style of food consumption termed eating restraint, may exist. Several hypothesized relationships between DRS scores and other drinking-related measures were confirmed. A restrained drinking style was associated with: (1) more extreme patterns of alcohol consumption; (2) a higher proportion of drinking occasions that result in intoxication; (3) more external styles of alcohol consumption control; and (4) more alcohol-related negative consequences. The latter three relationships were found even when heavy drinkers were excluded from the analysis, which suggests that these relationships are not dependent on a heavy drinking pattern. These findings encourage continued investigation of drinking restraint as a risk factor for developing problems with alcohol.
Tensor Body: Real-Time Reconstruction of the Human Body and Avatar Synthesis From RGB-D

Real-time 3-D reconstruction of the human body has many applications in anthropometry, telecommunications, gaming, fashion, and other areas of human-computer interaction. In this paper, a novel framework is presented for reconstructing the 3-D model of the human body from a sequence of RGB-D frames. The reconstruction is performed in real time while the human subject moves arbitrarily in front of the camera. The method employs a novel parameterization of cylindrical-type objects using Cartesian tensor and b-spline bases along the radial and longitudinal dimension respectively. The proposed model, dubbed tensor body, is fitted to the input data using a multistep framework that involves segmentation of the different body regions, robust filtering of the data via a dynamic histogram, and energy-based optimization with positive-definite constraints. A Riemannian metric on the space of positive-definite tensor splines is analytically defined and employed in this framework. The efficacy of the presented methods is demonstrated in several real-data experiments using the Microsoft Kinect sensor.