cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insulin and adipokine signaling and their cross-regulation in postmortem human brain

Aberrant insulin and adipokine signaling has been implicated in cognitive decline associated with both type 2 diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative diseases. We established methods that reliably measure insulin, adiponectin and leptin signaling, and their crosstalk, in thawed postmortem mid-frontal cortical tissue from cognitively normal older subjects with a short postmortem interval. Insulin-evoked insulin receptor (IR) activation increases activated, tyrosine-phosphorylated IRβ on tyrosine residues 960, 1150, and 1151, insulin receptor substrate-1 recruitment to IRβ and phosphorylated RAC-α-serine/threonine-protein kinase. Adiponectin augments, but leptin inhibits, insulin signaling. Adiponectin activates adiponectin receptors to induce APPL1 binding to adiponectin receptor 1 and 2 and T-cadherin and downstream adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation. Insulin inhibited adiponectin-induced signaling. In addition, leptin-induced leptin receptor (OB-R) signaling promotes Janus kinase 2 recruitment to OB-R and Janus kinase 2 and downstream signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 phosphorylation. Insulin enhanced leptin signaling. These data demonstrate insulin and adipokine signaling interactions in human brain. Future studies can use these methods to examine insulin, adiponectin, and leptin metabolic dysregulation in aging and disease states, such as type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias.
5-Methylcytosine and Its Oxidized Derivatives

5-methylcytosine is an enzymatically produced modified cytosine base that was first identified about 70 years ago. This modification is generally understood to be incompatible with gene expression when found in regulatory regions including gene promoters and enhancers. Oxidized 5-methylcytosine bases, in the form of its hydroxyl, formyl and carboxyl derivatives, have been known for about 10 years. Their biological functions in development and in human diseases are not yet clearly defined. Human diseases including cancer and developmental and neurological disorders have been linked to mutations of enzymes that produce these modifications (e.g., DNMT3A, DNMT3B, TET2) and to proteins that recognize 5-methylcytosine (MECP2) attesting to the clinical relevance of modified cytosines and the pathways they are involved in.
Assessing Learning Outcomes Related to Geospatial Science Using Students’ Deliverables

To equip undergraduates with needed background, instruction in geospatial science was integrated across curricula and courses in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University. The effectiveness of the integration was unknown; therefore, we developed a framework to assess learning outcomes related to geospatial science. Faculty and program administrators in the department participated in structured interviews designed to identify learning conditions they perceived as successful. Content analysis of interview data revealed faculty’s intended learning outcomes, where they believed evidence of learning could be observed or measured, and their criteria for success. These data provided a basis for development of assessment methods, which included rubrics, tracking questions, pre- and post-tests, and longitudinal surveys. Herein, we describe how we used taxonomies of educational objectives and students’ deliverables to assess learning outcomes related to geospatial science. We believe the assessment of students’ deliverables revealed differences in outcomes attainment among degree programs. For example, assessments show forestry seniors met skills-based, information literacy, and conceptual knowledge learning outcomes in their understanding of capstone management plans, whereas natural resources seniors demonstrated affective outcomes by voluntarily adopting to use the tools in their capstone management plans. We believe assessments based on students’ deliverables allowed us to draw inferences about our students and their learning styles. However, due to the changing nature of assignments and deliverables, and concern for the consistent application of the rubrics over time, we intend to rely on pre- and post-test assessments and longitudinal surveys moving forward.
Symbol Recursion for the dS Wave Function

We present a recursive rule for the symbol of perturbative contributions to the vacuum wave function of a conformally coupled scalar in FRW cosmologies. The rule applies exactly for a class of interactions and cosmologies, which contains {\lambda}{\phi}^3 in dS_4, a case of particular relevance as a source of building blocks for inflationary correlators. We use the rule to efficiently reproduce the tree-level four-point contribution and present novel computations of the bubble integrand and the tree-level five-point contribution. Our results apply equally well to the computation of Witten diagrams in Euclidean AdS.
Delayed fluorescence from a zirconium(iv) photosensitizer with ligand-to-metal charge-transfer excited states

Advances in chemical control of the photophysical properties of transition-metal complexes are revolutionizing a wide range of technologies, particularly photocatalysis and light-emitting diodes, but they rely heavily on molecules containing precious metals such as ruthenium and iridium. Although the application of earth-abundant ‘early’ transition metals in photosensitizers is clearly advantageous, a detailed understanding of excited states with ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) character is paramount to account for their distinct electron configurations. Here we report an air- and moisture-stable, visible light-absorbing Zr(iv) photosensitizer, Zr(MesPDPPh)2, where [MesPDPPh]2− is the doubly deprotonated form of [2,6-bis(5-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-phenyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)pyridine]. This molecule has an exceptionally long-lived triplet LMCT excited state (τ = 350 μs), featuring highly efficient photoluminescence emission (Ф = 0.45) due to thermally activated delayed fluorescence emanating from the higher-lying singlet configuration with significant LMCT contributions. Zr(MesPDPPh)2 engages in numerous photoredox catalytic processes and triplet energy transfer. Our investigation provides a blueprint for future photosensitizer development featuring early transition metals and excited states with significant LMCT contributions. Understanding the photophysical properties of transition-metal complexes is paramount to advances in photocatalysis, solar energy conversion and light-emitting diodes. Now, long-lived emission via thermally activated delayed fluorescence has been demonstrated from an air- and water-stable zirconium complex featuring excited states with significant ligand-to-metal charge transfer character.
Q-Learning: Theory and Applications

Q-learning, originally an incremental algorithm for estimating an optimal decision strategy in an infinite-horizon decision problem, now refers to a general class of reinforcement learning methods ...
Item Response Theory Analysis of the Texas Functional Living Scale.

OBJECTIVE The Texas Functional Living Scale (TFLS) is a performance-based measure of functional abilities assessing the domains of time, money and calculation, communication, and memory. It is likely that certain items are more sensitive at different levels of functional impairment, with some signaling milder degrees of functional difficulty. This study analyzed psychometric characteristics of individual TFLS items using item response theory (IRT) in an outpatient clinical sample. METHOD In total, 270 adult outpatients completed the TFLS during clinical neuropsychological evaluation. IRT analysis using 2PL and graded response model was applied to the TFLS. RESULTS Item parameters, item characteristic curves, and information curves were produced. Item difficulty (a) parameters ranged from 1.05 to 2.23, and item discrimination (b) parameters ranged from -4.11 to 0.51. CONCLUSIONS TFLS items were differentially sensitive along the continuum of functional impairment. Items that were most sensitive to milder degrees of functional impairment involved clock drawing, microwave programming, financial calculation, and prospective memory. Other items that were optimally precise in more severe degrees of functional impairment involved interacting with a calendar and a relatively simple financial calculation task. These findings suggest that the ability to pass at least some of the items on the TFLS may not necessarily reflect fully intact functional abilities. Certain TFLS items may be able to detect the presence of subtle functional difficulties.
Measurement harmonization and traceability for trace element analyses across the Children's Health Exposure Analysis Resource laboratory network.

Abstract Harmonization and traceability are related metrological principles that are indispensable to assuring measurement comparability across different biomonitoring studies. The Children's Health Exposure Analysis Resource (CHEAR) was established in 2015 with six laboratories providing environmental exposure measurements on biospecimens. To ensure harmonization across studies for trace elements, CHEAR used a multi-faceted approach that included: 1) an initial interlaboratory validation exercise based on the analysis of certified blood and urine reference materials; 2) frequent participation in an established interlaboratory proficiency program for trace elements; and 3) analysis of a common pool of well-characterized biological reference materials with each analytical batch. Method accuracy and precision were established for each laboratory via analysis of NIST SRM 955c Toxic Elements in Caprine Blood, SRM 2668 Toxic Elements in Frozen Human Urine and SRM 3668 Mercury, Perchlorate, and Iodide in Frozen Human Urine. The differences among the six laboratories for As, Cd, Hg, and Mn in urine and Cd, Hg, and Pb in whole blood were judged to be fit-for-purpose. Interlaboratory performance over a 5-year period demonstrated an improvement in performance, such that for 2018–2019, >99% of challenges for urine As, Cd, Hg, and Mn, and 95% for whole blood Cd, Hg, Pb, and Mn, were found to be satisfactory. The CHEAR common reference materials were analyzed by at least 5 laboratories for 22 elements in urine and 13–14 elements in whole blood, thus providing a rich source of data to assess intra- and inter-run performance. The suite of trace elements with assigned values in both blood and urine matrices are more comprehensive than similar reference materials from other sources, and is reflective of the concentrations necessary to support biomonitoring studies. While some areas for future improvement were identified, significant progress was made to improve harmonization of trace element measurements in biological matrices among the CHEAR network labs.
Antimicrobial Properties of Corn Stover Lignin Fractions Derived from Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenolysis in Supercritical Ethanol with a Ru/C Catalyst

Converting lignin to value-added products at high yields provides an avenue for making ethanol biorefineries more profitable while reducing the carbon footprint of products generally derived from petroleum. In this study, corn stover lignin was depolymerized by catalytic transfer hydrogenolysis (CTH) in supercritical ethanol with a Ru/C catalyst. The lignin-derived bio-oil was then sequentially extracted utilizing hexane, petroleum ether, chloroform, and ethyl acetate as solvents in order of less polar to polar, and the subsequent bio-oils were characterized using GPC, GC/MS, and HSQC NMR. Results show that the monomers in the bio-oil fractions contained primarily alkylated phenols, hydrogenated hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, syringol and guaiacol-type lignins created from reductive cleavages of ether linkages, which were sequentially extracted into groups depending on the solvent polarity. The antimicrobial properties of the bio-oils were screened against Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus amylovorus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) by examining microbial growth inhibition. Results show that CTH-derived bio-oils inhibited all tested organisms at concentrations less than 3 mg/mL. Total monomer concentration and the presence of specific monomers (i.e., syringyl propane) showed correlations to antimicrobial activity, likely due to cell death or membrane damage. This study provides insights into using sequential extraction to fractionate lignin-derived compounds and correlations between the properties of the extracted compounds and their antimicrobial activity.
Parental decision making regarding consent to randomization on Children's Oncology Group AALL0932.

Background Within pediatric oncology, parental decision making regarding participation in clinical trials that aim to reduce therapy to mitigate side effects is not well studied. The recently completed Children's Oncology Group trial for standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (AALL0932) included a reduction in maintenance therapy, and required consent for randomization immediately prior to starting maintenance. At our institution, 40% of children enrolled on AALL0932 were withdrawn from protocol therapy prior to randomization due to parental choice. This study sought to identify factors that impacted parental decision making regarding randomization on AALL0932. Procedure Parents of children enrolled on AALL0932 at our institution were eligible if their child met criteria for the average-risk randomization. Parents were invited to participate in a 30-50-minute phone interview. Questions focused on factors that shaped parental decision making about randomization, as well as their perspectives about the clinical trial experience more generally. Results Fear of receiving less therapy and subsequent relapse was the predominant reason to decline randomization. Reasons given for consenting to randomization included trust in the physician, altruism, hope for less therapy, and potential for fewer side effects. Parents also reflected on ways to support future families making decisions about clinical trial participation. Conclusion While many parents recognize the importance of clinical trials aiming to mitigate side effects, the fear of their own child relapsing with less than standard therapy may dissuade them from study participation. Recognizing and addressing these concerns will be important for enrollment and retention in future clinical trials.
Animal Magnetism as Ecocriticism for a Time of Pandemic

Towards the end of the eighteenth century the Austrian physician, Anton Mesmer, posited the existence of a universal fluid that surrounds, penetrates, and connects all bodies, much like the interpl...
Outcomes of COVID-19 Negative Hip Fracture Patients During the Acute and Subacute Pandemic

Objectives:To better elucidate how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the operatively treated geriatric hip fracture population and how the health care system adapted to pandemic dictated procedure...
Ergonomic Design, Evaluation and Application of a 3-Dimensional Simulation of a Clinical Setting for People with Lower Limb Disabilities

The goal of this project was to use ergonomic design principles to evaluate a 3-dimensional computer simulation of a manikin in a clinical laboratory setting for individuals with lower limb disabilities. The first step was to use the University of Michigan 3D Static Strength Prediction Program (3D SSPP) to determine biomechanical challenges from three simulated work postures commonly performed among clinical workers. Findings were then imported into the Purdue Envision Center’s 3D simulation of the Accessible Biomedical Immersion Laboratory (ABIL) located at Purdue’s Discovery and Learning Research Center (DLRC). Positions assumed in the 3D ABIL simulation for each task were predicted, using the 3D SSPP software, to be achievable by at least 90% of the population. Collection of data from four subjects performing standardized clinical tasks while in wheelchairs allowed for real-world validation of the 3D simulation model. Additional ergonomic analysis was conducted using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) tool along with subject questionnaires to determine upper limb work risk factors associated with clinical tasks and workstations. RULA and questionnaire data showed the presence of potential upper limb risk factors that may need to be incorporated into the 3D simulation model, especially during pipetting tasks when performed by female subjects. This pilot study showed promise as a clinical facility design tool. Further research is needed to fine tune the 3D ABIL simulation as a useful tool to create clinical facilities for those with lower-limb disabilities.
Using Stochastic Optimization to Underwrite a Portfolio of Insurance Linked Securities

Insurance Linked Securities [ILS], a.k.a. Cat Bonds, have been part of the investor’s financial opportunity set for almost 20 years. During that time they have had a strong, some would say disruptive, influence on the traditional catastrophe market. Hedge funds that have been set up to specialize in ILS portfolio management now command more capital than many traditional reinsurers, with a concomitant effect in the pricing effect on new issues. Much has been written about the nature of ILS and many have examined their pricing and proposed models to explain that pricing. But, to date, no equivalent of the Black- Scholes model has been forthcoming. Less has been written about how a portfolio of such investments should be constructed. Some have attacked the question of the position that ILS should have in a traditional asset portfolio (general answer – considerable – it diversifies) but few have attacked the composition of a portfolio exclusively made up of ILS. Just as there is no Black-Scholes for pricing, there is no obvious equivalent Modern Portfolio Theory [MPT] or Mean-Variance Optimization [MVO] for ILS. In some ways this is understandable - portfolio managers don’t give away secrets easily - but more importantly the nature of left tail risk in ILS and catastrophe coverage in general do not lend themselves to convenient calculation of variance-covariance matrices. Nevertheless, managers must still select portfolios that will outperform. Is there a scientific way to do this? In what follows we suggest an approach using stochastic optimization that allows superior portfolio selection and cast our analysis under the objective of selecting a portfolio to “beat a market benchmark”.
Myelin Antigens and Demyelination

The myelin sheath is formed by the compaction of multiple layers of cell membrane derived from either oligodendroglial or Schwann cells. The composition of myelin differs, however, from the composition of most other cell surface membranes in the high proportion of lipid to protein. As in other cell membranes, these lipids include cholesterol, phospholipids and glycolipids but in the brain the glycolipid galactocerebroside is found only in myelin and oligodendrocytes. Galactocerebroside represents some 20% of the total dry weight of myelin, and 6% of the dry weight of the human brain. The protein content of myelin is also distinctive in that it contains not only less protein than other cell membranes but fewer types of proteins. In CNS myelin two proteins predominate: myelin basic protein and proteolipid protein, together comprising approximately 80% of the total protein (reviewed in, Morell and Norton, 1980; and Norton and Cammer, 1984). Both are thought to have structural roles. In view of its cationic properties, myelin basic protein is thought to play a role in the tight compaction of the inner membrane and, because of its solubility in organic solvents, proteolipid protein is thought to organize the lipid bilayer. Other proteins present in the sheath have enzymic activity, and glycoproteins may play an important role in axon-myelin recognition and interaction (Sternberger et al., 1979; Itoyama et al., 1980). In the peripheral nervous system, the proportion of the various lipids is similar but the protein content is different. The P0 protein accounts for 55% of the total myelin protein, the P1 protein (probably identical to MBP) is present in small amounts and the P2 protein (also a basic protein) is unique to the peripheral nervous system (reviewed by Lees and Brostoff, 1984). The complexity of the immunological responses to these antigens has recently been reviewed by Brostoff (1984). In this paper we will address the mechanism by which these responses might lead to primary demyelination in the inflammatory demyelinating diseases.
Measured analysis of TCP behavior across multihop wireless and wired networks

Emerging wireless ad-hoc networks find their most important applications in untethered, mobile, multihop scenarios where there is no wired infrastructure. Yet, when the wired infrastructure (say, the Internet) is within reach, opportunistic connections to Internet sites may be established across the multihop network to transfer files and update databases. These file transfers use TCP for reliability and congestion control. Many believe that TCP should not be used in ad-hoc network due to it's inability to adapt to the high loss environment, but we believe that TCP will always have a part to play in wireless network in one form or another; studying the behavior of TCP will provide the direction for that adaptation. Recent experiments with ad-hoc, multihop 802.11 networks have exposed serious instabilities when TCP connections span both wired and wireless domains. In particular, some TCP connections capture the wireless channel and drive the throughput on other connections virtually to zero. This is most surprising in view of the fact that connections between 802.11 (single hop) wireless LAN stations and the Internet are well behaved, stable and fair. The problem of the unfairness compounds further when TCP connections have to share the bandwidth with in multihop ad-hoc network. In this paper, we present the issues regarding the wireless transport protocols by experimentally analyzing TCP performance.
On AR equalization with the constant modulus criterion

This work studies the CM criterion applied to equalization with AR channel receivers motivated by recently proposed blind IIR algorithms [6], [7], but may also be used for initializing a blind adaptive DFE. Blind IIR equalization is of practical interest for two main reasons: the IIR structure not only provides a parsimonious representation of a linear receiver, but may also be used for switching to DFE mode. We begin by showing that, unlike the FIR case, AR-CM receivers are equivalent to Wiener receivers for Gaussian sources. For sub-Gaussian input signals, however, due to the requirements of causality and stability of the receiver, characterization of CM solutions appears to be a complex problem. Thus, for sub-Gaussian sources, analysis is restricted to the special case of a MA(1) channel and AR(1) equalizer. Nevertheless, this study provides insight into the properties of AR-CM receivers by making the connection to the popular IIR-MMSE receivers.
Studies on the biosynthesis in vitro of parathyroid hormone. I. Synthesis of parathyroid hormone by bovine-parathyroid gland slices and its control by calcium.

Abstract Bovine parathyroid gland slices incubated in vitro have been shown to synthesize parathyroid hormone. The incorporation of several radioactive amino acids into the hormone isolated from the tissue was found to vary inversely with the concentration of calcium present in the incubation medium. The identity of the newly synthesized hormone with parathyroid hormone was established by several lines of evidence, including a demonstration of calcium-mobilizing activity in the parathyroidectomized rat. The stimulatory effect of lowered calcium concentration was directed more to incorporation of amino acid into the hormone than into the general protein of the tissue. Examination of the incubation medium indicated significant incorporation of amino acid into soluble protein, but this was unaffected by calcium concentration. The presence of hormone in the incubation medium could not be demonstrated either by attempted isolation or by assays for biological activity.
Beyond Scopes: Why creationism is here to stay.

Despite more than a century of scientific support, the theory of evolution has not been fully assimilated and embraced in contemporary society. Creationist beliefs continue to be endorsed by many adults (Numbers, 1992) and adherents of creation science now enjoy considerable success at the school district level in the United States, advocating that “intelligent design” theory and evolutionary theory be given equal time (Scott, 1994). Why are creationist beliefs so persistent? In this chapter I shall argue that this persistence is not simply the result of fundamentalist politics and socialization. Rather, these social forces themselves depend on certain propensities of the human mind. On this account, the persistence of creationist beliefs in a population attests to their cognitive affinity as well as their public availability (cf. Evans, 1994/1995; Shore, 1996; Sperber, 1996). This chapter offers a broad look at the nature and genesis of beliefs about the origins of species. Recent evidence on the development of children's thinking on this subject is presented in the larger context of an examination of the nature and distribution of creationist and evolutionary beliefs in contemporary society. The chapter begins with a look at the current ideological debate between proponents of evolution versus creation “science.” The case is made that their differences are better understood in terms of dissimilarity in ontological commitment rather than in the capacity to reason scientifically. The next section reviews what is known about the distribution of beliefs about origins among ordinary adults in the population at large.
Laser-induced I2 fluorescence measurements in a chemical laser flowfield

A laser-induced fluorescence experiment is described which was performed in the flow field of a 1-kW supersonic chemical laser. In the experiment molecular iodine vapor was injected into the chemical-laser cavity and made to fluoresce by Ar(+) laser excitation. The results obtained demonstrate that laser-induced fluorescence can be applied successfully to study mixing zones in chemical-laser cavities. The following potential seeding candidates for studying hot flows in chemical lasers are suggested, in addition to I2: popop dye vapor, SiH4, and H2S.
An examination of coherence of directional wave time series from bottom-mounted pressure and current sensors

This paper examines the coherence between kinematic variables from different types of bottom mounted instruments used for coastal directional wave measurements. Long term field data from PPP, PEMCM and PADV for several locations and wave conditions are analyzed for wave direction and coherence. Directional wave measurements analyzed from arrays of sensors assume that the time series of wave kinematics are statistically homogenous. Sensor time series should differ only in amplitude and phase. For real-world field measurements sensor data contains noise components and systematic errors and biases. Coherence between sensor pairs is a common method of quantifying the noise and error. Our results show very high coherence between individual pressure time series in short base-line pressure arrays. Slope components computed from the pressure array are used for directional analysis. We find slope coherence less than the scalar pressures but generally high. Coherence between U and V components of horizontal velocity measured by current meters should be very high because they are Cartesian components of the current vector. Our data show this is generally true for common E-M current meters. For acoustic Doppler (PADV) velocity meters the coherence was significantly lower. Coherence is potentially useful as a metric for comparing different sensor systems accuracy for directional estimates. It also is frequently used as a quality control test for automated data analysis. Non-acoustic systems generally exhibit high coherence when operating correctly. For acoustic systems, the question arises as how good must coherence be for acceptable data. We present exploratory analyses that examine then relationship between coherence and the quality of directional estimates.
Prevalence of comorbid retinal disease in patients with glaucoma at an academic medical center.

BACKGROUND Patients with various retinal diseases and patients who have undergone retinal procedures and surgeries have an increased risk of developing ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Little is known about the epidemiology of comorbid retinal diseases in glaucoma patients. This study evaluated the prevalence of retinal comorbidities in a population of patients with five types of glaucoma. METHODS A longitudinal, retrospective study was conducted using International Classification of Disease (ICD-9) billing records from 2003 to 2010 at an academic medical center. Patients were classified as having primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), low tension open-angle glaucoma (NTG), pigmentary open-angle glaucoma, chronic-angle closure glaucoma (CACG), or pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXG) if they had at least three clinic visits with the same ICD-9 code. Patients were classified as having a retinal comorbidity if they had two visits with the same code. Variables were analyzed with the independent t-test, χ (2) test, analysis of variance, or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS A total of 5,154 patients had glaucoma, and 14.8% of these had a retinal comorbidity. The prevalence of comorbid retinal disease was higher in patients with POAG (15.7%) than in those with NTG (10.7%), PXG (10.1%), or pigmentary open-angle glaucoma (3.7%; P<0.05). Two hundred and two patients had diabetic retinopathy, with POAG patients (4.5%) having a higher prevalence than those with CACG (1.4%) or PXG (0.6%; P<0.001). There were 297 patients who had macular degeneration and both POAG (2.0%) and PXG patients (2.9%) had a higher prevalence of nonexudative macular degeneration than those with CACG (0%; P<0.01). Patients with comorbid retinal disease had a higher prevalence of blindness and low vision than those without comorbid retinal disease (1.97% versus 1.02%, P=0.02). CONCLUSION The high prevalence of comorbid retinal disease and the nearly twofold increase in blindness and low vision in this population demonstrate the need for ophthalmologists to determine if patients have multiple etiologies for their vision loss. The higher prevalence of certain retinal diseases in POAG patients may reflect common pathophysiological processes that warrant further investigation.
Demonstration of a broadband wireless backbone using ultra-dense WDM technology

Summary form only given. Current wireless communication systems are intended primarily for narrow band voice transmissions and have little flexibility to be scaled up. There is a need to develop new wireless network technologies, which can support broadband integrated services, dynamic resource allocation, and provide system capacity growth gracefully as the number of users increases. We demonstrate a high-bandwidth, reconfigurable wireless communication system based on WDM and TDMA techniques. The modulated signals transparently pass through fibers and base stations (BS) to the mobile users leaving all signal processing and complexity to the MSC. The system is transparent to mixed traffic such as AMPS, GSM, and CDMA. The proposed WDM backbone network has a tree structure. Capacity growth, using cell splitting, can be easily achieved by extending fibers from old ending points to each new ending point. By using WDM techniques, a fully connected physical topology can be achieved using the tree structure fiber connections. The passive tree network can grow gracefully by adding new branches and allocating new wavelengths. Frequency reuse plans are implemented with the cell splitting from a macro-cell to multiple micro-cells. Due to the large number of the micro-cells and the high cost of the real estate in the city, the base-station must have a simple structure.
The Nature and Impact of Gendered Patterns of Peer Sexual Communications Among Heterosexual Emerging Adults

Although previous research demonstrates that peers serve as top sexual informants and advisers, little is known about how peer sexual communications may be a gendered phenomenon. Do communications about sex and romantic relationships vary according to who is speaking to whom? The current study examined 517 college students' reports of male and female peers' communications of four sexual scripts and the associations between reports of such communications and participants' sexual attitudes and levels of sexual and dating experience. Results suggest that peer messages about sex and relationships vary by the gender of the recipient and the gender of the communicator. Women reported more frequent communications of all sexual scripts from female peers than did men. In terms of male peers' sexual communications, only one gender difference emerged: men reported receiving significantly fewer messages about the relational script than women. Compared to same-sex peer communications, there were more associations between other-sex peer communications and undergraduates' sexual attitudes and levels of sexual and dating experience. Implications for the role of same- and other-sex peers in sexual socialization are discussed.
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread -Evolving Concepts in Celiac Sprue

Abstract Context.—Celiac sprue affects genetically susceptible individuals, who develop small intestinal injury and malabsorption following dietary exposure to gluten. The histologic features are nonspecific but characteristic. Objectives.—To outline the histologic features of celiac sprue and the necessary clinical context to permit a diagnosis of celiac sprue, to assist the pathologist to identify artifactual biopsy changes that may mimic sprue, to define the differential diagnosis for conditions with a similar histology, and to review historic investigations of this disease. Data Sources.—Sources include the historic experiments and clinical work of members of the Gastroenterology Division of the Department of Medicine and experiences with gastrointestinal pathology consultation material at the University of Washington, Seattle, with reference to selected peer-reviewed articles. Conclusions.—Confirmation of a diagnosis of celiac sprue is 2-fold: first, biopsy evidence of a characteristic, but nonspecif...
Implementing disability accommodations in a widely distributed web based visualization and analysis platform --- weave

Visualization tools give authors the ability to present large amounts of data in a way that allows the viewer to gain understanding of the data with just a glance. This strategy, while useful to the sighted population, presents obvious barriers for blind or visually impaired individuals. A solution to this problem has become more vital, as ever more publicly funded agencies turn to data visualization as a tool for conveying information to the public. In this paper we present a solution based on previous research that allows a system to do automatic analysis of a line chart visualization to extract and then present it's intended message. Previous advancements in this area, an implemented prototype of the proposed solution and a description of the platform in which it was built are presented, as well as a discussion of the implications of this research and future work.
THE AMINO ACID POOL IN ESCHERICHIA COLI

Bacteria maintain internally synthesized small molecules at high internal concentrations and in addition have the capacity to concentrate many compounds from the environment. Since the majority of these compounds are intermediates in synthesis, they are collectively termed the pool of metabolic intermediates or, simply, the "pool." However, the state of organization and ultimate chemical fate of exogenous compounds concentrated by the cell may be different from those of identical compounds synthesized by the cell.
Prevalence and Intensity of Nematode Parasites in Wisconsin Ermine

Abstract: In the midwestern United States, ermine (Mustela erminea) are economically important because they are legally harvested for pelts. Information on parasites of ermine is lacking, and the effects that nematode parasites have on body condition of ermine hosts are unknown. We identified Skrjabingylus nasicola and Filaroides martis in ermine trapped from 2007 to 2013 from 6 counties in Wisconsin. Small mammals, commonly consumed by ermine, serve as paratenic hosts for both parasites. Our goal was to identify how age and sex of ermine, along with year, influence nematode parasitism. We also investigated how infection affected body condition for male and female ermine using body mass standardized by length as an index of body condition. We commonly found S. nasicola and F. martis in male and female ermine, but both prevalence and intensity of infection were higher for males. Relative to juveniles ( 1 yr) male ermine did not exhibit significantly higher intensity or prevalence of either p...
Large Doses of Vitamin D Fail to Increase 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels or to Alter Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Adolescents: A Pilot Study.

Abstract Purpose Vitamin D deficiency and cardiometabolic risk factors are common in obese adolescents. Observational studies demonstrate an inverse relationship among serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammatory cytokines. This pilot study explores if vitamin D supplementation could reduce serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL] 6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor α), adiponectin, lipids, hemoglobin A1C, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). A secondary aim was to determine the associations between baseline serum 25OHD concentrations and body mass index (BMI), hs-CRP, inflammatory cytokines, and lipids. Methods Overweight and obese adolescents enrolled in this 24-week, randomized, double-blind study were given 150,000 IU ergocalciferol or placebo at baseline and 12 weeks. Outcome measurements included serum 25OHD, inflammatory cytokines, adiponectin, hs-CRP, lipids, hemoglobin A1C, and BMI at baseline, 12, and 24 weeks. Results Of 40 participants, 31 (78%) completed the study. Mean ± standard error 25OHD levels were similar in vitamin D and placebo groups at baseline (19.6 ± 5.3 vs. 25.8 ± 10.8 ng/mL) and 24 weeks (20.1 ± 3.4 vs. 24.6 ± 8.4 ng/mL). Inflammatory and cardiovascular markers were not significantly different between groups at 24 weeks. Serum 25OHD at baseline was associated with BMI ( r = −.44 [95% confidence interval, −.66 to −.15]) but not with other outcome measures. Conclusions Supplementation with vitamin D at 150,000 IU every 3 months failed to increase serum 25OHD or alter inflammatory markers and lipids in overweight and obese youth. Further studies are needed to establish the dose of vitamin D required to increase 25OHD and determine potential effects on metabolic risk factors in obese teens.
The role of anomalous singularity in hadronic form factors

Abstract By assuming chiral-symmetry breaking as the dominant dynamics in the light-hadron structure, we study the low-energy electromagnetic form factor of light hadrons in the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio type of models in the large- N limit from a dispersion relation point of view. In addition to the expected vector-meson pole dominance picture for tightly bound states such as the pion, it is found that the anomalous singularity, occuring only to loosely bound states of the constituent quarks, could severely alter the form factors at low momentum-transfers from the vector-meson dominance behavior. This mechanism is explicitly demonstrated in a two-dimensional version of the NJL type models, the Gross-Neveu model, in which all the interested quantities are calculated analytically and a detailed comparison with two-dimensional QCD is made. The two-dimensional analysis is then argued to be qualitatively similar to the realistic four-dimensional case. The relevance of the anomalous singularity to the phenomenology of the rho and the nucleons is indicated by quantitative estimates of the anomalous thresholds in their form factors.
Extension of lifespan of human T lymphocytes by transfection with SV40 large T antigen

Lymphocytes have a finite and predictable proliferative life span in culture similar to that observed in fibroblasts. In general, the senescence of human fibroblasts is inevitable and irreversible, but their proliferative life span can be extended by certain DNA tumor virus oncogenes, such as the large T antigen of the SV40 virus. Here, we show that human T lymphocytes (HTL) can be stably transfected with SV40 large T and that expression of T antigen extended the life span of T cell cultures. PHA-stimulated HTL were transfected with pSV3neo, an expression vector containing the SV40 early region and the neomycin resistance gene. Transfectants were selected for neomycin (G418) resistance. Control HTL, either mock transfected or transfected with pSV2neo (containing the neomycin resistance gene only), ceased proliferation after about 17 population doublings. In contrast, HTL transfected with pSV3neo underwent more than 170 doublings. pSV3neo-transfected cells expressed SV40 large T RNA, detectable by in situ hybridization, and SV40 T antigen, detectable by immunofluorescence. Greater than 95% of the transfected cells were CD4 positive. These results clearly show that SV40 large T enables HTL to escape senescence. Transfection with SV40 large T may be a valuable method for obtaining long term human T cell lines for studies of both aging and immunology.
EFFECTS OF HYDROXYL ON NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE CELLS OF NITELLA.

Remarkable changes are brought about by KOH in transforming negative cells of Nitella (showing dilute solution negative with KOH) to positive cells (showing dilute solution positive with KOH). NaOH is less effective as a transforming agent. This might be explained on the ground that the protoplasm contains an acid (possibly a fatty acid) which makes the cell negative and which is dissolved out more rapidly by KOH than by NaOH, as happens with the fatty acids in ordinary soaps. Part of a negative cell can be changed to positive by exposure to KOH while the untreated portion remains negative. After exposure to KOH the potential the protoplasm has when in contact with NaCl may increase. At the same time there may be an increase in the potassium effect; i.e ., in the change of P.D. in a positive direction observed when 0.01 M KCl is replaced by 0.01 M NaCl. In some cases the order of ionic mobilities is u K > v OH > u Na. This shows that the protoplasmic surface cannot be a pore system: for in such a system all cations must have greater mobilities than all anions or vice versa .
3D Seismic reflection and VSP for hydrogeology

Modern hydrogeology is increasingly depending numerical modeling to simulate impacts of water resource projects tens or hundreds of years into the future. The validity of such numerical models is highly dependent on accurate distribution of key hydrogeological parameters. A combination of 3D seismic reflection and Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) offers the potential to create detailed, accurate, hydrostratigraphic frameworks within which physical, chemical and biological properties can be distributed. We provide the outline and outcomes from a systematic research program designed to develop and optimize 3D seismic reflection and VSP techniques tailored for hydrogeology. The test site is located at the Beenyup Waste Water Treatment Plant near a major freeway, where a long term high volume purified waste water injection trial will commence in 2009.
Glutamine Signaling in Intestinal Cells

Glutamine (Gln) is a competence factor necessary for intestinal cell proliferation, intestinal fluid/ electrolyte absorption, and mitogenic response to growth factors. Gln deprivation produces apoptosis. Gln stimulation of quiescent cells produces immediate-early gene expression and MAP kinase activation. However, EGF signals more powerfully through MAPKs than Gln. Interestingly, EGF-stimulated mitogenesis is ineffective in the absence ofGln. In the intact intestinal epithelia in vivo, Gln has powerful effects on absorption of sodium and chloride. Gln-stimulated absorption is greater than and additive to glucose-stimulated absorption in cryptosporidial enteritis. In the piglet ileum, Gln metabolism stimulates apical amiloride-inhibitable Na + /H + exchange. Although one might predict powerful effects of oral Gln on absorption in babies with diarrhea, 3 clinical trials to date (one published) have not shown an advantage of Gln-supplemented oral rehydration solutions (ORS) compared to standard glucose ORS. Severely dehydrated subjects have not been studied. More important effects of Gln treatment may be seen with (1) co-administration with a growth factor and (2) in patients with severe intestinal damage, such as protracted diarrhea of infancy or AIDS enteropathy.
On solutions of linear functional differential equations with linearly transformed argument on a semiaxis

We establish conditions under which solutions of a system of linear functional differential equations on a semiaxis are determined as solutions of a certain system of ordinary differential equations.
Efficiency of barium fluoride scintillators for monoenergetic gamma rays

Abstract We discuss the calculated and measured efficiency of barium fluoride detectors for monoenergetic gamma rays.
Sexual assault and other types of sexual harassment by workplace personnel: a comparison of antecedents and consequences.

Although sexual assault by workplace personnel is widely viewed as a type of sexual harassment, little is known about whether these overlapping constructs may possess some unique characteristics. This article compares the theoretical antecedents and consequences of sexual assault by workplace personnel and other types of sexual harassment among 22,372 women employed in the U.S. military. Path analysis revealed that low sociocultural and organizational power are associated with an increased likelihood of both types of victimization. Organizational climate and job gender context are directly associated with sexual harassment but are only indirectly associated with sexual assault by workplace personnel. Both types of victimization are associated with a variety of negative outcomes, but the pattern of negative consequences differs.
Photorefractive processing for large adaptive phased arrays

An adaptive null-steering phased-array optical processor that utilizes a photorefractive crystal to time integrate the adaptive weights and null out correlated jammers is described. This is a beam-steering processor in which the temporal waveform of the desired signal is known but the look direction is not. The processor computes the angle(s) of arrival of the desired signal and steers the array to look in that direction while rotating the nulls of the antenna pattern toward any narrow-band jammers that may be present. We have experimentally demonstrated a simplified version of this adaptive phased-array-radar processor that nulls out the narrow-band jammers by using feedback-correlation detection. In this processor it is assumed that we know a priori only that the signal is broadband and the jammers are narrow band. These are examples of a class of optical processors that use the angular selectivity of volume holograms to form the nulls and look directions in an adaptive phased-array-radar pattern and thereby to harness the computational abilities of three-dimensional parallelism in the volume of photorefractive crystals. The development of this processing in volume holographic system has led to a new algorithm for phased-array-radar processing that uses fewer tapped-delay lines than does the classic time-domain beam former. The optical implementation of the new algorithm has the further advantage of utilization of a single photorefractive crystal to implement as many as a million adaptive weights, allowing the radar system to scale to large size with no increase in processing hardware.
Atomic Energy States for Excited Helium

By means of Slater's method the total atomic energies for the excited states, $1{s}^{2}$, $1s2s$, $1s2p$, $2{s}^{2}$, $2s2p$ and $2{p}^{2}$ of helium have been calculated with the use of Hartree functions previously published.