cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Smart Sensor Networks

The concepts of cyclic perception–reason–action behavior are useful for implementing smart sensor networks in a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from distributed multi-robot perception, navigation, and manipulation applications to distributed sense-and-response systems to dynamic situation awareness and decision support systems. Although there are many challenging problems, current wireless sensor network technology can be augmented to meet the requirements and address the issues in designing and implementing smart sensor network applications. The key components for supporting this are low-powered microdevices for sensors and actuators, efficient sensor network protocols, reconfigurable smart nodes, and distributed services, such as distributed lookup, composition, and adaptation services. These components simplify the implementation of multiple and independent distributed perception–reason–action modules that are executed in parallel but may communicate with each other to achieve an integrated system-level goal. Two proofs of concepts for using cyclic perception–reason–action modules are demonstrated in multi-robot control applications and real-time target tracking applications. Preliminary results from these two types of applications show the effectiveness in using these methods. In summary, the key principles of perception–reason–action cycles are instrumental in implementing many real-time cyber-physical applications. This approach can be extended in future work for improving these system components and real-time applications.
Interpolation by Pick Functions

In this chapter we study interpolation problems which admit solutions which are rational Pick functions, real on the real axis. We first give an instructive alternate proof of Pick’s theorem.
The Origins of Self

The phenomenon which we have chosen to study is easily observed in the everyday situations of children and infants. The theories we construct must allow us to observe the necessary events. Make no mistake—we cannot watch everything that the child does. Our observations themselves are determined by the assumptions we bring to the observation. There is no end to the things the infant does, nor is there any easy way to reconstruct the myriad of events we do watch or to place them into a coherent and meaningful whole. That is the function of theory. Our task, then, is not unlike that of the infant who, awake and alert, attempts to make sense out of the enormously large and complex set of events that surround him. Indeed, the infant’s task may be a bit easier than our own since a caregiver helps structure the infant’s world; we have only our intuitions and theories. The infant must observe, form hypotheses, and test them against the action of the world, just as we must observe, hypothesize, and test.
Image-to-Image Embedding

In this chapter we present a program in which the user can embed an image onto another image. The user selects two images, one used as the background, and one to place on top, and can select wherever on the background image to place the second image. As shown in Fig. 10.1, we can select a background image, in this case a TV in Times Square, and embed another image onto it, in this case a playful red panda. The program also features the ability to resize the overlay image.
The influence of organizations on policy: theories, findings, conclusions

This article analyzes recent research on the impact of non-party organizations on policy, describing its theoretical coherence, operationalization of key concepts, views of different types of organizations, hypothesis testing, efforts to generalize from its findings, and proposals for improving future research. The analysis shows that few relevant articles in major journals in political science and sociology test theory; researchers seldom explicitly define key concepts; though researchers regularly study interest groups and social movement organizations, much of their work focuses on other types of organizations; researchers regularly make no predictions about organizations’ impact on policy, and when they do, a majority of their predictions are wrong. Researchers rarely generalize; they seldom claim that their conclusions have implications for theory; and their suggestions for future work are mostly generic. The analysis points to weaknesses in current research and proposes ways to overcome them.
Gestational hypercholesterolemia alters fetal hepatic lipid metabolism and microRNA expression in Apo-E-deficient mice.

Maternal hypercholesterolemia (MHC) is a pathological condition characterized by an exaggerated rise in maternal serum cholesterol during gestation, which can alter offspring hepatic lipid metaboli...
Synthesis of a copper-supported triplet nitrene complex pertinent to copper-catalyzed amination.

Terminal copper-nitrenoid complexes have inspired interest in their fundamental bonding structures as well as their putative intermediacy in catalytic nitrene-transfer reactions. Here, we report that aryl azides react with a copper(I) dinitrogen complex bearing a sterically encumbered dipyrrin ligand to produce terminal copper nitrene complexes with near-linear, short copper–nitrenoid bonds [1.745(2) to 1.759(2) angstroms]. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and quantum chemistry calculations reveal a predominantly triplet nitrene adduct bound to copper(I), as opposed to copper(II) or copper(III) assignments, indicating the absence of a copper−nitrogen multiple-bond character. Employing electron-deficient aryl azides renders the copper nitrene species competent for alkane amination and alkene aziridination, lending further credence to the intermediacy of this species in proposed nitrene-transfer mechanisms.
Primary Care Provider Encounter Cadence and HbA1c Control in Older Patients With Diabetes.

Introduction Primary care provider encounters are associated with health and well-being; however, limited evidence guides optimal primary care provider rate of visit, referred to as encounter cadence. This study measures associations between primary care provider encounter cadence and diabetes outcomes among individuals newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, 7,106 people enrolled in Medicare Advantage and newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013 were identified and followed for 36 months. Two methods measured primary care provider encounter cadence: total primary care provider encounters (frequency) and quarters with primary care provider encounter (regularity). Logistic regression measured relationships between primary care provider encounter cadence and non-insulin diabetes medication adherence, HbA1c control, emergency department visits, and inpatient admissions. Non-insulin diabetes medication adherence was defined according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set specifications and measured using healthcare claims data. Post-hoc models examined adherence and diabetes control among those nonadherent (n=5,212) and with noncontrolled HbA1c (n=326) during the encounter/cadence period. Data were extracted and analyzed in 2017. Results Adjusted models indicated that both frequency (AOR=1.08, 95% CI=1.06, 1.10) and regularity (AOR=1.18, 95% CI=1.13, 1.22) of primary care provider encounters were associated with increased odds of adherence. Post-hoc analyses indicated that more frequent (AOR=1.12, 95% CI=1.10, 1.15) and regular (AOR=1.27, 95% CI=1.22, 1.33) primary care provider encounters were associated significantly with adherence and were associated directionally with HbA1c control. Conclusions More frequent and regular primary care provider encounters are associated with an increased likelihood of non-insulin diabetes medication adherence. These findings contribute to data needed to establish evidence-based guidelines for primary care provider encounter cadence for those newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Comprehensive anatomic ontologies for lung development: A comparison of alveolar formation and maturation within mouse and human lung

Although the mouse is widely used to model human lung development, function, and disease, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in alveolarization of the peripheral lung is incomplete. Recently, the Molecular Atlas of Lung Development Program (LungMAP) was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to develop an integrated open access database (known as BREATH) to characterize the molecular and cellular anatomy of the developing lung. To support this effort, we designed detailed anatomic and cellular ontologies describing alveolar formation and maturation in both mouse and human lung. While the general anatomic organization of the lung is similar for these two species, there are significant variations in the lung’s architectural organization, distribution of connective tissue, and cellular composition along the respiratory tract. Anatomic ontologies for both species were constructed as partonomic hierarchies and organized along the lung’s proximal-distal axis into respiratory, vascular, neural, and immunologic components. Terms for developmental and adult lung structures, tissues, and cells were included, providing comprehensive ontologies for application at varying levels of resolution. Using established scientific resources, multiple rounds of comparison were performed to identify common, analogous, and unique terms that describe the lungs of these two species. Existing biological and biomedical ontologies were examined and cross-referenced to facilitate integration at a later time, while additional terms were drawn from the scientific literature as needed. This comparative approach eliminated redundancy and inconsistent terminology, enabling us to differentiate true anatomic variations between mouse and human lungs. As a result, approximately 300 terms for fetal and postnatal lung structures, tissues, and cells were identified for each species. These ontologies standardize and expand current terminology for fetal and adult lungs, providing a qualitative framework for data annotation, retrieval, and integration across a wide variety of datasets in the BREATH database. To our knowledge, these are the first ontologies designed to include terminology specific for developmental structures in the lung, as well as to compare common anatomic features and variations between mouse and human lungs. These ontologies provide a unique resource for the LungMAP, as well as for the broader scientific community.
Concealment as a moderator of anticipated stigma and psychiatric symptoms

Sexual minorities are at risk for poorer mental health outcomes due to unique minority stressors. Anticipated stigma and concealment are documented as predictors of worse outcomes among this popula...
Local Folk Games and Health Promotion: Case Study, Saba Tossing Game of Thai Raman People in Ongkarak District, Nakornnayok Province

The objective of this research is to study the results of health promotion by playing the local folk game: Case study of playing Saba of the Thai Raman folks in Ongkarak district of Nakornnayok province and to find the guidelines in developing folk game: Case study of playing Saba of the Thai Raman folks in Ongkarak district of Nakornnayok province, promoting good health for the communities in Ongkarak district. The sample group consisted of fitness specialists, people involved in health promotion and the local Thai Raman players of the local Saba folk game in Ongkarak district. Collected data by observation and in-depth interviews. Analyzed results with content analysis techniques. It is found from the study that: 1) The playing of Saba folk game of the Thai Raman folks in Ongkarak district is popularly played during the Songkran festival. Participants in the competition consist of local folks in Ongkarak sub-district, such as locals from the sub-districts of Chomphol and from Phra-Ajarn communities, and people from other districts of Pathumthani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok, etc. 2) The Saba tossing game has the result of an exercise, not less than playing Petanque, if played continuously, having good effect on the functioning of the muscles. 3) Guideline in developing the folk game: Case study of playing Saba game, promoting good health for the local communities in Ongkarak district, should be of joint efforts from 3 units: Public Health unit providing information, linking exercise by playing Saba game in promoting good health. Administrative unit should provide the sports ground suitable for Saba game and arranges Saba tossing competition for drug prevention and the Educational unit should arrange as sports activities in the schools. The 3 units should then jointly collect the data concerning health conditions of those playing the Saba game, to study the data, developing the reduction of risk of illness continuously.
Abstract WP6: Safety of Acute Carotid Stenting Treatment in Acute Symptomatic Patients

Carotid stenting (CAS) has been shown to be equivalent to carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic patients; however its optimal timing remains unclear. In this study, we aim to evaluate the safety of...
A Systematic Review of Patient-, Provider-, and Health System-Level Predictors of Postpartum Health Care Use by People of Color and Low-Income and/or Uninsured Populations in the United States.

Introduction: People of color and low-income and uninsured populations in the United States have elevated risks of adverse maternal health outcomes alongside low levels of postpartum visit attendance. The postpartum period is a critical window for delivering health care services to reduce health inequities and their transgenerational effects. Evidence is needed to identify predictors of postpartum visit attendance in marginalized populations. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature to identify studies that quantified patient-, provider-, and health system-level predictors of postpartum health care use by people of color and low-income and uninsured populations. We extracted study design, sample, measures, and outcome data from studies meeting our eligibility criteria, and used a modified Cochrane Risk of Bias tool to evaluate risk of bias. Results: Out of 2,757 studies, 36 met our criteria for inclusion in this review. Patient-level factors consistently associated with postpartum care included higher socioeconomic status, rural residence, fewer children, older age, medical complications, and previous health care use. Perceived discrimination during intrapartum care and trouble understanding the health care provider were associated with lower postpartum visit use, while satisfaction with the provider and having a provider familiar with one's health history were associated with higher use. Health system predictors included public facilities, group prenatal care, and services such as patient navigators and appointment reminders. Discussion: Postpartum health service research in marginalized populations has predominantly focused on patient-level factors; however, the multilevel predictors identified in this review reflect underlying inequities and should be used to inform the design of structural changes.
Association between hemoglobin A1c variability and hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations in veterans with diabetes mellitus

Introduction To study the impact of hemoglobin A1c (A1c) variability on the risk of hypoglycemia-related hospitalization (HRH) in veterans with diabetes mellitus. Research design and methods 342 059 veterans with diabetes aged 65 years or older were identified for a retrospective cohort study. All participants had a 3-year baseline period from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2016, during which they had at least four A1c tests. A1c variability measures included coefficient of variation (A1c CV), A1c SD, and adjusted A1c SD. HRH was identified during a 2-year follow-up period from Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration through validated algorithms of International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 and ICD-10 codes. Logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate the relationship between A1c variability and HRH risk while controlling for relevant clinical covariates. Results 2871 patients had one or more HRH in the 2-year follow-up period. HRH risk increased with greater A1c variability, and this was consistent across A1c CV, A1c SD, and adjusted A1c SD. Average A1c levels were also independently associated with HRH, with levels 9% (75 mmol/mol) with greater risk. The relationships between A1c variability remained significant after controlling for average A1c levels and prior HRH during the baseline period. Conclusion Increasing A1c variability and elevated A1c levels are associated with a greater risk of HRH in older adults with diabetes. Clinicians should consider A1c variability when assessing patients for risk of severe hypoglycemia.
Cloud Computing Technology and Its Applications

Virtualization and distributed parallel architecture are two typical technologies of cloud computing.For virtualization technology,this article discusses the pool of physical resources,resource pool management and use,cluster fault location and maintenance,resource pool grouping,and the building and application of heterogeneous virtualization platforms.It also discusses the distributed file system and Key/Value storage engine associated with distributed technology.A "MASTER bottleneck" storage interface standard is proposed for the distributed file system,and directory-based storage is proposed for the Key/Value storage engine.
Occipitocervical fusion of traumatic atlanto-occipital dissociation in a patient with autofused cervical facet joints: illustrative case

BACKGROUND Patients who survive traumatic atlanto-occipital dissociation (AOD) may present with normal neurological examinations and near-normal-appearing diagnostic images, such as cervical radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans. OBSERVATIONS The authors described a neurologically intact 64-year-old female patient with a degenerative autofusion of her right C4–5 facet joints who presented to their center after a motor vehicle collision. Prevertebral soft tissue swelling and craniocervical subarachnoid hemorrhage prompted awareness and consideration for traumatic AOD. An abnormal occipital condyle–C1 interval (4.67 mm) on CT and craniocervical junction ligamentous injury on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the diagnosis of AOD. Her autofused right C4–5 facet joints were incorporated into the occipitocervical fusion construct. LESSONS Traumatic AOD can be easily overlooked in patients with a normal neurological examination and no associated upper cervical spine fractures. A high index of suspicion is needed when evaluating CT scans because normal values for craniocervical parameters are significantly different from the accepted ranges of normal on radiographs in the adult population. MRI of the cervical spine is helpful to evaluate for atlanto-occipital ligamentous injury and confirm the diagnosis. Occipitocervical fusion construct may need to be extended to incorporate spinal levels with degenerative autofusion to prevent adjacent level degeneration.
Windows and periscopes into primate behavior.

Calcium imaging of neurons in monkeys making reaches is complicated by brain movements and limited by shallow imaging depth. In a pair of recent studies, Trautmann et al., 2021 and Bollimunta et al. (2021) present complementary solutions to these problems.
MM-315: Impact of Stratification of Levels of Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) at Diagnosis on Overall Survival (OS) in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma (NDMM)

Context Elevated serum LDH level is an adverse prognostic factor in NDMM. Quantitative serum LDH levels range from over the upper limit of normal (ULN) to levels 2- or more-fold higher than ULN. Objective The “normal versus elevated” classification of serum LDH level can fail to discriminate between different NDMM disease biology. Thus, we attempted to further stratify NDMM patients by their serum LDH level and determine the impact on OS outcomes. Design and Setting The cohort included patients diagnosed with NDMM from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, from 2003 to 2017, treated with novel agent induction therapy with measured serum LDH levels at the time of diagnosis. Patients The cohort consists of 1,196 NDMM patients with median age of 65 (22–95) years. R-ISS classification was available for 968 patients and is distributed as follows: 210 (22%) stage 1, 639 (66%) stage 2, and 119 (12%) stage 3. Cytogenetic risk data was available for 970 patients: 215 (22%) high-risk and 755 (78%) standard-risk. Main Outcome Measures The serum LDH levels were stratified into three levels: normal (LDH 444 U/L). Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared via Wilcoxon method. Results Median serum LDH level was 162 U/L (3–1260), and an elevated LDH was present in 199 patients (17%). Median OS for patients with normal (N = 997; 83%), elevated (N = 170; 13%), and very elevated (N = 29; 3%) LDH levels were 76 months, 57 months, and 23 months respectively (P Conclusion A small subset (3%) of NDMM have very elevated LDH levels that confer exceptionally poor OS, irrespective of R-ISS stage and cytogenetic risk. Future studies determining disease biology responsible for such poor OS outcomes are warranted. Acknowledgments Research was supported by the National Cancer Institute [Grant Number CA254961], the Helen Diller Family Foundation, and the Marion Schwartz Foundation for Multiple Myeloma.
Educating Current and Future Microwave Engineers [From the Editor’s Desk

Welcome to the November issue of IEEE Microwave Magazine . As I write this column, the closing ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan has just wrapped up. I enjoyed seeing two weeks of highly trained athletes compete in all of the sports, including major ones such as track and field and swimming, as well as events that are given coverage only every four years such as archery and table tennis.
Fostering the Foundations of Self-Determination in Early Childhood: A Process for Enhancing Child Outcomes across Home and School.

Early childhood practitioners can play a vital role in the development of early self-determination in partnership with families. Self-determination has been generally considered to be about personal agency or control that can also relate to the quality of one’s life. Young children with disabilities start to develop a range of critical skills such as engagement and self-regulation that will be needed throughout their lives. These are the early foundational skills that lead to later self-determination. This paper describes a simple four-step process and key features of foundations of self-determination in early childhood, a collaborative process focusing on home–school partnerships. The unique alliance between each dyad (i.e., family member and early childhood practitioner) support child outcomes across naturally occurring routines at home and school. Each family and practitioner dyad uses attainable short-term goals embedded in home and school routines, intentional adult cues, and environmental modifications to promote foundational skills of self-determination in young children with disabilities.
Ligogenic/Ligolytic Processes in Organic Chemistry

Ligogenic/ligoiytic processes constitute a subgroup of junctive/disjunctive transformations. They involve distinct σ and/or σ +π bond formation and/or cleavage, and associations through H-bonding and complexation through H-bonding are specifically excluded. Every ligogenic process is necessarily junctive; however, every junctive process is not necessarily ligogenic. Similarly, every ligoiytic process is necessarily disjunctive; every disjunctive process is not necessarily ligoiytic (vide infra). The fundamental types of ligogenic processes are simple (either ligogenic or ligolytic) or complex (ligogenic and ligolytic). Simple ones are designated by the notation (n,m,…) g or (n,m,…) i while complex ones are denoted as (n,m,…) g (n,m,…) i ; n and m are the simplex ligogenicities. For a given reacting site, site ligogenicity (l a ) is the number of bonds formed at that site and molecular ligogenicity (L m ) is the sum total of all the ligogenicities in a molecule/molecular species, and, for a transformation, the net process ligogenicity is given by L for . The ligogenicity of the reverse process, L rev , is the negative of L for . L for and L for provide measures of the efficacy of skeletal build-up (L for 0) and of skeletal breakdown (L for <0) of molecular σ-frameworks, respectively.
Can Government Be Trusted to Keep Its Part of a Social Contract?: New Jersey and the Railroads, 1825–1888

A growing literature has emerged in the last decade exploring the incentives for opportunism that arise in long-term, or relational, contracts (Williamson, 1975; 1983). This literature rests upon a distinction between contract as a one-time transaction and contract as the framework for a long-term relationship between parties (MacNeil). Transaction describes a single, discrete exchange between anonymous parties. Relational contract describes an association between parties over a period of time during which many exchanges occur. Greater possibilities for opportunistic breach present themselves in the long-term, relational contract. The problem of breach is particularly transparent in relational contracts characterized by relationship-specific investments.
Studies on the enzymatic properties of influenza viruses. I. The action of influenza B virus and RDE on the hemagglutinin inhibitor of human meconium.

Abstract In purified preparations of human meconium, inhibitors of hemagglutination by influenza viruses have been described which are destroyed upon incubation with active virus. We have attempted to identify chemically the products liberated during such interaction. A solution of purified meconium of high hemagglutinin inhibitory titer (HAI) was incubated with strain Lee of influenza B virus. HAI was abolished overnight, no drop in HAI occurred in meconium solutions incubated with uninfected allantoic fluid or with virus previously rendered noninfective by heating at 56°. Dialyzates from meconium treated with active virus gave a violet color with Bial's orcinol reagent; dialyzates from control preparations were Bial-negative. From the Bial-positive dialyzates an acid was obtained in crystalline form which, on the basis of its X-ray powder diffraction diagram, melting point, optical rotation, and infrared spectrum was found to be identical with N-acetylneuraminic acid, as isolated by mild acid hydrolysis from the hemagglutinin inhibiting mucoproteins of sheep submaxillary mucin, human milk, and meconium. Thirteen per cent of the total neuraminic acid present in meconium was consistently liberated by the virus; a preparation of receptor-destroying enzyme (RDE) was more active and liberated as much as 48% of the neuraminic acid of meconium. In addition, dialyzates from virus or RDE-treated meconium contained a still unidentified ninhydrin-positive substance absent from control dialyzates.
Bargaining Theory Meets Interest-Based Negotiations: A Case Study1: Bargaining Theory

This is a case study of the 2005 national contract negotiations between Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. Given the scale and complexity of these negotiations, their successful completion provides an exemplar for collective bargaining in this country. In 1997 Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions formed a labor management partnership, and negotiations were structured around the principles of interest-based negotiation (IBN). Drawing on direct observation of all parts of the bargaining process, interviews with individuals from Kaiser and the Coalition of Unions, and surveys we conducted after bargaining was completed, we conclude that the parties employed a mix of interest-based and traditional negotiation processes across an array of integrative and distributive issues. We find that IBN techniques were used extensively and successfully to reach mutually satisfying agreements when the parties shared interests. When interests were in greater conflict, the parties resorted to more traditional, positional tactics to reach resolution. Strong intraorganizational conflicts limited the use of IBN and favored the use of more traditional positional bargaining. While a high level of trust enabled and supported the use of IBN, tensions that developed limited the use of IBN and required surfacing and release before either IBN or more traditional positional processes could proceed effectively. The use of IBN tools helped the parties apply the principles underlying the partnership in which these negotiations were embedded. We conclude that IBN served as a way of applying or operationalizing integrative bargaining and affected the process dynamics in ways the Walton and McKersie theory predicted. As such we see IBN as techniques that neither displace nor render obsolete other aspects of bargaining theory or practice but that show considerable promise for helping collective bargaining to address the complex issues and challenges found in contemporary employment relationships.
Development of glass/nano-ceramic composites for sealing solid oxide fuel cells

Availability of durable seals for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) is one of the main limitations to the fabrication of reliable fuel cell stacks. The sealing issue is challenging, as the SOFC operation conditions are severe. In particular, for approaches that incorporate a glass sealant, the following seal characteristics must be accurately adjusted: flow and viscosity, glass transition temperature and crystallization, coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch, and interfacial reactions during sealing and service conditions. The focus of this work was to demonstrate the control achieved on borate-glass properties by the addition of various nano-scale additives. Results on the modification of viscosity, wetting, adhesion, thermal expansion and interfacial reactions are presented.
Isolation of Assimilatory- and Dissimilatory-Type Sulfite Reductases from Desulfovibrio vulgaris

Abstract Bisulfite reductase (desulfoviridin) and an assimilatory sulfite reductase have been purified from extracts of Desulfovibrio vulgaris. The bisulfite reductase has absorption maxima at 628, 580, 408, 390, and 279 nm, and a molecular weight of 226,000 by sedimentation equilibrium, and was judged to be free of other proteins by disk electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. On gels, purified bisulfite reductase exhibited two green bands which coincided with activity and protein. The enzyme appears to be a tetramer but was shown to have two different types of subunits having molecular weights of 42,000 and 50,000. The chromophore did not form an alkaline ferrohemochromogen, was not reduced with dithionite or borohydride, and did not form a spectrally visible complex with CO. The assimilatory sulfite reductase has absorption maxima at 590, 545, 405 and 275 nm and a molecular weight of 26,800, and appears to consist of a single polypeptide chain as it is not dissociated into subunits by sodium dodecyl sulfate. By disk electrophoresis, purified sulfite reductase exhibited a single greenish-brown band which coincided with activity and protein. The sole product of the reduction was sulfide, and the chromophore was reduced by borohydride in the presence of sulfite. Carbon monoxide reacted with the reduced chromophore but it did not form a typical pyridine ferrohemochromogen. Thiosulfate, trithionate, and tetrathionate were not reduced by either enzyme preparation. In the presence of 8 M urea, the spectrum of bisulfite reductase resembles that of the sulfite reductase, thus suggesting a chemical relationship between the two chromophores.
A Grid Operating Environment for CDI

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how a grid operating environment is well suited to the tasks associated with Customer Data Integration (CDI ) and describe a logical organization of a grid that is targeted at addressing this application. More specifically, recall from the introductory
Mg ii absorption systems and their neighbouring galaxies from a background-subtraction technique

We estimate the absolute magnitude distribution and luminosity function of galaxies which lie within a few hundred kiloparsecs of Mg II absorption systems. The absorption systems themselves lie along 1880 lines of sight to Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 3 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs), have rest equivalent widths greater than 0.8 A and redshifts that range from 0.37 ≤ z ≤0.82. Our measurement is based on all galaxies identified by the SDSS photometric pipeline which lie within a projected comoving distance of about 1 h -1 Mpc of each QSO demonstrating absorption. The redshifts of these projected neighbours are not available, so we use a background-subtraction technique to estimate the absolute magnitude distribution and luminosity function of true neighbours. Our method exploits the fact that although we do not know the redshifts of the neighbours, we do know the redshift of the absorbers. The luminosity function of Mg II neighbours isolated by our method is well approximated by that of earlier type galaxies (Es-Sa's) at these redshifts. However, we note that the SDSS magnitude limit of r ∼ 22 means that we are not sensitive to lower luminosities L < 0.56L * where later types dominate; thus, we do not readily detect the later type neighbours of these Mg II systems. The number of neighbours we find between 20 and 100 h -1 kpc is only about 20 per cent of the number of absorbers in our sample. Accounting for absorbers within 20 h -1 kpc will increase this number slightly, indicating that at least 70-75 per cent of the absorber host galaxies are fainter than 0.56L * ; they may well be of a later type. We carry out simulations which indicate that the actual fraction of absorber host galaxies which were too faint for our survey may be even higher. When the sample is divided into half on the basis of rest-frame equivalent width (at REW = 1.28 A), we find that weaker systems have, within 0.02-1 h -1 Mpc, 1.5 times as many neighbours as do stronger systems and that these neighbours tend to be more luminous than the neighbours of stronger systems. However, on scales smaller than 50 h -1 kpc it is the stronger systems that have more neighbours; this suggests that stronger systems tend to be closer to their host galaxy's centre than weaker systems. We provide an analytic description of the method which helps build intuition and show that it is generally applicable to any data set in which redshifts are only available for only a small sub-sample of objects. Hence, we expect it to aid in the analysis of galaxy near-environments based on photometric redshift data sets. In this respect, if Mg II systems are not in particularly unusual environments, then our analysis represents a determination of the bright end of the z ∼ 0.7 galaxy luminosity function from SDSS data alone.
Impact Assessment of Satellite-Derived Leaf Area Index Datasets Using a General Circulation Model

Abstract This study assesses the impact of two different remote sensing–derived leaf area index (RSLAI) datasets retrieved from the same source (i.e., Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer measurements) on a general circulation model’s (GCM) seasonal climate simulations as well as the mechanisms that lead to the improvement in simulations over several regions. Based on the analysis of these two RSLAI datasets for 17 yr from 1982 to 1998, their spatial distribution patterns and characteristics are discussed. Despite some disagreements in the RSLAI magnitudes and the temporal variability between these two datasets over some areas, their effects on the simulation of near-surface climate and the regions with significant impact are generally similar to each other. Major disagreements in the simulated climate appear in a few limited regions. The GCM experiment using the RSLAI and other satellite-derived land surface products showed substantial improvements in the near-surface climate in the East Asian and We...
Observations of the loss of stratospheric NO2 following volcanic eruptions

Observations of stratospheric column amounts of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO) and nitric acid (HNO3) have been made following major eruptions of the El Chichon and Mt. Pintatubo volcanoes. Midlatitude abundances of NO2 and NO were reduced by as much as 70% in the months following the appearance of the volcanic aerosols as compared to volcanically quite periods. There are heterogeneous reactions which could occur on the volcanic aerosols to convert NO2 into HNO3 but no commensurate increase in HNO3 column amounts was observed at the times of NO2 decrease.
Genetic rescue in Isle Royale wolves: genetic analysis and the collapse of the population

While genetic rescue is known to benefit population viability, the duration of that benefit is poorly understood. We document what appears to be the waning benefit of genetic rescue after approximately 2–3 generations for the wolf population in Isle Royale National Park. The fitness benefit of genetic rescue declined because of inbreeding and population abundance declined when the inbred individuals exhibited low reproduction and survival. Only detailed studies of other cases will reveal what aspects of these dynamics represent general features of genetic rescue. We also present evidence indicating that numerous past immigration events have likely gone undetected. This finding is of particular significance because the Isle Royale wolf population has maintained good population viability for decades even though it was small and thought to be isolated from the mainland population of wolves. Past gene flow also suggests that human-assisted gene flow is necessary to conserve the ecosystem services associated with predation, since climate warming has reduced the frequency of ice bridges and with it the only opportunity for unassisted gene flow.
Administration of a Negative Vaccination Induces Hyporesponsiveness to Islet Allografts

As a result of less than optimal outcomes the use of islet allografts as a standard insulin replacement therapy is limited to adults with a history of extreme glucose dysregulation and hypoglycemia unawareness. In this study, we examined the use of prophylactic immunotherapy to prevent islet allograft rejection in the absence of antirejection drugs. Our protocol to achieve allograft acceptance used a negative vaccination strategy that is comprised of apoptotic donor cells delivered in Incomplete Freund’s Adjuvant (IFA) 1 week prior to islet transplantation. The goal of this new protocol is to elicit hyporesponsiveness to alloantigen prior to islet transplantation. First, we examined our protocol without islet allograft transplants and determined that the negative vaccination was not globally immunosuppressive or immunostimulatory. Islet allograft experiments using fully MHC-mismatched islet donors and recipients demonstrated that the negative vaccination strategy induced long-term islet allograft acceptance. Upon rechallenge with alloantigen, the negative vaccination protocol successfully achieved hyporesponsiveness. In addition, the microenvironment at the site of the tolerant allograft revealed a decrease in proinflammatory mediators (IFN-γ, TNF-α) and an increase in the anti-inflammatory mediator IL-10, as well as increased expression of the master regulator of T-regulatory cells, FOXP3. Our data suggest that pretreating allograft recipients with apoptotic donor alloantigen delivered in IFA induced long-term islet allograft acceptance and glycemic control by introducing alloantigen to the recipient immune system in a nonimmunostimulatory manner prior to transplant.
White light Fourier Phase Microscopy for Quantitative Phase Imaging

We present FPM with white light (wFPM) which offers high spatial phase sensitivity due to the white light illumination along with high temporal phase stability due to common path geometry.
The PVM concurrent computing system: evolution, experiences, and trends

Abstract The PVM system, a software framework for heterogeneous concurrent computing in networked environments, has evolved in the past several years into a viable technology for distributed and parallel processing in a variety of disciplines. PVM supports a straightforward but functionally complete message passing model, and is capable of harnessing the combined resources of typically heterogeneous networked computing platforms to deliver high levels of performance and functionality. In this paper, we describe the architecture of PVM system, and discuss its computing model, the programming interface it supports, auxiliary facilities for process groups and MPP support, and some of the internal implementation techniques employed. Performance issues, dealing primarily with communication overheads, are analyzed, and recent findings as well as experimental enhancements are presented. In order to demonstrate the viability of PVM for large scale scientific supercomputing, the paper includes representative case studies in materials science, environmental science, and climate modeling. We conclude with a discussion of related projects and future directions, and comment on near and long-term potential for network computing with the PVM system.
Brefeldin A down-regulates the transferrin receptor in K562 cells.

The fungal metabolite brefeldin A (BFA) induces profound alterations in the morphology of intracellular organelles. Although BFA promotes the formation of extensive tubular endosomal domains, our understanding of the effects of the antibiotic on vesicle traffic events associated with endocytosis is limited. Thus, alterations in the transferrin (Tf) receptor's endocytic/recycling pathway upon treatment of human erythroleukemia K562 cells with BFA were studied as a pharmacological response. Treatment of K562 cells with BFA caused a down-regulation in the number of cell surface Tf receptors. This effect is highly reminiscent of the well-known action of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on Tf receptor traffic in K562 cells. However, our results demonstrate that these two agents down-regulate the Tf receptor via different mechanisms. The effects of BFA and PMA were additive when K562 cells were incubated with both together. Using the In/Sur method, the endocytic rate constant for Tf internalization was determined and PMA was found to greatly enhance ke, from 0.28 min−1 to 0.43 min−1, while BFA had little effect (Ke=0.20 min−1). In contrast, BFA-treatment alters the exocytic rate constant for return of internalized receptors to the cell surface, with the largest effect exerted on a ‘slow-release’, monensin-sensitive, compartment. The sum of the endocytic and exocytic kinetic data support a model in which BFA and PMA down-regulate the Tf receptor in K562 cells by mechanistically distinct actions, with BFA targeting exocytic monensin-sensitive intracellular compartments and PMA acting to exert a profound influence on elements of receptor internalization.
Profile‐kernel versus backfitting in the partially linear models for longitudinal/clustered data

SUMMARY We study the profile-kernel and backfitting methods in partially linear models for clustered/longitudinal data. For independent data, despite the potential root-n inconsist ency of the backfitting estimator noted by Rice (1986), the two estimators have the same asymptotic variance matrix, as shown by Opsomer & Ruppert (1999). In this paper, theoretical comparisons of the two estimators for multivariate responses are investigated. We show that, for correlated data, backfitting often produces a larger asymptotic variance than the profile-kernel method; that is, for clustered data, in addition to its bias problem, the backfitting estimator does not have the same asymptotic efficiency as the profile-kernel estimator. Consequently, the common practice of using the backfitting method to compute profile-kernel estimates is no longer advised. We illustrate this in detail by following Zeger & Diggle (1994) and Lin & Carroll (2001) with a working independence covariance structure for nonparametric estimation and a correlated covariance structure for para metric estimation. Numerical performance of the two estimators is investigated through a simulation study. Their application to an ophthalmology dataset is also described.
Academic pressures and the black adolescent

Abstract This study examined the relationships among social class, race, and academic pressure in an inner city public high school. Previous research outside the inner city on U.S. and English high school students, who were predominantly white, has yielded four major factors: parental stress, peer stress, importance of school, and fear of failure. The primary purposes of this study are (1) to measure academic stress in an inner city setting, (2) to observe differences and similarities between blacks and whites and between middle- and lower-class adolescents, and (3) to determine if the four previously observed factors would be as pertinent for this sample as they were for previous samples. Race differences were observed on 4 of 10 factors with blacks indicating significantly more pressure than whites. A race by class interaction was observed on one factor and no significant differences were observed on the five remaining factors.
The Unsafe School Choice Option: A Model for School Choice—Policy Responses

ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine nine states' policy responses to the Unsafe School Choice Option between 2002 and 2007. These states had 199 schools designated as “persistently dangerous schools” since 2002. Unsafe School Choice Option is one of the school choice options of the No Child Left Behind law that required states to establish guidelines to identify and deal with persistently dangerous schools and students who are victims of a violent crime while in or on school grounds.
BRIEF REPORT: Patient Cognitive Status and the Identification and Management of Depression by Primary Care Physicians

OBJECTIVES: No known study has examined the role of patients’ cognitive impairment in the identification and management of depression by primary care physicians. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey conducted between 2001 and 2003. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 330 adults aged 65 and older from Maryland primary care practices with complete information on cognitive and psychological status, and physician assessments. MEASUREMENTS: Primary care physicians were asked to rate cognition and depression on a Likert scale, as well as report management of depression within 6 months of the index visit. Patient interviews included standardized measures of psychological and cognitive status. RESULTS: Older adults identified as depressed by their physician were more likely to be identified as cognitively impaired (unadjusted odds ratio [OR]=3.71. [95% confidence interval] [CI] [1.93, 7.16]). Older adults identified as cognitively impaired had a tendency to be managed for depression (unadjusted OR=2.62. 95% CI [0.96, 7.19]). In adjusted multivariate models, these associations remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: When physicians identified a patient as cognitively impaired, they were more likely to identify the patient as depressed and to report treatment of the depression. An understanding of how physicians think about depression in the context of cognitive impairment is important for designing depression interventions for older adults.