cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma Protein Fractionation by Membrane Filtration in Therapeutic Plasmapheresis

Synthetic polymer membranes which have a nominal pore size (NPS) of 0.03 to 10 microns were evaluated at varying filtration temperatures to separate pathologic macromolecules such as immune complexes, cryoprecipitable proteins and low density lipoproteins (LDL) from essential plasma proteins. At low temperatures (4 to 10°C) cryoprecipitable proteins were selectively removed from cryoglobulinemic plasmas with membranes of 3 micron NPS. However, severe membrane plugging occurred with membranes of smaller pore sizes. In addition, decreased albumin sieving occurs. Above 37°C, increased albumin sieving and prolonged membrane plugging occurs. In the selective removal of low density lipoproteins from hypercholesterolemic plasmas, membranes with NPS of 0.03 microns were found to be suitable at high operating temperatures. Given the proper combination of membrane and temperature control, disease related pathological macromolecules can be treated effectively by selective macromolecule removal.
The taming of a Rab GTPase by Legionella pneumophila.

Small GTPases of the Rab family represent an attractive target for microbial pathogens due to their role in controlling many aspects of intracellular cargo transport. Legionella pneumophila is an intravacuolar pathogen that survives inside host cells by manipulating protein trafficking pathways through a number of effector proteins secreted by the bacterium. These act as functional mimics of host proteins that modulate the activity of switch proteins such as guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases). L. pneumophila exploits the ER (endoplasmic reticulum)-to-Golgi vesicle transport pathway by modifying activity of Rab1, the GTPase regulating this pathway. This pathogen recruits Rab1 to the vacuole in which it resides, where effector proteins located on the surface of the vacuole regulate the activity status of Rab1 by mimicking the function of a guanine dissociation inhibitor (GDI) displacement factor, guanine exchange factor (GEF), or a GTPase-activating protein (GAP). In addition to these non-covalent modifica...
Range use of the forest chimpanzees of Kibale: Implications for the understanding of chimpanzee social organization.

We contrast the range use patterns of male and female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) based on repeated sightings over three years of 19 individuals in the Kanyawara community of Kibale Forest Reserve, Uganda. Depending on how home range size was calculated, male chimpanzees used an area that was 1.5 to 2 times greater than that of females. There was no difference between the sexes in whether their home ranges were used in a clumped or uniform fashion. However, males were more likely to be seen in boundary areas than females. These results are discussed in light of previously proposed models of chimpanzee social organization. It is concluded that the scenario in which females have smaller core areas within the defended home range of the males is most strongly supported by the range use patterns observed in Kibale chimpanzees. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Intergenerational Transmission of Surnames in Spain and Latin America (1500–1900)

The historical study of the intergenerational transmission of surnames in the areas ruled by the crowns of Castile and Portugal, peninsular and colonial, reveals a nearly universal sixteenth-century system of surname transmission that antedates the use of permanent hereditary surnames. Great flexibility in surname transmission allowed a child’s selection of a surname from among those of the extended pedigree, both maternal and paternal, demonstrating that Hispanic society did not, and does not, view the extended family in the patrilineal, male-dominated fashion of Anglo society. In the Iberian perspective, the entire extended family, back on all sides to the third and even fourth generation, is viewed as personally relevant.
A self-consistent kinetic quasiparticle model for wave-plasma interactions

Abstract A self-consistent wave-kinetic model is constructed for the study of wave-plasma interactions. The model is constructed by exploiting the Hamiltonian nature of the ray equations in the eikonal approximation. An action principle for the wave-plasma system is introduced. In the simplest form, described here, the plasma is treated as a single fluid. Variation of the ray trajectories while holding the fluid fixed leads to the ray equations of geometric optics; variation of the Lagrangjan trajectories of the fluid particles while holding the rays fixed leads to a modified form of the Euler equation which includes ponderomotive effects and momentum transfer due to ray bending. As a concrete example, the model is then used to examine the propagation of an intense laser beam in a uniform plasma.
Bound-state approach to strangeness in the Skyrme model

Abstract We show that baryons carrying heavy flavors, such as strangeness and charm, can be described by bound states of the corresponding heavy mesons in the background field of the basic SU(2) skyrmion. This method is quantitatively successful to O(Nc0), in the sense of the large-Nc expansion, but at O(1/Nc) it experiences problems associated with our lack of knowledge of higher-derivative terms in the Skyrme action. We derive a model-independent mass relation for strange baryons which is in excellent agreement with experiment.
Using the PET Assessment Instrument to Help Students Identify Factors that Could Impede Moral Behavior

We present an instrument developed to explain to students the concept of the personal ethical threshold (PET). The PET represents an individual’s susceptibility to situational pressure in his or her organization that makes moral behavior more personally difficult. Further, the PET varies according to the moral intensity of the issue at hand, such that individuals are less vulnerable to situational pressure for issues of high moral intensity, i.e., those with greater consequences for others. A higher PET reflects an individual’s greater likelihood of adhering to the morally correct path, even in the face of high situational pressures (personal costs) and low moral intensity (collective importance). PET questionnaires were completed by 506 students representing eight business schools throughout the United States. Relationships between respondents’ PET and their gender, age, and major field of study, as well as the geographical location of their school, are explored. Results indicate that older students have higher PETs and that students attending schools in the northeastern part of the United States have lower PETs. These findings are discussed. It is argued that the PET instrument can be used to help students identify organizational pressures and intrapersonal processes that can impede their moral behavior in organizations.
Progestin receptor expression in the developing rat brain depends upon activation of estrogen receptor α and not estrogen receptor β

Abstract Perinatal 17β-estradiol (E2) rapidly and markedly affects the morphological and neurochemical organization of the vertebrate brain. For instance, the sex difference in perinatal progestin receptor (PR) immunoreactivity in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) of the rat brain is due to the intracellular conversion of testosterone into E2 in males. Neonatal α-fetoprotein prevents circulating estrogens from accessing the brain, therefore, to overcome α-fetoprotein sequestration of E2, estrogen replacement studies during development have used natural and synthetic estrogen dosages in the milligram to microgram range. These levels could be considered as supraphysiological. Moreover, it is not clear through which ER subtype E2 acts to induce PR expression in the neonatal rat MPN because E2 binds similarly to estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ. Consequently, we investigated whether nanogram levels of E2 affected PR protein and mRNA levels in the neonatal MPN. Furthermore, propylpyrazole-triol (PPT), a highly selective agonist for ERα, and diarylpropionitrile (DPN), a highly selective agonist for ERβ, were used to determine if E2-dependent PR expression in the neonatal rat is mediated through ERα and/or ERβ. Immunocytochemistry and quantitative real-time RT-PCR determined that as little as 100 ng E2 significantly induced PR protein and mRNA in the female and neonatally castrated male MPN on PN 4, indicating that the neonatal rat brain is highly sensitive to circulating estrogens. PPT, but not DPN, induced PR expression in the neonatal MPN and arcuate nucleus (Arc), demonstrating that PR expression in the neonatal rat brain depends solely on E2 activated ERα. In the lateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTL), neither PPT nor DPN affected PR expression, suggesting the presence of a gonadal hormone-independent PR regulatory mechanism.
Cyclic GMP accumulation causes degeneration of photoreceptor cells: simulation of an inherited disease

Guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) metabolism in developing eye rudiments of Xenopus laevis embryos in culture is disrupted by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine. At low concentrations of inhibitor the rudiments develop normally, but at higher concentrations of the inhibitor, cyclic GMP accumulates in the rudiments and the retinal photoreceptor cells degenerate selectively. The isobutylmethylxanthine-induced photoreceptor degeneration is associated with an accumulation of cyclic GMP and, in this respect, it stimulates an early biochemical defect in the inherited degenerative disease of rd mice.
Urea cycle disorder

Urea cycle disorder is a rare genetic disorder in which there is a full or partial deficiency in the enzymes of the urea cycle, causing a defect in the metabolism of excess nitrogen, and leading to hyperammonemia. This article reviews the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and drug-disease state implications of urea cycle disorders.
Chemical and biological properties of pentaammineruthenium-bleomycin complexes

Summary The reaction of [(H 2 O)(NH 3 ) 5 Ru II ] 2+ with bleomycin forms at least two stable products following oxidation to the Ru(III) analog. Spectroscopic and electrochemical measurements indicate monodentate binding of [(NH 3 ) 5 Ru III ] to the imidazole and pyrimidine moieties, with coordination to the latter involving the exocyclic amine nitrogen. DNA cleavage studies show the complexes to be ineffective in DNA strand scission. In vitro biological studies reveal these adducts to be cytotoxic.
Introducing integrative East-West medicine to medical students and residents.

Over the last several years, many medical schools and residencies have introduced complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into their curricula, prompting a discussion as to how CAM should be taught. In this paper, we share our experiences teaching medical trainees integrative East–West medicine, an approach to health and disease that brings together modern Western and Chinese medicine. A 2-week clinical rotation that is intimately tied to our busy clinical program is described in detail as we explore some of the challenges and opportunities involved in teaching a CAM-related field to medical trainees. We also demonstrate how such a clinical experience offers an opportunity to impart on our students a broad view of medicine and to discuss novel approaches to clinical problem-solving.
Design and Analytic Considerations for Single-Armed Studies with Misclassification of a Repeated Binary Outcome

Abstract Due to logistics or prohibitive costs, clinical studies often rely upon a potentially misclassified binary outcome variable for assessing an intervention effect. We consider noncomparative single-armed studies that are sometimes necessary for ethical reasons, and we focus on the situation in which subjects are selected to receive the intervention contingent upon a positive screening test. Both initial misclassification at screening and a regression phenomenon impacting the error- prone follow-up outcome measure contribute to bias in the typical treatment effect estimate. We propose a study design involving the collection of internal validation data assuming the availability of a more demanding gold standard outcome measure. We pursue likelihood-based analysis and describe efficiency considerations relevant to two different treatment effect definitions. We identify four possible types of validation study observations, and discuss finding the optimal allocation into these four types in order to min...
Humoral immune response elicited by highly attenuated variants of vaccinia virus and by an attenuated recombinant expressing HIV-1 envelope protein

Abstract Attenuated variants of vaccinia virus have excellent potential for the construction of safe recombinant live vaccines. In this investigation, highly attenuated variants of vaccinia virus with several genetic markers and a variant recombinant were tested in Balb/c mice for their ability to induce humoral immune response. Mice primed with variants that had an 8-MDa deletion at the left end of the viral genome induced similar levels of circulating anti-vaccinia antibodies as the wild-type virus. However, mice primed with variants that had several genetic lesions (deletions and point mutations) induced lower levels of circulating anti-vaccinia antibodies. Mice primed and boosted with a recombinant variant with several genetic lesions, and containing the complete envelope gene of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the bacterial β-galactosidese (β-gal) gene, induced significant antibody response to gp160 and β-gal. The antibody response to gp160 was markedly increased by successive inoculations with the recombinant variant. Our findings provide evidence that the extent of activation of the immune system by vaccinia variants can be modulated by the nature of the virus genetic lesion. In addition, when these variants are used as recombinant vaccines, it is possible to induce low levels of circulating anti-vaccinia antibodies after priming and yet achieve significant antibody response to virus-expressed foreign antigens, even after repeated boosters. Such variants could be useful in the design of live recombinant viruses as safe vaccines.
Myocyte Enhancer Binding Factor-2 Expression and Activity in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Association With the Activated Phenotype

Abstract Proliferation and phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are major components of the vessel’s response to injury in experimental models of restenosis. Some of the growth factors involved in restenosis have been identified, but to date little is known about the transcription factors that ultimately regulate this process. We examined the expression of the four members of the myocyte enhancer binding factor-2 (MEF2) family of transcription factors in cultured rat aortic SMCs (RASMCs) and a rat model of restenosis because of their known importance in regulating the differentiated phenotype of skeletal and cardiac muscle. In skeletal and cardiac muscle, the MEF2s are believed to be important for activating the expression of contractile protein and other muscle-specific genes. Therefore, we anticipated that the MEF2s would be expressed at high levels in medial SMCs that are producing contractile proteins and that they would be downregulated along with the contractile protein genes in neoin...
Relationships among family characteristics and violent behavior by black and white male adolescents

Understanding why violence occurs disproportionately among black male adolescents has become a public health research priority due to recent increases in the rates of homicide and other violent crime in this population. This study examined independent, mediating, and moderating effects of family structure, attachment to parents, and family stress and conflict on self-reported fighting behavior. Subjects were black (n=163) and white (n=397) male 7th and 8th graders. Compared to white males, blacks were exposed to an excess of risk factors for violent behavior, including living in a single-parent household and higher levels of family stress and conflict. Although both groups reported similar levels of past-year fighting, black youth were more likely than whites to report attacking someone or being attacked by someone at school during the prior month. Controlling for age, area of residence, and other family characteristics, logistic regression analyses indicated that living in a nonintact family was a significant risk factor for violent behavior among black male youth, while attachment to parents was a significant protective factor for white males. Family stress and conflict was a risk factor for violent behavior cimmon to both groups of adolescents.
Three Steps Toward Fairer Drug Guidelines

273 Federal Sentencing Reporter, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 273–276, ISSN 1053-9867 electronic ISSN 1533-8363. ©2011 Vera Institute of Justice. All rights reserved. Please direct requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press’s Rights and Permissions website, http://www.ucpressjournals.com/reprintInfo.asp. DOI: 10.1525/fsr.2011.23.4.273. Three Steps Toward Fairer Drug Guidelines
Performance and Benefits of Michigan Department of Transportation's Capital Preventive Maintenance Program

The Michigan Department of Transportation's (DOT) pavement preservation program dates back to 1992. In Michigan, pavement preservation is implemented primarily through the Michigan DOT's capital preventive maintenance (CPM) program, in which preventive maintenance treatments are used to protect existing pavement surfaces, to slow deterioration, and to correct surface deficiencies. An overall objective of the CPM program is to postpone major rehabilitation and reconstruction activities by extending the service life of pavements. Results of a study performed to calculate the benefits and costs of various preventive maintenance treatments used in the Michigan DOT's CPM program are presented. With benefit defined as the percentage increase in performance over a do-nothing or untreated pavement performance curve where data were available, benefits were calculated for preventive maintenance treatments. Benefit-cost ratios were calculated by unit cost, and permitted the comparison of the cost-effectiveness of si...
Encouraging Constructive Behavior in Middle School Classrooms: A Multiple-Intelligences Approach

Over the past decade, educators have explored the application of multiple-intelligences theory in academics. As educators structure their classrooms to create learning environments that encourage p...
Synthesis of 6-[18F]fluorodopamine with a synthetic unit made up of primarily sterile disposable components and operated by a master slave manipulator

Abstract A synthetic procedure for the routine preparation of 6-[18F]fluorodopamine has been developed. The synthesis is based on electrophilic fluorination of a 6-mercurated dopamine precursor. Fluorodemercuration of the dopamine precursor using [18F]acetylhypofluorite and hydrolysis by a mixture of acetic anhydride and HI gave the desired radiopharmaceutical with a radiochemical yield of 13.7 ± 0.7% calculated at the end of synthesis based on five synthetic preparations (without decay correction) and also based on the amount of total [18F]F2 recovered from the target. Radiochemical purity as well as chemical purity were > 98%. In order to maintain good sterility and pyrogenicity, the synthetic unit is made up of mostly sterile disposable components that are readily available. The routine operations of the synthetic unit are carried out in a closed hot cell, using a Master Slave Manipulator arm. Since no manual handling of radioactivity is involved, the operation of the synthetic unit is radiation safe and the radiation exposure to the operator is minimized.
On the Meeting of Software Architecture and Reverse Engineering

This year, the 12th Working Conference on Reverse Engineering (WCRE) is meeting in conjunction with the 5th IEEE/IFIP Working Conference on Software Architecture (WICSA) in Mellon University. However, that linking phrase "in conjunction with" does not do justice to the vision, discussions, creativity, and effort that have brought us here.
Symposium on acid-base homeostasis. The generation and maintenance of metabolic alkalosis.

The pathogenesis of chronic metabolic alkalosis involves two distinct physiologic derangements.First, there must be a loss of acid or gain of alkali in order to generate the alkalosis.Renal or extra-renal factors may be responsible.If the alkalosis is generated by the kidney, the net excretion of acid in the form of titratable acid and ammonia must be increased, at least transiently, to a level greater than the sum of the acid load originating from both dietary and metabolic acid production and from alkali loss into the feces.For each mEq of excess net acid excretion by the kidney, one mEq of new bicarbonate will be generated and added to the blood.The kidney is not the only source for the generation of metabolic alkalosis.Extra-renal factors, such as vomiting, special types of diarrhea, and the like, may be the source of the alkali load. The generation of alkali by either renal or extra-renal mechanisms may not be sufficient to produce sustained metabolic alkalosis.Under normal circumstances the kidney has an enormous capacity to excrete NaHCO 3 .In consequence, increased amounts of NaHCO 3 which gain access to the blood may be promptly excreted into the urine.Clearly, then, in order to maintain metabolic alkalosis, the increased amounts of bicarbonate in the glomerular filtrate must be reclaimed by a commensurate rise in tubular reabsorption.During chronic stable metabolic alkalosis, the tubular reabsorption of bicarbonate will be persistently elevated, while the net excretion of acid will have returned to a level equal to the net acid load.The present paper will be concerned with the factors involved in the generation and maintenance of metabolic alkalosis.Physiologic determinants will be explored.Clinical derangements will then be examined.
Traditional predictors of performance in medical school

This paper addresses the predictive value for performance in medical school of undergraduate grades, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), information on the selectivity of the undergraduate institution, and selected transcript data. The performance data examined were basic science grades; clinical science grades; scores on National Board of Medical Examiners examinations, Parts I, II, and III; and information on academic difficulty. Methodological sources of differences in validity data, including restriction in range, criterion attenuation, and method specificity, are discussed. Reported validity data affirm the substantial value of traditional academic predictors of performance in medical school. Selection committees should, nevertheless, supplement academic data with nonacademic and interview information. Their inclusion is particularly important for minority and disadvantaged applicants. Medical schools should assess the validity of their selection systems. Additional research on the relations between academic predictors and performance-based indexes of clinical competence and on the role of traditional predictors with regard to the recently declining medical school applicant pool is suggested.
Sparse shift-DCT spatial prediction

In this paper, we propose a new intra prediction scheme based on hard thresholding applied on shift-DCT coefficients. The explored intra prediction method, validated in an H.264/AVC framework, aims at better predicting complex 2D patterns that cannot be properly extrapolated using H.264/AVC directional intra prediction modes. The basic explored algorithm makes use of neighbor pixels of the current block to predict the current signal using a shift-DCT based extrapolation. Different versions of the algorithm, corresponding to different hard thresholding parameter derivation processes, are described. Experimental results show that the proposed intra coding prediction method can significantly improve the coding efficiency compared to the directional predictive modes of H.264/AVC, with an average BD-rate gain of 6.2% observed on a various pictures test set.
Inhomogeneous basis set of symmetric polynomials defined by tableaux.

Abstract A basis set of inhomogeneous symmetric polynomials, denoted by tlambda(z), where z = (z1,....,zn) and lambda = [lambda1,...., lambdan] is a partition, is defined in terms of Young-Weyl standard tableaux or, equivalently, in terms of Gel'fand-Weyl patterns. A number of significant properties of these polynomials are given (together with outlines of proofs) and compared with properties of the well-known basis set of Schur functions, which are homogeneous polynomials. The basis of the ring of symmetric polynomials defined here is shown to be natural for the expansion of inhomogeneous symmetric functions constructed from rising factorials.
Yield implications and scaling laws for submicrometer devices

Yield scaling laws are developed that are applicable to VLSI (very large-scale integration) devices with features of minimum dimension smaller than that at which the defect-size probability density function peaks. Expressions for the fault-probability kernel of reduced-size devices are derived in terms of the full-size or prototype device. The role of the defect-size probability density function with respect to the average fault probability is explained and expressions for it are developed. The ensuing scaling laws are utilized to obtain expressions for the expected number of faults, and then applied to the evaluation of the yield for several different cases. The implications of the results for yield and productivity are examined. >
Sustained reductions in oxipurinol renal clearance during a restricted diet

The renal clearance of oxipurinol, the major metabolite of allopurinol, was studied in six healthy subjects during normal and restricted (low protein and low calorie) diets. A 600 mg oral dose of allopurinol was administered after 7 days of a normal diet (100 mg protein/day) and again after 2 and 4 weeks of a restricted diet (19 gm protein/day). The renal clearance of oxipurinol was reduced from 19.6 ±1.5 ml/ min during the normal diet to 10.9 ± 0.8 and 12.0 ± 0.9 ml/min (both P < 0.001) during the restricted diet at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. These changes in oxipurinol renal clearance paralleled changes in uric acid renal clearance. Furthermore, the plasma oxipurinol half-life was increased from 27.0 ±1.7 hours during the normal diet to 51.1 ± 4.3 and 45.7 ± 3.7 hours (both P < 0.001) during the restricted diet at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. We conclude that dietary protein and calorie restriction cause a sustained reduction in the elimination of oxipurinol. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1987) 41, 616–621; doi:10.1038/clpt.1987.84
Longitudinal invariance and construct validity of the abbreviated late-life function and disability instrument in healthy older adults.

Abstract Szabo AN, Mullen SP, White SM, Wojcicki TR, Mailey EL, Gothe N, Olson EA, Fanning J, Kramer AF, McAuley E. Longitudinal invariance and construct validity of the abbreviated Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument in healthy older adults. Objective To cross-validate the psychometric properties of the abbreviated Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LL-FDI), a measure of perceived functional limitations and disability. Design Baseline and 12-month follow-up assessments conducted across the course of a 12-month exercise program. Setting University research community. Participants Older healthy adults (N=179; mean ± SD age, 66.43±5.67y) at baseline; 145 were retained at follow-up. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures LL-FDI and functional performance measures. Results Factor analyses confirmed the factor structure of the abbreviated LL-FDI, and all subscales met minimal criteria for temporal invariance. Significant correlations also were found between functional limitations subscales and an array of physical function performance measures, supporting the scale's construct validity. Conclusions The abbreviated LL-FDI with some modifications appears to be temporally invariant in community-dwelling older adults. Additionally, moderate relationships between functional limitations and functional performance provide further support for these being conceptually distinct constructs.
Peer-mediated naturalistic teaching, both with and without a speech-generating device, has transient effect on communicative behaviors in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders

(a) What are the comparative effects of peer-mediated naturalistic teaching with and without a speech generating device (SGD) on the number of communicative behaviors of children with autism spectr...
Solubility Product for Lithium Metaborate in Acid Solutions to Extreme Temperatures and Pressures

A recently developed model for predicting the thermodynamic properties of electrolytes to high temperatures and pressures, the unified theory of electrolytes, is used to calculate the solubility product of lithium metaborate in acid solutions from 298.15 K to Tc. The results are compared with the available high temperature experimental data in the literature. This study also establishes a value of ΔfH○ (298.15 K,0.1 MPa) for LiBO2(cr) that is in good agreement with the JANAF tables value.
Photic Entrainment of Period Mutant Mice is Predicted from Their Phase Response Curves

A fundamental property of circadian clocks is that they entrain to environmental cues. The circadian genes, Period1 and Period2, are involved in entrainment of the mammalian circadian system. To investigate the roles of the Period genes in photic entrainment, we constructed phase response curves (PRC) to light pulses for C57BL/6J wild-type, Per1(-/-), Per2(-/-), and Per3(-/-) mice and tested whether the PRCs accurately predict entrainment to non-24 light-dark cycles (T-cycles) and constant light (LL). The PRCs of wild-type and Per3(-/-) mice are similar in shape and amplitude and have relatively large delay zones and small advance zones, resulting in successful entrainment to 26 h T-cycles (T26), but not T21, with similar phase angles. Per1(-/-) mice have a high-amplitude PRC, resulting in entrainment to a broad range of T-cycles. Per2(-/-) mice also entrain to a wide range of T-cycles because the advance portion of their PRC is larger than wild types. Period aftereffects following entrainment to T-cycles were similar among all genotypes. We found that the ratio of the advance portion to the delay portion of the PRC accurately predicts the lengthening of the period of the activity rhythm in LL. Wild-type, Per1(-/-), and Per3(-/-) mice had larger delay zones than advance zones and lengthened (>24 h) periods in LL, whereas Per2(-/-) mice had delay and advance zones that were equal in size and no period lengthening in LL. Together, these results demonstrate that PRCs are powerful tools for predicting and understanding photic entrainment of circadian mutant mice.
Modal noise simulations due to high frequency VCSEL numerical aperture fluctuations

We have experimentally identified and characterized two dynamic components of a VCSEL/multimode optical fiber link: (1) a high temporal frequency fluctuation of the VCSEL's numerical aperture (NA) and, (2) source power spectrum shift in time (chirp) both upon ac modulation. We use these variables of the excitation irradiance distribution at a fiber input to simulate the resulting modal noise; without the typical assumptions that all fiber modes are equally filled and all relative fiber mode delays are equally probable. Results indicate that fluctuations in the NA can generate significant modal noise at the fiber output. On the other hand, source chip, in the presence of mode selective loss, is only moderately effective in generating modal noise. Moreover, since chirping increases with the VCSEL's series resistance, it's significance will diminish as design efforts to decrease the potential drop across the VCSEL are successful.
A Comparison of Opaque-2 and Normal Corn in a Finishing Ration for Turkeys

Abstract THE opaque-2 mutant gene markedly alters the amino acid composition of corn protein, particularly in respect to the two most limiting amino acids, lysine and tryptophan, which are greatly increased in the presence of the opaque-2 gene (Mertz et al., 1964; Nelson et al., 1965). That this alteration in amino acid composition of corn protein results in improved nutritional value has been demonstrated in the rat (Mertz et al., 1965; Gipp et al., 1967, 1968), pig (Cromwell et al., 1967a, 1969; Klein et al., 1967) and chick (Cromwell et al., 1967b, 1968; Fonseca et al., 1969). The work reported herein was designed to compare the nutritive value of opaque-2 corn protein with normal corn protein in a finishing diet for turkeys. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Four hundred and eighty male turkeys were randomly distributed into 24 pens at 16 weeks of age. The pens were located in 2 houses with 6 pens…
Service learning and self-reflexivity in rural Jamaica

In March 1999 and 2000 I traveled to the rural community of Frankfield, Jamaica with four anthropology students from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where I used to be employed. Having conducted fieldwork in Frankfield in 1991, 1995 and 1997, I had established relationships that made it possible for me to arrange for my students to live with Jamaican families and to volunteer in the primary and high schools, the clinic and the town library as part of an anthropological "service learning" project. The program was funded by a Massachusetts College Compact grant as part of a statewide effort to encourage service learning initiatives. The service learning movement is part of a burgeoning national concern with active pedagogies whose aim is to encourage moral and civic responsibility through student participation in community programs. Anthropological service learning programs have multiple goals that reflect the diversity of the discipline. My goals for bringing students to Frankfield were twofold:...
Estudio Parto: postpartum diabetes prevention program for hispanic women with abnormal glucose tolerance in pregnancy: a randomised controlled trial – study protocol

Diabetes and obesity have reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. with rates consistently higher among Hispanics as compared to non-Hispanic whites. Among Hispanic women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), 50% will go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years of the index pregnancy. Although randomised controlled trials among adults with impaired glucose tolerance have shown that diet and physical activity reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, such programs have not been tested in high-risk postpartum women. The overall goal of this randomised controlled trial is to test the efficacy of a culturally and linguistically modified, individually-tailored lifestyle intervention to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease among postpartum Hispanic women with a history of abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Hispanic pregnant women who screen positive for GDM will be recruited and randomly assigned to a Lifestyle Intervention (n = 150) or a Health & Wellness (control) Intervention (n = 150). Multimodal contacts (i.e., in-person, telephone, and mailed materials) will be used to deliver the intervention from late pregnancy (29 weeks gestation) to 12 months postpartum. Targets of the intervention are to achieve Institute of Medicine Guidelines for postpartum weight loss; American Congress of Obstetrician and Gynecologist guidelines for physical activity; and American Diabetes Association guidelines for diet. The intervention draws from Social Cognitive Theory and the Transtheoretical Model and addresses the specific cultural and environmental challenges faced by low-income Hispanic women. Assessments will be conducted at enrollment, and at 6-weeks, 6-months, and 12-months postpartum by trained bicultural and bilingual personnel blinded to the intervention arm. Efficacy will be assessed via postpartum weight loss and biomarkers of insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk. Changes in physical activity and diet will be measured via 7-day actigraph data and three unannounced 24-hour dietary recalls at each assessment time period. Hispanic women are the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. and have the highest rates of sedentary behavior and postpartum diabetes after a diagnosis of GDM. This randomised trial uses a high-reach, low-cost strategy that can readily be translated into clinical practice in underserved and minority populations. NCT01679210
Similarity, alignment, and conceptual combination: Comment on Estes and Glucksberg

In their paper “Interactive Property Attribution in Concept Combination,” Estes and Glucksberg (2000) suggest an alternative to the alignment view of property interpretation— one based on salience and relevance of features. I suggest that alignment as well as feature salience and relevance are crucial to property interpretation. In making their claims, Estes and Glucksberg also assume that similarity has inverse effects on two important ways of interpreting combinations (i.e., property and relation interpretations). I show that this assumption does not generally hold and provide an alternative explanation for their results (one based on the plausibility of relation interpretations).
Tunability of qubit Coulomb interaction: Numerical analysis of top-gate depletion in two-dimensional electron systems

We investigate the tunability of electrostatic coupling between solid state quantum dots as building blocks for quantum bits. Specifically, our analysis is based upon two-dimensional electron systems (2DEG) and depletion by top gates. We are interested in whether the Coulomb interaction between qubits can be tuned by electrical means using screening effects. The systems under investigation are analyzed numerically solving the Poisson equation in 3D via relaxation techniques with optimized algorithms for an extended set of boundary conditions. These include an open outer boundary, simulation of 2DEG systems and dielectric boundaries like the surface of a physical sample. The results show that for currently lithographically available feature sizes, the Coulomb interaction between the quantum bits is weak in general due to efficient screening in the planar geometry of 2DEG and top gates. The evaluated values are on the order of 1 $\mu$eV. Moreover, while it is not possible to turn off the qubit interaction completely, an effective tunability on the order of 50% is clearly realizable while maintaining an intact quantum bit structure.
Management of Bipolar Disorder in the Acute and Maintenance Settings

Bipolar disorder is a devastating condition that affects approximately 3% of the population. Diagnosis of bipolar disorder is often confounded by the lack of insight patients have into their manic ...
Ocean modeling at multiple resolutions for ISR applications

Recent research efforts at Georgia Tech have focused on the development of a multi-resolution ocean clutter model. This research was driven by the need to support both surveillance and search requirements set by several government customers. These requirements indicated a need to support target detection and tracking for both resolved and unresolved scenarios for targets located either above or on an ocean surface. As a result of this changing sensor resolution characteristic for the various acquisition scenarios, a need for accurate ocean surface models at different geometric resolutions arose. Georgia Tech met this need through development of a multi-resolution approach to modeling both the ocean surface and, subsequently, the ocean signature across the optical spectrum. This approach combined empirical overhead data with high resolution ocean surface models to construct a series of varying resolution ocean clutter models. This paper will describe the approach to utilizing and merging the various clutter models as well as the results of using these models in the target detection and tracking analysis. Remaining issues associated with this clutter model development will be identified and potential solutions discussed.
Scalable heterogeneous parallelism for atmospheric modeling and simulation

Heterogeneous multicore chipsets with many levels of parallelism are becoming increasingly common in high-performance computing systems. Effective use of parallelism in these new chipsets constitutes the challenge facing a new generation of large scale scientific computing applications. This study examines methods for improving the performance of two-dimensional and three-dimensional atmospheric constituent transport simulation on the Cell Broadband Engine Architecture (CBEA). A function offloading approach is used in a 2D transport module, and a vector stream processing approach is used in a 3D transport module. Two methods for transferring incontiguous data between main memory and accelerator local storage are compared. By leveraging the heterogeneous parallelism of the CBEA, the 3D transport module achieves performance comparable to two nodes of an IBM BlueGene/P, or eight Intel Xeon cores, on a single PowerXCell 8i chip. Module performance on two CBEA systems, an IBM BlueGene/P, and an eight-core shared-memory Intel Xeon workstation are given.
Local linear independence of the translates of a box spline

Let Ξ=(ξ i ) l be a sequence of vectors inR m . The box splineM Ξ is defined as the distribution given by $$M_\Xi :\varphi \to \int_{[0,1]^n } \varphi \left( {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^n {\lambda (i)\xi _i } } \right)d\lambda ,\varphi \in C_c^\infty (R^m ).$$ . Suppose that Ξ contains a basis forR m . ThenM Ξ∈L ∞(R m ). Assume $$\Xi \subset V: = z^m .$$ . Consider the translatesM v :=M Ξ(·−v),v∈V. It is known that (M v ) V is linearly dependent unless (*) $$|\det Z| = 1forallbasesZ \subset \Xi$$ . This paper demonstrates that under condition (*), (M v ) V is locally linearly independent, i.e., $$\{ M_v ;\sup p M_v \cap A \ne \not 0\}$$ is linearly independent over any open setA.
Optimal distribution of a hierarchy of network management agents

In this paper, we consider several mathematical and algorithmic problems which arise naturally in the optimal deployment of modern network management systems. Specifically, we will consider the problem of minimizing the total communication costs within an architecture consisting of a distributed hierarchy of cooperating intelligent agents. We consider several communication cost models, and describe provable optimal schemes for distributing agents among machines in each of these models.
On a two-dimensional free-boundary problem

Untersucht wird, wie in einem Kanal mit Abbiegung unter dynamischen Bedingungen die freien Randwerte zwischen zwei Flussigkeiten zu bestimmen seien. Fur einen Kanal mit rechtwinkliger Abbiegung wird insbesondere die Moglichkeit in Erwagung gezogen, dass die Zwischenflache einen Wendepunkt besitzt. Dieser Sachverhalt bezieht sich auf einen unstabilen Gleichgewichtszustand; fur den allgemeinen Fall (Kanale mit Abbiegungen in beliebigem Winkel) wird deshalb angenommen, Wendepunkte konnten nicht vorkommen. Gewonnen wird eine gewohnliche Differentialgleichung erster Ordnung, fur die sich herausstellt, dass sie durch eine einfache Quadratur gelost werden kann.
The Tellado case study exercise: A metacritique

Abstract This paper provides an overview and critique of the papers in the Tellado Case Study Exercise. Two main themes are found in the critiques: the belief that Tellado lacked a clear audience for his evaluation and that he lacked an appropriate change orientation that would insure utilization. The sources of these criticisms are discussed from the perspective of evaluation as a linkage activity. The use of this perspective leads to the recognition that all parties to the case study may have focused on the wrong stakeholders in the utilization process. Thus, a major problem with utilization-focused and stakeholder based approaches to evaluation is revealed. Possible ways to avoid this problem are discussed. The paper concludes with a request for additional case studies to be contributed to the journal.
Envelope glycoprotein gp120 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 alters ion transport in astrocytes: implications for AIDS dementia complex.

Abstract Infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is often complicated by a variety of neurological abnormalities. The most common clinical syndrome, termed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) dementia complex, presents as a subcortical dementia with cognitive, motor, and behavioral disturbances and is unique to HIV-1 infection. The pathogenesis of this syndrome is poorly understood but is believed to involve interactions among virally infected macrophages/microglia, astrocytes, and neurons. In this study, we show that exposure of primary rat and human astrocytes to heat-activated HIV-1 virions, or to eukaryotically expressed HIV-1 and HIV-2 envelope glycoproteins (gp120) stimulates amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ antiport, potassium conductance, and glutamate efflux. These effects are blocked specifically by amiloride, an inhibitor of Na+/H+ antiport and by the selective removal of gp120 with immobilized monoclonal antibody. As a result of modulation of astrocytic function by gp120, the ensuing neuronal depolarization and glutamate exposure could activate both voltage-gated and N-methyl-D-aspartate-regulated Ca2+ channels, leading to increases in intraneuronal Ca2+ and neuronal death. These findings implicate the astrocyte directly in the pathogenesis of AIDS dementia complex.
Split-Course Palliative Radiotherapy for Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose Palliative chest radiotherapy (RT) for lung malignancies is effective in relieving serious chest symptoms from tumor bleeding or mass effect on major airways, vessels, and nerves. Albeit an important subject, there is a lack of consensus for an optimal palliative RT regimen. We report the outcomes of a split-course palliative chest RT, a frequently used schema at our institution. Methods and Materials Records of 140 patients treated between 1995 and 2006 were reviewed. Treatment was prescribed to an initial 25 Gy in 10 fractions through anterior-posterior/posterior-anterior beam arrangements. After a 2-week rest period, patients were selected to receive an additional 10 Gy (anterior-posterior/posterior-anterior) followed by off-cord beams to a final dose of 50 to 62.5 Gy. Symptom relief and toxicity during RT and after completion of RT were assessed from clinician notes and patient-reported symptom inventory forms. Second, the impact on survival was assessed. Results Symptomatic relief was observed in 52 to 84% of patients with durable palliation in 58%. There were no grade 3 to 5 toxicities. Grades 1 and 2 esophagitis and pneumonitis were observed in 34 and 8% patients, respectively. Median survival was 5 months. Conclusions A majority of patients experienced symptomatic improvement. The built-in 2-week break allowed for selection of patients for high-dose palliative radiation and balanced treatment benefits with potential side effects. Cancer survival was not adversely affected by treatments in this population with mostly advanced disease. This regimen is a viable option for patients who cannot tolerate a protracted, uninterrupted course of treatment.