cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nerve Blocks With 5% Butamben Suspension for the Treatment of Chronic Pain Syndromes

Background and Objectives Butamben is a non-water-soluble local anesthetic that can be prepared as an aqueous suspension for nerve blocks. This report describes the use of 5% butamben suspension for the treatment of chronic pain of cancer and noncancer origin. Methods The clinical courses of 75 consecutive patients were analyzed following 5% butamben nerve blocks (35 epidural blocks only, 33 peripheral nerve blocks only, and 7 had both epidural and peripheral nerve blocks). Epidural blocks were performed as a series of four with additional blocks offered if needed. Peripheral nerve blocks were done as a single block with repeat injections if needed. Injection volumes varied between 15 and 25 mL for epidural injections and 5 and 20 mL for peripheral nerve blocks. Successful therapy was defined as a ≥75% reduction in subjective pain assessments for ≥4 weeks or until death. Daily opioid requirements were also recorded. Results Fifty-four of the 75 patients (72%) were successfully treated. This included 48 of 67 cancer patients (71.6%) and 6 of 8 noncancer patients (75%). Median duration of pain relief was 12 weeks (range, 1-96) in the cancer patients and 10 weeks (range, 6-166) in the noncancer patients. Mean reduction in opioid requirements in successfully treated cancer patients was 74 ± 5%. Pain on epidural injection occurred in half of the patients and was the most prevalent complication of treatment. Five patients had signs of intravascular injection. There were no serious long-term sequelae. Conclusions When used as described in this report, 5% butamben suspension appears to be effective for treatment of chronic pain of both cancer and noncancer origin and has a low incidence of adverse sequelae.
Understanding the Influence of Loneliness on HIV Risk Behavior in Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

In this study we used grounded theory methodology to understand the influence of loneliness in YMSM in terms of HIV risk behavior. Twenty-two YMSM, 18–29 years of age, of HIV-negative/unknown status were interviewed. Results indicated that loneliness is defined in two ways: emotional and social. A cyclical pattern emerged that included negative symptoms, “self-treatment” of loneliness through drug use and sex, temporary relief, remorse related to engaging in HIV risk behaviors, negative self-image, and ultimately the reemergence of initial loneliness symptoms. Results suggest that loneliness in YMSM plays a greater role in HIV-related behavior than previously understood. A preliminary explanatory model, implications, and directions for future research are discussed.
Eucaryotic elongation factors Ts is an integral component of rabbit reticulocyte elongation factor 1.

Elongation factor 1 (EF-1) was purified from rabbit reticulocytes and found to contain at least two distinct polypeptides: one of Mr 53000 and one of Mr 30000. The 30000-Mr polypeptide was purified from EF-1 by treatment of the factor with 5.4 M guanidine · HCl and subsequent chromatography on DEAE-BioGel A in the presence of 5 M urea. By a number of functional criteria, the 30000-Mr polypeptide was found to be the eucaryotic elongation factor Ts (eEF-Ts). These criteria include the ability of the polypeptide to stimulate Artemia salina eEF-Tu-dependent binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to 80-S ribosomes as well as eEF-Tu + EF-2-dependent polyphenylalanine synthesis. The reticulocyte factor also markedly increased the rate of exchange of eEF-Tu · GDP complexes with free GTP. Furthermore, rabbit antibodies to EF-1 from A. salina which was previously shown to contain eEF-Ts [Slobin, L. I. and Moller, W. (1978) Eur. J. Biochem. 84, 69–77] were found to cross-react with reticulocyte eEF-Ts, suggesting extensive structural homology between brine shrimp and rabbit eEF-Ts. The demonstration that eEF-Ts is an integral component of EF-1 from such diverse sources as brine shrimp and rabbit reticulocytes supports the conclusion that the factor is universally present in eucaryotic EF-1.
Quantifying the emissions and air quality co-benefits of lower-carbon electricity production

Abstract The impact of air emissions from electricity generation depends on the spatial distribution of power plants and electricity dispatch decisions. Thus, any realistic evaluation of the air quality impacts of lower-carbon electricity must account for the spatially heterogeneous changes in associated emissions. Here, we present an analysis of the changes in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) associated with current, expected, and proposed energy efficiency and renewable energy policies in Wisconsin. We simulate the state's electricity system and its potential response to policies using the MyPower electricity-sector model, which calculates plant-by-plant reductions in NOx and SO2 emissions. We find that increased efficiency and renewable generation in a 2024 policy scenario substantially reduce statewide emissions of NOx and SO2 (55% and 59% compared to 2008, 32% and 33% compared to 2024 business-as-usual, BAU). PM2.5 is quantified across the Great Lakes region using the EPA Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model for some emissions scenarios. We find that summer mean surface concentrations of sulfate and PM2.5 are less sensitive to policy changes than emissions. In the 2024 policy scenario, sulfate aerosol decreases less than 3% over most of the region relative to BAU and 3–13% relative to 2008 over most of Wisconsin. The lower response of these secondary aerosols arises from chemical and meteorological processing of electricity emissions, and mixing with other emission sources. An analysis of model performance and response to emission reduction at five sites in Wisconsin shows good model agreement with observations and a high level of spatial and temporal variability in sulfate and PM2.5 reductions. In this case study, the marginal improvements in emissions and air quality associated with carbon policies were less than the technology, renewable, and conservation assumptions under a business-as-usual scenario. However, this analysis for Wisconsin shows how integrated modeling can quantify the emission and air quality co-benefits associated with carbon reduction measures, and this approach can be applied to other regions and larger geographical scales.
Alteration of stimulated TSH and prolactin response in children treated with growth hormone

Abstract The plasma TSH and prolactin responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) were measured in 5 children with isolated growth hormone deficiency prior to, during and after the administration of human growth hormone (hGH). TSH and prolactin secretory patterns were not uniformly concordant. TSH responses to TRH infusion were suppressed in 4 subjects after 5 days or 1 month of hGH administration despite normal serum thyroxin concentrations. Prolactin responses were suppressed in all 5 subjects after 5 days of hGH administration. After 8 months of hGH therapy both TSH and prolactin responses returned toward pre-hGH values. Our finding that suppression of the TRH-induced TSH and prolactin secretory responses are reversible during hGH administration supports the concept of altered neuroregulation in this form of hypothalamic disorder.
Approximate and exact nodes of fermionic wavefunctions: Coordinate transformations and topologies

A study of fermion nodes for spin-polarized states of a few-electron ions and molecules with s,p,d one-particle orbitals is presented. We find exact nodes for some cases of two-electron atomic and molecular states and also the first exact node for the three-electron atomic system in {sup 4}S(p{sup 3}) state using appropriate coordinate maps and wave function symmetries. We analyze the cases of nodes for larger number of electrons in the Hartree-Fock approximation and for some cases we find transformations for projecting the high-dimensional node manifolds into three-dimensional space. The node topologies and other properties are studied using these projections. We also propose a general coordinate transformation as an extension of Feynman-Cohen backflow coordinates to both simplify the nodal description and as a new variational freedom for quantum Monte Carlo trial wave functions.
Optimal Control for Elliptic Volterra-Lotka Type Equations

Abstract An optimal control problem for elliptic Volterra-Lotka type equations is considered. The control problem simulates optimal harvesting of growing species. Under certain assumptions, an optimality system is derived, characterizing optimal control. Constructive analytic procedure is designed providing a complete solution of the optimal control problem in some cases.
EXTERNAL MARKETS AND REGULATION

Abstract Regulated firms often sell to ‘external’ markets in addition to their regulated or ‘internal’ markets. The welfare of consumers in these ‘external’ markets is typically outside of the regulator's domain of concern. As a result, ‘external’ markets provide the regulator with additional policy options for the strategic influence of firm behavior in the presence of asymmetric information. Without an ‘external’ market, asymmetric information introduces an incentive cost and, consequently, the optimal policy is forced to distort ‘internal’ production below the first-best level. We show that profit opportunities presented by an ‘external’ market can be used to absorb some (all, when the firm is an ‘external’ price-taker) of the incentive cost, and thus insulate the ‘internal’ market from quantity distortions.
The rostral and caudal ventrolateral medulla in young spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract This study was designed to compare the cardiovascular influences of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) and the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) in young (5–6 weeks) spontaneously hypertensive (SH) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. SH and WKY groups had similar pressor and depressor responses to microinjection of l -glutamate into the RVLM and the CVLM, respectively. In addition the results of this study indicate a reduced tonic sympathoinhibitory function of the CVLM in young SH rats, which may contribute to the development of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
Parenting perceptions: Comparing parents of typical and special needs preschoolers

Using the Parent Development Theory (PDT; B.A. Mowder, 2005) as the conceptual framework, this research explored parenting related to preschoolers' special needs status. Parents of special needs children rated general welfare and protection as well as sensitivity as the most important parenting characteristics during the preschool years. By comparison, parents of typically developing preschoolers deemed education the most important parent characteristic. Implications of this research are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 695–700, 2006.
Exploring relations among religiousness, meaning, and adjustment to lifetime and current stressful encounters in later life

Abstract This study examines how religiousness is related to the appraised meaning of stressful encounters and whether meaning appraisals are related to adjustment. Participants were 83 older adults (61 women, 22 men; mean age 77.9 years) who reported on their current most stressful experience and their most stressful life experience, their appraisal of these events, and their personal and public religiousness, and religious coping style. One month later, 69 participants reported on their adjustment (depressive symptoms, subjective health, stress-related growth from a current stressor, and from their most stressful life experience). Religiousness was associated with appraised meanings of stressors (e.g., to higher appraised challenge and making of meaning) and with subsequent adjustment. Further, appraised meanings were related to some aspects of positive as well as negative adjustment to both current stressors and most stressful life experiences, but little support was found for the notion that appraised...
The role of vitamin D in breast cancer

The biological role of vitamin D outside of calcium homeostasis is still under evaluation. The ability of vitamin D to inhibit cell proliferation and induce differentiation makes it a potential modifier of neoplastic transformation. Vitamin D affects the cell cycle, apoptosis, hormone receptors, angiogenesis, and hypoxia, all of which are related to the breast cancer growth, progression and metastasis. A large percentage of the industrial-world population is deficient in vitamin D. Epidemiological evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of breast cancer. Vitamin D may have synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects when combined with other therapeutic agents against breast cancer. Vitamin D appears to depress aromatase inhibitor by acting through cytochrome P 450. This evidence along with pre-clinical and clinical studies, justify the inclusion of vitamin D in future clinical trials related to breast cancer in order to determine its efficacy as a part of the breast cancer therapeutic armament.
The stereochemistry of the methylenecyclopropane rearrangement: evidence against the orthogonal-allylic intermediate

Abstract The rearrangements of two optically pure derivatives of Feist's acid were studied: that of dimethyl trans -methylenecyclopropane-2,3-dicarboxylate ( TRANS -diester) and trans -2,3-dicyano-methylenecyclopropane ( TRANS -dinitrile). The optical purity and configuration of the products, methyl ( Z )- and ( E )2-carbomethoxyclopropylideneacetate ( SYN - and ANTI -diesters) and ( Z )- and ( E )-2-cyanocyclopropylideneacetonitrile ( SYN - and ANTI -dinitriles), establish that the rearrangements occur with predominant, but not exclusive, inversion of configuration at the migrating center. Investigation of the interconversions of ( SYN )- and ANTI -diesters and dinitriles reveal that racemic product is not obtained, as would be expected from an orthogonal-allylic diradical intermediate, but that the enantiomer corresponding to antarafacial migration is slightly favored. All of the stereochemical results are explicable by application of the Doering-Sachdev diradical transition state hypothesis
Handwriting: The Effectiveness of Copying from Moving versus Still Models

Copying is a common handwriting procedure used to foster letter formation, an important aspect of legibility. A group of 56 first-grade students copied from traditional still models while another group of 60 first-grade students copied from models of manu script letters that depicted motion as well as the tradi tional still models. Flipbooks, designed especially for the study, depicted motion. Tests measuring handwriting performance were administered to both groups before and after 11 weeks of practice. Analyses of the test scores indicated that the group using the flipbooks improved their writing significantly more than the group using the traditional still models.
An improved empirical model for the effect of long-period ocean tides on polar motion

Because the tide-raising potential is symmetric about the Earth’s polar axis it can excite polar motion only by acting upon non-axisymmetric features of the Earth like the oceans. In fact, after removing atmospheric and non-tidal oceanic effects, polar motion excitation observations show a strong fortnightly tidal signal that is not completely explained by existing dynamical and empirical ocean tide models. So a new empirical model for the effect of the termensual (Mtm and mtm), fortnightly (Mf and mf), and monthly (Mm) tides on polar motion is derived here by fitting periodic terms at these tidal frequencies to polar motion excitation observations that span 2 January 1980 to 8 September 2006 and from which atmospheric and non-tidal oceanic effects have been removed. While this new empirical tide model can fully explain the observed fortnightly polar motion excitation signal during this time interval it would still be desirable to have a model for the effect of long-period ocean tides on polar motion that is determined from a dynamical ocean tide model and that is therefore independent of polar motion observations.
Engaging with Voices: Rethinking the Clinical Treatment of Psychosis

Although the hearing voices movement (HVM) has yet to take root in the US to the extent it has in the UK (and parts of Australia and Europe), recent publications and events, including a keynote presentation by UK hearing voices trainer Ron Coleman at the 2012 Annual NAMI convention and a TED 2013 talk in Los Angeles by British voice hearer and psychologist Eleanor Longden, suggest that the tide is starting to turn (Arenella, 2012; Grantham, 2012; Thomas, 2012). At its core, the HVM emphasizes a few basic, but important, points: that antipsychotic pharmacotherapy and various forms of psychotherapy that aim to suppress psychotic experiences are often—for too many people—ineffective or insufficient; that voices and other extreme experiences and beliefs carry important messages that need to be explored rather than silenced, and that voices themselves are often less of the problem than the difficulties individuals have in coping and negotiating with them (Corstens, Escher, & Romme, 2008; Longden, Corstens, Esc...
Navigating the Bind of Necessary Evils: Psychological Engagement and the Production of Interpersonally Sensitive Behavior

We develop grounded theory about how individuals respond to the subjective experience of performing “necessary evils” and how that influences the way they treat targets of their actions. Despite th...
Large lateral movement of transmembrane helix s5 is not required for substrate access to the active site of rhomboid intramembrane protease.

Rhomboids represent an evolutionarily ancient protease family. Unlike most other proteases, they are polytopic membrane proteins and specialize in cleaving transmembrane protein substrates. The polar active site of rhomboid protease is embedded in the membrane and normally closed. For the bacterial rhomboid GlpG, it has been proposed that one of the transmembrane helices (S5) of the protease can rotate to open a lateral gate, enabling substrate to enter the protease from inside the membrane. Here, we studied the conformational change in GlpG by solving the cocrystal structure of the protease with a mechanism-based inhibitor. We also examined the lateral gating model by cross-linking S5 to a neighboring helix (S2). The crystal structure shows that inhibitor binding displaces a capping loop (L5) from the active site but causes only minor shifts in the transmembrane helices. Cross-linking S5 and S2, which not only restricts the lateral movement of S5 but also prevents substrate from passing between the two helices, does not hinder the ability of the protease to cleave a membrane protein substrate in detergent solution and in reconstituted membrane vesicles. Taken together, these data suggest that a large lateral movement of the S5 helix is not required for substrate access to the active site of rhomboid protease.
Variable patterns in anticonvulsant drug‐induced malformations in mice: Comparisons of phenytoin and phenobarbital

Anticonvulsant drugs are known to induce a varied pattern of malformation in both humans and in experimental rodent models. Often the clinical overlap between the pattern of defects induced by different anticonvulsant drugs is so striking that many clinicians question the role these compounds play relative to the existing maternal seizure disorder in the etiology of the observed malformations. In three inbred mouse strains exposed to phenytoin or phenobarbital in utero, the pattern of malformation differed markedly. From the types of anomalies observed, it is apparent that phenobarbital induced more malformations, while phenytoin produced a higher frequency of anomalies related to incomplete development. Thus, while there exists a certain degree of similarity between some of the minor features characteristic of each drug-induced syndrome, there are distinct differences in pregnancy outcome in experimental animals exposed to these drugs. Given the fact that phenobarbital induces more malformations that can be traced to exposure during early organogenesis, it may be wise to consider a therapeutic strategy in which phenytoin is utilized only during organogenesis, and is then replaced with phenobarbital for the remainder of the pregnancy.
Rebound insomnia: its determinants and significance.

Rebound insomnia is a sleep disturbance that occurs on discontinuation of benzodiazepine hypnotic drugs. It has been reported in both patients and healthy normal subjects and is characterized by increased wakefulness above the person's baseline levels. This article reviews the available information regarding determinants, possible mechanisms, and clinical significance of rebound insomnia. It is concluded that rebound insomnia is a disturbance of one or two nights' duration that primarily follows discontinuation of short- to intermediate-acting benzodiazepines. It occurs at high doses of a given drug, beyond which no additional hypnotic efficacy is evident. There seem to be clear individual differences in the experience of rebound insomnia, but no prospective studies have established which differences predict rebound. It is likely to be avoided by initiating treatment with the lowest effective dose and tapering the dose upon discontinuation.
Sustainable tourism in India

Purpose – The paper aims to provide a holistic perspective on various dimensions of sustainable tourism. The discussion with key practitioners authenticates the issues that have already been identified.Design/methodology/approach – The paper combines analysis of government documents as well as insights from practitioners. The paper discusses issues of sustainable tourism, strengths of the industry, challenges faced and policy implications for the government.Findings – The paper explores the economic importance of sustainable tourism by outlining the strengths and challenges of the Indian tourism industry. The paper has implications for the government and firms in terms of investment in hospitality education, infrastructure and better employment practices.Practical implications – The paper provides a road map for some of the initiatives that government and industry could adopt.Originality/value – It combines a policy perspective for government and industry stakeholders.
AN APPLICATION OF THE HIGHLY OPTIMIZED TOLERANCE MODEL TO ELECTRICAL BLACKOUTS

The recently proposed Highly Optimized Tolerance (H.O.T.) model [Carlson & Doyle, 1999, 2000], which aims to describe the statistics of robust complex systems in uncertain environments, is compared with data from the Western United States (W.S.C.C.) power distribution system. We use for comparison a 15-year record of all power outages occurring on the grid, measured in the size of megawatts lost and the number of customers without service. In applying the model to the power grid data, we find that the problem of determining how the resources in the system scale with event size is nontrivial given the assumptions of the model and the information about how the power grid actually operates. Further, we observe that the model agrees closely with the W.S.C.C. data for the megawatts but not the customers, and consequently propose that the assumption in the model of optimal resource distribution is not valid in general when more than one measure of event size is used. A modified H.O.T. model which allows for res...
Effects of food deprivation on etonitazene consumption in rats

One group of free-feeding rats was given a 5 microgram/ml etonitazene HCl solution as their sole liquid. This group increased their drug intake by 100% when they were partially food-deprived during a 23-day period. Another group that remained food-satiated and received etonitazene for an equal number of days did not show similar increases in drug intake. However, this group drank greater volumes of the etonitazene solution than a food-satiated control group drank of water. These results are contrasted with a fourth group showing a 50% decrement in water intake during similar food-deprived conditions. The food-deprived group drinking etonitazene showed highly erratic drinking patterns compared to all the other groups. Daily liquid intake ranged from 30 to 250 ml in this group, and volumes oscillated from high to low on alternating days. When the food-deprived/food-satiated conditions were replicated in this experimental group, corresponding increases and decreases in drinking reliably occurred. However, during the second food-deprived phase, the large increases occurred almost immediately as contrasted with a gradual increase over 17 days during the first food-deprived phase. This would suggest a learning mechanism may be involved. Self-mutilation and other forms of stereotypy were noted only in food-deprived rats consuming etonitazene.
Testing multiple-group variance equality with randomization procedures

The operating characteristics of different statistical tests for evaluating multiple-group variance equality were examined using a simulation study. Normal-theory tests including Bartlett's test, Levene's test and Hartley's test were compared to randomization tests in this study. The randomization tests maintained nominal Type I error rates over a variety of conditions. Levene's test was conservative under all conditions examined. Both Bartlett's test and Hartley's test were anti-conservative (rejects more frequently than nominally specified) when the distribution was lighter-tailed than a normal distribution (double exponential) and were conservative when the distribution was heavier-tailed than a normal distribution (uniform). Bartlett's test performed exceptionally well when the distribution was normal. Use of randomization test is recommended as a test of variance equality as this test performed at nominal Type I error rates and exhibited better power properties than Levene's test, the other test that...
Building the Evidence Base for Population-Level Interventions Barriers and Opportunities

Population-level interventions focused on policy, systems, and environmental change strategies are increasingly being used to affect and improve the health of populations. At the same time, emphasis on implementing evidence-based public health practices and programming is increasing, particularly at the federal level. Valuing strategies in the population health domain without the benefit of demonstrated efficacy through highly rigorous methods introduces an inherent tension between planning and acting on the best evidence available, waiting for more rigorous evidence to emerge, as well as exploring innovative ways to evaluate and model evidence-based strategies. This article describes the creation of a resource that helps public health practitioners use current evidence for strategic decision making while building the evidence base for population-level interventions. The resource addresses topics of current discussion in the field of evaluating population-level interventions, including the tension between internal and external validity, the need to include measures of health equity, and the balance between fidelity to the intervention and adaptation to the community context. The resource is intended to advance development of evidence in the field by providing practitioners, project managers, and evaluators with a practical guide for using, reviewing, and adding to the existing evidence base.
Incubation Temperature and Sex Ratio of the Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus)

Eggs from five clutches of Chamaeleo calyptratus were incubated at 25, 28, and 30°C during the period of sex determination. Sex ratios were slightly biased toward females at all temperatures but did not differ statistically from the expected 1:1 ratio of males and females. Egg survival was sufficiently high that sex-biased temperature-induced mortality cannot account for the lack of departure from 1:1 sex ratios. I conclude that the veiled chameleon has genetic sex determination (GSD) and that anecdotal accounts of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) for this species, and other chameleons are likely to reflect reporting or statistical bias.
Crisis and Competition in Expert Organizational Decision Making: Credit-Rating Agencies and Their Response to Turbulence in Emerging Economies

Firms often delegate elements of strategic decisions to outside experts who promise objective assessments, which are especially valuable in unstable environments. However experts themselves may be prone to skewed decision making as the stability of their own industry environment changes and as their positioning within the industry shifts. We examine this possibility in the context of expert credit-rating agencies ("agencies") and their risk ratings of emerging-market sovereign borrowers ("ratings") published from 1987 to 1998, a period that includes both industry stability (1987-1996) and industry turbulence set off by financial crises in several emerging-market countries (1997-1998). After controlling for macroeconomic and related objective risk factors linked to the sovereigns themselves, we find several points: (1) agency ratings during crisis-induced industry turbulence are negatively skewed, indicating undue pessimism among these experts, in line with decision-making perspectives predicting negative reaction by experts in an effort to retain legitimacy with salient stakeholders, in this case, investors and public regulators; (2) this negative shift is greater for incumbent firms and regionally focused firms, possibly because of the loss of previous informational advantages; and (3) this negative shift during crisis-induced turbulence is greater as industry rivalry among these experts increases in particular market segments, possibly indicating the development of competitive bandwagons among experts. Together, our results suggest that objective assessments by expert organizations are vulnerable to substantial distortion from the confluent effects of industry instability and expert positioning within the industry, particularly positioning affecting rivalry among experts. Ironically, experts may be most likely to mislead clients in unstable industry environments when experts command greater attention and should show greater fidelity to disinterested objectivity.
An expected-utility based approach to variation aware VLSI optimization under scarce information

In this research, we propose a novel approach for simultaneous optimization of power, crosstalk noise and delay via gate sizing, in the presence of scarce information about the distribution of the variations. The methodology uses the concepts of utility theory and risk minimization to identify a deterministic equivalent model of the stochastic problem, ensuring high levels of expected utilities of constraints, and significant speedup in the optimization process for large circuits. A comparative study with an existing gate sizing methodology shows that our method is multi-fold faster as well as comparable in terms of the optimization.
SLAVERY AND ITS TRANSFORMATION IN THE KINGDOM OF KONGO: 1491–1800

Studies of slavery in Africa during the period of the Atlantic slave trade have largely ignored questions of how political processes affected enslavement during the period and also the extent to which notions of who could be enslaved were modified. Documentation for the kingdom of Kongo during the 1500s to 1800 allows us to explore how the trade was sustained and the social and political dynamics behind it. In a state that consistently exported large numbers of slaves throughout the period of the trade, kings of Kongo at first observed quite a pronounced distinction between foreign-born captives subject to enslavement and sale in the Atlantic trade and freeborn Kongos who were largely proctected from enslavement and sale overseas. In time, however, the distinctions that separated foreign-born and Kongos fell apart as later political authorities and others disregarded such distinctions and all Kongos became subject to enslavement and sale overseas. This was a product of internal Kongo conflicts, which witnessed the collapse of institutions and the redefinition of polity, what it meant to be a citizen or freeborn, and who could be enslaved.
Mapping algorithms onto a multiple-chip data-driven array

Data-driven arrays provide high levels of parallelism and pipelining for algorithms with no internal regularity. Most of the methods previously developed for mapping algorithms onto processor arrays assumed an unbounded array (i.e., one in which there will always be a sufficient number of processing elements (PEs) for the mapping). Implementing such an array is not practical. A more practical approach would be to assign the PEs to chips and map the given algorithm onto the new array of chips. The authors describe a way to directly map algorithms onto a multiple-chip data-driven array, where each chip contains a limited number of PEs. There are two optimization steps in the mapping. The first is to produce an efficient mapping by minimizing the area (i.e., the number of PEs used) as well as optimizing the performance (pipeline period and latency) for the given algorithm, or finding a trade-off between area and performance. The second is to divide the unbounded array among several chips each containing a bounded number of PEs. >
EnRoute: An energy router for energy-efficient buildings

The US Department of Energy estimates that 73% of electricity usage is consumed by buildings. The Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems account for almost 50% of the total energy budget [1]. Demand-based pricing for commercial buildings makes it necessary for them to reduce power consumption during peak hours, when electricity is priced at a higher rate. Peaks in electricity demand occur when multiple systems are simultaneously consuming electricity. In this paper, we look at the problem of energy load management for commercial buildings and propose En-Route, a wireless Energy Router platform for control and scheduling of energy delivery to minimize peak electricity consumed by buildings. We have built a scaled model of a building, which generates HVAC dynamics that match an actual building. The Energy Router monitors the temperature, humidity and power consumption in different zones of the building in real-time. It then runs an “energy aware” algorithm that schedules HVAC systems based on the operating conditions of each zone to minimize the peak power consumption of the building.
Serum vitamin C and other biomarkers differ by genotype of phase 2 enzyme genes GSTM1 and GSTT1

Background: Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) detoxify environmental chemicals and are involved in oxidative stress pathways. Deletion polymorphisms affect enzyme activities and have been associated with risk of disease. Objective: The objective was to clarify whether biomarkers of oxidation, antioxidation, inflammation, and nutritional factors differ by GST genotype in healthy adults. Design: Subjects (n = 383) consisted of nonsmokers and nonusers of antiinflammatory drugs and antioxidant vitamin supplements. Deletion polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 were genotyped. F2-isoprostanes, malondialdehyde, C-reactive protein, serum vitamin C, carotenoids, tocopherols, and other nutritional factors were assessed. Results: The concentration of serum vitamin C was higher in persons with the inactive GSTM1-0 genotype (P = 0.006). This relation was unchanged after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, or dietary vitamin C. F2-isoprostanes and malondialdehyde were lower in the GSTM1-0 and GSTT1-0 groups, respectively, but significance was lost after control for serum vitamin C. The dual deletion, GSTM1-0/GSTT1-0 (n = 37), was associated with higher serum iron and total and LDLcholesterol concentrations (all P , 0.01) and lower malondialdehyde concentrations, which persisted after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, and serum vitamin C. Carotenoids and a -a ndc-tocopherols were not associated with either genotype. Conclusions: Oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers differ by GST genotype, but serum vitamin C appears to be the most consistent factor. Examination of other relevant genes may be needed to understand the concentration and function of ascorbic acid in the GST enzyme system. This trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00079963. Am J Clin Nutr doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.011460.
Sponge-associated bacteria are strictly maintained in two closely related but geographically distant sponge hosts.

Marine sponges (phylum Porifera) are ancient metazoans with a fossil record dating back over 600 million years, but the duration of the sponge-bacterium association is less well documented. Sponges actively pump seawater through pores and channels to obtain food consisting mainly of microbes filtered from the surrounding seawater, but they have no true organs or circulatory, nervous, or digestive systems. Bacterial symbionts may play roles in digestion, waste removal, and chemical defense for the sponge host (38). We use the terms “symbiont” and “symbiosis” in the same sense as Taylor et al. (38) and consistent with the original definition of de Bary to refer to two or more organisms consistently found living together for a long period without any implication that the organisms benefit or harm each other. Many sponges contain chemical compounds with bioactive properties, several of which are promising as pharmaceutical leads, and sponge-associated microorganisms are of interest due to their potential role in producing some of these compounds (10). Studies of the bacteria associated with marine
Comparison of systemic oxygen delivery and uptake with NIR spectroscopy of brain during normovolemic hemodilution in the rabbit.

Incremental hyperoxic normovolemic hemodilution was utilized to progressively decrease oxygen delivery (DO2) in anesthetized rabbits. At decreasing DO2, we compared systemic responses related to the adequacy of DO2, i.e. mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), oxygen consumption (VO2), and arterial lactate concentrations, to near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of the brain, a regional measure of intracellular oxygen availability. We sought concomitantly to define critical SvO2 and DO2, beyond which whole body VO2 begins to decline and arterial lactate concentrations increase. NIR Spectroscopy provided the means to test the hypothesis that systemic indicators of inadequate DO2 would not accurately reflect the oxygenation of a critical organ such as the brain. In thirteen rabbits anesthetized with fentanyl, paralyzed and artificially ventilated at an FIO2 of 0.60, hemodilution produced an early decrease in mixed venous oxygen saturation. When mixed venous oxygen saturation decreased below approximately 50%, arterial lactate concentrations began to increase significantly. Further decreases in oxygen delivery precipitated a decline in systemic VO2. Finally, NIRS revealed an increase in the reduction level of brain cytochrome a,a3 after systemic parameters of oxygen delivery had been altered. Analysis of the data indicated that falling SvO2 predicted inadequate DO2 to tissue during early hemodilution under narcotic/relaxant anesthesia and that the brain showed evidence of intracellular hypoxia only after systemic parameters such as SvO2 were affected markedly.
Structure and physical properties of yogurt gels: Effect of inoculation rate and incubation temperature

The effects of inoculation rates and incubation temperatures on the physical properties and microstructure of yogurt gels were investigated. A 2-factor experimental design with 3 replicates was used for data analysis. Yogurt gels were made with 0.5, 1, 2, 3, or 4% (wt/wt) inoculation rates and incubated at 40 or approximately 46 degrees C. Dynamic low amplitude oscillatory rheology was performed to monitor the formation of yogurt gels. Gel permeability and the amount of surface whey were determined. Gel structure was examined by confocal scanning laser microscopy. Higher storage modulus values were observed in yogurt gels made at higher inoculation rates and lower incubation temperatures. Gels made at higher inoculation rates and incubation temperatures exhibited higher yield stress and maximum loss tangent values, respectively. Permeability, pore size, and whey separation of yogurt gels increased with decreased inoculation rate and increased incubation temperature. An increase in the inoculation rate resulted in a decrease in the pH where the maximum in the loss tangent occurs, presumably reflecting less efficient solubilization of colloidal calcium phosphate (which is a slow process) and the need to attain a lower pH to complete the solubilization. Significant positive correlations were observed between whey separation and the value of maximum in loss tangent (r = 0.94) and permeability (r = 0.89). Whey separation was negatively correlated with storage modulus (r = -0.48). It was concluded that rearrangements of casein particles in the gel network and the rate at which the solubilization of colloidal calcium phosphate occurred were important driving forces for whey separation and weak gel.
Conceptualizing Teachers’ Capacity for Learning Trajectory-Oriented Formative Assessment in Mathematics

TASK (Teachers’ Assessment of Student Knowledge) is an online assessment designed to measure teacher’s capacity for learning trajectory-oriented formative assessment in mathematics, specifically through their ability to analyze student work and make instructional decisions based on that work. In this chapter, we begin by articulating the conceptual framework behind learning trajectory-oriented formative assessment and describing the instrument, scoring rubrics, and ongoing development of TASK. We then present the results of a large-scale field test of TASK, both in terms of the overall results and additional studies of the properties of the instrument. Evidence suggests that this new instrument yields reliable and valid scores of teachers’ formative assessment capacity in mathematics, is feasible for widespread use in a variety of settings, provides useful reporting of results, and can be used to better understand specific aspects of teacher knowledge. We draw on the results of this field test to investigate the relationships between various dimensions of teachers’ ability to analyze student work in mathematics and their instructional decision making.
Impersonal Agencies of Communication: Comparing the Effects of Video Games and Other Risk Factors on Violence

In the debated topic of violent video games and violent behavior, empirical evidence has been mixed. Some studies support the assertion that there is a causal or correlational link between gaming and violence, whereas others do not find such support. Recent advances have demonstrated that adequately controlling for background characteristics that might result in a selection bias decrease the effect sizes. However, it remains unclear how strong of an effect video game playing has in comparison with other risk factors. The present study uses data from 6,000 eighth-grade students to examine the effects of playing violent games. Using propensity score matching and logistic regression models, results are estimated to show the relative effects from gaming and other social risk factors. Results indicate that propensity score matching decreases the already modest effect from gaming, often to nonsignificance. In comparison with other risk factors in the models, the effects are also relatively weak.
Exploring circuit timing-aware language and compilation

By adjusting the design of the ISA and enabling circuit timing-sensitive optimizations in a compiler, we can more effectively exploit timing speculation. While there has been growing interest in systems that leverage circuit-level timing speculation to improve the performance and power-efficiency of processors, most of the innovation has been at the microarchitectural level. We make the observation that some code sequences place greater demand on circuit timing deadlines than others. Furthermore, by selectively replacing these codes with instruction sequences which are semantically equivalent but reduce activity on timing critical circuit paths, we can trigger fewer timing errors and hence reduce recovery costs.
Quasar: resource-efficient and QoS-aware cluster management

Cloud computing promises flexibility and high performance for users and high cost-efficiency for operators. Nevertheless, most cloud facilities operate at very low utilization, hurting both cost effectiveness and future scalability. We present Quasar, a cluster management system that increases resource utilization while providing consistently high application performance. Quasar employs three techniques. First, it does not rely on resource reservations, which lead to underutilization as users do not necessarily understand workload dynamics and physical resource requirements of complex codebases. Instead, users express performance constraints for each workload, letting Quasar determine the right amount of resources to meet these constraints at any point. Second, Quasar uses classification techniques to quickly and accurately determine the impact of the amount of resources (scale-out and scale-up), type of resources, and interference on performance for each workload and dataset. Third, it uses the classification results to jointly perform resource allocation and assignment, quickly exploring the large space of options for an efficient way to pack workloads on available resources. Quasar monitors workload performance and adjusts resource allocation and assignment when needed. We evaluate Quasar over a wide range of workload scenarios, including combinations of distributed analytics frameworks and low-latency, stateful services, both on a local cluster and a cluster of dedicated EC2 servers. At steady state, Quasar improves resource utilization by 47% in the 200-server EC2 cluster, while meeting performance constraints for workloads of all types.
Genetic Testing for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals: Genetic Counseling

More than half of human deafness or hard of hearing is attributable to genetic causes. There are over one hundred genes that individually contribute to cochlear function and the absence or alteration of a single gene can result in deafness, making deaf/hard of hearing genetically heterogeneous. This review will cover the genetic heterogeneity of human deafness, the clinical utility of currently available diagnostic testing for deafness, targeted parallel sequencing modalities, as well as challenges to interpretation of testing. As clinical genetics providers, our counseling approach should be future oriented due to the dynamic nature and expanding knowledge of genetic sequence variation.
Differences in binding to the ILK complex determines kindlin isoform adhesion localization and integrin activation.

Kindlins are essential FERM-domain-containing focal adhesion (FA) proteins required for proper integrin activation and signaling. Despite the widely accepted importance of each of the three mammalian kindlins in cell adhesion, the molecular basis for their function has yet to be fully elucidated, and the functional differences between isoforms have generally not been examined. Here, we report functional differences between kindlin-2 and -3 (also known as FERMT2 and FERMT3, respectively); GFP-tagged kindlin-2 localizes to FAs whereas kindlin-3 does not, and kindlin-2, but not kindlin-3, can rescue α5β1 integrin activation defects in kindlin-2-knockdown fibroblasts. Using chimeric kindlins, we show that the relatively uncharacterized kindlin-2 F2 subdomain drives FA targeting and integrin activation. We find that the integrin-linked kinase (ILK)–PINCH–parvin complex binds strongly to the kindlin-2 F2 subdomain but poorly to that of kindlin-3. Using a point-mutated kindlin-2, we establish that efficient kindlin-2-mediated integrin activation and FA targeting require binding to the ILK complex. Thus, ILK-complex binding is crucial for normal kindlin-2 function and differential ILK binding contributes to kindlin isoform specificity.