cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuropsychological assessment of children and adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Neuropsychological assessments of adults with SLE have shown cognitive impairment, sequential processing deficits, memory loss, increased incidence of left handedness, learning disabilities and emotional distress compared with healthy individuals or subjects with other medical conditions. Neuropsychological testing regarding these variables in children and adolescents with SLE has been infrequently reported. For this study, eight children with SLE (age 9-17 years at diagnosis) were assessed with neuropsychological testing at a median of 10.5 months (range 1 week to 30 months) after diagnosis. Tests included Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised, Standard Binet Intelligence Scale Fourth Edition Memory Subtests or Wechsler Memory Scale (all mean = 100 ± 15) and Gates MacInitie Reading Comprehension Test, Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist and Achenbach Youth Self Report. Mean intellectual scores were in the low aver...
Characteristics of dean's letters in 1981 and 1992.

Purpose To compare results from 1981 and 1992 national surveys of the writers of medical school dean's letters, and to rate the 1992 letters based on the guidelines recommended by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Method In early 1992 a survey was administered to the dean's letter writers at all 125 U.S. medical schools with fully accredited four-year programs; the survey incorporated many items from a 1981 survey. In addition, 550 dean's letters from all U.S. medical schools for the graduating class of 1992 were collected and rated based on guidelines published by the AAMC in 1989. Results The response rate of the 1992 survey was comparable to that of the 1981 survey (85% and 87%, respectively). In both surveys, slightly more than half the schools used more than one letter writer; however, the 1992 letters were longer and there were more of them, in spite of the fact that there were approximately 700 fewer graduates. In 1992 the estimated total cost per school was $25,000 (comparable data were not collected in 1981). The ratings of the letters revealed that only 38% of the schools introduced their letters as letters of "evaluation," as recommended by the AAMC, and that 15% of the schools failed to use the AAMC guidelines for format. When the schools were rated for overall quality (i.e., format combined with information about the students' performance in comparison with that of peers), 55% of the schools passed and 45% failed. Conclusion Several recommendations for improving dean's letters are discussed, including the following: (1) all dean's letters should be formatted according to the AAMC guidelines; (2) each school should have one person responsible for central overview of the school's letters; and (3) for comparative performance information, schools should at least give the percentages of grades given in the required clerkships, and it would be preferable for them to employ systems that group students into four to six groups and to indicate the percentage of students in each group.
Abstract 1169: Non-canonical functions of Mdm2 isoforms in estrogen influenced breast cancer cells with wild-type or mutant p53

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Estrogen receptor positive breast cancers often have high levels of Mdm2. We investigated if estrogen signaling in breast cancers occurred through an Mdm2 mediated pathway. We examined the effect of long-term 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment in ERα positive breast cancer cell lines that contain wild-type p53 (MCF-7) and mutant p53 (T-47D). These cell lines also contain the mdm2 SNP at position 309, which increases the expression of Mdm2 by Sp1 driven transcription. In both these cell lines, we observed that E2 treatment dramatically increased the amount of Mdm2 without decreasing the corresponding wild-type or mutant p53. Surprising the amount of p53 protein in both cell lines increased with E2 treatment. We engineered miR30-based inducible mdm2 knockdown cell lines of MCF-7 and T-47D to evaluate to impact of Mdm2 on their cancer cell phenotypes. The down-regulation of Mdm2 in MCF-7.shmdm2 and T-47D.shmdm2 inhibited cell proliferation in 2D culture and in 3D laminin-rich matri-gel. Knockdown of Mdm2 did not cause an increase in p53 protein. These data suggest a p53-independent signal transduction pathway for Mdm2-mediated activation of proliferation. Alternative spliced mdm2 transcripts have been observed in many cancers including breast, but no endogenous protein isoforms from the spliced isoforms have been described. We asked if the spliced variant Mdm2-C transcript (that lacks most of the N-terminal p53 binding domain) expressed endogenous protein in these breast cancer cell lines. We created an Mdm2-C specific antibody using a synthetic peptide to the splice junction of exons four and ten (C4-10) to detect the protein. We validated the C4-10 antibody using in vitro translated Mdm2 compared to Mdm2-C. High expression of Mdm2-C occurred in the G/G mdm2 SNP309 ER+ breast cancer cell line T-47D, but only a slight increase was detected in the presence of E2. Additionally, Mdm2-C was found in nucleolar and cytoplasmic foci before and after estrogen treatment, while the mutant p53 was predominantly nuclear. We report the first identification of endogenous tumor-associated Mdm2-C protein in breast cancer. We suggest that Mdm2 and its isoforms work through non-canonical pathways to transform estrogen influenced breast cancers through molecular pathways that remain to be elucidated. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by Breast Cancer Research Foundation to J.B. and NSF grant to JB MCB-0744316. D.O. was also partially supported by a CUNY Graduate Center Magnet Award. Special thanks to Gerard Evan for help with immunogen peptide design. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1169. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1169
Die Kinetik der thermischen Cyclisierung von 2,6-Dimethyl-1, cis-3,5-heptatrien in der Gasphase

The kinetics of the thermal cyclization of 2,6-dimethyl-1, cis-3, 5-heptatriene to 1, 5, 5-trimethyl-1, 3-cyclohexadiene have been measured in the gas phase for temperatures ranging between 150.4 and 231.2°C. The observed reaction rates satisfy first order kinetics for pressures ranging between 2.5 and 25 torr. The reaction is homogeneous, as demonstrated by the insensitivity of the calculated rate constants towards a 13-fold variation in the surface to volume ratio of the reaction vessels used. The least squares regression analysis of the observed rate constants yields (with standard errors) log kcycl. (s−1) = (10.50 ± 0.11) − (31.81 ± 0,24)/θ, where θ equals 4.58 × 10−3T (°K). The trans isomer is stable under the reaction conditions used. The intramolecular reaction proceeds via a 6-center cyclic transition state, involving a loss in entropy of ∼ 13.8 cal/°-mole (based on the transition state formulation for unimolecular reactions, assuming a transmission coefficient of unity). When compared with estimated and with reported activation parameters for the cyclization of 1, cis-3,5-hexatriene, this amounts to an additional loss of ∼ 4.5 e.u., and an increase in Ea by ∼ 2 kcal/mole. This is attributed to the additional steric repulsions in the transition state, primarily owing to the methyl group in 6-position.
Constitutive relations for non-elastic deformation☆

Abstract A new class of constitutive equations is described for non-elastic deformation of metals. The relations are embodied in a model that has had considerable experimental investigation. The model employs two deformation state variables of which one is a scalar hardness variable and the other is a stored anelastic strain. The description is entirely in terms of real time strain rates. The model and its experimental background is discussed. The relationship to mechanical calculations and a possible extension to radiation environment is also considered.
The United States between Japan and Korea: keeping alliances strong in East Asia

Abstract Japan and the Republic of Korea are the United States' two most important allies in East Asia. Although U.S. alliances with those countries have succeeded in maintaining peace and stability in Northeast Asia, it is not clear how effective they would prove to be should they be tested by a major incident originating, say, in North Korea, because South Korea-Japan relations are troublesome. The issues that divide these two countries, based on strong and long-standing emotional attitudes that are resistant to change, largely revolve around Korean perceptions that the Japanese have not sufficiently recognized and apologized for past aggression against their neighbors during the first half of the twentieth century. For its part, the United States can improve trilateral relations by avoiding foreign policy decisions that make other countries nervous, such as decisions based on the principle of preemptive attack. A resumption of trilateral security dialogue is also needed. The U.S. alliances with Japan a...
Evaluation of the hemagglutination test for epidemiologic studies of leptospiral antibodies in wild mammals.

Sera from 153 wild animals of 18 species were tested for antibodies against 12 serovars of Leptospira by the microscopic agglutination (MA) test. Seventy-five percent of the animals tested were seropositive against one or more of the 12 serovars used. The most commonly found serovars were pomona, autumnalis, pyrogenes, icterohaemorrhagiae, australis, and canicola. Of 62 carnivores representing 7 species, 55 (89%) were seropositive, as were 46 (60%) of 77 rodents from 9 species. Leptospira of the serovar copenhageni serogroup icterohaemorrhagiae were recovered from kidney tissues of a Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). Of 443 wildlife sera tested by the indirect hemagglutination (IHA) test using cells sensitized with L. illini antigen, 47 (11%), mainly carnivores and deer, gave a heterophile reaction. Of the remaining 396 sera, 164 (41%) were seropositive for leptospirosis by the IHA test. To compare the IHA test with the MA test, 143 serum samples were tested by both methods. There was 84% concordance betwee...
Protectionism and real wage rigidity: A discussion of the macroeconomic literature

Abstract The paper discusses the macroeconomic literature on the relationship between real wage rigidity and the case for protectionism. First, it gives an account of the analytical arguments that lie behind the protectionist position of the Cambridge Economic Policy Group (CEPG). Then, it provides a critical appraisal of the model of the CEPG; the discussion is focused on its supply side, on the role it assigns to financial markets as well as on the issue of retaliation. Finally, the paper considers and evaluates the subsequent work by Eichengreen, which incorporates aggregate supply and wealth effects into the CEPG analysis.
Thyroid suppression and stimulation testing: The place of scanning in the evaluation of nodular thyroid disease

In the past, T3 suppression testing was often required to confirm the presence of autonomous thyroid function in patients with borderline clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of hyperthyroidism or in euthyroid patients with the stigmata of Graves' disease. Similarly, TSH stimulation testing was used to document the presence of "low thyroid reserve" in patients with borderline clinical and laboratory findings suggestive of hypothyroidism. The current availability of radioimmunoassays for triiodothyronine (T3) and thyrotorpin (TSH) plus the ability to evalate pituitary responsiveness by performing a TRH stimulation test permits a definitive diagnosis to be made in the majority of borderline situations without recourse to the more cumbersome suppression and stimulation tests. Suppression and stimulation thyroid scanning retain a unique position in the evaluation of localized areas in increased uptake of radionuclide (hot nodules), especially in patients who are euthyroid. Proof that such nodules are autonomously functioning thyroid adenomas (AFTN) greatly decreases the possibility that they represent malignant thyroid tumors. Suppression and stimulation scanning have a more limited role in the evaluation of patients with hyperthyroidism arising in a multinodular goiter, where TSH stimulation scanning may help to differentiate between toxic multinodular goiter and Graves' disease arising in a preexisting goiter.
A search for olfactory receiving areas in the cerebral cortex of cats.

Abstract Evoked potentials were recorded from the pial surface of all cortical areas upon stimulation of the olfactory bulb. Three kinds of potentials were observed; (1) a biphasic negative-positive potential in the prepyriform cortex, (2) a polyphasic positive-negative-positive-negative potential in the orbital gyrus, (3) a biphasic positive-negative potential in the rest of the cortex. Latencies of these responses were fixed near 4 ms in all recording sites. From analysis of the origin of each potential component by topical application of KCl on the cortical surface and by recording a reversal of polarity of the potential within the cortical layers, it was concluded that all components in the prepyriform cortex and the first negative and the second positive components in the orbital gyrus originate from the cortex under the electrode. Vertical section of the cortex between the prepyriform cortex and the orbital gyrus along the rhinal fissure abolished the olfactory response from the orbital gyrus, indicating that olfactory impulses transmit by way of subcortical short association fibers from the prepyriform cortex to the orbital gyrus. Single cortical neurons which responded similarly to stimulation of the olfactory bulb, the trigeminal and the vagal nerves were found in the orbital gyrus. Moreover, olfactory, trigeminal and vagal responses were mutually interacted by pairing 2 inputs selected from these afferent sources. We conclude that an olfactory receiving area does exist also in the cortex outside the pyriform lobe, but it is not likely to be the specific olfactory cortex.
Dielectric thickness dependence of quantum capacitance in graphene varactors with local metal back gates

The temperature-dependent C-V characteristics for two samples with target HfO 2 thicknesses of 20 nm (sample A), and 10 nm (sample B) are shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The results show that the capacitance tuning range increases with decreasing HfO 2 thicknesses, as expected. A comparison of the normalized C-V curves for both samples at room temperature is shown in Fig. 4. The capacitance tuning range from V g − V Dirac = 0 to +1.5 V is 1.17∶1 for sample A and 1.38∶1 for sample B. Fig. 5 shows a comparison of the C-V characteristics for the varactors with MIM capacitors fabricated on the same sample. A very consistent trend is observed where the capacitance-per-unit-area for the MIM capacitors is significantly higher than for the varactors. The EOT values extracted from the MIM capacitors are found to be 4.1 nm and 2.7 nm for samples A and B, respectively. In order to understand this behavior in more detail, numerical modeling was performed on the temperature-dependent C-V characteristics where the random potential fluctuations, σ, in the graphene was used as an adjustable fitting parameter [5]. The results are shown in Fig. 6. The fact that the fitted EOT values cannot completely account for the capacitance reduction in Fig. 5 is a strong indicator that the effective device area of the varactors is less than the layout area. However, additional modeling, particularly taking into account the effect of interface traps, and other imperfections between the graphene and HfO 2 [6–7] is needed to fully understand the observed behavior. In the future, further scaling of the EOT needs to be investigated, as well as fabrication of the devices on insulating substrates for eventual use in resonator circuits. As a preliminary demonstration (Fig. 7), we have fabricated a single-finger varactor on a quartz substrate, with EOT (as determined by MIM capacitors) of 1.9 nm and tuning range >1.5∶1 at room temperature.
Mechanisms of peroxynitrous acid and methyl peroxynitrite, ROONO (R = H, Me), rearrangements: A conformation-dependent homolytic dissociation

The O−O bond breaking reactions of peroxynitrous acid and methyl peroxynitrite, ROONO (R = H, Me), were investigated theoretically using the (U)CCSD/6-31+G*, (U)CCSD(T)/6-31+G*//(U)CCSD/6-31+G*, and CBS-QB3 methods. The OONO dihedral angle has a remarkably large influence on the barriers for cleavage of the O−O bonds, which influences the subsequent radical recombination to yield nitrates (RONO2). A barrier of ca. 18−19 kcal/mol is predicted for RO−ONO dissociation involving a 2A1-like NO2 fragment in transition states beginning from a cis-OONO conformation. This pathway is significantly favored relative to a 2B2-like transition state with a trans-ONOO conformation; the latter has a barrier of 33−34 kcal/mol. Notably, the favored cis-OONO pathway is “electronically correct” (because 2A1 NO2 is a N-centered radical), but “geometrically incorrect” for subsequent N−O bond formation to yield RONO2. The imperfect initial orientation of RO/NO2 for N−O bond formation rationalizes some escape of free radicals, in...
Paramagnetic NMR Relaxation Enhancement: Spin Dynamics Simulations of the Effect of Zero-Field Splitting Interactions for S = 5/2

Spin dynamic simulation techniques were used to study the influence of static-zero field splitting (zfs) interactions on the NMR paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) produced by the spin-5/2 c...
Evaluating text quality: the continuum from text-focused to reader-focused methods

The author identifies some of the persistent questions raised by people in education, business, and government who want to judge how well their texts are working. She compares the cognitive processes involved in reading to comprehend text with those involved in reading to evaluate and revise text, stressing that even experienced writers often need help in detecting and diagnosing text problems. She characterizes three general classes of tests for evaluating text quality: (1) text-focused, (2) expert-judgment-focused, and (3) reader-focused approaches. She reviews typical methods within each class, examining the strengths and limitations of particular tests, and discusses the relative advantages of reader-focused methods over other approaches. >
A NEW APPROACH TO THE k.GV/-PROBLEM

This paper is concerned with the well-known and long-standing k.GV/-problem: If the finite group G acts faithfully and irreducibly on the finite GF . p/-module V and p does not divide the order of G ,i s the number k.GV/ of conjugacy classes of the semidirect product GV bounded above by the order of V ? Over the past two decades, through the work of numerous people, by using deep character theoretic arguments this question has been answered in the affirmative except for p D 5 for which it is still open. In this paper we suggest a new approach to the k.GV/-problem which is independent of most of the previous work on the problem and which is mainly group theoretical. To demonstrate the potential of the new line of attack we use it to solve the k.GV/-problem for solvable G and large p.
The Humanizing Brain: A Clinician/Pastor Response

, The Humanizing Brain is an effort by theological scholars to integrate neuroscience and theological constructs into a cohesive evolutionary and developmental scheme. The primary strength is a developing dialogue between neurodevelopmental theory and process theology. The book's widest appeal should be to theologians exploring religious and spiritual manifestations in the brain and neurosciences. The relatively simplistic science may limit significant usefulness to broad neuroscientific and medical communities, although neuroscientists and sophisticated lay readers with interests and backgrounds in theology may find The Humanizing Brain quite informative and interesting.
Maximum-likelihood estimation of complex sinusoids and Toeplitz covariances

In an extension of previous methods for maximum-likelihood (ML) Toeplitz covariance estimation, new iterative algorithms for computing joint ML estimates of complex sinusoids in unknown stationary Gaussian noise are proposed. The number of sinusoids is assumed known, but their frequencies and amplitudes are not. The iterative algorithm, an adaptation of the expectation-maximization (EM) technique, proceeds from an initial estimate of the mean and Toeplitz covariance, and iterates between estimating the mean given the current covariance and vice versa, with likelihood increasing at each step. The resulting ML covariance estimates are compared to conventional estimators and Cramer-Rao bounds. An analysis of the Kay and Marple (1981) data set is also presented. The effectiveness of the new algorithm for estimating means in unknown noise is investigated, and the usefulness of simultaneously estimating the covariance and the mean is demonstrated. >
Musical mnemonics in health science: A first look

Song, with its memory enhancement potential and ability to engage, has been employed as a learning tool in some academic settings. Of the countless learning environments, health science may seem the most atypical setting for the musical mnemonic, and yet it may be the most suitable for its application. With medicine's robust history of student-made mnemonics, it only seems natural that learners and instructors alike have begun to experiment with song meant to educate and entertain, primarily imparting them through popular media-sharing sites. This initial assessment of song in health science is meant to highlight notions of efficacy, audience, and use through an informal survey of 10 user-made YouTube musical mnemonics. Two of these mnemonics were co-created by the author, while the remaining eight were identified via select search terms and significant viewer numbers. Resulting YouTube data infers that instructors play a major role in the use of musical mnemonics in health science education. User comment...
Authoritarian science curriculum standards as barriers to teaching and learning: An interpretation of personal experience†

This is a critical time for the science education community as we embark on the creation and implementation of new national science standards. The purpose of this essay is to offer insight into how the language of curriculum standards, including that found in state science standards in the United States over the past 15 years, has posed barriers to meaningful science teaching and learning. I synthesize research from educational policy, science education, curriculum theory, critical inquiry, and my own experiential learning from a particular case in the state of Georgia to analyze the effects of authoritarian standards language on science classroom teaching. I argue that curriculum standards based on a content and product model of education (A. V. Kelly, 1999), have been incongruent with research from cognitive psychology, science identity formation, language use, and science as inquiry. The final portion of the essay considers how a process-oriented set of curriculum standards, for example that found in New Zealand, could provide a more empowering epistemological foundation for classroom teaching. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed96:291–310, 2012
Peripheral Serum Levels of 17β Estradiol in Growing Turkey Hens

Abstract Broad Breasted Bronze turkey hens 8 to 41 weeks of age were bled at regular intervals and serum 17β estradiol cencentrations were determined by RIA. The variable levels of estradiol prior to significantly higher concentrations at 28 weeks of age are believed to be characteristic of approaching sexual maturity after which the variability of concentrations is absent. With light stimulation, the concentrations again increase till egg production commences. The estradiol concentrations then decrease and begin to show rhythmic variation during the ovulatory cycle.
“Conduct … Inexcusable and Unjustifiable”: Bound Children, Battered Freedwomen, and the Limits of Emancipation in Kentucky's Bluegrass Region

Documents compiled by Freedman's Bureau agents in Kentucky's Bluegrass Region clearly reveal open hostility on the part of white residents to black freedom. Bands of white supremacists pillaged black homes, murdered black community leaders, and violently resisted federal efforts to intercede on behalf of freed people. Yet non-lethal violence, particularly against freedwomen and their children, was far more prevalent, an effective means by which to limit black autonomy, and typically deemed less significant by authorities. Freed people frequently reported physical abuse at the hands of white people, including former masters, some of whom refused to acknowledge slavery's demise; and they also reported numerous abuses associated with the Commonwealth's apprenticeship system for black children. Further, black women, now free laborers working in both white households and urban settings, complained of the unfair, often violent, treatment they received at the hands of employers. Finally, black women and girls with virtually no protection under state law suffered sexual abuse at the hands of white men. Taken altogether, these and other limits imposed on emancipation by white residents of the Bluegrass constitute a concerted effort to enact white supremacy and thereby deny former slaves the liberty and equality they desired and demanded.
Therapeutic Approaches to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder. It often occurs concurrently with other disorders and can be a concomitant of medications used in the management of pain and other symptoms. Patients with GERD present with a broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild intermittent episodes of heart-burn to severe, bleeding esophageal erosions and ulcers. Lifestyle modifications serve as the cornerstone to initial medical therapy. Pharmacological options include antacids, alginic acid, sucralfate, histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, and prokinetic agents. Relief of mild GERD symptoms can be achieved with antacids, or over-the-counter H2 receptor antagonists. Patients with moderate to severe disease require sustained inhibition of gastric acid secretion to control symptoms, heal the esophagus, and prevent complications. Preventing symptomatic recurrence and maintaining remission increases quality of life and decreases overall costs associated with the disease. This pap...
N-Best Rescoring Based on Pitch-accent Patterns

In this paper, we adopt an n-best rescoring scheme using pitch-accent patterns to improve automatic speech recognition (ASR) performance. The pitch-accent model is decoupled from the main ASR system, thus allowing us to develop it independently. N-best hypotheses from recognizers are rescored by additional scores that measure the correlation of the pitch-accent patterns between the acoustic signal and lexical cues. To test the robustness of our algorithm, we use two different data sets and recognition setups: the first one is English radio news data that has pitch accent labels, but the recognizer is trained from a small amount of data and has high error rate; the second one is English broadcast news data using a state-of-the-art SRI recognizer. Our experimental results demonstrate that our approach is able to reduce word error rate relatively by about 3%. This gain is consistent across the two different tests, showing promising future directions of incorporating prosodic information to improve speech recognition.
Bottom-up approaches to strengthening child protection systems: Placing children, families, and communities at the center

Efforts to strengthen national child protection systems have frequently taken a top-down approach of imposing formal, government-managed services. Such expert-driven approaches are often characterized by low use of formal services and the misalignment of the nonformal and formal aspects of the child protection system. This article examines an alternative approach of community-driven, bottom-up work that enables nonformal-formal collaboration and alignment, greater use of formal services, internally driven social change, and high levels of community ownership. The dominant approach of reliance on expert-driven Child Welfare Committees produces low levels of community ownership. Using an approach developed and tested in rural Sierra Leone, community-driven action, including collaboration and linkages with the formal system, promoted the use of formal services and achieved increased ownership, effectiveness, and sustainability of the system. The field needs less reliance on expert-driven approaches and much wider use of slower, community-driven, bottom-up approaches to child protection.
Uniqueness properties of higher-order autocorrelation functions

The kth-order autocorrelation function of an image is formed by integrating the product of the image and k independently shifted copies of itself: The case k = 1 is the ordinary autocorrelation; k = 2 is the triple correlation. Bartelt et al. [ Appl. Opt.23, 3121 ( 1984)] have shown that every image of finite size is uniquely determined up to translation by its triple-correlation function. We point out that this is not true in general for images of infinite size, e.g., frequency-band-limited images. Examples are given of pairs of simple band-limited periodic images and pairs of band-limited aperiodic images that are not translations of each other but that have identical triple correlations. Further examples show that for every k there are distinct band-limited images that have identical kth-order autocorrelation functions. However, certain natural subclasses of infinite images are uniquely determined up to translation by their triple correlations. We develop two general types of criterion for the triple correlation to have an inverse image that is unique up to translation, one based on the zeros of the image spectrum and the other based on image moments. Examples of images satisfying such criteria include diffraction-limited optical images of finite objects and finite images blurred by Gaussian point spreads.
Agammaglobulinemia and Staphylococcus aureus Botryomycosis in a Cohort of Related Sentinel Swiss Webster Mice

Sentinel mouse seroconversion to infectious agents is critical for laboratory animal facility disease monitoring. We report spontaneous emergence of non-sex-linked agammaglobulinemia with B-cell deficiency and cutaneous Staphylococcus aureus granulomatosis (botryomycosis) in a cohort of related Swiss Webster sentinel mice. Our experience reinforces the importance of immunocompetency validation in surveillance programs.
A Novel Myoelectric Training Device for Upper Limb Prostheses

A training system intended for myoelectric prosthetic hands for upper limb amputees was developed to assist in learning myoelectric control schemes and training muscle isolation. The trainer allowed a user to operate a remote controlled car by use of a control scheme commonly used in myoelectric prosthetic hands. The trainer was designed to be easy for therapists to use and more engaging for the user than current methods of signal training. Preliminary testing of the trainer was conducted with eight nonamputee adult volunteers. The results indicated that the trainer could be a useful tool for myoelectric training in upper limb amputees. All subjects' skill with the myoelectric control scheme improved over the course of testing, with the improvements being greater at the beginning of the training period than at the end. Whereas the individual subjects' performance varied greatly at the beginning of the training, the subjects had achieved a more uniform level of performance by the end of the training, approaching the minimum possible values for the assessments.
A discrete multitone transceiver system for HDSL applications

A discrete multitone (DMT) transceiver design for high bit rate digital subscriber line (HDSL) access is presented and analyzed. The DMT transmitter and receiver structure and algorithms are detailed, and the computational requirements of DMT for HDSL are estimated. At a sampling rate of 640 kHz, using an appropriate combination of a short finite-impulse-response (FIR) equalizer and a length-512 DMT system, 1.6 Mb/s data transmission is possible within the carrier serving area (CSA) at an error rate of 10/sup -7/ on a single twisted pair. A significant performance margin can be achieved when two coordinated twisted pairs are used to deliver a total data rate of 1.6 Mb/s. In terms of a performance-per-computation figure of merit, the DMT system is an excellent candidate for HDSL implementation. >
ErbB2 and ErbB3 receptors mediate inhibition of calcium-dependent chloride secretion in colonic epithelial cells.

Abstract We have previously demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) inhibits calcium-dependent chloride secretion via a mechanism involving stimulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K). The muscarinic agonist of chloride secretion, carbachol (CCh), also stimulates an antisecretory pathway that involves transactivation of the EGF receptor (EGFR) but does not involve PI3-K. Here, we have examined if ErbB receptors, other than the EGFR, have a role in regulation of colonic secretion and if differential effects on ErbB receptor activation may explain the ability of the EGFR to propagate diverse signaling pathways in response to EGFversus CCh. Basolateral, but not apical, addition of the ErbB3/ErbB4 ligand α-heregulin (HRG; 1–100 ng/ml) inhibited secretory responses to CCh (100 μm) across voltage-clamped T84 epithelial cells. Immunoprecipitation/Western blot studies revealed that HRG (100 ng/ml) stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation and dimerization of ErbB3 and ErbB2, but had no effect on phosphorylation of the EGFR. HRG also stimulated recruitment of the p85 subunit of PI3-K to ErbB3/ErbB2 receptor dimers, while the PI3-K inhibitor, wortmannin (50 nm), completely reversed the inhibitory effect of HRG on CCh-stimulated secretion. Further studies revealed that, while both EGF (100 ng/ml) and CCh (100 μm) stimulated phosphorylation of the EGFR, only EGF stimulated phosphorylation of ErbB2, and neither stimulated ErbB3 phosphorylation. EGF, but not CCh, stimulated the formation of EGFR/ErbB2 receptor dimers and the recruitment of p85 to ErbB2. We conclude that ErbB2 and ErbB3 are expressed in T84 cells and are functionally coupled to inhibition of calcium-dependent chloride secretion. Differential dimerization with other ErbB family members may underlie the ability of the EGFR to propagate diverse inhibitory signals in response to activation by EGF or transactivation by CCh.
Iatrogenic multiple births: a 2003 checkup

If further progress is to be made in reducing the problem of multiple pregnancies, guidelines and their enforcement for the use of induction of ovulation and enhancement of ovulation are required. Collecting information on fetal reduction will also be necessary.
Competitive adsorption of metal cations onto two gram positive bacteria: testing the chemical equilibrium model

In order to test the ability of a surface complexation approach to account for metal-bacteria interactions in near surface fluid-rock systems, we have conducted experiments that measure the extent of adsorption in mixed metal, mixed bacteria systems. This study tests the surface complexation approach by comparing estimated extents of adsorption based on surface complexation modeling to those we observed in the experimental systems. The batch adsorption experiments involved Ca, Cd, Cu, and Pb adsorption onto the surfaces of 2 g positive bacteria: Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis. Three types of experiments were performed: 1. Single metal (Ca, Cu, Pb) adsorption onto a mixture of B. licheniformis and B. subtilis; 2. mixed metal (Cd, Cu, and Pb; Ca and Cd) adsorption onto either B. subtilis or B. licheniformis; and 3. mixed or single metal adsorption onto B. subtilis and B. licheniformis. %Independent of the experimental results, and based on the site specific stability constants for Ca, Cd, Cu, and Pb interactions with the carboxyl and phosphate sites on B. licheniformis and B. subtilis determined by Fein et al. (1997), by Daughney et al. (1998) and in this study, we estimate the extent of adsorption that is expected in the above experimental systems. Competitive cation adsorption experiments in both single and double bacteria systems exhibit little adsorption at pH values less than 4. With increasing pH above 4.0, the extent of Ca, Cu, Pb and Cd adsorption also increases due to the increased deprotonation of bacterial surface functional groups. In all cases studied, the estimated adsorption behavior is in excellent agreement with the observations, with only slight differences that were within the uncertainties of the estimation and experimental procedures. Therefore, the results indicate that the use of chemical equilibrium modeling of aqueous metal adsorption onto bacterial surfaces yields accurate predictions of the distribution of metals in complex multicomponent systems.
Novel three Dimensional Biodegradable Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

We have constructed osteogenic scaffolds using solid freeform fabrication techniques. Blends of biodegradable polymers, polycaprolactone and poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid), have been examined as scaffolds for applications in bone tissue engineering. Hydroxyapatite granules were incorporated into the blends and porous discs were prepared. Mechanical properties and degradation rates of the composites were determined. The discs were seeded with rabbit bone marrow or cultured bone marrow stromal cells and in vitro studies were conducted. Electron microscopy and histological analysis revealed an osteogenic composite that supports bone cell growth not only on the surface but throughout the 1 mm thick scaffold as well. Seeded and unseeded discs were mechanically assembled in layers and implanted in a rabbit rectus abdominis muscle. Bone growth was evident after eight weeks in vivo. Electron microscopy and histological analyses indicate vascularization and primitive bone formation throughout the seeded composite, and also a “fusion” of the layers to form a single, solid construct. Finally, we have begun to incorporate the growth factor IGF-I into the scaffold to enhance osteogenicity and/or as an alternative to cell seeding.
Automatic Real-Time Moving Target Detection from Infrared Video

A novel progressive estimation scheme is proposed to detect moving targets in infrared video sequences in this work. The proposed algorithm does not place constraints on camera motions nor requires rigid backgrounds. The complexity of the algorithm is low so that it can be performed in real time. Computational results of the algorithm applied to a real-world infrared video sequence are given to demonstrate its superior detection performance.
Cholinergic Mechanisms in the Sinus Node With Particular Reference to The Actions of Hemicholinium

Acetylcholine is directly perfused into the canine sinus node in vivo through its cannulated nutrient artery. After atropinization, the chronotropic action from intranodal administration of acetylcholine was identical to that of control injections of Ringer's solution alone. Eserine produced only a negative chronotropic action before, and no significant action after, atropinization. Direct perfusion of the sinus node with hemicholinium (1 mg/ml) completely blocked the response to vagal stimulation but had no effect on the response to stimulation of the stellate ganglion. The evidence is interpreted as indicating that acetylcholine has only a negative chronotropic action in the canine sinus node and that it neither releases significant amounts of local nodal norepinephrine nor is necessary to the normal response of the sinus node to stellate ganglion stimulation.
Atrazine Has Been Used Safely for 50 Years

The herbicide atrazine is a potent endocrine disruptor, active in fish and amphibians in the low ppb range. Among other effects, atrazine impairs reproductive development and function including decreased testosterone levels, impaired testicular development, and low fertility/sperm production in male fish, amphibians, and in some reptiles. Atrazine also feminizes fish, amphibians and reptiles resulting in the development of oocytes in the testes and complete feminization. In addition to laboratory experiments, similar effects have been associated with animals in the wild. Although there is some question about how to compare the doses, adverse effects are also observed in laboratory rodents: including prostate disease, low sperm production, and decreased testosterone levels in males and mammary cancer, abortion, and impaired mammary development in females. These effects are all ­consistent with the induction of aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen, a mechanism that has been demonstrated across vertebrate classes. Despite well over 150 publications from at least 50 independent laboratories ­showing adverse reproductive effects in all vertebrate classes examined, and recent epidemiological studies associating atrazine exposure with low sperm counts in men, breast and prostate cancer, and birth defects, the major manufacturer still maintains that “atrazine has been used safely for 50 years” and the US EPA still struggles with how to evaluate pesticides for endocrine disrupting effects.
Verification and Extension of a Sampling Plan for Apple Aphid, Aphis pomi DeGeer (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Population densities of highly aggregated insect species in complex and variable habitats can be difficult to estimate efficiently, accurately, and with minimal variance. Aphis pomi DeGeer exemplifies this situation, in that its infestations typically are found near the tips of vigorously growing shoots of apple, Malus domestica Borkh, which vary in number and distribution throughout the growing season. Because A. pomi populations are permanently confined to vigorous shoots, randomly selecting shoots to sample is inefficient and unnecessarily increases the variance in population estimates. Previous workers resolved many difficulties in sampling A. pomi by recommending the use of the number of aphids on the most infested leaf as a reliable predictor for the number of aphids on the shoot. While this sampling protocol has been widely adopted, it is most applicable early in the growing season or in other unusual situations when tree vigor is high and randomly selected shoots are likely to be infested. In this paper, we confirm that the most infested leaf is still a reliable predictor for the number of aphids on a shoot throughout the growing season, even when A. pomi densities are very low. However, we also suggest that the efficiency and performance of the most infested leaf as a predictor can be improved by using preliminary sampling to determine the proportion of vigorous shoots in the orchard or block of interest and sampling for A. pomi only from those vigorous shoots.
The Unspoken Consequences of Obergefell: Calling Convictional Christian Scholars

This short essay offers a critical view of the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges and the marriage debate more generally, considering philosophical, academic, and spiritual positions of the legal scholar of faith in light of the jurisprudence of Obergefell. The unspoken consequences of this ruling compels state and individual submission to a doctrine that, according to Justice Anthony Kennedy, overthrows millennia of law and culture. Yet, what should be the response of a man or woman of faith who has published as an advocate of conjugal marriage, and who must now teach law students these postmodern principles as legal reality? Using messages from C.S. Lewis's lectures to war torn Europe, this essay challenges both the scholar of faith and the postmodern academy.
Determinants of Muslim-American Cooperation with US Counterterrorism Policing

Which segments of the Muslim-American community are willing to assist US law enforcement in counterterrorism investigations? I find that Muslims who expect fair treatment from state authorities are more likely to assist in investigations. US-born Muslims are the most cynical towards US law enforcement and are, thus, generally less likely than foreign-born Muslims to assist the police. However, even after accounting for expectations of fairness, all Muslims are significantly less willing to cooperate with police when the suspect is a Muslim, with two key exceptions. First, new Muslims immigrants are less likely than naturalized citizens to engage with police, regardless of the identity of the suspect. Second, despite low expectations of fair treatment from law enforcement, US-born black Muslims are significantly more likely than any other segment of the Muslim-American community to assist police in an investigation involving a Muslim suspect. US-born black Muslims are relatively comfortable engaging with the government and are nearly universal in their rejection of the use of violence against the US government. The findings of this study are important to extending our understanding of the determinants of government compliance among minorities and immigrants, and have important policy implications for counterterrorism policing.
Delay Distributions in Appointment Systems with Generally and Non-Identically Distributed Service Times and No-Shows

We derive the probability distribution of each patient's wait time and doctor's idle time and overtime in single-server systems where healthcare providers respond to appointment-driven arrivals with generally and non-identically distributed service times. Patient no-show probabilities and appointment intervals are also non-identical. The formulation is due to a convolution-based busy period analysis that can be implemented via numerical integration methods. A special case yields the distribution of customer wait times and server idle times in transient-phase D/M/1 queues for appointments at fixed-intervals, where analytical distribution functions facilitate a mathematical proof that delays are unfair to patients. We demonstrate more generally that appointment system assessment of delay tail probabilities (rather than expectations) considers the non-linear disutility for delays, and indeed reverses conclusions made in prior analysis.
Heat Transport in Graphite Nanoplatelet (GNP) -Reinforced Polymeric Nanocomposites and Aluminum Oxide Nanofluids

Heat transport in polymer nanocomposites reinforced with graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) and nanofluids of Al2O3 is studied using high-precision thermal conductivity measurements. The resistance to heat conduction across interfaces between nanoscale fillers and the matrix has a strong effect on energy transport in these nanocomposites. The thermal conductivity is observed to increase when GNPs are pretreated with nitric acid to improve interfacial bonding. The thermal interface resistance extracted from the polymer nanocomposites is comparable to that obtained for carbon nanotube suspensions but is much greater than the value extracted from the aluminum oxide nanofluids.