cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement, methods, and divergent patterns: Reassessing the effects of same-sex parents.

Abstract Scholars have noted that survey analysis of small subsamples—for example, same-sex parent families—is sensitive to researchers’ analytical decisions, and even small differences in coding can profoundly shape empirical patterns. As an illustration, we reassess the findings of a recent article by Regnerus regarding the implications of being raised by gay and lesbian parents. Taking a close look at the New Family Structures Study (NFSS), we demonstrate the potential for misclassifying a non-negligible number of respondents as having been raised by parents who had a same-sex romantic relationship. We assess the implications of these possible misclassifications, along with other methodological considerations, by reanalyzing the NFSS in seven steps. The reanalysis offers evidence that the empirical patterns showcased in the original Regnerus article are fragile—so fragile that they appear largely a function of these possible misclassifications and other methodological choices. Our replication and reanalysis of Regnerus’s study offer a cautionary illustration of the importance of double checking and critically assessing the implications of measurement and other methodological decisions in our and others’ research.
Prognostic factors in mucoepidermoid carcinomas of major salivary glands: A clinicopathologic and flow cytometric study

Mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MEC) of the major salivary glands from 48 patients who received their treatment at a single institution were studied for prognostic indicators. Uni- and multivariate statistical analyses were performed on several clinicopathologic factors and also on flow cytometric (FCM) DNA content data of the carcinomas. Clinical prognostic factors associated with decreased survival included age > 60 years (P = 0.01), male gender (P = 0.002), symptoms at diagnosis (P = 0.03), stage of disease (P 3.0 cm (P = 0.02), lymph node involvement (P = 0.0004) and positive surgical margins (P = 0.007). DNA FCM factors associated with decreased survival included aneuploid tumours (P = 0.08) and proliferative activity (S+G2M > 5%, P = 0.07). Multivariate analysis indicated that histological grade, proliferative activity, symptoms at diagnosis, clinical stage of disease and type of surgery were significant (P < or = 0.05) prognostic/survival factors in the biological assessment of this neoplasm.
Mining melanoma with microarrays

Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D., is Scientific Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), and also serves as Chief of NHGRI's Cancer Genetics Branch. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University. He specializes in studying the molecular changes related to the predisposition and progression of cancer. After earning his undergraduate degree from Indiana University, Dr. Trent received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in genetics from the University of Arizona. Prior to his arrival at the NIH, Dr. Trent was the Emanuel N. Maisel Professor of Oncology and Professor of Radiation Oncology and Human Genetics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He also served as Director of the Division of Cancer Biology, and Director of Basic Sciences in the University of Michigan's Comprehensive Cancer Center. In 1993, Dr. Trent came to the National Human Genome Research Institute to establish and direct its Division of Intramural Research. Under his guidance, the division has become a major research center in human genetics.
Feeding Ecology of Bonefish in Bahamian Waters

Abstract The food habits of bonefish Albula vulpes were investigated over 19 months during 1980 and 1981 in the vicinity of East End, Grand Bahama. Stomach contents of fish collected in different habitats were compared with relative abundances of prey items estimated from benthic samples. Although they utilize wide variety of prey, bonefish feed somewhat selectively during a given feeding period. Variability in diet due to season and size of fish were superimposed on the more dominating effect of the type of habitat in which fish had been feeding.
Testosterone increases the concentration of [3H]8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin. Binding at 5-HT1A receptors in the medial preoptic nucleus of the castrated male rat

In the following study, quantitative autoradiography was used to evaluate the effects of testosterone on the binding of [ 3 H] 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) at 5-HT 1A receptors in the brains of castrated male rats
Uses of Local Jewish Community Study Data for Addressing National Concerns

This paper argues that local Jewish community studies have much to contribute, not only at the local level, but also to the national discussion of American Jewry. Local communities have invested significant resources executing local Jewish community studies because the results contribute much to the understanding of, and planning for, individual communities. In an era when no national study has been completed for more than a decade, researchers should make more use of the significant number of extant local Jewish community studies. Examples are provided of the utilization of local Jewish community study data in the examination of national issues.
Elevated γ-Aminobutyric Acid, Glutamate, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in the Vitreous of Patients With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Objective: To examine the relative levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vitreous of nondiabetic and diabetic patients. Methods: Undiluted vitreous samples were obtained from 22 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 28 patients without diabetes who underwent pars plana vitrectomy. Simultaneous venous blood samples also were obtained. Amino acid concentrations were determined using sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography, and VEGF levels by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hemoglobin concentrations in the blood and vitreous were determined using spectrophotometry. Results: The level of GABA in the vitreous of patients with PDR, 29.4±7.8 μmol/L, was significantly higher than in controls (18.4±5.5 μmol/L) ( P =.004). The vitreous concentration of glutamate was higher in patients with PDR (24.7±14.0 μmol/L) compared with controls (9.1±5.1 μmol/L) ( P P r =0.68) and glutamate and VEGF levels ( r =0.43). Elevated GABA, glutamate, and VEGF levels also correlated strongly with the presence of PDR. Correcting for possible introduction of these molecules by vitreous hemorrhage did not significantly alter these findings. Conclusions: Levels of glutamate potentially toxic to retinal ganglion cells are found in the vitreous of patients with PDR. Elevated vitreous GABA may reflect amacrine cell dysfunction and underlie electroretinographic oscillatory potential abnormalities seen in diabetic retinopathy. The correlations of glutamate and GABA levels with an elevated VEGF level provide biochemical support for ischemia-induced neovascularization in patients with PDR. These findings present opportunities for novel therapeutic modalities in the treatment of PDR.
Corporatism, Pluralism, and Democracy: Toward a Deliberative Theory of Bureaucratic Accountability

This essay proposes a deliberative model of bureaucratic accountability and assesses its feasibility. Conventional wisdom suggests that a deliberative theory of bureaucratic accountability has little utility outside corporatist contexts. I reject this view because recent changes in patterns of interest representation have transformed both corporatist and pluralist bureaucracies into more hospitable environments for public deliberation. Contrary to the claims of democratic corporatists, recent pluralist practices of interest representation also seem to be compatible with public deliberation. Hence, movement toward greater openness in administrative decision-making is possible from both liberal pluralist and corporatist starting points. Corporatism clearly has no monopoly on democratic deliberation. There has been a vast expansion of bureaucratic discretion during the twentieth century, fueled by the rise of vaguely worded framework legislation (Kerwin; Peters, 77–78). Framework legislation delegates to the public bureaucracy the authority to formulate rules and regulations intended to convert the legislature’s will into legally binding decisions. In carrying out this task, administrative agencies routinely make decisions not expressly provided for by statutes. The result—lawmaking by unelected public officials—is one of the great challenges facing democracy today. How best to control bureaucratic discretion has been a recurring subject of scholarly debates and practical reforms, but the problem has nonetheless persisted (however, see Bryner). Some observers 1 want to rein in bureaucratic discretion by strengthening the oversight role of the legislature. Due to the limited oversight capacity of legislatures, however, this approach is less promising than one might think. Moreover, the main problem with bureaucratic discretion is not administrative power as such but its undemocratic exercise (Richardson 1997, 1998). Administrative agencies have ample influence on the substance of public policy, and—while one might wish to shift the balance of power between the legislature and the bureaucracy in favor of the former—legislatures appear to be in decline. Thus, I propose to conceptualize the democratic control of bureaucratic discretion without relying directly on the
Wavelength-dependent extinction by falling snow

Abstract Wavelength-dependent extinction in the visible and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum has been observed during studies of transmission through falling snow. The wavelength dependence was particularly noticeable during periods of light snowfall. Particles comparable in size to the wavelengths were also present during these periods. These particles were assumed to be water droplets, and their extinction cross-sections were determined from Mie scattering calculations. The calculations suggest that these particles were responsible for the wavelength-dependent extinction observed during snowfall.
Racial Ethnic Women's Labor: The Intersection of Race, Gender and Class Oppression

A colonial labor system and other forms of racial oppression shaped the productive and reproductive labor of racial ethnic women in ways that made their experiences fundamentally different from those underlying the construction of feminist analyses of women's oppression. For black, Mexican-American and Chinese-American women, key concepts such as the private-public dichotomy, gender conflict within the family and the division of reproductive labor need to be reformulated. This study examines the historical evidence on black, Mexican-American and Chinese-American women's work from the mid-nineteenth century to the present in light of contemporary Marxist-feminist and colonial labor system theories. Thus, the author begins to reformulate and synthesize key concepts in these contemporary theories to explain the experiences of racial ethnic women.
Low-level 2-transistor linear rundown circuit

MOST available methods for converting pulse height to pulse width use high-amplitude pulses requiring linear amplifiers, but its size and economy make the low-level, 2-transistor circuit used here most desirable. It achieves linear rundown, and a conversion from pulse height to pulse width can be achieved by adding a differentiating circuit. The circuit forms a linear rundown activated by a constant current generator discharging a capacitor. Because the rundown length is directly proportional to pulse height, it can convert pulse height to width efficiently.
A review of multivariate methods for multimodal fusion of brain imaging data

The development of various neuroimaging techniques is rapidly improving the measurements of brain function/structure. However, despite improvements in individual modalities, it is becoming increasingly clear that the most effective research approaches will utilize multi-modal fusion, which takes advantage of the fact that each modality provides a limited view of the brain. The goal of multi-modal fusion is to capitalize on the strength of each modality in a joint analysis, rather than a separate analysis of each. This is a more complicated endeavor that must be approached more carefully and efficient methods should be developed to draw generalized and valid conclusions from high dimensional data with a limited number of subjects. Numerous research efforts have been reported in the field based on various statistical approaches, e.g. independent component analysis (ICA), canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and partial least squares (PLS). In this review paper, we survey a number of multivariate methods appearing in previous multimodal fusion reports, mostly fMRI with other modality, which were performed with or without prior information. A table for comparing optimization assumptions, purpose of the analysis, the need of priors, dimension reduction strategies and input data types is provided, which may serve as a valuable reference that helps readers understand the trade-offs of the 7 methods comprehensively. Finally, we evaluate 3 representative methods via simulation and give some suggestions on how to select an appropriate method based on a given research.
Development of an astrocytic response to lesions of the spinal cord in the North american Opossum: an immunohistochemical study using anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein

We have shown previously that rubral axons grow around a lesion of their pathway in developing opossums and that a critical period exists for that plasticity. The critical period begins when rubral axons first reach the level of the lesion and ends sometime between postnatal days (PD) 26 and 30. The aim of the present study was to examine the development of an astrocytic response to lesioning the spinal cord to determine if there is a temporal correlation between the development of such a response and the end of the critical period. The astrocytic response was examined immunohistochemically, 2 and 4 weeks after hemisecting the thoracic spinal cord, using an antibody to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). A response was first seen at PD21 in the 2-week series. The response was relatively mild, however, and limited to the white matter. When the lesion was made at PD26, the response was still restricted to the white matter, but hypertrophied astrocytes were found at the gray/white matter junction and cystic cavities were present. When the lesion was made at PD41, the response had spread to the gray matter and it occupied a larger area rostral and caudal to the lesion than at earlier ages. The animals allowed to survive 4 weeks after lesioning were subjected to a second operation 4-5 days before sacrifice so that Fast Blue could be injected bilaterally two to three segments caudal to the lesion. When the hemisection was made at PD15, a response was present in the ventral and ventrolateral funiculi, but not in that part of the lateral funiculus that contains rubrospinal axons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Measuring time-dependent diffusion in polymer matrix composites

Moisture plays a significant role in influencing the mechanical behavior and long-term durability of polymer matrix composites (PMC’s). The common methods used to determine the moisture diffusion coefficients of PMCs are based on the solution of Fickian diffusion in the one-dimensional domain. Fick’s law assumes that equilibrium between the material surface and the external vapor is established instantaneously rather than over an extended period of time. A time dependent boundary condition has been shown to improve correlation with bulk diffusion measurements, but has not been verified experimentally. Surface moisture content in a toughened quasi-isotropic laminate system, [0/±60]s, was analyzed using Nuclear Reaction Analysis (NRA). It was found that the moisture content increased nearly linearly with time.
The relation of precordial and orthogonal leads.

A systematic search was made for the effective axes from an orthogonal lead system that best duplicated the diagnostically significant features of precordial leads. Only one of 240 precordial leads was not matched with a rotated orthogonal lead having the same features judged to be clinically significant. The average rotated lead axes corresponding to precordial leads V 1 through V 6 were systematically located from an axis directed upward and to the right corresponding to V 1 to one directed downward and to the left corresponding to V 6 . The location of these average rotated axes has been presented and the per cent contribution of XYZ leads to each of these axes has been calculated. These results provide a guide to the orthogonal lead location of diagnostic information now obtained from precordial leads.
Antibody interference with N-acyl homoserine lactone-mediated bacterial quorum sensing.

Many bacterial pathogens coordinate their virulence factor expression in a cell density-dependent manner. This population-dependent coordination of gene expression in bacteria has been termed “quorum sensing” (QS). N-Acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) are used by over 70 Gram-negative bacterial species as autoinducers. Inhibition of QS signaling might represent a new target for antimicrobial therapy. Here we report the hapten design, synthesis, generation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against AHLs, and the evaluation of these mAbs for their ability to blunt QS signaling and inhibit virulence factor expression in P. aeruginosa. The mAbs can be envisioned as a tool for future investigations into AHL-based QS, which may aid in gaining new insights into the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa and may ultimately lead to the development of new strategies to combat bacterial diseases.
Colloidal Gold Filtrates as Metal Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy

A new method for obtaining surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectra of antibodies and antibody/antigen complexes has been developed. Antibodies attached to colloidal gold particles and then collected by filtration onto porous polyethylene membranes show enhanced spectral bands at 1080 and 990 cm-1 regardless of the antibody specificity. Attachment of a model antigen, glucose oxidase, to its specific antibody/colloid complex prior to collection produces enhanced bands at 1540, 1395, and 1250 cm-1. Similarly, when the antigen Salmonella is attached to its specific antibody/colloid complex prior to collection, a new enhanced band is observed at 1015 cm-1. Similarities and differences of the SEIRA spectra obtained on gold colloid are compared to previous work on gold films.
Wave mechanics equivalent to classical mechanics

A nonlinear interaction term is added to the Schr\"odinger equation which makes it exactly equivalent to classical mechanics. In the hydrodynamic formulation of this equation, the usual classical theory is obtained. This theory is a Lagrangian density formulation of hydrodynamics and is used to calculate the density profile of superfluid helium in a line vortex. The theory can be canonically quantized, in the sense of quantum field theory, in terms of the density and velocity fields. The quantized theory is not equivalent to that which one would obtain if the quantization were done in the usual way in terms of the field operations ${\ensuremath{\psi}}^{*}$ and ($\ensuremath{\psi}$). The Schr\"odinger equation, with this interaction, has localized solutions with a definite energy and momentum and does not give quantized energy levels for a one-dimensional harmonic oscillator.
WE‐C‐BRC‐01: In Vivo Proton Beam Range Verification Using Spine MRI Changes

Purpose: Uncertainty in the location of the distal dose edge is one of the main concerns about proton therapy. It leads to cautious treatment plans that partially neutralize the dosimetric advantage of protons. Vertebral bone marrow responds to radiation with fatty replacement that is visible on post‐treatment MRI. This presents a unique opportunity to visualize radiation effectsin vivo. We have developed a method that uses spine MRI changes to precisely localize the distal dose edge in spinal protonradiation patients. Method and Materials: We carefully registered treatment planningCT scans and follow‐up T1‐weighted MRI scans from 10 proton spinal radiation patients. A radiationdose‐MRI signal intensity curve was created using the lateral beam penumbra in the sacrum. This curve was then used to quantitatively examine possible systematic or spatially varying proton range errors. Results: In the lateral penumbra there was a gradual increase in signal intensity with higher dose throughout the full dose range of 0–37.5 Gy. In the distal dose fall‐off region, the beam appeared to penetrate farther than planned in the central part of the vertebral bodies. The mean overshoot in five patients was 2.71 mm (95% confidence interval 1.13–4.28 mm). These errors are probably not clinically significant with current treatment planning procedures. Conclusion: We have demonstrated in vivoproton range verification based on post‐treatment spine MRI changes. Our analysis indicates that if range errors occur in spine treatments, their magnitude is at most a few millimeters in the majority of patients. It may be possible to extend our technique to MRI sequences that show early bone marrow changes. It could then be used for adaptive modification of spine radiation plans in order to reduce radiationdose to bone marrow and other normal tissues.
Spray combustion theory

Abstract The coupled steady-state equations of motion of a statistical ensemble of spherical droplets and a coexisting multicomponent reacting gaseous continuum are derived under the assumption that the induced random fluctuations in the properties of the fluid are negligible. These equations are reduced to a form appropriate for describing the one-dimensional flow of a fluid containing a spray which is stationary with respect to the gas. The burning-rate eigenvalue problem for one-dimensional heterogeneous combustion processes of the type A → n B is formulated, and an analysis for sprays composed of uniform droplets illustrates the properties of the eigenvalue. An approximate analytical solution for the burning velocity is shown to be in numerical agreement with experiments on tetralin.
View-obstruction problems in n-dimensional geometry

Abstract Let Sn denote the region 0 Δ(C, α) = {αC + (m 1 + 1 2 ,…,m n + 1 2 ): m 1 ,…,m n non-negative integers}. The view-obstruction problem for C is the problem of finding the constant K(C) defined to be the lower bound of those α such that any half-line L given by xi = ait (i = 1,2,…,n), where the ai(1 ⩽ i ⩽ n) are positive real numbers and the parameter t runs through [0, ∞], intersects Δ(C, α). The simplest choices for C are the n-dimensional cube with side 1 and the n-dimensional sphere with diameter 1: let λ(n) and ν(n), respectively, denote the constant K(C) in these cases. Elementary geometry is enough to prove that λ(2) = 1 3 and ν(2) = 1 √5 . The paper uses a method partly analytic and partly combinatorial to prove that λ(3) = 1 2 . The conjecture λ(n) = (n −1) (n + 1) for each n ⩾ 2 is stated, and a connection with a certain Diophantine approximation problem is shown.
X‐Ray Microprobe for Fluorescence and Diffraction Analysis

X-ray diffraction and x-ray-excited fluorescence analysis are powerful techniques for the nondestructive measurement of crystal structure and chemical composition. X-ray fluorescence analysis is inherently nondestructive, with orders-of-magnitude lower power deposited for the same detectable limit as with fluorescence excited by charged particle probes. X-ray diffraction analysis is sensitive to crystal structure with orders-of-magnitude greater sensitivity to crystallographic strain than electron probes. When a small-area x-ray microbeam is used as the probe, chemical composition, crystal structure, crystalline texture, and crystalline strain distributions can be determined. These distributions can be studied both at the surface of the sample and deep within the sample. Current state-of-the-art can achieve an ∼1-μm diameter x-ray microprobe and an ∼0.1 μm diameter x-ray microprobe has been demonstrated. Despite their great chemical and crystallographic sensitivities, x-ray microprobe techniques have until recently been restricted by inefficient x-ray focusing optics and weak x-ray sources; x-ray microbeam analysis was largely superseded by electron techniques in the 1950s. However, interest in x-ray microprobe techniques has now been revived by the development of efficient x-ray focusing optics and ultra-high-intensity synchrotron x-ray sources. These advances have increased the achievable microbeam flux by more than 12 orders of magnitude; the flux in a tunable 1 μm-diameter beam on a so-called third-generation synchrotron source such as the Advanced Photon Source (APS) can exceed the flux in a fixed-energy mm2 beam on a conventional source. These advances place x-ray microfluorescence and x-ray microdiffraction analysis techniques among the most powerful techniques available for the nondestructive measurement of chemical and crystallographic distributions in materials. This article reviews the physics, advantages, and scientific applications of hard x-ray (E > 3 keV) microfluorescence and x-ray microdiffraction analysis. Because practical x-ray microbeam instruments are extremely rare, a special emphasis will be placed on instrumentation, accessibility, and experimental needs which justify the use of x-ray microbeam analysis. Keywords: X-ray fluorescence analysis; competitive techniques; related techniques; principles; X-ray; microfluorescence analysis; X-ray microdiffraction analysis; practical aspects; microbeam applications; strain distribution; method automation; sample preparation; data analysis; initial interpretation; problems
Opposing effects of ethanol and nicotine on hippocampal calbindin-D28k expression

Abstract Long-term ethanol exposure produces multiple neuroadaptations that likely contribute to dysregulation of Ca2+ balance and neurotoxicity during ethanol withdrawal. Conversely, nicotine exposure may reduce the neurotoxic consequences of Ca2+ dysregulation, putatively through up-regulation of the Ca2+-buffering protein calbindin-D28k. The current studies were designed to examine the extent to which 10-day ethanol exposure and withdrawal altered calbindin-D28k expression in rat hippocampus. Further, in these studies, we examined the ability of nicotine, through action at α 7 ∗ -bearing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), to antagonize the effects of ethanol exposure on calbindin-D28k expression. Organotypic cultures of rat hippocampus were exposed to ethanol (50–100 mM) for 10 days. Additional cultures were exposed to 500 nM (–)-nicotine with or without the addition of 50 mM ethanol, 100 nM methyllycaconitine (an α 7 ∗ -bearing nAChR antagonist), or both. Prolonged exposure to ethanol (≥50 mM) produced significant reductions of calbindin-D28k immunolabeling in all regions of the hippocampal formation, even at nontoxic concentrations of ethanol. Calbindin-D28k expression levels returned to near-control levels after 72 h of withdrawal from 10-day ethanol exposure. Extended (–)-nicotine exposure produced significant elevations in calbindin-D28k expression levels that were prevented by methyllycaconitine co-exposure. Co-exposure of cultures to (–)-nicotine with ethanol resulted in an attenuation of ethanol-induced reductions in calbindin-D28k expression levels. These findings support the suggestion that long-term ethanol exposure reduces the neuronal capacity to buffer accumulated Ca2+ in a reversible manner, an effect that likely contributes to withdrawal-induced neurotoxicity. Further, long-term exposure to (–)-nicotine enhances calbindin-D28k expression in an α 7 ∗ nAChR–dependent manner and antagonizes the effects of ethanol on calbindin-D28k expression.
The pseudophosphatase MK‐STYX inhibits stress granule assembly independently of Ser149 phosphorylation of G3BP‐1

The pseudophosphatase MK-STYX (mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphoserine/threonine/tyrosine-binding protein) has been implicated in the stress response pathway. The expression of MK-STYX inhibits the assembly of stress granules, which are cytoplasmic storage sites for mRNA that form as a protective mechanism against stressors such as heat shock, UV irradiation and hypoxia. Furthermore, MK-STYX interacts with a key component of stress granules: G3BP-1 (Ras-GTPase activating protein SH3 domain binding protein-1). Because G3BP-1 dephosphorylation at Ser149 induces stress granule assembly, we initially hypothesized that the inhibition of stress granules by MK-STYX was G3BP-1 phosphorylation-dependent. However, in the present study, using MK-STYX constructs and G3BP-1 phosphomimetic or nonphosphorylatable mutants, we show that MK-STYX inhibits stress granule formation independently of G3BP-1 phosphorylation at Ser149. The introduction of point mutations at the ‘active site’ of MK-STYX that convert serine and phenylalanine to histidine and cysteine, respectively, is sufficient to generate an active enzyme. In separate experiments, we show that this active mutant, MK-STYXactive, has opposite effects to wild-type MK-STYK. Not only does MK-STYXactive induce stress granules, but also it has the capacity to dephosphorylate G3BP-1. Taken together, these results provide evidence that the pseudophosphatase MK-STYX plays a key role in the cellular response to stress.
Integration of Adaptive Modulation and Channel Coding With Fountain Coding for Packet Radio Systems

We examine the integration of adaptive modulation and channel coding protocols with fountain coding in a packet radio system. We present three modes of operation for the adaptive transmission system, each of which adapts the channel code in a way that accommodates the fixed-length packets produced by the fountain encoder. Each mode works with the fountain coding system to mitigate the effects of time-varying fading on the radio links and provide high throughput.
Aldicarb treatment inhibits the stimulatory activity of macrophages without affecting the T-cell responses in the syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction.

Aldicarb, a carbamate pesticide used extensively throughout the United States, has been shown in several areas to contaminate drinking water at levels exceeding 100 p.p.b. Recent studies have suggested that aldicarb at levels well below these found in drinking water may lead to alterations in mammalian health. In the present study, we investigated the possible toxic effects of aldicarb on the mammalian immune system. Specifically examined in these studies were the effects of aldicarb on syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (SMLR) in which CD4+ T-helper cells (autoreactive T-cells) respond to self or syngeneic Ia molecules expressed on macrophages. The effect of aldicarb was delineated at both the responder and stimulator cell-level. When C3H mice were injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of 0.1-1000 p.p.b. of aldicarb, it was observed that there was a decrease in the stimulatory functions of macrophages, as studied by decreased capacity to stimulate normal autoreactive T-cells. Further analysis revealed that the decreased stimulatory capacity of macrophages from aldicarb-treated mice was not due to decrease in the expression of Ia antigens, since flow cytometric analysis of macrophages from aldicarb-treated mice demonstrated normal levels of Ia expression. Also, cell-mixing experiments failed to demonstrate any suppressor macrophages in aldicarb treated mice. Addition of exogenous interleukin-1, however, completely reconstituted the defective stimulatory activity of macrophages from aldicarb-treated mice. In contrast to these effects on macrophages, it was observed that in C3H mice treated intraperitoneally with single dose of 1-1000 p.p.b. of aldicarb, there was no evidence of alteration in the ability of autoreactive T-cells to respond to syngeneic Ia molecules expressed on normal macrophages. In addition, responsiveness of T-lymphocytes obtained from aldicarb-treated mice to allogeneic Ia antigens was also unaltered. These data suggested that aldicarb may selectively suppress the stimulatory activity of macrophages by inhibiting IL-1 mediated signal to the T-cells without directly affecting the T-cell functions.
Abundance and arm loss of the infaunal brittlestar Ophiophragmus filograneus (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), with an experimental determination of regeneration rates in natural and planted seagrass beds

The regeneration rate of arms of the infaunal brittlestar Ophiophragmus filograneus was determined in natural and planted beds of the seagrass (Halodule wrighttii) in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA in 1990. Annually, brittlestar densities did not differ on average between the two beds, but they did show marked differences on individual dates. Rates of arm loss could not be determined for the two sites separately, but were estimated for the entire area. Between 52 and 94% of the brittlestars collected showed evidence of arm regeneration. Approximately one-third of those collected were regenerating one arm, with smaller proportions regenerating two or more arms. Regeneration rate was greater overall for individuals that had lost more tissue; however, the rate of soft-tissue regeneration per arm regenerated was significantly greater for those that had lost one arm compared to those that had lost three arms. The rate of soft-tissue regeneration did not differe between individuals from the two seagrass beds, and regeneration rate was lower than reported for other infaunal brittlestars. Skeletal regeneration per arm was similar in both arm-removal treatments. This result supports the hypothesis that echinoderm skeleton is energetically inexpensive and may help to lengthen arms during early regeneration. The rate of skeletal production was three-fold greater in individuals from the planted seagrass than in those from the natural. bed. As increased skeletal regeneration requires some additional energy, this indicates a greater energy expenditure and differential allocation by brittlestars regenerating in the planted seagrass areas.
Catastrophic SEE Mechanisms and Behavior in SiC Diodes

We report on catastrophic single-event effects in silicon carbide Schottky diodes for protons and heavy ions. A power law relation describes the single-event effect response of heavy ions to the voltage rating of the device. A proposed charge collection model correlates well with the data. The proton response to voltage rating, when compared to the actual field strengths in the device plus known reaction characteristics of protons in silicon, intimates the same mechanism of defect initiated SEE that the heavy ion data exhibit.
In Vivo Dosimetry of 4-Aminobiphenyl in Rats via a Cysteine Adduct in Hemoglobin

The feasibility of monitoring doses of 4-aminobiphenyl (ABP) via adduction to hemoglobin was investigated. Rats dosed with ABP (from 0.5 micrograms/kg to 5 mg/kg) formed a stable covalent hemoglobin:ABP adduct. Approximately 5% of a single dose was bound as hemoglobin:ABP; chronic dosing led to an accumulation of the adduct to a level 30 times greater than that found after a single dose. Facile in vitro hydrolysis of the adduct regenerated ABP, allowing detection at the sub-ng level. Human hemoglobin was also readily adducted, using N-hydroxy-ABP in vitro. The predominant site of adduction appeared to be the cysteine residue in hemoglobin. The use of such adducts as dosimeters for arylamine exposures in humans is discussed.
Peer Attitudes Effects on Adolescent Substance Use: The Moderating Role of Race and Gender

We examined the relationship between adolescents’ perceptions of their close friends’ attitudes about substance use, and their own use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Using data from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a multistage area probability sample sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (n = 17,865), we tested the direct and moderating effects of subgroups of race and gender on perceptions of adolescents’ close friends on past month substance use. Significant effects were found on peer attitudes influencing substance use for all race and gender subgroups. Close friends’ attitudes of indifference were associated with increased substance use and disapproval associated with reduced use, controlling for age, income, family structure, and adolescents’ own attitudes of risk of substance use. Significant moderating effects of peer attitudes on cigarette and marijuana use were found for both gender and race moderators. Conditional effects of the moderation by race were also examined for gender subgroups. The moderating effect of race on close friends’ attitudes impacting cigarette and marijuana use was stronger in magnitude and significance for females compared to males. Female marijuana and cigarette use was more influenced by close friends’ attitudes than males, and whites were more influenced by their close friends than Hispanics and blacks. White females are more susceptible to close friends’ attitudes on cigarette use as compared to white males and youth of other races. Implications for socially oriented preventive interventions are discussed.
Outcomes, proxies and standards: performance-based environmental management approaches within arbitrary (political) boundaries

Trends toward devolution and performance based environmental regulation represent the simultaneous change of two major policy variables. This poses a major challenge to the policy maker and the policy analyst alike. Although there are strong arguments suggesting caution in implementing either of these changes, given that they are happening, there is a very real need to find state level environmental indicators that are credible, representative, independent and comparable. Finding and using such indicators will mean the difference between indeterminate change in and improvement of environmental regulation in the US under the National Environmental Performance Partnership System.
PassPoints: design and longitudinal evaluation of a graphical password system

Computer security depends largely on passwords to authenticate human users. However, users have difficulty remembering passwords over time if they choose a secure password, i.e. a password that is long and random. Therefore, they tend to choose short and insecure passwords. Graphical passwords, which consist of clicking on images rather than typing alphanumeric strings, may help to overcome the problem of creating secure and memorable passwords. In this paper we describe PassPoints, a new and more secure graphical password system. We report an empirical study comparing the use of PassPoints to alphanumeric passwords. Participants created and practiced either an alphanumeric or graphical password. The participants subsequently carried out three longitudinal trials to input their password over the course of 6 weeks. The results show that the graphical password users created a valid password with fewer difficulties than the alphanumeric users. However, the graphical users took longer and made more invalid password inputs than the alphanumeric users while practicing their passwords. In the longitudinal trials the two groups performed similarly on memory of their password, but the graphical group took more time to input a password.
A Function-Based Methodology for Analyzing Critical Events

The objective of this research was to develop a function-based method for analyzing the critical sequences of events that must occur for complex space missions to be successful. The resulting methodology, the Function-based Analysis of Critical Events, or FACE, uses functional and event models to identify the changes in functionality of a system as it transitions between critical mission events. Two examples are presented that detail the application of FACE to prior mission failures including the loss of the Columbia orbiter and the failure of the Mars Polar Lander probe. The result of the research is a methodology that allows designers to not only reduce the occurrence of such failures but also analyze the specific functional causes of the failures when they do occur.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
SERS Biotags (SBTs) for the Quantitative Ratiometric Discrimination between Noncancerous and Cancerous Prostate Cells

We report on a multiplexed, ratiometric method that can confidently distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous epithelial prostate cells in vitro, as demonstrated by a double blind experiment. The technique is based on bright SERRS biotags (SBTs) infused with unique Raman reporter molecules, and carrying cell-specific peptides. Two sets of SERRS biotags were used. One targets the neuropilin-1 (NRP) receptors of cancer cells through the RPARPAR peptide. The other functions as a positive control (PC) and binds to both non-cancerous and cancer cells through the HIV derived TAT peptide. Averaging the SERRS signal over a given cell yielded an NRP/PC ratio from which a robust quantitative measure of the overexpression of the NRP-1 by the cancer cell line was extracted. The use of a local, on-cell reference produces quantitative, statistically robust measures of overexpression independent of such sources of uncertainty such as variations in the location of the focal plane, the local cell concentration and turbidity.
What does the amygdala contribute to social cognition

The amygdala has received intense recent attention from neuroscientists investigating its function at the molecular, cellular, systems, cognitive, and clinical level. It clearly contributes to processing emotionally and socially relevant information, yet a unifying description and computational account have been lacking. The difficulty of tying together the various studies stems in part from the sheer diversity of approaches and species studied, in part from the amygdala's inherent heterogeneity in terms of its component nuclei, and in part because different investigators have simply been interested in different topics. Yet, a synthesis now seems close at hand in combining new results from social neuroscience with data from neuroeconomics and reward learning. The amygdala processes a psychological stimulus dimension related to saliency or relevance; mechanisms have been identified to link it to processing unpredictability; and insights from reward learning have situated it within a network of structures that include the prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum in processing the current value of stimuli. These aspects help to clarify the amygdala's contributions to recognizing emotion from faces, to social behavior toward conspecifics, and to reward learning and instrumental behavior.
The strength of paraffin gels formed under static and flow conditions

When the temperature of a solution of paraffins in oil is dropped below the ‘cloud point’ temperature, the high molecular weight nparaffin molecules precipitate out of solution, crystallize and form a gel. The gelation and concomitant deposition of these paraffin gels in crude oil pipelines poses a major transportation problem by reducing the flow efficiency. Implementation of mechanical methods of remediation of paraffin deposition requires knowledge of the gel strength. Rheometric studies were performed on a model system to study the yield strength of paraffin–oil gels formed under various shear and thermal histories. It was observed that when the gel was formed under quiescent (shut-in) conditions, the yield stress of the gel decreased with an increasing cooling rate. However, when a shear stress was exerted on the gel during cooling (as would be experienced in a flow line), the trend of the yield stress vs. cooling rate curve was strongly influenced by the magnitude of this shear stress. Additionally, experimentation over a range of applied shear stresses revealed that the yield stress of the gel reaches a maximum at a moderate value of the applied shear. These rheometric results are explained with the help of 3-D polarized light microscopy observations of the paraffin crystal structure formed under various shear and cooling conditions using static and flow cell systems. The effects of crystal size on the gel properties are enunciated. 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Partial conjugate gradient methods for a class of optimal control problems

In this paper, we examine the computational aspects of a certain class of discrete-time optimal control problems. We propose and analyze two partial conjugate gradient algorithms which operate in cycles of s+1 conjugate gradient steps ( s \leq n = state space dimension). The algorithms are motivated by the special form of the Hessian matrix of the cost functional. The first algorithm exhibits a linear convergence rate and offers some advantages over steepest descent in certain cases such as when the system is unstable. The second algorithm requires second-order information with respect to the control variables at the beginning of each cycle and exhibits s+1 - step superlinear convergence rate. Furthermore, it solves a linear-quadratic problem in s+1 steps as compared with the m.N steps ( m = control space dimension, N = number of stages) required by the ordinary conjugate gradient method.
Beyond Parameter Estimation: Extending Biomechanical Modeling by the Explicit Exploration of Model Topology

Selecting a model topology that realistically predicts biomechanical function remains an unsolved problem. Today's dominant modeling approach is to replicate experimental input/output data by performing parameter estimation on an assumed topology. In contrast, we propose that modeling some complex biomechanical systems requires the explicit and simultaneous exploration of model topology (i.e., the type, number, and organization of physics-based functional building blocks) and parameter values. In this paper, we use the example of modeling the notoriously complex tendon networks of the fingers to present three critical advances towards the goal of implementing this extended modeling paradigm. First, we describe a novel computational environment to perform quasi-static simulations of arbitrary topologies of elastic structures undergoing large deformations. Second, we use this form of simulation to show that the assumed topology for the tendon network of a finger plays an important role in the propagation of tension to the finger joints. Third, we demonstrate the use of a novel inference algorithm that simultaneously explores the topology and parameter values for hidden synthetic tendon networks. We conclude by discussing critical issues of observability, separability, and uniqueness of topological features inferred from input/output data, and outline the challenges that need to be overcome to apply this novel modeling paradigm to extract causal models in real anatomical systems.
Effect of diabetes mellitus and chemical sympathectomy on tissue monoamine oxidase activity and norepinephrine concentration in the golden hamster

The pancreatic islets of the golden hamster have an extremely high monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and norepinephrine (NE) concentration. To determine the cellular component responsible for these high values, we assayed MAO activity and NE concentration in collagenase-isolated islets from normal, streptozotocin-induced diabetic, and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced sympathectomized golden hamsters. There was a 53% reduction in islet MAO activity in the diabetic hamsters, with no alteration in islet MAO activity in the sympathectomized ones, suggesting that the pancreatic B cells contain a large proportion of the MAO activity. There was a 98% reduction in islet NE concentration in the sympathectomized hamsters, with no alteration in islet NE concentration in the diabetic hamsters, suggesting that the adrenergic nerve endings in the islets contain the majority of the NE. There was no alteration in the MAO activity or NE concentration in th cerebral cortex, pituitary gland, liver, kidney, acinar pancreas, or heart of diabetic hamsters. Although the MAO activity of the hypothalamus was not altered, the diabetic hamsters had a 166% increase in NE and a 199% increase in dopamine in their hypothalamus, with no change in these amines in their cerebral cortex.