cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generalized Time-Varying Effect Models for Binary and Count Outcomes

In this chapter, we discuss extensions of time-varying effect modeling (TVEM) for binary and count outcomes. Specifically, this chapter will present model specification and interpretation of (a) logistic TVEM for binary dependent variables and (b) Poisson TVEM for count dependent variables. Interpretation of logistic models will cover time-varying logistic regression coefficients, odds ratios, and predicted probabilities. We will guide the reader through an empirical example that estimates the age-varying prevalence of past-year hypertension and estimates the age-varying effects of sex, racial/ethnic group, and their interaction on past-year hypertension. Interpretation of Poisson models will cover time-varying regression coefficients, incidence rate ratios, and predicted counts. An empirical example is included that estimates the age-varying mean number of drinks during one’s typical drinking occasion during the past year. The age-varying effects of sex, racial/ethnic group, and their interaction are similarly examined.
Replacing hybrid density functional theory: motivation and recent advances

Density functional theory (DFT) is the most widely-used electronic structure approximation across chemistry, physics, and materials science. Every year, thousands of papers report hybrid DFT simulations of chemical structures, mechanisms, and spectra. Unfortunately, hybrid DFT's accuracy is ultimately limited by tradeoffs between over-delocalization and under-binding. This review summarizes these tradeoffs, and introduces six modern attempts to go beyond them while maintaining hybrid DFT's relatively low computational cost: DFT+U, self-interaction corrections, localized orbital scaling corrections, local hybrid functionals, real-space nondynamical correlation, and our rung-3.5 approach. The review concludes with practical suggestions for DFT users to identify and mitigate these tradeoffs' impact on their simulations.
Elbow varus torque and ball velocity associations in high school and professional pitchers with increased sagittal-plane trunk tilt.

BACKGROUND Increased sagittal-plane trunk tilt is thought to increase drive in the anterior direction toward home plate, transferring energy from the trunk to the distal upper extremity, ultimately generating greater ball velocity. Increased sagittal trunk tilt has also been implicated in the risk of upper-extremity joint loading in baseball pitchers by way of elbow varus torque (EVT), a metric previously associated with elbow injury in professional pitchers. The purposes of this study were (1) to compare sagittal trunk tilt positioning between high school and professional pitchers throughout the pitch and (2) to identify the potential associations between sagittal-plane trunk tilt, ball velocity, and EVT for both cohorts. METHODS Professional and high school pitchers were instructed to throw fastballs while being evaluated with 3-dimensional motion capture (480 Hz). Sagittal trunk tilt motion throughout the pitching motion was compared between cohorts from maximum knee height to maximum shoulder internal rotation. To assess the effects of sagittal-plane trunk tilt on ball velocity and EVT, linear mixed-effect models were created. RESULTS Professional pitchers (n = 100, 882 pitches) achieved greater sagittal trunk tilt than high school pitchers (n = 57, 519 pitches) during early portions of the pitching motion, including maximum positive sagittal trunk tilt (46.6° ± 8.3° vs. 43.6° ± 10.2°, P = .042). Professional pitchers also had greater sagittal trunk tilt excursion throughout the pitch motion (68.0° ± 11.4° vs. 62.5° ± 11.0°, P = .004). For every 10° increase in sagittal trunk tilt at ball release for professional pitchers, ball velocity increased by 0.36 m/s (B = 0.036 and β = 0.194, P < .001) or 0.9% average ball velocity whereas EVT increased by 0.14% body weight × body height (B = 0.014 and β = 0.159, P < .001) or 2.9% average normalized EVT. For every 10° increase in sagittal trunk tilt at ball release for high school pitchers, ball velocity increased by 0.34 m/s (B = 0.097 and β = 0.025, P = .025) or 1.1% average ball velocity whereas EVT increased by 0.07% body weight × body height (B = 0.007 and β = 0.086, P = .016) or 1.7% average normalized EVT. CONCLUSION Increased positive sagittal-plane trunk tilt was significantly associated with greater ball velocity and increased EVT for both professional and high school pitchers. Peak EVT estimates were consistently more pronounced than ball velocity benefits for both populations, suggesting that no specific time point may provide a ball velocity benefit while concomitantly minimizing EVT. Both professional and high school pitchers should consider this trade-off, which may influence injury risk, when engaging in higher degrees of positive sagittal-plane trunk tilt.
Cell Cycle Regulation. Bifurcation Theory

In earlier case studies, we have seen how a molecular control system can be described by a system of nonlinear differential equations (a ‘dynamical system’), and that solutions of these equations can be identified with laboratory observations and can predict the outcome of novel experiments. We called this approach the ‘dynamical perspective on molecular cell biology.’ In this case study we elaborate on this notion by showing that the behavior of a dynamical system can be characterized by a ‘bifurcation diagram,’ which indicates how the dynamical variables of the system respond to changes in parameter values. A bifurcation diagram is a mathematician’s depiction of a physiologist’s signal-response curve, which measures how some adaptable characteristic of a cell (i.e., a variable in the mathematical model) responds to changes in the cell’s external environment or internal conditions (i.e., a parameter in the model). A summary of the generic bifurcations of dynamical systems is, in this context, a catalog of the basic types of signal-response curves that can be exhibited by living cells. We apply this idea to a model of cell cycle regulation in fission yeast.
Measurements of lepton-jet azimuthal decorrelation and 1-jetttiness event shape at high $Q^2$ in deep inelastic scattering (DIS) with the H1 experiment at HERA

Recent progress towards realizing the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) that was announced in 2020 to be built at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in the United States has revived interests in the deep-inelastic-scattering (DIS) data taken from $ep$ collisions at Hadron-Electron Ring Accelerator (HERA). The H1 detector equipped with tracking and fully instrumented calorimeter detectors in its hermetic and asymmetric design is well suited for jet and event shape measurements. Proposed measurements involving jets, global events shapes and correlations in DIS for HERA and EIC focus on the three-dimensional description of nucleon structure and hadronization and their their flavor dependence as well as precision measurements for QCD and BSM. This contribution presents recent results on the lepton-jet azimuthal decorrelation and the 1-jettiness event shape measurements performed using the DIS data at high $Q^2$ taken with the H1 detector at HERA.
Patterns of U and V Displacements Around Cracks in Aluminum by Moire Interferometry

In-plane displacement fields around fatigue cracks in aluminum alloys 7075-T6 and 6061-T6 are revealed by high-sensitivity moire interferometry. Excellent patterns, with sensitivity corresponding to moire with 2400 l/mm (60,960 l/in.), were obtained. The basic concepts of moire interferometry, including the technique for producing crossed-line specimen gratings, are reviewed.
Mathematical matrix theory of the field in n-dimensional metric space: rigorous derivation of the equations of the field with application in electromagnetic-gravitational fields

During the last century the tensor theory of the gravitational field was developed. We propose and develop the novel, pure mathematical, matrix theory of the field in n-dimensional metric space. The definition of the mathematical field matrix and the equations of motion of the mathematical point are given. The interpretation of the nature of the mathematical field and the mathematical points can be different and depends on our knowledge of the nature. It is shown that the equations of motion are different for symmetric and antisymmetric field matrices. In the matrix field theory the equations of the field are rigorously derived. This theory reveals that in the 4-dimensional metric space the field matrix is the electromagnetic-gravitational field matrix, where the antisymmetric part is the matrix of electromagnetic field and the symmetric part is the gravitational field matrix. The partial cases of this matrix are electric-gravitational, magnetic-gravitational and gravitational field matrices. It is shown that the elements of all obtained matrices are the Christoffel symbols of the first and the second order or their derivatives.
Genetic variation in glycosylation of the fourth component of murine complement. Association with hemolytic activity

The molecular basis for variation in the Mr of the C4 alpha-chain of the fourth component of murine complement from several strains was investigated. All strains were capable of incorporating radiolabeled mannose into the alpha-chain of C4 from peritoneal macrophage cultures. In most cases, carbohydrate was found on both alpha-chain autolytic fragments produced by denaturation of the native C4. However, mice bearing the H-2 haplotypes w7, w16, and w19 produce C4 with no carbohydrate on the larger (COOH-terminal) autolytic fragment. This lack of carbohydrate is sufficient to cause the difference in Mr seen in the C4 alpha-chain from these mice. The chemical removal of all carbohydrate abrogated this difference. The levels of C4 antigen in the plasma of mice from these three strains are normal while the levels of hemolytic activity are reduced 60-80%. This suggests a strong role for carbohydrate in the functional properties of C4.
Chapter 37 Mobility and stability: The dynamics of job change in labor markets

Three central facts describe inter-firm worker mobility in modern labor markets: (1) long-term employment relationships are common; (2) most new jobs end early; and (3) the probability of a job ending declines with tenure. Models based on firm-specific capital provide a parsimonious explanation for these facts, but it also appears that worker heterogeneity in mobility rates can account for much of what we observe in these data. I investigate tests of the specific capital model and consider whether these tests are successful in distinguishing the specific capital model from a model based on heterogeneity. One approach uses longitudinal data with detailed mobility histories of workers. These analyses suggest that both heterogeneity and specific capital (implying true duration dependence in the hazard of job ending) appear to be significant factors in accounting for mobility patterns. A second approach is through estimation of the return to tenure in earnings functions. This is found to have several weaknesses including the endogeneity of tenure and the lack of tight theoretical links between tenure and accumulated specific capital and between productivity and wages. A third approach is to use data on the earnings experience of displaced workers. Several tests are derived based on these data, but there is generally an alternative heterogeneity-based explanation that makes interpretation difficult. Nonetheless, firms appear willing to pay to encourage long-term employment relationships, and they may do so because it is efficient to invest in their workforce. On this basis, I conclude that, while deriving convincing direct evidence for the specific capital model of mobility is difficult, it appears that specific capital is a useful construct for understanding worker mobility and wage dynamics
Introduction to Stochastic Models of Decision Making in Arranged Marriages

This book has one central objective and that is to demonstrate how the theory of stochastic processes and the techniques of stochastic modeling can be used to effectively model arranged marriage settings, and to use these stochastic models of arranged marriages to explain various aspects of the nature of decision making in arranged marriages. To this end, this chapter first provides a succinct introduction to arranged marriages and then it delineates the contributions of each of the book's nine analytical chapters.
A Line in the Sand

Against the Tide The Battle for America9s Beaches. Cornelia Dean. Columbia University Press, New York, 1999. 295 pp. $24.95. ISBN 0-231-08418-8. Dean weaves explanations of coastal ecology and the physics of the nearshore into her discussions of numerous attempts to protect coastal construction, many of which have led to the loss of valuable beaches.
Testing Increases Suggestibility for Narrative-based Misinformation but Reduces Suggestibility for Question-based Misinformation

A number of recent studies have found that recalling details of an event following its occurrence can increase people’s suggestibility to later presented misinformation. However, several other studies have reported the opposite result, whereby earlier retrieval can reduce subsequent eyewitness suggestibility. In the present study, we investigated whether differences in the way misinformation is presented can modulate the effects of testing on suggestibility. Participants watched a video of a robbery and some were questioned about the event immediately afterwards. Later, participants were exposed to misinformation in a narrative (Experiment 1) or in questions (Experiment 2). Consistent with previous studies, we found that testing increased suggestibility when misinformation was presented via a narrative. Remarkably, when misinformation was presented in questions, testing decreased suggestibility. Copyright # 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Overview of Physically-Based Modeling

This chapter describes physically based modeling. It discusses issues such as goals for modeling, realism, control and animation, and the relationship of physically based modeling to ideological and scientific modeling. Physically based modeling is modeling that incorporates physical characteristics into models, allowing numerical simulation of their behavior. Common elements in physically based modeling are classical dynamics with rigid or flexible bodies, interbody interaction, and constraint-based control. Physically based models are founded on mathematical equations and often involve numerically intensive computation to simulate their behavior. Physically based models most often focus on how bodies move and change shape over time. Sophisticated rendering techniques can be tied in with descriptions of the models, as rendering can be viewed as simulating a model of the interaction of light with matter. In general, physically based modeling blurs the traditional distinction between modeling, rendering, and animation.
Investigating hydrophobic ligand-receptor interactions in parathyroid hormone receptor using peptide probes.

With an increasing number of new chemical entities entering clinical studies, and an increasing share of the market, peptides and peptidomimetics constitute one of the most promising classes of therapeutics. The success of synthetic peptides as therapeutics relies on the lead optimization step in which the lead candidates are modified to improve drug-like properties of peptides related to potency, pharmacokinetics, solubility, and stability, among others. Peptidomimetics based on the N-terminal stretch of the first 11 amino acids of the PTH have been investigated as potential lead compounds for the treatment of osteoporosis. On the basis of a peptide reported in the literature, referred to here as the Parent Peptide (H-Aib-Val-Aib-Glu-Ile-Gln-Leu-Nle-His-Gln-Har-NH2), we conducted systematic SAR analyses to investigate the effects of altering peptide hydrophobicity on PTH receptor functional potency as measured by the cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) accumulation and β-arrestin recruitment assays. Among hydrophobic residues, we found that the Val2 position shows the least flexibility in terms of the SAR studies, whereas the Leu7 position appeared to be most flexible. Through circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies, we were able to establish that changes in hydrophobic residues significantly change the extent of peptide helicity and that the helical character correlates well with receptor agonist activity. Here, we report several novel PTH 1–11 peptidomimetics that show comparable or enhanced potency to stimulate Gs-signaling over β-arrestin recruitment as compared with such properties of PTH 1–34 and the Parent Peptide. Copyright © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Based Nonfluorescent Probe for Multiplex DNA Detection

To provide rapid and accurate detection of DNA markers in a straightforward, inexpensive, and multiplex format, an alternative surface-enhanced Raman scattering based probe was designed and fabricated to covalently attach both DNA probing sequence and nonfluorescent Raman tags to the surface of gold nanoparticles (DNA-AuP-RTag). The intensity of Raman signal of the probes could be controlled through the surface coverage of the nonfluorescent Raman tags (RTags). Detection sensitivity of these probes could be optimized by fine-tuning the amount of DNA molecules and RTags on the probes. Long-term stability of the DNA-AuP-RTag probes was found to be good (over 3 months). Excellent multiplexing capability of the DNA-AuP-RTag scheme was demonstrated by simultaneous identification of up to eight probes in a mixture. Detection of hybridization of single-stranded DNA to its complementary targets was successfully accomplished with a long-term goal to use nonfluorescent RTags in a Raman-based DNA microarray platform.
PHOSPHODIPEPTIDE ANALYSIS OF NONHISTONE NUCLEAR PROTEINS FROM NOVIKOFF HEPATOMA ASCITES CELLS

To study the sites of phosphorylation in nuclear proteins a simple method was developed for the isolation and analysis of phosphodipeptides. Partial acid hydrolysates of unfractionated nonhistone nuclear proteins were subjected to Dowex-1 column chromatography followed by paper electrophoresis at pH 1.8. Phosphoserine- and phosphothreonine-containing dipeptides each had characteristic mobilities in the latter system. By subtractive Edman degradation these peptides were identified as having the general structure, X-PSer or X-PThr, where X is a nonphosphorylated amino acid. The two groups of phosphodipeptides were further purified into unique peptides by two-dimensional paper electrophoresis at pH 3.6 and 6.5. Amino acid analysis, and thus nearest neighbor analysis, of phosphodipeptides from nonhistone nuclear proteins revealed that a heterogeneous group of amino acids was on the amino terminal side of phosphoserine residues. In contrast, phosphothreonine residues were predominantly preceded by proline.
The University of Michigan 83-inch cyclotron: Part II: The magnetic field

This section describes the magnetic field configuration, the method of measurement, and the results of the measurements on the 83-inch magnet.
An hypothesis approach to the solution of anagrams

The attempts of subjects to reorganize the letters of an anagram were construed as a series of hypotheses about the correct letter order. It was predicted, consequently, that variables which reduce the number of tenable hypotheses or influence the order in which hypotheses are generated will affect problem difficulty. Five such variables, plus solution word frequency, were used to predict solution probabilities in two studies. The multiple Rs obtained were .92 and .82 and the two regression equations were effectively interchangeable. The process of anagram solution was described as entailing the retrieval of words from memory storage on the basis of letter order cues generated by the subject or, less usually, present in the anagram itself.
Forming academic/community partnerships to help alleviate the clinical placement crisis

Purpose of the article: The finite number of traditional clinical placements in acute care settings is creating pressure for nursing education programs. This article describes the design and successful implementation of a non-traditional, academic clinical partnership established between a faith-based community partner and a baccalaureate nursing degree-granting academic institution. Design/method: The authors lay out a novel partnership-development concept and operationalize that concept through real-world examples. The goal of the collaborative was to screen clients of the community partner to identify cognitive impairment within this population. Additionally, nursing students were exposed to a collaborative, research project between the academic and community partner. Findings: The collaborative partnership met mutual goals. Eighty nursing students contacted over 1,400 clients, completed telephone screening of over 1,000 active clients, and performed over 75 in-home assessments for clients of the faith-based community agency. The tools used identified that approximately 30% of the community partners’ clients were living with some form of cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Both academic and community partners found the partnership effective. Over 80% of students rated the clinical experience 4 or higher on a 5-point Likert scale. Students reported satisfaction and demonstrated increased sensitivity to independent community-dwelling seniors. The community partner was able to incorporate the tools used in the project into their routine screening process for all clients.
Collective Migration Exhibits Greater Sensitivity But Slower Dynamics of Alignment to Applied Electric Fields

During development and disease, cells migrate collectively in response to gradients in physical, chemical and electrical cues. Despite its physiological significance and potential therapeutic applications, electrotactic collective cell movement is relatively less well understood. Here, we analyze the combined effect of intercellular interactions and electric fields on the directional migration of non-transformed mammary epithelial cells, MCF-10A. Our data show that clustered cells exhibit greater sensitivity to applied electric fields but align more slowly than isolated cells. Clustered cells achieve half-maximal directedness with an electric field that is 50% weaker than that required by isolated cells; however, clustered cells take ∼2-4 fold longer to align. This trade-off in greater sensitivity and slower dynamics correlates with the slower speed and intrinsic directedness of collective movement even in the absence of an electric field. Whereas isolated cells exhibit a persistent random walk, the trajectories of clustered cells are more ballistic as evidenced by the superlinear dependence of their mean square displacement on time. Thus, intrinsically-directed, slower clustered cells take longer to redirect and align with an electric field. These findings help to define the operating space and the engineering trade-offs for using electric fields to affect cell movement in biomedical applications.
Dr. Haakon Sæthre: a Norwegian neuroscientist and his resistance against Nazi Germany.

Dr. Haakon Saethre was a leader of Norwegian neurology and psychiatry. He was resourceful, compassionate and had immense pride in his independent homeland. He described Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (acrocephalosyndactyly type III). When Nazi Germany occupied Norway during World War II, Saethre fearlessly and actively resisted, from revoking his medical association membership, to hiding persecuted Jews as patients in his psychiatric ward and aiding in their escape to Sweden, to managing the largest "illegal" food warehouse in Oslo with Danish humanitarian aid. As a prominent and noticeable citizen, he was arrested and executed by the Nazis in reprisal for the resistance's assassination of a hated Norwegian Nazi. His legacy lives on in Norway, where he was honored by a scholarship fund, a portrait and multiple plaques at Ulleval Hospital, and a street and memorial statue in his hometown. He was a hero and should be remembered by all who practice neurology.
Examining the Role of Applicant Faking in Hiring Decisions: Percentage of Fakers Hired and Hiring Discrepancies in Single- and Multiple-Predictor Selection

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of applicant faking on personnel selection outcomes (fakers hired and hiring discrepancies) across single-predictor (conscientiousness alone) and multiple-predictor (combinations of conscientiousness and cognitive ability) selection methods.
Enteral feeding of the critically ill

The benefits of maintaining and stimulating gastrointestinal function in critically ill patients have led to a growing interest in the use of enteral nutrition in the critically ill, reversing a pattern of high use of parenteral nutrition in intensive care units in the last decade. In the past year, many studies have documented the importance of “early” (
Solubility of 3,4-Dinitrotoluene in Pure Water and Seawater

The solubility of 3,4-dinitrotoluene (3,4-DNT) in natural filtered seawater with ionic strength = (0.1662, 0.3352, 0.5071, and 0.6820) mol·L−1 and pure water was measured at temperatures ranging between (277 and 314) K. The solubility in seawater was lower than that in pure water. The average salting-out coefficient for 3,4-DNT was 0.13 L·mol−1, which is consistent with measurements for other isomers of dinitrotoluene. The salting-out coefficient did not show any significant variation with temperature over the range examined.
Low-temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of SiO 2

Silicon dioxide (SiO2) films, with qualities approaching to those of thermal oxide, were deposited at 40 °C in a helical resonator plasma reactor from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and oxygen discharge. The films were characterized using transmission infrared spectroscopy, variable angle spectroscopic ellisometry, and wet etch rate measurements. It was found that the TEOS/O2 ratio, R , in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of SiO2 is as important a parameter as the substrate temperature. Using low TEOS/O2 ratio (R <1:20), high quality SiO2 films could be deposited by PECVD at room temperature. At high TEOS/O2 ratio, particularly at low temperature, ethoxy ligands of the TEOS molecule are incorporated into the film disrupting the connectedness of the SiO4 tetrahedra resulting in porous, low density films with high OH content.
Understanding the effect of CNT characteristics on the tensile modulus of CNT reinforced polypropylene using finite element analysis

Abstract The focus of this study is to understand the reinforcing efficiency of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in polymers through finite element modeling. The novelty of our work is that the probability distribution functions of CNT diameter, orientation, dispersion and waviness, determined through image analysis, are incorporated in the finite element model allowing thus for fundamental understanding of how the CNT characteristics affect the tensile modulus of CNT reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites. The presence of interphase, confirmed by atomic force microscopy, is also accounted for in our model. The image analysis approach utilizes scanning electron microscopy images of the CNT/PP composites made by melt mixing and injection molding. Model predictions are compared with the data obtained experimentally according to ASTM D638. A good agreement between the model predictions and experimental data is observed.
Inflation targeting and the inflation-inflation uncertainty relationship: evidence from Thailand

This study extends the literature on the relationships between inflation and inflation volatility by examining the impact of inflation targeting on inflation volatility in Thailand. The ARIMA–GARCH model reveals that inflation targeting marginally reduced the degree of volatility persistence in response to inflationary shocks (i.e. inflation uncertainty). Granger-causality tests show that an increase in inflation causes an increase in inflation uncertainty. However, an increase in inflation uncertainty causes a decrease in inflation. Thus, the relationship between inflation and inflation uncertainty in Thailand support Holland's (1995) stabilization hypothesis.
Hepatic expression of cytochrome P450s in hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-alpha (HNF1α)-deficient mice

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha (HNF1alpha) is a liver enriched homeodomain-containing transcription factor that has been shown to transactivate the promoters of several cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes, including CYP2E1, CYP1A2, CYP7A1, and CYP27, in vitro. In humans, mutations in HNF1alpha are linked to the occurrence of maturity onset diabetes of the young type 3, an autosomal dominant form of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in which afflicted subjects generally develop hyperglycemia before 25 years of age. Mice lacking HNF1alpha also develop similar phenotypes reminiscent of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. To investigate a potential role for HNF1alpha in the regulation of CYPs in vivo, the expression of major CYP genes from each family was examined in the livers of mice lacking HNF1alpha. Analysis of CYP gene expression revealed marked reductions in expression of Cyp1a2, Cyp2c29 and Cyp2e1, and a moderate reduction of Cyp3a11. In contrast Cyp2a5, Cyp2b10 and Cyp2d9 expression were elevated. There are also significant changes in the expression of genes encoding CYPs involved in fatty acid and bile acid metabolism characterized by a reduction in the expression of Cyp7b1, and Cyp27 as well as elevations in Cyp4a1/3, Cyp7a1, Cyp8b1, and Cyp39a1 expression. These results point to a critical role for HNF1alpha in the regulation of CYPs in vivo and suggest that this transcription factor may have an important influence on drug metabolism as well as lipid and bile acid homeostasis in maturity onset diabetes of the young type 3 diabetics.
Implementing Personalized Medicine: Development of a Cost‐Effective Customized Pharmacogenetics Genotyping Array

Although there is increasing evidence to support the implementation of pharmacogenetics in certain clinical scenarios, the adoption of this approach has been limited. The advent of preemptive and inexpensive testing of critical pharmacogenetic variants may overcome barriers to adoption. We describe the design of a customized array built for the personalized-medicine programs of the University of Florida and Stanford University. We selected key variants for the array using the clinical annotations of the Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase (PharmGKB), and we included variants in drug metabolism and transporter genes along with other pharmacogenetically important variants.
Empowering Fathers of Disadvantaged Preschoolers to Take a More Active Role in Preparing Their Children for Literacy Success at School.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a project designed to empower fathers to take a more active role in their child’s academic literacy development. The fathers were parents of children enrolled in Early Head Start or Head Start programs. Data sources included transcribed interviews with fathers, the facilitator’s journal, and field notes compiled by the researchers. Findings in three areas emerged from the data: the fathers became increasingly committed to the literacy development of their children; participants learned about and regularly engaged in a variety of emergent literacy activities with their children; and participants developed confidence in their roles as agents for change in their children’s lives.
Decentralized determinantal assignment problem: fixed and almost fixed modes and zeros

The decentralized determinantal assignment problem (DDAP) is defined as the unifying description for the study of pole and zero assignment problems under decentralized output, state feedback (DOF, DSF) and decentralized ‘squaring down’ (DSD), respectively. DDAP is reduced to a linear problem of zero assignment of polynomial combinants and a multilinear problem of restricted decomposability of multivectors. The decentralization characteristic (DC) and the decentralized polynomial Grassmann representative )D — ℝ[s] — GR) of DDAP are defined. The fixed zero polynomial of DDAP is then determined as the zero polynomial of D— ℝ[s]—GR. The canonical D—ℝ[s]—GR, (CD—R[s]—GR) and the decentralized Plucker matrix (DPM) of DDAP are introduced and necessary conditions for arbitrary assignment of the non-fixed zeros are given in terms of the DPM. The family of strongly zero non-assignable (SNA( systems is defined, and for such systems the notion of the fixed zero is extended to that of the ‘almost fixed zero’ (AFZ). An...
Free Magnetic Induction in Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance

The free precession of an ensemble of nuclear quadrupole moments in an axial electric field gradient is studied by the pulsed nuclear induction method. A quantum-mechanical analysis describes the free precession and spin echo signals which result from the application of single and double pulses of radio-frequency field at the condition of zero-field quadrupole resonance. Beat modulation effects exhibited by free precession signals in a small constant external magnetic field are predicted by analysis. An alternative semiclassical description of quadrupole precession is given, which is analogous to the macroscopic nuclear induction equations of Bloch. Theory is verified by observation of free precession signals of chlorine in NaCl${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$.
Effects of speech and print feedback on spelling by children with autism.

In this systematic replication of a previous study (R. W. Schlosser, D. M. Blischak, P. J. Belfiore, C. Bartley, & N. Barnett, 1998), the effects of speech and print feedback on spelling performance were evaluated. Four children with autism and no functional speech were taught to spell words with a speech-generating device under 3 feedback conditions. In the auditory-visual condition, children received both speech and print feedback, whereas in the auditory and visual conditions, only 1 type of feedback was provided. An adapted alternating treatments design was used. All 4 children reached criterion across conditions. Although 3 children reached criterion first with print or speech-print feedback, 1 child was most efficient with speech-print followed by speech feedback. Based on the findings of both studies, 2 distinct profiles of feedback efficiency are proposed. Children that exemplify the primarily visual profile spell words most efficiently when feedback involves print. Children that fit the auditory ...
Identifying Low-Literacy Patients

The assumption that the patient can read is integral to the doctor-patient relationship. Written questionnaires, permission to treat, informed consent, informational booklets, and therapy instruction sheets are all components of the comprehensive care of most patients. As many as 40% of adults in the United States either cannot read or possess minimal reading skills, the definition of functional illiteracy. Thus a large portion of the population confronts a real or potential barrier to their receiving appropriate and comprehensive medical care. The challenge for the health professional is to identify both the patient's reading ability and, separately, the patient's comprehension skills. Knowing this information will improve the likelihood that the patient is provided the appropriate educational medium and format.
A signature correlation study of ground target VHF/UHF ISAR imagery

VV and HH-polarized radar signatures of several ground targets were acquired in the VHF/UHF band (171-342 MHz) by using 1/35th scale models and an indoor radar range operating from 6 to 12 GHz. Data were processed into medianized radar cross sections as well as focused, ISAR imagery. Measurement validation was confirmed by comparing the radar cross section of a test object with a method of moments radar cross section prediction code. The signatures of several vehicles from three vehicle classes (tanks, trunks, and TELs) were measured and a signature cross-correlation study was performed. The VHF/UHF band is currently being exploited for its foliage penetration ability, however, the coarse image resolution which results from the relatively long radar wavelengths suggests a more challenging target recognition problem. One of the study's goals was to determine the amount of unique signature content in VHF/UHF ISAR imagery of military ground vehicles. Open-field signatures are compared with each other as well as with simplified shapes of similar size. Signatures were also acquired on one vehicle in a variety of configurations to determine the impact of monitor target variations on the signature content at these frequencies.
Part three: Hispanic drinking after migration: The case of dominicans 1

Abstract Increased reliance on alcohol and problem drinking is frequently reported for immigrants of minority group status who move to urban areas. However, for recent migrants from the Dominican Republic, alcohol consumption is lower and drinking problems are fewer due to increased economic opportunity and an emerging morality that disparages heavy drinking and reinforces economic incentives.
Calcium and the photopolarization of Pelvetia zygotes

The initially apolar zygotes of the brown algae,Fucus andPelvetia, form their main axes during the hours following fertilization and each cell expresses its axis by germinating at one location. The germinating region is destined to become the rhizoid and the rest of the zygote gives rise to the thallus. In response to unilateral blue light, the zygotes organize their developmental axes so that the rhizoids emerge on the shaded side, away from the light source. In the research reported here, the signaltransduction elements involved in the photopolarization ofPelvetia fastigiata De Toni zygotes have been investigated. It was found that exposure of zygotes to 90or 150-min pulses of unilateral light in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ completely eliminated photopolarization; that is, the cells formed their rhizoid-thallus axes randomly with respect to the light direction, while controls similarly exposed to light in normal (10 mM) Ca2+ were well polarized. When the cells were incubated in Ca2+-free sea water for an hour before being given the light pulse (while still in Ca2+-free sea water), they exhibited an unusual negative polarization: they formed their rhizoids on the hemisphere nearer the light source. Organic and inorganic calcium-channel blockers reduced or abolished photopolarization when present during light pulses. Reducing external Ca2+ to one-tenth of normal has the paradoxical effect of increasing calcium influx intoPelvetia zygotes. When zygotes were given light pulses in reduced extracellular calcium, the degree of photopolarization was increased substantially. These data are consistent with the idea that the formation of an intracellular gradient of [Ca2+] is an essential part of the polarization process. The fungus-derived calmodulin antagonist, ophiobolin A, blocked or greatly delayed germination when present continuously at a concentration of 100–300 nM. However, when present at 300 nM during a brief light pulse, it markedly increased the sensitivity of the cells to light. These results suggest that calmodulin may be the mediator of intracellular [Ca2+] gradients in the photopolarization process.
Aeolus: An optimizer for distributed intra-node-parallel streaming systems

Aeolus is a prototype implementation of a topology optimizer on top of the distributed streaming system Storm. Aeolus extends Storm with a batching layer which can increase the topology's throughput by more than one order of magnitude. Furthermore, Aeolus implements an optimization algorithm that computes the optimal batch size and degree of parallelism for each node in the topology automatically. Even if Aeolus is built on top of Storm, the developed concepts are not limited to Storm and can be applied to any distributed intra-node-parallel streaming system. We propose to demo Aeolus using an interactive Web UI. One part of the Web UI is a topology builder allowing the user to interact with the system. Topologies can be created from scratch and their structure and/or parameters can be modified. Furthermore, the user is able to observe the impact of the changes on the optimization decisions and runtime behavior. Additionally, the Web UI gives a deep insight in the optimization process by visualizing it. The user can interactively step through the optimization process while the UI shows the optimizer's state, computations, and decisions. The Web UI is also able to monitor the execution of a non-optimized and optimized topology simultaneously showing the advantage of using Aeolus.
‘Sustainability’ in ecological economics, ecology and livelihoods: a review

This article reviews the work of several sets of researchers prominent in current debates over how sustainability might be interpreted and achieved. The notion of ‘sustainable development’ has reac...
The Viscosity of Compressed Gases

New data and a new theory for the viscosity of compressed gases are presented. Data for nitrogen, hydrogen and a mixture of these gases are given, in the calculation of which, the "end effects" are not neglected as has been done in the past. Previous viscosity data are of doubtful validity owing to neglect of this factor. The theory is based on an analogy between the kinetic pressure and viscosity of a gas and is derived using an equation of state of the Lorentz type. Allowance is made for the difference between the viscosity and compressibility covolumes. The theory is substantiated experimentally and further confirmed by the recalculation of other data on the variation of Reynolds' criterion with the pressure, which is here shown to be constant. The mixture data offer a direct opportunity of comparing the Lorentz and linear rules for the calculation of the covolume of a mixture from the covolumes of the components and such comparison indicates that the Lorentz rule is not to be preferred. The substantiation of the new theory is the first direct proof of the validity of the separate treatment of the kinetic and cohesive pressures in the equation of state.
Multiple mechanisms regulate NuMA dynamics at spindle poles

The large coiled-coil protein NuMA plays an essential role in organizing microtubule minus ends at spindle poles in vertebrate cells. Here, we use both in vivo and in vitro methods to examine NuMA dynamics at mitotic spindle poles. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, we show that an exogenously expressed green-fluorescent-protein/NuMA fusion undergoes continuous exchange between soluble and spindle-associated pools in living cells. These dynamics require cellular energy and display an average half-time for fluorescence recovery of ∼3 minutes. To explore how NuMA dynamics at spindle poles is regulated, we exploited the association of NuMA with microtubule asters formed in mammalian mitotic extracts. Using a monoclonal antibody specific for human NuMA, we followed the fate of human NuMA associated with microtubule asters upon dilution with a hamster mitotic extract. Consistent with in vivo data, this assay shows that NuMA can be displaced from the core of pre-assembled asters into the soluble pool. The half-time of NuMA displacement from asters under these conditions is ∼5 minutes. Using this assay, we show that protein kinase activity and the NuMA-binding protein LGN regulate the dynamic exchange of NuMA on microtubule asters. Thus, the dynamic properties of NuMA are regulated by multiple mechanisms including protein phosphorylation and binding to the LGN protein, and the rate of exchange between soluble and microtubule-associated pools suggests that NuMA associates with an insoluble matrix at spindle poles.
Biosynthesis of 4‐Aminobutyrate aminotransferase

Mitochondrial 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase was synthesized in a cell-free reticulocyte lysate using polysomal RNA isolated from pig brain. Its primary translation product has a higher molecular mass than the mature enzyme. The difference in relative molecular mass is approximately 2000 as revealed by SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The precursor of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase recognizes polyvalent antibodies raised against the mature enzyme. The precursor of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase binds pyridoxal-5-P and displays catalytic activity. Enzymatic activity was detected using a sensitive fluorimetric method, which is based on the formation of condensation products between succinic semialdehyde and cyclohexane-1,3-dione. It is concluded that removal of an extra peptide from the precursor is not an obligatory first step in the production of biological active species.
Gene Disruption by Biolistic Transformation in Serotype D Strains of Cryptococcus neoformans

Gene disruption by biolistic transformation in serotype D strains of Cryptococcus neoformans. Fungal Genetics and Biology 29, 38-48. Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen with a defined sexual cycle and well-developed genetic and molecular approaches. Two different transformation systems have been developed, and a number of genes have been disrupted by homologous recombination. However, the frequency of homologous recombination achieved by these approaches has differed dramatically between strains of the A and D serotypes. Transformation by electroporation in serotype D strains results in homologous recombination at frequencies of 1/1000 to 1/100,000, whereas transformation by the biolistic method has resulted in gene disruption at frequencies between 2 and 50% in serotype A strains. We find that gene disruption by homologous recombination can be achieved in the congenic serotype D strain series by biolistic transformation with frequencies of approximately 1 to 4%. By this approach, we have readily disrupted the genes encoding a MAPK homolog (CPK1), the calcineurin A catalytic subunit (CNA1), and a G protein alpha subunit (GPA1). By physical and genetic methods, we show that these mutations result from targeted recombination events without ectopic integrations. Because genetic approaches can be applied in the congenic serotype D strains, our observations represent a significant advance in molecular approaches to understand the physiology and virulence of this important human pathogen.
Response to comment on the article entitled "effect of improper scan alignment on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements using stratus optical coherence tomograph" by Vizzeri G, et al published in J Glaucoma. 2008;17: 341-349.

Author(s): Vizzeri, Gianmarco; Bowd, Christopher; Medeiros, Felipe A; Weinreb, Robert N; Zangwill, Linda M
Rainfall-runoff models: A review

Abstract Rainfall-runoff research continues to focus upon the inclusion of additional modelling complexity such as hydraulics, or the subtler components of the hydrologic cycle. Recently, attention is being paid towards uncertainty and risk. This paper provides an update as to the state-of-health in the overall rainfall-runoff modelling effort. The paper indicates that as of publication date, no one rainfall-runoff model has been widely accepted as “best”.