cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isoform-specific therapeutic control of sulfonation in humans.

Abstract The activities of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of metabolites are regulated by human cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) – a 13-member family of disease relevant enzymes that catalyze transfer of the sulfuryl moiety (-SO3) from PAPS (3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfonate) to the hydroxyls and amines of acceptors. SULTs harbor two independent allosteric sites, one of which, the focus of this work, binds non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The structure of the first NSAID-binding site – that of SULT1A1 – was elucidated recently and homology modeling suggest that variants of the site are present in all SULT isoforms. The objective of the current study was to assess whether the NSAID-binding site can be used to regulate sulfuryl transfer in humans in an isoform specific manner. Mefenamic acid (Mef) is a potent (Ki 27 nM) NSAID-inhibitor of SULT1A1 – the predominant SULT isoform in small intestine and liver. Acetaminophen (APAP), a SULT1A1 specific substrate, is extensively sulfonated in humans. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is specific for SULT2A1, which we show here is insensitive to Mef inhibition. APAP and DHEA sulfonates are readily quantified in urine and thus the effects of Mef on APAP and DHEA sulfonation could be studied non-invasively. Compounds were given orally in a single therapeutic dose to a healthy, adult male human with a typical APAP-metabolite profile. Mef profoundly decreased APAP sulfonation during first pass metabolism and substantially decreased systemic APAP sulfonation without influencing DHEA sulfonation; thus, it appears the NSAID site can be used to control sulfonation in humans in a SULT-isoform specific manner.
An enhanced support vector machine model for urban expansion prediction

Abstract Given the dynamic and convoluted nature of urban expansion process and the necessity of handling continuous and categorical variables, non-normal distributed data, and non-linear relationships, urban expansion modeling is challenging. To handle these issues effectively and enhance the quality of urban expansion prediction, the capabilities of support vector machine (SVM) technique are explored in this study. A binary SVM model is developed using three different data sampling methods and nineteen predictor variables, four of which are first introduced in this study. The model is configured by regulating the penalty parameter, selecting the most appropriate kernel function, and setting the best value for the kernel function's parameter. A novel combination of goodness-of-fit metrics is used to more realistically evaluate the model accuracy to predict built and unbuilt land cells as well as changed and unchanged land cells in the whole study area. The implementation of the developed model in Guilford County, NC, over the period of 2001–2011, as a case study, demonstrated highly accurate and reliable results. The best performance of the model with the training accuracy of 98% and the testing accuracy of 85% was achieved using a balanced sampling method, fourteen predictor variables, the penalty parameter equal to 1, the radial basis function (RBF) kernel, and the value of 2 for the kernel's parameter. The urban expansion model based on SVM method can substantially improve the prediction accuracy and would be helpful for making appropriate plans and policies to mitigate the adverse impacts of urban expansion.
Managing dams for energy and fish tradeoffs: What does a win-win solution take?

Abstract Management activities to restore endangered fish species, such as dam removals, fishway installations, and periodic turbine shutdowns, usually decrease hydropower generation capacities at dams. Quantitative analysis of the tradeoffs between energy production and fish population recovery related to dam decision-making is still lacking. In this study, an integrated hydropower generation and age-structured fish population model was developed using a system dynamics modeling method to assess basin-scale energy-fish tradeoffs under eight dam management scenarios. This model ran across 150 years on a daily time step, applied to five hydroelectric dams located in the main stem of the Penobscot River, Maine. We used alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) to be representative of the local diadromous fish populations to link projected hydropower production with theoretical influences on migratory fish populations on the model river system. Our results show that while the five dams can produce around 427 GWh/year of energy, without fishway installations they would contribute to a 90% reduction in the alewife spawner abundance. The effectiveness of fishway installations is largely influenced by the size of reopened habitat areas and the actual passage rate of the fishways. Homing to natal habitat has an insignificant effect on the growth of the simulated spawner abundance. Operating turbine shutdowns during alewives' peak downstream migration periods, in addition to other dam management strategies, can effectively increase the spawner abundance by 480–550% while also preserving 65% of the hydropower generation capacity. These data demonstrate that in a river system where active hydropower dams operate, a combination of dam management strategies at the basin scale can best balance the tradeoff between energy production and the potential for migratory fish population recovery.
Modeling the effect of macular pigment enhancement on mesopic vision in degraded visual environments (DVE) in artificial light

The macular pigment is an accumulation of the dietary carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, and mezo-zeaxanthin throughout the retina but principally in the region corresponding to the central 15◦of the visual field. Since the macular pigment absorbs light in the 400 to 520 nm range, it is a spectral filter over the photoreceptors, attenuating the incident light in the macular pigment absorption spectrum. The between-subject average macular pigment optical density is about 0.2 to 0.6 log units with a range reportedly between 0 to 1.5 log units depending on the sampled population. Some people can increase their macular pigment optical density by increasing their consumption of lutein and zeaxanthin, which may have consequences for visibility in degraded visual environments (DVE). Specifically, nutritional and dietary interventions have produced statistically significant enhancements in such visual tasks as low contrast target detection, contrast sensitivity, glare resistance and recovery, etc. The question is whether these changes are operationally meaningful. The present paper models macular pigment optical density effects on mesopic vision using the current CIE recommendation for scotopic- to-photopic weighting to define mesopic spectral sensitivity. Since the scotopic spectrum overlaps that of the macular pigment more than does the photopic spectrum, the effect of the macular pigment increases as vision transitions from photopic-to-scotopic conditions. Our mesopic visibility model, an elaboration of our previously reported photopic and scotopic models, captures this effect and applies it to current light sources common in cultural lighting and to reflectance spectra we previously evaluated and reported.
A preliminary examination of the association between drinking as a typical coping strategy and level of acute alcohol consumption prior to a suicide attempt

Drinking to cope is associated with suicide ideation and attempts. Event-based research shows drinking, particularly when alcohol is consumed in large quantities, increases the intensity of suicidal thoughts and immediate risk for attempt. Such findings suggest those who typically drink to cope may be especially likely to drink heavily in the hours preceding a suicide attempt. In the first examination of the association between regular use of alcohol as a coping strategy and acute alcohol consumption prior to a suicide attempt, participants included 130 patients hospitalized for a recent attempt. The number of drinks consumed in the acute period preceding the attempt, as well as past-year heavy drinking frequency, typical drinking motives, and depressive symptoms were assessed. The unique impacts of coping motives on odds of consuming any alcohol, and of using specific amounts of alcohol in the acute period, were determined through binary and multinomial logistic regressions. Results demonstrated that commonly drinking for coping motives increased the odds of heavy drinking - but not of using alcohol at low levels - during the acute period. Results held after adjusting for relevant covariates. Clinicians should assess drinking motives and prioritize prevention of drinking to cope to reduce risk of alcohol-related suicide attempts.
‘The Cuba of Africa’: Sudan’s Socialist Networks and Narratives

This chapter uncovers the discursive strategies the Sudanese government employed to consolidate international legitimacy in the eyes of African and socialist audiences during the first three years of Nimeiri’s premiership from 1969 to 1971. Sudan’s diplomatic gains in this period are often obscured by the diplomatic respect that Sudan garnered due to the Addis Ababa Agreement of 1972 that halted Sudan’s first civil war. The chapter posits that, while war raged in the South during this period, Nimeiri’s government used Joseph Garang, a Southern Sudanese socialist thinker, to shift the government’s international “Southern Problem” discourse away from questions of racial difference to those of class conflict.
Weierstrass’ variational theory for analysing meniscus stability in ribbon growth processes

Abstract We use the method of free energy minimization to analyse static meniscus shapes for crystal ribbon growth systems. To account for the possibility of multivalued curves as solutions to the minimization problem, we choose a parametric representation of the meniscus geometry. Using Weierstrass’ form of the Euler–Lagrange equation we derive analytical solutions that provide explicit knowledge on the behavior of the meniscus shapes. Young’s contact angle and Gibbs pinning conditions are analysed and shown to be a consequence of the energy minimization problem with variable end-points. For a given ribbon growth configuration, we find that there can exist multiple static menisci that satisfy the boundary conditions. The stability of these solutions is analysed using second order variations and are found to exhibit saddle node bifurcations. We show that the arc length is a natural representation of a meniscus geometry and provides the complete solution space, not accessible through the classical variational formulation. We provide a range of operating conditions for hydro-statically feasible menisci and illustrate the transition from a stable to spill-over configuration using a simple proof of concept experiment.
OBSERVACIONES (NUEVAS Y VIEJAS) SOBRE LAS FUERZAS ARMADAS EN EL MUNDO ATLÁNTICO: LAS AMENAZAS Y DESAFÍOS ACTUALES Y FUTUROS EN PERSPECTIVA HISTÓRICA ∞

Confrontations with threats and challenges to the existence of governments and societies have marked the flow of time throughout history. Present and future threats associated, as they are, with historical and traditional challenge are, in many places, of such complexity that they already require new forms of relations between civilian authorities and the leadership of professional institutions dedicated to defense and security. These new relations will have to be based on an understanding of the processes of democratization and globalization as much as on the complex nature of conflicts that affect the security, sovereignty and stability of 21st century nation-states. As formidable as they appear, these threats and challenges may be considered current reiterations of others that mark our histories. In the Atlantic World, nowhere more so than in Latin America, the literature of the military profession has always demonstrated the recognition of lessons of the past applied to problems of the presentation aid in preparation for the future. A principal reason for this is that said literature is in and of itself the product of civil-military collaborations.
Polarization Diversity Phase Modulator for Frequency-Bin Operations with Hyperentangled Biphoton Frequency Combs

Using a polarization diversity phase modulator, we carry out projective measurements in the spectral domain to characterize frequency-bin entanglement in a hyperentangled photon pair without degrading nonclassical correlations in polarization state.
Re)Learning to Live Together in 2020

Ten years ago, the world was quite a different place with the devastation of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti, the exuberance of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the release of the first iPad, the launch of Instagram, and the beginning of Arab Spring. Fast forward to 2020 and not only is it the 10th anniversary of the Journal of International Students, but the world is facing unprecedented times with a global pandemic that has illustrated the interconnectedness of humankind like never before. We have all been reminded of the power of human connection as we experience isolation, confinement, social distancing, and even fear. We have witnessed powerful images of front-line workers giving their all, and neighbors in cities and towns across the world connecting from balconies and through windowpanes. These images have reminded us how much our lives depend on those around us, and how important it is that we renew our efforts in learning how to live together.
A Fresh Look at the Role of the Coupling of a Discrete State with a Pseudocontinuum State in the Stabilization Method for Characterizing Metastable States.

The stabilization method is widely used to theoretically characterize temporary anions and other systems displaying resonances. In this approach, information about a metastable state is encoded in ...
The application of digital speech processing to stuttering therapy

This paper presents an effective and inexpensive speech therapy tool for individuals with speech stuttering problems. The tool, known as speech fluency treatment, takes the form of software combined with the computing power available in today's personal computers. The software is written to run under Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 on an IBM compatible computer equipped with multimedia capabilities. The software works by illustrating to the client (stuttering patient) when his/her speech is irregular or different from that directed by his/her clinician. Computer generated audio and visual cues are used to illustrate where the client's speech is different from that expected by the clinician. The real-time display of the average magnitude profile corresponding to the clients spoken utterance serves as visual feedback to the client. The client can visually compare their average magnitude profile to that of the reference utterance and alter their speech to match the reference as required. The onset, start and end locations, amplitude, and duration of the two average magnitude profiles are compared. A score is assigned corresponding to the client's performance in each of these categories. The clients learn to alter their speech sound and word rate, loudness, deration and onset in order to initiate and maintain speech fluency.
Early exposure to genistein exerts long-lasting effects on the endocrine and immune systems in rats.

Although the immunologic effects of endogenous and synthetic estrogens are well studied, few studies have examined the hormonal effects of phytoestrogens (i.e., plant-derived estrogens) on the immune system. The primary goal of this study was to compare the effects of perinatal exposure with life-long exposure to genistein, an estrogenic compound in soy, on the endocrine and immune system in adulthood. Pregnant female rats were exposed to no, low (5 mg/kg diet), or high (300 mg/kg diet) genistein diets throughout gestation and lactation. At weaning, male offspring exposed to genistein perinatally were either switched to the genistein-free diet or remained on the genistein-dosed diets. At 70 days of age, immune organ masses, lymphocyte subpopulations, cytokine concentrations, and testosterone concentrations were assessed in male offspring. Data were analyzed based on the diets that males were exposed to during gestation and lactation because life-long exposure to genistein had no additional effect on any of the dependent measures. Relative thymus masses were greater among males exposed to the high genistein diet than among males exposed to no genistein. Although the proportions of splenic and thymic CD4+ T cells were not altered by genistein, the percentages of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes, CD8+ splenocytes, and total T cells in the spleen were higher and the percentages of CD4−CD8− thymocytes were lower among males exposed to genistein than among males not exposed to genistein. Synthesis of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) was marginally higher and testosterone concentrations were lower among genistein-exposed than genisteinfree males. These data illustrate that exposure to genistein during pregnancy and lactation exerts long-lasting effects on the endocrine and immune systems in adulthood. Whether exposure to phytoestrogens during early development affects responses to infectious or autoimmune diseases, as well as cancers, later in life requires investigation.
Photography in the 20th Century

Photography by its very definition is a physical and chemical process that requires the fixing of radiant energy using a photosensitive surface typically with a mechanical or electronic camera. Much can and has been written about the science and technology of this process, but it is the impact of its images on our society that has visually defined our culture and forever changed the way people have communicated following its invention.
The Feasibility and Acceptability of LISTEN for Loneliness

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the initial feasibility and acceptability of LISTEN (Loneliness Intervention using Story Theory to Enhance Nursing-sensitive outcomes), a new intervention for loneliness. Loneliness is a significant stressor and known contributor to multiple chronic health conditions in varied populations. In addition, loneliness is reported as predictive of functional decline and mortality in large samples of older adults from multiple cultures. Currently, there are no standard therapies recommended as effective treatments for loneliness. The paucity of interventions has limited the ability of healthcare providers to translate what we know about the problem of loneliness to active planning of clinical care that results in diminished loneliness. LISTEN was developed using the process for complex intervention development suggested by the Medical Research Council (MRC) [1] [2]. Methods: Feasibility and acceptability of LISTEN were evaluated as the first objective of a longitudinal randomized trial which was set in a university based family medicine center in a rural southeastern community in Appalachia. Twenty-seven older adults [(24 women and 3 men, mean age: 75 (SD 7.50)] who were lonely, community-dwelling, and experiencing chronic illness, participated. Feasibility was evaluated by tracking recruitment efforts, enrollment, attendance to intervention sessions, attrition, and with feedback evaluations from study personnel. Acceptability was assessed using quantitative and qualitative evaluation data from participants. Results: LISTEN was evaluated as feasible to deliver with no attrition and near perfect attendance. Participants ranked LISTEN as highly acceptable for diminishing loneliness with participants requesting a continuation of the program or development of additional sessions. Conclusions: LISTEN is feasible to deliver in a primary healthcare setting and has the potential to diminish loneliness which could result in improvement of the long-term negative known sequelae of loneliness such as hypertension, depression, functional decline, and mortality. Feedback from study participants is being used to inform future trials of LISTEN with consideration for developing additional sessions. Longitudinal randomized trials are needed in varied populations to assess long-term health and healthcare system benefits of diminishing loneliness, and to assess the potential scalability of LISTEN as a reimbursable treatment for loneliness.
Acetylcholine elongates neuronal growth cone filopodia via activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

In addition to acting as a classical neurotransmitter in synaptic transmission, acetylcholine (ACh) has been shown to play a role in axonal growth and growth cone guidance. What is not well understood is how ACh acts on growth cones to affect growth cone filopodia, structures known to be important for neuronal pathfinding. We addressed this question using an identified neuron (B5) from the buccal ganglion of the pond snail Helisoma trivolvis in cell culture. ACh treatment caused pronounced filopodial elongation within minutes, an effect that required calcium influx and resulted in the elevation of the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca]i). Whole-cell patch clamp recordings showed that ACh caused a reduction in input resistance, a depolarization of the membrane potential, and an increase in firing frequency in B5 neurons. These effects were mediated via the activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), as the nAChR agonist dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP) mimicked the effects of ACh on filopodial elongation, [Ca]i elevation, and changes in electrical activity. Moreover, the nAChR antagonist tubucurarine blocked all DMPP-induced effects. Lastly, ACh acted locally at the growth cone, because growth cones that were physically isolated from their parent neuron responded to ACh by filopodial elongation with a similar time course as growth cones that remained connected to their parent neuron. Our data revealed a critical role for ACh as a modulator of growth cone filopodial dynamics. ACh signaling was mediated via nAChRs and resulted in Ca influx, which, in turn, caused filopodial elongation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 73: 487–501, 2013
Inferring internet denial-of-service activity

In this paper, we seek to answer a simple question: "How prevalent are denial-of-service attacks in the Internet today?". Our motivation is to understand quantitatively the nature of the current threat as well as to enable longer-term analyses of trends and recurring patterns of attacks. We present a new technique, called "backscatter analysis", that provides an estimate of worldwide denial-of-service activity. We use this approach on three week-long datasets to assess the number, duration and focus of attacks, and to characterize their behavior. During this period, we observe more than 12,000 attacks against more than 5,000 distinct targets, ranging from well known e-commerce companies such as Amazon and Hotmail to small foreign ISPs and dial-up connections. We believe that our work is the only publically available data quantifying denial-of-service activity in the Internet.
The use of an all-or-none assay for measuring enzyme-activator dissociation constants.

Abstract The rate at which Mg2+ dissociates from the catalytically active magnesium-enzyme-substrate complex is much smaller than the catalytic rate in the phosphoglucomutase system. This observation was used in designing an all-or-none type of assay to distinguish between the free enzyme and its Mg2+ complex, and hence to measure the dissociation constant for the Mg2+ complex of phosphoglucomutase.
A review of the mechanisms of set-retardation in portland cement pastes containing organic admixtures

Abstract Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain how organic admixtures affect the hydration of cement clinker compounds. These are reviewed and discussed critically. Complex formation between the organic compounds and aluminate or silicate ions may enhance the initial reactivity of the anhydrous compounds. Set-retardation may be primarily due to retarding of the hydration of tricalcium silicate through the adsorption of organic admixtures onto calcium hydroxide nuclei. Adsorption onto the initial hydration products of tricalcium aluminate can also retard further hydration.
A practical approach to proteinuria.

Proteinuria is defined as urinary protein excretion exceeding 150 mg/day. It may result from nonpathological (posture, fever, exercise) or pathological (glomerular or tubular) processes. Glomerular proteinuria is an early sign of kidney disease and may also play a role in the progression of glomerular damage. Asymptomatic proteinuria is common; it may be transient or persistent. Transient proteinuria is a benign condition and requires no evaluation. Persistent proteinuria can be the first sign of kidney disease. Persistent proteinuria commonly results from disorders associated with increased glomerular permeability such as nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis (e.g., post-infectious, membranous, membranoproliferative, lupus, IgA), and genetic defects (Alport syndrome, mesangial sclerosis). Tubular disorders should also be considered. Evaluation for the underlying cause is traditional. Whether the early detection and evaluation of proteinuria prevents progressive disease is unknown.
A kinetic model of phosphofructokinase from plasmodium berghei—application of a novel procedure for model discrimination

Abstract A novel statistical procedure is applied to discriminate between several alternative kinetic models of the glycolytic control enzyme phosphofructokinase from the malarial parasite Plasmodium berghei . Among the Monod-models, assuming different reaction mechanisms and various modes of allosteric regulation by ATP, F6P and pH, one model was favoured which was shown to provide an adequate description of the data.
Reliability and sensitivity analysis of composite power systems considering voltage and reactive power constraints

This study investigates the effects of voltage and reactive power constraints on composite system reliability indices. Four indices have been used to assess the sensitivity of load curtailments to voltage and reactive power constraints. Furthermore, expressions to evaluate the sensitivity of the severity indices with respect to the voltage and reactive power constraints have been developed. Extensive simulations on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) reliability test system based on the AC power flow model were carried out to correlate the violations of these limits and the loading level of the system. A non-linear, AC power flow-based model has been used to accurately represent system redispatch. A state space reduction technique has been utilised to reduce the computation time. A comparison between redispatch models using AC and DC power flow has been provided to illustrate the benefits of the more accurate AC flow model and to investigate the effects of the voltage and reactive power constraints on reliability indices.
Real Money Demand, Income, and Interest Rates in Senegal: Is there a Long-Run Stable Relation?

In this paper, I examine the stability of the long-run relationship between real money demand, income, and interest rates in Senegal. Using advances in unit root and co-integration, I test for co-integration between M1 velocity, output, and the interest rate. By virtue of the fixed exchange rate regime, I used both the three months French Treasury bill and the deposit rate to proxy the opportunity cost of holding money. I used Stock and Watson (1993) DOLS in addition to an ECM. Quarterly data ranging from 1970:Q4 to 2006:Q4 is used in the analysis, and the results reveal evidence of co-integration between real money demand, income, and the interest rate. For this study, I used both an ECM co-integration test and Johansen (Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 12(2/3), 231-254, 1988) co-integration method.
tramtrack acts downstream of numb to specify distinct daughter cell fates during asymmetric cell divisions in the drosophila PNS

Asymmetric cell divisions allow a sensory organ precursor (SOP) cell to generate a neuron and its support cells in the Drosophila PNS. We demonstrate a role of tramtrack (ttk), previously identified as a zinc finger-containing putative transcription factor, in the determination of different daughter cell fates. Both loss of function and overexpression of ttk affect the fates of the SOP progeny. Whereas loss of ttk function transforms support cells to neurons, ttk overexpression results in the reverse transformation. ttk is expressed in support cells but not in neurons. It has been shown that numb, a membrane-associated protein asymmetrically distributed during the SOP division, confers different daughter cell fates. Loss of ttk or numb function results in reciprocal cell fate transformation. Epistatic studies suggest that ttk acts downstream of numb. We propose that ttk executes the command dictated by asymmetrically localized numb to specify distinct daughter cell fates during multiple asymmetric divisions.
Predicting time-delays under real-time scheduling for linear model predictive control

Digital implementations of model predictive controllers as tasks on an embedded computer introduce time-delays in feedback control loops. Time-delays may cause performance degradation or even instability, but are difficult to predict when multiple tasks are executing concurrently on the same processor under real-time scheduling. In this paper, we propose an analytical timing model for real-time scheduling. Based on this model, we are able to perform an online prediction of time-delays caused by real-time scheduling. Then, a model predictive controller is designed on the basis of a process model that contains the predicted time delays. Example designs are demonstrated to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Saturation of intervalence-band transitions in p-type semiconductors

We present a theory of the saturation of heavy-hole to light-hole band absorption in $p$-type semiconductors with the diamond or zinc-blende crystal structure by high-intensity light with a wavelength near 10 \ensuremath{\mu}m. The absorption coefficient is found to decrease with intensity in a manner closely approximated by an inhomogeneously broadened two-level model. For temperatures and hole concentrations where hole-phonon scattering dominates hole-impurity and hole-hole scattering, the saturation intensity is independent of the hole concentration. We calculate the saturation intensity as a function of excitation wavelength and temperature for $p\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Ge}$ and $p\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{GaAs}$. We find that the saturation intensity increases with photon energy and with temperature. The calculated results are compared with the available experimental data and good agreement is found.
Radioenzymatic assay for plasma dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG), dihydroxymandelic acid (DOMA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC).

Abstract An adaptation of the single-isotope radioenzymatic catecholamine assay technique allows simultaneous quantitation of free dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG), dihydroxymandelic acid (DOMA), and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in small volumes of plasma. Incubation of sample with catechol-O-methyltransferase and S-adenosylmethionine is followed by acidic extractions of metabolites and thin-layer chromatography. O-methylated products of the beta-hydroxylated metabolites DHPG and DOMA are further subjected to periodate cleavage to improve sensitivity. Quantitation by liquid scintillation counting with internal standardization results in a sensitivity of approximately 8, 30 and 70 pg for DHPG, DOMA and DOPAC. Normal values for these three metabolites in resting humans are (mean ± S.D., pg/ml): 1010 ± 280 for DHPG, 2090 ± 720 for DOMA and 3270 ± 1470 for DOPAC.
The role of temperature in seasonal variation in egg production by the copepod, Tortanus discaudatus (Thompson and Scott), in Narragansett Bay

Abstract Laboratory egg production of female Tortanus discaudatus (Thompson and Scott) collected between January and September and held at ambient Narragansett Bay temperatures varied significantly, with moderate egg production in January (18.2 eggs·female −1 ·day −1 ), a high rate of 51.5 eggs·female −1 ·day −1 in May, then a low of 4.3 eggs·female −1 ·day −1 in August. Egg size also changed over the season, with larger eggs produced when daily egg production was low. The rates of egg production of females held under experimental conditions at 2, 5, 10, and 17°C were similarly curvilinearly related to temperature with an estimated maximum at 11.22°C. Temperature effects accounted for 35% of the variance in egg production in the experiment, and individual differences, possibly age-related, accounted for an additional 26%. The experimental 5 and 10°C rates were about half those at the same seasonal temperatures. Food quality differences over the season, or between field and laboratory, may have caused the difference. The females held at 2, 5, and 10°C experimental temperatures achieved stable rates of egg production and prey consumption within 12 days. Those held at 17°C did not stabilize in either egg production or prey consumption in 12 days. High summer temperatures of Narragansett Bay waters do not appear to prevent egg production from occurring in this species but do appear to lower significantly the number of eggs released by females.
Teaching Principles of Economics without “Chalk and Talk”: The Experience of CNU Online

The age of the virtual university has arrived as computer technology, specifically the Internet, offers increased possibilities for higher education. No longer are students necessarily required to come to campus to obtain an education. With computer technology, the education comes to the student; students are freed from the time and space constraints of the traditional classroom. In addition to offering courses via computer, administrative services such as admissions, registration, advising, financial aid, and bookstore orders can be handled by computer, phone, or fax. In the United States, virtual universities have been developed by numerous private and public entities. For example, the University of Phoenix (www. uophx.edu) is a private distance-learning franchise company that provides educational opportunities for approximately 48,000 adult students. The University of California (www.california.edu) has a virtual university that coordinates all of the distance-learning opportunities offered through the state's accredited colleges and universities. Regional bodies, such as the Western Governors' Association (www.wgu.ed) and the Southern Regional Education Board (www.srec.sreb.org), have also entered the virtual university market. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is currently studying the idea of a virtual university within the Commonwealth. As a step in that direction, five Virginia institutions of higher education are offering courses through the Southern Regional Education Board's electronic campus. This electronic campus is a consortium of 50 colleges and universities throughout the South that enables students to enroll in courses whose credits can be transferred among the member institutions. At Christopher Newport University (CNU), we have been offering courses via computer since the spring 1993 semester. The CNU Online program (www.cnuonline.cnu.edu) began as a pilot system developed by CNU faculty members. In September 1994, the on-line program was formally approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia. At that time, 8 courses were offered on-line to 138 students. Gradually the program has grown to include 50 courses from 15 departments offered to over 500 students (as of the fall 1997 semester). Students can complete their general education required courses on-line and can earn four-year undergraduate degrees without ever coming to campus.
Capsid serotype and timing of injection determines AAV transduction in the neonatal mice brain.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated gene expression is a powerful tool for gene therapy and preclinical studies. A comprehensive analysis of CNS cell type tropism, expression levels and biodistribution of different capsid serotypes has not yet been undertaken in neonatal rodents. Our previous studies show that intracerebroventricular injection with AAV2/1 on neonatal day P0 results in widespread CNS expression but the biodistribution is limited if injected beyond neonatal day P1. To extend these observations we explored the effect of timing of injection on tropism and biodistribution of six commonly used pseudotyped AAVs delivered in the cerebral ventricles of neonatal mice. We demonstrate that AAV2/8 and 2/9 resulted in the most widespread biodistribution in the brain. Most serotypes showed varying biodistribution depending on the day of injection. Injection on neonatal day P0 resulted in mostly neuronal transduction, whereas administration in later periods of development (24–84 hours postnatal) resulted in more non-neuronal transduction. AAV2/5 showed widespread transduction of astrocytes irrespective of the time of injection. None of the serotypes tested showed any microglial transduction. This study demonstrates that both capsid serotype and timing of injection influence the regional and cell-type distribution of AAV in neonatal rodents, and emphasizes the utility of pseudotyped AAV vectors for translational gene therapy paradigms.
A Soviet West: nationhood, regionalism, and empire in the annexed western borderlands

This article considers the role the Soviet Union's western borderlands annexed during World War II played in the evolution of Soviet politics of empire. Using the Baltic Republics and Western Ukraine as case studies, it argues that Sovietization had a profound impact on these borderlands, integrating them into a larger Soviet polity. However, guerrilla warfare and Soviet policy-making indirectly led to these regions becoming perceived as more Western and nationalist than other parts of the Soviet Union. The Baltic Republics and Western Ukraine differed in their engagement with the Western capitalist world. Different experiences of World War II and late Stalinism and contacts with the West ultimately led to this region becoming Soviet, yet different from the rest of the Soviet Union. While the Soviet West was far from uniform, perceived differences between it and the rest of the Soviet Union justified claims at the end of the 1980s that the Soviet Union was an empire rather than a family of nations.
Scale dependence of the variance anisotropy near the proton gyroradius scale: Additional evidence for kinetic Alfvén waves in the solar wind at 1 AU

[1] The kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) has the property that for βp ∼ 1 the ratio (δB∥)2/(δB⊥)2 approaches zero in the small wave number limit k⊥ρp ≪ 1 and increases monotonically to values of order unity when k⊥ρp ∼ 1, where ρp is the thermal proton gyroradius. In this study, the wave number dependence of the ratio (δB∥)2/(δB⊥)2 is used to investigate the existence of KAWs in the solar wind near the proton gyroradius scale k⊥ρp = 1. To facilitate comparisons between theory and observations, solar wind measurements of (δB∥)2/(δB⊥)2 are restricted to times when the local mean magnetic field B0 is nearly perpendicular to the local flow velocity of the solar wind V. The quantity (δB∥)2 is the average magnetic power in the B0 direction and (δB⊥)2 is the average magnetic power in the V × B0 direction. The analysis of 20 high speed streams in the ecliptic plane near 1 AU from 2007 through 2011 consistently yield quantitatively similar results which all show a steady increase in the ratio (δB∥)2/(δB⊥)2 in the neighborhood of k⊥ρp= 1 that is in reasonable agreement with the theory of KAWs derived from the Vlasov-Maxwell dispersion relation. These results are interpreted as evidence for the existence of an axisymmetric spectrum of KAWs in the fast solar wind at wave numbers neark⊥ρp = 1 where the energy spectrum of solar wind fluctuations steepens and kinetic physics becomes important.
Health care access and utilization among US-born and foreign-born Asian Americans.

Despite efforts to eliminate inequality in health and health care, disparities in health care access and utilization persist in the United States. The purpose of this study was to compare the access to care and use of health care services of US-born and foreign-born Asian Americans. We used aggregated data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2003 to 2005, including 2,500 participants who identified themselves as Asian. Associations between country of birth and reported access and utilization of care in the previous 12 months were examined. After controlling for covariates, being foreign-born was negatively related to indicators of access to care, including health insurance (OR = 0.29, 95%CI = 0.18–0.48), routine care access (OR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.36–0.75), and sick care access [OR = 0.67, 95%CI = 0.47–0.96)]. Being foreign-born was also negatively related to all indicators of health care utilization (office visit: OR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.41–0.81; seen/talked to a general doctor: OR = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.52–0.90; seen/talked to a specialist: OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.28–0.63) but ER visit (OR = 0.84, 95%CI = 0.59–1.20). There are substantial differences by country of birth in health care access and utilization among Asian Americans. Our findings emphasize the need for developing culturally sensitive health services and intervention programs for Asian communities.
Epistemic foundations of cuisine: A socio-cognitive study of the configuration of cuisine in historical perspective

This article is a study of the development of modern European cuisine through an examination of the socio-cognitive schemas which shape the way social actors think of and about food. While the historical phase that spans from the late middle ages to modernity has been widely studied (mainly by historians) I advance a new interpretation which focuses on the influence of cognitive patterns on the structure of cuisine — the ways of eating, cooking and serving food. I argue that the shift in the mode of classification helps explain the origin of the modern configuration of cuisine built on the polarity between the sweet and savory tastes. Using the case of cuisine, I propose to see the cultural schemas which define thinking in a socio-historical context as providing the conditions of possibility for transformations in a cultural sphere to occur. This article thus attempts to contribute to our understanding of the relation between cultural practices and cognitive schemas.
Radio-to-Far-Infrared Spectral Energy Distribution and Photometric Redshifts for Dusty Starburst Galaxies

As a logical next step in improving the radio-to-submillimeter spectral index as a redshift indicator, we have investigated a technique of using the entire radio-to-far-infrared spectral energy distribution (SED) for deriving photometric redshifts for dusty starburst galaxies at high redshift. A dusty starburst SED template is developed from the theoretical understanding of various emission mechanisms related to massive star formation processes, and the template parameters are selected by examining the observed properties of 23 IR-selected starburst galaxies: Td = 58 K, β = 1.35, and fnth = 1. The major improvement in using this template SED for deriving photometric redshifts is the significant reduction in redshift uncertainty over the spectral index technique, particularly at higher redshifts. Intrinsic dispersion in the radio and far-infrared SEDs as well as absolute calibration and measurement errors contribute to the overall uncertainty of the technique. The derived photometric redshifts for five submillimeter galaxies with known redshifts agree well with their spectroscopic redshifts within the estimated uncertainty. Photometric redshifts for seven submillimeter galaxies without known spectroscopic redshifts (HDF 850.1, CUDSS 14.1, Lockman 850.1, SMM J00266+1708, SMM J09429+4658, SMM J14009+0252, and FIRBACK J1608+5418) are derived.
Design and validation of a novel Cartesian biomechanical testing system with coordinated 6DOF real-time load control: application to the lumbar spine (L1-S, L4-L5).

Abstract Robotic methods applied to in-vitro biomechanical testing potentially offer more comprehensive evaluations however, standard position control algorithms make real-time load control problematic. This paper describes and evaluates a novel custom developed Cartesian force controlled biomechanical testing system with coordinated 6 degree of freedom (DOF) real-time load control. A custom developed 6-DOF serial manipulator with cascaded force over position control algorithms was designed, assembled, and programmed. Dial gauge tests assessed accuracy of custom linear axes. Standard test input and tuning procedures refined control performance. Two single motion segment units (L4–L5) and lumbar (L1–S) spine segments were tested under continuous pure moment application in flexion–extension, left–right lateral bending and axial rotation to 8 Nm under full 6-DOF load control. Mean load control tracking errors between commanded and experimental loads were computed. Global spinal ranges of motion were compared to previously published values for standard non-robotic protocols. Individual linear and rotational axis position control accuracies were equal to or less than 6.35 μm and 0.0167° respectively. Pilot pure bending tests demonstrated stable load control performance, as well as load rates, rotational velocities, and ranges of motion comparable to those for standard non-robotic in-vitro tests. Tracking errors for zero commanded forces and all moment controlled axes were less than 0.81±0.68 N and 0.18±0.19 Nm over all tests, respectively. The Cartesian based system simplified control application and demonstrated robust position and load control that was not limited to single axis or zero commanded loads. In addition to emulating standard biomechanical tests, the novel Cartesian force controlled testing system developed is a promising tool for biomechanical assessments with coordinated dynamic load application and coupled motion response in 6DOF.
Who is now responsible for discovering and warning about adverse effects of generic drugs

Although generic drugs are bioequivalent to their brand-name counterparts, important legal distinctions between the 2 categories have resulted from 3 Supreme Court decisions. The first, Wyeth v Levine, arose after a woman developed gangrene in her forearm caused by intra-arterial injection of Wyeth’s antiemetic Phenergan (promethazine); the patient was awarded $6.7 million in damages based on her claim that the drug’s label did not sufficiently warn about its risks. In 2009, the Court upheld the award, noting that brand-name manufacturers are primarily responsible for providing accurate safety warnings for the drugs they produce. 2 The decision makes sense because premarket testing does not reveal the full range of a drug’s adverse effects, postmarket surveillance by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is insufficient, and state tort liability incentivizes manufacturers to continue monitoring the safety of their products. A second decision, PLIVA v Mensing (2011), was based on similar facts. A woman developed tardive dyskinesia after receiving PLIVA’s generic version of the gastrointestinal motility agent metoclopromide (Reglan). The patient also claimed that the manufacturer provided inadequate warning about this potential adverse effect. But the Supreme Court ruled against her, because she received a generic product. Justice Thomas held that the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires generic manufacturers to provide the same warnings provided with the brand-name version, so generic producers could not change their labels to reflect new safety knowledge. 3 This superseding federal legal requirement preempted the patient’s lawsuit.
Abdominal pain and diabetic ketoacidosis: chicken or egg

Purpose: Abdominal pain is generally accepted as a common symptom of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and thus not worked up further.