cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PCN13: COST OF THROMBOCYTOPENIA-RELATED BLEEDING AMONG PATIENTS WITH CANCER

OBJECTIVE: Chemotherapy-induced bone marrow toxicity is expensive because of the cost of managing complications of pancytopenia. Growth factors minimize these complications. Economic analyses of growth factors typically focus on common, less serious outcomes, rather than on rare, serious outcomes. As a result, the samples are too small to estimate the financial burden of less common outcomes; underestimation of the economic value of these agents may occur. To illustrate, we examined the cost of a less common, but serious outcome of chemotherapy, thrombocytopenia-related bleeding, in large and small samples of cancer patients. METHOD: The cost of 1562 chemotherapy cycles in 612, randomly-chosen cancer patients was estimated from retrospective review of medical and administrative databases. Cost was estimated using a resource-based strategy (pharmaceuticals, hospital and clinic costs, transfusions) from the provider's perspective, in 1999 dollars. Twelve random, 10% samples of the cycles were selected, approximating the size of most growth factor trials. Mean costs were compared with two-tailed t-tests. RESULTS: Using the entire sample, cycles with thrombocytopenia were more expensive than those without ($7933 vs 4875, p < 0.0001). Cycles with bleeding were more expensive than those without ($13,728 vs $7374, p < 0.0001). They were comparable in the costs of all inpatient and outpatient services except monitoring ($538 vs $472, p = 0.01), transfusions to prevent bleeding ($1367 vs $758, p = 0.007), and bleeding treatment ($4702 vs $0, p < 0.0001). However, the cost of cycles with bleeding (range: $8289–$16,277) was significantly higher than cycles without bleeding (range: $5796–$8872) in only 5 of the 12 small samples. CONCLUSIONS: The economic impact of uncommon, but expensive outcomes should be examined in samples large enough to permit calculation of stable estimates of cost. The high cost of rare outcomes such as bleeding will be better appreciated, as will the importance of avoiding such episodes by preventing thrombocytopenia.
Acidic ionic liquid/water solution as both medium and proton source for electrocatalytic H2 evolution by [Ni(P2N2)2]2+ complexes

The electrocatalytic reduction of protons to H(2) by [Ni((P(Ph)(2)N(C6H4-hex))(2)(2)]((BF(4))(2) (where P(Ph)(2)N(C6H4-hex)(2) = 1,5-di(4-n-hexylphenyl)-3,7-diphenyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane) in the highly acidic ionic liquid dibutylformamidium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide shows a strong dependence on added water. A turnover frequency of 43,000-53,000 s(-1) has been measured for hydrogen production at 25 °C when the mole fraction of water (χ(H(2)O)) is 0.72. The same catalyst in acetonitrile with added dimethylformamidium trifluoromethanesulfonate and water has a turnover frequency of 720 s(-1). Thus, the use of an ionic liquid/aqueous solution enhances the observed catalytic rate by more than a factor of 50, compared to a similar acid in a traditional organic solvent. Complexes [Ni((P(Ph)(2)N(C6H4X))(2)(2)]((BF(4))(2) (X = H, OMe,CH(2)P(O)(OEt)(2), Br) are also catalysts in the ionic liquid/water mixture, and the observed catalytic rates correlate with the hydrophobicity of X.
An improved solution of the Q-problem for radiative equilibrium

Abstract The Q-problem of radiative equilibrium is solved by employing quadrature methods once the singularity of the integral equation's kernel is removed by the use of Loyalka's method. Numerical results are then obtained by the solution of a set of linear algebraic equations. Improved accuracy can be obtained by high quadrature orders or by extrapolation of lower order results.
Tertiary Organizational Structures — South Manchester Community College: A Case Study

(1991). Tertiary Organizational Structures — South Manchester Community College: A Case Study. Journal of Further and Higher Education: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 80-88.
Differential expression of early and late embryonic histone genes in adult tissues of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

Abstract The sea urchin synthesizes distinct classes of histone mRNAs at different stages of development. “Early” embryonic histone mRNAs are synthesized in large amount in cleavage and blastula stage embryos. “Late” embryonic histone mRNAs are the predominant forms in postblastula embryos. To learn more about how early and late histone genes are regulated during the life cycle of the sea urchin and to search for additional classes of developmentally regulated histone mRNAs, we examined histone mRNAs in sea urchin adult tissues. Using methods of primer extension and S1 nuclease protection, we found that tube foot, intestine, testis, and ovary contain a subset of the several H2b mRNA species synthesized by the embryo. We detected early H2b mRNA in ovary, but not in other tissues. Three late H2b mRNA species were present in all tissues tested, while a fourth late H2b was not detected. Using a probe that hybridized specifically with transcripts of a single-copy late H2b gene, we found that this gene was transcribed in both embryos and adults. Interestingly, its level of expression relative to other late H2b genes varied among tissues. Finally, we identified two H2b mRNA species that were distinct from early and late embryonic forms and were synthesized only in adult tissues.
Comparison of vector space model methodologies to reconcile cross-species neuroanatomical concepts.

Generating informational thesauri that classify, cross-reference, and retrieve diverse and highly detailed neuroscientific information requires identifying related neuroanatomical terms and acronyms within and between species (Gorin et al., 2001) Manual construction of such informational thesauri is laborious, and we describe implementing and evaluating a neuroanatomical term and acronym reconciliation (NTAR) system to assist domain experts with this task. NTAR is composed of two modules. The neuroanatomical term extraction (NTE) module employs a hidden Markov model (HMM) in conjunction with lexical rules to extract neuroanatomical terms (NT) and acronyms (NA) from textual material. The output of the NTE is formatted into collections of term- or acronym-indexed documents composed of sentences and word phrases extracted from textual material. The second information retrieval (IR) module utilizes a vector space model (VSM) and includes a novel, automated relevance feedback algorithm. The IR module retrieves statistically related neuroanatomical terms and acronyms in response to queried neuroanatomical terms and acronyms. Neuroanatomical terms and acronyms retrieval obtained from term-based inquiries were compared with (1) term retrieval obtained by including automated relevance feedback and with (2) term retrieval using “document-to-document” comparisons (context-based VSM). The retrieval of synonymous and similar primate and macaque thalamic terms and acronyms in response to a query list of human thalamic terminology by these three IR approaches was compared against a previously published, manually constructed concordance table of homologous cross-species terms and acronyms. Term-based VSM with automated relevance feedback retrieved 70% and 80% of these primate and macaque terms and acronyms, respectively, listed in the concordance table. Automated feedback algorithm correctly identified 87% of the macaque terms and acronyms that were independently selected by a domain expert as being appropriate for manual relevance feedback. Context-based VSM correctly retrieved 97% and 98% of the primate and macaque terms and acronyms listed in the term homology table. These results indicate that the NTAR system could assist neuroscientists with thesauri creation for closely related, highly detailed neuroanatomical domains.
A RATE THEORY APPROACH TO TIME DEPENDENT MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT DURING IRRADIATION

Abstract A fully dynamic rate theory for modeling the behavior of point defects in metals during time dependent irradiations has been formulated. The state variable approach has been used to determine the microstructure and defect concentrations as a function of time. The resulting system of stiff non-linear first order ordinary differential equations is solved by the GEAR Program and incorporated into a FORTRAN Computer Code, TRANSWELL. This code has been developed to solve the previous system of equations under a variety of irradiation conditions. It is shown that the point defect and microstructural behavior during the transient phase of an irradiation is quite different than that found after steady state operation.
Novel Segmentation Technique Applied To Phase Detection In Teleseismic And Regional Seismic Waveforms

A novel technique is presented for segmenting seismic waveforms. The method produces waveform segments which closely correspond to explosion and earthquake signal onsets as well as additional structure of interest. Noise spikes or glitches are also successfully isolated. The approach uses threshold parameters obtained from human segmentation judgment tests and requires only simple, time domain calculations.
An Instrumental Analysis Laboratory Using Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence

An undergraduate instrumental analysis laboratory exercise is presented for the characterization of light emission generated using electrochemiluminescence (ECL). ECL involves the electrochemical generation of excited states and as such is a sensitive probe of electrochemical, electron-transfer and energy-transfer processes at electrified interfaces. An objective of this experiment is to have students develop an understanding of the mechanisms and factors affecting ECL. Also, this exercise gives students experience in coupling two powerful analytical techniques: electrochemistry and spectroscopy. With the recent development of ECL technology for use in clinical diagnostics applications, this exercise also facilitates discussions on the importance of basic research and the practical aspects of taking a technology from the bench top to commercial reality.
Elementary introduction to the Green’s function

A technique, using the method of variation of parameters for solving differential equations, is developed for introducing Green’s functions early in an undergraduate curriculum. Various examples are presented.
Tracking STAT nuclear traffic

Accurate cellular localization is crucial for the effective function of most signalling molecules and nuclear translocation is central to the function of transcription factors. The passage of large molecules between the cytoplasm and nucleus is restricted, and this restriction affords a mechanism to regulate transcription by controlling the access of transcription factors to the nucleus. In this Review, we focus on the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family of transcription factors. The regulation of the nuclear trafficking of STAT-family members is diverse. Some STAT proteins constitutively shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm, whereas others require tyrosine phosphorylation for nuclear localization. In either case, the regulation of nuclear trafficking can provide a target for therapeutic intervention.
Decay properties of microwave-magnetic-envelope solitons in yttrium iron garnet films

Microwave magnetic envelope (MME) wave-packet propagation in a 7.2-{mu}m-thick yttrium iron garnet film has been investigated to determine the decay properties of linear and nonlinear MME pulses. The data were obtained in the magnetostatic backward volume wave configuration with an in-plane static field of 1088 Oe and an operating frequency of 5 GHz. Output pulse profiles, peak powers, and integrated pulse energies were measured for 13 ns wide input pulses and propagation distances from 3 to 10 mm. The pulse energy decay rate {beta} is found to be 10.6{times}10{sup 6} rad/s and independent of the input power level up to 400 mW, even though the nonlinear response begins at 80 mW. This {beta} value is twice the relaxation rate {eta} from ferromagnetic resonance. In the linear regime below 80 mW, the amplitude decay rate {alpha} of the dynamic microwave magnetization peak amplitude is nearly constant at a value {alpha}{sub low}{approx}7.8{times}10{sup 6} rad/s, somewhat greater than {beta}/2 and significantly less than {beta}. This {alpha}{sub low} is greater than the decay rate due to damping, {eta}={beta}/2, because of dispersion. With the onset of the nonlinear soliton response above 80 mW, {alpha} gradually increases and saturates for input powers greater than 200 mWmore » at a value {alpha}{sub high} equal to the energy decay rate {beta}. This result indicates that the amplitude decay rate for MME solitons is very close to twice the relaxation rate. This result is predicted in the limit of a vanishingly small damping. Experimentally, it appears to be valid even when the relaxation is significant. The transition region from {alpha}{sub low} to {alpha}{sub high} has been quantitatively modeled through the nonlinear Schroedinger equation, and demonstrates an explicit change in the critical propagation length for soliton formation from 8 mm at the low power end of the transition to 3 mm at the high power end. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}« less
The “fetus-infant”: Changing classifications ofIn Utero development in medical texts

This paper examines several aspects of the changing cultural classifications of reproduction through a close reading of obstetrics textbooks. Through the discursive construction of the fetus in obstetric texts, medical accounts are beginning to classify the fetus as a baby. In investigating this transformation, I focus upon two cognitive processes: the splitting of the fetus apart from the pregnant woman and the concurrent lumping of two distinct mental entities—a fetus and an infant into one new medical category: the fetus-infant. In addition, textual evidence shows a shift in cognitive orientation away from classifying fetuses based on gestational age to an emphasis on what I term functional age. Further, new knowledge enables physicians to affect functional age, making the fetus with mature function in utero conceptually no different from a baby.
Deep brain stimulation in Tourette's syndrome

A 48-year-old man with severe, lifelong Tourette's syndrome (TS) characterized by forceful self-injurious motor tics and obsessive-compulsive disorder was treated with bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS). The decision to treat was based on his progressive neurological impairment (left sided weakness secondary to spinal cord injury) because of his relentless, violent head jerks. Electrodes were implanted at the level of the medial part of the thalamus (centromedian nucleus, the substantia periventricularis, and the nucleus ventro-oralis internus). DBS resulted in a substantial reduction of tics. These data show that bilateral DBS of the thalamus can have a good effect on severe tics in adult patients suffering from intractable TS.
Carbon nanostraws: nanotubes filled with superparamagnetic nanoparticles.

A two-step magnetically assisted capillary action method is demonstrated as a facile technique to produce hollow carbon nanotubes filled with uniformly dispersed Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). Template-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown CNTs with average diameter 200–300 nm and length 5–6 µm were effectively used as 'nanostraws' to suck in chemically synthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticles (mean size ~6 nm) in a ferrofluid suspension. Temperature and magnetic field-dependent DC magnetization measurements indicate that these functionalized nanotubes are superparamagnetic at room temperature with enhanced interparticle interactions due to the close packing of the nanoparticles within the tubes. Magnetic relaxation phenomena in these filled nanotubes are probed using frequency-dependent AC susceptibility. The reasonably large saturation magnetization (Ms = 65 emu g−1) attained in these nanostructures makes them very promising for a diverse set of applications that utilize both the magnetic and dielectric functionalities of these composite nanotube materials.
A multicenter, open label trial of azithromycin vs. amoxicillin/clavulanate for the management of acute otitis media in children

ObjectiveThis randomized, open label study compared the efficacy and safety of a 5-day course of once daily azithromycin to those of a 10-day course of three times daily amoxicillin/clavulanate.MethodsOne hundred sixty-nine children with confirmed acute bacterial otitis media were randomized to trea
The Conjunction Fallacy: Differential Incidence as a Function of Descriptive Frames and Educational Context

Abstract The frequency of the conjunction fallacy, in which individuals report that the conjunction of two events is more rather than less likely than one of the events alone, was assessed in college students when questions were asked with and without a “framing description,” when nothing was known about the person being judged, in questions presented in a more qualitative format, and between groups studying different subjects. The frequency of the fallacy varied sharply across student groups and groups differed in their susceptibility to contextual effects. Importantly, the conjunction fallacy occurred for about one-quarter of subjects even when the framing description was eliminated and the question worded to facilitate a logical approach. Experiment 2 found that subjects’ descriptions of their problem-solving strategies appeared largely unrelated to their performance. In Experiment 3, logic students performed the task near the end of their course; a substantial number, 43%, committed the fallacy. In Experiment 4, 41% of students committed the fallacy even without the framing description.
Doppler shift compensation for spaceborne optical communication using a Faraday anomalous dispersion optical filter (FADOF)

Optical frequency offset-locking is demonstrated for application to Doppler shift compensation for a spaceborne optical communication system using a laser diode transmitter and a narrow band-pass filter with a small tuning range at the receiver. The system performs closed loop computer control of a laser diode output frequency and allows tuning of this frequency with respect to a reference. A tuning range of 21 GHz and a tuning speed of 44 THz/sec is demonstrated while maintaining a transmitting stability of <80 MHz. The theory modeling the system is shown to have agreement with the experimental results to within 5%.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Simulation of HF propagation through a grid of conducting rods with application to forest modeling

The results of method of moments simulations of a grid of conducting rods are shown. Treating the grid of rods as a composite medium, a technique is presented to extract relative permittivity for the medium. It is shown that a grid of perfectly conducting rods form a medium with plasma-like dispersion. Finally, the effects of varying the characteristics of the grid are presented with variation of the rods' conductivity having the most significant effect on the dispersion characteristic.
Early Systems Thinking and Technical Analysis: Linking JCIDS and Acquisition

Concept development for materiel solutions begins in parallel with capabilities -based assessment , ahead of formal acquisition. It must rest on a sound analytical foundation in order to enhance the quality and fidelity of proposed future system concepts being considered in an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA). Planners and developers must employ fundam ental Systems Engineering (SE) principles to develop , analyze, and evaluate a variety of new material solutions to military shortfalls on the basis of a validated set of mission - based requirements . The Air Force is introdu cing the "Concept Characterization and Technical Description" (CCTD) to capture a concept 's analytical basis; it includes key information such as v arious SE and architecture products , cost estimates, maturation paths for critical technologies, etc . Review of CCTDs for technical su fficienc y should prevent less - than -adequately -developed concepts from being presented at a Materiel Development Decision (MDD) or proposed for inclusion in an AoA Study Plan, and should enable "apples - to -apples " comparison of viab le alternatives during the AoA.
Matrix metalloproteinase production in regenerating axolotl spinal cord

In urodele amphibian spinal cord regeneration, the ependymal cells lining the central canal remodel the lesion site to favor axonal regrowth. We profiled the production of matrix metalloproteinases by injury-reactive mesenchymal ependymal cells in vivo and in vitro and found that matrix metalloproteinases are involved in this remodeling process in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). The production of cell-associated matrix metalloproteinases in vivo was shown to be identical to that in our cultured ependymal cell model system. Activated and zymogen forms of matrix metalloproteinases were identified using zymography, chemical inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases, and cleavage of propeptides by organomercurials. The principal cellular proteinases consisted of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (gelatinase A) and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (type I collagenase), which display characteristic shifts in molecular weight following proenzyme processing by organomercurials. In addition, ependymal cell conditioned medium contained secreted forms of the enzyme undetectable in situ. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (gelatinase B) as well as matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-1 were secreted and casein substrate zymography showed the presence of a small amount of a very high molecular weight matrix metalloproteinase-3 (prostromelysin) secreted into the culture medium. Matrix metalloproteinases were still present at 4 weeks post-lesioning when the ependymal cells have just re-epithelialized, but decreased near the completion of regeneration (8 weeks post-lesioning). Zymography showed no detectable matrix metalloproteinases in unlesioned cord but the presence of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in intact cord was seen by Western blotting. This study shows that matrix metalloproteinases are associated with urodele spinal cord regeneration and validates the use of our ependymal cell tissue culture model system to evaluate ependymal cell behavior during spinal cord regeneration.
Inverse problem with quasi-homogeneous sources

The problem is discussed of determining the distribution of the intensity and of the degree of spectral coherence of a planar, secondary quasi-homogeneous source from the cross-spectral density function of the field measured over any plane that is parallel to the source. A solution to this problem is presented under the assumption that the degree of spectral coherence g(ρ1 − ρ2, ω) of the quasi-homogeneous source does not vary appreciably across the source over distances |ρ1 − ρ2| that are of the order of or less than the wavelength λ corresponding to the frequency to. The results are illustrated by computational reconstruction of Gaussian-correlated quasi-homogeneous sources.
Distribution of a world space for real-time 3D applications

Due to limited resources, a single game server used in video game/simulation applications can host a limited number of clients in a single world space. In recent years, distributed systems have been used to reduce this limitation. Most of these recent systems do not enable interconnectivity between the game servers over the Internet. We propose an architecture that will enable server interconnectivity over the Internet. Our proposed scheme assigns segments of the simulation's world space to different servers. This scheme is seamless and transparent to the end users. The proposed scheme was tested on a popular open-source video game. To evaluate our system, the communication between the clients and the server side was monitored. A decline in the bandwidth usage on a per server basis was observed, suggesting that our system could effectively distribute a video game server.
Anterior cruciate ligament replacements: a mechanical study of femoral attachment location, flexion angle at tensioning, and initial tension.

We examined three surgical variables that affect the ability of an anteior cruciate ligament replacement to restore the limit of anterior tibial translation. These were the placement site of the substitute on the femur, the initial tension applied to the replacement, and the flexion angle of the knee at the time of tensioning. An anterior load of 100 N was applied to the tibia. As the knee was flexed, we measured the tensile force in the substitute and the anteroposterior position of the femur relative to the tibia. Placement largely determined whether the force in the replacement increased or decreased with flexion. Placement also largely determined whether the tibia moved anteriorly or posteriorly with flexion compared to its position in the intact knee. The initial tension and the flexion angle at tensioning affected the magnitude of force in the substitute and the magnitude of the change in AP position. They did not affect how force and AP position changed with flexion. Greater increases in force and greater posterior shifts in tibial position were produced by changing the flexion angle at tensioning from 0° to 30° than by increasing the initial tension from 22 to 44 N.
Historical vignettes of the thyroid gland

Although "glands" in the neck corresponding to the thyroid were known for thousands of years, they were mainly considered pathological when encountered. Recognition of the thyroid gland as an anatomical and physiological entity required human dissection, which began in earnest in the 16th century. Leonardo Da Vinci is generally credited as the first to draw the thyroid gland as an anatomical organ. The drawings were subsequently "lost" to medicine for nearly 260 years. The drawings were probably of a nonhuman specimen. Da Vinci vowed to produce an anatomical atlas, but it was never completed. Michelangelo Buonarroti promised to complete drawings for the anatomical work of Realdus Columbus, De Re Anatomica, but these were also never completed. Andreas Vesalius established the thyroid gland as an anatomical organ with his description and drawings in the Fabrica. The thyroid was still depicted in a nonhuman form during this time. The copper etchings of Bartholomew Eustachius made in the 1560s were obviously of humans, but were not actually published until 1714 with a description by Johannes Maria Lancisius. These etchings also depicted some interesting anatomy, which we describe. The Adenographia by Thomas Wharton in 1656 named the thyroid gland for the first time and more fully described it. The book also attempted to assign a function to the gland. The thyroid gland's interesting history thus touches a number of famous men from diverse backgrounds.
Comparison of the Histopathology of Immediate and Late Asthmatic and Cutaneous Responses in a Rabbit Model

The histopathologic changes in the skin and lung in the immunized rabbits are summarized in Table 1. At 30 minutes, cutaneous reaction sites and the submucosa of large airways displayed interstitial edema and vessel dilatation, while the small airways remained uninvolved. At 6 hours, both cutaneous reaction sites and the submucosa of large airways showed a moderate perivascular and interstitial cellular infiltrate with residual edema. In addition, the bronchiolar walls showed an intense, widespread mixed cellular infiltration. Similarly, there was widening of the vessel adventitia due to lymphatic dilatation and leukocyte infiltration. At 48 hours, while the edema had cleared, there was an increase in the mixed cellular infiltrate about both pulmonary and skin vessels and large and small airways. These observations showed that immunized rabbits challenged with antigen develop cutaneous and pulmonary inflammation. In conclusion, the immediate and late cutaneous responses in the rabbit model are similar to those described in the human skin. In this rabbit model, pulmonary changes are similar to those found in the skin. Thus, the pulmonary pathology in the rabbit model may be similar to the pathologic events that occur in allergic humans who have immediate and late asthmatic responses following an encounter with an antigen.
Application of GAB model for water sorption isotherms of food products.

The present investigation deals with analyzing the validity of GAB model for isotherms of different food products. The model was found satisfactory for different food products with different shapes of isotherms under widely varying conditions (temperature: 4–140C; moisture %D.B.: 2–71; activity: 0.059–0.99). The present study covered a wide range of food products from green vegetables, fruits, cereals and nuts to casein, pectin and protein. Food products with complex molecular struture and high sugar contents were also included. A non linear regression method was applied to evaluate the six parameters of the GAB model. The Guggenheim constant, factor for multilayer molecules and the monolayer moisture were assumed to follow an Arrhenius type relationship with temperature variation. The values of net isosteric heat ofsorption obtained by GAB model and Clausius Clapeyron equation were compatible. Monolayer moisture values for food products obtained by GAB model were in agreement with values reported in the literature.
An Integrative Model Of Organizational Trust

Scholars in various disciplines have considered the causes, nature, and effects of trust. Prior approaches to studying trust are considered, including characteristics of the trustor, the trustee, and the role of risk. A definition of trust and a model of its antecedents and outcomes are presented, which integrate research from multiple disciplines and differentiate trust from similar constructs. Several research propositions based on the model are presented.
Canadian intelligence: An insider's perspective

(1999). Canadian intelligence: An insider's perspective. Canadian Foreign Policy Journal: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 127-132.
Epigenetics and Diabetes Risk: Not Just for Imprinting Anymore?

Relationships of maternal obesity, diabetes, and nutrition during pregnancy with birth weight and in turn relationships between birth weight and risk of obesity and diabetes in later life have long been observed (rev. in 1). Elucidating the etiology of these relationships is challenging given that mammalian mothers impart both genes and intrauterine environment to their offspring. One factor that may play a role is epigenetics. Epigenetic effects are defined as heritable changes to DNA structure that do not involve changes to the DNA sequence. Unlike sequence changes, they can be reset or undone under certain conditions such as in early development. Mechanisms include changes in histone deacetylation and methylation of cytosines in CpG clusters (2). An epigenetic phenomenon that is well-documented in humans and may be the first that springs to mind is genomic imprinting, whereby during germ cell development, regulatory regions of certain genes are differentially methylated and expressed depending on whether the gene is inherited from the mother or father (2). Imprinting impacts several genes, including some in which mutation of the expressed copy or disturbance of normal imprinting is involved in both most cases of the rare transient neonatal form of diabetes (3) and, based on recent evidence, apparently some cases of polygenic type 1 (4) and 2 (5) diabetes as well. However, other factors, including environmental stimuli, can induce epigenetic changes as well (6–8); thus imprinting is not the only epigenetic mechanism potentially involved in diabetes and the related phenotypes of obesity and metabolic syndrome (9). Moreover, imprinting is not the only example of the phenomenon of …
Gendered Differences: Postmodern Feminist Perspectives and Young Women Identified as “Emotionally Disabled”

Little consideration has been given to adolescent girls identified as having emotional disabilities in either the research or clinical literature. Social workers continue to use developmental theories that are based on males, and thus contribute to the persistent silence about the needs of this population. Feminist and postmodern perspectives can serve to highlight how dominant discourses around "gender/7 "emotional disabilities/7 and "psychological development" influence social work theory and practice with this population. This paper uses feminist and post­ modern re-visions of developmental theories to deconstruct the current research and clinical practices with female adolescents and shows how these re-visions can inform our thinking about adolescent girls identified as having emotional or behavioral disabilities.
Regulation of oxygen affinity by quaternary enhancement: does hemoglobin Ypsilanti represent an allosteric intermediate?

Recent crystallographic studies on the mutant human hemoglobin Ypsilanti (beta 99 Asp-->Tyr) have revealed a previously unknown quaternary structure called "quaternary Y" and suggested that the new structure may represent an important intermediate in the cooperative oxygenation pathway of normal hemoglobin. Here we measure the oxygenation and subunit assembly properties of hemoglobin Ypsilanti and five additional beta 99 mutants (Asp beta 99-->Val, Gly, Asn, Ala, His) to test for consistency between their energetics and those of the intermediate species of normal hemoglobin. Overall regulation of oxygen affinity in hemoglobin Ypsilanti is found to originate entirely from 2.6 kcal of quaternary enhancement, such that the tetramer oxygenation affinity is 85-fold higher than for binding to the dissociated dimers. Equal partitioning of this regulatory energy among the four tetrameric binding steps (0.65 kcal per oxygen) leads to a noncooperative isotherm with extremely high affinity (pmedian = .14 torr). Temperature and pH studies of dimer-tetramer assembly and sulfhydryl reaction kinetics suggest that oxygenation-dependent structural changes in hemoglobin Ypsilanti are small. These properties are quite different from the recently characterized allosteric intermediate, which has two ligands bound on the same side of the alpha 1 beta 2 interface (see ref. 1 for review). The combined results do, however, support the view that quaternary Y may represent the intermediate cooperativity state of normal hemoglobin that binds the last oxygen.
Bioinspired Dynamic Sensing of Acoustic Waves

Biosonar is one of the most capable active senses found in nature and in engineering. It enables certain bat species, such as the horseshoe bats (family Rhinolophidae) and the Old World leaf-nosed bats (family Hipposideridae) to navigate and pursue prey in dense natural environments. Bats from these families also stand out for the dynamics of their biosonar systems that is evident in shape-changing baffles that diffract the ultrasonic wave packets on emission as well as on reception. Some of the acoustic effects predicted for the dynamics in bats have been reproduced qualitatively with a simple biomimetic sonar head. Experimentation with this biomimetic system shows that the dynamic baffles are capable of creating time-variant signatures that could be employed to enhance the encoding of sensory information. Such time-variant sensing paradigms may not be unique to biosonar but may also play a role in the control of the bat’s time-variant flight.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
A 5.4W X-band gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier in an encapsulated organic package

Gallium nitride (GaN) amplifiers are inherently well suited for high power applications, but their increased power densities call for high thermal conductivity (k) substrates, such as copper (Cu) or aluminum nitride (AlN), to provide adequate thermal management. Thus, low-cost/low-k substrates, such as organics, have been traditionally overlooked for GaN-based amplifiers. In this paper, an encapsulated package is investigated to circumvent the thermal limitations of liquid crystal polymer (LCP), one such organic, while leveraging its multilayer and microwave advantages. An X-band GaN PA in such a package has been designed and fabricated, showing a PAE of 38% and PSAT of 5.4W under CW operation, or 49% PAE and 7W PSAT at 50% duty cycle.
The Role of Mitigation and Conservation Measures in Achieving Compliance with Environmnetal Regulatory Statutes: Lessons from Section 316 of the Clean Water Act

Although environmental regulatory agencies have endorsed widespread use of mitigation measures and reviewing courts have upheld its use, agencies and courts have failed to provide a legal rationale for using mitigation in lieu of the technology-based or other controls provided in regulatory statutes. Some environmental advocates have attacked the use of mitigation as unlawful and appropriate. This article seeks to resolve the controversy and legal uncertainty over mitigation by providing a general theory of the legality and appropriateness of using mitigation measures to satisfy environmental regulatory requirements. Mitigation measures reduce or eliminate the adverse environmental effects imposed by pollution sources, development projects, and other regulated activities by enhancing the environmental resources subject to the stresses that such activities impose or by providing substitute resources. Examples of mitigation measures include wetlands and habitat restoration, acquisition and preservation, emissions and effluent trading, and fish stocking, fish ladders, and construction of artificial reefs. The article concludes that the use of such mitigation measures in lieu of stressor-based regulatory controls is lawful and appropriate if the mitigation measures achieve the applicable statutory criterion of protection for the environmental resource in question (for example, to "minimize adverse environmental impact"), and use of mitigation is not precluded by the statute. The mere failure of the statute to explicitly authorize or mention mitigation does not preclude its use in cases where mitigation measures can satisfy regulatory objectives and their performance can be effectively monitored and enforced. The article also argues that NEPA and "wholesale" application of Chevron deference to the widespread use of mitigation by federal regulatory agencies provide affirmative legal authority for use of mitigation, notwithstanding the failure of a relevant statute to mention mitigation. Under this test, some statutory provisions, such as the Clean Water Act provisions for technology-based effluent limitations, preclude use of mitigation, but most do not. The article uses this conceptual framework to analyze the use of mitigation under Section 316 of the Clean Water Act (which deals with point source thermal discharges and cooling water intakes), Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (wetlands regulation), the Endangered Species Act, the emissions and effluent trading programs adopted by EPA under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, NEPA, and a variety of other federal and state environmental statutes. It concludes that the use of mitigation is lawful and appropriate for implementing many environmental regulatory statutes, and that EPA should endorse this conclusion in its pending Section 316(b) Clean Water Act rulemaking in the specific context of regulation of cooling water intakes.
Social Indicator Variations Across Watersheds: Implications for Developing Outreach and Technical Assistance Programs

ABSTRACTCurrent policy regarding nonpoint source pollution reduction in the United States involves encouraging voluntary adoption of Best Management Practices. Supporting the voluntary adoption of any practice requires the right combination of education, outreach, assistance, and incentives. Developing this combination necessitates an understanding of the target audience. The Social Indicators Planning and Evaluation System (SIPES) was developed to capture social information about target audiences through the use of customized but consistent survey questions. Close examination and comparison of data collected using SIPES reinforce that social characteristics differ between watersheds and that project managers in one area should not rely on descriptions from another when planning their outreach, education, and technical assistance programs. Policymakers should consider funding community-based watershed organizations to collect social data to improve targeting of water quality restoration efforts.
Citrus tristeza virus infection in sweet orange trees and a mandarin × tangor cross alters low molecular weight metabolites assessed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS)

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) (genus Closterovirus) is a plant pathogen which infects economically important citrus crops, resulting in devastating crop losses worldwide. In this study, we analyzed leaf metabolite extracts from six sweet orange varieties and a mandarin × tangor cross infected with CTV collected at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center (LREC; Exeter, CA). In order to analyze low volatility small molecules, the extracts of leaf metabolites were derivatized by N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl-trifluoracetamide (MSTFA). Chemical analysis was performed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to assess metabolite changes induced by CTV infection. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hotelling’s T2 were used to identify outliers within the set of samples. Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) was applied as a regression method. A cross-validation strategy was repeated 300 times to minimize possible bias in the model selection. Afterwards, a representative model was built with a sensitivity of 0.66 and a specificity of 0.71. The metabolites which had the strongest contribution to differentiate between healthy and CTV-infected were found to be mostly saccharides and their derivatives such as inositol, d-fructose, glucaric and quinic acid. These metabolites are known to be endogenously produced by plants, possess important biological functions and often found to be differentially regulated in disease states, maturation processes, and metabolic responses. Based on the information found in this study, a method may be available that can identify CTV infected plants for removal and halt the spread of the virus.
Modification of the behavioral hierarchy of Pleurobranchaea

1. Unrelated acts of behavior inPleurobranchaea are organized into a behavioral hierarchy (Fig. 1), in which feeding behavior takes precedence over righting behavior and over withdrawal of the head and oral veil from tactile stimulation. The present paper examines the effect on the behavioral hierarchy of one form of experience that affects feeding motivation, namely, food satiation. 2. Feeding specimens to satiation with raw squid increased the threshold of the feeding response measured using dilutions of squid homogenate (Fig. 4). These and the following effects of satiation were determined by comparing experimental (sated) to control (unsated) specimens using a “blind” experimental protocol, and were evident within minutes of satiation (Figs. 15, 16). 3. Application of squid homogenate before and at various times after satiation suppressed righting behavior (Figs. 5, 6), whether or not feeding behavior occurred (Fig. 6). 4. Strong tactile stimulation of the oral veil with a constant-strength mechanical stimulator (Fig. 2) caused withdrawal of the head and oral veil. This response remained constant over 10 trials repeated every 60 s (Fig. 3). In unsated specimens, the presentation of squid homogenate reduced the withdrawal response to 50–75% of control values (Figs. 7, 9), providing a quantitative demonstration of the dominance of feeding over withdrawal. Application of squid homogenate at various times after satiation did not suppress withdrawal (Figs. 7, 9) unless active feeding behavior occurred (Figs. 8, 10). 5. The data show that the usual dominance of feeding behavior over righting behavior is independent of feeding motivation and dependent only on the presence of chemosensory stimuli that cause feeding. In contrast, the usual dominance of feeding behavior over withdrawal is dependent on the execution of feeding behavior. 6. These behavioral observations suggest a dual cellular mechanism for the dominant position of feeding in the behavioral hierarchy (Fig. 17): direct inhibition of subordinate behaviors by sensory pathways that cause the dominant behavior (in the case of feeding versus righting); and inhibition of subordinate behaviors by central neurons that control the dominant behavior (in the case of feeding versus withdrawal).
Life History Studies of Pepsis and Hemipepsis Wasps in California (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae)

Wasps of the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis are our largest hymenoptera. A large Pepsis is about an inch and a half long; the tarantulas, their common prey and provision for the young of these wasps, are our largest spiders. Encounters between “tarantula hawks”, as these big wasps are frequently called, and tarantulas have often been observed and occasionally recorded in literature. But there has not been much information on what species of wasp attacks what species of tarantula, nor on some of the aboveground operations subsequent to these encounters. This paper supplies some of these data, and partly fills in the almost complete void hitherto existing on the early stages of these pepsine wasps, as well as the operations of the mother wasp in the dark underground where she prepares the way for her offspring that she will never see.
Temperature variation during the estrous cycle: Active vs restricted rats

Eight female hooded rats were divided into two groups, one active (unrestricted) and another severely restricted in muscular activity. Colonic temperatures and vaginal smears were taken daily to determine body temperature throughout one natural estrous cycle. Body temperatures for the active and restricted groups were about the same for all phases of the estrous cycle except early estrus. During this phase the restricted group, as predicted, demonstrated a much greater dip in temperature than did the active group. It was hypothesized that the increase in running activity one normally records during estrus is a temperature control mechanism rather than an indicant of increased drive.
Preparation of permanent microslides of fungi for reference and teaching.

Using a modification of the Riddel slide culture technic and the Papanicolaou stain, permanent microslides were made of 25 different species of aerobic fungi. This method gives excellent differentiation of hyphae and spores while preserving growth patterns.
Optimizing Next-Generation Mobile Networks Using Frequent Sequential Pattern Mining

With the increasing number of mobile users and the high volume of traffic that exists in modern mobile networks, it is evident that new methods for uncovering the patterns that exist within the usage data need to be developed. We present an algorithm called Prefix-based Mobility Mining (PRIMO) that combines frequent sequential pattern mining and association rules to build a system that can be used to improve traffic handling and predict the future actions of users in a network. We also introduce an application called AndroidMiner that explores the applicability of pattern mining to the mobile computing environment. When a mobile user interacts with a network they are often in contact with multiple cell towers. Employing the sequential nature with which the identifiers of these towers can be collected, we can effectively generate frequent sequences that represent the towers a user or group of users are most frequently interacting with. By representing the interactions of mobile users with networks as frequent sequences, we can effectively develop an understanding of traffic patterns that exist within a mobile network. An understanding of the trends of mobile networks can easily be applied to load balancing or improving location-based services.