cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reductive biotransformation of tetrachloroethene to ethene during anaerobic degradation of toluene: experimental evidence and kinetics.

Reductive biotransformation of tetrachloroethene (PCE) to ethene occurred during anaerobic degradation of toluene in an enrichment culture. Ethene was detected as a dominant daughter product of PCE...
A chemoenzymatic approach toward the preparation of site-specific antibody–drug conjugates

Abstract An efficient chemical synthesis of UDP-N-azidoacetylgalactosamine (UDP-GalNAz) is presented, while the value of this molecule was demonstrated through its attachment to an antibody Fc domain. Thus, the antibody was first degalactosylated, which was followed by loading of the UDP-GalNAz with a recombinant galactosyltransferase. This engineered Azide-Fc-N-glycan antibody was subsequently ‘clicked’ by a strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction for site-specific attachment of a fluorescent probe. The principles detailed will allow for the facile preparation of chemically defined homogeneous antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs).
Mechanisms of Migration: Poverty and Social Instability in the Postwar Expansion of Central American Migration to the United States

How does migration affect the conditions in which Central Americans live and decide whether to migrate? Network theories have dominated explanations of exponentially growing migratory flows. These theories have inspired many studies on mechanisms of perpetuated migration that tend to suggest such migration can occur without any connection to poverty in sending conditions. However, fieldwork conducted in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Southern California reveals several mechanisms linking complex changes in sending conditions with Central Americans’ decisions to migrate over time. This article emphasizes how deteriorating local conditions, to some degree an effect of prior migration itself, are crucial to Central Americans’ decisions to migrate.
Nativism, Empiricism, and Ockham's Razor

This paper discusses the role that appeals to theoretical simplicity (or parsimony) have played in the debate between nativists and empiricists in cognitive science. Both sides have been keen to make use of such appeals in defence of their respective positions about the structure and ontogeny of the human mind. Focusing on the standard simplicity argument employed by empiricist-minded philosophers and cognitive scientists—what I call “the argument for minimal innateness”—I identify various problems with such arguments—in particular, the apparent arbitrariness of the relevant notions of simplicity at work. I then argue that simplicity ought not be seen as a theoretical desideratum in its own right, but rather as a stand-in for other desirable features of theories. In this deflationary vein, I argue that the best way of interpreting the argument for minimal innateness is to view it as an indirect appeal to various potential biological constraints on the amount of innate structure that can wired into the human mind. I then consider how nativists may respond to this biologized version of the argument, and discuss the role that similar biological concerns have played in recent nativist theorizing in the Minimalist Programme in generative linguistics.
Understanding and enhancing polarization in complex materials

Recent advances in theoretical methods and high-performance computing allow for reliable first-principles investigations of complex materials. This article focuses on calculating and predicting the properties of piezoelectrics and "designing" new materials with enhanced piezoelectric responses. This paper considers two systems: boron-nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and polymers in the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) family.
Investigation of Static Interfacial Fracture in Transparent Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Bimaterials Using Photoelasticity

The effects of static opening mode loading on orthotropic-orthotropic bimaterial interface cracks and isotropic-orthotropic bimaterial interface cracks has been investigated using the experimental technique of transmission photoelasticity. For successful implementation of this experimental technique transparent glass fiber reinforced polyester composite materials were developed, enabling the direct observation and recording of photoelastic fringes in the orthotropic part of the bi-material. Opening mode stress intensity factors have been calculated using the stress field equations for interfacial cracks in the proposed bimaterials in conjunction with an orthotropic stressoptic law.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Structural effects of fluorine substitution in proteins

The consequences of substitution of fluorine for the para hydrogen of a phenylalanine residue in ribonuclease-S were investigated by conformational energy calculations using the AMBER force field. Both the fluorine-containing protein and the corresponding nonfluorinated material were subjected to conformational adjustment through energy minimization and the minimum energy structures so defined were compared. Fluorine substitution leads to small alterations in many atomic positions in the protein, with adjustments at at sites more than 0.5 nm from the fluorine appearing to be somewhat larger than those within the immediate vicinity of the fluorine. Several atoms proximate to the fluorine atom were observed to move toward the fluorine while others in the same vicinity move away. The greater bulk of the fluorine atom and the strongly different electronic properties of fluorine compared to hydrogen thus appear to be insufficient to cause a consistent, unidirectional change in nearest-neighbor interactions upon introduction of a fluorine atom into a protein structure. Virtually all changes in atomic positions that are predicted by these calculations would be barely detectable by a crystallographic study with a resolution of 0.2 nm.
Errors induced by the neglect of polarization in radiance calculations for rayleigh-scattering atmospheres

Although neglecting polarization and replacing the rigorous vector radiative transfer equation by its approximate scalar counterpart has no physical background, it is a widely used simplification when the incident light is unpolarized and only the intensity of the reflected light is to be computed. We employ accurate vector and scalar multiple-scattering calculations to perform a systematic study of the errors induced by the neglect of polarization in radiance calculations for a homogeneous, plane-parallel Rayleigh-scattering atmosphere (with and without depolarization) above a Lambertian surface. Specifically, we calculate percent errors in the reflected intensity for various directions of light incidence and reflection, optical thicknesses of the atmosphere, single-scattering albedos, depolarization factors, and surface albedos. The numerical data displayed can be used to decide whether or not the scalar approximation may be employed depending on the parameters of the problem. We show that the errors decrease with increasing depolarization factor and/or increasing surface albedo. For conservative or nearly conservative scattering and small surface albedos, the errors are maximum at optical thicknesses of about 1. The calculated errors may be too large for some practical applications, and, therefore, rigorous vector calculations should be employed whenever possible. However, if approximate scalar calculations are used, we recommend to avoid geometries involving phase angles equal or close to 0 deg and 90 deg, where the errors are especially significant. We propose a theoretical explanation of the large vector/scalar differences in the case of Rayleigh scattering. According to this explanation, the differences are caused by the particular structure of the Rayleigh scattering matrix and come from lower-order (except first-order) light scattering paths involving right scattering angles and right-angle rotations of the scattering plane.
Relationship between the tissue and epimorphic regeneration of muscles.

Entire muscles in vertebrate extremities can regenerate from minced muscle fragments implanted into the bed of the removed muscle. The histological course of regeneration of muscle fibers in this system is the same as that described in damaged mammalian muscle. This type of regeneration has been called the tissue regeneration of muscle, and entire muscles have been regenerated by this mode in urodelan and anuran amphibians, birds, and mammals. Entire muscles are also formed in a regenerating limb (an epimorphic regenerative process). It is postulated that there are two fundamentally different modes of regeneration of muscles. Epimorphic regeneration is relatively slow, and the blastema seems to play an important role. The end product is morphologically and functionally perfect. Morphogenesis seems to be controlled in a manner analogous to that in the embryonic limb. The tissue regeneration of muscles is rapid, occurring without the mediation of a blastema. The end product is smaller and less well organized than a normal muscle, and its morphogenesis seems to require the function of the limb. A possible parallel reaction of skeletal elements is discussed.
1029-18 Early, Long-term Therapy with Enalapril but not Metoprolol or Digoxin Attenuates Cardiocyte Hypertrophy in Dogs with Moderate Heart Failure

LV remodeling (enlargement, sphericity and myocyte hypertrophy), is a key process in the progressive deterioration of LV function observed in heart failure (HF). In dogs with moderate HF (LV ejection fraction 30–40%), we previously showed that early, long-term (3 months) monotherapy with enalapril (ENA, 10 mg bid, n = 7) and metoprolol (MET, 25 mg bid, n = 7) but not digoxin (DIG, 0.25 mg qd, n = 7) prevented the progressive LV enlargement observed in untreated dogs (CON, n = 7). In the present study, we used the same cohorts of dogs to examine the effects of these agents on myocyte hypertrophy. Myocyte cross-sectional area (MCSA) was evaluated histologically from frozen LV sections obtained at the end of therapy. From each section, 5 fields (radial orientation). each containing at least 100 myocytes, were selected randomly for analysis using computer-based planimetry. LV tissue from 7 normal (NL) dogs was used for comparison. Average MCSA (μm2) NL CON DIG MET ENA 616 ± 18 924 ± 63 922 ± 73 979 ± 41 711 ± 58 * * P l 005 MCSA was larger in CON, MET and DIG dogs compared to NL and ENA dogs (*P l 0.05). No significant difference was present in MCSA between ENA and NL dogs. Only ENA attenuated myocyte hypertrophy in dogs with moderate HF.
Improving the performance of structure-embedded acoustic lenses via gradient-index local inhomogeneities

We investigate the use of graded inhomogeneities in order to enhance the focusing and collimation performance of structure-embedded acoustic metamaterial lenses. The type of inhomogeneity exploited in this study consists in axial symmetric exponential-like gradients of either material or geometric properties that create gradient-index inclusions able to bend and redirect propagating waves. In particular, we exploit the concept of gradient index inclusions to achieve focusing and collimation of ultrasonic beams created by embedded drop-channel lenses in both bulk and thin-walled structures. In the latter, the implementation is possible thanks to geometric exponential tapers known as Acoustic Black Holes (ABH). ABH tapers allow accurate control of the characteristics of the acoustic beam emanating from the lens channel which in the conventional design is severely affected by diffraction. The concept of beam control via graded inclusions is numerically illustrated and validated by using a combination of meth...
Understanding Coherent Transport through π-Stacked Systems upon Spatial Dislocation†

We study the electron transport through π-stacked structures bound to metallic electrodes and in particular examine both the energy dependence and the effect of spatial dislocations on the electronic transmission. We compare these results with the predictions that can be made regarding the behavior of these systems from a model of the electronic coupling matrix elements derived from the splitting of monomer molecular orbitals in the dimer structure. We show that whereas these models agree reasonably well for predictions of near-resonant transport in a small stack of substituted benzene molecules, the relationship between these two approaches is less clear in larger structures, where the mechanisms and pathways can become more complex.
Outer-planet probe/flyby missions

Results are presented for preliminary studies of low-cost outer-planet probe/flyby missions. The scientific rationale for such missions is discussed, along with possible mission modes, spacecraft concepts, launch-vehicle options, and a recommended set of outer-planet missions. Descriptions are given for a 1990 Titan probe/flyby mission and a 1991 Saturn probe/flyby mission. Projected costs are analyzed for these two missions as well as for a 1992 Neptune probe/flyby mission, a 1994 Uranus probe/flyby mission, and a 2003 Pluto flyby mission.
Influencing the future of AGU

Steve Jobs, visionary cofounder of Apple, Inc., once said, “Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future.” This statement aptly describes AGU at this time as the Board of Directors and the Council continue to influence the future in exciting ways by advancing our strategic plan (http://www.agu.org/about/mission.shtml). Both governing bodies held meetings in San Francisco immediately preceding the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting. The agendas for both meetings, along with the key outcomes, are posted on AGU's Web site (http://www.agu.org/about/governance/).
On the effects of intercritical tempering on the impact energy of Fe9Ni0.1C

Abstract The effects of intercritical tempering on the impact energy of Fe-9Ni-0.1C have been investigated. The Charpy V-notch energy at all test temperatures between 77 and 300 K increased with increasing precipitated and retained austenite up to concentrations of austenite of ≈ 14% and then decreased. Evidence for a mechanically-induced austenite → martensite transformation in the plastic zone preceding the crack tip was obtained using Mossbauer effect scattering from the fracture surface. The contribution to the impact energy from this localized TRIP mechanism is shown to be negligible compared with the scavenging effect of the austenite, removing deleterious impurities from the martensite and increasing its toughness. The decrease in impact energy for austenite concentrations in excess of ≈ 14% is attributed to the development of a nearly continuous network of austenite in interlath and prior austenite boundaries. In the plastic zone ahead of the crack, this network is transformed into brittle, untempered martensite, providing a low energy path for the advancing crack.
Retrospective Review of PRES in Lung Transplantation

Purpose The goal of this study was to determine if any common features existed amoung patients that presented with PRES like symptoms after lung transplantation. Methods and Materials A chart review was performed of patients that underwent lung transplantation at UT Southwestern from 2004 to 2012 to search for diagnoses of PRES and symptoms consistent with PRES that had not received the diagnosis during their hospital stay. Results We found 9 of 176 patients with various neurological symptoms consistent with PRES; 6 with altered mental status, 7 with visual abnormalities, 2 with headache, 2 complained of dizziness, 2 complained of nausea with emesis and 1 with seizure.[table1]Five had transplants for restrictive lung disease, two for obstructive lung disease and two for cystic fibrosis. Three had classis PRES MRI findings, one patient had bilateral optic nerve enhancement, four patients had nonspecific MRI changes and one did not have a MRI since her symptoms resolved once the cyclosporine infusion was discontinued. Seven patients showed resolutions of symptoms after calcineurin inhibitor was discontinued. One patient remained cortically blind and one developed decerebrate posturing with an irreversible, fulminant bilateral ischemic process on MRI and ultimately the family withdrew care. Conclusions We found 3 (1.7%) patients with MRI confirmed PRES; this is more that previous percentages reported in the literature but no common features were present. Six had symptoms consistent with PRES but did not have classic MRI findings consistent with PRES. It is unclear if these symptoms are due to the same pathology as PRES or if this is another process related to calcineurin inhibitors. Clinical Characteristics and Findings Age Gender Signs & Symptoms MRI consistent with PRES Resolution of Symptoms 21 F Blind N N 67 F AMS Y N 27 M HA BV Y Y 27 F Sz AMS VH Y 62 F HA BV N Y 58 M VH N Y 68 M AMS VH N Y 53 F AMS N Y 62 M AMS Blind Y Y +Blurry vision
Evaluation of oxygen dependence on in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity of photoimmunotherapy using IR-700–antibody conjugates

Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) using the near-infrared-absorbing photosensitizing phthalocyanine dye, IRDye 700DX (IR-700), conjugated with a tumor-targeting antibody such as panitumumab (Pan) has shown efficacy in in vitro studies and several preclinical models in mice with promise for clinical translation. PIT results in rapid necrotic cell death in vitro and tumor shrinkage in vivo. Photochemical studies with the Pan-IR-700 conjugate showed that this agent can support generation of singlet oxygen and also generate reactive oxygen species after exposure to near-infrared (NIR) light. Moreover, in vitro studies using A431 cells, singlet oxygen scavengers abrogated the efficacy of PIT with Pan-IR-700, while oxygen depletion to undetectable levels in the exposure chamber almost completely inhibited the cellular cytotoxicity of PIT. Survival of tumor bearing mice was prolonged in PIT-treated animals but mice whose tumors were made transiently hypoxic prior to PIT had no benefit from the treatment. The results from this study support a central role for molecular oxygen-derived species in cell death caused by PIT.
Dynamic partitioning of mitotic kinesin-5 cross-linkers between microtubule-bound and freely diffusing states.

The dynamic behavior of homotetrameric kinesin-5 during mitosis is poorly understood. Kinesin-5 may function only by binding, cross-linking, and sliding adjacent spindle microtubules (MTs), or, alternatively, it may bind to a stable “spindle matrix” to generate mitotic movements. We created transgenic Drosophila melanogaster expressing fluorescent kinesin-5, KLP61F-GFP, in a klp61f mutant background, where it rescues mitosis and viability. KLP61F-GFP localizes to interpolar MT bundles, half spindles, and asters, and is enriched around spindle poles. In fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments, KLP61F-GFP displays dynamic mobility similar to tubulin, which is inconsistent with a substantial static pool of kinesin-5. The data conform to a reaction–diffusion model in which most KLP61F is bound to spindle MTs, with the remainder diffusing freely. KLP61F appears to transiently bind MTs, moving short distances along them before detaching. Thus, kinesin-5 motors can function by cross-linking and sliding adjacent spindle MTs without the need for a static spindle matrix.
Neural computing for numeric-to-symbolic conversion in control systems

A type of neural network, the multilayer perceptron, is used to classify numeric data and assign appropriate symbols to various classes. This numeric-to-symbolic conversion results in a type of information extraction, which is similar to what is called data reduction in pattern recognition. The use of the neural network as a numeric-to-symbolic converter is introduced, its application in autonomous control is discussed, and several applications are studied. The perceptron is used as a numeric-to-symbolic converter for a discrete-event system controller supervising a continuous variable dynamic system. It is also shown how the perceptron can implement fault trees, which provide useful information (alarms) in a biological system and information for failure diagnosis and control purposes in an aircraft example. >
Understanding droplet bridging in ionic liquid-based Pickering emulsions

Abstract We have studied the unique bridging behavior of solid-stabilized oil-in-ionic liquid (IL) and water-in-ionic liquid emulsions with respect to particle concentration, particle size, and droplet phase using a confocal laser scanning microscope. The emulsions exhibited three morphology regimes: (1) single, sparingly covered droplets, (2) bridged clusters of droplets, and (3) fully covered droplets. The degree of bridging was directly proportional to the total potential bridging area which can be determined from the particle size and concentration. This type of emulsion diverges from much of the conventional wisdom of oil–water Pickering emulsions regarding the particle self-assembly onto droplet interfaces and liquid film stability. While the focus here is the bridging regime, we also report interesting observations, specifically, the deformed oil droplets and the transport of excess solid particles into the water droplets, in the fully covered droplet regime. The work identified new self-assembled particle structure and morphology in solid-stabilized emulsions.
Effects of the serotonin-uptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, on immunoreactive serotonin innervation in the rat pituitary gland.

Abstract Serotonin (5-HT)-immunoreactive innervation can be demonstrated in both the pars intermedia and pars nervosa of the rat pituitary gland. Fluoxetine hydrochloride, a 5-HT uptake inhibitor, was administered in single or multiple doses to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to examine the possibility that 5-HT present in pituitary fibers may be due to uptake of the indoleamine. Paraffin-embedded sections of pituitaries from fluoxetine-treated rats revealed diminution or loss of 5-HT fiber staining in the intermediate, but not in the neural lobe, in all animals examined. Multiple doses of fluoxetine produced the most consistent effects on immunostaining. These observations along with results of our previous studies [31] suggest that the intermediate lobe innervation immunoreactive for 5-HT may be due to uptake of indoleamine from extrinsic sources, while the pars nervosa terminals containing 5-HT most likely originate from 5-HT neuronal perikarya in the lower brainstem or hypothalamus.
The Hydrophobic Effect Contributes to Polyubiquitin Chain Recognition

The principal targeting signal used in the ubiquitin−proteasome degradation pathway is a homopolymeric, K48-linked polyubiquitin chain: the chain is recognized by a specific factor(s) in the 19S r...
Identification of L-iduronic acid as a constituent of the major extracellular polysaccharide produced by Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens strain X6C61

Abstract Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens strain X6C61 produces two extracellular polysaccharides (EPS-I and EPS- II) separable by anion-exchange chromatography. The neutral sugar constituents of EPS-I were identified by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) as the alditol acetates of rhamnose, mannose, galactose, glucose, and an unidentified component. These results were confirmed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Neutral sugar analysis of EPS-II, which eluted from DEAE-Sephadex at 0.4 M NaCl, yielded the alditol acetates of rhamnose, galactose, glucose, and idose. However, idose was not found when hydrolysates of EPS-II were analysed by TLC. Further investigations showed that the iditol hexaacetate detected via GLC was an artifact of the commonly-used procedures for neutral sugar analysis. This compound was instead generated from L -iduronic acid, as shown by GLC-MS studies.
Therapeutic anti-viral activity in tissue culture.

SummaryHerpes simplex virus can be eliminated from rabbit kidney tissue culture and human amnion tissue culture and vaccinia virus can be eliminated from rabbit kidney tissue culture by treatment with 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine in concentrations from 10 μg/ml to 1 mg/ml if the drug containing media was changed daily. This “cure” of virus infection is possible even when cytopathogenic changes are easily recognizable before treatment is begun, and such treatment results in prevention of progression of such virus induced changes. This property appears to be unique for therapeutically active anti-viral compounds and may facilitate the screening of agents active against other viruses and the more detailed study of the therapeutically active anti-viral agents now known.
A transactions data analysis of the variability of common stock returns during 1980–1984

Abstract Using transactions data for a large sample of NYSE stocks for six months in 1971–1972 and calendar year 1982, Wood, McInish and Ord (1985) (WMO) show that the graph of the variability of index returns across days against time of day has a crude U-shaped pattern. This study demonstrates that relatively high variability of returns at the beginning and end of the trading day also occurs during calendar years 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984. In addition, the variability of intra-minute returns across stocks is shown to have a crude U-shaped pattern when plotted against time of day. A model is developed and tested that explains this pattern of variability of intra-minute returns in terms of variability of market returns over the trading day. The empirical results are consistent with this explanation.
Solid state coordination chemistry of the oxovanadium-diphosphonate system: Structural consequences of aryl tethers on materials of the type cation/VxOy/diphos, where cation = organoammonium and diphos = 1,4-phenyldiphosphonic acid

Abstract Hydrothermal reactions of V2O5, 1,4-phenyldiphosphonic acid and an appropriate organoamine, in the presence of HF as solubilizer, were exploited to prepare a series of materials of the general type [organoammonium cation]n[VxOy(HmO3PC6H4PO3Hp)3]. Compound 1, [H3N(CH2)4NH3][V2O4(O3PC6H4PO3)], exhibits a one-dimensional V–P–O substructure, linked through the phenyl tethers of the ligand into a { V 2 O 4 ( O 3 PC 6 H 4 PO 3 ) } n 2 n - layer. Compound 1 is a unique example of a V(V)-diphosphonate phase. Compounds 2 and 3, [H3N(CH2)2NH3][V2O2(O3PC6H4PO3H)2] and [H2pip][V2O2(O3PC6H4PO3H)2] (H2pip = piperazinium), exhibit identical two dimensional { V 2 O 2 ( O 3 PC 6 H 4 PO 3 H ) 2 } n 2 n - substructures, constructed from { V 2 O 2 ( O 3 PR ) 2 ( HO 3 PR ) 2 } n 2 n - ribbons connected through the phenyl tethers of the ligands. The three-dimensional framework of [H3N(CH2)7NH3]2[V3O4(O3PC6H4PO3)2] (4) consists of V–P–O layers characterized by trinuclear V(IV)-oxide subunits and 9 and 12 polyhedral connect rings; the layers are buttressed by the phenyl spacers to provide the typical “pillared” layer structure common to metal diphosphonate materials. Compound 5, [H2dabco][V2F3O2(O3PC6H4PO3H)]·H2O, is also three-dimensional with oxyfluoro-vanadium(IV) chains linked through the diphosphonate ligands into a framework structure with void spacers to accommodate the {H2dabco}2+ cations (dabco = diamino bicyclo octane). The magnetic properties of 2–5 reflect the structural characteristics of the materials.
Temporal and Spatial Imaging of Energy Flow at the Nanoscale via Molecular Plasmonics

Efforts to spatially and temporally resolve photoinduced energy and charge transfer in hybrid plasmonic nanostructures are discussed. The ability to use these nanostructures to characterize photoinduced energy and charge transfer processes important for solar energy conversion is described.
The N-Terminal Domain of Nogo-A Inhibits Cell Adhesion and Axonal Outgrowth by an Integrin-Specific Mechanism

Myelin-derived Nogo-A protein limits axonal growth after CNS injury. One domain binds to the Nogo-66 receptor to inhibit axonal outgrowth, whereas a second domain, Amino-Nogo, inhibits axonal outgrowth and cell adhesion through unknown mechanisms. Here, we show that Amino-Nogo inhibition depends strictly on the composition of the extracellular matrix, suggesting that Amino-Nogo inhibits the function of certain integrins. Amino-Nogo inhibition can be partially overcome by antibodies that activate integrin beta1 or by the addition of Mn2+, an integrin activator. Furthermore, Amino-Nogo reduces focal adhesion kinase activation by fibronectin. Analysis of various cell lines reveals that alpha(v)beta3, alpha5, and alpha4 integrins are sensitive to Amino-Nogo, but alpha6 integrin is not. Both alpha(v) and alpha5 integrins have widespread expression in adult brain and are found in axonal growth cones. Thus, inhibition of integrin signaling by Amino-Nogo contributes to the failure of CNS axon regeneration.
Experimental investigation of structural linear and autoparametric interactions under random excitation

When the first normal mode is externally excited by a band-limited random excitation, the system mean square response is found to be linearly proportional to the excitation spectal density up to a certain level above which the two normal modes exhibit discontinuity. When the second normal mode is externally excited. For small levels of excitation spectral density the response is dominated by the second normal mode. For higher levels of excitation spectral density the first normal mode attends and interacts with the second normal mode
W05-02 Evaluation of a culturally informed therapy for schizophrenia: outcome data, therapist competence/adherence, and future directions

This speaker will discuss the relationship between therapist fidelity (competence/adherence) and outcome for family therapy for schizophrenia. Some of her research will be presented linking various aspects of therapist performance to dropout rates, consumer satisfaction, and a host of client variables. She will also address how Culturally Informed Therapy for Schizophrenia (CIT-S) is being evaluated at the University of Miami, including outcome measures and timeframes. Most importantly, she will present preliminary outcome data comparing CIT-S to a treatment as usual, psychoeducation-only condition. Implications, limitations, and future directions for research and treatment will also be discussed. An interactive format will be utilized to field a discussion with the audience on how techniques of CIT-S can be used in other contexts outside of work with families coping with schizophrenia. Depending on time and interest, additional role-plays will be conducted further demonstrating CIT-S techniques.
Changes in oxytocin and vasopressin content in posterior pituitary and hypothalamus following pantethine treatment.

Pantethine, a cysteamine precursor, depletes somatostatin in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus and prolactin in the anterior pituitary and hypothalamus. This study investigated the effect of pantethine on oxytocin and arginine vasopressin content in the posterior pituitary and hypothalamus. Male Long-Evans rats were injected intraperitoneally with escalating doses of pantethine (i.e., 146.7 mg, 293.4 mg and 586.6 mg/100 gm body weight). Hormone content was determined by radioimmunoassay. Three hours after pantethine treatment, the oxytocin content in the posterior pituitary and the hypothalamus was markedly reduced with all doses of the drug. Vasopressin content in the posterior pituitary and hypothalamus was decreased but to a lesser extent than oxytocin and only with the highest dose of pantethine. Pantethine may act to reduce oxytocin and vasopressin content through intracellular conversion to cysteamine. The exact mechanism of action of pantethine on oxytocin and vasopressin remains to be elucidated.
The devil is in the details: maximizing revenue for daily trauma care.

Background Falling reimbursement rates for trauma care demand a concerted effort of charge capture for the fiscal survival of trauma surgeons. We compared current procedure terminology code distribution and billing patterns for Subsequent Hospital Care (SHC) before and after the institution of standardized documentation. Methods Standardized SHC progress notes were created. The note was formulated with an emphasis on efficiency and accuracy. Documentation was completed by residents in conjunction with attendings following standard guidelines of linkage. Year-to-year patient volume, length of stay (LOS), injury severity, bills submitted, coding of service, work relative value units (wRVUs), revenue stream, and collection rate were compared with and without standardized documentation. Results A 394% average revenue increase was observed with the standardization of SHC documentation. Submitted charges more than doubled in the first year despite a 14% reduction in admissions and no change in length of stay. Significant increases in level II and level III billing and billing volume (P < .05) were sustainable year to year and resulted in an average per patient admission SHC income increase from $91.85 to $362.31. Conclusions Use of a standardized daily progress note dramatically increases the accuracy of coding and associated billing of subsequent hospital care for trauma services.
Evaluation of Error Recovery Blocks Used for Cooperating Processes

Three alternatives for implementing recovery blocks (RB's) are conceivable for backward error recovery in concurrent processing. These are the asynchronous, synchronous, and the pseudorecovery point implementations. Asynchronous RB's are based on the concept of maximum autonomy in each of concurrent processes. Consequently, establishment of RB's in a process is made independently of others and unbounded rollback propagations become a serious problem. In order to completely avoid unbounded rollback propagations, it is necessary to synchronize the establishment of recovery blocks in all cooperating processes. Process autonomy is sacrificed and processes are forced to wait for commitments from others to establish a recovery line, leading to inefficiency in time utilization. As a compromise between asynchronous and synchronous RB's we propose to insert pseudorecovery points (PRP's) so that unbounded rollback propagations may be avoided while maintaining process autonomy. We developed probabilistic models for analyzing these three methods under standard assumptions in computer performance analysis, i.e., exponential distributions for related random variables. With these models we have estimated 1) the interval between two successive recovery lines for asynchronous RB's, 2) mean loss in computation power for the synchronized method, and 3) additional overhead and rollback distance in case PRP's are used.
A re-evaluation of market efficiency measurement

Markets have generally been regarded as either efficient or inefficient with respect to each of three nested test information setsweak form (historical prices), semi-strong form (publicly available information) and strong form (all information). This hierarchy has been used to form a crude scale for the measurement of the efficiency of a market. The weak form efficiency test information subset contains no procedures and rules with which to form a price prediction from historical prices; therefore, weak form efficiency is a non-testable concept from a practical standpoint. There is no way to define the strong form efficiency test information subset without reference to the concept of efficiency itself; therefore, strong form inefficiency is definitionally true. As a consequence of these logical deficiencies, these subsets cannot be used effectively to measure the efficiency of a market. It is more fruitful to regard markets as being neither perfectly efficient nor perfectly inefficient, but as having varying degrees of the efficiency-related properties of speed of price adjustment and volume required to effect a price adjustment. Market efficiency is best measured by measuring these properties directly.
A Three-Dimensionally Oriented Texture for Poly(α,α,α`,α`-tetrafluoro-p-xylylene)

Films of poly(α,α,α‘,α‘-tetrafluoro-p-xylylene) prepared by vapor deposition polymerization are highly crystalline and have uniplanar orientation. This orientation is maintained on drawing ×10 at 350 °C, when the chains become aligned parallel to the direction of draw, leading to a texture of three-dimensionally oriented crystals. Thirty-five X-ray reflections are resolved by controlled rotation and tilting of the drawn specimen, and these can be indexed by a triclinic unit cell with dimensions a = 5.36 A, b = 5.92 A, c = 6.57 A (chain axis repeat), α = 97.0°, β = 63.1°, and γ = 73.1°, containing one monomer unit. Molecular mechanics favors a trans-planar conformation for the −CF2−CF2 linkage which is inclined at 90° to the adjacent phenyl groups, leading to a fiber repeat that is equal to that observed. Packing analyses point to a structure in which the phenyl groups are approximately perpendicular to the ac plane, and this gives good agreement between the observed and calculated structure amplitudes (R ...
Brain–computer interfaces increase whole-brain signal to noise

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) can convert mental states into signals to drive real-world devices, but it is not known if a given covert task is the same when performed with and without BCI-based control. Using a BCI likely involves additional cognitive processes, such as multitasking, attention, and conflict monitoring. In addition, it is challenging to measure the quality of covert task performance. We used whole-brain classifier-based real-time functional MRI to address these issues, because the method provides both classifier-based maps to examine the neural requirements of BCI and classification accuracy to quantify the quality of task performance. Subjects performed a covert counting task at fast and slow rates to control a visual interface. Compared with the same task when viewing but not controlling the interface, we observed that being in control of a BCI improved task classification of fast and slow counting states. Additional BCI control increased subjects’ whole-brain signal-to-noise ratio compared with the absence of control. The neural pattern for control consisted of a positive network comprised of dorsal parietal and frontal regions and the anterior insula of the right hemisphere as well as an expansive negative network of regions. These findings suggest that real-time functional MRI can serve as a platform for exploring information processing and frontoparietal and insula network-based regulation of whole-brain task signal-to-noise ratio.
Resiliency of distributed clock synchronization networks

Clock synchronization refers to techniques and protocols used to maintain mutually consistent time-of-day clocks in a coordinated network of computers. A (clock) synchronization network is an interconnection of computers to implement a particular clock synchronization solution. To prevent clock-dependency loops, most synchronization networks use a stratified approach which is essentially a tree structure with a Primary Reference Clock (at "stratum- 0"). A node at stratum-i+1 exchanges synchronization messages with its parent node at stratum-i and also with some other nodes at same or other level. The purpose of this redundancy is two fold: (i) to calculate smoother steering rate adjustment, (ii) to maintain connectivity in the event of a failure. We provide an analytical framework to evaluate the performance of different approaches for resilient synchronization networks. To evaluate resiliency of synchronization networks, we characterize failure recovery metrics like connectivity and failure detection delay in terms of parameters related to network topology and failure recovery solutions.
Argument or no argument

We examine an argument for the non-context-freeness of English that has received virtually no discussion in the literature. It is based on adjuncts of the form ‘X or no X’, where X is a nominal. The construction has been held to exemplify unbounded syntactic reduplication. We argue that although the argument can be made in a mathematically valid form, its empirical basis is not claimed unbounded syntactic identity between nominals does not always hold in attested cases, and second, an understanding of the semantics of the construction removes the necessity of making reference to any syntactic reduplication.
Identification and characterization of the human Pgp-1 glycoprotein

Two monoclonal antibodies have been raised against human Pgp-1 by the immunization of mice with human fibroblasts. The human molecule, like the previously identified mouse counterpart, is an abundant membrane protein (Mr approximately 95 000) with a broad tissue distribution. Pgp-1 is phosphorylated, and phosphoamino acid analysis demonstrates that this occurs exclusively on serine residues. A major difference between the mouse and the human is that 50–60% of human thymocytes are Pgp-1+ compared to 5–10% of mouse thymocytes at an equivalent stage in development. Immunofluorescence studies of cryostat sections showed that the majority of human medullary thymocytes are strongly stained with Pgp-1-specific antibody, whereas the expression of Pgp-1 on cortical thymocytes is much more heterogenous.
Direction of -rays Produced by Polarised X-rays

IN an abstract (NATURE, July 7, p. 26) of a paper read recently before the Royal Society, Mr. C. T. R. Wilson discusses some results on -ray ionisation tracks which he has obtained by his cloud method. Among other things he notes (1) “Partial polarisation of the primary beams is indicated by the direction of ejection of a number of the -particles being in one plane—that containing the direction of the cathode rays in the X-ray tube,” and (2) “Of the ordinary long - range tracks, the majority have a large forward component comparable with the lateral component.”
Application of fast simulated annealing to optimization of conformal radiation treatments

Applications of simulated annealing to the optimization of radiation treatment plans, in which a set of beam weights are iteratively adjusted so as to minimize a cost function, have been motivated by its potential for finding the global or near‐global minimum among multiple minima. However, the method has been found to be slow, requiring several tens of thousands of iterations to optimize 50 to 100 variables. A technique to improve the efficiency for finding a solution is reported, which is generally applicable to the optimization of continuous variables. In previous applications of simulated annealing to treatment planningoptimization, only one or two weights are varied each iteration. This approach is to change all weights simultaneously, using random changes that are initially large to coarsely sample the cost function, then are reduced with iteration to probe finer structure. The performance of different methods are compared in optimizing a plan for treatment of the prostate, in which the search space consists of 54 noncoplanar beams and the cost function is based on tumor control and normal tissue complication probabilities. The proposed method yields solutions with similar values of the cost function in only a fraction of the iterations compared either to a fixed single weight adjustment technique, or to a method which combines the Nelder and Mead downhill simplex with simulated annealing.
AnyExpress: Integrated toolkit for analysis of cross-platform gene expression data using a fast interval matching algorithm

Cross-platform analysis of gene express data requires multiple, intricate processes at different layers with various platforms. However, existing tools handle only a single platform and are not flexible enough to support custom changes, which arise from the new statistical methods, updated versions of reference data, and better platforms released every month or year. Current tools are so tightly coupled with reference information, such as reference genome, transcriptome database, and SNP, which are often erroneous or outdated, that the output results are incorrect and misleading. We developed AnyExpress, a software package that combines cross-platform gene expression data using a fast interval-matching algorithm. Supported platforms include next-generation-sequencing technology, microarray, SAGE, MPSS, and more. Users can define custom target transcriptome database references for probe/read mapping in any species, as well as criteria to remove undesirable probes/reads. AnyExpress offers scalable processing features such as binding, normalization, and summarization that are not present in existing software tools. As a case study, we applied AnyExpress to published Affymetrix microarray and Illumina NGS RNA-Seq data from human kidney and liver. The mean of within-platform correlation coefficient was 0.98 for within-platform samples in kidney and liver, respectively. The mean of cross-platform correlation coefficients was 0.73. These results confirmed those of the original and secondary studies. Applying filtering produced higher agreement between microarray and NGS, according to an agreement index calculated from differentially expressed genes. AnyExpress can combine cross-platform gene expression data, process data from both open- and closed-platforms, select a custom target reference, filter out undesirable probes or reads based on custom-defined biological features, and perform quantile-normalization with a large number of microarray samples. AnyExpress is fast, comprehensive, flexible, and freely available at http://anyexpress.sourceforge.net .
Cyclic polygons with given edge lengths: Existence and uniqueness

Let a1, ..., a n be positive numbers satisfying the condition that each of the a i ’s is less than the sum of the rest of them; this condition is necessary for the a i ’s to be the edge lengths of a (closed) polygon. It is proved that then there exists a unique (up to an isometry) convex cyclic polygon with edge lengths a1, ..., a n . On the other hand, it is shown that, without the convexity condition, there is no uniqueness—even if the signs of all central angles and the winding number are fixed, in addition to the edge lengths.
QUALITIES MIDLIFE WOMEN DESIRE IN THEIR SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS AND THEIR CHANGING SEXUAL RESPONSE

The present study focused on the association between the particular sexual qualities midlife women desired in themselves and their husbands and the changes in sexual response they were experiencing. In a U.S. sample of 280 women participating in the ongoing Midlife Women's Health Survey, 40% reported a change in their sexual response, more often as decrements than increases, although desiring more nongenital touching was frequently noted. Respondents wanted more change in their own than in their partners' sexual qualities. In addition, the desire to change sexual qualities in oneself and in one's husband was significantly related to many changes in sexual responsivity. These findings are discussed in the context of a woman-defined sexuality at midlife.
Full spectral interrogation of fiber Bragg grating sensors for measurements of damage during steady-state vibration

In this study we evaluate the measurements of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor subjected to a non-uniform static strain state and simultaneously exposed to vibration loading. The full spectral response of the sensor is interrogated in reflection at 100 kHz during two loading cases: with and without an added vibration load spectrum. The static tensile loading is increased between each test, in order to increase the magnitude of the non-uniform strain field applied to the FBG sensor. During steady-state vibration, the behavior of the spectral shape of the FBG reflection varies depending on the extent of non-uniform strain. With high-speed full spectral interrogation, it is potentially possible to separate this vibration-induced spectral change from spectral distortions due to non-uniform strain. Such spectral distortion contains valuable information on the static damage state of the surrounding host material.
Higher Levels of Plasma interleukin-6 Are Associated with Lower BOLD Responses to Working Memory Load in Older Adults

Author(s): Dev, Sheena I; Moore, Raeanne; Jones, Savannah R; Soontornniyomkij, Benchawanna; Achim, Cristian L; Jeste, Dilip V; Eyler, Lisa T