cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Celecoxib disrupts the canonical apoptotic network in HTLV-I cells through activation of Bax and inhibition of PKB/Akt

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive lymphoproliferative disease of very poor clinical prognosis associated with infection by the human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). Treatment of patients with ATLL using conventional chemotherapy has limited benefit because HTLV-I cells are refractory to most apoptosis-inducing agents. In this study, we report that Celecoxib induces cell death via the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway in HTLV-I transformed leukemia cells. Treatment with Celecoxib was associated with activation of Bax, decreased expression of Mcl-1, loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase-9-dependent apoptosis. These effects were independent from Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. We also found that Celecoxib inhibited the Akt/GSK3 β survival pathway in HTLV-I cells.
Exercise Thallium 201 Scintigraphy in Evaluating Aortocoronary Bypass Surgery

Thirty patients with recurrent symptoms after aortocoronary bypass graft surgery underwent angiography as well as exercise thallium 201 imaging. Exercise imaging has been shown to be highly specific (100 percent in our study) in evaluating patients after bypass surgery. Patients with complete revascularization have normal thallium 201 images. Similarly, exercise-induced defects are seen only in the presence of incomplete revascularization. There are patients, however, with incomplete revascularization with normal exercise images, but these patients have at least one patent graft and disease is generally limited to the right coronary artery or the diagonal vessels or their grafts.
Bioaccumulation of mercury in pelagic freshwater food webs

Current paradigms regarding the bioaccumulation of mercury are rooted in observations that monomethyl mercury (meHg) biomagnifies along pelagic food chains. However, mechanisms regulating the formation of meHg, its initial incorporation at the base of pelagic food chains, and its subsequent trophic transfer remain controversial. Here we use field data from 15 northern Wisconsin lakes, equilibrium aqueous speciation modeling, and statistical modeling to revisit several hypotheses about the uptake, distribution, and fate of inorganic Hg (HgII) and meHg in aquatic biota. Our field data comprise determinations of total Hg (HgT) and meHg in surface waters, sediments, microseston, zooplankton, and small fish in each of the study lakes. For these lake waters, strong positive correlations between DOC and aqueous concentrations of mercury along with negative correlations between DOC and the seston-water partitioning of mercury indicate that organic ligands bind HgII and meHg strongly enough to dominate their apparent aqueous speciation. In the microseston, zooplankton and fish, meHg concentrations and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) increased with increasing trophic level while biotic concentrations of HgII decreased--indicating that meHg was indeed the biomagnified species of mercury. For all trophic levels, meHg concentrations varied positively with the calculated aqueous concentration of meHg+ (free ion), especially when coupled with pH, or meHgOH (hydroxide) species but not with meHgCl0, the neutral chloride complex. These findings suggest that: (1) the passive uptake of meHg does not control bioaccumulation at the base of aquatic food webs in nature (i.e. phyto- and bacterioplankton); (2) correlation with pH and DOC largely reflect the supply and bioavailability of meHg to lower trophic levels; and (3) meHg concentrations at higher trophic levels reflect uptake at low trophic levels and other factors, such as diet and growth. Low concentrations of meHg in surficial sediments indicate that the fates of biotic HgII and meHg are different. Most biotic meHg is demethylated rather than buried in lake sediments.
The legal and ethical components of executive decision-making: A course for business managers

The debate on whether and how to teach business ethics in graduate business programs continues. The authors of this article suggest specific content and processes for a course aimed at giving MBA candidates the awareness, tools, and mental processes necessary to recognize and address ethical issues in decision making. The inclusion of labor law, discrimination issues, consumer protection legislation, securities laws, and an overview of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights coupled with the development of utilitarian, deontological, and egalitarian analysis of ethical issues provides the tools and processes necessary for ethical decision making. These tools and processes are applied in several class experiences using cases, moral audits, and the development of a code of ethics to help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and values needed in ethical decision making.
Die vorvertragliche Anzeigepflicht: Empfehlungen für ein europäisches Versicherungsvertragsrecht

Die vor Abschluss des Vertrags zu erfullende Anzeigepflicht gehort in allen europaischen Rechtsordnungen zu den wichtigsten Pflichten des Versicherungsnehmers. Aus diesem Grund steht sie auch im Mittelpunkt der Bestrebungen zur Harmonisierung des Versicherungsvertragsrechts in Europa. Da diese in jungster Zeit wieder an Fahrt gewonnen haben, gibt der vorliegende Beitrag einen rechtsvergleichenden Uberblick uber die Regelung der vorvertraglichen Anzeigepflicht in verschiedenen europaischen Rechtsordnungen und unterbreitet darauf aufbauend Empfehlungen fur ihre Ausgestaltung in einem europaischen Regelwerk. Im Einzelnen wird vorgeschlagen, den Versicherungsnehmer zur Anzeige aller erheblichen Umstande zu verpflichten, die er kennt oder kennen musste. Fur den Fall der Verletzung wird empfohlen, dem Versicherer in Abhangigkeit vom Verschulden des Versicherungsnehmers sowie der Kausalitat des nicht angezeigten Umstandes fur den Abschluss des Vertrags und den Eintritt des Versicherungsfalls ein Recht zur Auflosung des Vertrags mit Wirkung von Anfang an, ein Recht zur Kundigung des Vertrags mit Wirkung fur die Zukunft oder einen Anspruch auf Schadensersatz einzuraumen.
Religion, Religiosity and the Place of Islam in Political Life: Insights from the Arab Barometer Surveys

This paper explores the nature and determinants of attitudes toward the political role of Islam held by ordinary citizens in the Arab world. Based on results from nationally representative surveys carried out in seven Arab states during 2006-2007, it engages the pervasive debate about Islam and democracy—showing that the significant divide is not between those who favor democracy and those who favor Islam, but between those who favor secular democracy and those who favor a political system that is both democratic and Islamic in some meaningful way. Furthermore, this analysis finds that the civic values and predispositions of individuals who favor a political role for Islam are overwhelmingly similar to those of individuals who favor a separation of religion and politics. The paper also finds little consistency in the factors that incline individuals towards support for political Islam in the different countries surveyed. Most importantly, this analysis concludes that there is little or no incompatibility between Islam and democracy in the public mind and that a proper understanding of the reasons and ways that Muslim Arab publics think about governance and the political role of Islam is possible only if attention is paid to the particular political and societal contexts within which attitudes are formed.
Use of the case-crossover design to study prolonged drug exposures and insidious outcomes

Abstract Purpose The case-crossover design was originally intended to study brief exposures with immediate and transient effects, and acute outcomes with abrupt onsets. We investigated whether case-crossover methods can be used to study prolonged exposures and insidious outcomes. Methods We conducted a case-crossover study of 8220 patients aged ⩾65 years enrolled in several health benefits programs in New Jersey during the period between 1991 and 1995. All had episodes of central nervous system (CNS) adverse events (e.g., delirium). Drug exposures were assessed during case time periods and control time periods lasting 1, 2, 3, or 4 months. Exposures included 3 active regimens with established deleterious CNS effects (corticosteroids, digoxin, and opiates) and 2 inactive regimens without such effects (multivitamins and statins). Results In conditional logistic regression models, significantly elevated risks were observed for all three active drugs, regardless of which time windows were used. The magnitude of these risks generally increased with longer time windows. No significantly increased risks were observed for the 2 inactive drugs, regardless of the window duration. Conclusions These results suggest that with lengthened exposure assessment windows, case-crossover methods may be useful for studying exposures with prolonged effects and outcomes with insidious onsets.
Quantum chemical descriptors for linear solvation energy relationships

Linear solvation energy relationships (LSER) have been successfully used to correlate over 300 complex chemical and biochemical properties with small sets of descriptors related to fundamental characteristics of molecular structure and chemistry. This is a branch of the unnamed science (after Hansch) which is concerned with the intricate interactions between chemicals and life. Until recently, the descriptors in these relationships have been empirically determined. Recent developments in both the experimental understanding of these descriptors and in molecular orbital calculations have provided a new ground for fertile interaction between computational and experimental techniques. This manuscript describes development in the use of LSER and the recent molecular orbital formulations which provide basic descriptors developed from fundamental computational techniques. Examples from current research are presented to illustrate the expanding areas of chemistry accessible to these new ideas.
Impact of Meropenem in Combination with Tobramycin in a Murine Model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pneumonia

Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia remains a difficult therapeutic problem. Optimal doses and modes of administration of single agents often do not result in acceptable outcomes. Further, emergence of resistance occurs frequently in this setting with single-agent chemotherapy. The purpose of these experiments was to evaluate combination chemotherapy with meropenem plus tobramycin for P. aeruginosa in a murine pneumonia model. Neutropenia was induced by cyclophosphamide. Pharmacokinetics of meropenem and tobramycin were determined using a population pharmacokinetic approach. Both drugs were given at 4-h intervals. Meropenem was administered as total daily doses of 30 to 600 mg/kg of body weight, while tobramycin doses ranged from 50 to 400 mg/kg. Combination therapy evaluated all combinations of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg/day of tobramycin doses with 60 or 300 mg/kg/day of meropenem. Total and drug-resistant organisms were enumerated. Meropenem alone had a near-maximal effect at 60 mg/kg/day (3.18 log10 [CFU/g] kill from stasis). The time > MIC in epithelial lining fluid (ELF) at this dose was 35.25% of 24 h. For tobramycin alone, the near-maximal effect was at 150 mg/kg/day and the area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h in the steady state divided by the MIC (AUC/MIC ratio) in ELF was 240.3. Resistance suppression occurred at an ELF AUC/MIC ratio of 110.6. For combination therapy, the near-maximal effect was reached at 60 mg/kg/day and 50 mg/kg/day of meropenem and tobramycin, which produced a 35.25% time > MIC in ELF and an ELF AUC/MIC ratio of 80.1. The interaction was additive. All combination regimens suppressed resistance. Combination therapy produced additive drug interaction and suppressed all resistance amplification. It is likely that optimal therapy for Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia will involve a combination of agents.
Genetic linkage analysis using lognormal variance components

Typically genetic studies of continuous traits such as cholesterol levels or blood pressure assume that interindividual variability follows a normal distribution. Here we develop methods to analyze positively skewed data by assuming a lognormal distribution. We develop a variance components approach for identifying such effects from a major gene, residual polygenic factors and nongenetic factors. We compare by a simulation study results from fitting this lognormal model with either applying the log transformation or not transforming the data. We found that the lognormal model provided more precise estimates and more powerful tests than a simple log transformation when analyzing lognormally distributed data. Power varied with sibship size. For the same total number of nonindependent sibpairs, larger sibships were less powerful. However, larger sibships are more economical because they require a smaller sample size to obtain a specified power. To illustrate the application of this lognormal model to real data, we studied evidence for linkage between triglycerides and the lipoprotein lipase gene.
Regional slope stability and slope-failure mechanics from the two-dimensional state of stress in an infinite slope

Abstract Rapid estimates of regional submarine slope stability can be obtained using 1-D infinite-slope analysis or empirical 2-D analyses, such as the log-spiral or φ-circle methods. In these methods, slope stability is evaluated along a pre-defined slip surface because the principal stresses in the slope and the slip-plane directions they control are undefined. However, where these pre-defined slip surfaces are not a good approximation of the surface along which a slope failure actually occurs, the analyses cannot explain the physics and observed geometry of the failure. Here we present an alternative, 2-D analytical solution for the state of stress in an infinite slope that incorporates cohesion and constant pore pressure, and yields the principal stresses and possible slip-plane directions along which the slope can fail. As a result, the analysis provides a framework for understanding the general geometry and relative motion of mass movements not addressed by 1-D infinite-slope analysis or the empirical 2-D analyses. We use our 2-D infinite-slope analysis to show that if the compressive stresses in the lower part of a slope are great enough, slope failure will occur along a basal plane, which in turn will permit extensional deformation along a steeper, headwall plane farther upslope. We then discuss how such failure can be facilitated on slopes of low inclination by excess pore pressure. Based on this discussion, we suggest that if pore pressure becomes high enough, slope failure can be initiated at a lower pore pressure and along a lower-angle basal plane than predicted by 1-D infinite-slope analysis.
A solvable stochastic control problem in hyperbolic three space

Abstract A stochastic optimal control problem in hyperbolic three space is described and explicitly solved. The solution is obtained by finding a smooth solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi or dynamic programming equation.
Perceived appraisals by others, self-esteem, and anxiety.

Questionnaire data from 595 male and female college students were used to test four hypotheses regarding interpersonal sources of anxiety--i.e., that high anxiety occurs as a function of (a) low subjective public-esteem (perceived negative appraisals of self by others); (b) low self-esteem; (c) discrepancies where subjective public-esteem is more negative than self-esteem; and (d) absolute discrepancies between subjective public-esteem and self-esteem, regardless of evaluative direction. The results suggested that level of self-esteem and absolute discrepancies between subjective public-esteem and self-esteem are important and relatively independent factors in anxiety.
Reproductive biology of the common antarctic crinoid Promachocrinus kerguelensis (Echinodermata: Crinoidea)

Histological examinations of the gonads of Promachocrinus kerguelensis Carpenter, 1888 collected in November 1984 from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, revealed ripe ovaries containing three distinct size classes of oocytes: 20 to 90, 91 to 150 and 151 to 180 μm diameter as well as ova. Testes were ripe, and filled with mature sperms. There was marked inter-pinnule and inter-individual synchrony of gametogenesis and spawning is probably synchronous, at least within the sub-population sampled. The number of eggs per pinnule is allometrically related to body size. Body weight and arm length are positively correlated with total egg number. Annual fecundity was estimated to be 29 000 eggs (full-grown oocytes and ova) for a crinoid weighing 53.6 g wet weight with an arm length of 16.3 cm. The eggs float. Female genital pinnules contain more lipid and energy than male pinnules. Reproductive output and effort (23.4 to 65.2 kJ and 26 to 38%, respectively) increase with body size and are similar to values reported for other echinoderms with lecithotrophic larvae. The greatest overall energetic contribution is represented by the arms and genital pinnules. Spawning in P. kerguelensis probably occurs in November and December within McMurdo Sound. If development is slow, as in all other antarctic echinoderms studied to date, then settlement most likely occurs 2 to 3 mo later, after the short summer period of high phytoplankton productivity. High fecundity, a pelagic mode of reproduction, and the high probability of a slow rate of development may contribute to the wide geographic distribution of this common antarctic crinoid.
Hydrologic analysis of the Fort Collins, Colorado, flash flood of 1997

Abstract On 28 July 1997, an unusually moist air mass, driven westward towards the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Fort Collins, Colorado, produced torrential rainfall. The nearly saturated atmospheric column in conjunction with light upper-level winds resulted in a “warm rain” process convective storm with little net motion. On the evening of 28 July over 200 mm of rain fell in western Fort Collins. This extreme rainstorm was observed by three S-band weather radars, including two National Weather Service WSR-88D radars and the dual-polarization CSU-CHILL radar. Fourteen recording rain gages in and near the affected area recorded the event. The US Geological Survey, Colorado District, performed indirect peak discharge measurements. In our analysis, the two-dimensional, physically-based hydrologic model CASC2D is applied to examine the influence of rainfall and land surface data uncertainty on runoff predictions in the 25 km 2 Spring Creek watershed. Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity values are calibrated in simulations of the rise in nearby Horsetooth Reservoir. Results of simulations driven by polarimetric and single-polarization radar-rainfall estimates and recording rain gage data show that for this extreme event in an urbanized watershed, rainfall estimation errors give rise to the most significant errors in runoff predictions. Hydrologic simulations with various levels of land-surface detail reveal that uncertainty in watershed characteristics has a considerably smaller effect on runoff predictions than uncertainty in the space/time distribution of rainfall. The soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, fraction of impervious area, and the retention depth are the most sensitive land-surface parameters.
A large computer looks at the distributed computing problem

The various ways in which a large computer can be of service to a small laboratory processor are discussed. The Cambridge Project and the Consistent System (a collection of programs, models, and data) are briefly described.
A comparison of procedures for attaching steroidal glucosiduronic acids to bovine serum albumin.

Abstract Steroidal glucosiduronic acids can be joined to bovine serum albumin under mild conditions by use of either N-hydroxysuccinimide or isobutyl chloroformate. N-Hydroxysuccinimide is the more efficient of the two coupling agents; 30–40 molecules of hapten are incorporated into a molecule of protein when a two-fold excess of glycosiduronate to ϵ-amino groups is used. Conjugates of steroidal glucosiduronic acids and bovine serum albumin which are prepared by use of 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole tend to lose hapten over a period of days; in addition, use of sodium dodecyl sulfate is required to keep the reactants in solution during preparation of the conjugate. When employed as coupling agents under a variety of conditions, neither of two water-soluble carbodiimides gave a soluble product that consisted of more than 2 molecules of steroidal glucosiduronic acid per molecule of protein. Removal of impurities of low molecular weight from the coupling reactions is more rapid and more efficient when chromatography on Sephadex G-25 is used than when dialysis is employed. Solutions of conjugates should be free of suspended matter if they are to be analyzed by spectroscopic methods.
Second workshop on building analysis datasets and gathering experience returns for security (BADGERS'12)

As more and more systems are controlled by computers and connected to the Internet, a tremendous amount of activity is generated when these systems interact with each other and with their users. The continuous stream of data related to such Internet-connected and computer-controlled systems is known as Big Data and introduces problems at new scales. Computer security and privacy can both benefit and suffer from Big Data, as tools and techniques are made readily available to process security-event streams and as attacks are harder to detect in the huge volume of event data. The BADGERS'12 workshop is a forum for discussing the challenges in and potential solutions for taking advantage of Big Data for improving computer security and privacy. The workshop builds on the successful first edition of BADGERS which was held in conjunction with the EuroSys 2011 conference in Salzburg, Austria [3].
Combinatorial enlargement of ground-truth datasets and efficient evaluation of segmentation algorithms

We propose a method to exponentially enlarge a small dataset of domain specific ground truth segmentation labels to evaluate the performance of segmentation algorithms. Furthermore, we adapt ideas from combinatorial software testing to efficiently infer statistics of segmentation performance by evaluating performance on only a certain subset of the combinatorially generated images. Extensions of this work to optimal sequence for performance testing and algorithm selection are also suggested.
Comments on “Pressure–Viscosity Coefficient of Vegetable Oils” by Biresaw and Bantchev

The classical study of elastohydrodynamic lubrication has not employed a consistent definition of the pressure–viscosity coefficient (PVC) or alpha of the liquid. This has likely been the result of the inaccurate film thickness formulas that require a value of alpha and of inaccurate film thickness measurements. Practitioners have found it possible to reconcile formula with measurement, when viscosity has been measured in a viscometer, by choosing a definition of alpha from the extensive menu of definitions that have been used. The problem for tribology is that the term, PVC, has become largely meaningless because there is no generally accepted definition.
Abstract LB-92: Loss of a single Hic1 allele accelerates polyp formation in Apc mice

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Mutations in the Adenomatous Polyposis Colt (APC ) gene have been implicated both in familial as well as sporadic gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. APC mutations are associated with autosomal dominant inheritance of disease in humans. Similarly, mice that contain a single mutant APC gene encoding a protein truncated at aa 716 ( Ape716 ) develop multiple polyps throughout the GI tract as early as 4 weeks after birth. Inactivation of another tumor suppressor gene, Hypermethylated in Cancer 1 (HIC1 ) often occurs in human cancers, including GI, via CpG island hypermethylation. Homozygous deletion of Hic1 in mice results in major developmental defects and embryonic lethality. Hic1 heterozygotes have previously been shown to develop age dependent tumors of a variety of tissue types. We now report that loss of a single Hic1 allele can promote crypt dysplasia of the small intestine and further potentiate polyp formation in Apc716 mice. Hic1+/−, Apc716 double heterozygous mice develop increased numbers of polyps throughout the GI tract by 60 days. Hic1 expression is lost in polyps with a selective increase in DNA hypermethylation of this gene only in polyps from double-heterozygous mice. Immunohistochemical analyses of polyps show increases in markers such as -catenin, SIRT1, and Sox9, indicating aberrant Wnt and Hic1 signaling. Together, our data suggest that loss of a gene frequently silenced via epigenetic mechanisms, Hic1, can cooperate with loss of a gene often mutated in GI cancer, Apc, to promote tumorigenesis in an in-vivo model of multiple intestinal neoplasia. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-92.
Tree Graphs and Classical Fields

The classical field produced by a prescribed external source is shown to be the generating functional of the tree-graph approximation to the corresponding quantum field theory.
Suppressor B lymphocytes

B cells can influence an immune response in an antigen-specific manner by generating antibody which shuts down the response through negativefeedback. But there is growing evidence that B cells can also act upon antibody production as non-specific suppressor cells. Kathleen Gilbert and Michael Hoffnann here review this often overlooked aspect of immunoregulation.
Multispectral imaging analysis: spectral deconvolution and applications in biology

Multispectral imaging has been in use for over half a century. Owing to advances in digital photographic technology, multispectral imaging is now used in settings ranging from clinical medicine to industrial quality control. Our efforts focus on the use of multispectral imaging coupled with spectral deconvolution for measurement of endogenous tissue fluorophores and for animal tissue analysis by multispectral fluorescence, absorbance, and reflectance data. Multispectral reflectance and fluorescence images may be useful in evaluation of pathology in histological samples. For example, current hematoxylin/eosin diagnosis limits spectral analysis to shades of red and blue/grey. It is possible to extract much more information using multispectral techniques. To collect this information, a series of filters or a device such as an acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) or liquid-crystal filter (LCF) can be used with a CCD camera, enabling collection of images at many more wavelengths than is possible with a simple filter wheel. In multispectral data processing the “unmixing” of reflectance or fluorescence data and analysis and the classification based upon these spectra is required for any classification. In addition to multispectral techniques, extraction of topological information may be possible by reflectance deconvolution or multiple-angle imaging, which could aid in accurate diagnosis of skin lesions or isolation of specific biological components in tissue. The goal of these studies is to develop spectral signatures that will provide us with specific and verifiable tissue structure/function information. In addition, relatively complex classification techniques must be developed so that the data are of use to the end user.
Urinary incontinence in elderly women: urodynamic evaluation.

The objective of this study is to characterize urinary incontinence observed in elderly women and to assess the importance of various parameters used to evaluate urinary incontinence. Two hundred consecutive, ambulatory, outpatient, incontinent women 55 years of age and over who were seen at the Continence Program Clinic and completed a medical and urodynamic protocol are included in this paper. After a thorough medical history and a complete physical examination, urodynamic tests were performed. The urodynamic results showed that 77% of incontinent women had an incompetent urethra. Twenty-five percent had a hyperactive bladder, 8% had “other” types, and 7% had a normal study. Comparison of the clinical diagnosis with the actual urodynamic diagnosis for stress incontinence revealed a 78% accuracy and only a 6% false negative. In contrast, a similar comparison for urge incontinence found only 44% accurate and 45% false negative. Analysis of the urodynamic tests revealed that the simple provocative full-bladder stress test was as effective as the radiographic or electronic pressure measurement in detecting incompetent urethra producing stress urinary incontinence. Provocative upright cystometry was helpful in uncovering 33% of hyperactive bladders not provoked in the supine position. Complex urodynamic tests should be reserved for unexplained incontinence or when symptomatology is complex. J Am Geriatr Soc 35:940–946, 1987
Temporal changes in dental caries levels and patterns in a Native American preschool population.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to assess current dental caries experience and levels of mutans streptococci in Apache children in 1993 and to determine how caries levels and patterns were different from 15 years before. Methods: Four-year-old Head Start children (n=127) were examined for dental caries and sampled for salivary mutans streptococci in 1993. Dental caries information on 113 4-year-old children from the same location was obtained from a chart audit of the 1978–79 Head Start dental examinations. Results: Neither the caries prevalence (95%) nor the prevalence of caries patterns differed between the 1978–79 and 1993 cohorts. However, the level of treatment received in 1993 was greater than that in 1978–79. Children with nursing caries (64%) had a greater severity of fissure caries and a greater prevalence of posterior proximal caries compared with caries-positive children without nursing caries. The mean dmfs and dmft of the children categorized in the high mutans streptococci range were greater than those of children categorized in the moderate range. Conclusion: The caries prevalence found in these preschool Native Americans is among the highest reported for this age group and does not differ from that found at this location 15 years before. It appears that children with nursing caries in this population are at greater risk for posterior caries patterns.
Determination of Pedestrian Push-Button Activation Duration at Typical Signalized Intersections

Recent advances in pedestrian push-button design, led by the development of accessible pedestrian signals (APSs), have created a new method of communicating traffic control information to pedestrians. Some APS devices have beaconing features or verbal (speech) message capabilities obtained by pressing and holding the pedestrian push button for approximately 3 s. Other features, such as the extension of the walk interval, may also be activated with an extended press of the push button. Recent research has suggested that 3 s may be excessive because it is hard for some users to hold the push button for this long. Additionally, most pedestrians may not hold the push button for this length of time. The problem lies in determining how long the APS push button should be pressed for a push-button information message or special accessibility features to be obtained. The primary objective of the research described in this paper was to develop a time distribution of typical pedestrian push-button activation durations. Data were obtained by attaching a voltage recorder to the pedestrian push-button circuit inside traffic signal controllers at eight locations in three cities in Wisconsin and Massachusetts. This device recorded the amount of time, to the nearest 1/100 of a second, that each pedestrian push button was pressed. A total of 1,439 push-button presses were recorded. The average push-button press duration was 0.2 s. More than 95% of all push-button presses recorded were less than 1.0 s. Only four push-button presses exceeded 3.0 s. The results show that the duration of an extended push-button press needed to obtain additional crossing information can be reduced to approximately 1 s without a significant number of false calls. A 1-s press will minimize the effort required for pedestrians to actuate special accessible features, while it will minimize unnecessary noise and vehicular traffic disruption.
Autoantibody Catalysis: No Longer Hostage to Occam's Razor

: Autoantibody catalysis is now a well-established phenomenon, but the initial finding of autoantibody-catalyzed VIP cleavage was suspected to be an artefact by certain practitioners of designer antibody catalysis, mainly because of conceptual complexities not foreseen in our training about the immune system and about the mechanisms of biological catalysis. Confirmation that antibodies can acquire proteolytic activity by entirely natural means has emerged, ironically, in part from the field of designer catalytic antibodies. Recent studies have provided insight into the molecular strategies whereby antibodies can combine antigen binding with chemical catalysis, and the contributions of innate and adaptive immune mechanisms in the proteolytic activity. The history of this field illustrates the dangers of assuming that novel observations must fit into the simple confines of established theories. Scientific theories are changeable entities, dependent on empirical data and interpretations of the data, and their growth is better served by keeping an open mind.
High-Speed Nonlinear Interferometric Vibrational Imaging of Biological Tissue With Comparison to Raman Microscopy

Vibrational contrast imaging of the distribution of complex biological molecules requires the use of techniques that provide broadband spectra with sufficient resolution. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy is currently limited in meeting these requirements due to the presence of a nonresonant background and its inability to target multiple resonances simultaneously. We present nonlinear interferometric vibrational imaging (NIVI), a technique based on CARS that uses femtosecond pump and Stokes pulses to retrieve broadband vibrational spectra over 200 cm-1 (full-width at half maximum). By chirping the pump and performing spectral interferometric detection, the anti-Stokes pulses are resolved in time. This phase-sensitive detection allows suppression of not only the nonresonant background, but also of the real part of the nonlinear susceptibility χ(3), improving the spectral resolution and features to make them comparable to those acquired with spontaneous Raman microscopy, as shown for a material sample and mammary tissue.
With friends like these, who needs democracy? The effect of transnational support from rivals on post-conflict democratization:

Previous research has uncovered only ambiguous evidence of the mechanisms that support or inhibit democratic trajectories in the aftermath of civil war. Here I suggest that one specific form of tra...
Understanding patterns of temporary method use among urban women from Uttar Pradesh, India

Almost one in five contraceptive users in India uses a temporary method. It is important to understand user profiles and method use patterns for optimal program targeting. This analysis examines differences in demographic characteristics, discontinuation and use patterns of temporary method users among a representative sample of urban women from four cities in Uttar Pradesh, India. Individual data from a panel of women aged 15–49 were collected in 2010 in Agra, Aligarh, Allahabad, and Gorakhpur and follow-up data from the same women were collected in 2012. A contraceptive calendar was used to collect month-by-month data on contraceptive use, non-use, discontinuation, reason for discontinuation, and pregnancy and birth, covering the approximately two-year period between the baseline and midterm surveys. The analysis sample is 4,023 non-sterilized women in union at baseline. A descriptive comparison is made of socio-demographic characteristics, fertility desires, discontinuation, method switching, and pregnancy outcomes. Reasons for discontinuation are assessed by the order of discontinuation. There were a number of socio-demographic differences between users of temporary methods during the calendar period; by education, wealth, and caste. Notably, women who used only condoms during this time had the most education, were the least likely to be poor, and the least likely to be from a scheduled caste or tribe as compared to users of other temporary methods. Compared to the full sample of women, users of temporary methods during this period were less likely to reside in slum areas. The group of multiple method users was small in comparison to the groups of women using a single method throughout the calendar period. This indicates that there was little method switching between condoms, traditional methods, and other forms of modern methods reported in the calendar. The calendar may not be well-suited to measure coital-dependent contraceptive use (e.g., condoms and traditional methods), as "continuous" monthly use may be overstated. A coital episode-specific data collection tool may produce more accurate records of contraceptive use in such contexts. Research findings also lead to useful programmatic recommendations for addressing unmet need and unintended pregnancies in urban Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
Design and Implementation of Hybrid Packet Scheduling Schemes with Network Processors

This paper addresses the problem of scheduling variable-size packets from large number of distinct traffic flows. Although the problem of fair packet scheduling in computer networks has received thorough theoretical consideration, practical high-speed packet switching systems remain elementary. The disparity arises because algorithms with theoretically favorable delay and fairness characteristics have unacceptably high computational cost. A variety of hybrid scheduling methods have been proposed as a compromise; this paper discusses the design and implementation of hybrid schedulers. We focus on algorithms suitable for high speed networks, and the study is experimental ? the algorithms are implemented on network processor hardware, and actual packet data is used to assess performance.
Statistical properties of noise-induced firing and quiescence in a Hodgkin-Huxley model

or> Meeting abstracts - A single PDF containing all abstracts in this Supplement is available here . http://www. biomedcentral.co m/content/pdf/14 71-2202 -10-S1-info.pdf
Rationale, design, and methodology for the optimizing outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus and their infants study

Women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To date, there have been few interdisciplinary interventions that target predominantly ethnic minority low-income women diagnosed with GDM. This paper describes the rationale, design and methodology of a 2-year, randomized, controlled study being conducted in North Carolina. Using a two-group, repeated measures, experimental design, we will test a 14- week intensive intervention on the benefits of breastfeeding, understanding gestational diabetes and risk of progression to prediabetes and T2DM, nutrition and exercise education, coping skills training, physical activity (Phase I), educational and motivational text messaging and 3 months of continued monthly contact (Phase II). A total of 100 African American, non-Hispanic white, and bilingual Hispanic women between 22–36 weeks of pregnancy who are diagnosed with GDM and their infants will be randomized to either the experimental group or the wait-listed control group. The first aim of the study is to determine the feasibility of the intervention. The second aim of study is to test the effects of the intervention on maternal outcomes from baseline (22–36 weeks pregnant) to 10 months postpartum. Primary maternal outcomes will include fasting blood glucose and weight (BMI) from baseline to 10 months postpartum. Secondary maternal outcomes will include clinical, adiposity, health behaviors and self-efficacy outcomes from baseline to 10 months postpartum. The third aim of the study is to quantify the effects of the intervention on infant feeding and growth. Infant outcomes will include weight status and breastfeeding from birth through 10 months of age. Data analysis will include general linear mixed-effects models. Safety endpoints include adverse event reporting. Findings from this trial may lead to an effective intervention to assist women diagnosed with GDM to improve maternal glucose homeostasis and weight as well as stabilize infant growth trajectory, reducing the burden of metabolic disease across two generations. NCT01809431
The Electrical Behavior of Pd/AIN/Semiconductor Thin Film Hydrogen Sensing Structures

The device on Si substrates behaves as an MIS capacitor and the response to hydrogen is given by a shift of the capacitance vs. bias profile along the bias voltage axis, whereas the device on SiC behaves as a rectifying diode and the presence of hydrogen causes a shift of the forward current vs. voltage plot. The relatively large forward current, in both cases, indicates that there is measurable electrical transport across the AlN layer, but at the same temperature the turn on bias is different. Either structure contains two rectifying contacts in series, namely a Schottky contact between Pd and AlN and a heterojunction between AlN and the substrate.
C/EBP DNA-binding activity is upregulated by a glucocorticoid-dependent mechanism in septic muscle.

Sepsis-induced muscle cachexia is associated with increased expression of several genes in the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway, but little is known about the activation of transcription fa...
Knowing a Sexual Assault Victim or Perpetrator: A Stratified Random Sample of Undergraduates at One University

Rape awareness and prevention programs are common on college campuses and a potentially useful way to reach large numbers of young adults. One largely unexamined potential mediator or moderator of program effectiveness is the personal knowledge of student audiences. In this study, we assess the prevalence of knowing a victim and, notably, a perpetrator of sexual assault. A stratified random sample of 2,400 undergraduates was recruited for an online survey about sexual assault. A total of 53.5% participated and yielded a sample representative of the student body. Sixteen questions were modified from the Sexual Experiences Survey to assess whether participants knew a victim of any one of eight types of sexual assault. Findings indicate that students begin college with considerable personal knowledge of sexual assault victimization and perpetration. Nearly two thirds (64.5%) reported that they know one or more women who were a victim of any one of eight types of sexual assault, and over half (52.4%) reported that they know one or more men who perpetrated any of the types of sexual assault. Most students reported knowing victims and perpetrators of multiple types of assault. Knowledge varied substantially by gender and ethnicity. Students' preexisting personal knowledge should be included in assessments of program effectiveness and, ideally, in program design.
Applying learner-centered pedagogy to an engineering circuit-theory class at Smith College

This paper discusses examples of learner-centered activities that have been incorporated into a circuit-theory course at Smith College. The learner-centered activities are organized around the structures of community, knowledge, and assessment. Specific examples include the use and ongoing development of "concept tests", frequent assessment of the students and the course, a peer-editing process facilitated by using class time to edit lab reports, and discussions and readings related to the social context within which electrical engineering concepts reside. This course is part of a program-wide effort to integrate learner-centered pedagogy into the entire engineering science curriculum.
Biomarkers of algal populations in phytoplankton, filamentous algae, and sediments from the eastern basin of Lake Erie 2003–2005

Abstract Algal carotenoids ( n :16) and chlorophylls ( n :7) were determined in phytoplankton ( n :60), filamentous algae ( n :14) and sediments ( n :44), collected from two nearshore sites in eastern Lake Erie (Van Buren Point (VBP), 6.5 m; Point Gratiot (PG), 17 m), during summer and fall of 2003, 2004 and 2005. The most prominent biomarkers for diatoms (fucoxanthin), cryptophytes (alloxanthin), chlorophytes (chlorophyll- b ) and cyanobacteria (zeaxanthin) revealed temporal variations in phytoplankton community composition, which were correlated to water temperatures: i) seasonal succession, from diatoms with some cryptophytes in June (cool), to an increased percentage of chlorophytes and cyanobacteria in August and September (warm); ii) differences between 2004 (cool; cryptophytes more abundant) and 2005 (warm; chlorophytes more abundant). Filamentous algae (chlorophytes, epiphytic diatoms; some cyanobacteria) varied in condition, according to levels of chl- a , pheopigments, and class biomarkers: high, at VBP (growing; decaying; bont/ E suspect); low, at PG (mostly dead). Relative to phytoplankton, sediments were depleted in several biomarkers (chl- a ; diadino-, neo- and violaxanthin) but enriched with others, particularly at PG (pheopigments; diatoxanthin; canthaxanthin, echinenone; alloxanthin). Sediment composition was characterized by strong differences between sites (chl- a , chl- b and fucoxanthin nearly 10-fold greater at VBP than PG) and increasing accumulation of biomarkers from year-to-year. A linear log–log function, relating total carotenoids to total chlorophylls (intercept −0.516, slope 1.054, r 2 0.96), implied increased biodegradation among specimen types: levels of pigments (pmol/g ww) decreased three orders of magnitude, from phytoplankton, through filamentous algae, to sediments. Deviation from a 1:1 relationship indicated 1.7-fold depletion of carotenoids relative to chlorophylls at mid-range.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF POPULATION DYNAMICS INSPACE AND TIME USING ESTIMATING FUNCTIONS

The interplay of dispersal, disturbance, and local dynamics in spatial mosaics has profound effects on the stability and viability of populations. There are two main reasons to consider spatial models in population dynamics: (1) improved estimation of the parameters by utilizing spatial replications, and (2) ecologically realistic modeling. In this paper, we suggest models that are generalizations of the univariate population dynamics models (for example, Ricker or Gompertz) to space–time situations. We accommodate both spatially correlated environmental perturbations and dispersal. Moreover, we suggest computationally simple parameter estimation procedures based on estimating functions and provide an approach for obtaining approximate confidence intervals. The methodology is illustrated on the spatial time series of gypsy moths in the lower peninsula of Michigan.
Model of ferroelectric fatigue due to defect/domain interactions

A simple model for ferroelectric fatigue is developed from Landau theory. This model proposes that the general fatigue mechanism is due to the formation of mesoscopic structures of interacting charged lattice defects and opposing domains. It shows that the ionic defects may induce a self-trapping potential by polarizing the surrounding ferroelectric lattice. These ionic defects produce additional electrical and mechanical stress on adjacent lattice sites during ferroelectric switching and thereby encourage the formation of neighboring defects. The proposed consequence is that defect planes form during ferroelectric switching that are oriented perpendicular to the polarization axis. Each defect plane separates two opposing domains: as a system, the defect plane and the opposing domains form an energetically self-stabilizing structure. The opposing domains result in a degraded macroscopic electrical response that appears weakly ferroelectric, paraelectric, or linear with increasing charge accumulation at th...