cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pretreatment predictors of posttreatment PSA doubling times for patients undergoing three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer.

Abstract Objectives To determine whether pretreatment risk groups also predict for posttreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling times (PSADTs). Pretreatment risk groups predict for posttreatment biochemical failure (BF) after conformal radiotherapy in patients with prostate cancer and posttreatment PSADTs can predict for prostate cancer-related deaths. Methods The study cohort consisted of 416 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with conformal radiotherapy between 1989 and 2001. The patients were divided into low, intermediate, and high-risk groups. BF was defined using the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology consensus definition. Patients with BF were grouped according to their PSADT (3 months or less, longer than 3 months to less than 6 months, 6 months to less than 12 months, and 12 months or longer). A Mantle-Haenszel chi-square metric tested for an association between the pretreatment risk group and the PSADT. Logistic regression multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate whether the pretreatment risk group predicted the PSADT. Results Of the 416 patients, 96 (23%), 194 (47%), and 126 (30%) were categorized as low, intermediate, and high risk, respectively. A total of 92 patients (22%) experienced BF. Of these 92 patients, the PSADT was 3 months or less in 6 (7%), longer than 3 months to less than 6 months in 13 (14%), 6 months to less than 12 months in 35 (36%), and 12 months or longer in 38 (41%). The pretreatment risk group correlated significantly with the PSADT ( P = 0.026). Logistic regression analysis revealed that intermediate and high-risk disease was significantly associated with shorter PSADTs ( P = 0.039). Conclusions A significant association between the pretreatment risk group and posttreatment PSADT was demonstrated. Use of this selection criterion at diagnosis for more aggressive treatment appears warranted.
Adoption of Mechanical Harvesting for Sweet Orange Trees in Florida: Addressing Grower Concerns on Long-Term Impacts

The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of mechanical harvesting of juice oranges on future productivity of the orange trees. Yield data from several growers were analyzed over a ten-year-period to estimate a statistical relationship between annual fruit yields and harvest method. Results indicated that mechanical harvesting did not create an adverse near-term nor long- term effect on yields. Ke ywords: citrus; mechanical harvesting; citrus yields
The Politics of Ex Parte Lobbying: Pre-Proposal Agenda Building and Blocking during Agency Rulemaking

Scholars generally agree that interest groups are active and at times influential during the notice and comment period of regulatory policymaking (or ‘‘rulemaking’’). But current research often ignores the agenda setting that may take place during the pre-proposal stage of rulemaking. During proposal development, interest groups may lobby to: (1) influence the content of proposed regulations or (2) block items from the regulatory agenda altogether. This article focuses on ex parte lobbying—‘‘off the public record’’ conversations in which lobbyists share policy and political information with regulators—during the preproposal stage of rulemaking. I assess the importance of ex parte influence with data from a content analysis of government documents drawn from seven federal government agencies and a telephone survey of interested parties. Overall, the findings provide the first empirical confirmation that ‘‘off the record’’ lobbying can, and at times, does matter to regulatory content changes during a stage of the American policymaking process that is often overlooked by scholars and the public: the pre-proposal stage of agency rulemaking.
Crystal structures of the Bacillus stearothermophilus CCA-adding enzyme and its complexes with ATP or CTP

CCA-adding enzymes polymerize CCA onto the 3' terminus of immature tRNAs without using a nucleic acid template. The 3.0 A resolution crystal structures of the CCA-adding enzyme from Bacillus stearothermophilus and its complexes with ATP or CTP reveal a seahorse-shaped subunit consisting of four domains: head, neck, body, and tail. The head is structurally homologous to the palm domain of DNA polymerase beta but has additional structural features and functions. The neck, body, and tail represent new protein folding motifs. The neck provides a specific template for the incoming ATP or CTP, whereas the body and tail may bind tRNA. Each subunit has one active site capable of switching its base specificity between ATP and CTP, an important component of the CCA-adding mechanism.
The role of dorsal root reflexes in neurogenic inflammation

In light of findings of a series of studies with an acute inflammatory model, it is proposed here that central events in the spinal cord dorsal horn are sufficient and necessary for initiation of neurogenic inflammation and the resultant persistent pain and hyperalgesia. It is hypothesized that the central control of peripheral inflammation and transmission of nociception occur through at least two separate multisynaptic pathways. Inflammation is initiated when afferent fibers release excitatory amino acids that act on non-NMDA glutamate receptors in the superficial dorsal horn, affecting both excitatory and inhibitory interneuronal circuits. Excitatory interneurons activate projection neurons through NMDA receptors to transmit signals leading to the perception of pain by higher brain centers. The increasing levels of excitatory amino acids would also increase the excitability of superficial dorsal horn interneuronal circuits, including GABAergic inhibitory interneurons, which would exert a presynaptic influence through GABA-A receptors on primary afferent endings. If the activation is powerful enough, a pathological response, known as dorsal root reflexes, occurs, in which action potentials begin firing antidromically back down the primary afferent fibers to the periphery. In this manner the inflammatory mediating peptides found in the afferents are released into the periphery, resulting in increasing inflammation and further afferent activation directed centrally. Through the central interneuronal circuits, other afferent fibers are recruited. Activation of these previously “silent” nociceptors and dorsal root reflexes results in the “vicious cycle” of pain and inflammation. All of these amplification events not only further increase the inflammation but result in a persistent pain state and hyperalgesia. Though these events are reversible in the case of the acute inflammatory model, dorsal root reflexes as an initiator of persistent pain should be considered for chronic pain models where other more complex factors come into play, including secondary intracellular events and the sympathetic nervous system.
A digital signal processing architecture for iterative deconvolution restoration algorithms

A VLSI DSP chip is presented that will significantly improve the processing throughput for a general class of iterative deconvolution algorithms. The design will be based on a systolic array concept. This will enable these algorithms to be used for real time DSP applications which formerly due to speed limitations were not possible. The increased class of applications will enable further understanding of these applications. The higher throughput will also enable the researcher to further take advantage of the features unique to iterative deconvolution. >
Antiviral drops: comparative therapy of experimental herpes simplex keratouveitis.

• The present, masked, controlled study compares the therapeutic efficacy of guttate 3% vidarabine, 0.1% idoxuridine, and 1% trifluridine in herpes simplex keratouveitis in rabbits. Vidarabine, whether given every hour, every two hours, or every three hours was significantly better than controls but significantly worse than idoxuridine or trifluridine. Trifluridine and idoxuridine were not significantly different from each other. Viral cultures taken at the end of the six-day treatment period were positive in the majority of all treatment groups except for the trifluridine group, which was 100% negative. Although previous studies have shown that vidarabine is very effective as an antiviral ointment, vidarabine drops are not as effective as guttate idoxuridine or trifluridine.
Identification of novel, orally bioavailable spirohydantoin CGRP receptor antagonists.

Abstract A rapid analogue approach to identification of spirohydantoin-based CGRP antagonists provided novel, low molecular weight leads. Modification of these leads afforded a series of nanomolar benzimidazolinone-based CGRP receptor antagonists. The oral bioavailability of these antagonists was inversely correlated with polar surface area, suggesting that membrane permeability was a key limitation to absorption. Optimization provided compound 12, a potent CGRP receptor antagonist (Ki = 21 nM) with good oral bioavailability in three species.
Differential susceptibility to context: A promising model of the interplay of genes and the social environment

Purpose – The goal of this chapter is to demonstrate the importance of incorporating gene by environment (G×E) interactions into behavioral science theory and research. Design/methodology/approach – We critique behavioral genetics, discuss the emergence of epigenetics, review findings on G×E effects, and present the differential susceptibility model of gene–environment interplay. Findings – The studies reviewed demonstrate that genetic variation often interacts with environmental context to influence the probability of various behaviors. Importantly, in many, and perhaps most, of the studies reviewed, the genetic variable, unlike the environmental variable, has little if any main effect on the outcome of interest. Rather, the influence of the genetic variable is limited to its moderation of the effect of the environmental construct. Research limitations/implications – Molecular G×E research does not undermine the importance of environmental factors; rather it shows how social scientific explanations of human behavior might be made more precise by incorporating genetic information. This suggests expanded research opportunities for those interested in social causation. Social implications – This model of molecular G×E research presented suggests that a substantial proportion of the population is genetically predisposed to be more susceptible than others to environmental influence. We argue that this model of G×E is particularly relevant to sociologists and psychologists and has the potential to enhance the development of theory in both areas. Originality/value – This chapter will be of particular interest to sociologists and psychologists who have found the behavioral genetic paradigm off-putting because of its emphasis on genetic main effects and genetic determinism. The current chapter offers an alternative model that may better capture the available data and better integrate social processes with genetic and biological processes.
Elevated Triglycerides, Atherosclerosis and Adverse Clinical Events

Mendelian randomization studies have confirmed the causal relationship of triglycerides and triglyceride-rich remnant lipoprotein cholesterol with ischemic heart disease. The mechanism of atherogenicity is complex involving elevated levels of chylomicron and very low density lipoprotein remnants, generation of small dense low density lipoprotein particles frequently in the setting of obesity, insulin resistance or genetic disorders of lipoprotein metabolism. Management remains controversial but centers on reduction of overall atherogenic lipoprotein particle burden and use of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein lowering therapies such as fibrates and niacin in selected patients with elevated triglycerides, especially when accompanied by reduced levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Blood Pressure Responses to Insulin

Kugelmann1 reported 7 cases of angina pectoris who developed an elevation in blood pressure and substernal pain during hypoglycemia induced by the intravenous administration of insulin. The attacks of substernal pain and symptoms brought about by this procedure were similar to those which occurred spontaneously in these patients under ordinary circumstances. The studies of Kugelmann suggested to us using insulin hypoglycemia as a method of determining blood pressure responses. We have studied the blood pressure and blood sugar changes in normal individuals, in patients with essential hypertension, and in cases of Addison's disease following the intravenous administration of insulin. In each case a blood sugar determination (Folin Micro-method using venous blood) was made following a 12-hour fast; 15 units of insulin (Mulford) were then given intravenously, and subsequent blood sugar determinations made every 10 minutes for 90 minutes. To circumvent the effects due to emotional disturbances from repeated v...
INTERACTION OF MYCOPLASMA (PPLO) AND MURINE LYMPHOMA CELL CULTURES: PREVENTION OF CELL LYSIS BY ARGININE.

SummaryEvidence is presented which indicates that some mycoplasma strains which are cytocidal for murine lymphoma cells in vitro liberate into the medium non-dialyzable substances that are sufficient for production of the cytocidal effect. This effect is prevented if enough L-arginine is added to the medium.
Suillus Neoalbidipes: A New Species For Suillus Albidipes

The holotype collection of Suillus albidipes was studied and determined to be taxonomically synonymous with Suillus granulatus. Suillus neoalbidipes is proposed as a new species for the taxon previously referred to as S. albidipes. Suillus neoalbidipes is distinguished by a distinct band of cottony tissue on the pileal margin of young basidiomata, small clusters of caulocystidia, and few to rare clusters of pleurocystidia. To clarify the concept of Suillus albidipes auct. non Peck (p. 168, 1901) the holotype was examined. We determined it to be conspecific with Suillus granulatus (L.: Fr.) Kuntze. This leaves the taxon heretofore called Suillus albidipes (Pk.) Sing. undescribed. The taxonomic history of S. albidipes begins with the description of Boletus granulatus var. albidipes Pk. (1901). Peck provided a brief description of a fungus similar to Boletus granulatus L.: Fr. which he believed differed from the latter in the ". . . slight membranaceous veil which forms a very thin annulus on the stem ofthe young plant, or forms fragments which adhere to the margin ofthe pileus." He cited a single collection that must be taken as the holotype (Art. 7, Stafleu et al, 1978). Peck (1912) later elevated B. granulatus var. albidipes to species rank, but this description and illustration differed from the original (Peck, 1901) in some significant ways. In the 1912 description he reiterated the similarity to B. gran? ulatus but also stated "It [B. albidipes] may be separated from that species [B. granulatus] by its paler cap, white flesh and few or no glandular dots at the top ofthe stem and on the edge ofthe dissepiments ofthe tubes" (brackets ours). No mention was made of an annulus but Peck's (1912) drawing indicates an appendiculate pileal margin on immature basidiomata. A collection cited in Peck's 1911 notebook (in NYS) was deposited in NYS and apparently was the basis for the 1912 description. Singer (1945a) transferred B. albidipes to Suillus Micheli ex Adans. and later (1945b) provided a description of S. albidipes that differed from the original (Peck, 1901) but was similar to Peck's (1912) later description. Singer's (1945b) descrip? tion included microscopic characters, macrochemical reactions, and habitat and distribution data. Snell (1945) made the same new combination and provided a brief description similar to that of Peck (1912). Neither Singer (1945b) nor Snell (1945) described an annulus adhering to the stipe. Snell and Dick (1961) reduced the taxon to subspecific rank as Suillus granulatus subsp. albidipes (Pk.) Snell & Dick. Smith and Thiers (1964, 1971) considered S. albidipes a distinct species. In brief, their concept limits the taxon to basidiomata with a "false or incomplete
Beriberi without White Rice (P04.004)

Objective: To assess how anomalous data on etiology of beriberi in populations that did not subsist on rice were reconciled with an etiologic framework that attributed beriberi to eating polished rice. Background From the work of Takaki in Japan and Eijkman/Grijns in Jakarta in the late 19th century, and Chamberlain/Vedder in the Philippines in the early 20th century, beriberi came to be understood as a dietary deficiency disorder associated with eating white (polished) rice. Design/Methods: Review of primary sources from 1880-1950, and subsequent historical articles/monographs. Results: Reports of “ship beriberi” aboard European ships fishing for cod off the Grand Banks (North Atlantic), and beriberi among fishermen and sailors in Labrador/Newfoundland from about 1880-1920, were not readily reconciled with existing knowledge and so were discounted. Later studies found very low thiamine content in the white flour-based diets of these individuals. Similar problems occurred with ad-hoc reports of beriberi in non-Oriental institutionalized populations. Although difficulties were long noted in distinguishing alcoholic “neuritis” from beriberi, in 1928 Shattuck suggested that alcoholic neuropathies might be beriberi. Later clinical studies and animal experiments c1937-1940s showed that neuropathic, cardiac, and cerebral dysfunction in alcoholics could result from thiamine deficiency. In the 1930s foxes reared on US and Scandinavian farms developed “Chastek paralysis” (anorexia, difficulty ambulating, seizures, death) when raised on high-protein diets incorporating large amounts of uncooked frozen fish; this was successfully treated with thiamine, and attribued to thiaminase enzymes in fish. Conclusions: Systematic studies of anomalous populations, supported by animal models and biochemical studies, allowed a deeper understanding of associated pathophysiological mechanisms, and shifted the conception of beriberi from a food-based condition, to a dietary deficiency seen with a variety of foods, and ultimately to a metabolic defect resulting from deficiency of a specific micronutrient which impaired energy utilization from carbohydrates. Supported by: Department of Veterans Affairs. Disclosure: Dr. Lanska has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Medlink Neurology.
Selection of Testicular Tumor Patients for Omission of retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection

AbstractExcluding patients with bulky stages II or III disease, 73 patients with nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors were evaluated between September 1979 and April 1983 for a protocol omitting retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Patient eligibility required clinical stage I (T1 category) disease based upon normal post-orchiectomy serum tumor markers (alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin and lactic dehydrogenase), chest x-ray, ipsilateral lymphangiography, and a computerized tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis. Of the 73 patients 10 (14 per cent) were entered and followed for more than 2 years (3 had relapse within 7 months but were salvaged with retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and chemotherapy). Analysis of failures showed embryonal carcinoma in all 3 patients, with vascular invasion in the primary tumor in 1 and undetected spermatic cord involvement in 1, while 1 had a slower than expected decrease to normal of an elevated human chorionic gonadotropin level after orchie...
Inherited tubule disorders.

Genetic defects in tubule function, although relatively rare, have served as models for the study of the more common acquired renal tubular disorders. Defects in reabsorption or secretion or in hormone production or action are primarily involved. An exact physiologic mechanism has been delineated for some of them, leading to effective management of the associated renal dysfunction.
PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE AND PHYSIOLOGY EDUCATION

Since the mid-1960s, philosophy of science [particularly that derived from Kuhn's work (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962)] has become an informal ...
Lifestyle and Self-Management by Those Who Live It: Patients Engaging Patients in a Chronic Disease Model.

Background Patients pursuing organ transplantation have complex medical needs, undergo comprehensive evaluation for possible listing, and require extensive education. However, transplant patients and their supports frequently report the need for more lifestyle and self-management strategies for living with organ transplantation. Objectives First, to explore feasibility of a successful, patient-run transplant lifestyle educational group (Transplant Living Community), designed to complement medical care and integrated into the clinical setting; and second, to report the major themes of patients' and supports' qualitative and quantitative feedback regarding the group. Methods Informal programmatic review and patient satisfaction surveys. Results A total of 1862 patient satisfaction surveys were disseminated and 823 were returned (response rate, 44.2%). Patients and their supports reported positive feedback regarding the group, including appreciation that the volunteer was a transplant recipient and gratitude for the lifestyle information. Five areas were associated with the success of Transplant Living Community: 1) a "champion" dedicated to the program and its successful integration into a multidisciplinary team; 2) a health care environment receptive to integration of a patient-led group with ongoing community development; 3) a high level of visibility to physicians and staff, patients, and supports; 4) a clearly presented and manageable lifestyle plan ("Play Your ACES"(a) [Attitude, Compliance, Exercise, and Support]), and 5) a strong volunteer structure with thoughtful training with the ultimate objective of volunteers taking ownership of the program. Conclusion It is feasible to integrate a sustainable patient-led lifestyle and self-management educational group into a busy tertiary care clinic for patients with complex chronic illnesses.
7T MRI of distal radius trabecular bone microarchitecture: How trabecular bone quality varies depending on distance from end‐of‐bone

Purpose To use 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine how trabecular bone microarchitecture varies at the epiphysis, metaphysis, and diaphysis of the distal radius. Materials and Methods The distal radius of 24 females (mean age = 56 years, range = 24–78 years) was scanned on a 7T MRI using a 3D fast low-angle shot sequence (0.169 × 0.169 × 1 mm). Digital topological analysis was applied at the epiphysis, metaphysis, and diaphysis to compute: total trabecular bone volume; trabecular thickness, number, connectivity, and erosion index (a measure of network resorption). Differences and correlations were assessed using standard statistical methods. Results The metaphysis and epiphysis had 83–123% greater total bone volume and 14–16% greater trabecular number than the diaphysis (both P < 0.0001). The erosion index was significantly higher at the diaphysis than the metaphysis and epiphysis (both P < 0.01). The most elderly volunteers had lower trabecular number (<66 years mean 0.29 ± 0.01; ≥66 years, 0.27 ± 0.02, P < 0.05) and higher erosion index (<66 years mean 1.18 ± 0.17; age ≥66 years, mean 1.42 ± 0.46, P < 0.05) at the epiphysis; differences not detected by total trabecular bone volume. Conclusion 7T MRI reveals trabecular bone microarchitecture varies depending on scan location at the end-of-bone, being of overall higher quality distally (epiphysis) than proximally (diaphysis). Age-related differences in trabecular microarchitecture can be detected by 7T MRI. The results highlight the potential sensitivity of 7T MRI to microarchitectural differences and the potential importance of standardizing scan location for future clinical studies of fracture risk or treatment response. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016.
Stereospecific pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of beta-adrenergic blockers in humans.

The beta-blockers comprise a group of drugs that are mostly used to treat cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, or ischemic heart disease. Each of these drugs possesses at least one chiral center, and an inherent high degree of enantiose- lectivity in binding to the β-adrenergic receptor. For beta-blockers with a single chiral center, the (-) enanti- omer possesses much greater affinity for binding to the β-adrenergic receptors than antipode. The enantiomers of some of these drugs possess other effects, such as antagonism at alpha-adrenergic receptors or Class III antiarrhythmic activity. However, these effects gener- ally display a lower level of stereoselectivity than the beta-blocking activity. Except for timolol, all of these drugs used systemically are administered clinically as the racemate. As a class, the beta blockers are quite diverse from a pharmacokinetic perspective, as they display a high range of values in plasma protein bind- ing, percent of drug eliminated by metabolism or unchanged in the urine, and in hepatic extraction ratio. With respect to plasma concentrations attained after oral or intravenous dosing, in most cases the enanti- omers of the beta-blockers show only a modest degree of stereoselectivity. However, the relative magnitude of the concentrations of the enantiomers in plasma is not constant in all situations and varies from drug to drug. Further, various factors related to the drug (e.g., dosing rate or enantiomer-enantiomer interaction) or the patient (e.g., racial background, cardiovascular function, or the patient metabolic phenotype) may affect the stereospecific pharmacokinetics and pharma- codynamics of beta-blockers. An understanding of the stereospecific pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynam- ics of beta-blockers may help clinicians to interpret and predict differences among patients in pharmacologic responses to these drugs.
Bridging Research and Practice: Investigating the Impact of Universally Designed STEM Curriculum on the Concept Acquisition of At-Risk Preschoolers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of universally designed STEM curricular units on the concept and vocabulary acquisition of at-risk preschoolers attending a Head Start Preschool Program. A quasi-experimental control group design was utilized with the experimental group being exposed to the universally designed STEM curricular unit and the control group taking part in non-universally designed STEM unit. The control group and experimental group were randomly assigned to the morning and afternoon class of the Head Start center for the first unit STEM unit (plants) and then alternated for the second unit (insects). Participants were administered researcher created assessments to measure concept and vocabulary acquisition for each unit. Results of the first independent t-test (plants) indicated that there was no significant difference between the posttest scores of the experimental group and the control group (p = .08).Â Results of the second independent t-test (insects) also indicated that there was no significant difference between the posttest scores of the experimental group) and the control group (p = .29). Multiple factors may have contributed to these results, such as the complexity of collecting UDL efficacy data and measuring UDL, participant differences, and unit implementation. Though no significance was found, early childhood educators should be encouraged to still apply the framework to their curricular planning. Infusing UDL through centers, the use of teacher created eBooks, and student choice are recommended.
Generalized gauge U(1) family symmetry for quarks and leptons

Abstract If the standard model of quarks and leptons is extended to include three singlet right-handed neutrinos, then the resulting fermion structure admits an infinite number of anomaly-free solutions with just one simple constraint. Well-known examples satisfying this constraint are B – L , L μ – L τ , B – 3 L τ , etc. We derive this simple constraint, and discuss two new examples which offer some insights to the structure of mixing among quark and lepton families, together with their possible verification at the Large Hadron Collider.
Regulating Genetic Advantage

The regulation of genetic modification is generating urgent international debate. Development of new technologies means not only new therapies, but new possibilities for enhancement. The only area with existing regulation concerning genetic enhancement is sports, where adoption is seen as imminent. “Gene doping” is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and enforced at considerable cost, on the basis that biological innateness is essential to what is valuable in sports. As both the first and a highly visible mover, WADA’s ban is set to disproportionately affect other domains. We present a normative analysis of current regulation and the first experimental study (n=1000) on US attitudes towards gene doping. Through a series of ten scenarios, we find respondents view gene doping as fundamentally different than other forms of enhancement: 79% support allowing athletes modified to have an advantage competing alongside those born with that advantage; 54% support allowing modified athletes to compete alongside unmodified athletes; 34% endorse creating a separate competitive category. This leaves only a small minority supportive of an outright ban. These results are inconsistent with the protection of biological innateness. WADA need to acknowledge that genetic modification calls into question the foundations of their prohibition decisions. Our results are consistent both with increasing acceptance of genetic modification, and with theoretical and empirical work that equality of opportunity is best achieved through minimizing the role of luck. In this view, genetic modification is a tool to reduce the inequities of the natural lottery. The development of regulation in other areas should proceed with this in mind.
Schedule-Induced Aggression in Nursery School Children

The frequency and intensity of hitting an automated Bobo doll were continuously recorded for 8 female and 8 male nursery school children receiving pennies for bar pressing on a continuous reinforcement-extinction schedule. Hitting was distributed throughout extinction and baseline periods but did not occur during continuous reinforcement. No sex differences were found. The results parrallel data obtained from infrahuman organisms and suggest that schedule-elicited aggression in humans may be viewed as an adjunctive behavior.
Retinoids and the Immune System: Immunostimulation by Vitamin A

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses retinoids and the immune system and describes immunostimulation by vitamin A. Retinol, given orally to mice, can significantly reduce the incidence of skin papillomas after 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene induction. Inhibition of carcinogenesis by retinoids in vivo can result from mechanisms similar to the ones operative in vitro. Transplantable tumors are used frequently to examine the protective effects of retinoids. Retinoids can also influence the cellularity of lymphoid organs by either decreasing cell numbers at toxic doses or increasing them at subtoxic doses. The histological changes in lymphoid organs, caused by retinoids, are reflected in their inhibitory or stimulatory effects on various immune responses. Thus, high doses of retinoids can inhibit both humoral and cell-mediated immunity, whereas subtoxic doses can stimulate them. Retinoids act in the induction phase of immunity. Retinoids stimulate the induction of T killer activity in vivo and in vitro both to allogeneic and syngeneic cells.
Structural studies on colicin E3 and its immunity protein

Colicin E3 is a bacteriocin that penetrates sensitive cells and kills them by an enzymatic mode of action. It acts as a highly specific RNase that cleaves 16S ribosomal RNA at a position 49 bases in from the 3’end (Nomura et al. 1974). Although only a single phosphodiester bond is cleaved and the fragments stay attached to each other following the endonucleolytic attack, protein biosynthesis ceases completely and the infected cell dies. Colicin E3 acts in this specific manner only if all the components necessary for ribosome function are present. Thus, colicin E3 function requires the presence of the 50S subunit in addition to the 30S subunit as well as ribosomal proteins (Jakes & Zinder, 1974; Sidikaro & Nomura, 1974). Knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of colicin E3 will therefore not only provide an understanding of its mode of action but it is expected also to shed light on the structure of the ribosome at large in the vicinity of the cutting site. This region of the ribosome close to the interface between the small and large subunit is obviously critical for protein biosynthesis if a single nick in 16S RNA totally inactivates the ribosome.
Thermal Expansion for Charring Ablative Materials

A mesh moving scheme is developed and tested in a finite-volume thermo-mechanical solver to investigate the effects of geometry deformation on thermal protection system materials. Verification case...
How You See Yourself: Cultural Considerations and Self-Image for Rhinoplasty Patients

The motivations to pursue ethnically sensitive rhinoplasty and associated expectations are nuanced and influenced by the culture and institutional forces in a community. This article seeks to elucidate those nuances and the impact on self-image of patients seeking this procedure.
Education for Justice and the Catholic University: Innovation or Development? An Argument from Tradition

Modern Catholic doctrine clearly states that education for justice is constitutive of a Catholic university. However, the Catholic university had a long history of educating for justice even before the advent of the Church’s social teaching in the late nineteenth century. What are the warrants or precedents, if any, for the contemporary focus on justice in Catholic higher education? Is this an innovation or a development? By examining two major sources from the tradition of Catholic higher education, Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman and Saint Ignatius of Loyola, this essay will demonstrate that concern for social justice has long been a fundamental dimension of the Catholic university, seen through the intellectual and moral formation of its students. A concluding section explores how this tradition has been reinvigorated and implemented in the contemporary Catholic university.
Antiferromagnetism in V 2 O 3

The existence of antiferromagnetic order in the monoclinic phase of ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ has been confirmed by a neutron polarization analysis experiment. Conventional neutron-diffraction experiments on powders and single crystals have been performed to determine the magnetic structure. The observations are in accord with a model in which the V moments are ferromagnetically coupled in monoclinic (010) layers, or hexagonal (110) layers, with a reversal between adjacent layers. The ordered moment is (1.2 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.1)${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathrm{B}}$ per V atom.
Reducing queuing impact in streaming applications with irregular dataflow

Abstract Throughput-oriented streaming applications on massive data sets are a prime candidate for parallelization on wide-SIMD platforms, especially when inputs are independent of one another. Many such applications are represented as a pipeline of compute nodes connected by directed edges. Here, we study applications with irregular dataflow, i.e., those where the number of outputs produced per input to a node is data-dependent and unknown a priori. We consider how to implement such applications on wide-SIMD architectures, such as GPUs, where different nodes of the pipeline execute cooperatively on a single processor. To promote greater SIMD parallelism, irregular application pipelines can utilize queues to gather and compact multiple data items between nodes. However, the decision to introduce a queue between two nodes must trade off benefits to occupancy against costs associated with managing the queue and scheduling the nodes at its endpoints. Moreover, once queues are introduced to an application, their relative sizes impact the frequency with which the application switches between nodes, incurring scheduling and context-switching overhead. This work examines two optimization problems associated with queues. First, given a pipeline with queues between each two nodes and a fixed total budget for queue space, we consider how to choose the relative sizes of inter-node queues to minimize the frequency of switching between nodes. Second, we consider which pairs of successive nodes in a pipeline should have queues between them to maximize overall application throughput. We give an empirically useful approximation to the first problem that allows for an analytical solution and formulate a performance model for the second that directs implementation toward higher-performing strategies. We implemented our analyses and resulting optimizations in applications built using Mercator, a framework we designed to support irregular streaming applications on NVIDIA GPUs. We demonstrate that these optimizations yield meaningful performance improvements for several benchmark Mercator applications.
Educating America's Military

Preface 1. Why War Colleges? 2. Warriors & Scholars 3. The Students: Too Valuable to Fail 4. Faculty: But Not Necessarily in a Collegial Sense 5. The Curriculum: Moving Toward Intellectual Agility 6. Recommendations & Conclusion
THE SOUTHWEST AND THE PLAINS: ECOLOGY AND ECONOMICS

The ecological concept of niche is used to provide a better understanding of prehistoric interactions between the Plains and the Puebloan Southwest. A diachronic model is presented based on concepts of energy flow and regional microvariation in net energy input. At a general level, such use of ecological models and principles enables changes in human systems to be seen as an example of a general increase in ecosystem complexity. The application of more powerful theoretic and methodological concepts and constructs can then lead to a more powerful theory of human cultural evolution.
Bowling with the DARwIn-Op Humanoid Robot

In this paper, we will describe our approach in building an application, which empowers the DARwIn-OP Humanoid robot to play a bowling game. The main difficulties of bowling, in both humans and robots, is steady walking control, vision processing to detect the pins and ball, precise localization of the ball and decision-making of angles to throw. The aim of this project is to contribute to better and more enjoyable robot and human interaction as well as to humanoid robot research area.
A Hierarchical Approach to Learning the Boolean Multiplexer Function

Abstract This paper describes the recently developed genetic programming paradigm which genetically breeds populations of computer programs to solve problems. In genetic programming, the individuals in the population are hierarchical compositions of functions and arguments. Each of these individual computer programs is evaluated for its fitness in handling the problem environment. The size and shape of the computer program needed to solve the problem is not predetermined by the user, but instead emerges from the simulated evolutionary process driven by fitness. In this paper, the operation of the genetic programming paradigm is illustrated with the problem of learning the Boolean 11-multiplexer function.
Family Response to Adults and Alcohol

SUMMARY Studies indicate that couple and family relationships play a significant role in alcohol dependence and recovery processes, yet a relational framework in alcoholism treatment and research paradigms remains largely absent. Reciprocal, interactive dynamics between the alcoholic and couple-family relationships suggests the need for a more comprehensive conceptualization of alcoholism, inclusive of a relational perspective in addition to the current individual emphasis on abstinence as the defining measurement of successful treatment. Family variables, especially the couple relationship, underscore the importance of the concept of “couple recovery.” Bridging the gap between individual and couple recovery requires: multiple levels of intervention, developmentally appropriate strategies through the stages of recovery, and openness to integrating various therapeutic approaches. The Couples Reciprocal Development Approach (CRDA), a theory of long-term couple recovery from alcoholism, identifies three dist...
A Buffering/Caching Mechanism for Continous Media Players

In order to reduce the playback discontinuity of a stream of data (audio for example) sent through a packet-switched network, we proposed a buffering/caching mechanism for continuous media players. The stream playback is usually implemented by two parallel processes: receiving and playing. The former receives stream chips from the network while the latter plays the received stream chips and then empties their occupied buffers for the former. Our buffering/caching mechanism makes the receiving process completely independent of the playing process. Thus, the receiving process does not need to wait for the playing process to empty buffers so that the network bandwidth can be used as much as possible. Because the cached stream chips can be played from the local disk, the response latency of the playback control operations such as REPLAY and REWIND can be reduced as well. The mechanism was developed for our hyper audio web system.
Combined ozonation and biodegradation for remediation of mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil.

A study was conducted to investigate the feasibilityof a combined treatment (i.e., ozonation andbiodegradation) to overcome the inherent bacterialbioavailability limitation, and hence bioremediationlimitation, of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons insoil. Ozonation was very efficient in the removal ofnaphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and anthracene,but not for pyrene, chrysene, and benzo(a)pyrene fromsoil freshly spiked with the hydrocarbons. A similarresult was obtained from coal tar-contaminated soil.Elimination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsincreased appreciably in sand containing 0.03%organic carbon, indicating the adverse effect oforganic carbon on the efficiency of ozone treatment.In spiked and coal tar-contaminated soils, ozonationfollowed by biodegradation significantly increased thedegradation of various polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons including chrysene and benzo(a)pyrenewhich were not degraded by the test bacterialconsortium alone. In particular, the effect of thecombined treatment was more pronounced in coaltar-contaminated soil than in sterile soil spiked withhydrocarbons, probably due to the augmented biologicalactivity of the introduced consortium. The resultssuggest that a combined treatment including ozonationand biodegradation may be a promising bioremediationtechnology in soil contaminated with mixtures ofpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as formermanufactured gas plant sites.
Lessons on converting batch systems to support interaction: experience report

Software often evolves from batch to interactive use. Because these two usage styles are so different, batch systems usually require substantial changes to support interactive use. Specific issues that arise during conversion include assumptions about duration of system execution, incremental and partial processing, scope of processing, unordered and repeated processing, and error handling. Addressing these issues affects the implementation in the areas of memory management, assumptions and invariants, computational organization, and error handling. We use as a working example our conversion of the batch processor for the UniCon architecture description tool into an interactive architecture development tool. To capture the lessons for practitioners undertaking this type of conversion, we summarize with a checklist of design and implementation considerations.
SPEED: Symbolic Complexity Bound Analysis

The SPEED project addresses the problem of computing symbolic computational complexity bounds of procedures in terms of their inputs. We discuss some of the challenges that arise and present various orthogonal/complementary techniques recently developed in the SPEED project for addressing these challenges.
In utero complementation of a neural crest-derived melanocyte defect using cell directed gene transfer

Summary: This study describes an in utero approach for overexpressing genes in a cell-type directed manner. It uses an avian leukosis retroviral expression system coupled with a transgenic mouse line expressing the viral receptor tv-a from a tissue-specific promoter (RCAS-TVA system) (Federspiel et al., 1994, and reviewed in Fisher et al., 1999). A transgenic mouse line was generated expressing tv-a from the Dopachrome tautomerase promoter (DCT-tv-a) in embryonic melanocyte precursors (melanoblasts). RCAS virus encoding β-galactosidase (RCAS-LacZ) or tyrosinase (RCAS-Tyr) was injected in utero into embryonic day 12.5 albino (tyrosinase inactive) mouse embryos. Animals were analyzed for β-galactosidase activity or tyrosinase activity (hair pigmentation). RCAS gene expression was detected in 44% and 25% of the transgenic mice, respectively. We demonstrate the RCAS-TVA system coupled with the DCT-tv-a line of mice can be used for in utero infection. genesis 30:70–76, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Unifying temporal and organizational scales in multiscale decision-making

Abstract In enterprise systems, making decisions is a complex task for agents at all levels of the organizational hierarchy. To calculate an optimal course of action, an agent has to include uncertainties and the anticipated decisions of other agents, recognizing that they also engage in a stochastic, game-theoretic reasoning process. Furthermore, higher-level agents seek to align the interests of their subordinates by providing incentives. Incentive-giving and receiving agents need to include the effect of the incentive on their payoffs in the optimal strategy calculations. In this paper, we present a multiscale decision-making model that accounts for uncertainties and organizational interdependencies over time. Multiscale decision-making combines stochastic games with hierarchical Markov decision processes to model and solve multi-organizational-scale and multi-time-scale problems. This is the first model that unifies the organizational and temporal scales and can solve a 3-agent, 3-period problem. Solutions can be derived as analytic equations with low computational effort. We apply the model to a service enterprise challenge that illustrates the applicability and relevance of the model. This paper makes an important contribution to the foundation of multiscale decision theory and represents a key step towards solving the general X -agent, T -period problem.
Modelling the dynamic deformation and patterning in fcc single crystals at high strain rates: dislocation dynamics plasticity analysis

The deformation process in copper and aluminium single crystals under shock loading is investigated using a multiscale model of plasticity that couples discrete dislocation dynamics and finite element analyses. Computer simulations are carried out to mimic loading condition of high strain rates ranging from 105 to 107 s−1, and short pulse durations of few nanoseconds involved in recent laser based experiments. The effects of strain rate, shock pulse duration and the nonlinear elastic properties are investigated. Relaxed configurations using dislocation dynamics show formation of dislocation micro bands and weak dislocation cells. Statistical analyses of the dislocation microstructures are preformed to study the characteristics of the local dislocation densities and the distribution of the instantaneous dislocations velocities.