cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation of proton release and electrochromic shifts of the optical spectrum due to oxidation of tyrosine in reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

Reaction centers from the Y L 1 6 7 mutant of Rhodobacter sphaeroides, containing a highly oxidizing bacteriochlorophyll dimer and a tyrosine residue substituted at Phe L167, were compared to reaction centers from the Y M mutant, with a tyrosine at M164, and a quadruple mutant containing a highly oxidizing dimer but no nearby tyrosine residue. Distinctive features in the light-induced optical and EPR spectra showed that the oxidized bacteriochlorophyll dimer was reduced by Tyr L167 in the Y L 1 6 7 mutant, resulting in a tyrosyl radical, as has been found for Tyr M164 in the Y M mutant. In the Y L 1 6 7 mutant, the net proton uptake after formation of the tyrosyl radical and the reduced primary quinone ranged from +0.1 to +0.3 H + /reaction center between pH 6 and pH 10, with a dependence that is similar to the quadruple mutant but different than the large proton release observed in the Y M mutant. In the light-induced absorption spectrum in the 700-1000 nm region, the Y L 1 6 7 mutant exhibited unique changes that can be assigned as arising primarily from an approximately 30 nm blue shift of the dimer absorption band. The optical signals in the Y L 1 6 7 mutant were pH dependent, with a pK a value of approximately 8.7, indicating that the tyrosyl radical is stabilized at high pH. The results are modeled by assuming that the phenolic proton of Tyr L167 is trapped in the protein after oxidation of the tyrosine, resulting in electrostatic interactions with the tetrapyrroles and nearby residues.
Assessing the Perceptions of Fibromyalgia Syndrome in United States Among Academic Physicians and Medical Students: Where are We and Where are We Headed?

AbstractObjectives: Fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS] is a common condition, often diagnosed in the primary care setting, causing diffuse pain with additional somatic symptoms. Many physicians have questioned the existence of FMS due to an unclear pathophysiological origin and its overlap with other somatic syndromes. We sought to assess the perceptions of FMS among United States medical students and internal medicine and family medicine trained physicians working in an academic hospital.Methods: Residents and attendings working in a local teaching hospital were given questionnaires during undergraduate medical education sessions and academic conferences in internal medicine and family medicine. Medical students received surveys during small group sessions and through student mailboxes.Results: Seventy-two internal and family medicine trained physicians and 211 medical students were surveyed. In assessing whether FMS was primarily physiological or psychological in origin, 66% of physicians compared to only 29% ...
Using the Technique of Journal Writing to Learn Emergency Psychiatry

The authors discuss journal writing in learning emergency psychiatry. The journal of a psychiatry intern rotating through an emergency department is used as sample material for analysis that could take place in supervision or a resident support group. A range of articles are reviewed that illuminate the relevance of journal writing for the learning process, including articles about resident resilience, “autognosis,” the learning process in psychiatry, and “limbic music.” Journal writing is a useful tool in consolidating knowledge, and can be used along with traditional exercises for learning psychiatry such as writing chart notes, process notes, and completing required studies for examinations. Psychiatry training should continue to explore the use of journals as residents continue to write them.
Tracking Dynamics of Read/Write Head Suspensions in High-Performance Small Form Factor Rigid Disk Drives

Recording density of rigid disk drives is related to both linear and track density. High linear density requires submicron recording spacing which is made possible by using a gas-lubricated slider bearing to support the read/write transducer. This critical component has inspired much reseach effort in the past, both in industry and in academia. On the other hand, a major limitation in increasing the track density is the structural resonance of the suspension which connects the slider bearing to the actuator arm. In this paper, a nonintrusive measurement technique using a Laser Doppler Vibrometer is utilized to measure the submicron suspension vibration
Incorporating Environmental Behavior, Ethics, and Values into Nonformal Environmental Education Programs

Abstract Data collected through a survey of visitors to the Vermont state park system were used to define a range of environmental behavior, ethics, and values exhibited by park visitors. These data were used to develop principles for designing park-based environmental education programs. The study findings suggest that such programs should emphasize points of commonality among park visitors, present environmental messages through diverse topics and activities, and address relatively homogeneous subgroups of park visitors, such as those found in this study.
Effects of subperineurial injections of very-long-chain and medium-chain fatty acids into rat sciatic nerve.

[9,10−3H] palmitic (C16:0) and [1-14C] lignoceric (C24:0) acid dissolved in 10 μL of ethanol were injected subperineurially into the sciatic nerve of rats. Both C16:0 and C24:0 were incorporated into lipids, and in most lipid fractions C16:0 incorporation exceeded that of C24:0. Free ceramide and cholesterol ester were the only lipid moieties in which C24:0 incorporation was equal to or greater than that of C16:0. This finding is of particular interest since the very-long-chain fatty acid excess is by far the most striking in the cholesterol ester fraction in adrenoleukodystrophy. Furthermore, incorporation into cerebroside and sulfatide indicates that at least some of the injected fatty acids were metabolized in the Schwann cell. Subperineurial injections of either very-long-chain fatty acids or medium-chain fatty acids into rat sciatic nerve caused demyelination, and this morphological change does not occur following injection of pure solvent.
Realization theory for linear switched systems: Formal power series approach

The paper deals with the realization theory of linear switched systems. Necessary and sufficient conditions are formulated for a family of input–output maps to be realizable by linear switched systems. Characterization of minimal realizations is presented. The paper treats two types of linear switched systems. The first one is when all switching sequences are allowed. The second one is when only a subset of switching sequences is admissible, but within this restricted set the switching times are arbitrary. The paper uses the theory of formal power series to derive the results on realization theory.
Twelve Eye Safety Nomographs

A set of nomographs is given to aid in the determination of the probability of retinal damage due to pulsed laser radiation. The probability curves are given as a function of range for variant atmospheric turbulence and attenuation.
1H Nmr study on the binding of CMP inhibitors to RNase A. III. Chemical exchange and relaxation effects

Summary A new dynamic 1 H nmr method has been developed and applied to the binding of 3′- and 5′-cytidine monophosphate (CMP) to Ribonuclease A. The study has provided information on the rates of chemical exchange and the degree of inhibitor immobilization at the active site. Evidence is presented which indicates that exchange-broadening effects on the line widths result from a slow pH-dependent conformational change of the enzyme inhibitor complex. At pH 4.5–5.5 and 24° 1/τ∼150–250 sec −1 for the CMP inhibitors with the exchange rate increasing with increasing pH. The rotational correlation time for the pyrimidine ring of the complex is 4.4 × 10 −9 see and for the ribose ring of the complex is 1.2 × 10 −8 sec. These results indicate that the ribose ring is rigidly bound to the enzyme while there remains some residual degree of rotational freedom about the glycosidic bond.
Do Root Lesions Tend to Develop in the Same People Who Develop Coronal Lesions

Objectives: The three purposes of this study are to: (1) describe the relationship between the prevalence of coronal caries and root caries; (2) describe the relationship between the three-year incidence of coronal caries and root caries; and (3) if the two conditions are associated, develop a multiple regression model that identifies characteristics distinguishing people who had increments of both root caries and coronal caries from people who had increments of either coronal caries or root caries, or who had no new caries. Methods: Dental examinations and interviews were conducted in the homes of a randomly selected, stratified sample of people over the age of 65 years in five North Carolina counties. The relationships between coronal and root D and DF were analyzed through contingency table analyses, and ordinal logistic regression was used to identify characteristics that differentiated people who had both coronal and root D over the three years from people who had either coronal or root D and people who had no new disease. Results: Evidence of root and coronal caries in whites was much more likely to be in the form of fillings, while for blacks, it was more likely to be in the form of untreated decay. Prevalence rates of coronal and root D and DF were significantly associated for both blacks and whites. Incidence rates based on DF indicated that root and coronal caries were not associated in whites, but were associated in blacks. People more likely to experience both types of caries had more gingival recession at baseline, greater average attachment loss over the three years, and lactobacilli at baseline. In addition, the presence of Porphymonas gingivalis at three years was important for whites. Conclusion: It appears that coronal and root caries do tend to appear together in the same individuals, but fillings attenuate that relationship. The impact of dental treatment on the epidemiology of dental caries appears to be considerable and calls into question whether the F component of the caries index is related to disease as defined by epidemiologic criteria.
Effects of cardiac transplantation on bioenergetic abnormalities of skeletal muscle in congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND Patients with advanced heart failure have bioenergetic abnormalities of skeletal muscle metabolism during exercise. Using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we sought to determine whether skeletal metabolic responses to exercise are normalized by orthotopic cardiac transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS Four groups were studied: healthy normal volunteers (n = 9), subjects awaiting heart transplantation (n = 10), subjects 6 months (mean, 15 months) after transplant (n = 8). None of the posttransplant patients had biopsy evidence of rejection at the time of study. There were no significant differences in age, preoperative functional class, or symptom duration among the three patient groups. Metabolic responses were monitored in the dominant arm during incremental weight pull exercise and 10 minutes of recovery by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, with measurement of pH and the phosphocreatine (PCr)/(PCr + inorganic phosphate [Pi]) ratio, an index of PCr concentration. In addition, based on recovery data, the rate of PCr resynthesis was calculated as a measure of oxidative metabolism that is independent of work level, recruitment, or muscle mass, and the effective maximal rate of mitochondrial ATP synthesis (Vmax) was determined. Analysis was by ANOVA. There were no differences between groups in pH or PCr/(PCr + Pi) at rest. Compared with the normal control group, the pretransplant group had a decreased exercise duration (11.3 +/- 2.5 versus 15.0 +/- 1.3 minutes, P = .02), a lower submaximal exercise PCr/(PCr + Pi) ratio (0.58 +/- 0.11 versus 0.76 +/- 0.08, P < .05), a reduced PCr resynthesis rate (13 +/- 6 versus 22 +/- 9 mmol/L per minute, P < .05), and a lower calculated Vmax (26 +/- 14 versus 53 +/- 26 mmol/L per minute, P < .05). In the group studied early after transplantation, all the changes noted in the pretransplant group persisted and were if anything somewhat worse. In the group studied late after transplantation, there was a significant improvement in the PCr resynthesis rate compared with the early-posttransplant group (27 +/- 6 late versus 15 +/- 6 mmol/L per minute early, P < .05) and statistically nonsignificant trends toward improvements in submaximal exercise pH (6.86 +/- 0.24 late versus 6.72 +/- 0.24 early) and submaximal PCr/(PCr + Pi) ratio (0.56 +/- 0.14 late versus 0.44 +/- 0.15 early) and Vmax (45 +/- 21 late versus 33 +/- 15 mmol/L per minute early). However, compared with normal subjects, exercise duration and submaximal PCr/(PCr + Pi) were still reduced in the late-posttransplant group. CONCLUSIONS Despite successful heart transplantation, skeletal muscle abnormalities of advanced heart failure persist for indefinite periods, although partial improvement occurred at late times. The persistent abnormalities may contribute to the reduced exercise capacity that is present in most patients after transplantation.
Regulation of immunoglobulin production in hyper-IgE (Job's) syndrome

Abstract Background: The hyper-IgE (HIE), or Job's, syndrome is a rare, complex disorder characterized by high levels of serum IgE in childhood and chronic dermatitis with recurrent, often severe sinopulmonary and skin infections. Although the etiology of HIE syndrome is unknown, there is evidence that patients with HIE have abnormalities in cellular immune responses, as well as in the production of polyclonal and antigen-specific antibodies. Furthermore, there appears to be a common (but still undefined) mechanism underlying the regulation of IgE and IgG4 in this condition. Objective: We sought to assess the role of cytokines or cytokine receptor blockade in regulating IgE and IgG4 production in HIE. Methods: PBMCs were isolated from patients with HIE (n = 9) and normal individuals (n = 8), and IgE and IgG4 production was assessed spontaneously, in the presence of recombinant IL-4, IL-13, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, and IFN-γ, under conditions in which the IL-4R was blocked or when these cytokines were neutralized by specific monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Results: In PBMCs from patients with HIE, a significant ( P P Conclusion: These data show that overproduction of IgE and IgG4 can be regulated by a number of cytokines affecting the IL-4–dependent pathway of IgE/IgG4 production in HIE and suggest new targets for therapeutic intervention. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:333-40.)
Low-cost backpack-portable robot system for mine and UXO detection and identification

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) has developed a prototype backpack-portable robot system for mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) detection and identification. The robot system is compact, lightweight and is estimated to be inexpensive to construct. The robot has been designed with an inexpensive, highly accurate, wide bandwidth time-domain electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor for the detection and identification of metal components in mines and UXO. The robot can be configured for autonomous or person-in-the-loop control. The robot system can be configured with additional light-weight and low-cost mine and UXO sensors such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) and chemical explosive detectors.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Retroactive inhibition and point of interpolation

The experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that, when the MMFR method is employed to avoid confounding by competition effects, amount of retroactive inhibition (RI) will be a positive function of the length of the OL-IL interval. The design included 3 recall methods (Conventional, MMFR, and a modification of MMFR) and 3 interpolation conditions (1 Min OL-IL, 1 Wk OL-IL, single-list Control). The results indicated that significant RI appeared in both the 1 Min and 1 Wk interpolation conditions but that, regardless of the method of recall, the amount of RI in the 1 Wk conditions did not exceed that obtained in the 1 Min conditions.
Part IV: Prophecy, Knowledge and Study of Religion

The historical connection between the study of the Bible and the study of religion is examined through Spinoza's application of his anthropomorphic theory of religion to his analysis of biblicalprophecy. Drawing on current epistemological discussion, Spinoza shows in the Ethics how the pervasive anthropomorphism of popular explanations of the world, rooted in imagination, develops into religious systems. This theory informs Spinoza's analysis of biblical prophecy in his Treatise, in which he displaces the philosophical hermeneutic of Maimonides in favor of an historical-critical analysis. The result is a consistency of method—historical, critical, comparative — between his study of the Bible and the study of religion generally.
Pediatric tracheotomy discharge teaching: a comprehensive checklist format

Discharge planning for a child undergoing a tracheotomy is a complex process. In 1989, a multidisciplinary team at Children's Hospital of Michigan developed specific discharge criteria in a checklist format to address all facets of home care for these patients. We present and discuss the checklist. A survey of user satisfaction with the checklist demonstrated that 80% of parents and care-givers felt well-prepared by this format at the time their child was discharged from the hospital with a new tracheotomy. We conclude that the protocol allows for comprehensive and efficient discharge teaching of parents and care-givers for children with new tracheotomies.
A Perspective on Xenograft Rejection and Accommodation1

There is increasing interest in the potential clinical application of xenotransplantation. This interest derives in part from the need to identify a more abundant source of organs for transplantation and in part from rapid progress in understanding the cellular and molecular events that contribute to xenograft rejection. Recent areas of progress include the characterization of xenoreactive antibodies which would initiate the rejection of porcine organs transplanted into primates. These antibodies consist predominantly of IgM and their binding is characterized by high avidity and surprising uniformity. Xenoreactive antibodies recognize porcine glycoproteins of the integrin family; the determinants residing on N-linked substitutions. The predominant substitution has a terminal alpha Gal residue. Antibody binding initiates activation of complement through the classical pathway triggering a number of effector mechanisms. These mechanisms may include loss of heparan sulfate from endothelial cells mediated by C5a and xenoreactive antibody; a change in endothelial cell shape mediated by C5b-7 or the membrane-attack complex; procoagulant changes mediated by the membrane-attack complex; and neutrophil adhesion mediated by iC3b. If hyperacute rejection is prevented by the depletion of xenoreactive antibody and/or the inhibition of complement, acute vascular rejection may be seen some days later. Acute vascular rejection is characterized by prominent evidence of thrombosis and neutrophil infiltration. The cause of acute vascular rejection is unknown, but may reflect profound alterations in the function of endothelial cells lining blood vessels in the graft. In some cases, when recipients of xenografts are modified by depletion of xenoreactive antibodies, acute vascular rejection does not occur; rather, a process called accommodation allows the xenograft to survive despite the return to the circulation of xenoreactive antibodies and complement. The mechanism for accommodation is not known. New therapeutic strategies including the development of specific immunoabsorbants, identification of preferred donor animals expressing low levels of antigen and the development of transgenic donor animals expressing human complement regulatory proteins are among the strategies which may bring xenotransplantation closer to the clinical arena.
Duelling constructivisms: a post-mortem on the ideas debate in mainstream IR/IPE

The ideas debate in mainstream IR/IPE was generated by cumulative dissatisfactions with rational choice theory and with Realist tenets. This article examines the contours of this debate and explains how it reached its limit in the form of “conventional constructivism,” a bowdlerised form of critical theory and Gramscian cultural studies. “Context” and Gramsci’s “common sense,” however, are sufficiently equivalent terms to enable productive conceptual connections across the intra-disciplinary divide. The overarching obstacle remains the resistance of mainstream IR to integration with other social sciences.
Mobilizing Identities : Uncertainty and Control in Strategy

Some see the development and execution of strategy as necessarily driving outcomes of organizational activity, thereby ignoring counter-actions, stochastic disturbances and unintended consequences. We suggest an alternative to these deterministic assumptions based on a broader view of social organization and illustrated through case example. Strategy does imply some mobilization of network resources according to desired ends and projected events. Yet strategic action is also generated by some perturbation of a status quo ante and a decoupling from this slate of affairs. The central theoretical premise of the article is that any identity, as either an individual or grouping, emerges from persistent efforts to seek control in immediate and uncertain surroundings. Identities appear and evolve according to positions and movements among networks of social ties, which imply access to different sets of meanings. So distinct identities are triggered by disjunctions in social interactions and disruptions in the social or physical environment. And further levels of social organization are by-products. Anticipating deviations from established routine and coping with uncertain environments is the basis for strategic action. Strategies can be viewed as atlempts to secure a stable and lasting footing in an operating environment while simultaneously configuring organizational identities in line it strategic ends. Management in business, the military and fashion design supply case evidence.
The 91Zr(d, p)92Zr reaction at Ed = 6.25 MeV

Abstract The reaction 91 Zr(d, p) 92 Zr has been studied at E d = 6.25 MeV. Energies for 31 levels in 92 Zr were determined, and angular momentum transfer values were obtained for 15 of these levels. The differential cross-section data were compared with distorted-wave calculations, some of which used non-local potentials.
Trafficking CD11b-Positive Blood Cells Deliver Therapeutic Genes to the Brain of Amyloid-Depositing Transgenic Mice

A major question for gene therapy in brain concerns methods to administer therapeutic genes in a uniform manner over major portions of the brain. A second question in neuroimmunology concerns the extent to which monocytes migrate to the CNS in degenerative disorders. Here we show that CD11b+ cells (largely monocytes) isolated from the bone marrow of GFP (green fluorescent protein)-expressing donors spontaneously home to compacted amyloid plaques in the brain. Injections of these cells as a single pulse show a rapid clearance from circulation (90 min half-life) and tissue residence half-lives of ∼3 d. The uptake into brain was minimal in nontransgenic mice. In transgenic mice containing amyloid deposits, uptake was dramatically increased and associated with a corresponding decrease in monocyte uptake into peripheral organs compared to nontransgenic littermates. Twice weekly infusions of the CD11b+ bone marrow cells transfected with a genetically engineered form of the protease neprilysin completely arrest amyloid deposition in an aggressively depositing transgenic model. Exploiting the natural homing properties of peripherally derived blood cells to deliver therapeutic genes has the advantages of access to the entire CNS, expression largely restricted to sites of injury, low risk of immune reactivity, and fading of expression if adverse reactions are encountered. These observations support the feasibility of testing autologous monocytes for application of therapeutic genes in human CNS disease. Moreover, these data support the results from bone marrow grafts that circulating CD11b+ cells can enter the CNS without requiring the use of lethal irradiation.
Attenuation of Itraconazole Fungicidal Activity following Preexposure of Aspergillus fumigatus to Fluconazole

Fluconazole (FLC), a triazole with limited activity against Aspergillus species, is frequently used as prophylaxis in leukemia patients and bone marrow transplant recipients. Prior FLC use has been associated with an increasing incidence of invasive aspergillosis in these patients. We hypothesized that prior exposure of Aspergillus fumigatus to FLC could result in altered in vitro susceptibility of this fungus to other, more active triazoles. Thus, we performed serial passages of conidia of 10 clinical isolates of A. fumigatus (all itraconazole [ITC] susceptible) on FLC-containing yeast agar glucose plates. The MICs and minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of amphotericin B, FLC, ITC, and voriconazole (VRC) for A. fumigatus conidia were measured following four passages on FLC-containing medium according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards microdilution method. Serial passages on FLC-containing plates resulted in a fourfold increase in the MFCs (but not the MICs) of ITC for nine isolates. The attenuated ITC fungicidal activity against A. fumigatus following FLC preexposure was medium independent and was also observed against FLC-preexposed A. fumigatus hyphae with the viability staining FUN-1 dye. Moreover, FLC preexposure of A. fumigatus conidia resulted in an analogous increase in the MFCs (but not the MICs) of VRC. Our findings suggest that preexposure of A. fumigatus to FLC attenuates the in vitro fungicidal activity of subsequent ITC use against it. This phenotypic adaptation is not captured by a routine MIC determination but requires MFC measurement. The in vivo significance of this in vitro phenomenon requires further investigation.
Citron Binds to PSD-95 at Glutamatergic Synapses on Inhibitory Neurons in the Hippocampus

Synaptic NMDA-type glutamate receptors are anchored to the second of three PDZ (PSD-95/Discs large/ZO-1) domains in the postsynaptic density (PSD) protein PSD-95. Here, we report that citron, a protein target for the activated form of the small GTP-binding protein Rho, preferentially binds the third PDZ domain of PSD-95. In GABAergic neurons from the hippocampus, citron forms a complex with PSD-95 and is concentrated at the postsynaptic side of glutamatergic synapses. Citron is expressed only at low levels in glutamatergic neurons in the hippocampus and is not detectable at synapses onto these neurons. In contrast to citron, p135 SynGAP, an abundant synaptic Ras GTPase-activating protein that can bind to all three PDZ domains of PSD-95, and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) are concentrated postsynaptically at glutamatergic synapses on glutamatergic neurons. CaM kinase II is not expressed and p135 SynGAP is expressed in less than half of hippocampal GABAergic neurons. Segregation of citron into inhibitory neurons does not occur in other brain regions. For example, citron is expressed at high levels in most thalamic neurons, which are primarily glutamatergic and contain CaM kinase II. In several other brain regions, citron is present in a subset of neurons that can be either GABAergic or glutamatergic and can sometimes express CaM kinase II. Thus, in the hippocampus, signal transduction complexes associated with postsynaptic NMDA receptors are different in glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons and are specialized in a way that is specific to the hippocampus.
Prospects for Quantum Dot Implementation of Adiabatic Quantum Computers for Intractable Problems

Schemes are examined for implementing quantum computers to solve problems that cannot be solved in polynomial time on classical computers. Special attention is given to the newly proposed adiabatic quantum computation algorithms. We explore the ways in which the latter might be easier to implement than the more conventional approach.
A tutorial survey of theory and applications of simulated annealing

Annealing is the process of slowly cooling a physical system in order to obtain states with globally minimum energy. By simulating such a process, near globally-minimum-cost solutions can be found for very large optimization problems. The purpose of this paper is to review the basic theory of simulated annealing, to survey its recent applications, and to survey the theoretical approaches that have been used to study the technique. The applications include image restoration, combinatorial optimization (eg VLSI routing and placement), code design for communication systems and certain aspects of artificial intelligence. The theoretical tools for analysis include the theory of nonstationary Markov chains, statistical physics analysis techniques, large deviation theory and singular perturbation theory.
"Neon" digipainting: modeling electronic arts and ubiquitous computing in a virtual environment

In this paper we introduce a system prototype in which traditional human-computer interface is hidden inside electronic art pieces in the home environment. In this prototype an electronic art piece acts as a communication device as well as an artistic artefact. The proposed environment consists of: (1) a piece ' of electronic art which is a so called digipainting "Neon" and (2) mobile artefacts such as intelligent clothing, intelligent badges, i-buttons, mobile phones, PDAs and toys. We also introduce how the whole system is modelled first in a virtual environment. The virtual environment system will also handle different kind of sensors in real-time.
Vorinostat for the treatment of bullous pemphigoid in the setting of advanced, refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors represent a novel class of medication that is being targeted for use in the treatment of cancer. A member of this class, vorinostat, has recently been approved for the therapy of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Importantly, emerging data from animal studies have indicated that HDAC inhibitors may have the capacity to potently suppress the development of autoimmune disease. In this report, we describe a patient with advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma who developed refractory bullous pemphigoid (BP) and then experienced the rapid resolution of the BP following initiation of treatment with vorinostat. This observation may be broadly applicable to the treatment of other autoimmune skin diseases.
Assessing Parentification in South American College Students: A Factor Analytic Study of a Spanish Version of the Parentification Inventory

The Parentification Inventory (PI; Hooper, 2009) was developed to retrospectively assess various levels of parentification (whereby children take on caregiving and parental roles, responsibilities, and relationships reserved for adults). This study examined the underlying factor structure of the first Spanish version of the PI with a sample of 231 South American Latina/o college students. The results showed sound internal consistency and supported an 18-item, 3-component solution. Implications for culturally tailored research and practice are discussed.
FIRST MEASUREMENTS OF THE ρ3 SPIN DENSITY MATRIX ELEMENTS IN γp → pω USING CLAS AT JLAB

In an effort towards a "complete" experiment for the ω meson, we present studies from an experiment with an unpolarized target and a circularly polarized photon beam (g1c), carried out using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Lab. The experiment was analyzed using an extended maximum likelihood fit with partial wave amplitudes. New likelihood functions were calculated to account for the polarization of the photon beam. Both circular and linear polarizations are explored. The results of these fits are then used to project out the spin density matrix for the ω. First measurements of the ρ3 spin density matrix elements will be presented using this method.
Dynamic characterization of bimodal particle mixtures in silicone rubber magnetorheological materials

Abstract Samples of a magnetorheological composite comprised of a silicone elastomer containing varying mixtures of 40- and 10-μm iron particles were tested in dynamic shearing experiments. These bimodal mixtures were used in order to determine whether such particle combinations might influence the composite's behavior as evidenced by changes in the relative magnetorheological (MR) effect, ΔG. Field-dependent results are consistent with ΔG ∝ M2, M being the magnetization, and allow one to extrapolate a maximum relative MR effect. The extrapolated maximal ΔG values were effectively independent of particle-size ratio for fixed 30% [v/v%] Fe, suggesting that volume fraction was the important parameter and that particle positions were disordered. However, for 1% [v/v%] of the 10-μm particles to 30% [v/v%] 40-μm particles, there was enhanced response, perhaps due to the smaller particles sitting in beneficial interstitial positions. Further addition of 10-μm particles resulted in decreased performance.
Curses, crime detection and conflict resolution at the festival of Demeter Thesmophoros

At the heart of the Thesmophoria festival lies the story of Persephone and the promise of agricultural fertility, but scholars point out that more seems to be at stake, suggesting that the scene of women 'camping out' in the sanctuary under the control of the female archons recalls a primitive time when women, perhaps, ruled the city or that the festival creates a place where women are at least beyond the control of men. There are hints, moreover, that during the Thesmophoria women were also actively involved in some kind of juridical activity, especially on the second day of the festival, when they fasted in imitation of Demeter's grief over the abduction of Persephone and the injustice perpetrated against her. Indeed, the epithet Thesmophoros was understood already in ancient times to have some connection with human law. This paper argues that on the second day of the festival women engaged in some kind of impromptu juridical procedure aimed at solving crimes and punishing anonymous wrongdoers and it uses as evidence Aristophanes' Thesmophoriazusae and a series of curse inscriptions deposited in late Hellenistic times at the Sanctuary of Demeter at Cnidus, as well as a few single examples from Locri, Amorgos and elsewhere.
MUC7 20-Mer: Investigation of Antimicrobial Activity, Secondary Structure, and Possible Mechanism of Antifungal Action

This study was aimed at examining the spectrum of antimicrobial activity of MUC7 20-mer (N-LAHQKPFIRKSYKCLHKRCR-C; residues 32 to 51 of MUC7, the low-molecular-weight human salivary mucin, comprised of 357 residues) and comparing its antifungal properties to those of salivary histatin 5 (Hsn-5). We also examined the secondary structure of the 20-mer and the possible mechanism of its antifungal action. Our results showed that MUC7 20-mer displays potent killing activity against a variety of fungi and both grampositive and gram-negative bacteria at micromolar concentrations. Time-dependent killing of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans by MUC7 20-mer and Hsn-5 indicated differences in killing rates between MUC7 20-mer and Hsn-5. The secondary structure prediction showed that MUC7 20-mer adopts an amphiphilic helix with distinguishable hydrophilic and hydrophobic faces (a characteristic that is associated with antimicrobial activity). In comparison to that of Hsn-5, the fungicidal activity of MUC7 20-mer against C. albicans seems to be independent of fungal cellular metabolic activity, as evidenced by its killing potency at a low temperature (4°C) and in the presence of inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondrial system. Fluorescence microscopy showed the ability of MUC7 20-mer to cross the fungal cell membrane and to accumulate inside the cells. The internalization of MUC7 20-mer was inhibited by divalent cations. Confocal microscopy of cells doubly labeled with MUC7 20-mer and a mitochondrion-specific dye indicated that mitochondria are not the target of MUC7 20-mer for either C. albicans or C. neoformans. The need for efficient antimicrobial agents increases with the emergence of pathogens resistant to current therapies. Among the different approaches to finding novel, safe, and effective antimicrobial agents, the discovery and use of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides are attracting increasing attention. This is so because, unlike many currently used antimicrobial compounds, they show little or no toxicity toward mammalian cells and a low tendency to elicit resistance. The functional and structural properties and therapeutic potential of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (ribosomally synthesized) were recently reviewed (17, 35). With respect to structure and function, magainins (39), dermaseptins (22), cecropins (31), and mammalian defensins (18) have been best characterized (3, 35). A small size, amphipathicity, and a net positive charge are the common features of most naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides (6). The majority of these peptides exhibit a random structure in water and a well-defined structure ( helix, sheet, extended structures, and loops) in a simulated membrane-like environment (17). Their mode of antimicrobial action is not well understood. In most instances, it is mediated not by receptors but rather through peptide-microbial cell membrane lipid interactions resulting in membrane permeation and cell lysis (28).
In planta reduction of maize seedling stalk lesions by the bacterial endophyte Bacillus mojavensis

Maize (Zea mays L.) is susceptible to infection by Fusarium verticillioides through autoinfection and alloinfec- tion, resulting in diseases and contamination of maize kernels with the fumonisin mycotoxins. Attempts at controlling this fungus are currently being done with biocontrol agents such as bacteria, and this includes bacterial endophytes, such as Ba- cillus mojavensis. In addition to producing fumonisins, which are phytotoxic and mycotoxic, F. verticillioides also produces fusaric acid, which acts both as a phytotoxin and as an antibiotic. The question now is Can B. mojavensis reduce lesion de- velopment in maize during the alloinfection process, simulated by internode injection of the fungus? Mutant strains of B. mo- javensis that tolerate fusaric acid were used in a growth room study to determine the development of stalk lesions, indicative of maize seedling blight, by co-inoculations with a wild-type strain of F. verticillioides and with non-fusaric acid producing mutants of F. verticillioides. Lesions were measured on 14-day-old maize stalks consisting of treatment groups in- oculated with and without mutants and wild-type strains of bacteria and fungi. The results indicate that the fusaric-acid- tolerant B. mojavensis mutant reduced stalk lesions, suggesting an in planta role for this substance as an antibiotic. Further, lesion development occurred in maize infected with F. verticillioides mutants that do not produce fusaric acid, indicating a role for other phytotoxins, such as the fumonisins. Thus, additional pathological components should be examined before strains of B. mojavensis can be identified as being effective as a biocontrol agent, particularly for the control of seedling dis- ease of maize.
An improved speaker identification technique employing multiple representations of the linear prediction coefficients

A novel Linear Prediction (LPC) based Automatic Speaker Identification (ASI) technique employing multiple representations of the LPC is presented. The proposed ASI system has two modes namely, the encoding mode, and the Speaker Identification (SI) mode. During the encoding mode, otherwise known as the training mode, the Linear Prediction Coefficients (LPC) are extracted for each speaker as speech features. Multiple Representation Split Vector Quantization (MRSVQ) is employed to form representative codebooks corresponding to each representation, for each speaker. During the SI (running) mode, the ASI system identifies the codebooks of the speaker in the database that best matches the LPC extracted from the speech signal of the unknown speaker. The synthesized all pole vocal tract transfer function is used as a measure of vocal tract for ASI. Employing the normalized vocal tract transfer function error measure, the proposed technique is consistently found to obtain enhanced ASI accuracy in comparison with vector quantization employing existing LPC representation, at the expense of a modest increase in computational complexity. Our ASI technique can be used in a stand-alone system or as part of an ASI environment.
A video game for cyber security training and awareness

Although many of the concepts included in cyber security awareness training are universal, such training often must be tailored to address the policies and requirements of a particular organization. In addition, many forms of training fail because they are rote and do not require users to think about and apply security concepts. A flexible, highly interactive video game, CyberCIEGE, is described as a security awareness tool that can support organizational security training objectives while engaging typical users in an engaging security adventure. The game is now being successfully utilized for information assurance education and training by a variety of organizations. Preliminary results indicate the game can also be an effective addition to basic information awareness training programs for general computer users (e.g., annual awareness training.)
Collaborative signaling by bacterial chemoreceptors

Motile bacteria seek optimal living habitats by following gradients of attractant and repellent chemicals in their environment. The signaling machinery for these chemotactic behaviors, although assembled from just a few protein components, has extraordinary information-processing capabilities. Escherichia coli, the best-studied model, employs a networked cluster of transmembrane receptors to detect minute chemical stimuli, to integrate multiple and conflicting inputs, and to generate an amplified output signal that controls the cell's flagellar motors. Signal gain arises through cooperative action of chemoreceptors of different types. The signaling-teams within a receptor cluster may be built from trimers of receptor dimers that communicate through shared connections to their partner signaling proteins.
Sidling up to the archaeology of western saloons: historical archaeology takes on the wild of the West

The historic period in the American West retains an infamous reputation because of sensational tales that sold newspapers. Nineteenth-century media audiences were subsequently exposed to a wilder West than the one of reality. This pattern continued into the modern era, as western films and television shows built upon the existing, romanticized imagery. The western story has been told most powerfully on film, providing mass audiences with a surface realism that can be incorrectly taken as actual historical events associated with the region. Historical archaeology can help revise the prevailing mythic understanding of western history by fostering an anthropological research agenda to highlight the West's lesser-known, but cosmopolitan heritage. The archaeology of boomtown saloons, including research at an African-American saloon in Virginia City, Nevada, USA, provides a venue for such an endeavor, using the popular appeal of archaeology in the 'wild West'.
Areas of Electrical and Computer Engineering Education That Require Increased Emphasis

Two important aspects of electrical and computer engineering (ECE) education that require increased emphasis are discussed: instruction on the topic of transmission lines, and improving the mathematical skills of ECE students. Reasons for the need for a renewed emphasis on these two fundamental areas, as well as methods for incorporating them into an already crowded undergraduate ECE program are addressed.
The effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth on the development of masculine behavior in juvenile female rhesus monkeys.

Eight pregnant rhesus monkeys were injected with 100 /Lg diethylstilbestrol dipropionate (DESDP) from the 40th day of gestation until term, a long-term treatment. Male (n = 3) and female (n = 5) offspring were obtained. Five other pregnantfemales were injected with DESDP begin­ ning on the 115th day of gestation and continuing until either the 140th day or term-a relatively short-term treatment. Five female infants were obtained from these short-term treatments. Monkeys from the treated preg­ nancies were assigned randomly to mother-infant social groups containing untreated male and female infants the same age. They were observed in their peer groups each weekday from 3 to 12 months of age, and the display of mounting and play behavior was recorded for each subject. Results showed that DESDP significantly in­ creased the frequency of display of these juvenile behav­ iors only in long-term-treated females. However, one of the aspects of mounting that is characteristic of males (the ratio of complete to abortive mounts) was unaf­ fected even by the long-term treatment. Thus, DESDP­ treated females displayed a Iimited behavioral masculini­ zation. Whether this limitation was due to dosage and/ or timing or to a selective action of DESDP was not de­ termined. DESDP-treated males were not altered in any measurable way compared to untreated males. © 1996 Academie Press
Do medical student stress, health, or quality of life foretell step 1 scores? A comparison of students in traditional and revised preclinical curricula.

Theory: We explored the theory that measures of medical students’ well-being and stress from different types of preclinical curricula are linked with performance on standardized assessment. Hypotheses: Self-reported stress and quality of life among sophomore medical students having different types of preclinical curricula will vary in their relationships to USMLE Step 1 scores. Method: Voluntary surveys in 2010 and 2011 compared self-reported stress, physical and mental health, and quality of life with Step 1 scores for beginning sophomore students in the final year of a traditional, discipline-based curriculum and the 1st year of a revised, systems-based curriculum with changed grading system. Wilcoxon rank sum tests and Spearman rank correlations were used to analyze data, significant at p <.05. Results: New curriculum students reported worse physical health, subjective feelings, leisure activities, social relationships and morale, and more depressive symptoms and life stress than traditional curriculum...
General Data Quality Assessment of the CLHLS

This chapter provides a comprehensive review of data quality of the third wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) in 2002 in terms of proxy use, nonresponse rate, sample attrition, and reliability and validity of major health measures. The results show that the data quality of the 2002 wave of the CLHLS is generally good. Some recommendations in use of the dataset are provided.