cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System xc− regulates microglia and macrophage glutamate excitotoxicity in vivo

It is widely believed that microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages (collectively referred to as central nervous system (CNS) macrophages) cause excitotoxicity in the diseased or injured CNS. This view has evolved mostly from in vitro studies showing that neurotoxic concentrations of glutamate are released from CNS macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent inflammogen. We hypothesized that excitotoxic killing by CNS macrophages is more rigorously controlled in vivo, requiring both the activation of the glutamate/cystine antiporter (system x(c)(-)) and an increase in extracellular cystine, the substrate that drives glutamate release. Here, we show that non-traumatic microinjection of low-dose LPS into spinal cord gray matter activates CNS macrophages but without causing overt neuropathology. In contrast, neurotoxic inflammation occurs when LPS and cystine are co-injected. Simultaneous injection of NBQX, an antagonist of AMPA glutamate receptors, reduces the neurotoxic effects of LPS+cystine, implicating glutamate as a mediator of neuronal cell death in this model. Surprisingly, neither LPS nor LPS+cystine adversely affects survival of oligodendrocytes or oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. Ex vivo analyses show that redox balance in microglia and macrophages is controlled by induction of system x(c)(-) and that high GSH:GSSG ratios predict the neurotoxic potential of these cells. Together, these data indicate that modulation of redox balance in CNS macrophages, perhaps through regulating system x(c)(-), could be a novel approach for attenuating injurious neuroinflammatory cascades.
The thermal environment of the citrus rust mite

Abstract The distribution of citrus rust mite on individual fruit and in the whole citrus tree suggests an avoidance of solar exposure. A model of fruit temperatures as affected by solar radiation in different parts of the tree was constructed, and its predictions are compared with field temperatures and rust mite distribution patterns. The fruit temperature model is a function of latitude, time of year, time of day, fruit diameter and reflectance, position in the tree, atmospheric transmissivity and wind velocity. Where model predictions indicate unfavorable conditions, rust mite population levels were low. When the tree was divided into north-south, top-bottom quadrants, the north bottom quadrant had the most favorable temperatures and usually the most rust mites; the south bottom was also favorable and had high mite densities. The south top quadrant was least favorable often having temperatures in the lethal range, and it also had the lowest rust mite populations.
Development and Evaluation of a Fidelity Instrument for PEARLS.

PURPOSE This manuscript describes the development and the preliminary evaluation of a fidelity instrument for the Program for Encouraging Active and Rewarding Lives (PEARLS), an evidence-based depression care management (DCM) program. The objective of the study was to find an effective, practical, multidimensional approach to measure fidelity of PEARLS programs to the original, research-driven PEARLS protocol in order to inform program implementation at various settings nationwide. METHODS We conducted key informant interviews with PEARLS stakeholders, and held focus groups with former PEARLS clients, to identify core program components. These components were then ranked using a Q-sort process, and incorporated into a brief instrument. We tested the instrument at two time points with PEARLS counselors, other DCM program counselors, and non-DCM program counselors (n = 56) in six states. Known-groups method was used to compare findings from PEARLS programs, other DCM programs, and non-DCM programs. We asked supervisors of the counselors to complete the fidelity instrument on behalf of their counselors to affirm the validity of the results. We examined the association of PEARLS program fidelity with individual client outcomes. RESULTS Program for Encouraging Active and Rewarding Lives providers reported the highest fidelity scores compared to DCM program providers and non-DCM program providers. The sample size was too small to yield significant results on the comparison between counselor experience and fidelity. Scores varied between PEARLS counselors and their supervisors. PEARLS program fidelity was not significantly correlated with client outcomes, suggesting that other implementation factors may have influenced the outcomes and/or that the instrument needs refinement. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that providers may be able to use the instrument to assess PEARLS program fidelity in various settings across the country. However, more rigorous research is needed to evaluate instrument effectiveness.
A physical model for drift in pH ISFETs

Abstract A physical model is presented which quantitatively describes the threshold voltage instability, commonly known as drift, in n-channel Si3N4-gate and as well as Al2O3-gate pH ISFETs. The origin of the so-called drift is postulated to be associated with the relatively slow chemical modification of the gate insulator surface as a result of exposure to the electrolyte. The chemical modification of the surface is assumed to result from a transport-limited reaction whose rate is modeled by a hopping and/or trap-limited transport mechanism known as dispersive transport. The change in the chemical composition of the insulator surface leads to a decrease in the overall insulator capacitance with time, which gives rise to a monotonic temporal increase in the threshold voltage.
Doomsday ATE to distributed measurement blocks

Cost of Test, ATE utilization, floor space, flexibility⋯the list goes on and on of the issues the DoD and their primes are continually trying solve in the realm of Test. Tools like 6-Sigma and Lean have moved this effort forward dramatically over the past decade but has been primarily focused at taking inefficiencies out of the current strategy of test. It's now time to look at an entirely different approach, one outside the industry but with all the complexities that are inherent to the Aerospace and Defense world. This paper will walk through the process of moving from a doomsday ATE test model to that of a distributed measurement model, similar to those that are used in commercial applications. It will show how Cost of Test, utilization, floor space, flexibility and more can be achieved.
Boundary arcs for a class of differential games

The behavior of boundary arcs of the attainable set is discussed for a class of differential games, and first-order necessary conditions are obtained. The method is a simple extension of that used by Hestenes (Ref. 1) in relating the behavior of boundary arcs for optimal control problems to the maximum principle.
Radio-immunoassay of gastrin using antiserum to porcine gastrin.

SummaryRabbits immunized with partially purified porcine gastrin conjugated to bovine serum albumin stimulated the production of porcine-gastrin antiserum of high titer. A radio-immunoassay system for gastrin is described utilizing the precipitation of antibody-bound radioiodinated synthetic human gastrin I. The sensitivity of the method permits measurment of less than 10 μμg of gastrin without the possibility of a cross-reaction with molecules having a terminal tetrapep-tide similar to gastrin. The technique is capable of measuring human and canine serum gastrin.
Consumer Benefits from Community Supported Agriculture Membership

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a recent institution in agriculture. In CSA, both the farmer and consumer share the risks and the bounty of farm production. This study focuses on consumer benefits from CSA membership, especially cost savings. To estimate consumer cost savings, quantities of produce in weekly shares for three CSA farms in Massachusetts were measured and retail values calculated. Cost savings were calculated as the differences between share prices and retail values for three CSA operations. Benefits ranged from 60% to 150% of share prices for the CSA farms studied, based on retail prices for organic produce.
Ab initio calculations of the reactions of hydrogen with methanol : A comparison of the role of bond distortions and Pauli repulsions on the intrinsic barriers for chemical reactions

People often view barriers to reaction as being associated with either bond stretching and distortion or with curve-crossings on a potential energy surface. However, another important contribution to barriers to reaction comes from the energy required to push the reactants together. In this paper we used ab initio methods at various levels including G2.MP2/6-31G* and QCISD(T)/6-311g** to assess the contributions from bond distortions, the curve-crossing, and the energies to move the reactants together for the following reactions: H‘ + CH3OH → HH‘ + CH2OH; H‘ + CH3OH → HH‘ + CH3O; H‘ + CH3OH → H + CH2H‘OH; H‘ + CH3OH → H + CH3OH‘; H‘ + CH3OH → CH3H‘ + OH; H‘ + CH3OH → CH3 + OHH. We find that the activation barriers correlate very well with the energy to move the reactants together. However, there is little correlation between the activation barriers and either the energy of the curve-crossing or the bond distortion energy. Physically, orbitals distort when the reactants come together. These distorted orbi...
BRACHIOPOD SHELL DISCOLORATION AS AN INDICATOR OF TAPHONOMIC ALTERATION IN THE DEEP-TIME FOSSIL RECORD

Actualistic studies of shell taphonomy in the marine subfossil record have found alteration in shell color to be a highly useful taphonomic indicator; however, the viability of shell discoloration for this purpose in the more profoundly altered material of the deep-time fossil record has not been explored. We investigated the relationship between the shell discoloration of Ordovician brachiopods and their taphonomic state to determine what information discoloration could provide about the conditions under which the shells were preserved. We examined 1033 specimens of Vinlandostrophia and Hebertella from type-Cincinnatian outcrops in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky, using a sampling design that allowed us to test the taphonomic significance of shell color in multiple stratigraphic units and across a wide geographic area. For each specimen, taphonomic data were recorded and multivariate analyses of the taphonomic attributes performed. Our results demonstrate that fossil shell discoloration is strongly related to overall taphonomic state, with darker colors associated with evidence of shell degradation. Further analyses suggest that shell color may be related to the incorporation of sulfide minerals and organic matter. Darker colors may reflect a higher residence time in the taphonomically active zone, in environments with slow sedimentation rates or multiple burial and exhumation cycles. Alternatively, darker colors may be indicative of environments with higher probabilities of discoloration, related to sediment and pore-water geochemistry. The strong correlation between shell discoloration and other indicators of taphonomic damage is evidence that discoloration reflects a taphonomic pathway from pristine to degraded shells, and may be a useful addition to taphofacies models.
Accumulation of substrate by isolated rat diaphragm: a possible mechanism for the anti-inflammatory action of corticosteroids.

ADRENALECTOMY enhances, and adrenal cortical hormone depresses, the incorporation of carbon-14 from amino-acids, and from amino-acid precursors, into the protein of isolated rat diaphragm1,2. These changes are, at least in part, the result of a direct effect on protein biosynthesis1,3. Whether corticosteroids also effect protein synthesis indirectly by influencing amino-acid transport and accumulation is not known. The possibility was tested by measuring the penetration and accumulation of [1-14C-]-aminoisobutyric acid4, a non-utilizable amino-acid analogue, and of the utilizable amino-acids [U-14C] L-phenylalanine and [U-14C] L-lysine, by ‘intact’ diaphragms5 isolated from normal, adrenalectomized, and cortisone-treated rats.
Study of XeF2 fluorination potential against SrO, MoO3, and Nb2O5 in TG/DTA for use in reactive gas recycle

Abstract Oxides SrO, MoO 3 , and Nb 2 O 5 , simulating parts of the Used Nuclear Fuel (UNF) matrix were fluorinated using XeF 2 to form volatile and non-volatile compounds to demonstrate the possibility of a chemical and thermal separations. Experiments were conducted using a TG/DTA instrument at the milligram quantity scale, and XRD enabled confirmation for the fluorination reaction when sample residues were present. The study of these chemistries could be incorporated into advanced separations methods to provide another possible solution for the long-term, sustainability of nuclear power as the issue of reuse and disposal of commercial fuel continues to grow.
Dynamics of a Canonical Electrostatic MEMS/NEMS System

The mass-spring model of electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) or nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) is pervasive in the MEMS and NEMS literature. Nonetheless a rigorous analysis of this model does not exist. Here periodic solutions of the canonical mass-spring model in the viscosity dominated time harmonic regime are studied. Ranges of the dimensionless average applied voltage and dimensionless frequency of voltage variation are delineated such that periodic solutions exist. Parameter ranges where such solutions fail to exist are identified; this provides a dynamic analog to the static “pull-in” instability well known to MEMS/NEMS researchers.
Hydrologic controls of physical and ecological processes in Namib Desert ephemeral rivers: Implications for conservation and management

Abstract Ephemeral rivers have been largely excluded from previous attempts to classify global hydrologic regimes, or to assess the role of hydrologic characteristics in regulating ecological processes and patterns in fluvial ecosystems. The Namib Desert's ephemeral rivers are amongst the most hydrologically variable fluvial systems yet described. The coefficient of variation for mean annual runoff (CVMAR) among 28 stations, representing 7 Namib rivers, averages 1.55, compared with a global mean of ∼0.45. Distinct curvilinear relationships exist among hydrologic characters and longitudinal position along the rivers. In particular, peak discharge, annual flow volume, and days of flow per annum exhibit a marked decline in the lower reaches of the rivers, after a mid-catchment peak. These longitudinal gradients exert strong controls over the composition of vegetation, invertebrate, and fungal communities; the availability and structure of various micro-habitats; and the rates of ecological processes such as decomposition. Flood pulses, although variable in their timing and magnitude, play a critical role in regulating organic matter transport and deposition, and primary and secondary production. Despite the tolerance of the biota to harsh and variable abiotic conditions, these ecosystems are highly sensitive to hydrologic alterations as water is acutely limiting for many organisms and ecological processes. Accordingly, alterations to flow regimes can quickly degrade ecological integrity. Managers must seek to maintain existing hydrologic regimes, a challenge amplified by increasing human water demand and changing regional climates.
Epstein-Barr virus-induced deoxynuclease and the reutilization of host-cell DNA degradation products in viral DNA replication.

Abstract Extracts of Raji cells superinfected with EBV obtained from P3HR-1 producer cells revealed the presence of a DNase activity. Template specificity determinations disclosed exonuclease activity on both single-stranded and double-stranded molecules. The activity could be abolished by EBV antiserum. The DNase activity was detectable 18 hr after superinfection and reached its maximum 30 hr postinfection. A possible function for the enzyme was suggested by experiments in which radiolabel, which was initially present only at the density of cellular DNA, was chased into DNA banding at the density of EBV DNA. The chase of incorporated label was first observed 36 hr after superinfection and accounted for 10% of the total label present in both DNA peaks. The gradual shift of label reached a maximum of 20% of the total label by 72 hr after infection. Rate-velocity centrifugation analyses revealed that cellular DNA was degraded after superinfection. The use of DNA synthesis inhibitors suggested that the host-cell DNA degradation products were recycled into nascent EBV DNA via the cellular salvage pathway.
Blackface Minstrelsy and Jewish Identity: Fleshing Out Ragtime as the Central Metaphor in E. L. Doctorow's Ragtime

(2004). Blackface Minstrelsy and Jewish Identity: Fleshing Out Ragtime as the Central Metaphor in E. L. Doctorow's Ragtime. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction: Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 247-260.
Reinforcement of a PDMS master using an oxide-coated silicon plate

In this work, a new method was developed to increase the stiffness of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) masters using oxide-coated silicon plates, aimed at reducing the residual and deflecting deformations of the PDMS masters for proper pattern transfer. Using this method, these two types of deformations in the reinforced PDMS master have been reduced.
INNOVATIONS IN LODGING ACCOMMODATION

Levels of agreement about facilities in lodging accommodation between families and motel operators in the East South Central States of Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi are examined. Families questioned also indicated additional facilities that would be welcome in motel accommodation in the future. The procedure utilized in this project could be applied to a variety of geographical or corporation boundaries.
NUCLEAR HYPERFINE INTERACTION OF Fe IN CHLORO-HEMIN

The nuclear hyperfine splitting of ferric iron in chloro-hemin has been studied theoretically by estimating the electric field-gradient at the iron nucleus employing the multi-electron molecular orbitals constructed in the frame-work of the overlapping atoms. It is shown that one must take into account as least the neighbouring Cl-, four N's and eight nearest C's in our case to arrive at the most dominant contributions. The distortion of the iron charge distribution due to the chlorine ligand has been found to produce the dominant effect. The distortion due to the neighbouring nitrogen atoms produce comparable effects and partly nullify the chlorine contribution. Using the Koenig's X-ray structure data, the calculated nuclear hyperfine splitting of Fe in chloro-hemin due to the overlap effects has been obtained to be + 0.44 mm/s which is of correct sign and about 57 per cent of the experimental value + 0.78 mm/s as observed by Johnson, Gonser and Grant, and Shulman and Wertheim. Our calculations show that the overlap due to the 2p2 electrons of the nearest C's produce important effects on the hyperfine splitting of Fe. This reveals that there exists a strong direct link between the iron ion and the nearest C's in chloro-hemin. The effects of the induced dipoles at chlorine and nitrogens have also been Investigated by self-consistent methods. Inclusion of these effects reduce the splitting to + 0.14 mm/s if the polarizability of Cl- is taken to be as large as 2.97 A3 whereas it improves the result drastically to + 0.79 mm/s, in agreement with the experiments, if the polarizability of Cl- is assumed to be small (1 A3).
Going for Gold: Understanding Talent Development Through the Lived Experiences of US Female Olympians

Using qualitative methods design, this research examined the talent development process of US female Olympians. In addition, models of talent development in gifted women in other domains assisted in understanding the development of talent in elite female athletes. Interpretation of the experiences of the participants indicated that the models of talent development for gifted women contribute to an understanding of female athletic talent development. Yet, models presented in both sport and other professional domains do not capture all aspects of talent development as lived by the participants in this project. Within current models of talent development for athletes there is no discussion regarding what occurs after an athlete reaches the elite level of participation. A more fully integrated model of talent development must also include the contributions of athletic talent development toward development as fully actualized human beings. The participants in this research acknowledged significant development that occurred following their elite level of participation.
Social reinforcement of substance abuse treatment aftercare participation: Impact on outcome

Although adherence to aftercare therapy in substance abuse treatment is associated with improved outcome, little research has explored the effects of adherence interventions on outcome. We compared 20 graduates of our 28-day intensive treatment program who received a standard aftercare orientation with 20 graduates who received this intervention plus social reinforcement of aftercare group therapy attendance. The social reinforcement group showed less alcohol use than the standard care group at a 6-month follow-up assessment as measured by the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), but not less drug use. Additionally, compared to standard care, the social reinforcement participants were more likely to be abstinent at the 6-month follow up (76% vs. 40%). The groups did not differ on hospital readmission rates over a 12-month follow-up period. Additionally, the social reinforcement group showed better long-term aftercare attendance compared to the standard care group.
The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Production

When Walter Benjamin wrote his famous essay The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, he shone a light on the cultural changes inherent in technologyâ€™s ability to infinitely reproduce and distribute art. One of the important consequences of this development was the democratization of artâ€™s availability, allowing the general population to experience artwork that they would otherwise be unable to access. Now technology has advanced to a point where not only is artâ€™s reproduction available to anyone who wants it, its very production is now accessible to almost everyone, even if the prospective artist is utterly devoid of training, expertise, or even talent. With software-based artistic assistance and low-threshold electronic distribution mechanisms, we have achieved the promise of Benjaminâ€™s blurred distinction between artist and audience. As a result, the process by which art is produced has now been democratized, resulting in legitimate questions regarding quality, taste, and the legitimacy of authorship in a human-technological artistic collaboration.
The HSV-1 ICP27 RGG box specifically binds flexible, GC-rich sequences but not G-quartet structures

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) protein ICP27, an important regulator for viral gene expression, directly recognizes and exports viral RNA through an N-terminal RGG box RNA binding motif, which is necessary and sufficient for RNA binding. An ICP27 N-terminal peptide, including the RGG box RNA binding motif, was expressed and its binding specificity was analyzed using EMSA and SELEX. DNA oligonucleotides corresponding to HSV-1 glycoprotein C (gC) mRNA, identified in a yeast three-hybrid analysis, were screened for binding to the ICP27 N-terminal peptide in EMSA experiments. The ICP27 N-terminus was able to bind most gC substrates. Notably, the ICP27 RGG box was unable to bind G-quartet structures recognized by the RGG domains of other proteins. SELEX analysis identified GC-rich RNA sequences as a common feature of recognition. NMR analysis of SELEX and gC sequences revealed that sequences able to bind to ICP27 did not form secondary structures and conversely, sequences that were not able to bind to ICP27 gave spectra consistent with base-pairing. Therefore, the ICP27 RGG box is unique in its recognition of nucleic acid sequences compared to other RGG box proteins; it prefers flexible, GC-rich substrates that do not form stable secondary structures.
Internal field resonance structure: Implications for optical absorption and scattering by microscopic particles

Mie scattering theory is used to calculate the efficiency factors for absorption by microscopic dielectric spheres. Resonances in the efficiency factors for absorption and resonances in the amplitudes of the electric and magnetic multipoles which occur in an expansion of the fields inside the dielectric sphere are discussed. Several trends in the strengths and width of the various resonances as functions of the absorption coefficient of the sphere, size parameter, multipole order, and multipole resonance number are given. A formal solution for elastic (Mie) and inelastic (Raman) scattering by microscopic particles is derived from the extinction theorem. With this background, some implications of the resonances in the interpretation of absorption, fluorescence, and Raman scattering by microscopic particles are discussed.
The Social Psychology of Arms Control and Reciprocation

Unilateral initiatives are discussed in terms of a social-psychological perspective. This perspective concentrates on interaction processes with particular attention paid to conditions for reciprocity between an initiator who manages impressions and a receiver who processes information. Historical perspectives on reciprocity have emphasized the normative aspects as expectations among group members who have positive sentiments toward one another. Implications for relations among adversaries are developed from more recent literatures on gaming, social, and cognitive psychology. These literatures contribute such ideas as initiatives-as-starting-mechanisms, the distinction between agreements and relationships, complex informationprocessing mechanisms (including the adjustment of expectations), and attribution biases in interpreting another nation's intentions. Further understanding of the attribution process is gained from work on expression games where other channels of strategic communication are highlighted. The article concludes with a discussion of the relevance of social-psychological processes for relations among nations and argues that the problem consists of defining linkages between micro- and macrolevel processes as reflected, for example, in recurring patterns of effects of behaviors and structures.
Recruitment of Juvenile Gags in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Factors Contributing to Observed Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Estuarine Occupancy

Abstract We conducted a comprehensive examination of long-term (10+ years) fisheries-independent data to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of habitat selection and recruitment of juvenile gags Mycteroperca microlepis in four eastern Gulf of Mexico estuaries in Florida: Apalachicola Bay, Cedar Key, Tampa Bay, and Charlotte Harbor. Results from generalized linear modeling and habitat suitability analyses indicated that juvenile gags selected euhaline or polyhaline habitats with sloping bottoms and extensive coverage of submerged aquatic vegetation; the observed patterns were similar among estuaries. Latitudinal differences in the timing and duration of estuarine occupancy by juvenile gags were evident, with individuals appearing earlier and remaining later in more southerly estuaries. Significant interannual variability in recruitment of juvenile gags was evident within all estuaries, with high juvenile recruitment evident every 2 to 4 years. Continued efforts toward characterizing year-class s...
Temperature dependence of the activation volume in a nonlinear optical polymer : Evidence for chromophore reorientation induced by Sub-Tg relaxations

Second harmonic generation (SHG) was used to measure the temperature dependence of the reorientation activation volume of 4-(diethylamino)-4′-nitrotolane (DEANT) in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The decay of the SHG signal from films of DEANT/PMMA was recorded at hydrostatic pressures up to 3060 atm and at different temperatures between 25°C below the glass transition temperature to 35°C above it. The activation volume, ΔV*αβ associated with the long range α-type motion of the polymer remained constant at 213 ± 10 A3 between Tg − 25°C and Tg + 10°C. At higher temperatures, ΔV*αβ decreased linearly with increasing temperature. The activation volume, ΔV*αβ, associated with short range secondary relaxations was constant over the entire temperature range with a value of 77 ± 10 A3. The data suggest that above Tg chromophore reorientation is coupled to both the long range and local motions of the polymer; whereas, well below Tg chromophore reorientation is closely coupled to the local relaxations of the polymer. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 901–911, 1998
The efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in adult social anxiety disorder : a meta-analysis of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials

Social anxiety disorder is associated with impairment in social and occupational functioning, significant personal distress and a possible economic burden, resulting in a reduction in quality of life. To understand better the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in social anxiety disorder, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were evaluated. Pubmed and PsychINFO electronic databases were searched for social anxiety disorder, social phobia, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine and sertraline. Fifteen published, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in social anxiety disorder were identified. Design, subject number, drug and dose, trial length, rating instruments, and baseline and end point data were extracted and then verified independently by a second investigator. Effect sizes were calculated from mean changes in drug and placebo groups in the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale and the Sheehan Disability Scale, as well as from other scales where available. For the binary data of the Clinical Global Impression of Change scores, Theta log-odds ratios (the effect-size measure appropriate for binary data) were calculated from proportion changes. Effect sizes for the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale ranged from -0.029 to 1.214. Effect sizes for the Sheehan Disability Scale ranged from 0.203 to 0.480 for work, 0.237 to 0.786 for social function, and 0.118 to 0.445 for family function. The Theta log-odds ratios for Clinical Global Impression of Change scores ranged from 0.644 to 3.267. Consistent with previous studies, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear more effective than placebo for social anxiety disorder, with improvement extending into social and occupational function.
The Scaling of the Broadcast Capacity of Extended Wireless Networks with Cooperative Relays

We study the scaling of the broadcast capacity for a network with a single source and f(N) cooperative relays where N is the number of destinations and f(.) is an increasing function. We consider random extended networks (the network area goes to infinity while the node density is fixed). In this asymptote, we show that the broadcast capacity is upper bounded by Theta(1) when path-loss exponent is greater than 2. We provide a multistage cooperative broadcasting scheme which achieves the same scaling as this upper bound. A continuum approximation for the network is utilized in order to obtain this result.
In vivo assembly and single-molecule characterization of the transcription machinery from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Harnessing the new bioremediation and biotechnology applications offered by the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, requires a clear understanding of its transcription machinery, a pivotal component in maintaining vitality and in responding to various conditions, including starvation and environmental stress. Here, we have reconstituted the S. oneidensis RNA polymerase (RNAP) core in vivo by generating a co-overexpression construct that produces a long polycistronic mRNA encoding all of the core subunits (α, β, β′, and ω) and verified that this reconstituted core is capable of forming fully functional holoenzymes with the S. oneidensis σ factors σ70, σ38, σ32, and σ24. Further, to demonstrate the applications for this reconstituted core, we report the application of single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) assays to monitor the mechanisms of transcription by the S. oneidensis σ70-RNAP holoenyzme. These results show that the reconstituted transcription machinery from S. oneidensis, like its Escherichia coli counterpart, “scrunches” the DNA into its active center during initial transcription, and that as the holoenzyme transitions into elongation, the release of σ70 is non-obligatory.
Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest effectively preserves neurocognitive function.

Background Few (conflicting) studies have quantitatively assessed neurocognitive effects of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). We assess neurocognitive function quantitatively before and after DHCA in comparison with non-DHCA patients. Methods Sixty-two aortic surgical patients underwent a battery of neuropsychometric tests, both preoperative and postoperative, evaluating multiple aspects of memory, processing speed, executive function, and global cognition. Thirty-three patients did not require DHCA, and 29 underwent DHCA as the sole means of cerebral protection. Neurocognitive deficit was defined as greater than 20% decline in 2 or more cognitive areas. Preoperative and postoperative test scores, as well as incidence of neurocognitive deficit, were compared within each group, and between the non-DHCA and DHCA groups. Results There were no significant differences in the postoperative versus preoperative scores in any cognitive area tested between DHCA and non-DHCA groups. There was also no difference between the 2 groups in incidence of neurocognitive deficit; 13 non-DHCA, 11 DHCA ( p = 1.00). In addition, there was no correlation between time under DHCA and incidence of neurocognitive deficit. Within both groups, there was a decline in memory in the areas of acquisition, retention, and delayed recall. Within the DHCA group, recognition was also affected. Conclusions While cardiac surgery had some effects on memory, overall neurocognitive function was well preserved and not different between DHCA and non-DHCA patients. Time under DHCA up to 40 minutes was also found to be safe neurocognitively. This study provides strong evidence that straight DHCA effectively preserves neurocognitive function.
Alkylation of picolinaldehyde with bromohydrins. A new class of heterocyclic ring tautomers

Entry into the pyrido[2, 1-c] [1,4]oxazinium and pyrido(2,1-c] [1,4]oxazepinium ring systems has been achieved by the interaction of picolinaldehyde with 2-bromoethanol and 3-bromo-propanol, respectively. The products, ring-tautomeric hemiacetals, are presumably formed by rapid hemiacetalization, followed by an intramolecular Menschutkin Reaction.
On Beck's problem

Abstract Based on the concept of internal constraint the discrete Beck's problem is solved by means of static methods.
C2 information quality: An enterprise systems perspective

With the advent of the Information Age and the continued development of information and communications technologies (ICT), individuals and organizations have had to manage a transition from a world characterized by the paucity of information to one marked by a deluge of information. The information-related quality metrics that have been developed and used measure both absolute characteristics and “fitness for use.” The absolute measures relate to inherent aspects of a particular piece of data or information while the fitness-for-use measures generally consider the context of a single information consumer. Command and Control (C2) in the 21st century relies increasingly on decentralized and distributed networks. As a result, data and information quality needs to be considered from a systems or networked-enterprise perspective. This paper provides an example of enterprise information quality metrics and employs these to explore two networked-enterprise information quality-related hypotheses. The first of these posits a relationship between measures of enterprise information quality and the effectiveness of an enterprise. The second argues that the values of selected enterprise information quality measures determine the most appropriate organizational approach option. Experimental results are presented that support these two hypotheses.
Expression and characterization of a β-fructofuranosidase from the parasitic protist Trichomonas vaginalis

Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellated protozoan, is the agent responsible for trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection worldwide. A reported 200 million cases are documented each year with far more cases going unreported. However, T. vaginalis is disproportionality under studied, especially considering its basic metabolism. It has been reported that T. vaginalis does not grow on sucrose. Nevertheless, the T. vaginalis genome contains some 11 putative sucrose transporters and a putative β-fructofuranosidase (invertase). Thus, the machinery for both uptake and cleavage of sucrose appears to be present. We amplified the β-fructofuranosidase from T. vaginalis cDNA and cloned it into an Escherichia coli expression system. The expressed, purified protein was found to behave similarly to other known β-fructofuranosidases. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at pH close to 5.0, with activity falling off rapidly at increased or decreased pH. It had a similar Km and Vmax to previously characterized enzymes using sucrose as a substrate, was also active towards raffinose, but had no detectable activity towards inulin. T. vaginalis has the coding capacity to produce an active β-fructofuranosidase capable of hydrolyzing di- and trisaccharides containing a terminal, non-reducing fructose residue. Since we cloned this enzyme from cDNA, we know that the gene in question is transcribed. Furthermore, we could detect β-fructofuranosidase activity in T. vaginalis cell lysates. Therefore, the inability of the organism to utilize sucrose as a carbon source cannot be explained by an inability to degrade sucrose.
Eosinophilic Pustular Folliculitis

First described in Japan by Ofuji in 1970 [1], eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF) is a noninfectious inflammatory skin disease that manifests with coalescing papulopustular plaques. The disease is histologically characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of hair follicles. There are three known variants of EPF: classic (as originally described by Ofuji and predominantly affecting Japanese individuals), HIV-associated, and infantile.
Path integrals in the theory of condensed helium

One of Feynman's early applications of path integrals was to superfluid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$. He showed that the thermodynamic properties of Bose systems are exactly equivalent to those of a peculiar type of interacting classical "ring polymer." Using this mapping, one can generalize Monte Carlo simulation techniques commonly used for classical systems to simulate boson systems. In this review, the author introduces this picture of a boson superfluid and shows how superfluidity and Bose condensation manifest themselves. He shows the excellent agreement between simulations and experimental measurements on liquid and solid helium for such quantities as pair correlations, the superfluid density, the energy, and the momentum distribution. Major aspects of computational techniques developed for a boson superfluid are discussed: the construction of more accurate approximate density matrices to reduce the number of points on the path integral, sampling techniques to move through the space of exchanges and paths quickly, and the construction of estimators for various properties such as the energy, the momentum distribution, the superfluid density, and the exchange frequency in a quantum crystal. Finally the path-integral Monte Carlo method is compared to other quantum Monte Carlo methods.
Laboratory Slurry Erosion Tests and Pump Wear Rate Calculations

From order-of-magnitude calculations, the erosion mechanism in slurry pumps for mining applications was found to be a scouring type. Impact erosion was found to be unlikely to occur. The erosion model assumes a ''sliding bed'' type of flow pattern and neglects the effect of turbulent diffusion of slurry particles. This choice was based on flow regime data from slurry pipeline flow and was not verified experimentally in pumps. A new centrifugal-erosion laboratory testing fixture was designed and fabricated at Allis-Chalmers which reproduces this type of erosion. Since flow conditions were closely controlled, an absolute rate of erosion could be determined. For mild steel (Rockwell C = 10) and aluminum oxide particles, a specific erosion energy of 1.5 X 10/sup 8/ in-lb/in/sup 3/ (1000 joules/mm/sup 3/) was measured. Flow pattern and slurry concentrations were calculated in a pump impeller using a quasi-three-dimensional streamline curvature method. These were combined with the above erosion model and the local erosion rate was estimated. Actual operating data had to be estimated for a quarry application of the pump because field test data was not available. The uncertainties of the field test data did not allow an exact numerical verification of the wear rate calculation, butmore » order of magnitude agreement was obtained. The wear rate distribution agreed very well with the wear pattern observed on the impeller used in the quarry and the locations of excessive wear could be identified.« less
Atomic Fluorescence Determination of Selenium Using Hydride Generation Technique

Abstract Hydride generation followed by atomic fluorescence spectrometry, a simple and very sensitive technique, has been evaluated for selenium analysis in different environmental and biological samples. Research is focused on the interfering effects of several selected anions, cations, and acids on the selenium determination and the sample preparation procedures. Besides some transition metals such as Ni2+ Co2+ and Cu2+ HNO3 acid, the digestion medium used for sample preparation, shows strong interference. In order to reduce this interfering effect, matrix match or standard addition is recommended. This technique is validated by analyzing a number of standard reference materials. Results for selenium analysis in some biological samples are also presented.
Experimental Babesia bovis Infection in Holstein Calves

One intact and two splenectomized Holstein calves were infected intravenously with a Mexican strain of Babesia bovis and killed following the onset of severe clinical disease. A light and electron microscopic study was conducted on selected tissues to examine the relationship between parasitized erythrocytes and microvascular endothelial cells. The pattern and degree of specific organ sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes was assessed and correlated to lesions. Red blood cells infected with Babesia bovis exhibited stellate membrane protrusions. This morphological change appeared to mediate erythrocyte sequestration in the microvascular and capillary beds of the brain, kidney, and adrenal gland by an as yet unknown mechanism(s).
Toward a Methodology for Measuring Advertising Copy Effects

A model is proposed to estimate the impact of advertising copies on the relationship between the frequency of exposure to an advertisement and the criterion measures of attitude or behavioral intentions. The model is used in the context of copy testing. It is different from existing copy testing methods on several aspects, the most important of which are that various constructs known to be important are integrated, and the model offers diagnostic information as to areas where the copy can be improved.
Cooperation in the MAC channel using frequency division multiplexing

This paper considers cooperation in the low power/SNR regime for the multiple access channel. We assume that transmitters have no channel state information, and consider the outage capacity. We further assume that the nodes operate in half duplex. The nodes are multiplexed by assigning to each node a unique frequency band via frequency division multiplexing (FDM). A node transmits only on this band while listening on the others. We perform outage wideband analysis on FDM based cooperation, and show perhaps surprisingly that FDM loses very little in performance compared to the idealized situation where nodes can operate in full duplex. We then develop practical rateless coding methods for FDM using Raptor codes.
Mechanisms of hormonal induction of enzymes

Abstract The study of enzyme induction by hormones has provided an important experimental model for the investigation of both the molecular mechanisms of hormone action as well as the regulation of specific gene expression in higher organisms. The exact mechanisms by which hormones induce enzymes are as yet unknown. The ability to study enzyme induction in relatively simple experimental systems such as cells in tissue culture allows the investigator to assess unequivocally the role of single hormones and to pose mechanistic questions. It is hoped that advances in genetic approaches to enzyme induction will accelerate progress in understanding these mechanisms. Studies of tyrosine aminotransferase induction by glucocorticoids in the HTC cell system have led to a model of enzyme induction in which the inducing steroids are thought to antagonize the action of a posttranscriptional repressor. The emphasis of this model, in contrast to those based on bacterial models, is that regulation of specific gene expression need not operate at the genetic or transcriptional level; i.e., by stimulating specific mRNA synthesis. Transcripitonal controls surely exist in animal cells, but their role in specific enzyme induction remains to be established. In addition to glucocorticoids, several other hormonal factors including insulin, a macromolecular factor in serum, and dibutyryl cyclic-AMP, can also enhance TAT synthesis, all probably affecting separate and distinct posttranscriptional steps in the synthesis of a single protein.
Future Directions in Endocrine Pathology

Many rapid advances are being made in understanding the pathogenesis of endocrine tumors and in developing methods to treat tumors and other endocrine disorders more effectively. Some of these new technological developments including gene expression profiling, proteomics, and high-throughput tissue microarrays as well as functional gene analyses with small interference RNAs have led to the discovery of new genes and provided information about the functions of many genes. Advances in tumor localization, developments in pharmacology, and gene therapy approaches should lead to new and effective methods of treating endocrine disorders.
Real-time measurement of toxicity: Application to nanotechnology and synthetic pathogens

Cellular based biosensing can serve as an effective method for detection of unknown toxins by monitoring cellular response. Electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS) does this by measuring the impedance of a cell monolayer grown on interdigitated gold electrodes. This is done in situ and in real time without disrupting the monolayer. As the monolayer settles and grows to confluence an increase in resistance is seen. The formation of tight junctions between the cells increases the resistance further until the resistance stabilizes with minor fluctuations due to micromotility. When the cells are exposed to a toxin a change in the barrier function, a measure of the resistance cause by tight junctions, is seen. This real time quantified data allows for continuous measurement of toxic exposure. Toxicity of copper nanoparticles (∼100 nm) could be seen as low as 1 µg per 105 cells. Fluorescent staining was performed on parallel cultures to confirm the activity of the cells and the disruption of tight junctions over time