cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase I dose escalation study of vinorelbine and topotecan combination chemotherapy in patients with recurrent lung cancer

A platinum doublet is the current standard treatment for good performance status patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with good performance status. However, platinum-based treatment may be associated with significant toxicities, therefore alternative platinum-free combinations should be investigated. Topotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that exerts its cytotoxic effect through stabilization of the topoisomerase I-DNA complex. Preclinical data suggests synergy between topoisomerase I inhibitors and mitotic spindle poisons. Considerable hematologic toxicities have been reported with topotecan dosed for 5 consecutive days in combination with vinorelbine. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the optimal dosage and the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of topotecan and vinorelbine in patients with relapsed or refractory non-small cell or small cell lung cancer administered on an alternate dosing schedule. From February, 2004 to March, 2007 eighteen patients with advanced or recurrent NSCLC or SCLC previously treated with chemotherapy were enrolled. Patients were heavily pretreated with 22% having received at least 3 prior lines of chemotherapy. Vinorelbine was administered at a fixed dose (20 mg/m2) and topotecan at escalating doses (2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, and 4 mg/m2) on days 1 and 8 every 21 days. The MTD was not reached in any of the 5 cohorts, with only one dose limiting toxicity (DLT) occurring in cohort 4. Non-hematological toxicities were manageable. One patient had a partial response with four patients (27%) achieving stable disease. The median progression-free and overall survival for all patients, were 2.7 months (95% CI: 1.6, 9.1) and 10.5 months (95% CI: 4.2, 22.7), respectively. Vinorelbine and topotecan administered on days 1 and 8 every 21 days is well tolerated without any DLT seen with previously investigated topotecan schedules. This doublet provides a potentially active non-platinum containing doublet for the treatment of patients with advanced SCLC and NSCLC. Vinorelbine and topotecan should therefore be investigated in subsequent phase II studies at a dose of 20 mg/m2 and 4 mg/m2, respectively. NCT00287963.
Fracture management in llamas and alpacas

Abstract Fracture management in llamas and alpacas present a unique and interesting challenge to the veterinary surgeon compared to other species. Camelids are considered to be excellent patients for the treatment of orthopedic injuries because they have a relative low body weight, tolerate external coaptation devices, are able to ambulate on three legs post-operatively, and can tolerate prolonged periods of recumbency for recuperation after surgery. Reports in the literature on camelid fractures (28 cases) and the authors’ experiences with an additional 38 fractures are reviewed. There are a number of repair techniques that can be employed, depending primarily on fracture configuration and the surgeon's experience. Complications to fracture repair include mal-union, delayed union, non-union, osteomyelitis, sequestrum formation, and implant failure. Complications are associated with damage to the neurovascular bundle, damage to adjacent soft tissue at the fracture site, and compound fractures. Complications may be managed through the use antibiotics, surgical debridement, and staged destabilization of the fixation device. When irreversible damage to the neurovascular bundle has occurred, limb amputation with or without a prosthetic device may be alternatives to euthanatizing the patient.
The equal correlation baseline model: A reply to marsh

Marsh and I continue to disagree on issues relating to the signs of relationships, the importance of scaling, the value of existing rules of thumb, and the relative usefulness of M0 and M= in the potential development of new inferential approaches to fit assessment. I introduce an alternative model, M=, to clarify the distinction between substantive and baseline models. However, I partially endorse Marsh's compromise proposal. I also offer tentative heuristic values for interpreting fit indices that involve M=.
The emerging matrix of immunosuppressive agents

Abstract In recent years, significant milestones have been reached in the field of transplantation through the development of immunosuppressive drugs that inhibit lymphocyte activation, cytokine signal transduction, and cellular proliferation. However, the widespread tissue distribution of the molecular targets exploited to date—calcineurin, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase—produces an array of collateral toxicities. Avoiding these side effects requires new strategies that selectively block destructive immune responses: a fifth generation of immunosuppressants. These agents must target molecules that are critical for and specific to the adaptive immune response.
Effects of Interaction Experiences and Undergraduate Coursework on Attitudes Toward Gay and Lesbian Issues

College experiences can expand knowledge, decrease negative stereotypes, and increase acceptance toward diversity, especially regarding gay and lesbian issues. This study found that the more interaction undergraduate students have with gay and lesbian people on campus, the more accepting their attitudes are regarding (1) same-sex, consensual sex, (2) same-sex relations between adults is not unnatural, (3) vote for a gay presidential candidate, (4) friends with a feminine man, (5) friends with a masculine woman, (6) knowledge of GL issues important for future career, and (7) comfortable with GL roommate. Furthermore, the more undergraduate students are exposed to coursework addressing gay and lesbian issues, the more positive their attitudes are regarding the importance of knowledge of gay/lesbian issues for future career and comfort with a gay/lesbian roommate. Discussion explores possible long-term implications of systematic interaction experiences and coursework at all levels within the educational syst...
Reactions of dioxygenyl hexafluoroantimonate with water, carbon monoxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, and nitrogen dioxide

Abstract The following gaseous products are released, in addition to oxygen, in reactions of O2SbF6 with water, CO, CH4 and SO2, respectively: O3, COF2, CHF3 and SO2F2. Nitrogen dioxide forms the solid complex NO2SbF6, and nitric oxide forms a mixture of NOSbF6 and NO2SbF6. No reaction of CO2 with O2SbF6 has been observed.
Response of mammary tumors to caloric restriction for different time periods during the promotion phase.

Abstract Rats treated with 7,12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene were subjected to 25 % caloric restriction for varying times during the promotion/progression phase of mammary tumorigenesis. Caloric restriction was inhibitory to a statistically significant extent when it was maintained for the entire four‐month study or only during the first or last two months. Restriction for the first month with subsequent ad libitum feeding led to rapid weight gain with concomitant appearance of tumors. These data indicate that caloric restriction can be instituted late in the tumorigenic process with an acute response of tumor growth to caloric intake or body weight.
Contrasting molecular patterns of mhc class ii alleles associated with the anti‐sm and anti‐rnp precipitin autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective. To find evidence of a potential genetic predisposition to the anti-Sm or anti-RNP precipitin autoantibody responses. Methods. HLA–DR and DQ alleles determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism and/or oligo-typing in 49 subjects with either anti-Sm alone or anti-RNP alone were compared with those in 139 race-matched normal control subjects and 59 race-matched lupus patients without anti-Sm and anti-RNP auto-antibodies. Results. Black patients with anti-Sm precipitin had increased frequencies of HLA-DR2 and the DQw6-associated DQA1*0102 (P = 0.007, odds ratio [OR] = 6.7) and DQB1*0602 (P = 0.001, OR = 9.1) chain alleles compared with normal black control subjects. Black patients with anti-RNP precipitin showed significant increases in the DQw5-associated DQA1*0101 (P = 0.03, OR = 5.5) and DQB1*0501 (P = 0.002, OR = 23.3) chain alleles compared with lupus patients without anti-Sm or RNP. White patients with anti-RNP precipitin showed an increased frequency of the DQw8-associated allele DQB1*0302 (P = 0.02, OR = 3.7) compared with normal controls, as well as an increased frequency of the DQw5-associated alleles DQA1*0101 and DQB1*0501 (P = 0.05, OR = 4.2) compared with lupus patients without anti-Sm or RNP. There were no specific HLA–DR2 or DR4 subtype associations found with either anti-Sm or RNP precipitin autoantibodies. Conclusion. There are distinct patterns of major histocompatibility complex class II allele associations with the anti-Sm versus the anti-RNP precipitin autoantibody responses, and HLA–DQ associations may be more primary than HLA–DR associations.
Plasticity in age and size at maturity in male guppies (Poecilia reticulata): An experimental evaluation of alternative models of development

I present two models for the genesis of phenotypic variation in age and size at maturity in male guppies. Both are qualitatively consistent with the observation that age at maturity increases and size at maturity decreases as food availability (and growth rate) decline. The first model (“fixed development”) has a constant size which signals the initiation of the process of maturation and a constant time interval between the initiation and completion of maturation. There is thus no response in the pattern of development to differences in growth rate. Variation in age at maturity results from the different amounts of time required to reach the size at initiation. Variation in size results from different amounts of growth between the initiation and completion of maturation. Phenotypic variation is therefore an epiphenomenon of expressing a fixed pattern of development in different environments. In the second model (“flexible development”), fast growers initiate maturation at a larger size than slow growers; this results in a later age and larger size at maturation than their fast growing counterparts in the fixed development model. Slow growers mature at an earlier age and smaller size than their counterparts in the fixed development model. In the second model, the pattern of development changes with the environment. Two experiments with guppies demonstrate that the second model accurately describes their pattern of development. I conclude that phenotypic plasticity is in part the product of plastic development and may represent an adaptation. Testing whether or not the response is adaptive will require further investigations. A general message of this investigation is that characterizing the reaction norm alone is not sufficient to evaluate the adaptive significance of plasticity; one must also consider the processes that generate this plasticity.
On radiometer forces

Abstract The terms radiometer force, thermal force, and photophoretic force are examined. Various dynamic regimes embodied by the term thermal force are discussed in detail.
Relaxation of human peripheral airway smooth muscle in vitro does not correlate with severity of chronic airflow limitation in vivo.

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that a defect in relaxation of peripheral airway smooth muscle contributes to chronic airflow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Twenty subjects underwent lung function measurements prior to thoracotomy. Lung tissue was obtained during surgery and bronchiolar segments were dissected. Smooth muscle function was measured isotonically in organ baths, using L-isoprenaline and the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin. Segments were precontracted with methacholine. Of the 20 subjects, 10 fulfilled the ATS criteria for COPD and had airflow limitation. There was no significant relationship between the degree of airflow limitation in vivo and the sensitivity or maximal response of peripheral airway muscle to methacholine, L-isoprenaline or forskolin in vitro. Furthermore, we found no differences between the mean contractile- and relaxation responses of airways from subjects with versus those without COPD and airflow limitation. Lung tissue from patients who regularly used β-adrenergic drugs (n = 3) and/or steroids (n = 3) exhibited responses in vitro similar to those from subjects without medication. These results suggest that airflow limitation in COPD is not associated with an impaired relaxability of peripheral airway smooth muscle.
Transplantation: Neural networks for predicting graft survival

Predicting outcomes of renal transplant recipients using standard statistical techniques is difficult. Novel approaches such as the use of artificial neural networks might improve the precision and accuracy in this area of medicine in which numerous and complex events contribute to outcomes.
Meta analysis of the relationship between tuberous sclerosis complex and renal cell carcinoma

The association of angiomyolipoma with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients is well recognised. Some literature has suggested that patients with TSC are at increased risk of renal neoplasm, particularly since angiomyolipomas can be locally invasive and demonstrate tumor like neovascularity on angiography. In an attempt to place in context one case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma in a patient with TSC a meta analysis of the literature was performed. One pediatric patient with TSC and metastatic renal cell carcinoma was evaluated. Reviews and case reports of TSC and renal cell carcinoma and related imaging findings were identified by searching the MEDLINE database, the 'bibliography of reviews' in Index Medicus, personal files and the reference lists from all identified reviews. Individual cases suitable for review in the available literature from 1922 through 1993 comprised the data base. The data base was analysed with the method of proportions and unpaired two-tailed Student's t-test for different populations. A cumulative summary of the literature amassed 107 additional cases from 62 reports over 71 years. Our case is the 17th case, to our knowledge, of renal cell carcinoma in TSC. Analysis of the distribution of characteristics and incidence of; renal cysts, renal cell carcinoma, and lymph node involvement demonstrate no increased risk of renal cell carcinoma in patients with TSC (P = NS). Though anecdotal evidence has suggested a relationship between TSC and renal cell carcinoma, meta analysis of cases of coincident TSC renal complex, cystic changes, angiomyolipoma and renal cell carcinoma implies an identical, though small, risk of malignancy in TSC patients as compared with the normal population.
Non-Linear Behavior of Electrothermal Flows

Recently, electrokinetic flows have raised the interest of scientific community. Driving flow with an electric field leads to promising applications for mixing, concentration and pumping application in lab on chip. However, current models are still inaccurate and in many cases dont fit the measured data. The work presented here is mainly focused on AC electrothermal flows (ACET) carried out in microwells. An AC electric field is applied between 3 interdigitated gold electrodes. Using μPIV (μ Particle Image Velocity) vortex flows are characterized. The competition between light induced (LEF), AC induced electrothermal (ACET) and buoyancy flows (BF) is discussed. Based on those experimental observations, a new theory is tackled. It takes into account the observed instability like behaviour and the discrepancy of the voltage influence on velocities at high conductivity.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
An exercise regimen prevents development paclitaxel induced peripheral neuropathy in a mouse model

Peripheral neuropathy is a major, dose-limiting complication of many chemotherapeutic agents. Currently there is no effective method to prevent development of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Recent studies have shown that exercise can improve regeneration of peripheral nerves but its effect in preventing peripheral neuropathy is unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of a rigorous treadmill exercise program that was started 1 week before administration of paclitaxel and continued throughout the study in a mouse model of CIPN. We showed that exercise can partially abrogate features of axonal degeneration induced by paclitaxel including reduction in epidermal nerve fiber density in the plantar hind paw and thermal hypoalgesia. Furthermore, detyrosinated tubulin that is elevated in nerves treated with paclitaxel was normal in exercised animals. This study points to a relatively simple and potentially effective therapeutic option to reduce the neurotoxic effects of chemotherapy.
Activation of transfer RNA-guanine ribosyltransferase by protein kinase C

Abstract Transfer RNA-guanine ribosyltransferase (TGRase) irreversibly incorporates queuine into the first position in the anticodon of four tRNA isoacceptors. Rat brain protein kinase C (PKC) was shown to stimulate rat liver TGRase activity. TGRase preparations derived from rat liver have been observed to decrease in activity over time in storage at -20 or -70 degrees C. Contamination of the samples by phosphatases was indicated by a p-nitrophenylphosphate conversion test. The addition of micromolar concentrations of the phosphatase inhibitors sodium pyrophosphate and sodium fluoride into TGRase isolation buffers resulted in a greater return of TGRase activity than without these inhibitors. Inactive TGRase preparations were reactivated to their original activity with the addition of PKC. In assays combining both TGRase and PKC enzymes, inhibitors of protein kinase C (sphingosine, staurosporine, H-7 and calphostin C) all blocked the reactivation of TGRase, whereas activators of protein kinase C (calcium, diacylglycerol and phosphatidyl serine) increased the activity of TGRase. None of the PKC modulators affected TGRase activity directly. Alkaline phosphatase, when added to assays, decreased the activity of TGRase and also blocked the reactivation of TGRase with PKC. Denaturing PAGE and autoradiography was performed on TGRase isolates that had been labelled with 32P by PKC. The resulting strong 60 kDa band (containing the major site for phosphorylation) and weak 34.5 kDa band (containing the TGRase activity) are suggested to associate to make up a 104 kDa heterodimer that comprises the TGRase enzyme. This was corroberated by native and denaturing size-exclusion chromatography. These results suggest that PKC-dependent phosphorylation of TGRase is tied to efficient enzymatic function and therefore control of the queuine modification of tRNA.
Temptation and the Agent’s Standpoint

AbstractSuppose you resolve now to resist an expected temptation later while knowing that once the temptation arrives your preference or evaluative assessment will shift in favor of that temptation. Are there defensible norms of rational planning agency that support sticking with your prior intention in the face of such a shift at the time of temptation and in the absence of relevant new information? This article defends the idea that it might be rational to stick with your prior intention in part because of your anticipation of regret in the further future if you were to give in to the temptation. It does this by appeal to the significance of anticipated future regret to the agent’s present standpoint, and to the role of the agent’s standpoint in her self-governance.
Substitutional n-Type Doping of an Organic Semiconductor Investigated by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Doping a perylene diimide organic semiconductor with a one-electron reduced perylene diimide containing a covalently bound counterion provides a well-characterized system for understanding doping in organic semiconductors. We obtain insight into the doping process by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements of the dopant solutions, the dopant plus host solutions from which thin films are spin-coated, and the resulting solid films. After correction for some trace impurities in the solutions, the spin density incorporated into the solid films is linearly proportional to the added dopant density. Nevertheless, the film conductivity increases superlinearly with dopant concentration. Although neither pure dopant nor host aggregate in solution, they aggregate when combined. This is presumably a result of the delocalization of the dopant electron over a number of host molecules. Angle-dependent EPR measurements on thin films suggest that the g-tensor symmetry axis is close to the π−π stacking axis, con...
Cold Atmospheric-Pressure Plasmas Applied to Active Packaging of Apples

Active packaging of fruits and vegetables uses films that absorb molecules from or contribute molecules to the produce. The pilot application developed in this paper has resulted in the deposition of film to apples. A prospective application relates to replacing hot wax that is expensive and that lowers the textural quality of the apple. This was the early motivation of this paper. Moreover, the focus of this paper will be mostly on the reactor design and film evaluation. The cold-plasma zone was obtained by increasing the voltage on a needle-to-needle electrode structure until the electric field in the feed material (argon + monomer) was sufficiently high to yield electron avalanches and self-propagating streamers. The ?corona onset criterion? was used to design the cold-plasma reactor. The apple was placed in a treatment chamber downstream from the activation zone (cold-plasma zone). Selected physical properties of the film were measured. Environmental scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared studies of samples were also performed to determine the presence of the film. Electromagnetic modeling was applied to the design of the cold-plasma reactor, and those results are presented in this paper.
The impact of religious fasting on human health

The past two decades have seen a rise in the number of investigations examining the health-related effects of religiously motivated fasts. Islamic Ramadan is a 28 - 30 day fast in which food and drink are prohibited during the daylight hours. The majority of health-specific findings related to Ramadan fasting are mixed. The likely causes for these heterogeneous findings are the differences between studies in the following: 1) the amount of daily fasting time; 2) the percentage of subjects who smoke, take oral medications, and/or receive intravenous fluids; and 3) the subjects' typical food choices and eating habits. Greek Orthodox Christians fast for a total of 180 - 200 days each year, and their main fasting periods are the Nativity Fast (40 days prior to Christmas), Lent (48 days prior to Easter), and the Assumption (15 days in August). The fasting periods are more similar than dissimilar, and they can each be described as a variant of vegetarianism. Some of the more favorable effects of these fasts include the lowering of body mass, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. The Biblical-based Daniel Fast prohibits the consumption of animal products, refined carbohydrates, food additives, preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings, caffeine, and alcohol. It is most commonly partaken for 21 days, although fasts of 10 and 40 days have been observed. Our initial investigation of the Daniel Fast noted favorable effects on several health-related outcomes, including: blood pressure, blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. This review summarizes the health-specific effects of these fasts and provides suggestions for future research.
General design requirements and analysis of roadbed inductive power transfer system for dynamic electric vehicle charging

This paper presents general design requirements and analysis of roadbed inductive power transfer systems for charging electric vehicles as they drive. Three different generic roadbed geometries, based on a long wire loop, sectioned wire loops, and spaced loops, are presented and investigated. The coupling between the track coil and the pickup coil is calculated with Maxwell 3D finite element analyses and evaluated with direct field studies. The results suggest that spaced loops improve the coupling coefficient and overall system efficiency. Five different case studies considering different vehicle speeds, power levels and traffic loads for each roadbed geometry are conducted. Power ratings and other operating values are compared.
System design and evaluation with hypertext checklists

A discussion is presented of how hypertext software can aid in the utilization of technical reference sources in system design and evaluation. Technical reference sources such as collections of guidelines and standards can contain hundreds or thousands of points to which system designers should or must conform. Important points can be used to define system specific design rules, and can later be used as checkpoints in a checklist to evaluate conformance. Hypertext access to technical reference sources can make it easier to find checkpoints that are relevant to specific system requirement areas. Hypertext can encode ratings of importance of and conformance to checkpoints. NaviText SAM implements the checklist method of system design and evaluation in a hypertext interface to a large design reference source. Experience with the method and the system indicates that checklists are useful aids to conform to checkpoints and that hypertext provides advantages over manual checklists. >
Local structure-based sequence profile database for local and global protein structure predictions

Motivation: A large body of evidence suggests that protein structural information is frequently encoded in local sequences—sequence–structure relationships derived from local structure/sequence analyses could significantly enhance the capacities of protein structure prediction methods. In this paper, the prediction capacity of a database (LSBSP2) that organizes local sequence– structure relationships encoded in local structures with two consecutive secondary structure elements is tested with two computational procedures for protein structure prediction. The goal is twofold: to test the folding hypothesis that local structures are determined by local sequences, and to enhance our capacity in predicting protein structures from their amino acid sequences. Results: The LSBSP2 database contains a large set of sequence profiles derived from exhaustive pair-wise structural alignments for local structures with two consecutive secondary structure elements. One computational procedure makes use of the PSI-BLAST alignment program to predict local structures for testing sequence fragments by matching the testing sequence fragments onto the sequence profiles in the LSBSP2 database. The results show that 54% of the test sequence fragments were predicted with local structures that match closely with their native local structures. The other computational procedure is a filter system that is capable of removing false positives as possible from a set of PSI-BLAST hits. An assessment with a large set of non-redundant protein structures shows that the PSI-BLAST + filter system improves the prediction specificity by up to two-fold over the prediction specificity of the PSI-BLAST program for distantly related protein pairs. Tests with the two computational procedures above demonstrate that local sequence–structure relationships can indeed enhance our capacity in protein structure prediction. The results also indicate that local sequences encoded with strong local structure propensities play an important role in determining the native state folding topology. ∗ To whom correspondence should be addressed. Availability: All the computational and assessment procedures have been implemented in the integrated computational system PrISM.1 (Protein Informatics System for Modeling). The system and associated databases for LINUX systems can be downloaded from the website:
Independence of Leukemoid Potential and Toxigenicity of Mycoplasma fermentans

The ability of cells and membranes of Mycoplasma fermentans, strain K10, to induce lethal toxicity and leukemoid disease in mice was evaluated. Lethal toxicity could be induced by viable cells (cumulative doses of > 1010 colony-forming units) or membranes (cumulative doses of > 5 mg of protein) of M. fermentans K10. However, cells and membranes, administered at sublethal doses in the protocol originally shown to result in leukemoid disease, did not induce the anticipated hematologic or gross pathological alterations. Injections of 108 colony-forming units per mouse on five successive days induced only a minimal leukocytic response (< 60% rise) six to 20 weeks after injection. Similarly, native mycoplasma membranes and reaggregated membranes administered in equivalent sublethal doses induced only negligible changes in total leukocytes, differential count, and spleen weight. The suspending media, the substrain of mouse, and the time of bleeding were not critical factors. Thus, cells and cell fractions of the K10 strain were devoid of leukemoid potential but retained the ability to induce lethal toxicity.
Early Thermodegradation of Bituminous Sealants Resulting from Improper Installation: Field Study

Bituminous sealants used in roadway maintenance often have a short effective service life, in great part as a result of improper installation and heating, in particular. To determine the effect of thermal history on sealant characteristics, sealant samples were collected during an operation that started with reheating of a full kettle of bituminous sealant. Results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, gel permeation chromatography, and dynamic shear rheometry showed that the sealant had degraded and that the extent of degradation was greatest early in the operation. Application of degraded sealant throughout installation showed the need for improved material and construction specifications, along with improved field control measures.
Enabling application-specific integrated circuits on limited pattern constructs

Implementing sub-22nm designs using a limited set of pattern constructs can eliminate hotspot risk and can control systematic variability. Pattern regularity can incur a cell-level density penalty that is minimized or eliminated by co-optimization with circuits. More importantly, design with a limited set of pattern constructs can remove the limitations imposed by complex design rules, thus facilitating flexible synthesis of logic and memory blocks in place of hard IP.
Serial Reaction Time Learning in Preschool- and School-Age Children☆

Visuomotor sequence learning was assessed in 4- to 10-year-old children using a serial reaction time (SRT) task with both random and sequenced trials. One-half of the children received exposure to the sequence prior to performing the reaction time (RT) task. In Experiment 1, 7- and 10-year-old children demonstrated sequence-specific decreases in RT. As in the adult SRT literature, participants with explicit awareness of the sequence at the end of the session showed larger sequence-specific reaction time decrements than those without explicit awareness. Contrary to expectation, preexposure to the sequence did not reliably predict the level of awareness attained. Results from Experiment 2 indicate that 4-year-olds also demonstrate significant sequence learning on a variant of the SRT task. This article provides preliminary data regarding developmental changes in sequential learning and the development and use of implicit and explicit knowledge. Age-related differences emerged primarily in explicit rather than implicit knowledge.
Toward mission assurance: a framework for systems engineering management

From its inception, NASA has pushed the boundaries of science and engineering and prided itself on knowing how to manage these engineering innovations. However, pushing the management boundaries requires a careful adaptation of risks, resources, and procedures, and projects must clearly assess the complexities and uncertainties of the task. Too often attempts to resolve errors in these areas are through technical solutions when the root cause is managerial failure. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the value of using a systems engineering management framework based on a contingency approach for associating a correct management style to a project classification, thus reducing the ultimate failure point (i.e. managerial error). Shenhar and Dvir's Novelty-Complexity-Technology-Pace (NCTP) framework was used as a representative framework to provide an empirical analysis of four noted NASA projects. The NCTP framework uses a contingency approach to provide a multidimensional categorization of projects based on their novelty, complexity, technology, and pace with a correlation to an appropriate management style. The paper will conclude with a discussion of how a contingency framework can have implications on NASA and systems engineering. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 9: 213–227, 2006
Helping visually impaired students in the study of mathematics

One of the greatest challenges to the visually impaired student in science and mathematics disciplines is the reading and writing of complex mathematical equations. Indeed the study of almost all science or engineering based disciplines is normally beyond the ability of the majority of students with serious visual impairment. In research underway at New Mexico State University, tools are being built using logic programming to facilitate access to complex information in a variety of formats. On top of the logic based tools, new interfaces are being designed to permit more convenient access to information by our visually impaired student. The combined tools will complete the teaching cycle: exams and assignments prepared by sighted instructors, the material presented to visually impaired students using interactive tools, and finally, the students manipulating and creating responses that are readable by the sighted instructor. In this paper we present an overview of the systems under development with samples of the interface tools being tested.
Improving Data Concerning Women's Empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study assesses the utility of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) questions regarding women's empowerment in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. We examine the use of, and need for improvements to, women's empowerment data in Ghana, Mozambique, Senegal, and Uganda. Drawing on interviews conducted among gender and health experts and on context-specific literature, our findings reveal that although DHS data are widely used, data needs remain in five areas: economic empowerment, knowledge of legal rights and recourse, participation in decisionmaking, attitudes and social norms, and adolescent girls. We recommend that Demographic and Health Surveys be modified-for example, through adding specific survey items-to fulfill some but not all of these emerging women's empowerment data needs. We also suggest that other surveys fill known gaps and that data users carefully consider the meaning and relative weight of the women's empowerment items according to the cultural context in which the data are collected.
Sizing design sensitivity analysis of non-linear structural systems. Part II: Numerical method

A numerical method is presented to carry out sizing design sensitivity calculations outside established finite element analysis codes, using postprocessing data only. Geometric as well as material non-linearities are treated. To demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method, numerical results are presented for structural systems with linear elastic material, large displacements, large rotations and small strains. A distributed parameter approach to structural design sensitivity analysis is used to retain the continuum elasticity formulation throughout the derivation of design sensitivity results. Using this approach and an adjoint variable method, design sensitivity computations are carried out. For structural performance functionals stress and displacement are considered. It is shown that computations can be performed with the same computational effort as for sizing design sensitivity analysis of linear structural systems. Accurate design sensitivity results are obtained for both linear and non-linear structural systems without the uncertainty of numerical accuracy and high cost associated with the selection of finite difference perturbations. Also, the method does not require differentiation of element stiffness and mass matrices in conventional finite element models.
Some Aspects of the Nonstoichiometric and Thermodynamic Behavior of the YBa2Cu3Oz System

The nonstoichiometric and thermodynamic behavior of the YBa2Cu3Ox system as a function of oxygen partial pressure and temperature is being investigated by means of a coulometric titration technique. The oxygen content of the superconductor can be varied coulometrically by well-defined small amounts and the equilibrium partial pressures determined from the EMF. The oxygen stoichiometry in YBa2Cu3Ox as a function of oxygen partial pressure shows a change of curvature around x = 6.55–6.75 and an inflection around x ≅ 6.65 at temperatures between 400–500°C. These new low temperature data are consistent with the presence of a miscibility gap at lower temperatures, which is similar to that postulated in several theoretical papers.
The role of awareness in delay and trace fear conditioning in humans

Expression of conditional fear without awareness has been previously demonstrated during delay conditioning, a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (UCS) overlap. However, less is known about the role of awareness in trace fear conditioning, where an interval of time separates the CS and UCS. The present study assessed skin conductance response (SCR) and UCS expectancy during delay and trace conditioning. UCS predictability was varied on a trial-by-trial basis by presenting perithreshold auditory CSs. Differential UCS expectancies were demonstrated only on perceived delay and trace trials. Learning-related SCRs were observed during both perceived and unperceived delay CSs. In contrast, differential SCRs were demonstrated only for perceived trace CSs. These data suggest that awareness is necessary for conditional responding during trace, but not delay, fear conditioning.
Cache-memory interfaces in compressed memory systems

We consider a number of cache/memory hierarchy design issues in systems with compressed random access memories (C-RAMs) In which compression and decompression occur automatically to and from main memory. Using a C-RAM as main memory, the bulk of main memory contents are stored in a compressed format and dynamically decompressed to handle cache misses at the next higher level of memory. This is the general approach adopted in IBM's memory expansion technology (MXT). The design of the main memory directory structures and storage allocation methods in such systems is described elsewhere; here, we focus on issues related to cache-memory interfaces. In particular, if the cache line size (of the cache or caches to which main memory data is transferred) is different than the size of the unit of compression in main memory, bandwidth and latency problems can occur. Another issue is that of guaranteed forward progress, that is, ensuring that modified lines can be written to the compressed main memory so that the system can continue operation even if overall compression deteriorates. We study several approaches for solving these problems, using trace-driven analysis to evaluate alternatives.
ACT: Adaptive Calibration Test for Performance Enhancement and Increased Testability of Wireless RF Front-Ends

In this paper, a novel adaptive calibration technique for advanced RF front-ends is proposed in which sensors are implanted in the transmitter and the observed device test response to a special calibration test is compared against the known golden response to the same. Tuning 'knobs' which are built into the circuit are then used to minimize the error between the observed response and the golden response using an iterative tuning approach. In addition to circuit-level tuning, adaptive digital compensation techniques are employed in the baseband processor. It is shown that this results in increased transmit signal dynamic range over existing techniques and accurate loopback testing of the transceiver modules.
A Mother's Language to Her Twins: One Child Down Syndrome and One Child with Normal Development.

This paper presents a comparison of a mother's language to her Down syndrome child and his normally developing twin, age 2 years, 9 months old. When interacting with the Down syndrome twin, the mother changed her language in the following ways: (1) shorter MLU, (2) greater TTR, (3) more confirmations, (4) more verbal directives, (5) fewer leading wh; yes-no, and true questions, and (6) more directive questions. The differences in the mother's language are discussed in terms of their appropriateness for the delayed child's developmental level.
The PhD program in the management of information systems at the Claremont Graduate School

The authors present information on the Claremont Graduate School information science program, including PhD curriculum requirements, doctoral seminars, examinations (including dissertations), the group decision support laboratory, and the information science applications center. >
Positron Emission Tomography Metabolic Correlates of Apathy in Alzheimer Disease

Background Apathy is the most common neuropsychiatric manifestation in Alzheimer disease (AD). Clinical, single-photon emission computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and pathologic studies of apathy in AD have suggested an association with frontal dysfunction, most supportive of anterior cingulate abnormalities, but without a definitive localization. Objective To examine the association between apathy and cortical metabolic rate on positron emission tomography in AD. Design Forty-one subjects with probable AD underwent [ 18 F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging and neuropsychiatric and cognitive assessments. Global subscale scores from the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms in Alzheimer Disease were used to designate the absence or presence of clinically meaningful apathy. Whole-brain voxel-based analyses were performed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM2; Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience, London, England), which yielded significance maps comparing the 2 groups. Results Twenty-seven (66%) subjects did not have apathy, whereas 14 (34%) had apathy. Statistical parametric mapping analysis revealed significant reduced activity in the bilateral anterior cingulate region extending inferiorly to the medial orbitofrontal region ( P P = .04) in subjects with apathy. The results of the statistical parametric mapping analysis remained the same after individually covarying for the effects of global cognitive impairment, depressed mood, and education. Conclusions Apathy in AD is associated with reduced metabolic activity in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus and medial orbitofrontal cortex and may be associated with reduced activity in the medial thalamus. These results reinforce the confluence of evidence from other investigational modalities in implicating medial frontal dysfunction and related neuronal circuits in the neurobiology of apathy in AD and other neuropsychiatric diseases.
Editing arbitrarily deforming surface animations

Deforming surfaces, such as cloth, can be generated through physical simulation, morphing, and even video capture. Such data is currently very difficult to alter after the generation process is complete, and data generated for one purpose generally cannot be adapted to other uses. Such adaptation would be extremely useful, however. Being able to take cloth captured from a flapping flag and attach it to a character to make a cape, or enhance the wrinkles on a simulated garment, would greatly enhance the usability and re-usability of deforming surface data. In addition, it is often necessary to cleanup or "tweak" simulation results. Doing this by editing each frame individually is a very time consuming and tedious process. Extensive research has investigated how to edit and re-use skeletal motion capture data, but very little has addressed completely non-rigid deforming surfaces. We have developed a novel method that now makes it easy to edit such arbitrary deforming surfaces. Our system enables global signal processing, direct manipulation, multiresolution embossing, and constraint editing on arbitrarily deforming surfaces, such as simulated cloth, motion-captured cloth, morphs, and other animations. The foundation of our method is a novel time-varying multiresolution transform, which adapts to the changing geometry of the surface in a temporally coherent manner.
Control of glucosylceramide production and morphogenesis by the bar1 ceramide synthase in fusarium graminearum

The contribution of plasma membrane proteins to the virulence of plant pathogenic fungi is poorly understood. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to characterize the acyl-CoA dependent ceramide synthase Bar1 (previously implicated in plasma membrane organization) in the wheat pathogen Fusarium graminearum. The role of Bar1 in mediating cell membrane organization was confirmed as ΔBAR1 mutants failed to display a distinct sterol-rich domain at the hyphal tip. The ΔBAR1 mutants were non-pathogenic when inoculated onto wheat heads, and their in vitro growth also was severely perturbed. ΔBAR1 mutants were incapable of producing perithecia (sexual fruiting structures) and only produced macroconidia (asexual spores) in the presence of NaCl. Sphingolipid analyses indicated that Bar1 is specifically necessary for the production of glucosylceramides in both F. graminearum and Aspergillus nidulans. Interestingly, glucosylceramides appear to mediate sensitivity to heat stable antifungal factor (HSAF), as, in addition to ΔBAR1 mutants, a glucosylceramide synthase deficient mutant of Yarrowia lipolytica is also resistant to HSAF.
Confidence Distribution, the Frequentist Distribution Estimator of a Parameter: A Review

Summary In frequentist inference, we commonly use a single point (point estimator) or an interval (confidenceinterval/“intervalestimator”)toestimateaparameterofinterest.Averysimplequestion is: Can we also use a distribution function (“distribution estimator”) to estimate a parameter of interest in frequentist inference in the style of a Bayesian posterior?The answer is affirmative, and confidence distribution is a natural choice of such a “distribution estimator”. The concept of a confidence distribution has a long history, and its interpretation has long been fused with fiducial inference. Historically, it has been misconstrued as a fiducial concept, and has not been fully developed in the frequentist framework. In recent years, confidence distribution has attracted a surge of renewed attention,andseveraldevelopmentshavehighlighteditspromisingpotentialasaneffectiveinferential tool. This article reviews recent developments of confidence distributions, along with a modern definition and interpretation of the concept. It includes distributional inference based on confidence distributions and its extensions, optimality issues and their applications. Based on the new developments, the concept of a confidence distribution subsumes and unifies a wide range of examples, from regular parametric (fiducial distribution) examples to bootstrap distributions, significance(p-value)functions,normalizedlikelihoodfunctions,and,insomecases,Bayesianpriors and posteriors. The discussion is entirely within the school of frequentist inference, with emphasis on applications providing useful statistical inference tools for problems where frequentist methods with good properties were previously unavailable or could not be easily obtained. Although it also draws attention to some of the differences and similarities among frequentist, fiducial and Bayesian approaches, the review is not intended to re-open the philosophical debate that has lasted more than two hundred years. On the contrary, it is hoped that the article will help bridge the gaps between these different statistical procedures.