cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compound noise analysis in digital circuits using blind source separation

In the past decade there have been significant efforts to analyze and solve signal integrity issues in pre-nanometer circuits. However, most of these techniques apply to single noise source, and cannot take into account the evolving reality of multiple noise sources interacting with each other. With the scaling of the technology into nanometer regime, maintaining historical rate of performance and signal integrity have become very challenging due to compound noise effects. Noise measurement made at an evaluation node will reflect the cumulative effect of all the active noise sources, while individual and relative severity of various noise sources will determine what types of remedial steps can be adopted, pressing the need for the development of algorithms that study the cumulative noise effects, and analyze the relative contributions of different noise sources. This paper presents a novel method to analyze the characteristics of compound noise effect in very high performance integrated circuits. The algorithm extracts the time characteristics of individual noise sources from the measured voltage in order to study the contribution of each source separately, by applying the technique of blind source separation, which is based on the assumption that the different sources of noise are statistically independent over time. The estimated noise sources can aid in timing and spectral analysis and yield better design techniques.
Acoustic Nonlinearity in the Derating Problem for HIFU Sources

Numerical simulations of focused acoustic beams are performed in water over a wide range of linear gains and source amplitudes, in order to demonstrate the combined effect of acoustic nonlinearity, diffraction, and focusing on extrapolation (derating) of the main parameters of high intensity acoustic fields at the focus from the linear theory. It is shown that nonlinear corrections to the focusing gain are different for different parameters of the acoustic field and for different values of the linear gain. Nonlinear enhancement of the focusing gain is found to be more pronounced for the peak positive pressure and for higher linear gains. The levels of nonlinear saturation for various parameters of the field at the focus are obtained for very high source amplitudes. The results of simulations give higher saturation levels compared to the approximate analytic predictions.
Guidelines for appropriate use of simulated data for bio-authentication research

In this paper, we outline a framework for appropriate and proper usage of simulated data for biometric authentication research. Currently, there are no formal guidelines concerning the use of simulated data in the biometric authentication literature. Some have suggested the usage of simulated or synthetic data while others have advised against it. Our position is that there is a place for simulation data in biometrics research but that such implementations need to meet certain requirements. To that end, we describe conditions under which it is reasonable to use such data, as well as criteria for evaluating the appropriateness of a data generation methodology. This criteria is that models for generation of artificial data should be flexible, consistent and parsimonious. Along with justifying these criteria, we illustrate how simulated data might be used to evaluate a classifier.
Prison officers' experience as a predictor of risk of attack: an analysis within the British prison system.

Reports of inmate-officer assaults from a prison population of 1,000 males and covering an 18-month period were analysed in order to test the hypothesis that staff who either have little prison wor...
Confronting the insider-outsider polemic in conducting research with diasporic communities: Towards a community-based approach

Researchers focusing on diasporic contexts face the difficult task of wearing their “academic hats” while at the same time building meaningful relationships with immigrant communities. This is no more apparent (and important) than with “non-community” (i.e., outsider) researchers. Here diasporic communities, having already experienced the trauma of forced migration, must see the academic researcher as one they can trust and who is invested in their long-term well being. In this paper I address methodological and philosophical concerns related to the insider-outsider researcher distinction and to conducting research as an “outsider.” The principle aims of the paper are to critically examine the distinctions that create and perpetuate the insider-outsider polemic, explore what this polemic “looks like” within diasporic contexts, and consider community-based participatory research as one “vehicle” that might effectively address some of the thorniest problems associated with the insideroutsider distinction.
Anharmonicity in the Silver and Thallium Halides: Far-Infrared Dielectric Response

The isobaric temperature dependence of the $q\ensuremath{\approx}0$ transverse- and longitudinal-optic modes of AgCl, AgBr, TlCl, and TlBr is reported in the range 4-450 K and the isothermal pressure dependence of the transverse-optic modes for pressures up to 10 kbar. These measurements are used to determine the thermal-strain and anharmonic contributions to the self-energy for the $q\ensuremath{\approx}0$ transverse-optic mode for these materials. The results reveal a near cancellation of the cubic and quartic anharmonic contributions to the self-energy for AgCl and AgBr with the cubic contribution dominating at all temperatures. In the thallium halides the quartic contributions are dominant at all temperatures and are sufficiently large as to dominate the thermal-strain contribution to the self-energy, thus causing the mode to be weakly soft.
Prenatal diagnosis of the two‐vessel cord: implications for patient counselling and obstetric management

The study was designed to investigate the implications of the sonographic diagnosis of the two-vessel umbilical cord for patient counselling and pregnancy management. Retrospective analysis was carried out of prenatal findings and pregnancy outcomes when a two-vessel cord was diagnosed in utero. Eighty-two fetuses each with a single umbilical artery were diagnosed by ultrasound. Ten were aneuploid, including nine with visible structural defects and one with early onset intrauterine growth retardation. Of the remaining 72, 31 had other anomalies diagnosed postnatally; 27 of these had structural defects detected on ultrasound examination. However, in nine of these 27 sonographically abnormal fetuses, one or more major structural defects were missed by ultrasound examination. Among the 45 chromosomally normal fetuses with no visible defects on scan, four had anomalies diagnosed after birth. Among the chromosomally normal singletons, six of 22 with other anomalies seen on scan and seven of 38 with no other visible defects on scan had intrauterine growth retardation. Among chromosomally normal twins, one of two with other anomalies seen and two of five appearing otherwise normal had intrauterine growth retardation; one twin set was delivered at 23 weeks after the demise of both twins. Karyotyping is recommended whenever a two-vessel cord is seen in association with symmetric intrauterine growth retardation or any other defect. The fetus diagnosed with a two-vessel cord and any other anomaly by ultrasound often has additional structural defects not seen on scan. The fetus with an isolated two-vessel cord on scan seldom has unrecognized major anomalies, but is at risk for intrauterine growth retardation.
Challenges and opportunities in the post single-thread-processor era

The age of the single thread juggernaut has ended, due to a variety of factors. Multi-core processors are coming on strong, and scaling in being stressed more than ever. This presents a number of architectural, hardware and software challenges. This talk will reflect on these challenges from Cray's perspective in the high performance computing industry.
The role of postoperative irradiation in carcinoma of the breast.

Chest wall and regional nodal recurrences, and survival following postmastectomy radiation therapy, were analyzed in 352 patients. Patients with T1 and T2 central and medial breast lesions, negative axillary nodal findings, and no evidence of skin or chest wall extension received irradiation to the peripheral lymphatics alone. There were no chest wall recurrences among these patients. The remainder of the patients, including those with axillary nodal involvement, regardless of the site of the primary breast lesion received irradiation by a three-field technique directed to both chest wall and regional nodes. The chest wall recurrence rate was 1.9 percent when axillary nodes were negative for metastatic disease, 1.3 percent when the axillary nodes showed less than 50 percent positivity, and 14.2 percent when axillary nodes showed greater than 50 percent involvement. The overall chest wall recurrence rate was 5.1 percent. A possible mechanism of chest wall recurrence is discussed. Cumulative 5-year survival for stage I is 76 percent, for stage II, 79 percent, and for stage III, 57 percent. If chemotherapy proves to be effective in controlling distant microscopic disease local control may become an equally critical issue in long-term survival of patients with breast carcinoma.
Using a Mnemonic Strategy to Match Elements of Response to Intervention Lessons with Performance Assessment Requirements

Performance assessments are designed to identify teachers’ strengths and weaknesses and differentiate those who will positively impact students’ outcomes from those who will not. One prominent performance assessment centers all documentation and analysis on a learning segment , a portion of an instructional unit (Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity, 2013 ). For preservice teacher candidates using a Response to Intervention (RTI) model for instruction, there may be a mismatch between the performance assessment and actual practice. Schools that use RTI require specific interventions that increase students' skill mastery. Because of this, teacher candidates may not group lessons into instructional units that are typical to many classroom teachers’ settings and performance assessment expectations. In this article, we share the story of Kyle, a preservice special education teacher who completed a performance assessment while delivering instruction in RTI and explain his use of the DESCRIBE IT strategy (Vostal, Messenheimer, & Hampton, 2013). The strategy structured his intervention unit so that he could document and analyze his performance during the assessment. We draw conclusions about the implications of using DECSRIBE IT to alleviate potential mismatch between performance assessment expectations and intervention delivery.
Evidence for correlated double-electron capture in low-energy collisions of O6+ with He.

Production of LMM-Auger and ${\mathrm{L}}_{1}$${\mathrm{L}}_{23}$M-Coster-Kronig electrons in 60-keV ${\mathrm{O}}^{6+}$+He and 40-keV ${\mathrm{C}}^{4+}$+He collisions were measured with high resolution by the method of 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} Auger spectroscopy. Oxygen impact is found to create intense Coster-Kronig lines attributed to the configurations 1${\mathrm{s}}^{2}$2pnl with n\ensuremath{\ge}6 which are produced by double-electron capture. Strong evidence is provided that the double-capture process involves electron-correlation effects whose analysis leads beyond the independent-electron model.
Characterizing the in vitro hepatic biotransformation of the flame retardant BDE 99 by common carp

Abstract Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame retardant chemicals known to biomagnify in aquatic foodwebs. However, significant biotransformation of some congeners via reductive dehalogenation has been observed during in vivo and in vitro laboratory exposures, particularly in fish models. Little information is available on the enzyme systems responsible for catalyzing this metabolic pathway in fish. This study was undertaken to characterize the biotransformation of one primary BDE congener, 2,2′,4,4′,5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99), using in vitro techniques. Hepatic sub-cellular fractions were first prepared from individual adult common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to examine metabolism in both microsomal and cytosolic sub-cellular fractions. Debromination rates (i.e. BDE-99 biotransformation to BDE-47) were generally higher in the microsomal fraction than in the cytosolic fraction, and some intra-species variability was observed. Further experiments were conducted to determine the biotransformation kinetics and the influence of specific co-factors, inhibitors and competitive substrates on metabolism using pooled carp liver microsomes. The apparent Km and Vmax values were 19.4 μM and 1120 pmoles h−1 mg protein−1, respectively. Iodoacetate (IaC) and the two thyroid hormones, reverse triodothyronine (rT3) and thyroxine (T4), significantly inhibited the debromination of BDE-99 in microsomal sub-cellular fractions with IC50 values of 2.2 μM, 0.83 μM, and >1.0 μM, respectively. These results support our hypothesis that deiodinase enzymes may be catalyzing the metabolism of PBDEs in fish liver tissues. Further studies are needed to evaluate metabolic activity in other species and tissues that contain these enzymes.
Tissue-Specific Expression and Mapping of the Cox7ah Gene in Mouse

We have isolated and examined the gene for the heart isoform of cytochrome c oxidase subunit VIIa (COX VIIa-H) in mouse, an isoform gene previously thought to be lacking in rodents. Interspecies amino acid comparisons indicate that mouse COX VIIa-H protein displays 82.5 and 70.9% identity with the bovine and human heart isoforms of COX VIIa, but only 53.7% identity with the paralogous mouse liver isoform (COX VIIa-L). Expression in adult mouse tissues is limited to heart and skeletal muscle, as found in other species. In the early mouse embryo, Cox7al was the exclusive isoform expressed and Cox7ah mRNA was not detectable until day 17 postcoitum. That the mouse Cox7ah gene characterized in this study is orthologous to the human COX7AH gene was also suggested by its mapping to mouse chromosome 7, to a conserved region syntenic with the human chromosome location of COX7AH, 19q13.1. As a result, all three COX heart isoform genes in mouse group to chromosome 7. Interestingly, mapping of the mouse Cox7al to chromosome 9 suggests a new syntenic region between the mouse and the human genomes.
Kraft Green Liquor Pretreatment of Softwood Chips. 1. Chemical Sorption Profiles

The chemical sorption characteristics of typical kraft mill green liquor (GL) chemicals into loblolly pine softwood chips were analyzed as part of a larger study investigating new, low-capital kraft pulping modifications. Specifically, the sorption profiles of hydroxide (alkali), hydrosulfide, and carbonate ions from industrially supplied GL into wood chips were compared and contrasted. The influence of pretreatment conditions, such as GL charge, pretreatment temperature, and time, were the main variables controlled to assess their influence on chemical sorption profiles. The results indicated that significant differences existed for the sorption characteristics of each chemical component. Alkali and sulfide showed more affinity for wood components than carbonate during the pretreatment. Thus, the order of decreasing sorption rates was as follows: alkali and sulfide, followed by carbonate. In general, it was found that pretreatment of wood chips with GL under a moderate GL charge and higher temperatures provides the maximum sulfide concentration in wood chips, although extended times are not necessary.
Photosynthesis in epiphytic and rooted Clusia rosea Jacq.

Clusia rosea Jacq. is a hemiepiphyte having Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). In its natural habitat Clusia begins its life cycle as an epiphyte and eventually becomes a rooted tree. These two stages of the life cycle of Clusia represent markedly different water regimes. Our CO2 exchange, stomatal conductance, titratable acidity, and stable carbon isotope ratio measurements indicate that Clusia has a flexible photosynthetic mode, where CO2 is fixed mostly via CAM during its epiphytic stage, when water availability is low, and via both CAM and C3 during its rooted stage.
Does androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer increase cardiovascular morbidity

Does androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer increase cardiovascular morbidity?
A scientific function test framework for modular environmental model development: application to the community land model

As environmental models have become more complicated, we need new tools to analyze and validate these models and to facilitate collaboration among field scientists, observation dataset providers, environmental system modelers, and computer scientists. Modular design and function test of environmental models have gained attention recently within the Biological and Environmental Research Program of the U.S. Department of Energy. In this paper, we will present our methods and software tools 1) to analyze environmental software and 2) to generate modules for scientific function testing of environmental models. We have applied these methods to the Community Land Model with three typical scenarios: 1) benchmark case function validation, 2) observation-constraint function validation, and 3) a virtual root module generation for root function investigation and evaluation. We believe that our strategies and experience in scientific function test framework can be beneficial to many other research programs that adapt integrated environmental modeling methodology.
Cyberbullying: An exploratory analysis of factors related to offending and victimization.

Victimization on the Internet through what has been termed cyberbullying has attracted increased attention from scholars and practitioners. Defined as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text” (Patchin and Hinduja 2006:152), this negative experience not only undermines a youth's freedom to use and explore valuable on-line resources, but also can result in severe functional and physical ramifications. Research involving the specific phenomenon—as well as Internet harassment in general—is still in its infancy, and the current work seeks to serve as a foundational piece in understanding its substance and salience. On-line survey data from 1,378 adolescent Internet-users are analyzed for the purposes of identifying characteristics of typical cyberbullying victims and offenders. Although gender and race did not significantly differentiate respondent victimization or offending, computer proficiency and time spent on-line were positively related to both cyberbullying victimizati...
Neural network approach for software cost estimation

Software engineering measurement and analysis specifically, cost estimation initiatives have been in the center of attention for many firms. In this paper, author explores the use of the expert judgment and machine learning techniques using neural network as well as referencing COCOMO II approach to predict the cost of software. Some primary work in the use of neural network in estimating software cost by [WITTIG & FINNIE] and Karunanithi (1992) produced very accurate results, but the major setback in their work was due to the fact that the accuracy of the result relied heavily on the size of the training set (1997). Understanding the adversity in applying neural networks, the author proposes a dynamic neural network that initially uses COCOMO II. The proposed network improves its estimation as the number of data set increases with input from expert judgment that affects the learning procedure.
Successful treatment of intraoperative pulmonarytumor embolism from renal cell carcinoma

During left nephrectomy in a 35-year-old woman with a left renal cell carcinoma extending into the inferior vena cava (IVC) and right atrium, cardiac arrest occurred. Immediate transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated that the event was caused by a pulmonary tumor embolism. Emergent cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was established and the tumors in the pulmonary arteries were successfully removed. The left nephrectomy was completed. The patient recovered in the intensive care unit without any neurological deficit. A postoperative pulmonary perfusion scintigram showed no defect in the pulmonary circulation. Transesophageal echocardiography was useful for making a rapid diagnosis of an intraoperative pulmonary embolism originating from a tumor of the IVC or right atrium.
Biomechanical comparison of double-row locking plates versus single- and double-row non-locking plates in a comminuted metacarpal fracture model.

Purpose Open or unstable metacarpal fractures frequently require open reduction and internal fixation. Locking plate technology has improved fixation of unstable fractures in certain settings. In this study, we hypothesized that there would be a difference in strength of fixation using double-row locking plates compared with single- and double-row non-locking plates in comminuted metacarpal fractures. Methods We tested our hypothesis in a gap metacarpal fracture model simulating comminution using fourth-generation, biomechanical testing–grade composite sawbones. The metacarpals were divided into 6 groups of 15 bones each. Groups 1 and 4 were plated with a standard 6-hole, 2.3-mm plate in AO fashion. Groups 2 and 5 were plated with a 6-hole double-row 3-dimensional non-locking plate with bicortical screws aimed for convergence. Groups 3 and 6 were plated with a 6-hole double-row 3-dimensional locking plate with unicortical screws. The plated metacarpals were then tested to failure against cantilever apex dorsal bending (groups 1–3) and torsion (groups 4–6). Results The loads to failure in groups 1 to 3 were 198 ± 18, 223 ± 29, and 203 ± 19 N, respectively. The torques to failure in groups 4 to 6 were 2,033 ± 155, 3,190 ± 235, and 3,161 ± 268 N mm, respectively. Group 2 had the highest load to failure, whereas groups 5 and 6 shared the highest torques to failure (p Conclusions When subjected to the physiologically relevant forces of apex dorsal bending and torsion in a comminuted metacarpal fracture model, double-row 3-dimensional non-locking plates provided superior stability in bending and equivalent stability in torsion compared with double-row 3-dimensional locking plates, whereas single-row non-locking plates provided the least stability.
The Calcineurin Inhibitor Tacrolimus Inhibits Breast Tumor GrowthIn Vivo.

Background: We recently reported a novel angiogenesis factor, secreted frizzle-related protein 2 (SFRP2), that stimulates angiogenesis via a calcineurin/ NFAT pathway and is highly expressed in human breast tumor endothelium (Courtwight et. al., Cancer Research 2009). NFAT is a transcription factor that mediates vascular development and VEGF and bFGF-induced angiogenesis. Tacrolimus (FK506) is a calcineurin inhibitor that inhibits NFAT activation and is FDA approved to prevent organ transplant rejection. Based on its mechanism of action, we hypothesized that tacrolimus would inhibit angiogenesis and breast tumor growth.Materials and Methods:Tumor growth in vivo: MMTV-neu transgenic mice were treated with tacrolimus 3 mg/kg/day i.p. for 21 days or control when tumors became palpable. Tumor volumes were measured with 3D ultrasound. Endothelial tube formation in vitro: ECMatrix was solidified into wells of a 96 well plate and endothelial cells were seeded onto the matrix at a concentration of 1x104 cells/well with SFRP2 7nM or VEGFA 60ng/ml. Tacrolimus 1µM or 1.5% DMSO control was added to the wells. The number of branch points were counted after 8 hours. MMTV-neu migration in vitro: Breast tumor cells were plated at 10,000 cells/well into a 96 well plate and allowed to become confluent. The cells were quiesced for 18 hours and tacrolimus (1µM) or 0.5% DMSO control was added to the wells and the wound was formed using a 1 ml pipette tip. Migration distance was measured with an ocular micrometer after 16 hours. Western blot analyses: Endothelial cells were treated for 1 hour with negative control, SFRP2 7nM, or SFRP2 7nM plus tacrolimus 10 µM. Nuclear protein was extracted and Western blot for NFATc3 was performed. Statistics: Means were compared with a two-tailed t-test.Results:Tumor growth in vivo: Tacrolimus inhibited the growth rate of MMTV-neu tumors by 49% (n=12 treated, n=9 controls, p=0.04), without signs of toxicity. Endothelial tube formation: Tacrolimus (1µM) inhibited SFRP2 induced endothelial tube formation by 64% (0.002, n=4), and VEGF induced tube formation by 69% (p=0.004, n=4). MMTV-neu tumor cell migration: Tacrolimus (1µM) inhibited MMTV-neu cell migration by 36% (p Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 3170.
Isolation and quantification of major chlorogenic acids in three major instant coffee brands and their potential effects on H2O2-induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and apoptosis in PC-12 cells.

Coffee is a most consumed drink worldwide, with potential health effects on several chronic diseases including neuronal degenerative diseases. Chlorogenic acids (CHAs) are phenolic compounds found in coffee and they are reported to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the amounts of CHAs often vary in coffee drinks and their potential effects on ROS-induced neuronal cell death still require more investigation. Therefore, in this paper, major CHAs were isolated from three major instant coffee brands, confirmed and quantified using HPLC and NMR spectroscopic methods. Then, their antioxidant activities and protective effects on H2O2-induced apoptosis in PC-12 cells were investigated using radical scavenging, mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase assays. In the coffee samples, three major CHAs (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid) and some minor CHAs (3-O-feruloylquinic acid, 4-O-feruloylquinic acid, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid) were detected. The three major CHAs were further isolated and their chemical structures were confirmed using NMR spectroscopic techniques. Also, the amounts of the three major CHAs were individually quantified using a HPLC method. At the concentration of 10 μM, all three major CHAs quenched DPPH and/or xanthine oxidase-generated radical species by 21–51% (P < 0.014). They also inhibited H2O2-induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspase-9 activation by 27% (P < 0.034) and 50% (P < 0.05), respectively. This study suggests that the major CHAs found in coffee are likely to be potent antioxidant compounds able to quench radical species as well as inhibit H2O2-induced apoptosis via suppressing mitochondrial membrane depolarization and caspase-9 activation in the cells.
The murine winged helix transcription factors, Foxc1 and Foxc2, are both required for cardiovascular development and somitogenesis

The murine Foxc1/Mf1 and Foxc2/Mfh1 genes encode closely related forkhead/winged helix transcription factors with overlapping expression in the forming somites and head mesoderm and endothelial and mesenchymal cells of the developing heart and blood vessels. Embryos lacking either Foxc1 or Foxc2, and most compound heterozygotes, die pre- or perinatally with similar abnormal phenotypes, including defects in the axial skeleton and cardiovascular system. However, somites and major blood vessels do form. This suggested that the genes have similar, dose-dependent functions, and compensate for each other in the early development of the heart, blood vessels, and somites. In support of this hypothesis, we show here that compound Foxc1; Foxc2 homozygotes die earlier and with much more severe defects than single homozygotes alone. Significantly, they have profound abnormalities in the first and second branchial arches, and the early remodeling of blood vessels. Moreover, they show a complete absence of segmented paraxial mesoderm, including anterior somites. Analysis of compound homozygotes shows that Foxc1 and Foxc2 are both required for transcription in the anterior presomitic mesoderm of paraxis, Mesp1, Mesp2, Hes5, and Notch1, and for the formation of sharp boundaries of Dll1, Lfng, and ephrinB2 expression. We propose that the two genes interact with the Notch signaling pathway and are required for the prepatterning of anterior and posterior domains in the presumptive somites through a putative Notch/Delta/Mesp regulatory loop.
Test of a Model of Parental Inducement of Academic Self-Regulation

Abstract A model of parental inducement of academic self-regulation was tested. One hundred and five elementary-school students were surveyed to assess their perceptions of (a) their parents' influence on their academic self-regulation and (b) their own academic self-regulatory behavior. Their standardized academic achievement scores were also recorded. Factor analysis disclosed that measures of parental modeling, encouragement, facilitation, and rewarding of the students' self-regulation loaded on a factor separate from, but related to, academic achievement; path analysis disclosed that parental self-regulation inducement significantly predicted student academic achievement through mediation of student self-regulatory behavior. The findings are interpreted in light of social cognitive theory, and recommendations are made for further study.
Central β-adrenoceptors mediate phasic and sustained components of hemodynamic responses to acute behavioral stress

Abstract Startle elicits a pattern of cardiovascular responses that is consistent within individual rats but varies between rats. We examined the hypothesis that central β-adrenoceptors mediate differences in the hemodynamic responses to stress. Conscious rats exposed to cold water (1 cm deep, 1 min) had an initial phasic (startle) response (first 5 s) that varied considerably between rats. We designated those rats with an initial increase in cardiac output (CO) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) as mixed responders while those with only an increase in SVR were vascular responders. Propranolol pretreatment (3 μg, icv) made the phasic changes in CO more negative, whereas isoproterenol (3 μg) made the CO response more positive in mixed responders and attenuated the increases in arterial pressure and SVR in vascular responders. Metoprolol (30 μg, icv) depressed the change in CO due to startle in mixed responders by decreasing heart rate. ICI 188,551 (25 μg, icv) did not alter the responses to startle but depressed the heart rate and CO responses and enhanced the pressor and SVR responses to sustained stress (1 min exposure to cold water). The results suggest that startle elicits hemodynamic responses that are primarily dependent on β1-adrenoceptors but responses to sustained stress are dependent on β2-adrenoceptors in the CNS.
Exploring SCC-DFTB paths for mapping QM/MM reaction mechanisms.

A new first-order procedure for locating transition structures (TS) that employs hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) potentials has been developed. This new technique (RPATh+RESD) combines the replica path method (RPATh) and standard reaction coordinate driving (RCD) techniques in an approach that both efficiently determines reaction barriers and successfully eliminates two key weaknesses of RCD calculations (i.e., hysteresis/discontinuities in the path and the sequential nature of the RCD procedure). In addition, we have extended CHARMM's QM/MM reaction pathway methods, the RPATh and nudged elastic band (NEB) methods, to incorporate SCC-DFTB wave functions. This newly added functionality has been applied to the chorismate mutase-catalyzed interconversion of chorismate to prephenate, which is a key step in the shikimate pathway of bacteria, fungi, and other higher plants. The RPATh+RESD barrier height (ΔE⧧ = 5.7 kcal/mol) is in good agreement with previous results from full-energy surfa...
The Highly Conserved Basic Domain I of Baculovirus IE1 Is Required for hr Enhancer DNA Binding and hr-Dependent Transactivation

The immediate-early protein IE1 is the principal transcriptional regulator of the baculovirus Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). Transactivation by IE1 is dramatically stimulated by cis linkage of the affected promoter to AcMNPV homologous region (hr) elements that contain palindromic 28-bp repeats (28-mers) with enhancer activity. This hr-dependent transcriptional enhancement requires binding of the 28-mer by dimeric IE1. Here, we have defined IE1 domains required for this DNA binding in order to investigate the mechanism of IE1 function. Analysis of a panel of IE1 insertion mutations indicated that disruption of a highly conserved domain (residues 152 to 161) consisting of mostly positive-charged residues (basic domain I) abolished hr-dependent transactivation. Targeted mutagenesis of basic residues within basic domain I caused loss of hr-dependent transactivation but had no effect on IE1 oligomerization, nuclear localization, or hr-independent transactivation of viral promoters. Alanine substitutions of K(152) and K(154) or K(160) and K(161) impaired IE1 binding to 28-mer DNA as a homodimer, indicating that these basic residues are required for enhancer binding. Consistent with a DNA-binding defect, 28-mer interaction was improved by heterodimerization with wild-type IE1 or by increasing mutated IE1 concentrations. DNA binding mediated by basic domain I was also required for IE1 transactivation that occurred through physically separated, unlinked hr elements. We concluded that basic domain I is the enhancer-binding domain for IE1. Our data also suggest that DNA binding activates IE1 for transcriptional enhancement, possibly through a conformational change involving basic domain I.
Temporal analysis of a very large topically categorized Web query log

The authors review a log of billions of Web queries that constituted the total query traffic for a 6-month period of a general-purpose commercial Web search service. Previously, query logs were studied from a single, cumulative view. In contrast, this study builds on the authors' previous work, which showed changes in popularity and uniqueness of topically categorized queries across the hours in a day. To further their analysis, they examine query traffic on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis by matching it against lists of queries that have been topically precategorized by human editors. These lists represent 13p of the query traffic. They show that query traffic from particular topical categories differs both from the query stream as a whole and from other categories. Additionally, they show that certain categories of queries trend differently over varying periods. The authors key contribution is twofold: They outline a method for studying both the static and topical properties of a very large query log over varying periods, and they identify and examine topical trends that may provide valuable insight for improving both retrieval effectiveness and efficiency. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Correlates of human immunodeficiency virus infection in intravenous drug users : are treatment-program samples misleading ?

Using a community-based sample of 1632 intravenous drug users in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, this study evaluated a possible selection bias faced when studying risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1) in intravenous drug users drawn solely from treatment programs. Consenting subjects, recruited by extensive distribution of brochures and word-of-mouth, underwent confidential interviews about drug use behaviors in a setting that was independent of community service agencies. Of 1632 subjects, 275 (17%) were currently enrolled in treatment programs. These subjects were similar in many respects to those not currently in treatment, including HIV-1 seroprevalence; however, they differed in that those not in treatment were more likely to be male, younger and black than those currently in treatment, and to have started injecting drugs more recently. However, associations between HIV-1 seropositivity and a series of demographic and drug-using characteristics were mostly similar in direction and magnitude among subjects currently in treatment and those not in treatment. These results suggest that one-time samples of drug users enrolled in treatment programs do not necessarily present a misleading picture of correlates of HIV-1 seropositivity.
Pharmacotherapy of tension-type headache (TTH)

Background: Tension-type headache (TTH) is a highly prevalent condition, yet it requires less medical attention than migraine, mostly because the pain and disability burden are milder. Methods: Proper diagnosis is a paramount step in therapeutic adequacy. It comes from careful history, thorough physical examination and use of ancillary investigations when appropriate to rule out underlying causes of secondary headaches that could mimic TTH, as there is no biological marker for the condition. Results: Research in TTH is insufficient. Thus, pathophysiologic understanding and therapeutic innovations are lagging. In that context, the clinicians should not be surprised by the paucity of pharmacotherapeutic options. Conclusion: In this article, we review the existing literature on medications and make practical recommendations based on the evidence of their efficacy. We review both abortive and prophylactic medications (such as tricyclic antidepressants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, respectively). ...
Regulation of Pap phase variation. Lrp is sufficient for the establishment of the phase off pap DNA methylation pattern and repression of pap transcription in vitro.

The pyelonephritis-associated pili (pap) operon in Escherichia coli is regulated by an epigenetic mechanism involving the formation of specific DNA methylation patterns characteristic of transcriptionally active (phase ON) and inactive (phase OFF) cells. The formation of papDNA methylation patterns in vivo was previously shown to require the leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) and DNA adenine methylase (Dam). To monitor the binding of Lrp to pap DNA, an in vitro methylation protection assay was developed. Binding of Lrp to a Dam target site proximal to the papBApromoter (designated GATCprox) blocked methylation of this site and specifically repressed transcription. The DNA methylation pattern and transcription state are identical to those observedin vivo in phase OFF cells. To determine if binding of Lrp at GATCprox was necessary for repression ofpapBA transcription, we analyzed a pap mutation (pap-13) that reduced the affinity of Lrp for the GATCprox region. Binding of Lrp to pap-13 DNA was shifted to a promoter distal Dam target site (designated GATCdist). Lrp blocked methylation of GATCdistin the pap-13 mutant, but did not repress papBAtranscription. Together, these results show that binding of Lrp to the GATCprox region is sufficient for the establishment of the phase OFF DNA methylation pattern and repression of papBAtranscription.
Interactions between emotion regulation strategies and affective style: Implications for trait anxiety versus depressed mood

Affective style reflecting approach and inhibition is thought to be associated in distinct ways with anxious versus depressed mood; relatively few studies, however, consider how the interaction between affective style and the strategies individuals use to regulate mood and emotion might influence these associations. Sixty-seven non-disordered adults self-reported on their use of two emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), behavioral approach (BAS) and behavioral inhibition sensitivity (BIS) dimensions of affective style, and anxious and depressed mood (trait anxiety and symptoms of depression). Trait anxiety versus depressed mood was associated with unique interactive patterns of emotion regulation and affective style: enhanced use of reappraisal was linked to less depressed mood in those reporting low BAS, whereas high suppression was linked to greater trait anxiety in those reporting low BIS. The implications of findings for typical emotional processes and for clinical disorders and interventions are discussed.
Direct and Inverse Scattering Problems for Domains with Multiple Corners

We proposed numerical methods for solving the direct and inverse scattering problems for domains with multiple corners. Both the near field and far field cases are considered. For the forward problem, the challenges of logarithmic singularity from Green’s functions and corner singularity are both taken care of. For the inverse problem, an efficient and robust direct imaging method is proposed. Multiple frequency data are combined to capture details while not losing robustness.
THE DRUG-FASTNESS OF SPIROCHETES TO ARSENIC, MERCURIAL, AND IODIDE COMPOUNDS IN VITRO.

In the foregoing experiments we attempted to determine whether or not, by subjecting several varieties of spirochetes to increasing doses of certain chemotherapeutic agents, a gradual increase of resistance to the latter could be shown. For this purpose, pure cultures of Treponema pallidum, Treponema microdentium, and Spirochœta refringens were used against the action of salvarsan, neosalvarsan, bichloride of mercury, and iodine-iodide potassium solution in vitro. For culture media, the usual ascites-broth-tissue medium as well as solid ascites-agar-tissue medium was used. After permitting the spirochetes to grow for a fortnight in media containing certain quantities of each drug, transfers were made from tubes showing various degrees of growth to the next series of tubes containing the same drug in still higher concentrations, and similar transfers repeated every 2 weeks. The results of the experiments may be briefly summarized as follows: 1. Treponema pallidum and Treponema microdentium have, within 3 to 4 months, increased their tolerance to salvarsan and neosalvarsan to five and one-half times their original mark. With Spirochata refringens the increase was about three times. 2. Against the action of bichloride of mercury, the amount of increased tolerance of Treponema pallidum was about 35 to 70 times the original, while that of Treponema microdentium was about 10 times as much and was reached within 10 weeks. Spirochata refringens resisted 30 times the original dose. 3. There was an unmistakable increase of resistance of these spirochetes to the action of the iodine-iodide solution (Lugol's solution) when they were grown for several generations in fluid media containing the iodine solution, but the rate of increase between the initial and the acquired tolerance was slight. In general, the addition of Lugol"s solution to fluid media has a weak inhibitory influence upon the growth of the spirochetes, requiring for the total suppression of growth a quantity of over 0.7 cc. to 5 cc. of the culture media. The tolerance reached was for about three times that amount. 4. A similar tolerance phenomenon has not been established when employing a solid instead of a fluid medium containing the drugs. No explanation is offered except a suggestion that the drugs held in the agar do not enter into combination with certain tissue constituents of the medium as they are able to do with tissue elements in fluid media. This may be a factor necessary for inducing drug tolerance in these organisms in vitro. 5. The increased drug-fastness in vitro has a limit beyond which no further advance can be made. This limit varies with different species of spirochetes. 6. The acquired drug-fastness in vitro gradually disappears when the spirochetes are cultivated again in the drug-free media for several generations.
Analysis of axisymmetrically loaded annular plates using Green's functions

Abstract A boundary integral formulation for the analysis of elastic annular plate bending under axisymmetrical loads is developed using Green's functions. Here, the general two dimensional plate bending integral formulation is reduced to a one dimensional problem. This is achieved using a ring-type Green's function. Several case studies are examined and the results are shown to be in excellent agreement with those obtained using analytical solutions.
Ultrastructure of the labellar glands in the female black blowfly, Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract The fine structure of the labellar glands in adult, non-diapausing, female Phormia regina is described. These epidermal glands, located on both sides of the proboscis in the distal portion. of the-haustellum, are comprised of unicellular secretory cells coupled to an efferent ductule which is accompanied by an ensheathing ductule cell. The cuticular ductule within the secretory cell empties an extracellular, microvillus cavity, the end apparatus. The ductules condense to form a pair of ducts which traverse the epidermal layer of cells around the hypoglossal sclerite. Septate junctions are found between secretory cells and ductule cells but not between any other cell borders. Tracheae are seen occasionally between secretory cells or between secretory and epidermal cells. The function of the labellar glands remains unknown; however, their possible function is discussed with reference to previous reports.
Something So Right

In August 2010, Wired magazine declared, “The Web is Dead. Long Live the Internet.” (1) Citing the rise of IPad & Smartphone sales and the rapid explosion of application-based software to run vario...
Psychomotor reminiscence as a function of sex and amount of prerest practice

Several studies support the hypothesis that females reminisce more than males do because they accumulate more reactive inhibition during the prerest trials. The present study explores this hypothesis further by varying the amount of continuous practice prior to a rest period of constant length. Concordant with expectations, reminiscence increased as a negatively accelerated function of prerest practice, and females reached a higher asymptotic level of reminiscence than males did. Also as expected from theory, females gained less proficiency than males did across the prerest trials.
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF LAND-USE MANAGERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

This study examines the outcome of efforts to educate federal land-use managers about their roles in implementing the Executive Order in their respective districts. The managers participated in a 6-h Nominal Group Technique (NGT) workshop where they were instructed to weight environmental justice issues versus others associated with hazardous waste problems in their districts. Participant responses were quantified and analyzed through a series of rounds. After each round, participants received increasing amounts of information on environmental justice issues. It was hypothesized that the managers would come to a consensus that environmental justice is an important issue that should be seriously addressed. Prior to administering the NGT, the managers appeared to have limited knowledge of environmental justice issues and thus assigned relatively low rankings to such concerns. After being “educated” by viewing films on environmental justice and reading related literature, in general, managers' weightings decreased and a narrower consensus developed. The authors conclude that exposure to the issue may not be as effective as expected in convincing land-use managers to become sensitive to justice issues so that they may effectively implement the Executive Order.
The effect of propranolol on free fatty acid mobilization and resting metabolic rate

Abstract The role of the sympathetic nervous system in free fatty acid (FFA) mobilization was assessed in this study. FFA turnover rate using 1-14C-palmitic acid and metabolic rate by using indirect calorimetry were measured in ten white and 12 Pima Indian males after an overnight fast and during propranolol infusion (120 μg/kg fat-free mass [FFM] bolus and 1.2 μg/kg FFM/min). Baseline FFA turnovers were similar in both racial groups and decreased similarly following propranolol infusion (−16% ± 4%; P A T ratio) (r = .63, P A T ratio had greater decreases in RMR than subjects with higher A T ratio (r = .48, P A T ratio could be the reflection of an even greater SNS activity in individuals with central obesity.