cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying radiation therapy response using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) parametric mapping of pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma: a report from the pediatric brain tumor consortium.

Baseline diffusion or apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) characteristics have been shown to predict outcome related to DIPG, but the predictive value of post-radiation ADC is less well understood. ADC parametric mapping (FDM) was used to measure radiation-related changes in ADC and compared these metrics to baseline ADC in predicting progression-free survival and overall survival using a large multi-center cohort of DIPG patients (Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium—PBTC). MR studies at baseline and post-RT in 95 DIPG patients were obtained and serial quantitative ADC parametric maps were generated from diffusion-weighted imaging based on T2/FLAIR and enhancement regions of interest (ROIs). Metrics assessed included total voxels with: increase in ADC (iADC); decrease in ADC (dADC), no change in ADC (nADC), fraction of voxels with increased ADC (fiADC), fraction of voxels with decreased ADC (fdADC), and the ratio of fiADC and fdADC (fDM Ratio). A total of 72 patients were included in the final analysis. Tumors with higher fiADC between baseline and the first RT time point showed a trend toward shorter PFS with a hazard ratio of 6.44 (CI 0.79, 52.79, p = 0.083). In contrast, tumors with higher log mean ADC at baseline had longer PFS, with a hazard ratio of 0.27 (CI 0.09, 0.82, p = 0.022). There was no significant association between fDM derived metrics and overall survival. Baseline ADC values are a stronger predictor of outcome compared to radiation related ADC changes in pediatric DIPG. We show the feasibility of employing parametric mapping techniques in multi-center studies to quantitate spatially heterogeneous treatment response in pediatric tumors, including DIPG.
Technology and Competitive Advantage—The Role of General Management

A firm's ability to build competitive advantage on the basis of technology depends on the practices of general management. In firms that are especially good at making strategic use of technology, g...
Retrieval of Vegetation Water Content Using Brightness Temperatures from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission

In this paper, we explore a time series approach to using the tau-omega (τ-ω) model to retrieve vegetation water content (kg/m2) with minimal use of ancillary data. Analytically, this approach calls for nonlinear optimization in two steps. First, multiple days of co-located brightness temperature observations are used to retrieve the effective vegetation opacity, which incorporates the combined radiometric and polarization effects of surface roughness and vegetation opacity. The resulting effective vegetation opacity is then used to retrieve vegetation water content to within a gain factor α and an offset factor β. By using a climatological vegetation water content ancillary database as the one adopted in the development of the SMAP standard and enhanced soil moisture products, α and β can be determined globally using the annual minimum and annual maximum of vegetation water content. The resulting values of α and β can then be used to reconstruct the retrieved vegetation water content. Formulation, assumptions, and limitations of this approach are presented alongside the preliminary global retrieval of vegetation water content using one year (2016) of SMAP brightness temperature observations.
Revolution and Counterrevolution in Latin America: The Filmed Experience

Latin America has posed a range of revolutionary scenarios. This chapter considers both that of guerrilla struggle and that arising from electoral politics, using classic films for illustrative purposes. The films depict revolutionary processes in Cuba (Che Part 1), in Peru and Bolivia (Principal Enemy; Che Part 2), and in Chile (Battle of Chile). Che re-enacts the rise and fall of its protagonist, Ernesto “Che” Guevara; The Principal Enemy is a fictional drama based on actual struggles in the Andes; The Battle of Chile is a documentary about the final turbulent months (in 1973) of the elected Popular Unity government. Questions of how to bridge differences between oppressed peoples and those who would guide them—the perennial questions of leadership—are central in each case.
Research Note: Evaluation of deoxycholic acid for antihistomonal activity

Abstract Deoxycholic acid (DCA) is a naturally occurring secondary bile acid that originates from intestinal bacterial metabolic conversion of cholate, a primary bile acid. Deoxycholic acid was shown to have antihistomonal properties in vitro, leading to our hypothesis that DCA inclusion within the feed might prevent histomoniasis. Selected dietary concentrations of DCA were evaluated for effects on body weight gain (BWG), lesions, and mortality of turkeys challenged with wild-type Histomonas meleagridis (WTH). Treatments consisted of non-challenged control (NC; basal diet), 0.25% DCA diet + challenge, 0.5% DCA diet + challenge, 1% DCA diet + challenge, and a positive-challenged control (PC; basal diet). All groups were fed a basal starter diet until day 7, at which time DCA diets were administered to the respective groups. On day 14, 2 × 105 WTH cells/turkey were intracloacally administered. H. meleagridis-related lesions were evaluated on day 13 post-challenge. Pre-challenge day 0 to 14 BWG was higher (P ≤ 0.05) in the 0.25% DCA group than in the 1% DCA group. There were no significant differences in pre-challenge day 0 to 14 BWG between any of the other groups. No significant differences in mortalities from histomoniasis occurred in the DCA groups as compared to the PC group. No H. meleagridis lesions or mortalities were observed at any time in the NC group. Presence of H. meleagridis-related liver lesions was higher (P ≤ 0.05) in the 0.5% DCA group as compared to the PC group. Using the same controls and experimental timeline, an additional group was included to evaluate a biliogenic diet formulated with 20% whole egg powder to encourage endogenous bile acid production. The biliogenic diet had no statistical impact on pre-challenge day 0 to 14 BWG, but did not reduce H. meleagridis-related mortalities or lesions after the challenge. Taken together, these data suggest that DCA inclusion within the feed at these concentrations and under these experimental conditions does not prevent histomoniasis.
The Chemistry and Health Benefits of Dietary Phenolamides

Phenolamides, also known as hydroxycinnamic acid amides or phenylamides, have been reported throughout the plant kingdom, while a few of these amine-conjugated hydroxycinnamic acids are unique in foods. The current knowledge of their specific functions in plant development and defense is readily available as is their biosynthesis; however, their functionality in humans is still largely unknown. Of the currently known phenolamides, the most common are avenanthramides, which are unique in oats and similar to the well-known drug Tranilast, which possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-itch, and antiatherogenic activities. While recent data have brought to light more information regarding the other known phenolamides, such as hordatines, dimers of agmatine conjugated to hydroxycinnamic acid, and kukoamines, spermine-derived phenolamides, the information is still severely limited, leaving their potential health benefits to speculation. Herein, to highlight the importance of dietary phenolamides to human health, we review and summarize the four major subgroups of phenolamides, including their chemical structures, dietary sources, and reported health benefits. We believe that the studies on phenolamides are still in the infancy stage and additional health benefits of these phenolamides may yet be identified.
Soft-HaT: Software-Based Silicon Reprogramming for Hardware Trojan Implementation

A hardware Trojan is a malicious modification to an integrated circuit (IC) made by untrusted third-party vendors, fabrication facilities, or rogue designers. Although existing hardware Trojans are designed to be stealthy, they can, in theory, be detected by post-manufacturing and acceptance tests due to their physical connections to IC logic. Manufacturing tests can potentially trigger the Trojan and propagate its payload to an output. Even if the Trojan is not triggered, the physical connections to the IC can enable detection due to additional side-channel activity (e.g., power consumption). In this article, we propose a novel hardware Trojan design, called Soft-HaT, which only becomes physically connected to other IC logic after activation by a software program. Using an electrically programmable fuse (E-fuse), the hardware can be “re-programmed” remotely. We illustrate how Soft-HaT can be used for offensive applications in system-on-chips. Examples of Soft-HaT attacks are demonstrated on an open source system-on-chip (OrpSoC) and implemented in Virtex-7 FPGA to show their efficacy in terms of stealthiness.
Voltage-based automated detection of postictal generalized electroencephalographic suppression: Algorithm development and validation.

Abstract Objective Postictal generalized electroencephalographic suppression (PGES) is a pattern of low-voltage scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) activity following termination of generalized seizures. PGES has been associated with both sudden unexplained death in patients with epilepsy and therapeutic efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Automated detection of PGES epochs may aid in reliable quantification of this phenomenon. Methods We developed a voltage-based algorithm for detecting PGES. This algorithm applies existing criteria to simulate expert epileptologist readings. Validation relied on postictal EEG recording from patients undergoing ECT (NCT02761330), assessing concordance among the algorithm and four clinical epileptologists. Results We observed low-to-moderate concordance among epileptologist ratings of PGES. Despite this, the algorithm displayed high discriminability in comparison to individual epileptologists (c-statistic range: 0.86-0.92). The algorithm displayed high discrimination (c-statistic: 0.91) and substantial peak agreement (Cohen’s Kappa: 0.65) in comparison to a consensus of clinical ratings. Interrater agreement between the algorithm and individual epileptologists was on par with that among expert epileptologists. Conclusions An automated voltage-based algorithm can be used to detect PGES following ECT, with discriminability nearing that of experts. Significance Algorithmic detection may support clinical readings of PGES and improve precision when correlating this marker with clinical outcomes following generalized seizures.
THE NEW SECOND CIRCUIT LOCAL RULES: ANATOMY AND COMMENTARY

The New Second Circuit Local Rules provides a general account of the origins, accretion, and renewal of local rules in the federal appellate courts, and specific commentary on the wholesale revision of the Second Circuit’s local rules, adopted in 2010. The Second Circuit local rules had not been holistically reappraised in over 100 years when, in 2008, the Court engaged me to spearhead a comprehensive review and rewrite. Among other things, the project undertook to comply with appellate local rule-making strictures imposed by 1995 amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and by Judicial Conference mandates that originated in a burst of local rule study and superintendence during the 1990s. Notably, the Second Circuit is alone among the thirteen federal appellate courts to conduct such a comprehensive overhaul of its local rules in accordance with the new strictures. This ambitious project has met with great success and provides a role model for other courts considering rules reform. The article has two objectives: (1) to explain the context of the Second Circuit local rules revision project by providing a history of local rulemaking in the federal appellate courts, including efforts at the national level to reform the circuits’ fragmented collections of local rules, and the Second Circuit’s response to those efforts; and (2) to supply a commentary on the new and revised Second Circuit local rules that details how the new rule-making parameters were applied, and the practical effect of the resulting reforms. It is hoped that an account of how the Second Circuit local rules revision was accomplished may animate and facilitate other federal courts’ efforts at local rules reform, and assist the practicing bar to understand the proper purposes of local rule-making generally and to navigate the Second Circuit’s new rules.
Perioperative Skin Conditioning for Patients With Skin of Color

The interest in cosmetic procedures for patients with skin of color is on an upward trend. Globally, dyschromia and hyperpigmentation remain the most common disorders for which patients seek treatm...
Suffering and sunset: World War I in the art and life of Horace Pippin: by Celeste-Marie Bernier, Philadelphia, PA, Temple University Press, 2015, xv, 552 pp. + illustrations, $39.95 (hardcover), ISBN 978-1-4399-1273-7

Although the Harlem Hellfighter Horace Pippin (1888–1946) was crippled in his right arm while fighting in Argonne on 30 September 1918, he nonetheless achieved renown as an original artist in the 1...
Freeing Trade in North America: by Greg Anderson, Kingston and Montreal, McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2020, 208 pp., CAN $32.95 (paper), ISBN 978-0-2280-0075-4

There are two questions that motivate every scholar of North American regionalism: does North America exist? And, is there a North American idea? Greg Anderson adds to a vast volume of literature w...
Prevention and Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury Due to Rapid-Onset Natural Disasters

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in the world, based on the fact that natural disaster documentation has increased over the years and TBI is very prevalent during these events and attention to its dire effects will increase. TBI during these natural disasters is due to penetrating wounds, overpressure, and crushing injuries from flying objects, falls, or collapsing buildings. It is imperative to prevent these injuries and treat these patients quickly, but also have the social network in place for the aftermaths, including the psychosocial support that vulnerable populations, especially children, may need. In this chapter we will cover the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of TBI in general and more specifically TBI related to natural disasters.
Reinforcement Learning for Flooding Mitigation in Complex Stormwater Systems during Large Storms

Compared with capital improvement projects, real-time control of stormwater systems may be a more effective and efficient approach to address the increasing risk of flooding in urban areas. One way to automate the design process of control policies is through reinforcement learning (RL). Recently, RL methods have been applied to small stormwater systems and have demonstrated better performance over passive systems and simple rule-based strategies. However, it remains unclear how effective RL methods are for larger and more complex systems. Current RL-based control policies also suffer from poor convergence and stability, which may be due to large updates made by the underlying RL algorithm. In this study, we use the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm and develop control policies for a medium-sized stormwater system that can significantly mitigate flooding during large storm events. Our approach demonstrates good convergence behavior and stability, and achieves robust out-of-sample performance.
Theatre of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

This chapter deals with the aftermath of World War II and the fallout from the establishment of Israel as a Jewish State. I discuss the plays of over a dozen Israeli playwrights who have dealt with the fraught issue of the displacement and subjugation of the Palestinian population after 1948. The chapter is divided by sections that correspond to the phases of the conflict, from the Six-Day War of 1967 to the Intifadas. A final section deals with international playwrights who have grappled with these issues. My own play begins with an imagined conversation between a 19-year-old Franz Kafka and Theodore Herzl, one of the founders of Zionism. Franz and his sister Ottla dreamed of going to Palestine where they hoped to live in the kind of egalitarian society that Herzl imagined in his novel Altneuland. When they finally reunite there as ghosts or dybbuks, their sense of justice compels them to identify with the Palestinians.
Chapter 26. In Vivo Diagnostics for Alzheimer's Disease Based on the Acetylcholine Transporter

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ACh transporter (AChT). The chapter also discusses the current status of efforts to develop ligands for the AChT that can be used in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET) to map the density of cholinergic nerve terminals in living human brain. Degeneration of cholinergic terminals in the hippocampus and frontal cortex are among the earliest deficits in this neurodegenerative disease. A sensitive in vivo diagnostic that determines the functional status and/or density of cholinergic nerve terminals in brain might provide a means to detect the onset of Alzheimer's disease before cognitive deficits occur. An early diagnostic probably must probe a concentrated target found only in the cholinergic presynapse. The characteristic function of cholinergic nerve terminals, which constitutes about 6% of the cortical terminals in mammalian brain, is to synthesize and release acetylcholine (ACh). The sodium-dependent high affinity choline uptake transporter in the cytoplasmic membrane, choline acetyltransferase in the cytoplasm, and the ACh transporter in the membrane of synaptic vesicles are key proteins in the synthesis and release of ACh. Among the proteins that carry out presynaptic metabolism of ACh, AChT complex has the most highly developed pharmacology. A potent family of compounds that binds allosterically to the AChT is known. Most of the compounds are relatively easily synthesized and many of them exhibit favorable pharmacokinetics in vivo. Despite the various shortcomings of the available analogs, the utility of the vesamicol family for the visualization of cholinergic nerve terminals has been demonstrated. Thus, this approach to the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease has great promise, but better ligands are needed. Because of its modularity, the chemical structure of vesamicol is amenable to extensive structure–activity analysis.
Hemispheric asymmetry in martian seasonal surface water ice from MGS TES

Abstract The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) visible/near-infrared and thermal infrared bolometers measured planetary broadband albedo and temperature for more than three Mars years. As seasons progress on Mars, surface temperatures may fall below the frost point of volatiles in the atmosphere (namely, carbon dioxide and water). Systematic mapping of the spatial and temporal occurrence of these volatiles in the martian atmosphere, on the surface, and in the subsurface has shown their importance in understanding the climate of Mars. We examine TES daytime albedo, temperature, and atmospheric opacity data to map the latitudinal and temporal occurrence of seasonal surface water frost on Mars. We expand on previous work by looking at the behavior of water frost over the entire martian year, made possible with comprehensive, multi-year data. Interpretations of frost are based on albedo changes and the corresponding daytime temperature range. Data is considered consistent with water frost when there are significant albedo increases (>0.05 relative to frost-free seasons) and the observed temperatures are ∼170–200 K. We argue the presence of extensive water frost in the northern hemisphere, extending from the pole to ∼40°N, following seasonal temperature trends. In the north, water frost first appears near the pole at L s = ∼160° and is last observed at L s = ∼90°. Extensive water frost is less evident in southern hemisphere data, though both hemispheres show data that are consistent with the presence of a water ice annulus during seasonal cap retreat. Hemispherical asymmetry in the occurrence of seasonal water frost is due in part to the lower (∼40%) atmospheric water vapor abundances observed in the southern hemisphere. Our results are consistent with net transport of water vapor to the northern hemisphere. The deposition and sublimation of seasonal water frost may significantly increase the near-surface water vapor density that could substantially extend the geographic occurrence of stable ground ice.
Characterization of intracellular ribonucleic acid specific for the murine sarcoma-leukemia virus complex.

Virus particles were continuously produced by a cell line (78A1) of rat embryo fibroblasts that had been transformed by the murine sarcoma-leukemia virus complex. Since most of the mature virions were found in the extracellular fluid and were not cell-associated, a measurable quantity of viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) could not be extracted from these cells. Cycloheximide, a protein inhibitor, was successfully used to accumulate viral RNA within the cells. This ribonuclease-sensitive RNA, with a sedimentation coefficient of 71 S , had the same base composition as the high molecular weight RNA ( S 20,w = 71) isolated from purified virions released by the transformed cells. Images
Woody Biomass Logistics

The economics of using woody biomass as a fuel or feedstock for bioenergy applications is often driven by logistical considerations. Depending on the source of the woody biomass, the acquisition cost of the material is often quite low, sometimes near zero. However, the cost of harvesting, collection, processing, storage, and transportation from the harvest site to end users can be quite expensive. In many cases, the combined cost of logistics will exceed the delivered value of the resource by a substantial margin. Therefore, it is highly important to the economic success of any bioenergy project that the logistics of bringing the woody biomass to the consuming facility be optimized to the greatest extent possible. Optimizing the logistics for woody biomass fuels and feedstocks can best be accomplished in the planning stages of the project. If the consuming facility is improperly located with respect to the geographic distribution of the woody biomass resource, the project will likely suffer a continuing economic burden in the form of excessive transportation costs. Furthermore, the design of any woody biomass-consuming operation is generally best served by providing for as much feedstock flexibility as the operation’s core conversion technology permits. That is to say that a wider range of feedstock species, form, particle size, ash content, and moisture content will be preferable from an economic standpoint. Increased feedstock flexibility expands the usable resource base, which in turn will serve to reduce risk and uncertainty in feedstock supply. Diversified feedstock supply chains may also reduce procurement costs by avoiding competition for biomass with other users, such
Regulation of human ornithine decarboxylase expression by the c-Myc.Max protein complex.

The presence of a CACGTG element within a region of the human ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) promoter located at -491 to -474 base pairs 5' to the start site of transcription suggested that the c-Myc.Max protein complex may play a role in the regulation of ODC expression during growth. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and methylation interference analysis showed that the nuclei of WI-38 cells expressing ODC contained proteins that bound to this region of the ODC gene in a manner that correlated with growth-associated ODC expression. Also, use of antibodies against c-Myc and Max and purified recombinant c-Myc and Max protein in the electrophoretic mobility shift assay confirmed that these proteins can specifically bind this portion of the human ODC promoter. Transient transfection studies showed that increase in the level of c-Myc and/or Max led to a significant enhancement of expression of a human ODC promoter-CAT reporter construct. Moreover, treatment of actively growing WI-38 cells with an antisense oligomer to c-Myc reduced the amount of endogenous protein complex formed and the amount of endogenous ODC mRNA expressed. These studies show that the c-Myc.Max protein complex plays a role in the transcriptional regulation of human ODC in vivo.
Preparation and structural characterisation of the cation-π complexes [{(Me3Si)2NK} · ( t Bu-C6H5)]2 and [{(Me3Si)2NK} · (Me3-C6H3)]2

Two new arene solvates [{(Me3Si)2NK} · ( t Bu-C6H5)]2 (1) and [{(Me3Si)2NK} · (Me3-C6H3)]2 (2) have been synthesised and characterised in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Each complex was prepared through dissolution of potassium hexamethyldisilazide (KHMDS) in either tert-butylbenzene or mesitylene followed by crystallisation. The crystal structures of both 1 and 2 are composed of dimeric K2N2 ring aggregates, where each of the metal centres is solvated by either tert-butylbenzene (1) or mesitylene (2) through η6 – cation-π interactions. In addition, the potassium centres within each dimer have a number of intramolecular agostic K · · · C interactions with the methyl groups of the HMDS anion.
M2-type Muscarinic Receptors Mediate Prejunctional Inhibition of Norepinephrine Release in the Human Iris-Ciliary Body

Human muscarinic receptors comprise a family of five separate gene products, three of which (designated as M1, M2 and M3 subtypes) can be distinguished pharmacologically. Previous work indicates that sympathetic nerve terminals in the anterior uvea contain prejunctional muscarinic receptors that, upon activation by agonists, inhibit the neural release of norepinephrine. The aim of this study was to characterize the prejunctional effects of muscarinic agents on the electrically-evoked secretion of 3H-norepinephrine in isolated, superfused human iris-ciliary body tissue segments. Stimulation-evoked 3H-norepinephrine release was inhibited > 80% by carbachol and muscarine, but was unaffected by the M1-selective agonist McN A-343. Pilocarpine behaved as a partial agonist in this system, producing less than 40% of the maximum inhibition. The rank order of potency of selective antagonists at prejunctional muscarinic receptors was methoctramine (M2) > AF-DX 116 (M2) > pirenzepine (M1) > or = para-fluoro hexahydro-sila-definidol (M3). These data suggest that prejunctional muscarinic receptors in the human iris-ciliary body correspond to the M2 subtype. No evidence for age-related differences in prejunctional muscarinic receptor activity was seen in tissues obtained from 13 human donors, aged 10-83 years. Prejunctional muscarinic receptors may play a role in mediating the inhibitory effects of parasympathetic nerve stimulation or cholinomimetic drugs on ocular sympathetic neurotransmission in vivo.
Superfluid transitions and capillary condensation in porous media

We report experimental results on the superfluid onset of $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ adsorbed onto two types of porous material: porous gold and evaporated ${\mathrm{CaF}}_{2}$. Films of these materials in a range from 0.008 to 4 microns thick were deposited onto the surfaces of quartz microbalances. The microbalances were used to measure helium adsorption and desorption isotherms on the porous substrates in the range of 1 to $3\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$. Isotherms on a nominally flat Au substrate are included for comparison. The isotherms were used to construct phase diagrams in the $\ensuremath{\mu}\text{\ensuremath{-}}T$ plane showing hysteresis closure points and superfluid onsets. Hysteresis loops were observed in all of the porous gold samples. Thin ${\mathrm{CaF}}_{2}$ films behaved like rough surfaces with an enhanced adsorption area but no hysteresis, while ${\mathrm{CaF}}_{2}$ films thicker than approximately 0.04 microns behaved like porous materials and exhibited hysteresis. The characteristics of superfluid onset in the porous samples depended crucially on whether the transition occurred at low coverage and low temperature in the single phase regime, or at higher temperatures and coverage in the hysteretic two phase regime. In the single phase regime, superfluid onset showed both the abrupt frequency shift and dissipation peak characteristic of a conventional Kosterlitz-Thouless transition, corrected for the increased area and tortuosity of the substrate. At higher temperatures and coverages, a dissipation peak is observed, but the nearly discontinuous frequency shift is replaced by a smooth and gradual decoupling of the superfluid component as the coverage is increased. The gradual onset of superflow can be approximately described by a power law with an exponent near 1.5.
Regulation of sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex by serotonin 2A receptors. Ontogeny and strain differences.

Sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex can be assessed via measures of prepulse inhibition (PPI), which is the reduction in startle magnitude when the startling stimulus is preceded immediately by a weak prepulse. PPI is reduced in humans with specific neuropsychiatric disorders and in rats after treatment with certain classes of drugs, including serotonin (5-HT) agonists. Because of the relative loss of PPI in inherited, neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia, there is great interest in understanding the inherited and developmental features of the neurochemical regulation of PPI in animals. In the present study, PPI was disrupted significantly by the 5-HT2A agonist 2,5-dimethoxy-4 iodopheny-lisopropylamine (DOI) in Sprague Dawley (SDH) and Wistar rat strains (WH). While it was demonstrated that the DOI effects in SDH rats reflected an unequivocal disruption of sensorimotor gating, in WH rats, reduced PPI was observed in the context of a trend for a DOI-induced reduction in startle magnitude. This effect of DOI in SDH rats was evident at the earliest date tested (17 days of age) in male pups, but was not statistically significant in female pups. Thus, the regulation of sensorimotor gating by 5-HT2A receptor stimulation in rats may exhibit subtle differences across strains, and within SDH rats, between sexes. Most importantly, the 5-HT2A regulation of sensorimotor gating in male SDH rats is a “phenotype” that is expressed very early in life, and is sustained through adulthood.
Hierarchical cellular designs for load-bearing biocomposite beams and plates

Scrutiny into the composition of natural, or biological materials convincingly reveals that high material and structural efficiency can be attained, even with moderate-quality constituents, by hierarchical topologies, i.e., successively organized material levels or layers. The present study demonstrates that biologically inspired hierarchical designs can help improve the moderate properties of natural fiber polymer composites or biocomposites and allow them to compete with conventional materials for load-bearing applications. An overview of the mechanics concepts that allow hierarchical designs to achieve higher performance is presented, followed by observation and results from flexural tests on periodic and hierarchical cellular beams and plates made from industrial hemp fibers and unsaturated polyester resin biocomposites. The experimental data is shown to agree well with performance indices predicted by mechanics models. A procedure for the multi-scale integrated material/structural analysis of hierarchical cellular biocomposite components is presented and its advantages and limitations are discussed.
Weighted selective collapsing strategy for detecting rare and common variants in genetic association study.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been used successfully in detecting associations between common genetic variants and complex diseases. However, common SNPs detected by current GWAS only explain a small proportion of heritable variability. With the development of next-generation sequencing technologies, researchers find more and more evidence to support the role played by rare variants in heritable variability. However, rare and common variants are often studied separately. The objective of this paper is to develop a robust strategy to analyze association between complex traits and genetic regions using both common and rare variants. We propose a weighted selective collapsing strategy for both candidate gene studies and genome-wide association scans. The strategy considers genetic information from both common and rare variants, selectively collapses all variants in a given region by a forward selection procedure, and uses an adaptive weight to favor more likely causal rare variants. Under this strategy, two tests are proposed. One test denoted by B wSC is sensitive to the directions of genetic effects, and it separates the deleterious and protective effects into two components. Another denoted by B wSCd is robust in the directions of genetic effects, and it considers the difference of the two components. In our simulation studies, B wSC achieves a higher power when the casual variants have the same genetic effect, while B wSCd is as powerful as several existing tests when a mixed genetic effect exists. Both of the proposed tests work well with and without the existence of genetic effects from common variants. Two tests using a weighted selective collapsing strategy provide potentially powerful methods for association studies of sequencing data. The tests have a higher power when both common and rare variants contribute to the heritable variability and the effect of common variants is not strong enough to be detected by traditional methods. Our simulation studies have demonstrated a substantially higher power for both tests in all scenarios regardless whether the common SNPs are associated with the trait or not.
A composite rbac approach for large, complex organizations

Secure and effective access control is critical to sensitive organizations, especially when multiple organizations are working together using diverse systems. To alleviate the confusion and challenges of redundancy in such a large, complex organization, in this paper we introduce a composite role-based access control (RBAC) approach, by separating the organizational and system role structures and by providing the mapping between them. This allows for the explicit identification and separation of organizational and target-system roles, role hierarchies, role assignments, constraints, and role activations, with an attempt to bridge the gap between the organizational and system role structures. The composite RBAC approach supports scalable and reusable RBAC mechanisms for large, complex organizations. Our research explores the newly created Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a large, complex organization in which the Composite RBAC can be applied.
Software design principles for video research in the learning sciences and CSCL: two studies use the perspectivity framework & Orion™

Collaborative analysis of digital data has become an important factor for research in the learning sciences and the computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) communities. The purpose of this investigation was to deduce design principles to inform future video research software as well as social network development. To uncover these design principles, a meta-analysis was conducted of two dissertational studies that applied the Perspectivity Framework and the video analysis tool, Orion™. The first was a qualitatively-informed quantitative study; the second applied balanced mixed methodology--also referred to as quisitive research. The 7 design principles found include: stakeholder involvement; elastic coding; collections as selections and vice versa; applied authenticity; unfolding interpretations; layered critique; and revision tracking.
Nonparametric Disposability Tests

ByRolf Fare, Carbondale, Illinois, U. S. A.,Shawna Grosskopf, Carbondale, Illinois, U. S. A., andC. A, Knox Lovell, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U. S. A.*(Received June 27, 1986)1. IntroductionBeginning with Afriat (1972), a variety of nonparametric (linearprogramming) tests of regularity conditions on production tech-nology has been developed by a number of authors, includingHanoch and Rothschild (1972), Diewert and Parkan (1983), Varian(1984), and Banker and Maindiratta (1985). Common to this bodyof work is the maintained hypothesis of monotonicity. This hy-pothesis, also referred to as strong disposability, asserts that no in-crease in inputs can lead to a reduction in outputs, and that noreduction in outputs becomes infeasibie without an increase in in-puts. This assumption is unnecessarily strong, undesirably so fortechnologies such as agriculture and transportation for which con-gestion is frequently observed. Consequently a weaker notion ofray monotonicity or weak disposability has been developed. Thishypothesis asserts that no radial, or equiproportionate, increase ininputs can lead to a reduction in outputs, and that no radial reduc-tion in outputs becomes infeasibie without an increase in inputs.« is likely that technologies failing to satisfy the strong dispos-ability hypothesis do satisfy the weak disposability hypothesis; in-deed failure of weak disposability for solely technological reasonsseems inconceivable to us.Monotonicity being a maintained hypothesis on which tests ofother regularity conditions have been conditioned, it is not surpris-ing that no such tests have been developed for the monotonicitycondition. Nonetheless there are several reasons one would like to— •We dedicate this paper to our late colleague Leif Jansson.
Biphasic effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on 125I-human chorionic gonadotropin binding to cultured immature Leydig cells

Abstract The present studies examined the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF-2) on 125I-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) binding to cultured immature rat Leydig cells. We found that low concentrations of bFGF (0.1–1.0 ng/ml) inhibited 125I-hCG binding to cultured immature Leydig cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner; however, this inhibition was reversed partially at higher bFGF concentrations (10–200 ng/ml). The decline in 125I-hCG binding by bFGF was due to a reduction in the number of binding sites per cell and not to a change in receptor affinity for the ligand. The inclusion of 10 μg/ml heparin (a concentration that is reported to block bFGF binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans) with increasing bFGF concentrations had no effect on the inhibition of 125I-hCG binding by low bFGF concentrations, but completely blocked the secondary increase in binding by higher bFGF concentrations. In addition, neither varying heparin concentrations (0.1–25 μg/ml) nor insulin or insulin-like growth factor-I had any effect on the inhibition of 125I-hCG binding by 1 ng/ml bFGF. These studies suggest that receptor-mediated actions of bFGF (inhibition of hCG binding by low bFGF concentrations) on cultured immature Leydig cells are unaffected by heparin; however, the secondary increase in 125I-hCG binding observed with higher bFGF concentrations (mediated by bFGF binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycans) is blocked by heparin.
Fabrication of Stimulus-Responsive Nanopatterned Polymer Brushes by Scanning-Probe Lithography

Stimulus-responsive, surface confined poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAM) brush nanopatterns were prepared on gold-coated silicon substrates in a “grafting-from” approach that combines “nanoshaving”, a scanning probe lithography method, with surface-initiated polymerization using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reversible, stimulus-responsive conformational height change of these nanopatterned polymer brushes was demonstrated by inverse transition cycling in water, and water−methanol mixtures (1:1, v:v). Our findings are consistent with the behavior of laterally confined and covalently attached polymer chains, where chain mobility is restricted largely to the out-of-plane direction. Our nanofabrication approach is generic and can likely be extended to a wide range of vinyl monomers.
Ion channeling analysis of MBE grown Si1−xGex/Si strained layer superlattices

Abstract Strained layer superlattices (SLSs) of Si1−xGex/Si, consisting of four pairs of layers, each about 40 nm thick with x = 0.16-0.25, have been grown on Si(100) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The SLSs were characterized by Rutherford backscattering (RBS)/channeling, double crystal diffractometry (DCD), and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) techniques. Tetragonal distortion in the Si1−xGex layers, caused by the lattice mismatch between Si and Si1−xGex, was measured by RBS/channeling and DCD. The strain measured by these two techniques agreed well with that calculated from the theory of elasticity and Monte Carlo simulation. XTEM investigation of the SLSs showed a dislocation-free structure and smooth interfaces.
The logic of ordered random structures

We prove nonconvergence and inseparability in the first-order theory of random matchings and random graphs on an ordered set of points. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Morphological changes in an iron catalyst and the formation of carbon fibers in the C-H-O-Fe system

Abstract When H 2 and CO 2 are exposed to iron at 800–900 K and 1 bar pressure, they react to form H 2 O, CH 4 , CO and carbon. The equilibrium water yield, however, is never achieved even after long residence time. Magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) and wustite (Fe x O), which form during reaction, inhibit carbon deposition. Thus, the “equilibrium” water yield is limited by the iron-iron oxide-gas equilibria. Radical morphological changes in the iron catalyst were observed. At 900 K, a shell-core structure resulted from the oxidation-reduction sequence used in this study. The shell region was shown to be highly porous and consisted of two distinct layers. At 800 K, the structure was again topochemical, however, the shell layer was found to be dense and closely packed. When carbon deposited on the iron catalyst, carbon filaments were observed to form. These destroyed the structural integrity of the catalyst.
The limits of the equity-efficiency tradeoff

Relatively inefficient transfer programs such as public housing, food stamps, and direct price regulation (rent controls, minimum wages) are sometimes justified by arguments which say that it is possible in this way to transfer more to the poor than would be possible without such programs. Conversely, it is sometimes argued (as in the case of gasoline) that prices cannot be allowed to rise to equilibrium levels because such increases will hurt the poor most and direct compensation will not actually be paid. The argument advanced in this paper is that, given enough time, the political process will respond to such policies, and those who advocate inefficient programs for increasing the wealth of the poor will succeed only in lowering the incomes of both the wealthy and the poor.13 Moreover, this argument is based on a simple and direct model of the political process, one that only requires a weak form of responsiveness to voters' intentions. While the Pareto criterion provides that every inefficient state is dominated by an efficient one, it does not usually imply that every efficient state dominates every inefficient one. However, in our framework, this does hold for policy comparisons, so that a policy could be judged solely by its implications for efficiency. Without regard to equity considerations, one policy which raised social income relative to another would be preferred by each and every person and so would dominate by the Pareto criterion. There was no need for the usual compensation principle arguments, since compensation was not something that could occur but something that would occur. Potential improvements become actual improvements through the action of a responsive political system. In comparing policies for income redistribution, it is only their efficiency implications which are relevant.
The role of the myosin ATPase activity in adaptive thermogenesis by skeletal muscle

Resting skeletal muscle is a major contributor to adaptive thermogenesis, i.e., the thermogenesis that changes in response to exposure to cold or to overfeeding. The identification of the “furnace” that is responsible for increased heat generation in resting muscle has been the subject of a number of investigations. A new state of myosin, the super relaxed state (SRX), with a very slow ATP turnover rate has recently been observed in skeletal muscle (Stewart et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107:430–435, 2010). Inhibition of the myosin ATPase activity in the SRX was suggested to be caused by binding of the myosin head to the core of the thick filament in a structural motif identified earlier by electron microscopy. To be compatible with the basal metabolic rate observed in vivo for resting muscle, most myosin heads would have to be in the SRX. Modulation of the population of this state, relative to the normal relaxed state, was proposed to be a major contributor to adaptive thermogenesis in resting muscle. Transfer of only 20% of myosin heads from the SRX into the normal relaxed state would cause muscle thermogenesis to double. Phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain was shown to transfer myosin heads from the SRX into the relaxed state, which would increase thermogenesis. In particular, thermogenesis by myosin has been proposed to play a role in the dissipation of calories during overfeeding. Up-regulation of muscle thermogenesis by pharmaceuticals that target the SRX would provide new approaches to the treatment of obesity or high blood sugar levels.
Localized molecular orbitals and electronic structure of Buckminsterfullerene

Abstract The method of PRDDO is employed to calculate the optimized geometry, energy of formation, ionization potential, bond orders, and localized molecular orbitals for Buckminsterfullerene (C 60 ).
Protein phosphorylation in plant immunity: insights into the regulation of pattern recognition receptor-mediated signaling.

Plants are continuously challenged by pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The plant immune system recognizes invading pathogens and responds by activating an immune response. These responses occur rapidly and often involve post-translational modifications (PTMs) within the proteome. Protein phosphorylation is a common and intensively studied form of these PTMs and regulates many plant processes including plant growth, development, and immunity. Most well-characterized pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including Xanthomonas resistance 21 (XA21), flagellin sensitive 2 (FLS2), and elongation factor (EF)-Tu receptor (EFR), possess intrinsic protein kinase activity and regulate downstream signaling through phosphorylation events. Here, we focus on the phosphorylation events of plant PRRs that play important roles in the immune response. We also discuss the role of phosphorylation in regulating mitogen-associated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades and transcription factors in plant immune signaling.
Some Minimization Calculations Concerning the Effect of Horizontal Eddy Momentum Fluxes on the Equilibrium Zonal Mean Motions

A simplified linear two-level zonally averaged atmospheric model is used to determine the minimum zonal kinetic energy (ZKE) plus the zonal available potential energy (ZAPE) of equilibrium states for any distribution of horizontal eddy momentum fluxes. The model assumes fixed thermal forcing except for coefficients of the longwave radiative response to temperature. Some distinctive features of the model solutions are described. It is found that: the states of minimum ZKE or minimum ZKE + ZAPE contain a jet stream; the structure of the zonal winds is dependent on thermal forcing; the horizontal eddy momentum fluxes which minimize ZKE or ZKE + ZAPE can be up-gradient everywhere with respect to the upper level zonal mean zonal winds, or down-gradient depending on the thermal forcing; ZKE minimization results in a jet stream at 54 deg latitude independent of external parameters. The minimization of ZKE + ZAPE results in a jet stream at 35 deg latitude for a planet of the earth's radius and similar static stability.