cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Aggregation of β-Lactoglobulin: Effect of pH, Ionic Environment, and Thiol Reagent

Abstract Heat-induced β -lactoglobulin (1.2 mg/ml) aggregation in NaCl, CaCl 2 , and thiol-blocking agent ( N -ethylmaleimide) solutions was determined by measuring dynamic turbidity changes at temperatures ranging from 25 to 96°C. β -Lactoglobulin in distilled water exhibited a single transition (≥76°C) in protein-protein interaction (aggregation). An increase in pH from 5.50 to 6.50 suppressed the transition, whereas addition of NaCl (.02 to 1.0 M ) and CaCl 2 (.005 to .2 M ) promoted the transition. N -Ethylmaleimide (4.0 to 10.0m M ) decreased the transition temperature and, in the absence of salts, induced a second transition. However, the combination of N -ethylmaleimide and NaCl or CaCl 2 produced a single, large transition peak. Results indicate that β -lactoglobulin aggregation is most sensitive to low pH, greatly depends on the type and concentration of specific salts, and involves electrostatic and possibly hydrophobic forces and sulfhydryl reactions.
Mothers’ pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain during pregnancy and risk of breast cancer in daughters

Previous studies have established that higher birthweight is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. We explored whether maternal pregnancy weight gain and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), which influence birthweight, are associated with risk of breast cancer in offspring. The Nurses' Mothers case-control study of breast cancer was nested in the Nurses' Health Study I and II cohorts. Mothers of 814 nurses with and 1,809 nurses without breast cancer completed questionnaires with information on pre-pregnancy height and weight, pregnancy weight gain, and other aspects of their pregnancies with the nurse daughters. We calculated odds ratios for breast cancer using conditional logistic regression. Mean pregnancy weight gain was 23 lb, and average pre-pregnancy BMI was 21 kg/m². Mothers' weight gain during pregnancy was not associated with the daughters' risk of breast cancer. Compared to women whose mothers gained 20-29 lb, women whose mothers gained less than 10 lb had a relative risk of 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62-1.36), adjusting for the age of the nurses. Women whose mothers gained 40 or more pounds had a relative risk of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.55-1.23). Mothers' pre-pregnancy BMI was not associated with the daughters' risk of breast cancer. Women whose mothers had a pre-pregnancy BMI of 30 or more had a relative risk of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.34-1.74) compared to those with BMI less than 20. Additional adjustment for prenatal factors or for nurses' characteristics later in life had no effect on the results. The association between birthweight and breast cancer risk is likely due to factors independent of mothers' weight gain during pregnancy or pre-pregnancy BMI. Because BMIs and pregnancy weight gains were lower in this population than today, we cannot rule out associations for very high pre-pregnancy BMIs or pregnancy weight gains.
Through Thick and Thin

The ratio of shear stress to shear rate in a flowing fluid defines its viscosity, or resistance to shear. For a Newtonian fluid like water, the viscosity is constant. Such simple behavior can change drastically, however, when small particles are suspended in the liquid. In some instances, the viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate and the fluid is said to exhibit shear thinning. For applications such as paints, this is desirable because it keeps suspended pigments on the painted surface at rest but lets them flow easily when brushed. There is the opposite possibility of shear thickening whereby the viscosity increases with shear rate. For some suspensions, such as cornstarch in water, this effect can be so dramatic that a person can run across the surface of a pool filled with the suspension, but sinks when standing still. Such non-Newtonian flow behaviors are thought to be caused by changes in the particle arrangements under shear. To investigate this, Cheng et al. ( 1 ), on page 1276 of this issue, report direct measurements of particle arrangements while moving between regimes of shear thinning and thickening.
Application of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations to an electric field model for interaction between excitable cells

Abstract We previously described a model for the electrical transfer of excitation from one cell to the next which utilized the electric potential generated in the junctional cleft between the cells. Low-resistance connections between the cells were not used in the model, and it was assumed that the junctional membranes were excitable. This model was analyzed for the static case without capacitances and for the dynamic case in which capacitances were part of the circuit elements. For simplicity, the Na + resistance ( R Na ), after a threshold potential was exceeded, was allowed to decrease exponentially (to 1% of its initial value) within 0·25–1·0 ms, and possible changes in the K + resistance were ignored. In this paper, we have incorporated the Hodgkin-Huxley equations into the operation of the lumped membrane units for the electrical equivalent circuit of the cell membrane. The parameters varied are the membrane capacitances, resistances, maximum Na + conductance ( g Na ), and the radial cleft resistance ( R jc ). We demonstrated that our model worked very well, i.e. the successful transfer of action potentials was achieved, with the membrane units following Hodgkin-Huxley dynamics for changes in g Na and g K . The calculations indicate that transmission is facilitated when the junctional units have a higher g Na and a lower capacitance and when R jc is elevated. Lowering the resistance of the junctional membrane units several fold, relative to the surface membrane units, also facilitated transmission; however, the absolute resistance of the junctional membrane was still well above the maximum value that would allow sufficient local-circuit current to flow to effect transmission. Thus, the electric field model provides an alternative means of cell-to-cell propagation between myocardial cells which is electrical in nature but does not require the presence of low-resistance connections between cells.
Robust eyelid tracking for fatigue detection

We develop a non-intrusive system for monitoring fatigue by tracking eyelids with a single web camera. Tracking slow eyelid closures is one of the most reliable ways to monitor fatigue during critical performance tasks. The challenges come from arbitrary head movement, occlusion, reflection of glasses, motion blurs, etc. We model the shape of eyes using a pair of parameterized parabolic curves, and fit the model in each frame to maximize the total likelihood of the eye regions. Our system is able to track face movement and fit eyelids reliably in real time. We test our system with videos captured from both alert and drowsy subjects. The experiment results prove the effectiveness of our system.
Pressure-induced phase transition of zinc-blende AlN: An ab initio molecular dynamics study

An ab initio constant pressure technique is carried out to study the pressure-induced phase transition of the zinc blende AlN (aluminum nitride). A first order phase transformation into a rock salt structure is observed in the constant pressure simulations. The transformation is accompanied by an initial tetragonal distortion and a subsequent shearing, similar to that found in the other zinc blende structured materials. This phase transition should occur around 6.2 GPa based upon the enthalpy calculations.
Psychological mediators of bupropion sustained-release treatment for smoking cessation.

Aim The study aimed to test simultaneously our understanding of the effects of bupropion sustained-release (SR) treatment on putative mediators and our understanding of determinants of post-quit abstinence, including withdrawal distress, cigarette craving, positive affect and subjective reactions to cigarettes smoked during a lapse. The specificity of bupropion SR effects was also tested in exploratory analyses. Design Data from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of bupropion SR were submitted to mediation analyses. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI, USA. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to receive a 9-week course of bupropion SR or placebo pill and to receive eight brief individual counseling sessions or no counseling. Measurements Ecological momentary assessment ratings of smoking behavior and putative mediators were collected pre- and post-quit. Findings Results of structural equation and hierarchical linear models did not support the hypothesis that bupropion SR treatment improves short-term abstinence by reducing withdrawal distress or affecting the subjective effects of a lapse cigarette, but provided partial support for mediation by cigarette craving reduction and enhanced positive affect. Bupropion SR effects on point-prevalence abstinence at 1 month post-quit were also mediated partially by enhanced motivation to quit and self-efficacy. Conclusions Results provided some support for models of bupropion SR treatment and relapse and suggested that motivational processes may partially account for bupropion SR efficacy.
Bayesian model selection and calibration applied to composite load identification

Power system operation, control and planning rely heavily on numerical simulations based on power system models. While generators and transmission lines have been relatively well understood, load is least known since it changes all the time and utilities have little control on. Inaccurate load models may result in unsafe operating conditions, leading to power outages, under-utilization of system capacity, or inappropriate capital investment. The Western Electricity Coordinating Council's (WECC) Load Modeling Task Force has recommended the use of a composite load model that has among other elements a feeder connecting different types of induction motors, a discharge lighting model, and a constant power load. At the transmission or sub-transmission level, the composite load model can capture the aggregate behavior of loads. Nevertheless, the validation of these models remains a challenging and critical step to ensure model accuracy. This paper presents the use of state-of-the art Bayesian methods for composite load model selection and calibration. The approach aims at identifying configuration and reducing parameters uncertainty of the WECC composite load model in the presence of measured field data. The success of the approach is illustrated with synthetic field data and a simplified model.
Further results on Lagrange multipliers with several binding constraints

Abstract The Theorem in Weber (Economics Letters 1998;59:71–75) is shown to have more reach than originally recognized. Even with this added bite, the result is relatively weak for economic applications. A new theorem is therefore established that provides an economically important extension of it.
A quantitative infrared determination of acyl chain conformation in gramicidin/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine mixtures.

Abstract A quantitative infrared characterization of phospholipid acyl chain disordering in 6,6,6′,6′-d4 dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/ Gramicidin D bilayers has been made. Three CD2 rocking modes, at 622 cm-1, 646–649 cm-1, and 651–653 cm-1, assigned to particular conformers, were used to determine disorder in the presence of peptide, as well as percentages of particular classes of conformer within the total gauche population. At 44C, the gauche percentages in 10:1 and 30:1 lipid/peptide mixtures were 15% and 17%, respectively. At 34C, the corresponding values were 9.8% and 2.6%. The percentage of (single gauche bend + kink) conformers, relative to multiple gauche forms, decreases dramatically from 78% in the 30:1 mixture to 15% in the 10:1 mixture at 44C. These data provide the first quantitative measure of the extent to which a membrane-spanning peptide disorders phospholipid gel phases and orders liquid crystal phases.
Effects of Offered and Requested Help on Help Seeking and Reactions to Being Helped1

Subjects could receive assistance on a difficult logic problem either by requesting help or by accepting an offer of aid from a helper. Normativeness of help seeking and presence of an incentive for correct completion of the task were also varied. Results of the study indicated that more help was obtained in the offer condition and that subjects liked the helper more when help was offered than when it was requested. The normativeness and incentive variables did not produce the expected effects. Negative consequences of requesting help were interpreted in terms of attribution theory, and the implications of these findings for help-delivery systems were discussed.
Thermal-hydraulic constraints on water-cooled research reactor performance

Abstract The primary factors involved in the thermal-hydraulic design of water-cooled research reactor cores are briefly discussed. The approach taken in the preliminary design of the reactor for the proposed Center for Neutron Research (CNR) is simultaneously described.
The characteristics and mechanisms of uptake of PLGA nanoparticles in rabbit conjunctival epithelial cell layers

Purpose. To delineate the characteristics and mechanisms of up- take of biodegradable poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles in primary cultured rabbit conjunctival epithelial cells (RCECs).
The biosynthesis of streptonigrin from [1-13C]-D-erythrose

Abstract Twelve of the twenty-five carbon atoms of streptonigrin are derived from three intact erythrose units.
Programmed cell death signaling via cell-surface expression of a single-chain antibody transgene.

Background The monoclonal antibody, 5H7, is specific for a monomorphic determinant on the a3 domain of human class I MHC (A, B, C). Immobilized 5H7 delivers programmed cell death (PCD) signals to human lymphoid tumor cells as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Methods The potential clinical utility of 5H7 was addressed by design of a single-chain variable antibody (scFv), termed 5H7scFv, which was coupled to glycophosphotidylinostitol (GPI), thereby providing membrane expression of the 5H7 idiotype (5H7scFv-GPI). Membrane expression of 5H7scFv-GPI conferred PCD-inducing properties to cells that do not normally have the capability to process and express whole antibody molecules. The initial construction was undertaken in a bacterial expression system, and appropriate protein folding was determined by binding to class I MHC-expressing cells. Results 5H7scFv-GPI-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells demonstrated reconstitution of the 5H7 idiotype and binding to soluble HLA-A2. Cross-linking of class I MHC, via membrane expression of the scFv, provided effective PCD signaling in B and T lymphocyte tumor cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were susceptible to 5H7scFv-GPI-induced PCD, and augmentation of PCD signals was noted with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 preactivation. Responder cells demonstrated typical histologic features of PCD and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate binding. Conclusions Cell surface anchorage of scFv thus provides effective delivery of immune modulatory signals, which may be manipulated for various therapeutic strategies.
Influence of muscle activity in trophic regulation of acetylcholinesterase activity in dystrophic chickens.

Abstract A previous study ( 20. , 21. , Exp. Neurol.48: 557–568) showed that the increase in the level of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity that accompanies denervation of normal chicken muscle was reduced by electrical stimulation. In this study of dystrophic muscle, electrical stimulation partially prevented the increase in AChE and nonspecific cholinesterase activity, and no effect on lactic dehydrogenase activity was noted. Intense extrajunctional AChE activity was present after electrical stimulation denervated dystrophic and not denervated normal muscles. The results indicate that although denervated dystrophic muscle responds to stimulation, its defect in AChE regulation is not corrected by electrically evoked contraction.
The importance of education in the entrepreneurial process: a world view

Purpose – The aim of this study was to determine what facilitators and impediments to regional and global entrepreneurship exist, as identified by the 145 industry contacts globally surveyed, and if education stood out as a critical factor.Design/methodology/approach – An electronic, open‐ended survey was conducted; responses were categorized into three groups of factors – i.e. economic, social and personal – and analyzed accordingly by region and job function of respondent.Findings – The survey revealed many similarities among responses, regardless of country of origin; although education was not the most frequently cited factor critical for successful entrepreneurship, it did rate highly in comparison to others.Research limitations – Larger studies are needed to corroborate the findings of this initial study, particularly in some regional categories. The open‐ended question format required some subjective interpretation by the researchers; future surveys utilizing an objective answer format would be rec...
Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in beef steers consuming different forage diets

Aims: To compare the prevalence of faecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella in growing beef cattle consuming various forages. Methods and Results: In Experiment I, faecal samples were collected from steers grazing either endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue or common bermudagrass (CB). Steers grazing E+ tall fescue were confined to a dry-lot pen and fed CB hay ad libitum for 10 days. In Exp. II, faecal samples were collected from steers grazing either E+ or novel endophyte-infected (NE) tall fescue and treated with one of two anthelmintics: ivermectin (I) or fenbendazole (F). In Exp. I, prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 was less in E+ tall fescue steers fed CB hay than steers grazing CB. More I-treated steers shed Salmonella than F-treated steers at 42-day postanthelmintic treatment but shedding of Salmonella was similar between anthelmintics at day 63 in Exp. II. Conclusions: Faecal shedding of pathogenic bacteria was not affected by grazing E+ tall fescue. Alterations of forage diets may influence the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7, and anthelmintic treatment could affect faecal shedding of Salmonella. Significance and Impact of the Study: Knowledge of factors that influence shedding of pathogenic bacteria in cattle is necessary to develop on-farm intervention strategies aimed at reducing pathogen shedding.
The Effect of Artificial Light on Laying Chickens During Hot Weather

Abstract THE normal low egg production of laying chickens during the hot summer months is accompanied by, and is possibly the result of, their decreased feed consumption. The normal feed consumption and growth of chicks are also relatively low during hot weather, but Heywang (in press) has reported the results of experiments in which the feed consumption and growth of chicks hatched during hot weather were stimulated through the use of artificial light. Because of our results with chicks, it seemed possible that artificial light might also stimulate the feed consumption of laying chickens during hot weather, and this increased feed consumption, in turn, might result in increased egg production. Accordingly, experiments to obtain information on this subject were conducted at the Southwest Poultry Experiment Station, Glendale, Arizona, and the results are given in this paper along with data on the weight of the chickens. PROCEDURE Data were obtained in a . . .
Surface Treatments for Modifying the Tribological Behavior of Microsystems (Keynote)

The surfaces of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that have impacting and sliding contacts are frequently modified by coatings to improve the tribological behavior of the structural material. In silicon microsystems, chemisorbed hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon monolayers are commonly used to modify the surface energy of the oxidized silicon to resist water adsorption and adhesion. Thin conformal solid films can also be employed to improve the wear resistance of the structural material. The requirements of coatings for microsystems will be discussed in terms of tribological behavior, processing, operation and aging characteristics. Although contacting surfaces of polycrystalline silicon have arithmetic roughness of less than 50 nm, contact forces below 1 mN prescribe that real contact occurs at only a few asperities. Defects in the coatings, and interfaces that are deeply buried present opportunities for adsorption of reactive species and degradation of the coating over time. An understanding of the mechanical and chemical degradation mechanisms of tribological coatings is of primary importance for the reliable operation of microsystems. At the same time, relating composition and structure of the contacting surfaces to the tribological behavior is quite challenging due to the limited size and number of real contact spots. A variety of surface treatments for silicon microsystems have been investigated, including chemisorbed monolayers, vapor phase lubricants and hard coatings. The tribological behavior of polycrystalline silicon containing chemisorbed monolayers is dramatically influenced by water vapor in the environment during fabrication processes, storage or operation. Surface analytical tools and friction measurements using micromachined tribometers to understand the impact of coating degradation on the tribological behavior of microsystems are illustrated.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Asymmetric copper-catalyzed cyclopropanation of trisubstituted and unsymmetrical cis-1,2-disubstituted olefins: modified bis-oxazoline ligands

Abstract The Cu(I) complexes of new bis-oxazolines (3–7) prepared from the corresponding amino alcohols and malono-bis-imidate exhibit high enantioselectivity of up to 94 %ee in the catalytic cyclopropanation of trisubstituted and unsymmetrical cis-1,2-disubstituted olefins. New diazoacetate reagents have also been developed giving high trans/cis ratios of up to 99:1 trans.
Glass-like dynamics in confined and congested ant traffic

The collective movement of animal groups often occurs in confined spaces. As animal groups are challenged to move at high density, their mobility dynamics may resemble the flow of densely packed non-living soft materials such as colloids, grains, or polymers. However, unlike inert soft-materials, self-propelled collective living systems often display social interactions whose influence on collective mobility are only now being explored. In this paper, we study the mobility of bi-directional traffic flow in a social insect (the fire ant Solenopsis invicta) as we vary the diameter of confining foraging tunnels. In all tunnel diameters, we observe the emergence of spatially heterogeneous regions of fast and slow traffic that are induced through two phenomena: physical obstruction, arising from the inability of individual ants to interpenetrate, and time-delay resulting from social interaction in which ants stop to briefly antennate. Density correlation functions reveal that the relaxation dynamics of high density traffic fluctuations scale linearly with fluctuation size and are sensitive to tunnel diameter. We separate the roles of physical obstruction and social interactions in traffic flow using cellular automata based simulation. Social interaction between ants is modeled as a dwell time (Tint) over which interacting ants remain stationary in the tunnel. Investigation over a range of densities and Tint reveals that the slowing dynamics of collective motion in social living systems are consistent with dynamics near a fragile glass transition in inert soft-matter systems. In particular, flow is relatively insensitive to density until a critical density is reached. As social interaction affinity is increased (increasing Tint) traffic dynamics change and resemble a strong glass transition. Thus, social interactions play an important role in the mobility of collective living systems at high density. Our experiments and model demonstrate that the concepts of soft-matter physics aid understanding of the mobility of collective living systems, and motivate further inquiry into the dynamics of densely confined social living systems.
A neural network for shape recognition

A neural network that has the capability for viewer-independent recognition of occluded, complex three-dimensional objects is introduced. The technique is based on a set of object-dependent points known as critical points. These points are derived from a structure known as the concavity tree, which is a unique representation for planar shapes. Shapes or objects are compared and identified based on feature vectors formed from the critical point sets. Each feature vector is composed of exactly two critical points where the subsequent feature vectors are computed in succession along the contour of the shape. Finally, the feature vector representation is a ratio expression utilizing two successive feature vectors. >
Efficient Monitoring of Parametric Context-Free Patterns

Recent developments in runtime verification and monitoring show that parametric regular and temporal logic specifications can be efficiently monitored against large programs. However, these logics reduce to ordinary finite automata, limiting their expressivity. For example, neither can specify structured properties that refer to the call stack of the program. While context-free grammars (CFGs) are expressive and well-understood, existing techniques for monitoring CFGs generate large runtime overhead in real-life applications. This paper shows, for the first time, that monitoring parametric CFGs is practical (with overhead on the order of 10% or lower for average cases, several times faster than the state-of-the-art). We present a monitor synthesis algorithm for CFGs based on an LR(1) parsing algorithm, modified with stack cloning to account for good prefix matching. In addition, a logic-independent mechanism is introduced to support matching against the suffixes of execution traces.
Elucidating coding of taste qualities with the taste modifier miraculin in the common marmoset

To investigate the relationships between the activity in different types of taste fibers and the gustatory behavior in marmosets, we used the taste modifier miraculin, which in humans adds a sweet taste quality to sour stimuli. In behavioral experiments, we measured marmosets' consumption of acids before and after tongue application of miraculin. In electrophysiological experiments responses of single taste fibers in chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal nerves were recorded before and after tongue application of miraculin. We found that after miraculin marmosets consumed acids more readily. Taste nerve recordings showed that after miraculin taste fibers which usually respond only to sweeteners, S fibers, became responsive to acids. These results further support our hypothesis that the activity in S fibers is translated into a hedonically positive behavioral response.
Flow Rate Sensitivity due to Parshall Flume Staff Gauge Location and Entrance Wing Wall Configuration

Parshall flume tests were conducted to determine the sensitivity on indicated flow rate resulting from improperly located staff gauges and differing entrance conditions to the flume. An acrylic 2 ft (61 cm) Parshall flume was constructed to specified design dimensions and installed level in an 8 ft (243.8 cm) wide testing flume at the Utah Water Research Laboratory. Multiple stilling wells and two sliding point gauges were used to determine the head measurements from stilling well ports and water surface elevations along the wall and down the center of the converging approach section of the flume for multiple flow rates. The recommended radius wingwall, a 45° wingwall and no wingwall were also tested with and without offsets at the entrance to the flume. The laboratory tests indicated that head measurements taken at locations other than the location specified by Parshall (2/3A) can produce up to 60% errors in the flow measurement. Additionally, the lack of wingwalls and the incorrect design and installation of wingwalls cause standing waves to form in the throat of the flume which also affects flow measurement accuracies.
Plywood Co-operatives in the United States: An Endangered Species

In addition to the familiar challenge of a highly volatile product market, the plywood co-operatives of the Pacific Northwest face a rapidly shrinking supply of timber. Their survival depends on their ability to concentrate on high-quality, high value-added segments of the market and on renewed investment. Investment has been difficult to sustain while owner-members' real incomes have been in decline. Industry and resource supply conditions and environmental regulation provide an increasingly difficult environment for this cluster of co-ops.
Lung Cancer Genetics: A Family Affair?

Lung cancer risk has a genetic component. This study reports the discovery of a gene variant that is overexpressed in patients who have the familial, but not sporadic, type of lung cancer. This report provides new insights into a mechanism that will help to guide preventive interventions in the future.
An enhanced 0-1 mixed integer LP formulation for the traffic signal problem

An enhanced 0-1 mixed integer linear programming formulation is proposed for the traffic signal optimization problem based on the cell transmission model. The formulation has several new features that are unavailable in other existing models. The formulation handles physical queues, the number of stops, fixed or dynamic cycle length and splits, and lost time. The unintended vehicle holding problem, common in many existing analytical models, is eliminated in the proposed formulation. The formulation can be used for developing strategies for adaptive traffic control systems. Since the formulation is exact, it can also be used as a benchmark for examining the convergence behavior of existing heuristic algorithms based on the genetic algorithm, fuzzy logic, neural network or other approaches. The formulation can be solved using standard mathematical programming optimizers. The number of 0-1 integers used in the formulation is equal to the total number of intersections multiplied by the length of the entire optimization period.
Psychiatric clearance for patients started on interferon-alpha-based therapies.

Increasingly, psychiatrists are asked to provide “psychiatric clearance” for patients who are to be treated with a regimen that includes recombinant preparations of interferon-alpha (IFN-a), often in combination with other antiviral medications. The most common use for IFN-a is in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, which affects about 2% of the general U.S. population and about 20% of people with severe mental illness (1). Each year, more people in the United States die from hepatitis C complications, such as severe cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer, than from HIV. IFN-a is also used, in combination with other medications, to treat some cancers, such as metastatic melanoma. This recombinant inflammatory cytokine has been associated with adverse effects on mental health, worse quality of life, increased risk for suicide, and treatment discontinuation. Most patients develop some fatigue and loss of appetite during treatment, which can be severe but is usually tolerable. However, 10%–40% additionally develop a full depressive disorder syndrome that can include suicidal ideation, amotivation, social withdrawal, guilt, anhedonia, irritability, anxiety, and crying (2–8). Untreated depression is a major contributor to dosage reductions or treatment discontinuations and consequent risk for viral relapse (9–11). Additionally, many patients with hepatitis C already have preexisting mental health disorders (12) that often go unrecognized (13). Such disorders can adversely affect a person’s ability to tolerate a 24to 48-week course of antiviral IFN-a therapy. In addition to depression during IFN-a treatment, many patients (up to 25%) may develop anger and irritability (14–17), which can be independent of depression. These symptoms can occasionally be serious enough to result in road rage, spousal discord, and problems at work. Another common side effect of IFN-a is severe fatigue. Less commonly, mania, delirium, and psychosis can occur. Monitoring for these various psychiatric side effects, as well as distinguishing among these distinct conditions, is one role for the psychiatrist. Also, coadministered medications such as telaprevir and boceprevir (antiviral protease inhibitors) can inhibit cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, resulting in increased blood levels of many psychiatric medications. A knowledge of psychopharmacology and potential medication interactions is thus also important. Finally, IFN-a treatment commonly has mild side effects such as nausea and malaise and occasionally is complicated by severe hematologic abnormalities. Both sustained adherence and psychosocial stability are necessary, even in patients who do not develop frank neuropsychiatric syndromes.
The need for verification and validation techniques for adaptive control system

Adaptive systems are systems whose function evolves over time, as they improve their performance through learning. The advantage of adaptive systems is that they can, through judicious learning, react to situations that were never individually identified and analyzed by the designer. If learning and adaptation are allowed to occur after the control system is deployed, the system is called an online adaptive system. Online adaptive systems are attracting increasing attention in application domains where autonomy is an important feature, or where it is virtually impossible to analyze ahead of time all the possible combinations of environmental conditions that may arise. An archetype of the former are long term space missions where communication delays to ground stations are prohibitively long, and we have to depend on the systems' local capabilities to deal with unforeseen circumstances. An archetype of the latter are flight control systems, which deal with a wide range of parameters, and a wide range of environmental factors. In recent years NASA conducted experiments evaluating adaptive computational paradigms (neural networks, AI planners) for providing fault tolerance capabilities in control systems following sensor and/or actuator faults. Experimental success suggests significant potential for future use. The critical factor limiting wider use of neural networks and other soft-computing paradigms in process control applications, is our (in)ability to provide a theoretically sound and practical approach to their verification and validation.
Treating hypertension in patients with left ventricular dysfunction: hitting the fairway and avoiding the rough.

Hypertension is a major risk factor in the development of heart failure (HF), yet current guidelines do not specify a target blood pressure (BP) for patients with established systolic or diastolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. While no randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been conducted to specify the optimal blood pressure in these patients, numerous trials have demonstrated the benefits of certain classes of medications and treatment strategies in patients with HF. Important factors to consider in treating hypertension in patients with HF include the type of HF (reduced vs. preserved ejection fraction), the etiology (ischemic vs. nonischemic), the severity of symptoms if any, the baseline blood pressure, as well as a wide variety of patient-specific factors. This paper reviews current evidence to address the question, “What should be the blood pressure goal in patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic left ventricular dysfunction?” We suggest a target blood pressure of 120–140/70–90 mm Hg in most cases, with lower pressures generally preferable if tolerated.
Changes in Serum Lipids When Fluvastatin is Substituted for Lovastatin in the Same Doses

This study evaluated changes in serum lipids when fluvastatin was substituted for lovastatin using equivalent doses. Results showed that serum lipids, especially low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, significantly increase with this substitution.
The Technology-Dependent Child and the Socially Marginalized Family: A Provisional Framework

The aim of the grounded theory investigation described in this article was to begin to develop an explanatory model of the transition of technology-dependent children to home- and community-based care that would account for variation in process and outcome. To study the transition process prospectively, the investigation was initiated during discharge planning and continued for 1 year following discharge. Data sources included participant observation at discharge planning meetings; interviews with family caregivers, health professionals, and community informants; videotapes; conceptually relevant literature; and other published documents. Early findings indicate that family social status is a category that can account for significant variation both before and after discharge. Theoretical relationships between family social status and two of the emergent concepts, moral distress and social trajectory, are presented here.
Performance validation through implicit removal of infeasible paths of the behavioral description

In this paper we present a novel algorithm to identify infeasible paths in the behavioral code. The proposed approach initially partitions the behavioral code into segments. At each code segment it stores feasible paths implicitly. It also stores collections of input assignments which are derived using selected statements in the code segment. The method requires state-of-the-art data structures to store feasible paths and the required functions. Experimental results demonstrate the scalability of the proposed method.
Potential ecological impacts of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) biofuel cultivation in the Central Great Plains, USA

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a broadly adapted warm-season grass species native to most of the central and eastern United States. Switchgrass has been identified as a potential biofuel species because it is a native species that requires minimal management, and has a large potential to sequester carbon underground. Since the 1990’s, switchgrass has been bred to produce cultivars with increased biomass and feedstock quality. This review addresses potential ecological consequences of widespread switchgrass cultivation for biofuel production in the central United States. Specifically, this review address the ecological implications of changing use of marginal and CRP land, impacts on wildlife, potentials for disease and invasions, and changes in soil quality through reductions in erosion, decomposition rates, and carbon sequestrations. A central theme of the review is the utility of maintaining landscape heterogeneity during switchgrass biofuel production. This includes implementing harvest rotations, no till farming, and mixed species composition. If negative ecological consequences of switchgrass cultivation are minimized, biofuel production using this species has economical and environmental benefits.
The Impact of Poverty, Fear of Crime, and Crime Victimization on Keeping Firearms for Protection and Unsafe Gun-Storage Practices A Review and Analysis with Policy Recommendations

Reviews the literature on firearms accidents among young, poor, urban children. Evidence suggests that deciding to keep a gun for protection is a practical response to perceived living conditions. Reducing the consequences of risky gun behavior among poor families requires policies and programs that eliminate experiences associated with such behavior and train children to recognize and avoid risky gun situations. Language: en
The two faces of Alba: the evolutionary connection between proteins participating in chromatin structure and RNA metabolism

There is considerable heterogeneity in the phyletic patterns of major chromosomal DNA-binding proteins in archaea. Alba is a well-characterized chromosomal protein from the crenarchaeal genus Sulfolobus. While Alba has been detected in most archaea and some eukaryotic taxa, its exact functions in these taxa are not clear. Here we use comparative genomics and sequence profile analysis to predict potential alternative functions of the Alba proteins. Using sequence-profile searches, we were able to unify the Alba proteins with RNase P/MRP subunit Rpp20/Pop7, human RNase P subunit Rpp25, and the ciliate Mdp2 protein, which is implicated in macronuclear development. The Alba superfamily contains two eukaryote-specific families and one archaeal family. We present different lines of evidence to show that both eukaryotic families perform functions related to RNA metabolism. Several members of one of the eukaryotic families, typified by Mdp2, are combined in the same polypeptide with RNA-binding RGG repeats. We also investigated the relationships of the unified Alba superfamily within the ancient RNA-binding IF3-C fold, and show that it is most closely related to other RNA-binding members of this fold, such as the YhbY and IF3-C superfamilies. Based on phyletic patterns and the principle of phylogenetic bracketing, we predict that at least some of the archaeal members may also possess a role in RNA metabolism. The Alba superfamily proteins appear to have originated as RNA-binding proteins which formed various ribonucleoprotein complexes, probably including RNase P. It was recruited as a chromosomal protein possibly only within the crenarchaeal lineage. The evolutionary connections reported here suggest how a diversity of functions based on a common biochemical basis emerged in proteins of the Alba superfamily.
Current control for AC motor drives using a single DC link current sensor and measurement voltage vectors

A new algorithm using a single DC link current sensor to reconstruct all three inverter phase currents has been proposed that overcomes problems caused by the presence of regions in the voltage vector plane where the phase currents are not conveniently measurable. The measurement vector insertion method (MVIM) achieves this objective by applying additional active voltage vectors for brief intervals only when needed during each fundamental frequency cycle. This paper addresses techniques for incorporating the MVIM algorithm into a closed-loop current regulator designed to provide high-quality current control using a single DC link current sensor. Virtual active resistance state feedback (VARSF) is introduced into the synchronous-frame current regulator in order to improve the controller's ability to reject disturbances caused by the MVIM measurement vectors. Experimental results are provided to confirm the attractive performance characteristics of the resulting current reconstruction and regulation using the MVIM algorithm.
Management Model for Ground-Water Development

A mathematical model for the optimal dynamic management of regional ground-water supply resources is presented. The mathematical model, predicated upon a Galerkin finite element formulation of flow in heterogeneous anisotropic porous media, allows management decisions to be made regarding: (1)The possible well development sites within the ground-water basin; and (2)the optimal pumping rates needed to meet an exogenous water demand in each planning period. The planning model minimizes the total discounted operational costs over the planning horizon. The management problem, structured as a problem in optimal control, is solved using Tui's concave programming algorithm. Results indicate the effectiveness of the model for the planning and development of ground-water resources.
Simulation of Desorption Kinetics at a Liquid-Solid Interface

Molecular dynamics simulations are reported for the atomic motion of adsorbates at a liquid-solid interface. The rate for physical desorption is analyzed using the potential of mean force to describe adsorbate and transition state energies.
A PHYLOGENETIC PERSPECTIVE OF EVAPORATIVE WATER LOSS IN BIRDS

Allometry, the study of the consequences of body size on form and function, has been a powerful investigative tool in avian biology. Comparison of phenotypic data with allometric reference equations permits the identification of possible adaptations and the formulation of hypotheses for testing. The standard allometric equation that relates total evaporative water loss (TEWL) to body mass in birds, published more than two decades ago, was based on a relatively small sample size, and was constructed using procedures which may have biased parameter estimation. In this report, I have analyzed data for TEWL for 102 species of birds ranging in size from hummingbirds to Ostriches (Struthio camelus) using both least-squares regression and phylogenetically independent contrasts. Both approaches suggest that: (1) the slope of the relationship between TEWL and body mass is higher than the value originally proposed; (2) birds from arid environments have a statistically lower TEWL than do birds from more mesic environments; and (3) small birds have similar ratios of TEWL to oxygen consumed compared to larger species. The latter finding negates the idea that small desert birds replenish proportionately less of their TEWL with metabolic water than do larger species. Received 19 June 1995, accepted 22 September 1995.
Effect of Boron Addition on Magnetic-Domain Structure of Rapidly Quenched Zr2Co11−Based Nanomaterials

The boron-content dependence of magnetic domain structures and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline Zr16Co82.5−x Mo1.5B x (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4) melt-spun ribbons have been investigated. Compared to x = 0, the smaller average domain size with a relatively short magnetic correlation length of 120 nm and largest root-mean-square phase shift value of 0.94° are observed for x = 1. The best magnetic properties of coercivity H c = 5.4 kOe, maximum energy product (BH) max = 4.1 MGOe, and saturation polarization J s = 7.8 kG, were obtained for the ribbon with x = 1. The optimal B addition enhances the content of hard magnetic phase, promotes magnetic domain structure refinement, and increases the surface roughness, results in the enhancement of magnetic anisotropy, and thus leads to a significant increase in coercivity and energy product in this sample.
Development of power frequency communication equipment based on dsPIC

The constitution of power frequency communication system and the principle of signal modulation and demodulation are introduced,based on which the practical power frequency communication equipment suitable for the channel characteristics of China distribution network is developed with the DSC(Digital Signal Controller),including sub-station equipment and user terminal.It mainly consists of DSC,zero-crossing detection circuit,signal modulation circuit and signal demodulation circuit.The selection of DSC and the hardware implementation of different functional circuits are detailed with the working principle.The modularized system software is programmed with C and the assemble language.The flowcharts of main program and subroutines are presented.Test results show its stable and reliable operation on site.