cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Parental Age and Autism-Related Outcomes in Children at High Familial Risk for Autism.

Advanced parental age is a well-replicated risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition with a complex and not well-defined etiology. We sought to determine parental age associations with ASD-related outcomes in subjects at high familial risk for ASD. A total of 397 younger siblings of a child with ASD, drawn from existing prospective high familial risk cohorts, were included in these analyses. Overall, we did not observe significant associations of advanced parental age with clinical ASD diagnosis, Social Responsiveness Scale, or Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales scores. Instead, increased odds of ASD were found with paternal age < 30 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.83 and 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.14-7.02). Likewise, younger age (<30 years) for both parents was associated with decreases in Mullen Scales of Early Learning early learning composite (MSEL-ELC) scores (adjusted β = -9.62, 95% CI = -17.1 to -2.15). We also found significant increases in cognitive functioning based on MSEL-ELC scores with increasing paternal age (adjusted β associated with a 10-year increase in paternal age = 5.51, 95% CI = 0.70-10.3). Results suggest the potential for a different relationship between parental age and ASD-related outcomes in families with elevated ASD risk than has been observed in general population samples. Autism Res 2020, 13: 998-1010. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Previous work suggests that older parents have a greater likelihood of having a child with autism. We investigated this relationship in the younger siblings of families who already had a child with autism. In this setting, we found a higher likelihood of autism, as well as poorer cognitive scores, in the siblings with younger fathers, and higher cognitive scores in the siblings with older parents. These results suggest that parental age associations may differ based on children's familial risk for autism.
Body Image Dissatisfaction among Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objectives To determine risk factors for body image dissatisfaction among pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Study design We performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 9-18 years in the IBD Partners Kids & Teens cohort. Participants completed surveys including demographics, disease characteristics and activity indices, and psychosocial outcomes measured by IMPACT-III questionnaires. We defined body image dissatisfaction if participants answered “I look awful” or “I look bad.” Bivariate analyses assessed associations between body image dissatisfaction and demographic, disease-related and psychosocial factors; logistic regression models evaluated associations between risk factors and body image dissatisfaction. Results IMPACT-III was completed by 664 patients, with 74 (11.1%) reporting body image dissatisfaction. Patients with body image dissatisfaction were more likely to be female (P Conclusions In this cohort, risk factors for body image dissatisfaction include female sex, older age at diagnosis, active disease, current steroid use, greater body mass index, and comorbid mood disorder. Interventions targeting modifiable risk factors for body image dissatisfaction may improve quality of life in pediatric patients with body image dissatisfaction.
Time Series: A Data Analysis Approach Using R

This text, authored by an esteemed pair of time series experts, is designed as an undergraduate introduction to time series. The book is not intended to compete with the authors’ classical graduate...
Structural basis for the activation and suppression of transposition during evolution of the RAG recombinase

Jawed vertebrate adaptive immunity relies on the RAG1/RAG2 (RAG) recombinase, a domesticated transposase, for assembly of antigen receptor genes. Using an integration-activated form of RAG1 with methionine at residue 848 and cryo-electron microscopy, we determined structures that capture RAG engaged with transposon ends and U-shaped target DNA prior to integration (the target capture complex) and two forms of the RAG strand transfer complex that differ based on whether target site DNA is annealed or dynamic. Target site DNA base unstacking, flipping, and melting by RAG1 methionine 848 explain how this residue activates transposition, how RAG can stabilize sharp bends in target DNA, and why replacement of residue 848 by arginine during RAG domestication led to suppression of transposition activity. RAG2 extends a jawed vertebrate-specific loop to interact with target site DNA, and functional assays demonstrate that this loop represents another evolutionary adaptation acquired during RAG domestication to inhibit transposition. Our findings identify mechanistic principles of the final step in cut-and-paste transposition and the molecular and structural logic underlying the transformation of RAG from transposase to recombinase.
Comparing climate time series – Part 1: Univariate test

Abstract. This paper proposes a new approach to detecting and describing differences in stationary processes. The approach is equivalent to comparing auto-covariance functions or power spectra. The basic idea is to fit an autoregressive model to each time series and then test whether the model parameters are equal. The likelihood ratio test for this hypothesis has appeared in the statistics literature, but the resulting test depends on maximum likelihood estimates, which are biased, neglect differences in noise parameters, and utilize sampling distributions that are valid only for large sample sizes. This paper derives a likelihood ratio test that corrects for bias, detects differences in noise parameters, and can be applied to small samples. Furthermore, if a significant difference is detected, we propose new methods to diagnose and visualize those differences. Specifically, the test statistic can be used to define a “distance” between two autoregressive processes, which in turn can be used for clustering analysis in multi-model comparisons. A multidimensional scaling technique is used to visualize the similarities and differences between time series. We also propose diagnosing differences in stationary processes by identifying initial conditions that optimally separate predictable responses. The procedure is illustrated by comparing simulations of an Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) index from 10 climate models in Phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Significant differences between most AMOC time series are detected. The main exceptions are time series from CMIP models from the same institution. Differences in stationary processes are explained primarily by differences in the mean square error of 1-year predictions and by differences in the predictability (i.e., R -square) of the associated autoregressive models.
The XtalOpt Evolutionary Algorithm for Crystal Structure Prediction

Significant progress has been made in the field of a priori crystal structure prediction, with a number of recent remarkable success stories. Herein, we briefly outline the methods that have been d...
Research and application of dynamic line rating technology

Abstract Dynamic line rating is a technology that can be used to improve the transmission efficiency and capacity of the existing power system without changing the system structure or breaking the current technical specification. It is an economical and feasible method to meet the increasing power demands and the needs for new energy integration. In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of power system, the specific technologies and application methods affecting the reliability of DLR are discussed. The main limitations of data acquisition technology of transmission lines are analyzed, the advantages and disadvantages of different perception analysis methods are classified, several application architectures of the DLR system are compared, and some applications of current DLR technologies in actual engineering are discussed. The problems existed in the technologies of DLR are pointed out from four aspects: data acquisition, perception analysis, application architecture, and engineering practice, such as the quality of data acquisition is low, the dependence of perceptual analysis on parameters and the data collected is high, the application architecture is open-loop, the analysis on the overall security of the power grid is deficient. Finally, the future research direction is pointed out.
Evaluating models of robust word recognition with serial reproduction.

Abstract Spoken communication occurs in a “noisy channel” characterized by high levels of environmental noise, variability within and between speakers, and lexical and syntactic ambiguity. Given these properties of the received linguistic input, robust spoken word recognition—and language processing more generally—relies heavily on listeners' prior knowledge to evaluate whether candidate interpretations of that input are more or less likely. Here we compare several broad-coverage probabilistic generative language models in their ability to capture human linguistic expectations. Serial reproduction, an experimental paradigm where spoken utterances are reproduced by successive participants similar to the children's game of “Telephone,” is used to elicit a sample that reflects the linguistic expectations of English-speaking adults. When we evaluate a suite of probabilistic generative language models against the yielded chains of utterances, we find that those models that make use of abstract representations of preceding linguistic context (i.e., phrase structure) best predict the changes made by people in the course of serial reproduction. A logistic regression model predicting which words in an utterance are most likely to be lost or changed in the course of spoken transmission corroborates this result. We interpret these findings in light of research highlighting the interaction of memory-based constraints and representations in language processing.
Psychosocial, behavioral, and supportive interventions for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Pediatric, adolescent, and young adult (PAYA) cancer survivors suffer from multiple domains of adverse psychosocial and behavioral outcomes during and after their cancer treatment. This study conducted a systematic review and metaanalysis of psychosocial, behavioral, and supportive interventions for PAYA cancer survivors. Methods We searched 11 electronic databases, 4 professional websites, and manual search of reference lists in existing reviews. We selected randomized controlled trials and controlled trials without randomization focusing on PAYA cancer survivors across six outcome domains. Results We included 61 studies (4,402 participants) published between 1987 and 2020. Overall risk of bias across studies was low. We identified an overall moderate and statistically significant treatment effect size for PAYA cancer survivors across six outcome domains. Conclusion psychosocial, behavioral, and supportive interventions were overall effective for PAYA cancer survivors. However, interventions were not effective for certain outcome domains, and less effective among AYA versus pediatric cancer survivors.
The AD tau core spontaneously self-assembles and recruits full-length tau to filaments.

Summary Tau accumulation is a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other tauopathies, but the mechanism(s) of tau aggregation remains unclear. Taking advantage of the identification of tau filament cores by cryoelectron microscopy, we demonstrate that the AD tau core possesses the intrinsic ability to spontaneously aggregate in the absence of an inducer, with antibodies generated against AD tau core filaments detecting AD tau pathology. The AD tau core also drives aggregation of full-length wild-type tau, increases seeding potential, and templates abnormal forms of tau present in brain homogenates and antemortem cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with AD in an ultrasensitive real-time quaking-induced conversion (QuIC) assay. Finally, we show that the filament cores in corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and Pick’s disease (PiD) similarly assemble into filaments under physiological conditions. These results document an approach to modeling tau aggregation and have significant implications for in vivo investigation of tau transmission and biomarker development.
Streamlining Experiment Projections For Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (risr) To Facilitate Research Of Space Weather Driven Global Positioning System Scintillations

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals are used throughout the world for position, navigation, and timing. As these signals travel to Earth's surface from Medium Earth Orbit they can encounter ionospheric scintillation caused by ionospheric plasma irregularities, especially at high latitudes. This ionospheric scintillation is detrimental to GNSS signal strength, accuracy, and confidence. Incoherent scatter radars like Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR) are excellent tools for measuring the ionospheric conditions that surround the path of incoming GNSS signals. This paper outlines a process that utilizes Systems Toolkit (STK) and Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) to streamline the process of identifying valid future conjunctions between GPS signals and RISR radar beams to advance study of the impact of ionospheric scintillations on GNSS signals at high latitudes.
Strain Measurements with the Fiber Bragg Grating in Polarization Maintaining Optical Fiber Sensor

The strain / wavelength relationship of a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) written in Polarization Maintaining (PM) optical fiber is characterized by way of tension test on an ASTM D638-Type1 specimen. The spectral shifts are translated to mechanical strains then validated with 2-dimensional digital image correlation (DIC) analysis.
Intellectual Trust in Oneself and Others

To what degree should we rely on our own resources and methods to form opinions about important matters? To what degree should we depend on various authorities, such as a recognized expert or a social tradition? In this provocative account of intellectual trust and authority, Richard Foley argues that it can be reasonable to have intellectual trust in oneself even though it is not possible to provide a defence of the reliability of one's faculties, methods and opinions that does not beg the question. Moreover, he shows how this account of intellectual self-trust can be used to understand the degree to which it is reasonable to rely on alternative authorities. This book will be of interest to advanced students and professionals working in the fields of philosophy and the social sciences as well as anyone looking for a unified account of the issues at the centre of intellectual trust.
A Robust Method for Universal Beacon Code Assignment

This paper describes a method for assignment of beacon codes for secondary surveillance that eliminates the need for code reassignments. The method, Space-Time Adjacency algorithm, assigns unique c...
Statistics of evolving populations and their relevance to flood risk

Statistical methods are commonly used to evaluate natural populations and environ- mental variables, yet these must recognize temporal trends in population character to be appropriate in an evolving world. New equations presented here define the statistical measures of aggregate histori- cal populations affected by linear changes in population means and standard deviations. These can be used to extract the statistical character of present-day populations, needed to define modern variability and risk, from tables of historical data that are dominated by measurements made when conditions were different. As an example, many factors such as climate change and in-channel structures are causing flood levels to rise, so realistic estimation of future flood levels must take such secular changes into account. The new equations provide estimates of water levels for "100-year" floods in the USA Midwest that are 0.5 to 2 m higher than official calculations that routinely assume population station- arity. These equations also show that flood levels will continue to rise by several centimeters per year. This rate is nearly ten times faster than the rise of sea level, and thus represents one of the fastest and
Acute myocardial infarction in man: Comparative hemodynamic effects of norepinephrine and glucagon

Abstract The comparative hemodynamic effects of glucagon and graded doses of norepinephrine were examined in 7 subjects with acute myocardial infarction and various degrees of associated left ventricular failure. Glucagon (70 μg/kg) produced a 23 percent increase in cardiac index and a 15 percent decrease in peripheral vascular resistance, with no significant increase in tension-time index. Norepinephrine increased cardiac output 16 percent at a dose of 8 μg/min, but also produced a significant increase in the tension-time index (15 percent). The difference between these 2 agents relates to directionally opposite effects upon peripheral vascular resistance. Thus, glucagon may offer theoretical advantages over norepinephrine in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction and left ventricular failure since it produces the same increase in cardiac output for a smaller increase in tension-time index, a major determinant of myocardial oxygen consumption.
Between Legal Realism and Neutral Principles: The Legitimacy of Institutional Values

It is a challenging invitation to participate in Berkeley's Centenary Lectures dealing with the nature of the rule of law. My perspective is that of the judge. So when I venture to offer some thoughts about the rule of law, I focus on law as it is pronounced by judges. The matter I will explore is the age-old inquiry as to what it is that a judge is doing when he or she endeavors to "decide" a case, especially a close case presenting a choice between two plausible, indeed, respectable, contentions of law. In considering this topic already pondered by so many, the most I can expect is to illuminate some small aspect of the matter. It would be presumptuous to claim to be doing more. So, despite the breadth of the topic, my concern will be rather narrow-a modest effort to suggest some of the considerations that I believe judges have in mind when they decide issues of law, especially nonconstitutional issues. To confine my focus primarily to nonconstitutional issues is admittedly to withdraw from the great debates that have raged concerning the nature of the adjudication process as practiced by the Justices of the Supreme Court. I think my narrower focus is justified by several considerations. First, the body of decisional law that constrains all judges other than Supreme Court Justices is dominated in important respects by the authoritative pronouncements of the Court. For the Justices, their own rulings are precedents available for refinement, reconsideration, and, on occasion, rejection. For the rest of us, they are precedents to be followed. Second, adjudication of constitutional issues, especially by the Supreme Court, involves consideration of a range of values of constitutional dimension, far broader in scope than the concerns that bear on most of the nonconstitutional questions adjudicated in the federal courts of appeals, the federal district courts, and the state courts. Finally, the day-to-day activity of judges serving on these courts is largely devoted to nonconstitutional business; it is therefore worth considering what influences these decisions, even if such inquiry sheds
Expectancy-value theory outcomes of a school-based bicycling programme

Objective: Research on bicycle safety education (BSE) programmes has examined limited factors beyond bicycle safety knowledge. Additionally, evaluations of BSE have not been theoretically grounded. The purpose of this study was to apply expectancy-value theory to examine changes in perceptions of biking competence, bicycling enjoyment, and value of bicycling as broader outcomes of BSE beyond bicycle safety knowledge. Design: Pre–post programme survey. Setting: Fifth-grade students participating in a one-week BSE programme. Method: Participants (N = 130) completed assessments of programme outcomes (bicycle safety knowledge, perceived bicycling competence, enjoyment, and value) and predictors of outcomes (perceived support). Results: Knowledge of bicycle safety, perceived bicycling competence, bicycling enjoyment, and value of bicycling increased significantly (p < .05). Perceptions of support for bicycling predicted increases in the perceptions of competence, enjoyment, and value of bicycling (p < .05), bu...
First metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis : An evaluation of hardware failure

Background: First metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) arthrodesis is commonly used for the treatment of a variety of conditions affecting the hallux. We used a method incorporating a ball-and-cup prep...
Production of Low Energy Neutrons by Filtering through Graphite

Neutrons of energy much lower than thermal were produced by filtering a beam of thermal neutrons through a block of graphite 23 cm long. In such a block, Bragg scattering removes the neutrons whose wave-length is less than the largest Bragg wave-length in graphite, 6.69 angstroms. Measurement of the boron absorption of the filtered neutrons showed that they had an effective wave-lengh of 7.15 angstroms which corresponds to neutron temperatures around 18\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} Kelvin. The cross section of graphite for the filtered neutrons is 0.70\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}24}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. That a part of this is caused by the incoherence due to thermal agitation of the atoms of the crystal was demonstrated by heating the crystal and observing the increase in this cross section. The filtered neutrons were used to show interference effects in other substances such as Be, Bi, and S. In water a fourfold increase in the scattering cross section of hydrogen due to chemical binding was observed.
Ethnic Diversity in Geography Undergraduate Programs

Abstract The discipline of geography in the United States has not done a good job of attracting people, other than Asians, from underrepresented ethnic groups. This article examines undergraduate geography programs in the United States to understand better the status of their ethnic diversity, particularly regarding Hispanics and African Americans, and to offer insights that may be constructive in creating more diverse academic environments.
miR-34a and the Cardiomyopathy of Senescence: SALT PNUTS, SALT PNUTS!

The search for eternal youth is age old. In a recent Nature paper, Boon et al. (2013) describe DNA damage mechanisms and cardiac senescence provoked by miR-34a and its target, PNUTS. Interrupting this pathway may prevent age- and stress-induced cardiac degeneration.
Managing information for concurrent engineering: Challenges and barriers

An ongoing research project with a large international manufacturing company has uncovered many critical issues for the development and introduction of systems that supportconcurrent engineering. Several of these issues can be solved through careful interface design, while others require significant technical and organizational changes. To reduce training costs and support a broad spectrum of users, computer system developers must create a single system image, giving the users the impression that they are accessing a single database through a consistent and easy to use interface. This interface, and the tools it contains, may be used to support concurrent engineering activities even when a company is geographically distributed over a large area. The complexity of the firm's products and processes and the need for rapid access to relevant performance information make it essential that developers identify suitable frameworks for organizing database queries.Design hierarchies, representations of the structure and function of the firm's products and processes, have proven to be powerful tools for effective query management, and for efficient navigation through the database. The database interface must also produce integrated displays of data drawn from a number of sources in response to prestructured queries. Beyond these interface design issues, there are a number of technical and organizational barriers to the implementation of large-scale engineering systems. In particular, the existence of many incompatible databases in different parts of an organization makes the introduction of a new, uniform system very difficult. Organizational issues also play a major role in achieving, or hindering, the implementation of new computer systems. This paper describes some of the technical innovations, and the motivations behind them, from one particular engineering design system. It also discusses the reactions of engineers and management, and explains why management may oppose innovation even when engineers enthusiastically support it.
1988–1991 photometry of the chromospherically active double-lined binary system HD 163621 = V835 Herculis

Photometry inV andB with a 16inch automatic telescope from 1988 to 1991 confirms the synchronous rotation suspected earlier and reveals variability up to 0M.10 in theB bandpass at one epoch. Five spots formed with lifetimes ranging from 0.15 to 0.77 years. As with other rapid rotators, the differential rotation coefficient (k = 0.03) is significantly smaller than that of the Sun (k = 0.19).
Influence of Peers on Young Adolescent Females' Romantic Decisions

Background: Initiation of sexual intercourse during early adolescence is a known risk factor for teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Purpose: To examine young women's stories describing peer influences on their romantic and sexual decisions and behavior during early adolescence. Methods: Semistructured ethnographic interviews were conducted with 28 African American, American Indian, Euro-American, and Latina females ages 19 to 29 years. Results: Four common themes (patterns) emerged. First, most participants belonged to a same-sex peer group in early adolescence, many participated in mixed sex groups, and a small number had no peer group. Second, romantic relationships were discussed with peers more than with adults. Third, early adolescent romantic behavior commonly led to early initiation of sexual intercourse with negative emotional impacts. Fourth, participants cautioned teens about romantic involvement during early adolescence. Discussion: The findings suggest that mixed-sex peer grou...
Mapping kinematic functional abilities of the hand to three dimensional shapes for inclusive design.

Abstract Loss of hand function can have adverse effects on an individual's ability to maintain independence. The ability to perform daily activities, such as food preparation and medication delivery, is dependent on the hand's ability to grasp and manipulate objects. Therefore, the goal of this research was to demonstrate that three dimensional (3D) modeling of hand function can be used to improve the accessibility of handheld objects for individuals with reduced functionality through informed design. Individual models of hand functionality were created for 43 participants and group models were developed for groups of individuals without (Healthy) and with reduced functionality due to arthritis (RFA) of the hand. Cylindrical models representative of auto-injectors of varying diameters were analyzed in 3D space relative to hand function. The individual model mappings showed the cylinder diameter with the highest mapped functional values varied depending on the type of functional weighting chosen: kinematic redundancy of fingertip pad positional placement, fingertip pad orientation, or finger force directionality. The group mappings showed that for a cylinder to be grasped in a power grasp by at least 75% of the Healthy or RFA groups, a diameter of 40 mm was required. This research utilizes a new hand model to objectively compare design parameters across three different kinematic factors of hand function and across groups with different functional abilities. The ability to conduct these comparisons enables the creation of designs that are universal to all – including accommodation of individuals with limits in their functional abilities.
Tenoscopic Anatomy of the Equine Carpal Flexor Synovial Sheath

Objective—To describe the tenoscopic anatomy of the carpal sheath of the flexor tendons (carpal sheath) viewed from a lateral approach. Study Design—Tenoscopic observation of structures within the carpal sheath subsequently confirmed by dissection. Animals or Sample Population—12 equine cadaveric forelimbs. Methods—The limbs were positioned lateral side up with the carpus slightly flexed. After distention of the carpal sheath, a portal for the arthroscope was made approximately 3 cm proximal to the distal radial physis and 2.5 cm caudal to the radius between the tendons of the ulnaris lateralis and lateral digital extensor muscles. Results—A lateral tenoscopic approach was adequate to identify all structures within the carpal sheath. From proximal to distal, structures identified using this approach were the radial head of the deep digital flexor muscle, accessory ligament of the tendon of the superficial digital flexor muscle, distal radial physis, tendons of the superficial and deep digital flexor muscles, accessory carpal bone, antebrachiocarpal and middle carpal joints, and vincula of the tendon of the deep digital flexor muscle. Conclusions—A lateral tenoscopic approach offered an easy, repeatable entry into the carpal sheath and allowed good observation of all structures within the sheath except for the medial borders of the tendons of the deep and superficial digital flexor muscles. Clinical Relevance—Applications of a lateral tenoscopic approach to the carpal sheath include diagnostic procedures, lavage and synovial resection for septic tenosynovitis, desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the tendon of the superficial digital flexor muscle for flexural deformity or tendinitis, and removal of osteochondromas from the distal radial metaphysis.
An integral equation for changes in the structural dynamics characteristics of damaged structures

This paper presents a relationship between the structural dynamic characteristics of damaged and intact structures. Such a relationship is derived in the form of an integral equation and is used to develop a method of flaw identification. The resulting flaw identification procedure uses the experimental data and relates the flaw to the observed structural dynamic response. The algorithm enables one to detect the damage locations and the corresponding damage magnitude simultaneously. Numerical simulations and experiments are conducted to validate the theory.
Therapy With a DPP-4 Inhibitor Increases Myocardial Glucose Uptake in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy

Introduction: Glucose and fatty acids comprise the primary substrates for myocardial energy metabolism. Because glucose is the more efficient fuel, the normal myocardium switches metabolism toward glucose in the setting of stress the inability to affect such a switch is a fundamental mechanism behind “diabetic” or “insulin-resistant” cardiomyopathy. We sought to evaluate the effects of treatment with the dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitor sitagliptin on myocardial glucose uptake in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: Twelve patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy on stable medical therapy were enrolled in the trial. Because the goal of the study was to assess the direct actions of sitagliptin on myocardial glucose uptake rather than sitagliptin’s effects as a hypoglycemic therapy for diabetes, diabetic patients were excluded. At baseline, all subjects underwent fasting metabolic testing (glucose, insulin, lipids) and assessment of myocardial glucose uptake by 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging. All subjects were then treated with sitagliptin (100 mg orally once daily) for four weeks, and metabolic testing and PET-CT imaging was repeated. The primary endpoint of the study was change in myocardial glucose uptake preand post-sitagliptin therapy, measured 10-30 minutes post-FDG injection. Results: Sitagliptin therapy resulted in a significant increase in myocardial glucose uptake (19% increase, P50.04). While most patients had at least a slight increase in glucose uptake, there was an overall bimodal response e with six patients (“responders”) demonstrating large increases (O20%) in glucose uptake and six patients (“nonresponders”) demonstrating !5% increases or slight decreases. There were no associations between increases in glucose uptake and levels of serum/plasma glucose, insulin, or insulin resistance. Triglyceride:HDL ratios significantly dropped in the six “responders” compared with the six “nonresponders” (P!0.02). Conclusions: Therapy with sitagliptin results in increased myocardial glucose uptake in nondiabetic patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. These results provide mechanistic evidence to support a trial assessing clinical heart failure endpoints.
An Approach to Social Science Instruction

(1956). An Approach to Social Science Instruction. The Social Studies: Vol. 47, No. 6, pp. 208-210.
Magnetotunneling in double-barrier heterostructures

We report measurements of the current-voltage characteristics of an asymmetric GaAs/${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$As double-barrier resonant-tunneling device in a magnetic field B parallel to the tunneling direction. In the resonant-tunneling regime the magnetic field induces weak steplike features in the I(V) curve and sawtooth oscillations in the I(B) curve that are periodic in inverse field. We explain these magnetotunneling features by Landau quantization of the three-dimensional states in the emitter and the two-dimensional states in the well, which induces steplike structure in the tunneling supply function. The experimental I(V,B) line shape is in good agreement with self-consistent numerical calculations.
Modulation of the cell membrane expression of the kininogens regulates the rate of bradykinin delivery to cells

The kininogens were first recognized as the parent molecules for bradykinin. Their relative physiologic importance in plasma hemostasis and fibrinolysis and tissue cysteine protease inhibition has not been clarifed. Recent studies on the structure and function of the plasma kininogens, their interaction with cells of the intravascular compartment, and clinical investigations on contact system activation have refocused the physiologic importance of these proteins to kinin delivery for the maintance of vasodilatory tone. Kininogen expression on platelets slows the rate of kinin liberation, and kinins upregulate kininogen expression on endothelial cells. Regulation of kinin delivery by influencing kininogen expression may provide for new agents to manipulate blood pressure.
Management of non-small-cell lung cancer in the older adult

The treatment of older adults with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) poses special challenges for the clinician. Older adults are more likely to have decreased functional reserve which might limit their ability to undergo surgery or receive chemotherapy. Additionally, age is associated with increased number of co-morbid medical conditions that could be exacerbated by treatment and could predispose to poor outcome. It is unclear how these propensities affect the efficacy and safety of therapy in older patients with NSCLC, as the elderly are an understudied population and there are limited data in older adults in most trials evaluating therapy in lung cancer. As the number of trials of older adults increases, however, it is becoming more evident that age alone cannot be used as a surrogate for poor outcome. Various studies have shown that older adults are able to benefit from surgery or chemotherapy when correct patient selection is used. Most chemotherapeutic regimens have similar efficacy in older and younger patients, and while some toxicity rates are higher in older patients, with appropriate prophylaxis and supportive care older adults are generally able to tolerate most chemotherapy regimens, even in combinations. Proper selection of candidates for aggressive therapy is important, and identification of issues that might limit ability to complete treatment or benefit from treatment is essential, and can be accomplished through the use of a comprehensive geriatric assessment. This article serves as a review of the available evidence in the evaluation, treatment, and support of the older adult with cancer.
90 CORRELATION OF CARDIAC HEMODYNAMICS AND BIOENERGETICS USING PHOSPHORUS NMRSPECTROSCOPY

A model for the study of cardiac phosphate metabolism in vivo is presented which provides simultaneous measurement of hemodynamic parameters and myocardial phosphate metabolites including phosphocreatine(PCr), ATP and inorganic phosphate(Pi). Anesthetized beagles were instrumented to provide: aortic, left ventricular, pulmonary artery, and pulmonary artery wedge pressures and allow cardiac output determinations by thermal dilution. Pacing wires provided control of heart rate. Spectroscopy was performed using a 1.9 Tesla large bore magnet with a one inch surface coil placed directly on the left ventricular free wall via a left thoracotomy. Cardiac gaiting provided spectrographic data at any point in the cardiac cycle. Ten animals had resting gaited studies and four had gaited studies during periods of increased myocardial demand produced with isoproterenol (2) or hypoxemia, PaO2 35-40 mmHg (2). No significant change in the ratio of PCr/Pi or PCr/ATP occurred at any point during the cardiac cycle at rest or during stress. During graded hypoxia PCr/Pi and PCr/ATP levels remained stable until a PaO2 of 20-25 mmHg at which time cardiovascular shock occurred. These preliminary data demonstrate the wide range over which the normal heart can meet its metabolic demands and suggest that similar models may provide an in vivo method for the evaluation of high energy phosphate metabolism in acquired and congenital states of cardiac dysfunction.
Nanostructure formation in the initial roughening of a thin silicon sheet

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) presents a unique model system for exploring the stability of crystalline nanomaterials in metastable configurations. We show that the initial destabilization of ultrathin SOI is related to mechanical stress, in contrast to phenomena at later times driven by the energy of the ${\text{SiO}}_{2}/\text{Si}$ interface. Stepped rectangular truncated pyramids, with lateral dimensions of tens of nanometers, are formed on the outer Si layer of ultrathin (001)-oriented SOI during heating in ultrahigh vacuum. Pyramid edges are bounded by doubled atomic steps, with corners consisting of a complex series of single-layer steps. The shape of these nanopyramids represents a balance between stress-induced roughening and the elastic interaction between steps. SOI allows the precisely known energetics of silicon surfaces to be readily adapted to materials with nanoscale dimensions.
Structure Model of Salmonella typhimurium Ethanolamine Ammonia-Lyase Directs a Rational Approach to the Assembly of the Functional [(EutB-EutC)2]3 Oligomer from Isolated Subunits

Ethanolamine ammonia-lyase (EAL) is a 5′-deoxyadenosylcobalamin-dependent bacterial enzyme that catalyzes the deamination of the short-chain vicinal amino alcohols, aminoethanol and (S)- and (R)-2-...
Bit error rate optimization of an acousto-optic tracking system for free-space laser communications

Optical communications systems have been gaining momentum with the increasing demand for transmission bandwidth in the last several years. Optical cable based solutions have become an attractive alternative to copper based system in the most bandwidth demanding applications due to increased bandwidth and longer inter-repeater distances. The promise of similar benefits over radio communications systems is driving the research into free space laser communications. Along with increased communications bandwidth, a free space laser communications system offers lower power consumption and the possibility for covert data links due to the concentration of the energy of the laser into a narrow beam. A narrow beam, however, results in a requirement for much more accurate and agile steering, so that a data link can be maintained in a scenario of communication platforms in relative motion or in the presence of vibrations. This paper presents a laser beam tracking system employing an acousto-optic cell capable of deflecting a laser beam at a very high rate (order of tens of kHz). The tracking system is subjected to vibrations to simulate a realistic implementation, resulting in the increase of BER. The performance of the system can be significantly improved through digital control. A constant gain controller is complemented by a Kalman filter the parameters of which are optimized to achieve the lowest possible BER for a given vibrations spectrum.
Circulating transforming growth factor-beta in Marfan syndrome.

Background— Marfan syndrome (MFS) is caused by mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene and dysregulation of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Recent evidence suggests that losartan, an angiotensin II...
Differential effects of ethanol on baroreceptor heart rate responses of conscious spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats.

This study investigated the acute effects of ethanol (0.25, 0.5, or 1 g/kg, iv) on mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and gain of the baroreceptor reflex control of heart rate (BRS) in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and age-matched Wistar rats. BRS was substantially lower in the SHRs as compared with the Wistar rats when measured by phenylephrine (-0.95 ± 0.16 vs. -2.02 ± 0.22 beats/min/mm Hg) or nitroprusside (-1.90 ± 0.2 vs. -3.02 ± 0.32 beats/min/mm Hg). None of the doses of ethanol influenced BRS in the SHR. In contrast, ethanol attenuated BRS in Wistar rats, but this effect was dependent on the dose used and the type of response. The lower doses attenuated the reflex tachycardic response, but had no effect on the reflex bradycardic response. On the other hand, the 1 g/kg dose of ethanol attenuated the reflex bradycardic but not the tachycardic response. Ethanol produced a pressor effect (15-25 mm Hg; 5-min duration), which was neither dose- nor strain-dependent. However, only in the SHR mean arterial pressure remained elevated (10-15 mm Hg above control) for 20 min in response to the 0.5 g/kg dose of ethanol, and its recovery coincided with the occurrence of a slowly developing negative chronotropic response. Ethanol produced a dose-related negative chronotropic effect in both strains of rats that was of longer duration in the SHR, particularly with the 1 g/kg dose. It is possible that the bradycardic effect of ethanol influenced negatively its pressor effects. Data suggest that, in conscious rats, ethanol: (1) attenuates BRS in normotensive rats but not in the SHR; (2) causes a brief pressor effect that is not related to its dose, the level of arterial pressure, or its influence on the gain of the baroreceptor reflex; and (3) elicits dose-related bradycardic responses that are of longer duration in the SHR, particularly with the higher dose. This negative chronotropic effect of ethanol may limit its pressor effect in SHRs.
Late Precambrian evolution of North America: Plate tectonics implication

Approximately 850 m.y. ago, the tectonics of North America changed from a pattern of scattered, locally deep epicratonic troughs to a pattern of encircling marginal miogeoclines. This change can be interpreted as indicating the start of rifting that extended almost continuously around the North American craton. This concept seems to require that North America was once an interior piece of a much larger continent and that the pieces of this fragmented continent drifted away to form new continents. A test of this hypothesis requires an analysis of the world-wide distribution of late Precambrian continents, a subject of current controversy and speculation.
Some new control theoretic models for human operator display monitoring

Control theoretic techniques are applied to develop two new models for predicting human operator performance when monitoring an automatically controlled system. In one case it is assumed that the human monitors the instruments in order to rapidly detect failures. The second approach assumes that the instruments are sampled to best reconstruct the system status information. The relation of these models to existing prediction schemes, e.g., equal attention and the Sender's model is explored. It is concluded that a combination of failure detection and status estimation models offers the best potential for human operator application.
Evaluation of the Modified Picard-Chebyshev Method for High-Precision Orbit Propagation

AbstractThe modified Picard-Chebyshev method, due to its formulation, has the potential for computationally efficient orbit propagation in a parallel computing environment. However, it has not found extensive use in commercial software applications, primarily due to its instability over long orbit propagation times. In this paper, the method was evaluated based on the propagation of several test orbits with a high-precision force model available through NASA’s Java Astrodynamics toolkit. The goal was to analyze the stability properties of the method, with emphasis on its dependence on the initial guess and the order of the approximating Chebyshev polynomial. Simulation results indicated a dependence of the method on the precision of the computation as well. Additionally, the performance of the method when implemented in parallel was evaluated by propagating the orbits on a multicore processing unit and comparing run times to well-known sequential numerical propagators. The preliminary results show that th...
Smoke and toxic species analyses from controlled combustion of wood impregnated with guayule resin

Abstract Dominant commercial treatments currently used for wood preservation are pentachlorophenols (PCPs), creosote, and chromium copper arsenicals (CCAs). These wood preservatives present many studied and documented environmental and toxicological problems both with use of the products themselves and with the production of secondary reaction contaminants. Furthermore, several of these preservatives are considered priority pollutants according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are heavily regulated. The need for an environmentally benign combined fire/rot retardant treatment for wood that will effectively reduce both fire and decay is clearly evident. Guayule resin, a co product during rubber extraction from the guayule shrub, is being explored by us as a natural, biodegradable wood rot and fire retardant with potential commercial applications. Wood impregnated with guayule resin has survived over 8 years in a tropical rain forest environment, free of rot, decay, and insect infestatio...