cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loss of MMP 13 attenuates murine hepatic injury and fibrosis during cholestasis

Cholestasis occurs in a variety of clinical settings and often results in liver injury and secondary biliary fibrosis. Several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are upregulated in the liver during cholestasis. The function of the major interstitial collagenase, MMP-13, in the initial phase of liver fibrosis is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of MMP-13 during the development of cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis by comparing wild-type and MMP-13-deficient mice. Cholestasis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL) for 5 days or 3 weeks. Activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were detected by immunohistochemistry. Expression of MMP-13 mRNA increased significantly in BDL livers of WT mice. After BDL for 3 weeks liver fibrosis was suppressed in MMP-13-deficient mice versus WT animals. Activation and proliferation of HSCs were also suppressed in livers of MMP-13-deficient mice after BDL. To clarify the mechanism of this suppression, samples from 5-day BDL mice were used for evaluation of liver injury. Compared with those in WT animals, serum ALT and the number of hepatic neutrophils were reduced in MMP-13-deficient mice. Increased expression of the mRNA of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was significantly suppressed in livers of MMP-13-deficient mice. Upregulation of fibrogenic markers, for example, transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), was also significantly suppressed in livers of MMP-13-deficient mice versus in WT mice. In conclusion, distinct from the known function of interstitial collagenase to reduce liver fibrosis by degrading the extracellular matrix, MMP-13 contributes to accelerating fibrogenesis in cholestatic livers by mediating the initial inflammation of the liver.
Origin of the Colorado Mineral Belt

The Colorado Mineral Belt (CMB) is a northeast-trending, ∼500-km-long, 25–50-km-wide belt of plutons and mining districts (Colorado, United States) that developed within an ∼1200-km-wide Late Cretaceous–Paleogene magma gap overlying subhorizontally subducted segments of the Farallon plate. Of the known volcanic gaps overlying flat slabs in subduction zones around the Pacific Basin, none contains zones of magmatism analogous to the CMB. I suggest that the primary control of the CMB was a northeast-trending segment boundary within the underlying Farallon flat slab. The boundary was dilated during warping of slab segments by the overriding thick (∼200 km) lithospheres of the Wyoming Archean craton and the continental interior craton during acceleration of Farallon–North American convergence beginning in mid-Campanian time (ca. 75 Ma). Because the primary control was not in the North American plate, the CMB cut indiscriminately across the geologic grain of Colorado, seemingly independent of the tectonic elements it crossed. A series of discontinuous shear zones of Proterozoic ancestry provided some local control at the district level but were not the primary control. Geologic contrasts north and south of the CMB reflect its relationship to a segment boundary in the Farallon plate. The dominant trends of Laramide basement-cored uplifts are northwestward north of the CMB but northward south of the CMB. Laramide sedimentary deposits of Late Cretaceous and Paleogene age (exclusive of the Sevier foredeep) are as much as 6 km thick north of the CMB versus only ≤3 km south of the CMB. The Farallon segment south of the CMB rolled back to the southwest and sank into the mantle beginning ca. 37 Ma with resultant major ignimbrite volcanism and generation of the large San Juan and Mogollon-Datil volcanic fields. Volcanism in the Rocky Mountains north of the CMB was sparse. Laramide plutons (ca. 75–43 Ma) are mainly alkaline monzonites and quartz monzonites in the northeastern CMB, but dominantly calc-alkaline granodiorites in the central CMB. Geochemical and isotopic studies indicate that CMB magmas were generated mainly in metasomatized Proterozoic intermediate to felsic lower crustal granulites and mafic rocks (± mantle). Late Eocene–Oligocene rollback magmatism superimposed on the CMB during waning of Laramide compression (ca. 43–37 Ma) resulted in world-class sulfide replacement ores in the Leadville area. Overprinting of the CMB by Rio Grande Rift extension beginning ca. 33 Ma resulted in intrusion of evolved alkali-feldspar granites and generation of major porphyry molybdenum deposits at Climax and Red Mountain.
System function languages

In this paper we define the concept of a system function language which is a language generated by a system function. We identify system function languages with recursively enumerable sets which are non-simple and co-infinite. We then define restricted system function languages and identify them with recursive sets which are co-infinite. Finally we state and prove some independence and dependence relationships between system function languages and some of the more well-known decision problems. MSC: 03D05, 03D20, 03D25.
Systems architecting: an emergent discipline?

Systems architecting applies the spirit of civil and naval architecture to complex, multi-disciplinary systems in aerospace, electronics, and information processing, The system architect is responsible for the beginning and end of a systems development cycle. The architect emphasizes blending of client needs and technical capabilities to outline a feasible system concept, following the heuristic "All the really important mistakes are made the first day." The architects second major responsibility is to certify the built system as fit for use. Are these activities distinct from other system engineering activities? Is there a recognizable approach to doing them, an architecting approach? The author, along with a group centered at the University of Southern California, thinks so. This paper makes the case.
Empirical evaluation of authorship obfuscation using JGAAP

Authorship attribution is an important emerging security tool. However, just as criminals may wear gloves to hide their fingerprints, so authors may choose to mask their style to escape detection. Most authorship studies have focused on cooperative and/or unaware authors who do not take such precautions. Using a newly published corpus (the Brennan-Greenstadt Obfuscation corpus), we use the JGAAP system (www.jgaap.com) to test different methods of authorship attribution against essays written in deliberate attempt to mask style. We confirm that this is an issue.
COLOR AND FLAVOR QUALITIES OF WHITE GRAPEFRUIT: WATERMELON JUICE MIXTURES

The objective of this study was to evaluate color and flavor qualities of white grapefruit (G):watermelon juice (W) mixtures and determine their color stability under various processing and storage conditions. Addition of small amounts of 60° Brix W concentration to reconstituted G juice significantly improved its flavor and color. No significant color change was observed in the G:W reconstituted juice mixtures stored in a home refrigerator for 15 days or in pasteurized reconstituted mixtures stored in tin or enamel cans at 0° and 27°C for 6 wk or in frozen concentrate mixture stored at or below 2°C.
CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE AND HUMAN ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

Abstract Cyclophosphamide, a drug that has not previously had an important role in whole-organ transplantation, was given as a primary immunosuppressant to one liver and eleven kidney recipients, in combination with prednisone and horse antilymphocyte globulin. One of the patients died despite good renal-graft function. Two kidneys from a common cadaveric donor failed. The other nine patients have excellent function of their homografts after 2-3 months. Cyclophosphamide was substituted for azathioprine in one hepatic and five renal recipients who were suspected of having liver toxicity from azathioprine 3 months to almost 8 years post-transplantation. Graft function was maintained after this change, and the evidence of liver injury subsided.
Analysis of Ice Crystal Ingestion as a Source of Ice Accretion inside Turbofans

This paper discusses the mechanics of ice crystals as a sole source of engine core ice accretion inside commercial transport aircraft turbofan engines. Microscopic ice crystal ingestion was recently diagnosed as the probable source of detrimental effects on turbofan engine performance at high altitude in the vicinity of high-energy mesoscale convective complexes, but no adequate ice accretion process inside the engine core with such ingesta had been established. A recent hypothesis states that the phenomenon is caused by the presence of liquid water mixed with ice crystals, yet such conditions had not been documented during these events. This present effort explores engine ice crystal motion within the turbofan engine core with a potential flow code which accounts for the aerodynamic characteristics of the crystals, and the results were compared to spherical drop motion. Computational analyses with a S67B compressor stator model explored ice crystals sizes 50 to 200 microns impinging on the stator at the speeds diagnosed for turbofan engine problems during flight into high ice crystal ingestion events.
On the detectability of parametric faults in analog circuits

This paper investigates the detectability of parameter faults in linear, time-invariant, analog circuits. We show that there are inherent limitations with regard to analog fault detectability.
Simulation of potato gas exchange rates using SPUDSIM

Abstract SPUDSIM was developed from the model SIMPOTATO to incorporate mechanistic approaches for simulating photosynthesis and canopy growth and development needed to improve modeling accuracy for studies involving nutrient/water stress and climate change. Modifications included routines for simulating individual leaf appearance rates and leaf expansion as a function of leaf physiological age and plant assimilate status. Coupled sub-models for leaf-level photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance were used to replace the older radiation use efficiency approach. A radiation transfer routine that estimated diffuse and direct-beam photosynthetically active radiation for sunlit and shaded leaves was also added. During each time increment, net photosynthetic rate was estimated for sunlit and shaded leaf area. Photosynthate was partitioned among leaves in the canopy according to leaf age, potential expansion, and plant assimilate status. Assimilate allocation to branches, roots, and tubers proceeded according to partitioning coefficients defined in the original model, SIMPOTATO. Remaining photosynthate was stored in the canopy and, when accumulated over a threshold amount, reduced leaf-level photosynthetic rate via feedback inhibition. Whole plant gas exchange and harvest data from SPAR (soil–plant–atmosphere research) chamber experiments conducted at USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD were used to evaluate SPUDSIM predictions over a broad range of temperatures from 12.6 to 32.3 °C (24-h average basis). An additional independent SPAR chamber dataset was used to parameterize SPUDSIM crop coefficients. Root mean square error (RMSE) was less than 0.29 mol CO 2 m −2 season −1 for seasonal daily net assimilation rates and indices of agreement (IA) were 0.80 and higher except at the 32.3 °C study (0.62). Comparison of canopy photosynthetic rates at four different days indicated the model slightly under-predicted leaf area early in the season and over-predicted later in the season. IA and RMSE for leaf-level photosynthetic rates were above 0.88 and less than 1.6 μmol CO 2 m −2 s −1 respectively for all studies except the 32.3 °C (0.61 and 3.8 μmol CO 2 m −2 s −1 ). Dry matter predictions fell within two standard deviations of measured values for most plant organs at harvest. Overall, these results indicated that SPUDSIM accurately captured potato growth and development responses over a wide-range of temperatures and will be suitable for a variety of applications involving complex soil–plant–atmosphere relationships.
Where they live, how they play: Neighborhood greenness and outdoor physical activity among preschoolers

Emerging empirical evidence suggests exposure to "green" environments may encourage higher levels of physical activity among children. Few studies, however, have explored this association exclusively in pre-school aged children in the United States. We examined whether residing in neighborhoods with higher levels of greenness was associated with higher levels of outdoor physical activity among preschoolers. In addition, we also explored whether outdoor playing behaviors (e.g., active vs. quiet) were influenced by levels of neighborhood greenness independent of demographic and parental support factors. Higher levels of neighborhood greenness as measured by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was associated with higher levels of outdoor playing time among preschool-aged children in our sample. Specifically, a one unit increase in neighborhood greenness increased a child's outdoor playing time by approximately 3 minutes. A dose-response relationship was observed between increasing levels of parental support for physical activity (e.g., time spent playing with children) and child outdoor physical activity (p < 0.01). Consistent with previous studies, neighborhood greenness influences physical activity behavior. However, for preschoolers, parental involvement may be more critical for improving physical activity levels.
The Cure Rheology of PMR Polyimide Resins

The dynamic viscoelastic properties of PMR-15 polyimide resin during thermal curing have been studied by the parallel-plate technique. The stoichiometry and molecular weight distribution of the imidized prepolymer are shown to have a strong influence on flow behavior during cure. Hydrolysis of polyamide acid intermediates and preferential reactivity of monomeric ingredients are discussed as factors contributing to the broad molecular weight distribution of the imidized prepolymer. Low molecular weight oligomers were prepared, and their effect on cure rheology studied. The presence of the lowest molecular weight oligomer was found to be critical to PMR-15 flow properties during cure.
Fluorescent probes for super-resolution imaging in living cells

Recent advances in fluorescent probe technology have improved spatial and temporal resolution, bringing us closer to the ideal of imaging individual cellular features in real time with molecular (1–5 nm) resolution. In parallel, the development of super-resolution imaging techniques has revolutionized fluorescence microscopy. In 1873, Ernst Abbe discovered that features closer than ∼200 nm cannot be resolved by lens-based light microscopy. In recent years, however, several new far-field super-resolution imaging techniques have broken this diffraction limit, producing, for example, video-rate movies of synaptic vesicles in living neurons with 62 nm spatial resolution. Current research is focused on further improving spatial resolution in an effort to reach the goal of video-rate imaging of live cells with molecular (1–5 nm) resolution. Here, we describe the contributions of fluorescent probes to far-field super-resolution imaging, focusing on fluorescent proteins and organic small-molecule fluorophores. We describe the features of existing super-resolution fluorophores and highlight areas of importance for future research and development.
Identifying Opportunities for Byte-Addressable Non-Volatile Memory in Extreme-Scale Scientific Applications

Future exascale systems face extreme power challenges. To improve power efficiency of future HPC systems, non-volatile memory (NVRAM) technologies are being investigated as potential alternatives to existing memories technologies. NVRAMs use extremely low power when in standby mode, and have other performance and scaling benefits. Although previous work has explored the integration of NVRAM into various architecture and system levels, an open question remains: do specific memory workload characteristics of scientific applications map well onto NVRAMs' features when used in a hybrid NVRAM-DRAM memory system? Furthermore, are there common classes of data structures used by scientific applications that should be frequently placed into NVRAM?In this paper, we analyze several mission-critical scientific applications in order to answer these questions. Specifically, we develop a binary instrumentation tool to statistically report memory access patterns in stack, heap, and global data. We carry out hardware simulation to study the impact of NVRAM for both memory power and system performance. Our study identifies many opportunities for using NVRAM for scientific applications. In two of our applications, 31% and 27% of the memory working sets are suitable for NVRAM. Our simulations suggest at least 27% possible power savings and reveal that the performance of some applications is insensitive to relatively long NVRAM write-access latencies.
A new FQPSK modem/radio architecture for PCS and mobile communications

A newly developed constant envelope FQPSK modem/radio architecture, which employs a modified double-jump (DJ) filter in the cross-correlated FQPSK system, is proposed for personal communications systems (PCS) and mobile radio applications. The power efficiency and spectrum efficiency of this system are investigated in a non-linear amplified (NLA) environment. The bit error rate (BER) performance is evaluated in a noisy Rayleigh fading channel. We demonstrate that with the simplest threshold detectors (binary robust eye diagrams in I and Q channels), this system is 4-7 dB more power efficient than the US digital cellular standard /spl pi//4-QPSK, 50%-100% more spectrally efficient than the European standard GMSK.
Change in α1 HDL Concentration Predicts Progression in Coronary Artery Stenosis

Objective— We examined the effects of simvastatin-niacin and antioxidant vitamins on changes in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subpopulations and alterations in coronary artery stenosis, as assessed by angiography. Methods and Results— Lipids, lipoproteins, and HDL particles were measured on and off treatment in 123 subjects of the HDL-Atherosclerosis Treatment Study. Patients were assigned to 4 treatment groups, simvastatin-niacin, simvastatin-niacin-antioxidant vitamins, antioxidant vitamins, and placebo. Subjects were followed for 3 years on treatment and then for 2 months off treatment. Simvastatin-niacin significantly increased the 2 large apoA-I–containing HDL subpopulations, α 1 and preα 1 , and significantly decreased the 2 smallest particles, preβ 1 and α 3 , compared with values obtained from the same patients off treatment. Adding antioxidant vitamins to the lipid-modifying agents blunted these effects (not significant). A significant negative correlation ( r =−0.235; P 1 HDL particle concentration and coronary artery stenosis was noted. Subjects in the third tertile (157% increase in α 1 ) had no progression of stenosis in the 3-year follow-up period, whereas subjects in the first tertile (15% decrease in α 1 ) had an average of 2.1% increase in stenosis. Conclusions— Simvastatin-niacin therapy significantly increased the large apoA-I–containing α 1 HDL particles. This increase was significantly associated with less progression of coronary stenosis even after adjusting for traditional risk factors.
Exact Dynamics of Automatic Gain Control

The exact input-output relationship is derived for a firstorder automatic gain control loop wherein the variable gain is an exponential function of the gain control voltage. The exact solution is compared to the linearized solution, and the condition for valid linearization is given.
JANUS-II-translation of spontaneous conversational speech

JANUS-II is a research system to design and test components of speech-to-speech translation systems as well as a research prototype for such a system. We focus on two aspects of the system: (1) the new features of the speech recognition component JANUS-SR, and (2) the end-to-end performance of JANUS-II, including a comparison of two machine translation strategies used for JANUS-MT (PHOENIX and GLR*).
An Architectural Approach to Virtual Reality Support of Multi-user Environments

The Internet and its multimedia component, the World Wide Web (WWW), are the essential technological foundations, and the tools to construct cyberspace on these foundations are beginning to be created. Two of those tools are the network programming language, Java, and the 3D graphics standard for the Internet, the Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) which has the ability to support programmable behavior. This paper documents at experiment with the use of networks with Java-VRML connectivity, applying it to a collaborative system which will make it possible for multiple users to navigate and dynamically update an architectural VR environment.
Redistricting and the Personal Vote: When Natural Experiments are Neither Natural nor Experiments

Natural experiments are increasingly prominent in the social sciences. However, natural experiments often have more in common with traditional observational studies than with randomized experiments. We illustrate our argument by examining the case of using redistricting to estimate the personal vote. Strikingly, even if voters were redistricted randomly, previous uses of redistricting would not identify the causal effect of interest. We also find that the redistricting process is sufficiently nonrandom as to require significant covariate adjustment to overcome confounding. To overcome these difficulties, we propose a new design for estimating the personal vote and the partisan incumbency advantage that relies on the implementation of multiple redistricting plans. Analyzing data from U.S. House elections in California and Texas, we find that there is a large partisan incumbency advantage in both states but that the effect of the personal vote is zero in Texas and small in California.
Matching Citation Text and Cited Spans in Biomedical Literature: a Search-Oriented Approach

Citation sentences (citances) to a reference article have been extensively studied for summarization tasks. However, citances might not accurately represent the content of the cited article, as they often fail to capture the context of the reported findings and can be affected by epistemic value drift. Following the intuition behind the TAC (Text Analysis Conference) 2014 Biomedical Summarization track, we propose a system that identifies text spans in the reference article that are related to a given citance. We refer to this problem as citance-reference spans matching. We approach the problem as a retrieval task; in this paper, we detail a comparison of different citance reformulation methods and their combinations. While our results show improvement over the baseline (up to 25.9%), their absolute magnitude implies that there is ample room for future improvement.
A new self-normalization method for PET

248 Objectives: To develop a new normalization method for PET that derives the normalization factors (NFs) from the real emission data. Therefore no conventional normalization scan is needed, which will simplify the calibration process of the PET instrument, reduce the maintenance work and improve the stability of the PET as well. Methods: In this method we calculate the NFs from the real PET scan data rather than the standard scan of a simple phantom with known activity distribution such as a uniform cylindrical or planar source. The coincidence counts are sorted according to the detector index and saved as a 2D map. The background in the 2D map with slow variations comes from the non-uniform distribution of the activity in the phantom and the high frequency component of the 2D map reflects the individual detector efficiency. Three algorithms, local average, high frequency filter and surface fitting are used to estimate the background under different situations such as the phantom geometries and locations. The detector efficiency map can be obtained by normalize the counts with the background intensity and then the NFs are calculated from the detector efficiency. Results: Monte Carlo simulation data are used to test the background estimation algorithms. All three algorithms show good results with the phantom placed near the center of the FOV; the surface fitting gives good result even the phantom is placed on the edge of the FOV. This method is also applied to the real data with a NEMA phantom and a rat. In both cases very good results are achieved. Conclusions: We developed a new self-normalization method for PET imaging. Good results have been achieved with both simulation and real scan data. Using this method, the normalization process will be significantly simplified and better image quality can be assured.
3D Fourier Ptychographic imaging from light field measurements in an LED array microscope

We describe a new method for 3D intensity and phase recovery from 4D light field measurements with computational illumination, achieving enhanced resolution via Fourier Ptychography.
Allosteric modulation of a neuronal K+ channel by 1-alkanols is linked to a key residue in the activation gate.

The selective inhibition of neuronal Shaw2 K+ channels by 1-alkanols is conferred by the internal S4-S5 loop, a region that also contributes to the gating of voltage-gated K+ channels. Here, we app...
Structural and functional effects of Cu metalloprotein-driven silver nanoparticle dissolution.

Interactions of a model Cu-metalloprotein, azurin, with 10–100 nm silver nanoparticles (NPs) were examined to elucidate the role of oxidative dissolution and protein interaction on the biological reactivity of NPs. Although minimal protein and NP structural changes were observed upon interaction, displacement of Cu(II) and formation of Ag(I) azurin species under aerobic conditions implicates Cu(II) azurin as a catalyst of NP oxidative dissolution. Consistent with NP oxidation potentials, largest concentrations of Ag(I) azurin species were recorded in reaction with 10 nm NPs (>50%). Apo-protein was also observed under anaerobic reaction with NPs of all sizes and upon aerobic reaction with larger NPs (>20 nm), where NP oxidation is slowed. Cu(II) azurin displacement upon reaction with NPs was significantly greater than when reacted with Ag(I)(aq) alone. Regardless of NP size, dialysis experiments show minimal reactivity between azurin and the Ag(I)(aq) species formed as a result of NP oxidative dissolution,...
NAVIGATION OF SPACECRAFT IN UNSTABLE ORBITAL ENVIRONMENTS

The novelty of libration point orbits is their hyperbolic instability. It is this basic property that allows them to serve as connections between disparate regions of space, and gives them their many practical uses. This same property also makes the navigation of spacecraft in libration point orbits a fascinating subject, one which exposes new questions in orbit determination and control. The problem of spacecraft navigation and control is essentially concerned with the statistical distribution of orbits in phase space, and how best these statistical distributions can be sensed and controlled. When placed into an unstable orbital environment, the dynamics of these distributions become quite interesting, with volume preserving stretching and contraction of the phase flow occuring over times on the order of the Lyapunov Characteristic Time of the nominal orbit. The interplay between dynamics and spacecraft navigation in such an environment creates new opportunities for research and understanding. In this paper the basic theory of orbit determination and control will be presented in the context of libration point orbits.
A prospective randomized study on the immediate loading of mandibular overdentures supported by one or two implants: a 12-month follow-up report.

PURPOSE The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare treatment with mandibular overdentures supported by one or two implants placed and loaded immediately. MATERIALS AND METHODS Edentulous subjects with maxillary and mandibular complete dentures were recruited to participate in the study. All subjects received new maxillary and mandibular complete dentures, after which they were scheduled for implant surgery. Using a randomized sampling system, one or two implants were placed in the interforaminal area, and separate ball attachments were connected to the implants. The existing mandibular denture was relined, provided with retentive o-rings, and delivered the day of surgery. Subjects were seen for follow-up examinations after 3, 6, and 12 months, during which marginal bone levels and implant stability were measured. Survival rates were calculated and the data were analyzed statistically. RESULTS Thirty-six subjects (16 men and 20 women with a mean age of 53.2 years [range, 38 to 69 years]) received 55 implants. Seventeen subjects received one implant in the symphyseal area, and the other 19 received two implants in the canine positions. Ten implants in nine subjects failed during the observation period, and three subjects with two implants each withdrew from the study, resulting in a 12-month implant survival rate of 81.8%. Three subjects lost their only implant and one patient lost both implants. The remaining five subjects lost one of their two implants. Six of the failures occurred during the first month after placement. CONCLUSION Immediate loading of one or two separate implants by means of ball attachment-supported mandibular overdentures should be performed with caution, as a higher than expected implant failure rate was observed. No statistically significant differences in failure rates between the two groups were observed.
The Current State of Research and Development Approach (R&D) in the Saudi Construction Industry

Abstract For the past three decades, the Saudi construction industry (SCI) has exhibited poor performance. Many research efforts have tried to identify the problem and the potential causes but there have been few publications identifying ways to mitigate the problem and describing testing to validate the proposed solution. This paper examines the research and development (R&D) approach in the SCI. A literature research was performed identifying the impact that R&D has had on the SCI. A questionnaire was also created for surveying industry professionals and researchers. The results show evidence that the SCI practice and the academic research work exist in separate silos. This study recommends a change of mindset in both the public and private sector on their views on R&D since cooperation is required to create collaboration between the two sectors and improve the competitiveness of the country's economy.
AHCPR smoking cessation guideline goals and impact: examples from the nursing field.

As a nurse working on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a newly developed smoking cessation programme for minority and low-income pregnant women, I am pleased to share with you my experiences with tailoring a smoking cessation strategy for a target population. In a recent study, we tackled implementation issues and gauged the impact of a tailored programme on cessation behaviour in low-income pregnant women. My colleagues included Jacqueline Royce, PhD, who devoted her expertise in designing smoking cessation interventions; Rowan Chlebowski, md, PhD, who acted as principal investigator; and Steve Baranov, mph, the programme director for the Women Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Assistance Pro gramme in the south central Los Angeles area, which was the setting for our study.
“Unofficial Radio Hell-Raiser”: Radio News and US-Japanese Conflict on the Eve of the Pacific War

As radio newscaster Carroll Duard Alcott was being chauffeured to work on the evening of January 12, 1940, he was ambushed. A car carrying two uniformed members of the Japanese military barreled in front of Alcott’s rickshaw as it moved through the streets of Shanghai. Having trapped the rickshaw, Alcott’s terrified puller bolted on foot down a nearby alley. A lieutenant grabbed the American radio personality with the intention of forcing him into his vehicle. Asked to confirm his identity, Alcott denied he was the man they sought. When a moment of doubt entered the officer’s mind, the 220 pound Alcott broke free and hightailed it down the same alley his puller used. Alcott arrived by foot at XMHA, an American-owned radio station, somewhat out of breath, but in time to deliver his scheduled broadcast.1
A case study of high-speed serial interface simulation with IBIS-AMI models

High-end, high-performance computers use high-speed serial interfaces to pass data and control signals between the electronic components in the systems. These interfaces include proprietary interfaces unique to a class of systems and some interfaces, such as PCIe & SAS, which have publicly available standards and specifications that enable communication between electronic components from different manufactures. The IBIS-AMI model has been developed to facilitate circuit simulation of high-speed serial interfaces and is particularly useful in simulating communication between transmitters and receivers procured from different manufactures. The simulations are performed to ensure that the interface specifications are met, including the eye characteristics, and that the bit error rate (BER) is less than a specified maximum. There are many variables and long bit strings needed to predict a BER of sufficiently low amplitude. Therefore, an efficient and accurate estimation of BER requires significantly long simulations times. In this paper, we use the example of a 6 gigabit per second (Gb/s) SAS interface to illustrate our proposed simulation method of combining an empirical and analytical approach to estimate the effects of inter-symbol interference (ISI) and channel jitter using an IBIS-AMI models.
Adoption, reinvention and amendment of renewable portfolio standards in the American states

It has long been recognised that interstate diffusion of policy innovations is comprised of distinct decisions including adoption, reinvention and amendment. Interstate influences are an important driver of these diffusion processes, but studies to date have not investigated the degree to which external influences vary across these decisions. We theorise that geographical peers will have the largest impact in adoption decisions; that ideological peers are an important source of policy information when states make decisions about “reinventing” innovations adopted by others; and that internal factors will drive the decision by a state to amend a policy. We test these expectations for renewable portfolio standards in the American states between 1996 and 2009. Results suggest that state policymakers emulate peers in adoption or policy design choices, and that internal influences have a stronger influence on amendment decisions than do external influences. These findings further our understanding of policy diffusion and state-by-state relations.
The autism protein Ube3A/E6AP remodels neuronal dendritic arborization via caspase-dependent microtubule destabilization

UBE3A gene copy number variation and the resulting overexpression of the protein E6AP is directly linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the underlying cellular and molecular neurobiology remains less clear. Here we report the role of ASD-related increased dosage of Ube3A/E6AP in dendritic arborization during brain development. We show that increased E6AP expression in primary cultured neurons leads to a reduction in dendritic branch number and length. The E6AP-dependent remodeling of dendritic arborization results from retraction of dendrites by thinning and fragmentation at the tips of dendrite branches, leading to shortening or removal of dendrites. This remodeling effect is mediated by the ubiquitination and degradation of XIAP (X-linked inhibitors of aptosis protein) by E6AP, which leads to activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of microtubules. In vivo, male and female Ube3A 2X ASD mice show decreased XIAP levels, increased caspase-3 activation, and elevated levels of tubulin cleavage. Consistently, dendritic branching and spine density are reduced in cortical neurons of Ube3A 2X ASD mice. In revealing an important role for Ube3A/E6AP in ASD-related developmental alteration in dendritic arborization and synapse formation, our findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of Ube3A/E6AP-dependent ASD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Copy number variation of the UBE3A gene and aberrant overexpression of the gene product E6AP protein is a common cause of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). During brain development, dendritic growth and remodeling play crucial roles in neuronal connectivity and information integration. We found that in primary neurons and in Ube3A transgenic autism mouse brain, overexpression of E6AP leads to significant loss of dendritic arborization. This effect is mediated by the ubiquitination of XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of aptosis protein) by E6AP, subsequent activation of caspases, and the eventual cleavage of microtubules, leading to local degeneration and retraction at the tips of dendritic branches. These findings demonstrate dysregulation in neuronal structural stability as a major cellular neuropathology in ASD.
The effect of ownership on ecosystem management among human foragers

Abstract A basic premise of economics is that more secure property rights reduce conflict and provide an incentive for individuals to increase the productivity of their land. This premise underlies recent theories that food production and more secure property rights, by necessity, co-evolve. The argument goes like this: Dense and predicable resources provide an incentive for more secure property rights and more secure property rights provide an incentive for individuals to modify ecosystems in ways that increase the production of food. Here, we evaluate the effect of property rights on food production among ethnographically recorded hunter-gatherers. In particular, we use path models to evaluate a recent theory for the evolution of ownership rights and ecosystem management in forager-resource systems called the Niche Construction Model of Economic Defense. We conclude that ownership has a positive effect on food production strategies that require reduced coordination between individuals (such as planting and tending patches), but potentially has a negative effect on other food production strategies such as landscape burning. Further, the coefficient of variation in rainfall and population density consistently have positive effects on the presence of food production. We discuss the implications of our results for explaining different trajectories of hunter-gatherer intensification in the archaeological record.
Creep Constitutive Equations for Damaged Materials

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the creep constitutive equations for damaged materials. Constitutive equations used to describe the plastic behavior of materials have largely been developed intuitively, the main concern being that the equations should describe the material macroscopic properties. A general thermodynamic description of material behavior in terms of internal state variables that are a measure either of the present dislocation structure, or of the distribution and size of voids within the material is explained. This equation of state can only be obtained by postulating a reversible process by which the present state could be reached. The free energy is calculated by following this path to the present state. There may be a large number of such reversible paths, and the one chosen need not parallel the actual path that is followed during the irreversible process. The state of the material can be described in terms of the volume fraction of voids that it contains. If it is assumed that all the voids are the same size and are uniformly spaced along the boundary, then one can further isolate an element of material of volume, which contains a single void, and assume that it experiences the stress applied to the grain-boundary element. The void growth by grain-boundary diffusion is also elaborated.
INTRODUCTION OF A CLINICAL CASE OF METHAEMOGLOBINAEMIA

Introduction Acquired methemoglobinemia is due to various compounds (mainly nitrates in the water) that activate the oxidation of hemoglobin to form methemoglobin (which is unable to carry oxygen), thereby causing cyanosis when reaching levels of 15% or more. Young children and infants are more predisposed by a transient methemoglobin reductase deficiency. We present a unique case seen at the hospital over the past 6 years, of methemoglobinemia. Case report A newborn of 29 days of age who presented generalized cyanosis within few hours of evolution, without apparent relationship with gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms. The week before he was admitted with a similar picture (milder and self-limited) diagnosed as a possible gastroesophageal reflux. The mother related boiling bottles with celery greens (average trend to accumulate nitrates). A physical examination presented only central cyanosis saturating 93% to ambient air. The tests showed an additional 60% of methemoglobin. It was treated with intravenous 5 mg methylene blue, repeating the same dose about an hour later with post methaemoglobin of 1.1% and a normal acid base balance. Discussion methemoglobinemia is one of the main causes to be considered in patients who presents a picture of central cyanosis with normal oxygen saturation. Its timely diagnosis allowed us to initiate treatment as soon as possible, obtaining a good response in cases of acquired methemoglobinemia.
Charles E. Beevor's lasting contributions to neurology: More than just a sign

Charles Edward Beevor (1854-1908) was a prominent English neurologist who served in a variety of positions at the National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic, Queen Square, from 1883 until his sudden death due to coronary artery disease in 1908. Staunchly committed to the meticulous study of neuroanatomy and physiology and education of his fellow physicians, Beevor was an accomplished clinician-scientist. He is most well known for describing the Beevor sign (commonly known as "Beevor's sign"), which is the upward movement of the umbilicus with truncal flexion from a supine position, used to indicate a spinal cord lesion between the levels of T10 and T12. His sign has also been reported to be suggestive of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. While the initial description of the Beevor sign has traditionally been attributed to his 1903 Croonian Lectures, he actually first described his sign in his 1898 textbook Diseases of the Nervous System: A Handbook for Students and Practitioners In addition to his eponymous sign, Beevor also made significant contributions to the understanding of the representation of motor movements in the cerebral cortex, and, of more importance, utilized a novel method to identify cerebral vascular territory maps that are still utilized by neurologists today.
Bonjour and Mentalese

Soulevant la question de la possibilite d'une conception linguistique de la pensee sous la denomination du terme anglais mentalese, l'A. examine la reponse negative apportee par L. BonJour dans son article intitule «Is thought a symbolic process?» (in «Synthese», 89, 331-52). Distinguant le probleme du contenu de la pensee du probleme de l'acces du penseur a ce qu'il pense, l'A. montre que ni la version empiriste ni la version rationaliste de la position dialectique de BonJour ne permettent de defendre l'hypothese mentalese parce que BonJour se refere a la connaissance directe de soi, c'est-a-dire a la conscience immediate de nos actes de pensee et de leurs contenus manifestes
Liftoff: Capacitive Array Sensors

The capacitive array sensor is a versatile and promising device for nondestructive evaluation of dielectric materials. The capacitive probe responds to the complex dielectric constant of the interrogated material. In the typical configuration, the device is operated as a single sided sensor. In addition to detection of surface and subsurface features in dielectric materials, the device is sensitive to surface features in conductive materials.
Differential Pulse Polarographic Analysis of Lead and Chromium Content in Louisiana Waters

In this investigation, polarographic analyses of water, sediment, and animal samples from Devil's Swamp near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have been conducted. The focus of this work has been on detection of lead and chromium levels. Lead has been found to be relatively uniformly distributed among the various size fractions of the sediment and is present at a mean level of 18.7 µg g-1. In the water the concentration is about 15 µg L-1 of which 75% is bound in suspended particulates and the remainder is dissolved. Preliminary results indicate that more chromium than lead is present in bone and muscle of bullfrogs, and, for each metal, there is a higher concentration in muscle than bone. The mean lead muscle tissue concentration is 550 µg kg-1, which suggests that bioaccumulation of this metal is occurring, assuming that water contact or ingestion are the main routes of exposure. An important aspect of this research has been optimizing polarographic methodology for performing chromium speciation studies. Methods for determining the amounts of hexavalent and trivalent chromium in mixtures containing the two have been developed.
Column selection approach to achieve a high peak capacity in comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography.

Abstract The separation power of comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography (GC3) is substantially enhanced through proper selection of the phase volume ratio, β, of each column relative to each other on successive dimensions. Consideration and application of the ratio of phase volume ratios, βr, or β ratio, between successive dimensions has been a relatively un-studied approach to maximize separating power in comprehensive multidimensional GC instrument design. Herein, proper selection of βr in multidimensional GC is shown to control the elution temperature, Te, of analytes throughout a 40 min primary (1D) column separation, and thus better control width-at-base, W, on all three dimensions. Specifically, between the 1D and secondary (2D) columns, a βr of 0.45 was applied, and between the 2D and tertiary (3D) columns a βr of 1.0 was applied. A total ideal peak capacity of 30,600, or a peak capacity production of ~770 peaks/min, was accomplished with the GC3 instrument with the reconfigured parameters. Additionally, due to the complex nature of this three-dimensional data, a novel approach to “slicing” the chromatographic run into user-defined time intervals is shown. This novel way to view the data still elicits a traditional GC×GC chromatograms, but with the focus on 2D × 3D separations. Moreover, due to proper βr selection, every 2 s window (i.e. every 1D modulation period) is shown to have a peak capacity of ~50–100 for each 2D × 3D separation. This high overall peak capacity (30,600) and peak capacity per 1D modulation (~50–100), courtesy of proper column selection, is demonstrated to hold great promise to physically separate truly complex mixtures.