cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hormone Replacement Therapy Does Not Augment Gains in Muscle Strength or Fat-free Mass in Response to Weight-Bearing Exercise

Lower extremity strength and fat-free mass were examined in 58 postmenopausal women aged 60-72 yr. Subjects were studied before and after an 11-mo control period (n = 16) or before and after an 11-mo weight-bearing exercise training program designed to generate relatively high ground reaction forces (n = 42). Twenty-two of the exercisers initiated hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at the outset of exercise and continued HRT for 11 mo. Hip extension and abduction strength were assessed using a hand-held dynamometer. Force production during knee extension and flexion was evaluated on an isokinetic dynamometer at 60, 90, and 180 degrees/s. Simultaneous knee and hip extension strength was also assessed on a leg press machine. Total body and lower extremity fat-free mass were determined using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. There were no significant changes in muscle strength or body composition in control subjects. Both exercise groups had significant increases in fat-free mass and in all strength measures. Fat-free mass increased from 38.8 +/- 4.3 to 39.7 +/- 4.3 kg in the exercise group and from 37.7 +/- 3.9 to 38.9 +/- 4.6 kg in the exercise-plus-HRT group. The average relative increase in strength was 16.2 +/- 11.0% in the exercise group and 17.0 +/- 13.0% in the exercise-plus-HRT group. Women receiving HRT did not have a gain in fat-free mass or in strength over and above that demonstrated by the women not on HRT. Our results provide evidence that HRT does not augment the increases in muscle mass or strength that occur in response to weight-bearing exercise in older women.
The use of structure-activity relationship analysis in the food contact notification program.

Abstract Food contact substances (FCS) include polymers, paper and paperboard, and substances used in their manufacture, that do not impart a technical effect on food. Moreover, FCSs are industrial chemicals generally consumed at dietary concentrations (DC) of less than 1 mg/kg food (ppm), and more commonly at less than 0.05 ppm (50 ppb), in the daily diet. As such, many industrial chemicals have been analyzed for toxicological concern, some of which may share structural similarity with FCSs or their constituents, and the majority of these studies are available in the public domain. The DCs of these compounds lend themselves to using structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis, as the available “expert systems” and use of analogs allows for prediction and management of potential carcinogens. This paper describes the newly implemented food contact notification (FCN) program, the program by which FDA reviews FCSs for safe use, the administrative review of FCSs, the SAR tools available to FDA, and qualitative and quantitative risk assessments using SAR analysis within the regulatory framework of reviewing the safety of FCSs.
From post office to oval office: Idolatry and ideology in the 1992 presleydential elections

(1994). From post office to oval office: Idolatry and ideology in the 1992 presleydential elections. Popular Music and Society: Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 19-50.
On Focusing into a Lossy Medium from a Rectangular Aperture

Localized electromagnetic focused heating from a finite rectangular aperture antenna array into a lossy medium is considered in a quantitative manner. The general prescription for focusing the electric field components is given. In particular, two types of focusing are presented that have applications in hyperthermic cancer therapy and geophysical sub-surface probing. It is shown that, for low loss tangents, the focusing can be very sharp but it deteriorates significantly for higher loss (e.g., for loss tangents greater than 0.20).
A Novel Category of Vague Abstracta

Much attention has been given to the question of ontic vagueness, and the issues usually center around whether certain paradigmatically concrete entities - cats, clouds, mountains, etc. - are vague in the sense of having indeterminate spatial boundaries. In this paper, however, I wish to focus on a way in which some abstracta seem to be locationally vague. To begin, I will briefly cover some territory already covered regarding certain types of “traditional” abstracta and the ways they are currently alleged to be vague. I then wish to discuss two types of “nontraditional” abstracta and the sense in which I think some of these objects are locationally vague. I will next reexamine some of the traditional abstracta and discuss whether any of these objects are locationally vague in the novel way suggested for the nontraditional sorts. I’ll finish by discussing objections, and conclude with some remarks about characterizing the abstract/concrete distinction.
Some interrelationships between glucose levels thromboxane production and prostacyclin production in normal and diabetic mice.

We investigated the relationship between glucose levels and platelet thromboxane production or aortic prostacyclin production, using radioimmunoassay (RIA) to measure thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-PGF2α. We found a direct relationship (p<.05) between plasma glucose levels and thromboxane A2 production by arachidonate stimulated platelets in platelet rich plasma of normal mice. However, when mice were deprived of food overnight, the glucose level fell but the TxB2 production rose significantly. Moreover, mice with streptozotocin diabetes had significantly elevated glucose levels. but normal TxB2 production, which also rose significantly after fasting. Thus in our laboratory both fasting and diabetes nullify or reverse the direct relationship between glucose levels and TxB2 production seen in normal fed mice. This makes it diffisult to ascribe the correlation between glucose and TxB2 levels in normal fed animals to cause and effect. RIA revealed an inverse correlation between glucose levels and 6-keto-PGF1α production which was highly significant in aortas taken from fasted mice and stimulated for 10 minutes with 0.1mM arachidonate. This inverse correlation was present with either normal or diabetic aortas. Moreover, fasting increased the production of 6-keto-PGF1α. However there was a significant elevation of 6-keto production by aortas of mice with diabetes of 5–6 weeks duration, compared to aortas of normal mice. Therefore either diabetes in these mice reversed a normal inhibitory effect of glucose on 6-keto production, or else the inverse correlation between glucose levels and 6-keto production does not represent a cause and effect relationship between the two variables.
Coherent structures in direct numerical simulation of turbulent boundary layers at Mach 3

We demonstrate that data from direct numerical simulation of turbulent boundary layers at Mach 3 exhibit the same large-scale coherent structures that are found in supersonic and subsonic experiments, namely elongated, low-speed features in the logarithmic region and hairpin vortex packets. Contour plots of the streamwise mass flux show very long low-momentum structures in the logarithmic layer. These low-momentum features carry about one-third of the turbulent kinetic energy. Using Taylor's hypothesis, we find that these structures prevail and meander for very long streamwise distances. Structure lengths on the order of 100 boundary layer thicknesses are observed. Length scales obtained from correlations of the streamwise mass flux severely underpredict the extent of these structures, most likely because of their significant meandering in the spanwise direction. A hairpin-packet-finding algorithm is employed to determine the average packet properties, and we find that the Mach 3 packets are similar to those observed at subsonic conditions. A connection between the wall shear stress and hairpin packets is observed. Visualization of the instantaneous turbulence structure shows that groups of hairpin packets are frequently located above the long low-momentum structures. This finding is consistent with the very large-scale motion model of Kim & Adrian (1999).
Static and dynamic radii of polystyrene in ethylbenzene and tetrahydrofuran

Hydrodynamic radii, RHDand RHη, determined, respectively, from — translational diffusion coefficients and intrinsic viscosities are compared with radii of gyration SZ for polystyrene of narrow molecular weight distribution in good-solvent systems, ethylbenzene and tetrahydrofuran. The SZ data indicate THF is of comparable solvating power to ethylbenzene which, in turn, based on literature data is similar to benzene in its affinity for polystyrene. The ratios ϱ1 = Sz/RHDand ϱ2=RHη/RHDare much larger for polystyrene in ethylbenzene than in tetrahyaroruran. These results are interpreted to indicate the presence of a large draining effect in the ethylbenzene system.
Evidence for two states of thermotolerance in mammalian cells.

The effect of the inhibition of protein synthesis on the development of thermotolerance in Chinese hamster fibroblasts following a brief heat shock or exposure to sodium arsenite has been examined. Under conditions that inhibit protein synthesis by 95 per cent, significant amounts of thermotolerance develop after a brief exposure to 45°C or continuous exposure to 41°C, without the significant accumulation of heat shock proteins. However, no thermotolerance development in cells treated with sodium arsenite was observed if protein synthesis was inhibited. Heated cells which developed thermotolerance in the absence of protein synthesis are subject to the thermal sensitizing action of a subsequent exposure to amino acid analogues, while cells which developed thermotolerance with unimpeded protein synthesis are refractory. These results suggest that heat can simultaneously induce two states of thermotolerance, only one of which is dependent on protein synthesis. These two states can be distinguished operationa...
Aminozuckersynthesen, XII 2.6‐Diamino‐2.6‐didesoxy‐D‐allose

Die Darstellung von 2.6-Diamino-2.6-didesoxy-D-allose·2 HCl, ausgehend vom Benzyl-N-benzoyl-β-D-allosaminid, wird beschrieben.
Benzene and its metabolite, hydroquinone, induce granulocytic differentiation in myeloblasts by interacting with cellular signaling pathways activated by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor

Chronic exposure of humans to benzene (BZ) causes acute myelogenous leukemia. These studies determined whether BZ, or its reactive metabolite, hydroquinone (HQ), affect differentiation of myeloblasts. BZ or HQ administered to C57BL/6J mice specifically induced terminal granulocytic differentiation of myeloblasts. The ability of the compounds to induce differentiation of the myeloblast was tested directly using the murine interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent myeloblastic cell line, 32D.3 (G) and the human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemic cell line. Treatment of HL-60 myeloblasts with BZ activated protein kinase C and upregulated the 5-lipoxygenase (LPO) pathway for the production of leukotriene D4 (LTD4), an essential effector of granulocytic differentiation. Differentiation was prevented by sphinganine, a kinase C inhibitor, as well as by LPO inhibitors and LTD4 receptor antagonists. BZ and HQ also induced differentiation in 32D.3 (G) myeloblasts. Both compounds interact with cellular signaling pathways activated by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and thus replace the requirement for G-CSF. IL-3 induces a growth response, whereas G-CSF provides both growth and differentiation signals. BZ does not induce growth in the absence of IL-3, but provides a differentiation signal. Both HQ and LTD4 induce differentiation and synergize with IL-3 for growth, however, neither support growth in the absence of IL-3. BZ-induced 32D cells showed a gradual progression of progenitor differentiation to granulocytes similar to that seen with G-CSF or LTD4. HQ blocks differentiation at the myelocyte stage; only a small percentage of progenitors proceed to granulocytes. BZ, like G-CSF, upregulates LTD4 production, whereas HQ obviates the requirement for LTD4 by activating the LTD4 receptor.
Predictors of Bachelor's Degree Completion among Rural Students at Four-Year Institutions.

Using the National Education Longitudinal Study, this study explored various factors that predicted bachelor’s degree attainment among rural youth attending a four-year institution. Results showed that Hispanic origin, family income, parental educational expectations, the rigor of the high school curriculum, timing and intensity of college enrollment, and participation in Greek social clubs were significant predictors. Contrary to expectations, gender, parental education, family structure, number of siblings, institutional features of the college first attended, and participation in intramural athletics and student government were insignificant predictors. The discussion highlights implications for secondary and postsecondary policies.
A new methodology for extracting manufacturing features from CAD system

In recent years, various researchers have come up with different ways and means to integrate CAD and CAM. Automatic feature recognition from CAD solid systems highly impacts the level of integration. CAD files contain detailed geometric information of a part, which are not suitable for using in the downstream applications such as process planning. Different CAD or geometric modeling packages store the information related to the design in their own databases. Structures of these databases are different from each other. As a result no common or standard structure has been developed so far, that can be used by all CAD packages. For that reason this paper proposes an intelligent feature recognition methodology (IFRM) to develop a feature recognition system which has the ability to communicate with various CAD/CAM systems. The proposed methodology is developed for 3D prismatic parts that are created by using solid modeling package by using CSG technique as a drawing tool. The system takes a neutral file in Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) format as input and translates the information in the file to manufacturing information. The boundary (B-rep) geometrical information of the part design is then analyzed by a feature recognition program that is created specifically to extract the features from the geometrical information based on a geometric reasoning approach by using object oriented design software which is included in C++ language. A feature recognition algorithm is used to recognize different features of the part such as step, holes, etc. Finally, a sample application description for a workpiece is presented for demonstration purposes.
Lateral Collateral Ligament Instability of the Elbow

Lateral elbow support is provided by a combination of bony anatomy and the ligaments and tendons that originate at the lateral epicondyle. Instability is typically posttraumatic in nature. In the acute setting of elbow fracture-dislocation, restoration of lateral soft tissue support can be typically accomplished by a direct repair of the lateral ligament and extensor tendon origins to the humeral epicondyle. In chronic settings, a reconstruction is most commonly necessary using a free tendon graft. Indications and surgical techniques are discussed.
Overexpression of TGF-β1 Gene Induces Cell Surface Localized Glucose-Regulated Protein 78-Associated Latency-Associated Peptide/TGF-β

TGF-β plays a crucial role in immune regulation. It has been reported that pro–TGF-β, latency-associated peptide (LAP), latent TGF-β and/or active TGF-β (LAP/TGF-β) is localized on the cell surface of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. However, the molecular mechanism(s) of how LAP/TGF-β is anchored on the cell membrane is unknown. In this study, we show that forced expression of human TGF-β1 gene by retrovirus transduction into P3U1 mouse myeloma cells, and other cell types including murine CD4+CD25− T cells, makes these cells surface LAP/TGF-β-positive. The surface LAP/TGF-β contains high-glycosylated, furin-processed latent TGF-β, which is different from the low-glycosylated, furin-unprocessed intracellular form or the high-glycosylated, furin-unprocessed secreted form. Furthermore, surface LAP/TGF-β forms a complex with the molecular chaperone glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78, also known as BiP), and knockdown of GRP78 reduced the expression levels of surface LAP/TGF-β. GRP78, however, is not involved in GARP-mediated surface LAP/TGF-β. Our results suggest that GRP78 provides an additional surface localization mechanism for LAP/TGF-β, which may play an important role in controlling TGF-β activity.
Individual mating decisions and hybridization.

The dynamics of gene flow among populations ultimately depend on behavioural interactions among individuals (Ritchie, 2007), construed in the broadest sense to encompass chemical and mechanical interactions in plants and microorganisms. The mechanisms underlying mate choice can, therefore, determine whether hybridization promotes or retards speciation. Further, the nature of the processes underlying mating decisions imposes important constraints on their role as agents of selection. Understanding the evolutionary genetics of hybridization requires a more detailed consideration of what determines mating interactions among individuals. For hybridization to have notable evolutionary consequences, two things have to happen: first, matings have to occur between males and females from divergent populations and second, hybrids have to mate with each other and/or backcross to parentals. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that behavioural barriers to interspecific mating are brittle and susceptible to environmental perturbation. Once hybridization occurs, novel suites of signals and novel suites of preferences can facilitate backcrossing to parentals or, alternatively, can lead to hybrid speciation. I will discuss each of these processes in turn.
Improving Sexual Health Communication Between Older Women and Their Providers: How the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction Can Help

Talking about sexual health can be a challenge for some older women. This project was initiated to identify key factors that improve communication between aging women and their primary care providers. A sample of women (aged 60+) completed an online survey regarding their intent to communicate with a provider about sexual health. Using the integrative model of behavioral prediction as a guide, the survey instrument captured data on attitudes, perceived norms, self-efficacy, and intent to communicate with a provider about sexual health. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Self-efficacy and perceived norms were the most important factors predicting intent to communicate for this sample of women. Intent did not vary with race, but mean scores of the predictors of intent varied for African American and White women. Results can guide practice and intervention with ethnically diverse older women who may be struggling to communicate about their sexual health concerns.
Skeletal nutrient vascular adaptation induced by external oscillatory intramedullary fluid pressure intervention.

Background Interstitial fluid flow induced by loading has demonstrated to be an important mediator for regulating bone mass and morphology. It is shown that the fluid movement generated by the intramedullary pressure (ImP) provides a source for pressure gradient in bone. Such dynamic ImP may alter the blood flow within nutrient vessel adjacent to bone and directly connected to the marrow cavity, further initiating nutrient vessel adaptation. It is hypothesized that oscillatory ImP can mediate the blood flow in the skeletal nutrient vessels and trigger vasculature remodeling. The objective of this study was then to evaluate the vasculature remodeling induced by dynamic ImP stimulation as a function of ImP frequency.
NEUROLOGIC COMPLICATIONS OF TRANSPLANTATION

Organ transplantation traces its birth to a landmark operation performed by Murray in Boston in 1954 in which an identical twin received a donated sibling kidney. 72 Over the decades since that seminal procedure, the field of organ transplantation has grown exponentially, largely fertilized by the advent of ever more powerful and precise immunosuppressive agents. With the increase in organ transplantation, health professionals have seen a considerable number of associated neurologic complications. In some instances, these complications are a function of the individual nature of the transplant surgery, whereas in others, neurologic dysfunction is the result of exposing an ill patient to a prolonged, often difficult operation. Complications may be familiar, such as perioperative encephalopathy or seizure, or they may be unique, such as suture line embolus in lung transplantation. The transplant team may call on the neurologist to assist in the management of neurologic complications before transplantation as a result of organ system failure and encephalopathy, during the perioperative period as a result of the surgical procedure and associated therapies, and in the weeks and months after transplantation as a result of nervous system dysfunction secondary to immunosuppression and organ rejection. The complications inherent to immunosuppression are discussed in detail elsewhere in this issue.
To Act or Not to Act, That Is the Question? Barriers and Facilitators of Bystander Intervention

A promising line of inquiry in sexual violence prevention involves training potential bystanders to intervene in situations where there is risk for violence. Theories of bystander intervention often discuss barriers to helping behavior, but there has been little empirical inquiry into this question. We will present findings of a study of both barriers and facilitators of helping behavior in the context of sexual violence among first-semester college students. Two hundred and forty-two first year college students completed surveys during their first year of college. Measures included assessment of bystander behavior, perceived barriers to helping, as well as a variety of other variables identified in the literature as key correlates of helping. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to (a) describe barriers and facilitators of helping, (b) examine the relationship between barriers and self-reports of helping, and (c) model individual differences in helping behavior. In quantitative analyses, barriers, as assessed in this study, were better predictors of helping behavior directed at strangers than helping of friends. Results suggested that open-ended responses about the facilitators and barriers to helping for sexual violence map well onto social-psychological models of bystander behavior, and that greater prosocial tendencies, an intrapersonal variable, increase actual helping behavior. A more specific understanding of what promotes and hinders helping can be used to enhance prevention education efforts focused on increasing helpful bystander actions.
Computing the recursive posterior Cramer-Rao bound for a nonlinear nonstationary system

The recursive posterior Cramer-Rao bound (PCRB) has recently been shown to be the information-theoretic mean square error (MSE) bound for an unbiased sequential Bayesian estimator. The expectation integrals for the Fisher information components, which arise out of the recursive PCRB formulation, are intractable in general and must be approximated numerically. We introduce a sequential Monte Carlo method for computing the PCRB in a nonlinear nonstationary dynamic system. To validate the bound accuracy, we run a particle filter on a nonstationary logistic function and see how the MSE compares to the PCRB.
Design of Second Generation HIV-1 Integrase Inhibitors

The prospect of HIV-1 integrase (IN) as a therapeutically viable retroviral drug target is on the verge of realization. The observed preclinical and clinical performance of β-diketo containing and naphthyridine carboxamide compounds provides direct proof for the clinical application of IN inhibition. These validated lead compounds are useful in the design and development of second generation IN inhibitors. The results from preclinical and clinical studies on the first generation IN inhibitors reiterate a demand for novel second generation inhibitors with improved pharmacokinetic and metabolic properties. Pharmacophore-based drug design techniques facilitate the discovery of novel compounds on the basis of validated lead compounds specific for a drug target. In this article we have comprehensively reviewed the application of pharmacophore-based drug design methods in the field of IN inhibitor discovery.
Image filtering with orthogonal projectors for burst error control

The design of image prefilters for error control is considered and seen to be closely related to the problem of designing antialiasing filters to precede signal decimation. Intrafield codes are introduced, some of which can be implemented with fewer than 1 multiplier per 100 pixels. These codes have a great advantage in a bandlimited TV environment over alternative error-control methods requiring no redundancy, since they depend on prefiltering of the image. The primary implementation cost is, therefore, that of intrafield processors at the source and receiver. These processors consist primarily of a field store and of simple arithmetic units implementing vertical line (comb). filtering. In the optimal filters discussed, most coefficients are +or-1's. An application to compatible coding of TV signals for control of impulse errors in NTSC signals is presented. The emphasis is on encoding by vertical filtering and burst error estimation. >
Cache-conscious graph collaborative filtering on multi-socket multicore systems

Recommendation systems using graph collaborative filtering often require responses in real time and high throughput. Therefore, besides recommendation accuracy, it is critical to study high performance concurrent collaborative filtering on modern platforms. To achieve high performance, we study the graph data locality characteristics of collaborative filtering. Our experiments demonstrate that although an individual graph traversal exhibits poor data locality, multiple queries have a tendency of sharing their data footprints, especially in the case of queries with neighboring root vertices. Such characteristics lead to both inter- and intra-thread data locality, which can be utilized to significantly improve collaborative filtering performance. Based on these observations, we present a cache-conscious system for collaborative filtering on modern multi-socket multicore platforms. In this system, we propose a cache-conscious query scheduling technique and an in-memory graph representation, and to maximize cache performance and minimize cross-core/socket communication overhead, we address both inter- and intra-thread data locality. To address the workload balancing issue, this study introduces a dynamic work-stealing mechanism to explore the tradeoff between workload balancing and cache-consciousness. The proposed system was evaluated on a Power7+ system against the IBM Knowledge Repository graph dataset. The results demonstrated both good scalability and throughput. Compared with the basic system that does not perform cache-conscious scheduling, inter-thread scheduling improves throughput by up to 18%. Intra-thread scheduling can further improve throughput by as much as 22%. By enabling dynamic work-stealing, the proposed technique balances workloads across all threads with a low standard deviation of the per-thread processing time.
Near-infrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy in cancer diagnosis and therapy monitoring

A novel near-infrared (NIR) diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) for tumor blood flow measurement is introduced in this review paper. DCS measures speckle fluctuations of NIR diffuse light in tissue, which are sensitive to the motions of red blood cells. DCS offers several attractive new features for tumor blood flow measurement such as noninvasiveness, portability, high temporal resolution, and relatively large penetration depth. DCS technology has been utilized for continuous measurement of tumor blood flow before, during, and after cancer therapies. In those pilot investigations, DCS hemodynamic measurements add important new variables into the mix for differentiation of benign from malignant tumors and for prediction of treatment outcomes. It is envisaged that with more clinical applications in large patient populations, DCS might emerge as an important method of choice for bedside management of cancer therapy, and it will certainly provide important new information about cancer physiology that may be of use in diagnosis.
Gene Therapy with Neurogenin 3 and Betacellulin Reverses Major Metabolic Problems in Insulin-Deficient Diabetic Mice

Insulin deficiency in type 1 diabetes leads to disruptions in glucose, lipid, and ketone metabolism with resultant hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and ketonemia. Exogenous insulin and hepatic insulin gene therapy cannot mimic the robust glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from native pancreatic islets. Gene therapy of streptozotocin-diabetic mice with neurogenin 3 (Ngn3) and betacellulin (Btc) leads to the induction of periportal oval cell-derived neo-islets that exhibit GSIS. We hence hypothesized that this gene therapy regimen may lead to a complete correction of the glucose and lipid metabolic abnormalities associated with insulin deficiency; we further hypothesized that the neo-islets formed in response to Ngn3-Btc gene delivery may display an ultrastructure and transcription profile similar to that of pancreatic islets. We injected streptozotocin-diabetic mice with helper-dependent adenoviral vectors carrying Ngn3 and Btc, which restored GSIS and reversed hyperglycemia in these animals. The treatment also normalized hepatic glucose secretion and reversed ketonemia. Furthermore, it restored hepatic glycogen content and reinstated hepatic lipogenesis-related gene transcripts back to nondiabetic levels. By transmission electron microscopy, the neo-islets displayed electron-dense granules that were similar in appearance to those in pancreatic islets. Finally, using RNA obtained by laser capture microdissection of the periportal neo-islets and normal pancreatic islets, we found that the neo-islets and pancreatic islets exhibited a very similar transcription profile on microarray-based transcriptome analysis. Taken together, this indicates that Ngn3-Btc gene therapy corrects the underlying dysregulated glucose and lipid metabolism in insulin-deficient diabetic mice by inducing neo-islets in the liver that are similar to pancreatic islets in structure and gene expression profile.
A New Eclipse-Based JML Compiler Built Using AST Merging

The Java Modeling Language (JML) is a formal interface specification language to document the behavior of Java program modules and has been used in many research and industrial projects. However, its inability to support Java 5 features such as generics is reducing its user base significantly. Besides, the JML compiler is on average 8.5 times slower than the javac Java compiler. In this paper, we present a new JML compiler built on the Eclipse Java compiler to support Java 5 features. We used a technique called \emph{AST merging} to implement coarse-grained incremental compilation. In our experiments we observed a significant improvement in compilation speed, the new compiler is 3 to 4.5 times faster than the current one.
Introduction of time series data analysis using grey system theory

We consider an application of the grey system theory to the time series data forecasting problem, called grey forecasting, where grey implies incomplete or uncertain, and grey system describes a system lacking information about structure messages, operation mechanism and/or behavior documents. In a case of bad data lacking information, the grey forecasting method is known to be effective in time series data analysis. We present the design of grey forecasting model, and compare it with the conventional method.
An initial study of visuohaptic simulation of point-charge interactions

We report an initial study on the use of visuohaptic simulation in teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) topics, with particular emphasis on physics concepts related to the learning of nanotechnology at the undergraduate level. Visuohaptic simulations of point charges and their interactions were developed. Thirty-eight undergraduate students from a physics lab course were recruited to participate in an educational study. Half of the students were assigned to a visuohaptic (VH) group where they could see as well as feel interaction forces rendered with a Falcon force-feedback device. The other half of the students were assigned to a visual (V) group where they could interact with the same simulation via a computer mouse but did not feel any forces. Results from a 10-question content test showed that both groups benefited from the computer simulation. There were no statistical differences between the VH and V groups, presumably due to the relatively small number of participants who completed quantitative assessments. However, qualitative results from observations and interviews indicated that students in the VH groups were more motivated and engaged in the lab activities, reported more positive attitude towards learning, and felt more confident about their understanding and retention of knowledge. Our findings have been used to design a larger-scale study that will further investigate the use of visuohaptic technology in nanotechnology education.
Influence of oxycel corticotropin on fatty acid and glucose metabolism in the rat.

REPORTS have emanated from two laboratories showing that certain preparations of corticotropin have striking metabolic effects in both the rat and mouse. These include mobilization of depot fat to the liver, ketonemia, an increase in oxygen consumption, a depression of the R. Q., insulin resistance and a fall in the blood sugar (Astwood, 1955a,b, Engel, 1955; Engel and Engel, 1954; Rosenberg, 1953; Westermeyer and Raben, 1954). Certain of these responses have been demonstrable in adrenalectomized animals, indicating that they are not mediated by the adrenal cortex. In the past, they have been attributed to the pituitary fraction labeled growth hormone, but in our experience, as well as that of Astwood’s group, oxycel corticotropin has exhibited much greater stability and activity with respect to these metabolic properties than have those growth hormone preparations which have been available to us.
Transglutaminase effects on low temperature gelation of fish protein sols

Myosin polymerization and formation of ɛ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine linkages were quantified in Alaska pollock surimi gels which contained no additive (control), or a commercial microbial transglutaminase (MTGase). As preincubation (“setting”) time at 25°C was increased, the gel strength of control and 0.2% MTGase-added samples increased, with greater increases at higher MTGase levels. SDS-PAGE and HPLC analyses showed increasing nondisulfide polymerization and ɛ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine dipeptide content, with increasing setting time and/or added MTGase. Content of ɛ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine dipeptide correlated with gel strength (shear stress) and shear modulus at failure (Gf) for these gels. Higher stresses were measured in samples containing 0.2% MTGase than in controls at corresponding levels of ɛ-(γ-glutamyl)lysine dipeptide, indicating that rate of myosin polymerization may affect ultimate gel strength.
How to Avoid the Inverse Secant (and Even the Secant Itself)

Stephen A. Fulling (fulling@math.tamu.edu) is Professor of Mathematics and of Physics at Texas A&M University (College Station, TX 77843). He has an A.B. from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Princeton, both in physics. He has written a book on quantum field theory in curved space-time and a textbook on linear algebra with emphasis on applications to vector calculus and differential equations. He has done research in various areas of mathematical physics and differential equations, and he has taken part in a variety of curriculum-reform efforts at the undergraduate level.
Economic War and Democratic Peace

Research has shown that democracies rarely, if ever, engage each other in war and are less likely to have militarized disputes than when interacting with authoritarian regimes. Economic sanctions are an alternative to militarized conflict viewed by the masses as more acceptable. The conflict-inhibiting effects of democratic norms and institutions are thus weakened with respect to the use of sanctions. This paper examines whether a country's decision to initiate sanctions is influenced by its regime type as well as that of the potential target. The results for the period 1950 to 1990 indicate that the more democratic a country is, the more likely it is to initiate sanctions. Democracies, however, are less likely to target other democratic regimes relative to nondemocratic regimes. With respect to sanctions use, pairs of democracies are not peaceful.
LC/MS/MS Method for the Quantitation of trans-2-Hexenal-Derived Exocyclic 1,N2-Propanodeoxyguanosine in DNA

trans-2-Hexenal is an alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde to which humans are exposed daily in small amounts. Hexenal has demonstrated mutagenicity and genotoxicity in vitro and reacts with deoxyguanosine to form diastereomeric hexenal-derived exocyclic 1,N(2)-propanodeoxyguanosine (Hex-PdG) adducts. A highly sensitive and specific method for the measurement of Hex-PdG in DNA has not previously been available. An LC/MS/MS assay for the quantitation of Hex-PdG, using [(13)C4(15)N2]Hex-PdG as an internal standard, was developed, to assess binding of hexenal to DNA. Samples were purified prior to analysis by centrifuge filtration and solid phase extraction and analyzed by LC/MS/MS in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode (SRM m/z 366.2 --> 250.2 for Hex-PdG; SRM m/z 372.2 --> 256.2 for [(13)C4(15)N2]Hex-PdG). Recovery of standards was 89% or greater, and quantitation was unaffected by the addition of increasing concentrations of calf thymus DNA (ctDNA). The limit of quantitation, determined in samples of 200 microg of ctDNA spiked with analyte standard, was 0.015 fmol/microg DNA, which corresponds to approximately 5 Hex-PdG/10(9) unmodified nucleotides. Hex-PdG was detected in ctDNA treated with 0.021 microM, 0.21 microM, or 2.1 mM hexenal but not in untreated DNA. Furthermore, Hex-PdG was not detected in DNA exposed to reactive oxygen species-mediated deoxyribose attack and lipid peroxidation, which resulted in a significant increase in the malondialdehyde-derived pyrimido[1,2-a]purin-10(3H)one. Hex-PdG was not detected in DNA of untreated rat liver, but Hex-PdG in hexenal-treated calf thymus DNA was quantifiable when spiked into the rat liver DNA at 0.035 or 0.35 fmol/microg DNA. These data indicate that Hex-PdG is formed following hexenal treatment and that this method is suitable for in vitro or in vivo assessment of Hex-PdG formation.
E-pedagogy: What Students Want

This study focused on a review of the literature concerning effective online practices and describes a professor’s attempts to incorporate the practices while developing an online statistics course. Becoming a successful online instructor requires more than simply converting traditional lecture notes into an online session. While a text-based lesson is appropriate for some learners the current members of Generation V (You-Tube and video enthusiasts) require instructors to seek new ways to engage the student. This presentation discusses some inexpensive means to incorporate best practices into the development of an online course.
Discovering marine terraces using airborne LiDAR along the Mendocino-Sonoma coast, northern California

Marine terraces are landforms that record both paleohorizontal and true surface uplift above mean sea level, and thus serve as long-baseline geodetic markers. Here we present a method for extending terrace records back in time by analyzing 2003 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) airborne LiDAR data to discover a suite of probable marine terraces along a 70-km-long section of the northern California coast. In particular, we present a semiautomated surface classification model, based on slope and surface roughness properties, to identify low-slope and low-relief topographic platforms with characteristics similar to marine terraces. Between Fort Ross and Point Arena (California, United States), the method identifies 851 individual platforms that range in elevation from 100 to 450 m above sea level. The total platform area is 24.5 km2 over a total area of 394 km2; the majority of platforms are found west of the San Andreas fault. We interpret these platforms as a suite of marine terraces because they are generally elongate parallel to the modern coastline and one another, and their elevations increase systematically from west to east in a step-like fashion. Geologic evidence supporting this conclusion includes locally abundant well-rounded and well-polished clasts with heterogeneous compositions, beveled outcrops of the underlying bedrock (German Rancho Formation), and provenance studies indicating transport of clasts contained in probable marine deposits across the San Andreas fault. The platforms contain 21 different elevation bands, each of which is 2–6 m high, suggesting that they may define a flight of 21 distinct marine terraces at elevations between 113 and 405 m above sea level. Matching the 21 observed platform elevations with those predicted from sea-level curves suggests that the surface uplift rate for the northern coast of California has been ∼0.2 mm/yr over the past 2 Ma. This rate is similar to, but lower than the previously determined uplift rate of ∼0.3 mm/yr for a ∼23 m marine terrace in the area.
Heart valve replacement with the Ionescu-Shiley pericardial xenograft.

Between March, 1971, and September, 1975, glutaraldehyde-stabilized pericardial xenografts were used for single valve replacement in 212 patients (142 aortic, 67 mitral, and three tricuspid). The 195 operative survivors were observed for a total of 5,926 months over a period of 6 to 61 months (mean 30). Actuarial analysis of late results indicates an expected survival rate at 5 years of 92.3 per cent for patients with aortic and 91.1 per cent for patients with mitral valve replacement. The rate of systemic embolism has been 0.62 episodes per 100 patient years for the aortic and 2.48 episodes per 100 patient years for the mitral group in the absence of anticoagulant treatment. All six emboli occurred early postoperatively, were trivial or mild, and left no sequelae. Symptomatically, 96.7 per cent of patients are now in Class I and 3.3 per cent in Class II (N.Y.H.A.). Maintenance of structural and functional integrity of the glutaraldehyde-stabilized pericardial xenograft was demonstrated by histologic and hemodynamic investigations. Catheterization showed substantial circulatory improvement in both patients with aortic and those with mitral replacement. The transaortic gradients were negligible (8 mm. Hg at rest and 17.5 mm. Hg during exercise). The available evidence indicates that results of valve replacement with pericardial xenografts, over this period of follow-up, compare very favorably with those obtained with other available prostheses and tissue valves.
Four-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate for Coagulopathy Reversal in Patients With Liver Disease:

A 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC, Kcentra®) was recently approved in the United States for the reversal of vitamin K antagonist-associated major bleeding, but it is often used to reverse coagulopathy in patients with liver disease (LD). This single-center, retrospective study analyzed the efficacy and safety of 4F-PCC administered in patients with and without LD. Prothrombin time/International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR) reversal with 4F-PCC was attempted in 85 patients; LD was documented in 31 patients. Coagulopathy reversal and hemostasis with 4F-PCC were inferior in patients with LD compared to patients without LD. Coagulopathy reversal, defined as INR = 1.5 after 4F-PCC administration, was achieved in 6 (19.4%) LD patients, compared to 44 (81.5%) non-LD patients ( p < 0.01). Hemostasis was achieved in 6 LD patients (19.4%) compared to 23 non-LD patients (42.6%) ( p = 0.03). Thromboembolic events occurred in 1 LD patient (3.2%) and 8 non-LD patients (14.8%) ( p = 0.15). Mortality was 51.6% in LD patients and 18.5% in non-LD patients ( p < 0.01). These observations suggest that the efficacy of 4F-PCC is suboptimal to correct coagulopathy and hemostasis in patients with LD, who have high rates of in-hospital mortality due to sequelae of LD. The incidence of thromboembolic events appeared comparable, suggesting that 4F-PCC does not cause undue thromboembolism in LD patients. In conclusion, 4F-PCC appears to be safe in LD patients when administered judiciously; however, further studies are necessary to optimize its use and elucidate its hemostatic potential in this patient population.
Crises of Legitimacy and Political Violence in Colonial Uganda, 1890–1962

K.W. Grundy and M.A. Weinstein noted how imperialism normalizes and justifies political violence against the target population: Beyond the double-morality…is the idea that one’s own group has a civilizing mission with respect to other groups. This civilizing mission involves the notion that one’s own group has a duty to impose its normative order on other peoples....The view that some people have a civilizing mission became widespread in the nineteenth century as a justification for imperialism....The major justification of violence in the expansionist ideology is that it functions to facilitate the domination of a superior group over an inferior group.... In an expansionist’s ideology violence against the inferior is justified as a right and in some instances even the duty of the superior.
THE APPLICATION OF THE CONCEPT OF COMPLEX SPACE/TIME TO A MODEL OF ELECTRIC CHARGE

Based on concepts of the modulus of complex numbers differing from the classical definition, and of the definition of space/time as an identity with complex n-dimensional geometry, particles with positive and negative charge are identified with particles with real and imaginary radii.
Indian and U.S. Community Mediation

This study investigates the mediations of 50 Indian panchayats (a group of five), 50 Indian elders, and 50 U.S. mediators. Preliminary interviews with Indian students in the United States (n = 90) and with villagers in India (n = 60) established that Indian villagers rely principally upon a panchayat or male elder to mediate their disputes. (This conclusion was corroborated by a literature review.) Our interviews with panchayat leaders and elders in India indicated they do mediate and that their approaches differ in the predicted manner. For example, panchayats dictate concessions and agreement points more frequently than do elders. While the elders'; mediations differ from those of the panchayats, their approach is strongly influenced by the panchayats' mediations. As a result - and as predicted by cultural efficacy and image theories - the elders' mediations differ significantly from those of U.S. community mediators.
Scheduled and as-needed albuterol were equivalent for mild asthma

Source Citation Drazen JM, Israel E, Boushey HA, et al., for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Asthma Clinical Research Network. Comparison of regularly scheduled with as-needed use o...
The Interplay between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is also an increasingly common condition. Both entities are risk factors for ischemic stroke and both conditions are linked with increased mortality. Mechanical effects of obesity and sleep apnea can lead to increased afterload, left ventricular hypertrophy, and left atrial fibrosis and remodeling. These changes can result in an increased risk of AF development. The current paper summarizes the evidence for the bidirectional relationship between AF and OSA. The merits of selective screening for these two conditions are also discussed.
Moderation in sport management research: room for growth

ABSTRACTModerators are variables that affect the relationship between a predictor and outcome. They help to clarify otherwise ambiguous patterns of results, extend theory, and signal the growth of ...