cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurofibromin-deficient Schwann cells have increased lysophosphatidic acid dependent survival and migration-implications for increased neurofibroma formation during pregnancy.

Neurofibromas are the clinical hallmark of neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder caused by mutations of the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, which encodes neurofibromin that functions as a GTPase activating protein (GAP) for Ras. During pregnancy, up to 50% of existing neurofibromas enlarge and as many as 60% of new neurofibromas appear for the first time. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a prototypic lysophospholipid that modulates cell migration and survival of Schwann cells (SCs) and is made in increasing concentrations throughout pregnancy. We addressed the influence of LPA on the biochemical and cellular functions of SCs with a homozygous mutation of the murine homologue of the NF1 gene (Nf1−/−). LPA promoted F-actin polymerization and increased migration and survival of Nf1−/− SCs as compared to wild type (WT) SCs. Furthermore, LPA induced a higher level of Ras-GTP and Akt phosphorylation in Nf1−/− SCs as compared to WT cells. Pharmacologic inhibition or siRNA for the p85β regulatory subunit of Class I A PI3-K significantly reduced LPA-induced Schwann cell survival and migration. Introduction of NF1-GRD reconstitution was sufficient to normalize the LPA-mediated motility of Nf1−/− SCs. As LPA modulates excessive cell survival and motility of Nf1−/− SCs, which are the tumorigenic cells in NF1, targeting PI3-K may be a potential therapeutic approach in diminishing the development and progression of neurofibromas in pregnant women with NF1. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Early patterning of the mouse embryo: Implications for hematopoietic commitment and differentiation

Prior to and during gastrulation, reciprocal interactions between embryonic and extraembryonic lineages are crucial for the correct patterning of the embryo. Several lines of investigation have underscored the importance of extraembryonic ectoderm and primitive endodermal in establishing the anterior-posterior axis of the embryo. Signals from these tissues help to position the primitive streak, from which mesoderm will emerge, within the epiblast (embryo proper). Molecules secreted by the visceral endoderm are required for activation of hematopoietic and endothelial cell development, but the pathways involved and their target tissue (e.g., posterior epiblast versus extraembryonic mesoderm) remain obscure. Recent evidence suggests that commitment of mesodermal progenitors to the hematopoietic and endothelial lineages begins earlier than previously anticipated, within or shortly after these cells emerge from the primitive streak.
Self-initiated quitting among adolescent smokers.

Abstract Objectives.This paper reviews the literature regarding predictors of adolescent self-initiated smoking cessation and investigates self-initiated smoking cessation among a large sample of alternative high school youth in southern California. Youth transfer to alternative schools because of academic or behavioral problems, and they are at relatively high risk for cigarette smoking. Methods.Several demographic (e.g., gender), behavioral (e.g., level of smoking), and psychosocial (e.g., risk-taking) predictors of adolescent smoking cessation were investigated. The alternative high school cohort provided a sufficient sample size of quitters (defined as no use in the past 30 days, measured after a 1-year period) to permit a prospective examination of adolescent smoking cessation. Results.Although nine demographic, behavioral, or psychosocial variables discriminated among quitters and nonquitters in univariate analyses, only level of baseline smoking, smoking intention, and perceived stress were predictors in a final multivariable model. Conclusions.Based on the literature review and findings among the cohort, smoking cessation programs for adolescents should include counteraction of problem-prone attitudes, support of wellness attitudes, provision of motivation to quit strategies, and assistance with overcoming withdrawal symptoms.
Oral ethanol reinforced behavior in inbred mice

The use of genetically defined animals in many areas of alcohol research provides valuable information about the contribution of genetic factors to ethanol-related behaviors. Utilizing the principles of operant conditioning, we determined whether mice which are known for high ethanol preference, C57BL/6J males, would orally self-administer this substance. Strategies used with other species were successful in inducing pharmacologically significant blood alcohol levels and in establishing ethanol as a reinforcer in this mouse strain. Responding for and consumption of 8% (w/v) ethanol exceeded baseline levels of responding for water. This species and method may prove useful in determining the genetic relationship among various ethanol-related behaviors and their mechanisms of action and in studies of behavior reinforced by drugs.
Wavelet bi-frames with uniform symmetry for curve multiresolution processing

This paper is about the construction of univariate wavelet bi-frames with each framelet being symmetric. As bivariate filter banks are used for surface multiresolution processing, it is required that the corresponding decomposition and reconstruction algorithms have high symmetry so that it is possible to design the corresponding multiresolution algorithms for extraordinary vertices. For open surfaces, special multiresolution algorithms are designed to process boundary vertices. When the multiresolution algorithms derived from univariate wavelet bi-frames are used as the boundary algorithms, it is desired that not only the scaling functions but also all framelets be symmetric. In addition, the algorithms for curve/surface multiresolution processing should be given by templates so that they can be easily implemented. In this paper, first, by appropriately associating the lowpass and highpass outputs to the nodes of Z, we show that both biorthogonal wavelet multiresolution algorithms and bi-frame multiresolution algorithms can be represented by templates. Then, using the idea of the lifting scheme, we provide frame algorithms given by several iterative steps with each step represented by a symmetric template. Finally, with the given templates of algorithms, we obtain the corresponding filter banks and construct bi-frames based on their smoothness and vanishing moments. Two types of symmetric bi-frames are studied in this paper. In order to provide a clearer picture on the template-based procedure for bi-frame construction, in this paper we also consider the template-based construction of biorthogonal wavelets. The approach of the template-based bi-frame construction introduced in this paper can be extended easily to the construction of bivariate bi-frames with high symmetry for surface multiresolution processing.
Semiempirical Construction of LCAO Parameters for II–VI Compound Semiconductors

A set of semiempirical expressions for the two-center integrals which show the explicit dependence of these quantities on the atomic characteristics, on the dielectric constant, on the ionicity of the solid, and also on the interatomic separations is constructed for the II–VI compound semiconductors. The Slater-Koster parameters are then constructed from these expressions for the two-center integrals. The band structures of various zinc and cadmium compounds are obtained and are compared with other theoretical calculations and with experimental photoemission results. Fur II–VI-Verbindungshalbleiter wird ein Satz von halbempirischen Ausdrucken fur die Zweizentrenintegrale konstruiert, der explizit die Abhangigkeit dieser Grosen von den atomaren Eigenschaften, der dielektrischen Konstante, der Ionizitat des Festkorpers sowie den interatomaren Abstanden beschreibt. Aus diesen Ausdrucken fur die Zweizentrenintegrale werden dann die Slater-Kosterparameter berechnet. Die Bandstrukturen verschiedener Zink- und Kadmiumverbindungen werden erhalten und mit anderen theoretischen Berechnungen und mit experimentellen Photoemissionsergebnissen verglichen.
PROSTATE CANCER IN PATIENTS WITH SCREENING SERUM PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN VALUES LESS THAN 4.0 NG/DL: RESULTS FROM THE COOPERATIVE PROSTATE CANCER TISSUE RESOURCE

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Prostate cancer can occur in patients with low screening serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) values (less than 4.0 ng/ml). It is currently unclear whether these tumors are different from prostate cancer in patients with high PSA levels (greater than 4.0 ng/ml).Materials and Methods:: From the Cooperative Prostate Cancer Tissue Resource database through March 2004, 3,416 patients with screening PSA less than 16.0 ng/ml diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1993 and 2004 were stratified in groups based on screening serum PSA. These subsets were compared for race, age at diagnosis, clinical and pathological stage, Gleason score, positive surgical margins, posttreatment recurrent disease, and vital status.Results:: We identified 468 (14%) patients with screening PSA less than 4.0 ng/ml, 142 (4.2%) of whom had a PSA of less than 2.0 ng/ml. This group included 40 black and 376 white patients. Men with low screening PSA treated with radical prostatectomy had smaller cancers, lower Gleason sc...
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Modification Trends.

Abstract Anxiety disorders have been found to be highly comorbid with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Even so, the identification and dissemination of empirically supported treatments for anxiety in adults or children who have ASD has lagged behind the larger evidence-based trend. This review examines the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy as a treatment for anxiety in children who have an ASD and delineates and summarizes the trends in modifying efficacious cognitive-behavioral therapies for anxiety for use with those having an ASD. Limitations and recommendations for future research toward a standardized treatment model for anxiety in children are discussed.
In vitro nerve-growth-promoting activity of human plasma α1-acid glycoprotein

Human plasma alpha 1-acid glycoprotein or orosomucoid (OR), and its derivatives, prepared by sequential enzymatic cleavage of the carbohydrate units, were tested for their nerve-growth-promoting activities with explants of whole dorsal root ganglia from chick embryos. The results showed that the OR derivatives with terminal galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, or mannose have marked neurite-promoting activities. These preparations at a concentration of 100 micrograms/ml are equivalent to 5% fetal bovine serum (protein concentration 3,000 micrograms/ml) in their ability to elicit extensive neurite outgrowth and collateral branching. The asialo-OR, or ASOR, is the most potent form: its activity is estimated to be 20 times higher than that of transferrin and 100 times over that of fibronectin; it is approximately 1/1,500 that of NGF. The neurite-promoting activity of OR is independent of the non-neuronal cells and their products and can be blocked by a specific antiserum against OR. The mode of action of OR on the in vitro nerve growth is discussed and the pathophysiological significance of this plasma glycoprotein is considered in light of data from recent clinical and pathological studies.
The Impact of the Wellness Guide/Guía on Hispanic Women's Well-Being-Related Knowledge, Efficacy Beliefs, and Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Acculturation

This study examined how acculturation mediated the impact of the California Wellness Guide/La Guia del Bienestar on Hispanic women's knowledge, efficacy beliefs, and behaviors. Knowledge gaps were found between acculturated and less acculturated women. Acculturated mothers had more confidence in their abilities to acquire wellness-related information both before and after Guide/Guia distribution and also had more assistance-seeking efficacy. Guide/Guia recipients were more knowledgeable, had greater confidence in their knowledge and their abilities to acquire information, and possessed better information acquisition strategies than nonrecipients. The publication also enhanced low-acculturated recipients' assistance-seeking self-efficacy. High-acculturated and low-acculturated recipients of the Guide/Guia were equally likely to have retained and used their copies, to anticipate using the publication in the future, and to have made a change in behavior as a result of the guide. Finally, the Guide/Guia did n...
Statistical error in crack growth parameters deduced from dynamic fatigue tests

Abstract In dynamic fatigue, specimens are fractured at several stress application rates. The fracture mechanics parameters affecting the rate of crack growth are then deduced from a regression analysis in which the logarithm of fracture stress is the dependent variable and the logarithm of the stress application rate is the independent variable. A simulation approach to determine the sampling variability of crack growth parameters deduced from dynamic fatigue experiments is proposed. The simulation is readily conducted using spreadsheet type software and exploits the known sampling behavior of the slope and intercept in linear regression theory in which the response variable is gaussian distributed. This enables the results of a dynamic fatigue test to be simulated without simulating the individual fracture strengths at each stress application rate. The simulation time is therefore independent of the number of specimens tested at each stress rate. The method is illustrated with a case previously considered in the literature and plots are given showing how the precision of estimation varies with the number of test specimens fractured at each stress application rate. The additional variability due to uncertainty in the mean of the logarithm of the so-called fast fracture strength is considered. It is shown how confidence limits for one crack growth parameter may be computed when the other is assumed to be known. The use visualized for the proposed methodology is in exploratory assessments of the required sample size for dynamic fatigue experiments in which the experimentalist uses as input, pairs of parameter values believed to cover the likely region of uncertainty.
The role of ethylene in the development of plant form

Ethylene is a gaseous growth factor involved in a diverse array of cellular, developmental and stress-related processes in plants. A number of examples of the role played by ethylene in the development of form in plants are described; reaction wood formation, floral induction, sex determination, flooding-induced shoot elongation, and leaf abscission. Recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanism underpinning post-pollination perianth wilting in orchids is reviewed. This study indicates that the process of post-pollination perianth wilting involves an early increase in sensitivity to endogenous levels of ethylene which set in motion a chain of events in which ethylene autocatalytically induces its own synthesis in the pistil. Ethylene also induces the expression of ACO in the perianth which converts pistil-derived ACC into ethylene which drives the wilting process. Concepts drawn from this system are then applied to the Arabidopsis root epidermis in which ethylene is a positive regulator of root hair development in an effort to come to a mechanistic understanding of the process of pattern formation in this system. Understanding the molecular basis of the role of ethylene in these model systems will provide useful paradigms for examining the part played by ethylene in the diverse array of processes in which this growth factor is involved.
Aerodynamic Design of a Small Contra-Rotating HAWT

A numerical and experimental study was conducted to examine the feasibility and aerodynamic performance of a contra-rotating rotor system for a small horizontal axis wind turbine. A numerical design tool, cRotor, was developed based on actuator disc and blade element theory to generate blade geometries. A Rutland wind turbine was reconfigured to accept two contra-rotating rotor hubs and stereolithographic rotors were created to conduct wind tunnel tests. Initial experimental results have indicated greater power extraction and performance from the contra-rotating configurations than that of the single rotor design. A redesign of the prototype to minimize frictional losses and plans for full-scale testing are underway.
Experimental application of the new orientational dynamic theory to resolved NMR quadrupole spectra in polycrystalline-amorphous matrices

A detailed description is presented for analyzing temperature-dependent, resolved NMR quadrupole powder spectra in terms of the results of the recent analytical-theoretical treatment of NMR fine-structure centers undergoing orientational stochastic motion in polycrystalline-amorphous condensed matter. The specific NMR quadrupole centers investigated are the sup2D (I=1) nuclear spins in the perdeuterated poly(ethylene) polymer system. It is shown that reliable experimental orientation-motional correlation times \ensuremath{\tau} and the corresponding spin-spin relaxation times ${T}_{2}$ can be obtained directly and uniquely from resolved first-order NMR quadrupole structures under slow motion as well as from motionally narrowed, structureless NMR spectra under fast motion.
Natural abundance of N15 in hemin and plasma protein from normal blood.

SummaryHemin and plasma protein isolated from normal blood were found to have a slightly increased abundance of N15 over tank nitrogen or ammonium chloride. The mean values for normal hemin, 0.0046, and for normal plasma protein, 0.0039 atom % excess N15, were similar to the N15 concentration found in urinary urea. These results lend further support to the idea that minute fractionation of the nitrogen isotopes might occur through normal biological processes.
In vitro modulation of proliferation and cytokine production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from subjects with various forms of coccidioidomycosis.

Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from individuals with or without coccidioidal delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), we examined and attempted to modulate the in vitro responses of PBMC from various donors to the coccidioidal antigen toluene spherule lysate (TSL). Among healthy DTH-positive donors, 100 ng of human recombinant interleukin-10 (IL-10) per ml suppressed both PBMC proliferation (P = 0.01) and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and IL-12 production (for both, P 0.05). Human recombinant IL-12 increased IFN-gamma production by PBMC from active, DTH-positive donors (P = 0.01) but not by PBMC from DTH-negative groups. For healthy DTH-positive donors, the median antigen-reactive cell frequency per 10(5) PBMC was 3.7, compared to 1.7 in DTH-negative donors with active coccidioidomycosis (P = 0.03). These data indicate that the in vitro TSL response is highly dependent on coccidioidal DTH. Not only do PBMC from individuals with DTH appear to respond to TSL, but their response can be modulated in vitro with either IL-10 or IL-12. On the other hand, PBMC from DTH-negative individuals do not respond in vitro to TSL and their response is not modulable, suggesting a lack of antigen response.
The Influence of Student Teaching Experiences on Preservice Music Teachers’ Commitments to Teaching

This study concerned preservice students’ commitments to teaching music by comparing potential influencing factors encountered during the student teaching experience. Specific questions were as follows: (a) How committed to teaching were preservice students at the beginning of their student teaching experiences compared with at the end of their experiences? (b) What extent do certain factors influence preservice music teachers’ commitments to teaching at the beginning and at the end of their student teaching experiences? (c) What extent do certain factors influence preservice teachers from not becoming a teacher at the end and at the beginning of their student teaching experiences? (d) What extent would an opportunity to perform on a regular basis influence a preservice teachers’ decision to become a music teacher? Participants completed a pre-/postexperience survey indicating the extent that a variety of factors may influence their commitments to teaching music. Findings showed participants remained comm...
Multiple Myeloma: Relation to Propoxyphene and Other Drugs, Radiation and Occupation

A case-control study involving 327 cases of multiple myeloma (MM) did not confirm that propoxyphene use is a predisposing factor. The evidence that any drugs are involved in the aetiology of MM is very weak. There was some suggestive evidence that x-ray therapy and certain occupations were predictors of MM.
Highly active, regioselective, and enantioselective hydroformylation with Rh catalysts ligated by Bis-3,4-diazaphospholanes.

Azines made by the reaction of hydrazine with ortho-formylbenzoic acid react with 1,2-diphosphinobenzene and either succinyl chloride or phthaloyl chloride in ca. 30% yield to give rac-bis-3,4-diazaphospholanes bearing benzoic acid groups in the 2 and 5 positions. Condensation of the benzoic acid functionalities with enantiomerically pure amines affords diastereomeric benzoamides which can be separated by flash chromatography. Application of the resolved bis-3,4-diazaphosholanes to Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydroformylation of styrene, allyl cyanide, and vinyl acetate under mild pressures (20−500 psig of CO/H2) and temperatures (40−120 °C) reveals high activities and selectivities for all three substrates. At 60 °C and 500 psig syn gas, the best ligand provides outstanding regio- and enantioselectivities (styrene, 89% ee, b:l = 30:1; allyl cyanide, 87% ee, b:l = 4.8:1; vinyl acetate, 95% ee, b:l = 40:1) while achieving turnover frequencies of ca. 3000 h-1.
Improving outcome of paediatric depression with cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) after initial improvement on antidepressant medication

ABSTRACT FROM: Kennard BD, Emslie GJ, Mayes TL, et al . Sequential treatment with fluoxetine and relapse-prevention CBT to improve outcomes in pediatric depression. Am J Psychiatry 2014;171:1083–90. Major depression is a common cause of disability in youth due to its high prevalence, frequently incomplete resolution, and tendency to recur.1 Psychosocial and pharmacological interventions are effective as acute treatments, but little information had been available to clinicians on how to best consolidate initial improvement and prevent relapse. This randomised trial tested whether adding cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) to antidepressant medication after initial symptomatic improvement helps with reaching remission and decreasing relapse. Two hundred youths, aged 8–17, with major depression were first treated with fluoxetine. After 6 weeks, 144 had improved and were randomised to either adding CBT or continuing only on medication for 6 months. CBT consisted of a total of 8–11 visits, included a family component, and was delivered by non-physician psychotherapists according to a manual. There were two primary outcomes: (1) …
The black market in small arms: Examining a social network

In recent years, researchers have increasingly turned their attention to the proliferation of small arms, a transnational trade amounting to over $7 billion in value during 2002. Small arms are difficult to track and are not the stuff of military parades, but they are immensely destructive. As much as $1 billion worth enters the black market annually. I argue that the illicit trade in small arms should be understood not as a market but as a network, one that shares some important properties with networked forms of organization studied by sociologists. I then employ quantitative methods developed for the study of social networks in an effort to show the basic structure of illegal small arms transfers to Africa. The analysis draws from my Illicit Arms Transfers dataset still in development, so the results make use of the most rudimentary information being collected. They are suggestive, however, and the analytical approach promises to shed considerable light on a corner of the global arms trade that is of g...
In-vitro evaluation of various treatments to prevent demineralization next to orthodontic brackets

Introduction One common negative side effect of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances is the development of incipient caries lesions around brackets, particularly in patients with poor oral hygiene. Bio-available minerals from cement containing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) might facilitate remineralization and inhibit lesion development. Our objective was to compare the potential of ACP-containing resin cement, fluoride varnish, resin sealer, and MI Paste (GC America, Alsip, Ill) under similar in-vitro conditions to prevent incipient caries lesions next to brackets on teeth. Methods One hundred extracted premolars were randomly allocated to 5 groups (n = 20). Brackets were bonded with ACP cement (Aegis-Ortho, Bosworth, Skokie, Ill), resin (Transbond XT [3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif], control), or resin followed by application of fluoride varnish (Vanish, 3M, St Paul, Minn), resin sealer (Pro-seal, Reliance Orthodontic Products, Itasca, Ill), or casein phosphopeptide-ACP paste (MI Paste). All groups were cycled for 15 days in demineralization solution for 8 hours a day, rinsed, placed in artificial saliva (30 minutes), brushed, and stored overnight in artificial saliva. The extent of demineralization in each group was assessed by using quantitative light-induced fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results Only the Pro-seal and Vanish groups showed significantly smaller lesions than the controls (Kruskal-Wallis test, P Conclusions Both light-cured filled resin (Pro-seal) and fluoride varnish (Vanish) might prevent enamel demineralization next to orthodontic brackets exposed to cariogenic conditions, but the observed positive effects of Aegis-Ortho and MI Paste were not significant.
Methylglyoxal Can Modify GAPDH Activity and Structure

The activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) can play an important role in regulating multiple upstream pathways relating to the development of diabetic complications. GAPDH can be modified by a number of metabolic factors, including oxidative and glycation products. To study the effect of glycation on GAPDH we have measured GAPDH structure and activity after exposure of the enzyme to the potent alpha dicarbonyl sugar methylglyoxal (MG). Rabbit GAPDH was incubated with 10-1000 microM MG for 96 hours, and enzyme activity was measured at intervals by a spectrophotometric assay. Isoelectric focusing of purified and cellular GAPDH was performed with a PROTEAN IEF system and the bands visualized by Western blotting. The mass of glycated and native GAPDH was determined by MALDI with a Applied Biosystems Voyager System 6235. GAPDH activity (at 96 h) was decreased by 20% with 1.0 micromolar MG and showed progressively greater suppression of activity with increasing concentrations up to 1 mM, where activity was decreased by 97%. Reduction in GAPDH activity was rapidly decreasing by 69.2% by two hours with 1 mM MG. IEF showed an isoelectric point (IEP) of 8.5 for native GAPDH, while measurable changes were seen with modification by MG levels of 1 mM (IEP 7.5) and 50 microM (IEP 8.0). With MALDI, GAPDH mass increased from 36.012 kDa to 37.071 after exposure to 50 microM MG and to 40.625 following 1 mM MG. This indicates addition of 12.75 and 55.6 MG residues, respectively, to GAPDH. GAPDH can be modified by methylglyoxal intracellular concentrations close to those previously observed in vivo, with measurable changes in isoelectric point and mass. These modifications can lead to decreased enzyme activity, suggesting that conditions associated with elevated intracellular MG could modify GAPDH activity in vivo.
Organizational and Political Issues in Counseling Psychology An Accounting of the Georgia Conference Recommendations

This article examines organizational and political issues of Division 17 (the division of counseling psychology) of the American Psychological Association. The methodology was derived from the recommendations of the Organizational and Political Issues Group (OPIG) of the Third National Conference for Counseling Psychology. The activity of Division 17 governance was traced over a 9-year period (1984-1992) and then compared against the OPIG recommendations. The goal was to assess the division's compliance with these recommendations. The results were mixed.
Influence of framework design, contraction mismatch, and thermal history on porcelain checking in fixed partial dentures.

Abstract The objective of this study was to characterize the relative influence of contraction mismatch, framework design, furnace type, colling rate, and multiple firings on immediate or delayed checking in fixed partial dentures. Frameworks for 60 anterior bridges (three-unit fixed partial dentures) were cast from a low-expansion Au-Pd alloy (O) and a high-expansion Pd-Ag alloy (J). A high-expansion porcelain (B) was applied to each of three framework designs. Firing was performed at heating rates of 56°C/min and 180°C/min. Specimens were cooled at two rates after each of five glazing cycles. For O-B specimens which exhibited a negative thermal contraction mismatch between 600°C and 25°C, 60% of the bridge specimens failed when they were subjected to slow cooling preceded by either fast or slow heating. When J-B specimens (which exhibited a smaller negative contraction mismatch) were heated and cooled rapidly, no failures occured through all of the firing cycles. However, cracks were observed in 13.3% of the J-B bridges which were slowly heated and rapidly cooled. Delayed cracks (after the fifth glaze cycle) developed over periods of up to two years only in bridges which were slowly cooled in the furnace chamber. The results of this study suggest that checking in conventional feldspathic porcelains can be promoted by slow cooling rates and an excessive number of firing cycles.
Condensation polymers from 3,9‐bis(7‐carbomethoxyheptyl)‐2,4,8,10‐tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane. II. Poly(amide‐acetals)

3,9-Bis(7-carbomethoxyheptyl)-2,4,8,10-tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane (the pentaerythritol acetal of methyl azelaaldehydate) was found to undergo condensation polymerization with diamines to give linear polymers, either alone or in conjunction with dimethyl azelate. These novel, linear poly(amide-acetals) were susceptible to crosslinking by p-toluenesulfonic acid and by various metal oxides and salts, such as zinc oxide, zinc acetate, litharge, and magnesium oxide. The crosslinked polymers were insoluble, infusible, transparent solids which were strongly adherent to glass.
A comparison of MAC protocols for wireless local networks based on battery power consumption

Energy efficiency is an important issue in mobile wireless networks since the battery life of mobile terminals is limited. Conservation of battery power has been addressed using many techniques. This paper addresses energy efficiency in medium access control (MAC) protocols for wireless networks. The paper develops a framework to study the energy consumption of a MAC protocol from the transceiver usage perspective. This framework is then applied to compare the performance of a set of protocols that includes IEEE 802.11, energy-conserving MAC (EC-MAC), PRMA, multiservices dynamic reservation-TDMA (MDR-TDMA), and distributed-queueing request update multiple access (DQRUMA). The performance metrics considered are transmitter and receiver usage times for packet transmission and reception. The analysis here shows that protocols that aim to reduce the number of contentions perform better from a energy consumption perspective. The receiver usage time, however; tends to be higher for protocols that require the mobile to sense the medium before attempting transmission.
Image based tracking of news stories

Broadcasters often reuse video clips while reporting news stories. New clips are added to the story as it develops replacing old clips. A subset of these video clips may be replayed as follow up stories are investigated. This pattern of video repetition can be used to impose a story level organization on video clips that are broadcast by one or more news channels. In this paper, we describe an automated system for detecting and tracking repeated video clips in news broadcasts. We begin by performing temporal video segmentation to divide the video into shots and scenes. As each frame of the video source is processed, we extract low-level video features that are used to perform repeated sequence detection in realtime. Our matching algorithms have been adapted to recognize partial clip reuse while remaining robust to minor variations in the video source. Our system then builds a set of shots relevant to the news story being tracked, called a story core, and identifies new story episodes by detecting occurrences of shots belonging to this set. The story core is allowed to evolve dynamically over time to account for additional video footage as it becomes available. This technique was evaluated on a 24-hour broadcast of CNN News channel where we were very successful locating and tracking video clips associated with selected news stories.
The Immunopathology of Zinc Deficiency in Humans and Rodents

It is now well established that nutritional deficiencies have a rapid and deleterious effect on the immune system which exceeds in intensity its effects on most other systems of the body. Suboptimal dietary intake of essential nutrients represents a major dietary problem among some low-income Americans as well as many people in Third World countries. It leads to increased incidences of infection, disease, and mortality (Chandra and Newberne, 1977). Malnutrition including deficiencies in zinc are also a major factor in the etiology of many Western diseases, e.g., AIDS, cancer, alcoholism, renal disease, and gastrointestinal disorders (Endre et al., 1990). As a result, increased incidences of sepsis, respiratory infections, skin diseases, secondary infections, etc., in such patients can impede or even confound their recovery. Collectively, it would seem that various nutritional deficiencies are the major cause of secondary immunodeficiency states worldwide and as such represent an extremely important area of research.
Pedestrian Detection via Mixture of CNN Experts and Thresholded Aggregated Channel Features

In this paper, we propose a two stage pedestrian detector. The first stage involves a cascade of Aggregated Channel Features (ACF) to extract potential pedestrian windows from an image. We further introduce a thresholding technique on the ACF confidence scores that segregates candidate windows lying at the extremes of the ACF score distribution. The windows with ACF scores in between the upper and lower bounds are passed on to a Mixture of Expert (MoE) CNNs for more refined classification in the second stage. Results show that the designed detector yields better than state-of-the-art performance on the INRIA benchmark dataset and yields a miss rate of 10.35% at FPPI=10 -- 1.
Transboundary Regulation in the Case of Nanotechnologies: A Theoretical Framing

While much has been written about the risks and uncertainties of nanotechnology products and industries using nanotechnologies, an equally important issue is the different risk sensitivities and tolerances of individual states and constituencies within states, resulting in divergent regulatory schemes. Risks and uncertainty are relevant for policy-making because they are embedded in particular societal contexts, which differ from state to state, from one regulatory agency to another, across various industries and across civil society. Reflecting these varying sensitivities to risk in the context of nanotechnologies, then, presents multi-level regulatory challenges domestically but also internationally. While no single global constraining framework, such as a treaty, has emerged to address those transnational regulatory challenges, for technical and practical reasons, a number of regulatory processes have surfaced, combining public and private initiatives, hard and soft law at the domestic, transnational and international levels. This article presents nanotech regulation globally as a regime and it asks whether this regime can respond to the challenges of risk, uncertainty and promoting public and private innovation.
The effects of goal variation on adult physical activity behaviour.

ABSTRACTThe purposes of this study were to examine the effects of varying levels of goals on increasing daily steps and the frequency of goal achievement among middle-aged adults. Ninety-six adults participated in a randomised control study. Participants were randomly assigned to five different step goal groups: (1) Easy (n = 19), (2) Medium (n = 19), (3) Difficult (n = 19), (4) Do-your-best (n = 19), and (5) No goal (n = 20) based on previous research. The participants wore a pedometer and were asked to reach a pre-established goal during the experimental period. In order to examine the effectiveness of the goal difficulty, (a) an average number of steps taken by different goal conditions and (b) the number of days meeting the assigned goal were tested. A one-way ANCOVA revealed significant step count differences among goal groups. Post hoc analyses indicated that the change in step count in both the Medium and Difficult goal groups was significantly greater than the remaining groups. However, there was ...
Application of Attachment Theory in Clinical Social Work

This article proposes the use of attachment theory in clinical social work practice. This theory is very appropriate in this context because of its fit with social work concepts of person-in-situation, the significance of developmental history in the emergence of psychosocial problems, and the content of human behavior in the social environment. A literature review supports the significance of the theory. Included are ideas about how attachment styles and working models may be used in assessment and treatment to help clients achieve a secure attachment style.
Low-energy resonant scattering from hydrogen impurities in graphene

We study the electronic transport properties of graphene with covalently bonded hydrogen impurities. Our measurements reveal low-energy resonant scattering processes within the transport for each charge carrier type. The observed resonances exhibit a strong energy dependence and are accompanied by a sharp increase in the scattering cross section. The ability to observe the scattering resonances was found to depend on the amount of disorder introduced into the graphene through the bonding of hydrogen. The results are shown to be in agreement with a theory regarding low-energy resonant scattering off a short-range impurity in graphene that takes into account both intravalley and intervalley scattering. Theory dictates that the observed resonances are the result of the formation of quasibound states of the Dirac fermions in graphene due to a divergence in one or more of the scattering lengths for the short-range hydrogen impurity potential. We anticipate our experimental results to have implications in graphene valley physics as well as graphene chemical modification, scattering, and localization theories.
Changing activity of erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and tolerances to glucose and tolbutamide in growing sheep.

SummaryErythrocyte glucokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities, glucose concentration, and tolerances to glucose and tolbutamide were measured in 6 adult sheep and 4 lambs growing from 1 to 150 days. The young lambs had G6PD activity and tolerances like normal man. The adult sheep had low G6PD activities and tolerances like diabetic man. Erythrocyte G6PD and glucose diminished gradually in growing lambs to approximate adult values by 60-100 days. The changes in the tolerances tests can be explained by a progressive development of insulin resistance, previously demonstrated in growing lambs.
A cross-population extended haplotype-based homozygosity score test to detect positive selection in genome-wide scans

In this article, we developed a cross-population comparison test statistic to detect chromosome regions in which there is no significant excess homozygosity in one population but homozygosity remains high in the other. We treated an extended stretch of homozygosity as a surrogate indicator of a recent positive selection. Conditioned on existing linkage disequilibrium, we proposed to test the haplotype version of the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). For each population, we assumed that a random sample of unrelated individuals were typed on a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A pooled-test statistic was constructed by comparing the measurements of homozygosity of the two samples around a core SNP. In the chromosome regions where HWE is roughly true in one population and HWE is not true in the other, the pooled-test statistic led to significant results to detect the positive selection. We evaluated the performance of the test statistic by type I error comparison and power evaluation. We showed that the proposed test statistic was very conservative and it had good power when the selected allele remains polymorphic. Then, we applied the test to HapMap Phase II data to make a comparison with previous results and to search for new candidate regions.
Characteristics of nitromethane for propulsion applications

Although hydrazine has been used for space thrusters for many years, recent environmental concerns h ave led to t he need for its replacement for monopropellant candidates with high -performance and reduced toxicity . This has led to study of nitromethane (NM, or CH 3NO 2), which offers potential to meet that need. Nitromethane is a readily -available industria l chemical and has a wide variety of applications, including use as a solvent for chemical processing and analysis. The energetic nature of th is compound also makes it useful as a liquid explosive and as a high -performance additive to fuel for internal co mbustion engines. As a storable high -energy monopropellant, it exhibits high specific impulse and has low toxicity. It also has a great potential to serve as the base for energetic gel propellants. To encourage and enable future propulsion studies, this p aper summarizes much of the previous and current work, and collects many properties necessary for combustion and propulsion studies.
Bilayer-thickness-mediated interactions between integral membrane proteins.

The authors present a theoretical approach to the elastic equations associated with lipid bilayer deformation induced by embedded proteins. They provide analytic and numerical solutions for several boundary conditions and interaction potentials and find that variations in the protein shape strongly influence the nature of the interaction between the membrane and the protein.
Road safety challenges in Pakistan: an overview

Pakistan’s location provides economic advantage for freight transportation from the Indian Ocean to Afghanistan, China, and the Central Asian States. In late 1970s, Pakistan shifted focus from railway to roadway as the major mode of transportation. This policy shift introduced heavy vehicles for which highways were not designed. In late 1990s, migration to urban areas increased congestion on Pakistan’s highways. In early 2000s, the economic sanctions on Pakistan were lifted in exchange for cooperation with the war on terrorism. The global war on terrorism also increased freight transportation from Pakistan to Afghanistan which supported ISAF forces. The military freight, urbanization, motorization, and congestion increased risk to road users. The World Health Organization reported 25,000–30,000 annual deaths on Pakistan’s roads. This paper reflects upon strategic national issues including war on terrorism. To reduce road congestion, Pakistan must revise national transportation policy and split traffic volume into different modes.
Tinbergen and tipping points: Could some thresholds be policy-induced?

Abstract Thresholds and tipping points that are characteristic of dynamic multi-stability are increasingly prominent touchstones of the science-policy interface. Prior economic work has shown thresholds arising in convex-concave ecological models that exclude humans may disappear in models of coupled economic-ecological systems when economic agents are included as part of the system. Less well-understood is how this result may depend on the ability of humans to manage complex systems. We examine the role of institutions that condition the available management choices. We find institutional restrictions do not generate non-convexities when the ecological system is well-behaved, but that these restrictions may generate non-convexities when the ecological system is convex-concave. These results are tied to the concept of path controllability, which is when managers have sufficient controls to guide the system across the state space. Path controllability is the dynamic version of the Tinbergen rule, and generally requires separate controls to manage each possible ecological externality. We link the concepts of ecosystem externalities, thresholds, and path controllability to provide new economic insights into problems with the potential for multi-stability, and we illustrate the importance of institutions for managing convex-concave systems.
Pokémon GO—A New Distraction for Drivers and Pedestrians

Pokemon GO, an augmented reality game, has swept the nation. As players move, their avatar moves within the game, and players are then rewarded for collecting Pokemon placed in real-world locations. By rewarding movement, the game incentivizes physical activity. However, if players use their cars to search for Pokemon they negate any health benefit and incur serious risk. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 16- to 24-year-olds, whom the game targets. Moreover, according to the American Automobile Association, 59% of all crashes among young drivers involve distractions within 6 seconds of the accident. We report on an assessment of drivers and pedestrians distracted by Pokemon GO and crashes potentially caused by Pokemon GO by mining social and news media reports. Language: en
Estimating Evapotranspiration From Satellite Using Easily Obtainable Variables: A Case Study Over the Southern Great Plains, USA

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical component of the earth's water budget, a critical modulator of land–atmosphere interactions, and also plays a crucial role in managing the earth's energy balance. In this study, the feasibility of generating spatially continuous daily evaporative fraction (EF) and ET from minimal remotely sensed and meteorological inputs in a trapezoidal framework is demonstrated. A total of four variables, normalized difference vegetation index, land surface temperature ( ${T_s}$ ), gridded daily average temperature ( ${T_a}$ ), and elevation ( z ) are required to estimate EF. Then, ET can be estimated with the available soil heat flux ( G ) and net radiation ( Rn ) data. First, the crucial model variable ${T_s} - {T_a}$ is examined how well it characterizes the variation in EF using in-situ data recorded at two eddy correlation flux towers in Southern Great Plains, USA in 2011. Next, the accuracy of satellite-based ${T_s}\ $ is compared to ground-based ${T_s}$ . Finally, EF and ET estimates are validated. The results reveal that the model performed satisfactorily in modeling EF and ET variation at winter wheat and deciduous forest during the high evaporative months. Even though the model works best with the observed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer- ${T_s}$ as opposed to temporally interpolated ${T_s}$ , results obtained from interpolated ${T_s}$ are able to close the gaps with reasonable accuracy. Due to the fact that ${T_s} - {T_a}$ is not a good indicator of EF outside the growing season when deciduous forest is dormant, potential improvements to the model are proposed to improve accuracy in EF and ET estimates at the expense of adding more variables.