cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LC-NMR: a new tool to expedite the dereplication and identification of natural products.

The rapid identification of known or undesirable compounds from natural products extracts — “dereplication” — is an important step in an efficiently run natural products discovery program. Dereplication strategies use analytical techniques and database searching to determine the identity of an active compound at the earliest possible stage in the discovery process. In the past few years, advances in technology have allowed the development of tandem analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), LC-MS-MS, liquid chromatography nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-NMR), and LC-NMR-MS. LC-NMR, despite its lower sensitivity as compared to LC-MS, provides a powerful tool for rapid identification of known compounds and identification of structure classes of novel compounds. LC-NMR is especially useful in instances where the data from LC-MS are incomplete or do not allow confident identification of the active component of a sample. LC-NMR has been used to identify the marine alkaloid aaptamine as the active component in an extract of the sponge Aaptos sp. This extract had been identified as an enzyme inhibitor by a high throughput screening (HTS) effort. Isolated aaptamine exhibited an IC50=120 μM against this enzyme. Strategies for the identification of aaptamine and for the use of LC-NMR in a natural products HTS program are discussed. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2000) 25, 342–345.
Activation of rheumatoid factor (RF) B cells and somatic hypermutation outside of germinal centers in autoimmune-prone MRL/lpr mice.

: Two critical questions need to be answered concerning the origins of autoreactive B cells in autoimmunity. First, how are autoreactive B cells regulated in normal situations? Second, how do such B cells escape tolerance mechanisms during autoimmunity? To address these questions, an Ig transgenic (Tg) mouse system based on the rheumatoid factor (RF) specificity has been developed. Tg mice express either the H or both H and L chains from AM14, an MRL/lpr-derived RF. Using this system, it was first shown that RF B cells are neither tolerized nor activated in a normal mouse. New insights into the timing and sites of initial RF B cell activation in MRL/lpr mice have been gained recently. RF B cells are activated. It was found, unexpectedly, that RF B cell activation, somatic hypermutation, and selection take place outside of the germinal center. We discuss the implications of this for the regulation of autoreactive B cells as well as for the regulation of hypermutation.
Analysis of the multigene family coding the developmentally regulated carbohydrate-binding protein Discoidin-I in D. discoideum

Using recombinant DNA technology, we have isolated chimeric plasmids carrying genomic or cDNA sequences complementary to mRNA encoding the developmentally regulated carbohydrate-binding protein Discoidin-I. The protein is encoded by a 4-5 member multigene family. Mapping of the genomic sequences by DNA blot hybridization suggests that several of the genes are closely linked. RNA excess hybridization kinetics indicate that Discoidin-I mRNA is found in less than one copy per gene per cell during vegetative growth, and increases 500-1000 fold during the first 6 hr of development. The Discoidin-I mRNA concentration decreases during later stages of development. mRNA complementary to the genes shows two bands of -1.0-1.1 kb on acrylamide gels, indicating heterogeneity either in the genes or in mRNA processing.
Who Are Most, Average, or High-Functioning Adults?.

The growing number of high-functioning adults seeking accommodations from testing agencies and postsecondary institutions presents an urgent need to ensure reliable and valid diagnostic decision making. The potential for this population to make significant contributions to society will be greater if we provide the learning and testing accommodations to allow them access to knowledge, as well as the means to demonstrate their extraordinary abilities. The criteria and decision making used to identify high-functioning adults with learning disabilities (LD) must be robust yet flexible enough to account for individual differences, measurement fallibility, and examiner expertise. The purpose of this article is to explore legal, measurement, and clinical issues surrounding the provision of accommodations to high-functioning individuals with LD.
An Ionic-Polymer-Metal-Composite Electrical Model With a Linear Time-Variant Method

Ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC), categorized as an ionic electroactive polymer (EAP), can exhibit conspicuous deflection with low external voltages (∼5 V). This material has been commonly applied in robotic artificial muscles since reported in 1992 because it can be fabricated in various sizes and shapes. Researchers developed numerous IPMC models according to its deflection in response to the corresponding input stimulation. In this paper, an IPMC strip is modeled (1) as a cantilever beam with a loading distribution on the surface, and (2) with system identification tools, such as an autoregressive with exogenous (ARX)/autoregressive moving average with exogenous (ARMAX) model and an output-error (OE) model. Nevertheless, the loading distribution is non-uniform due to the imperfect surface conductivity. Finally, a novel linear time-variant (LTV) modeling method is introduced and applied to an IPMC electrical model on the basis of the internal environment such as surface resistance, thickness, and water distribution related to the unique working principle of IPMC. A comparison between the simulated and the experimental deflections demonstrates the benefits and accuracy of the LTV electrical model.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Solar UV radiation variations and their stratospheric and climatic effects

Nimbus-7 SBUV measurements of the short-term solar UV variations caused by solar rotation and active-region evolution have determined the amplitude and wavelength dependence for the active-region component of solar UV variations. Intermediate-term variations lasting several months are associated with rounds of major new active regions. The UV flux stays near the peak value during the current solar cycle variation for more than two years and peaks about two years later than the sunspot number. Nimbus-7 measurements have observed the concurrent stratospheric ozone variations caused by solar UV variations. There is now no doubt that solar UV variations are an important cause of short- and long-term stratospheric variations, but the strength of the coupling to the troposphere and to climate has not yet been proven.
Don't Let Me Down: The Role of Operator Expectations in Human-Automation Interaction

This study investigated how user expectations of automation performance influenced reliance and how expectations interacted with types of automation failures. Participants were assigned to a low, h...
Anatomical and functional organization of somatosensory areas of the lateral fissure of the New World titi monkey (Callicebus moloch).

The organization of anterior and lateral somatosensory cortex was investigated in titi monkeys (Callicebus moloch). Multiunit microelectrode recordings were used to identify multiple representations of the body, and anatomical tracer injections were used to reveal connections. (1) Representations of the face were identified in areas 3a, 3b, 1, S2, and the parietal ventral area (PV). In area 3b, the face was represented from chin/lower lip to upper lip and neck/upper face in a rostrocaudal sequence. The representation of the face in area 1 mirrored that of area 3b. Another face representation was located in area 3a. Adjoining face representations in S2 and PV exhibited mirror-image patterns to those of areas 3b and 1. (2) Two representations of the body, the rostral and caudal ventral somatosensory areas (VSr and VSc), were found in the dorsal part of the insula. VSc was roughly a reversal image of the S2 body representation, and VSr was roughly a reversal of PV. (3) Neurons in the insula next to VSr and VSc responded to auditory stimuli or to both auditory and somatosensory stimuli. (4) Injections of tracers within the hand representations in areas 3b, 1, and S2 revealed reciprocal connections between these three areas. Injections in areas 3b and 1 labeled the ventroposterior nucleus, whereas injections in S2 labeled the inferior ventroposterior nucleus. The present study demonstrates features of somatosensory cortex of other monkeys in titi monkeys, while revealing additional features that likely apply to other primates. J. Comp. Neurol. 476:363–387, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Artifacts associated with quick-freezing and freeze-drying.

We have studied the structures produced when nonbiological samples were subjected to quick-freezing and freeze-drying with a liquid helium cooled freeze-slamming device. Samples examined in this way included sodium chloride, sucrose, and Tris buffer. A variety of filamentlike and trabeculumlike structures were formed in these preparations. These structures may represent eutectic mixtures formed during the growth of small ice crystals during the freezing process, and exposed during the rapid sublimation of pure ice during the etching process. Samples of biological membranes (isolated chloroplast membranes) were prepared in various buffers by means of this technique. In distilled water, excellent replicas of membrane surfaces were obtained. In salt solutions, however, the membranes appeared to be embedded in a network of thin filaments appearing very much like a cytoskeletal lattice. It is concluded that extreme caution must be used when employing this preparation technique for studies of cell architecture, and that extensive washingt of cell components in distilled water may be necessary to obtain faithful representations of cell structure.
Cost of Therapy

BACKGROUND Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by “repetitive episodes of complete (apnea) or partial (hypopnea) narrowing upper airway obstruction occurring during sleep.” 1 These events frequently result in recurrent hypoxic episodes and arousals. Its prevalence in the general population has been estimated to be 4% of men and 2% of women. 2 Untreated (or unrecognized), these episodes can manifest as excessive daytime sleepiness and mild neurologic compromise in the short term to myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and increased mortality over the long term. Untreated, the 15-year mortality for severe OSA is approximately 30%, with adjusted mortality hazard ratios of 1.4, 1.7, and 3.8, respectively, for mild, moderate, and severe disease (P trend 5 .004). 3
Pertussis vaccine and injury to the brain

A syndrome of pertussis vaccine encephalopathy was first reported 56 years ago. Analysis of the recent literature, however, does not support the existence of such a syndrome and suggests that neurologic events after immunization are chance temporal associations of neurologic conditions that occur in the target age group, even in the absence of immunization. Population-based studies do not prove a causal relationship with acute encephalopathy. There are no consistent neuropathologic findings suggesting a specific pathophysiologic process, and hypotheses concerning possible mechanisms of damage are not supported by reproducible studies in children. No acceptable animal model exists. There clearly is an increased risk of a convulsion after diphtheriatetanus-pertussis immunization but no evidence that this produces brain injury or is a forerunner of epilepsy. Studies have also not linked immunization with either sudden infant death syndrome or infantile spasms.
Kondo effect in gapless superconductors

We present a self-consistent theory of Kondo impurities in gapless unconventional superconductors valid in the Fermi-liquid regime T\ensuremath{\lesssim}${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{K}}$. The impurity degrees of freedom are treated using the large-N slave-boson technique, leading to tractable equations describing the interplay between the Kondo effect and superconductivity. We show that for a single impurity in a superconductor with density of states N(\ensuremath{\omega})\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{\Vert}\ensuremath{\omega}${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Vert}}}^{\mathit{r}}$, there exists a critical coupling ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{c}}$ below which the Kondo effect does not occur. However, for r\ensuremath{\le}1 or N=2 any finite concentration of impurities drives ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0. The theory provides microscopic support for phenomenological models of resonant impurity scattering in heavy-fermion systems.
Cytochemical studies on the concurrent synthesis of DNA and histone in primary spermatocytes of Urechis caupo.

Abstract The results of a combined autoradiographic and cytophotometric study show that primary spermatocytes of Urechis caupo incorporate about 2 to 4 times more tritiated arginine, lysine, or phenylalanine during S-phase than during G1 and G2 stage. This increased incorporation occurs mainly in histones which do not incorporate 3 H-tryptophane and which are acid labile.
Prostaglandin F2α Suppresses Rat Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein Expression via Induction of Yin Yang 1 Protein and Recruitment of Histone Deacetylase 1 Protein

Prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) plays a pivotal role in ovarian luteolysis by inhibiting the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein, leading to a decrease in intracellular cholesterol transport and luteal steroid production. Previously we have demonstrated that the transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) bound to three regions in the StAR promoter in vitro and repressed promoter activity. This study further defined the YY1-mediated PGF2alpha effect on the inhibition of StAR protein expression through YY1 interaction with a single region in the StAR promoter in vivo. PGF2alpha consistently suppressed StAR mRNA and protein expression in cultured luteal cells in a dose-dependent manner. PGF2alpha also enhanced YY1 protein expression and binding to its cis-element in a time-dependent pattern that preceded the decline in StAR protein levels. The StAR promoter region bound by YY1 was also associated with histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). PGF2alpha treatment promoted HDAC1 binding to and suppressed the histone H3 acetylation in this region. On the contrary, YY1 knockdown decreased HDAC1 binding, increased histone H3 acetylation, enhanced StAR protein expression, and negated PGF2alpha effect on StAR protein expression. Luciferase assays showed that YY1 overexpression inhibited StAR promoter activity and the addition of a HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A, abrogated the effect of YY1. Trichostatin A-treated luteal cells displayed increased StAR protein expression. These data indicate that PGF2alpha enhances a direct YY1/StAR promoter interaction and the recruitment of HDAC1 to the promoter, thereby preventing transcriptional activation of the StAR gene.
Fetal Ethanol Exposure Disrupts the Daily Rhythms of Splenic Granzyme B, IFN-γ, and NK Cell Cytotoxicity in Adulthood

Background: Circadian (and daily) rhythms are physiological events that oscillate with a 24-hour period. Circadian disruptions may hamper the immune response against infection and cancer. Several immune mechanisms, such as natural killer (NK) cell function, follow a daily rhythm. Although ethanol is known to be a potent toxin for many systems in the developing fetus, including the immune system, the long-term effects of fetal ethanol exposure on circadian immune function have not been explored. Methods: Daily rhythms of cytotoxic factors (granzyme B and perforin), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and NK cell cytotoxic activity were determined in the spleens of adult male rats obtained from mothers who were fed during pregnancy with chow food or an ethanol-containing liquid diet or pair-fed an isocaloric liquid diet. Results: We found that adult rats exposed to ethanol during their fetal life showed a significant alteration in the physiological rhythms of granzyme B and IFN-γ that was associated with decreased NK cell cytotoxic activity. Conclusion: These data suggest that fetal ethanol exposure causes a permanent alteration of specific immune rhythms that may in part underlie the immune impairment observed in children prenatally exposed to alcohol.
A Nonlinear State Machine for Dead Zone Avoidance and Mitigation in a Synchronous Noninverting Buck–Boost Converter

A new nonlinear state machine is proposed as the solution to an operational dead zone near the buck/boost interface of the noninverting buck-boost converter. This dead zone avoidance and mitigation (DZAM) state machine transforms the sequence of buck and boost duty cycles applied to the converter to a new sequence which completely avoids the dead zone while largely shielding the rest of the converter from its presence. The state machine contains one of several possible embedded nonlinearities, the choice of which determines the exact characteristics of the DZAM algorithm and is application specific. Previously published attempts to deal with the noninverting buck-boost dead zone either double switching loss or apply only to systems with slowly changing input/output conditions. By contrast, the high-speed DZAM technique proposed here does not increase switching loss and operates autonomously, independent of external conditions, thereby allowing its use in all applications.
Beyond the Streetlight Effect: A United Future for Relaxation and Diffraction Methods for Residual Stress Measurement

Residual stress measurement techniques can be categorized as either relaxation or diffraction methods. Practitioners often advocate a particular category and sometimes a specific technique (hole drilling, contour, XRD, neutron, etc) based on their experience or capability rather than using the best technique for the particular application. This paper considers some of the implications from applying this “drunkard’s search” or “streetlight” approach by examining examples where the critical stress could be hidden from both relaxation and diffraction measurements. A better approach to planning residual stress measurements would begin with a detailed consideration of why the stresses should be measured and how the results will be used. Only then can the most appropriate measurement plan be developed. Since a single measurement technique cannot reveal the full state of stress, especially in challenging parts, the use of multiple measurement types often provides the most useful information to customers.
Augmentation of the behavioral and electrophysiologic response to cocaine by chronic administration in the rat.

Previous experiments have demonstrated an augmentation of the behavioral effects of cocaine with chronic administration. Cocaine has a pronounced electrophysiologic effect in the basal forebrain, and it was hypothesized that the repetition of this effect during chronic administration might result in an augmentation of the electrophysiologic and behavioral responses to the drug, similar to those seen to electrical stimulation in the kindling phenomenon of G. V. Goddard (1967. Nature (London)214: 1020–1021). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with electrodes in the amygdala. After recovery, they were administered saline or one of two doses of cocaine for 13 days. The chronic administration of the high dose of cocaine resulted in augmentation of its behavioral and electrophysiologic effects. Subsequently the animals were given daily electrical stimulation of the amygdala to determine if the chronic cocaine administration had produced an effect in the amygdala which would facilitate kindling. No significant facilitation was found, although this finding was considered inconclusive. A subsequent test injection of cocaine indicated that the augmentation of the electrophysiologic response to cocaine persisted for an average of 20 days or more. Persistence of the augmented behavioral effect was also found. Possible mechanisms underlying this augmentation were discussed.
Thermal Reduction of Ilmenite Concentrates in a DC Transferred-ARC Plasma Furnace

The thermal reduction of ilmenite to produce a high grade titania slag and pig iron byproduct using a d.c. transferred-arc plasma furnace has been investigated. Small-scale (50 kVA) batch tests were conducted on three different ilmenite concentrates of widely differing chemical compositions and geological histories to assess the suitability of this reactor configuration for ilmenite smelting. The effects of reducing agent particle size and excess carbon on slag grade, titanium and iron recoveries, and reducing agent efficiency are discussed. A d.c. plasma furnace appears to be an ideal reactor for ilmenite smelting, although accurate control of the furnace thermal balance is essential if reaction between furnace refractories and the titania slag is to be avoided.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of amino acid methyl ester conjugates of 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid against the production of nitric oxide (NO)

2-Cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO, 2) was condensed with various amino acid methyl esters at the C-28 carboxylic acid. The new amide conjugates were evaluated for their inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 cells stimulated with interferon-γ (IFNγ). Of these new compounds, CDDO conjugates with alanine, valine, and serine are nearly equipotent to CDDO-ethyl amide (4), a triterpenoid with promising biological activity in numerous disease models. Some of these conjugates also induce the in vitro expression of heme oxygenase-1, and inhibit the proliferation of Panc-1343 pancreatic cells.
Interface between C60 and Ag on nanostructured plasmonic Ag gratings: a SERS study

Nanostructured electrodes and interfaces can enhance light absorption in organic solar cells due to efficient light harvesting. Ultrathin films of an active layer (C60) deposited on nanostructured grating electrodes show more absorption as a result of increased light trapping. Plasmonic nanostructured electrodes with various geometries and dimensions have been fabricated on printed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and subsequently characterized. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements show significant signal enhancement (over two orders of magnitude) on nanostructured samples when compared to planar Ag substrates due to local electromagnetic field enhancement. Furthermore, conversion of PAN to graphitic carbon is evidenced in SERS spectra. The surface area was determined using underpotential deposition (UPD) of thallium and agrees with the geometric surface area calculated from SEM images. The FDTD simulated electric field distribution inside the samples confirms the experimental results. A 60 fold increase in the electric field results in three to four orders of magnitude enhancement in the SERS signal depending on the dimensions of the pillars and gratings. Further study of the interaction between a top organic layer (C60) and the Ag electrode will help us to understand the nanoscale charge transfer rate critical to optimization and design of efficient organic solar cells.
Interactions between the sorbitol pathway, non-enzymatic glycation, and diabetic vascular dysfunction

Background. Many lines of evidence attest to a multifactorial pathogenesis of diabetic complications in humans and in animal models of diabetes. Increased sorbitol pathway metabolism and non-enzymatic glycation products have been implicated by many investigators in the pathogenesis of vascular and neural dysfunction as well as early vascular structural changes in animal models of diabetes. The present studies were undertaken to assess the mechanisms that mediate vascular dysfunction associated with these biochemical imbalances. Methods. Three different animal models of diabetes were used: (1) rats with diabetes induced by injection of streptozotocin; (2) non-diabetic rats with acute hyperglycaemia of 5 h duration induced by i.v. glucose infusion at a rate sufficient to produce plasma glucose levels comparable to those in diabetic rats; and (3) the skin chamber granulation tissue model in which vessels in the chamber are exposed to buffer containing 5 or 30 mM glucose ± pharmacological agents or 0.1 μM glycated rat serum albumin ± pharmacological agents. Vascular function was assessed by injection of 11.3 μm 46 Sc microspheres for quantification of blood flow and by injection of [ 125 I] and [ 131 I]bovine serum albumin for quantification of vascular albumin permeation. Results. Vascular dysfunction induced by elevated glucose levels (increased blood flow and increased albumin permeation) in all three models was prevented by inhibitors of sorbitol pathway metabolism, inhibitors of nitric oxide synthesis and inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis. In the skin chamber model vascular dysfunction induced by elevated glucose levels and by glycated rat serum albumin was prevented by superoxide dismutase, probucol and inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase. Conclusions. These observations suggest that vascular dysfunction induced by increased sorbitol pathway metabolism (caused by elevated glucose levels) and by products of non-enzymatic glycation (at normal glucose levels) is mediated by a common final pathway consistent with a scenario in which: ↑ superoxide production → ↑ intracellular calcium levels → ↑ nitric oxide synthesis → ↑ blood flow and ↑ vascular permeability.
Kidney Extracts from Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (Shr) Have Greater Dopamine 1A Receptor Rna-Binding Activity Than Extracts from Normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (Wky) Rats

Rat kidney extracts contain a 52 kDa protein that binds to the 3′untranslated region of the dopamine 1A (D1A) receptor mRNA at a 243 base-long cis element starting at the stop codon and ending ∼220 bases upstream of an AUUUA-rich region. The D1A receptor RNA-binding protein (D1A-BP) is redox-sensitive; free sulfhydryl groups on the protein are required for binding. Kidney extracts from SHR have significantly more D1A-BP activity than extracts from WKY rats. When kidney extracts were tested for binding to an 80-base RNA containing four AUUUA repeats, there was also greater binding activity in extracts from SHR. These increases are at least partly specific because there was no difference in catalase RNA-binding protein activity between the two rat strains. These data suggest D1A-BP and AUUUA-binding protein may play a role in post-transcriptional regulation of the D1A receptor in the hypertensive rat.
Thermal budgeting in a double level metal process with CVD tungsten as first metal

The high-temperature stability of CVD tungsten (W) interconnects over TiSi/sub 2/-clad diffusions was tested up to 700 degrees C. A sputtered 10 wt.% Ti in W sticking layer was used to nucleate the W. Contact resistance was stable at the highest temperatures, and measured to be >
Preliminary orbit determination of a tethered satellite

Interest in the deployment of tethered satellites has led to a need for preliminary orbit determination methods which are capable of distinguishing tethered satellites from untethered ones. Classical preliminary orbit determination methods, which are used for Keplerian satellites, generally require two or more position vectors along with their respective observation times in order to determine a preliminary orbital element set. These conventional methods, however, are unable to distinguish between Keplerian and tethered satellites, whose motion is modified due to the presence of a tether force. The use of conventional methods result in the calculation of inaccurate orbital elements if the observed satellite is part of a tethered satellite system. Modifications have been made to four classical preliminary orbit determination methods in order to allow for the identification of tethered satellites. These modifications provide the ability to distinguish between a tethered satellite and an untethered one. This paper applies these modified preliminary orbit determination methods to the problem of the identification of a tethered satellite. The performance of these methods is evaluated through scenarios of differing tether lengths and levels of observation error, and results are compared in order to determine the most accurate method.
The dark side of light at night: physiological, epidemiological, and ecological consequences

Organisms must adapt to the temporal characteristics of their surroundings to successfully survive and reproduce. Variation in the daily light cycle, for example, acts through endocrine and neurobiological mechanisms to control several downstream physiological and behavioral processes. Interruptions in normal circadian light cycles and the resulting disruption of normal melatonin rhythms cause widespread disruptive effects involving multiple body systems, the results of which can have serious medical consequences for individuals, as well as large-scale ecological implications for populations. With the invention of electrical lights about a century ago, the temporal organization of the environment has been drastically altered for many species, including humans. In addition to the incidental exposure to light at night through light pollution, humans also engage in increasing amounts of shift-work, resulting in repeated and often long-term circadian disruption. The increasing prevalence of exposure to light at night has significant social, ecological, behavioral, and health consequences that are only now becoming apparent. This review addresses the complicated web of potential behavioral and physiological consequences resulting from exposure to light at night, as well as the large-scale medical and ecological implications that may result.
Emergence of computational chaos in asynchronous neurocomputing

One of the most important features of artificial neural networks in emerging, brain-inspired, nanoarchitectural design is their inherent ability to perform massively parallel, nonlinear signal processing. When operating in a system-wide asynchronous regime, such networks may exhibit a phenomenon referred to as "computational chaos", which impedes the efficient retrieval of information usually stored in the system's attractors. We illustrate the emergence of computational chaos from fixed point and limit cycle attractors for node communication delays in a widely used neural network model. In particular, the complete Lyapunov spectrum associated with the network dynamics is computed, and conditions that prevent the emergence of chaos are derived.
TEACHING SOCIAL/VOCATIONAL SKILLS TO RETARDED ADULTS WITH A MODIFIED TABLE GAME: AN ANALYSIS OF GENERALIZATION

In this study, a social skills training program for institutionalized mildly or moderately retarded adults was extended to include skills relevant to vocational settings. Target behaviors involving a verbal action or reaction within six skill areas were taught using a commercially available board game, Sorry, and a specially designed card deck. The training program featured response specific feedback, self-monitoring, individualized reinforcers, and individualized performance criterion levels. Using a multiple baseline across two groups (n = 3 per group), the game contingencies increased social/vocational skills in all targeted areas. Generalization was assessed in two settings: a simulated workshop in which pre and post measures were taken and in the institutional workshop where the residents worked. The posttraining simulated workshop results revealed that the residents' newly learned skills had generalized. However, repeated generalization measures of the residents' social interactions in the institutional workshop were equivocal as were measures of their productivity.
The Effect of Increasing Age on the Risk of Surgical Site Infection

Background An increasing number of older persons undergo surgery, but the relationship between increasing age and risk of surgical site infection (SSI) has not been established. The objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between increasing age and risk of SSI. Methods The present cohort study included patients who underwent surgery between February 1991 and July 2002. Patients >17 years of age were divided randomly into derivation and validation cohorts. The study was conducted at 11 hospitals. SSIs were prospectively identified by use of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Results The study included 144,485 consecutive surgical patients and 1684 SSIs (rate of SSI, 1.2%). There were 72,139 procedures and 873 SSIs in the derivation cohort. Adjusted analyses revealed a significant relationship between age and risk of SSI (P=.006). Risk of SSI increased by 1.1%/year between ages 17 and 65 years (P=.002). At age >/=65 years, risk of SSI decreased by 1.2% for each additional year (P=.008). There were 72,334 procedures and 811 SSIs in the validation cohort. The relationship between age and risk of SSI was similar in the validation cohort. Conclusions Increasing age independently predicted an increased risk of SSI until age 65 years. At ages >/=65 years, increasing age independently predicted a decreased risk of SSI.
Executive Compensation, Firm Performance, and State Ownership in China: Evidence from New Panel Data*

This paper provides the first systematic evidence on compensation for executives of firms listed in China???s emerging stock market (currently the eighth largest of the world with market capitalization of over $550 billion). Specifically, using comprehensive financial and accounting data on China???s listed firms from 1998 to 2002 (data modeled after Compustat and CRSP in the U.S.), augmented by unique data on executive compensation, we find for the first time statistically significant sensitivities and elasticities of annual cash compensation (salary and bonus) for top executives with respect to shareholder value in China. The size of the estimated sensitivities imply that a 1000 RMB increase in shareholder value yields a 0.020 RMB to 0.053 RMB increase in annual cash compensation, whereas the size of the estimated elasticities suggest that a 10 percent increase in shareholder value results in 3.7 to 4.0 percent increase in annual cash compensation for top executives. The estimated sensitivities and elasticities of cash compensation for top executives in China???s listed firms are greater than what has been reported for Japan and the U.S. However, we also find that state ownership of China???s listed firms is weakening executive pay-performance link and thus possibly making China???s listed firms less effective in solving the agency problem. As such, ownership restructuring may be needed for the ???shareholding experiment??? to fully succeed in transforming China???s emerging listed firms to efficient modernized corporations and for the overall successful economic transition of China. Finally, we find that sales growth is significantly linked to executive compensation and that Chinese executives are penalized for making negative profit although they are neither penalized for declining profit nor rewarded for rising profit insofar as it is positive.
A Ka-band class F MMIC amplifier design utilizing adaptable knowledge-based neural network modeling techniques

This paper describes the first implementation of an adaptable knowledge-based neural network (AKBNN) model in a high efficiency class F MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) amplifier design at Ka-band in a 0.25 /spl mu/m GaAs PHEMT technology. A single-stage amplifier based upon the AKBNN model employed shows comparable results to measured performance of a gain of 7.5 dB, a PAE of 35%, and an output power of 17 dBm.
Synthesis of highly syndiotactic polymers by discrete catalysts or initiators

Progress in the synthesis of highly stereoregular polymers with syndiotacticity ≥90% from an array of monomer substrates is surveyed, with a focus being placed on the use of syndiospecific discrete catalyst or initiator systems also exhibiting high activity and efficiency in the polymerization reactions. The monomer scope encompasses nonpolar α-olefins (propylene, styrene, and higher α-olefins), conjugated diolefins, bicyclic olefins, polar conjugated olefins (acrylic monomers such as methacrylates and (meth)acrylamides), and cyclic esters (lactides and β-lactones), while the polymerization catalysts or initiators enabling such syndiospecific polymerizations cover those discrete molecular complexes of main-group, early transition, and lanthanide metals. Several free-radical polymerization systems capable of producing highly syndiotactic polymers are also highlighted.
Age-Associated Vascular Oxidative Stress, Nrf2 Dysfunction, and NF-κB Activation in the Nonhuman Primate Macaca mulatta

Aging promotes oxidative stress in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, which contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases. NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor, which is activated by reactive oxygen species in the vasculature of young animals, leading to adaptive upregulation of numerous reactive oxygen species detoxifying and antioxidant genes. The present study was designed to elucidate age-associated changes in the homeostatic role of Nrf2-driven free radical detoxification mechanisms in the vasculature of nonhuman primates. We found that carotid arteries of aged rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta, age: ≥20 years) exhibit significant oxidative stress (as indicated by the increased 8-iso-PGF2α and 4-HNE content and decreased glutathione and ascorbate levels) as compared with vessels of young macaques (age:~10 years) that is associated with activation of the redox-sensitive proinflammatory transcription factor, nuclear factor-kappaB. However, age-related oxidative stress does not activate Nrf2 and does not induce Nrf2 target genes (NQO1, GCLC, and HMOX1). In cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) derived from young M mulatta, treatment with H(2)O(2) and high glucose significantly increases transcriptional activity of Nrf2 and upregulates the expression of Nrf2 target genes. In contrast, in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells cells derived from aged macaques, H(2)O(2)- and high glucose-induced Nrf2 activity and Nrf2-driven gene expression are blunted. High glucose-induced H(2)O(2) production was significantly increased in aged vascular smooth muscle cells compared with that in vascular smooth muscle cells from young M mulatta. Taken together, aging is associated with Nrf2 dysfunction in M mulatta arteries, which likely exacerbates age-related cellular oxidative stress, promoting nuclear factor-kappaB activation and vascular inflammation in aging.
Optimal Routing and Energy Allocation for Lifetime Maximization of Wireless Sensor Networks With Nonideal Batteries

An optimal control approach is used to solve the problem of routing in sensor networks where the goal is to maximize the network's lifetime. In our analysis, the energy sources (batteries) at nodes are not assumed to be “ideal” but rather behaving according to a dynamic energy consumption model, which captures the nonlinear behavior of actual batteries. We show that in a fixed topology case there exists an optimal policy consisting of time-invariant routing probabilities, which may be obtained by solving a set of relatively simple nonlinear programming (NLP) problems. We also show that this optimal policy is, under very mild conditions, robust with respect to the battery model used. Further, we consider a joint routing and initial energy allocation problem over the network nodes with the same network lifetime maximization objective. We prove that the solution to this problem is given by a policy that depletes all node energies at the same time and that the corresponding energy allocation and routing probabilities are obtained by solving an NLP problem. Numerical examples are included to illustrate the optimality of the time-invariant policy and its robustness with respect to the battery model used.
Co-occurrence of Victimization from Five Subtypes of Bullying: Physical, Verbal, Social Exclusion, Spreading Rumors, and Cyber

Objective To examine co-occurrence of five subtypes of peer victimization. Methods Data were obtained from a national sample of 7,475 US adolescents in grades 6 through 10 in the 2005/2006 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study. Latent class analyses (LCA) were conducted on victimization by physical, verbal, social exclusion, spreading rumors, and cyber bullying. Results Three latent classes were identified, including an all-types victims class (9.7% of males and 6.2% of females), a verbal/ relational victims class (28.1% of males and 35.1% of females), and a nonvictim class (62.2% of males and 58.7% of females). Males were more likely to be all-type victims. There was a graded relationship between the three latent classes and level of depression, frequency of medically attended injuries, and medicine use, especially among females. Conclusions Increased co-occurrence of victimization types put adolescents at greater risks for poorer physical and psychological outcomes.
Doppler Shift Distribution with a Semi-Spheroid Model for Mobile Radio Environments

This paper analyzes the Doppler shift (DS) distribution of the signal received by a mobile station in three-dimensional mobile radio environments. First, from the relationship of the DS and the signal's arriving angles, two equations are derived, bridging the probability density function (pdf) of the elevation angle and the pdf of the DS, as well as the variance of the DS. Then, these equations are applied to the semi- spheroid propagation model recently proposed by Janaswamy. The derived pdf of the DS is equivalent to the signal power-spectral density (PSD) when the average strengths of the waves distributed on different equal-Doppler-shift surfaces (EDSS) are assumed to be equal.
Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Expression in Vascular Cells After Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia

Background and Purpose We investigated whether inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is expressed after transient cerebral ischemia and, if so, we sought to define the temporal profile and cellular localization of the expression and the role of iNOS in the mechanism of ischemic brain injury. Methods The middle cerebral artery in rats was occluded for 2 hours by an intraluminal filament. The occurrence of transient ischemia and reperfusion was confirmed by laser-Doppler flowmetry (n=5). iNOS message in the ischemic neocortex was determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. iNOS enzymatic activity was assessed by citrulline assay. The cellular localization of iNOS expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results iNOS mRNA was maximally expressed in postischemic brain at 12 hours and was not present at 4 days (n=3 per time point). iNOS mRNA was not observed in the contralateral cerebral cortex. iNOS enzymatic activity developed in the postischemic brain between 12 and 24 hours (P...
Effects of age and sex on cerebrovascular function in the rat middle cerebral artery

Although the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of estrogen on cerebrovascular function are well known, the age-dependent deleterious effects of estrogen are largely unstudied. It was hypothesized that age and sex interact in modulating cerebrovascular reactivity to vasopressin (VP) by altering the role of prostanoids in vascular function. Female (F) Sprague?Dawley rats approximating key stages of ?hormonal aging? in humans were studied: premenopausal (mature multigravid, MA, cyclic, 5?6 months) and postmenopausal (reproductively senescent, RS, acyclic, 10?12 months). Age-matched male (M) rats were also studied. Reactivity to VP (10?12?10?7?M) was measured in pressurized middle cerebral artery segments in the absence or presence of selective inhibitors of COX-1 (SC560, SC, 1??M) or COX-2 (NS398, NS, 10??M). VP-stimulated release of PGI2 and TXA2 were measured using radioimmunoassay of 6-keto-PGF1? and TXB2 (stable metabolites, pg/mg dry wt/45?min). In M, there were no changes in VP-induced vasoconstriction with age. Further, there were no significant differences in basal or in low- or high-VP-stimulated PGI2 or TXA2 production in younger or older M. In contrast, there were marked differences in cerebrovascular reactivity and prostanoid release with advancing age in F. Older RS F exhibited reduced maximal constrictor responses to VP, which can be attributed to enhanced COX-1 derived dilator prostanoids. VP-induced vasoconstriction in younger MA F utilized both COX-1 and COX-2 derived constrictor prostanoids. Further, VP-stimulated PGI2 and TXA2 production was enhanced by endogenous estrogen and decreased with advancing age in F, but not in M rats. This is the first study to examine the effects of age and sex on the mechanisms underlying cerebrovascular reactivity to VP. Interestingly, VP-mediated constriction was reduced by age in F, but was unchanged in M rats. Additionally, it was observed that selective blockade of COX-1 or COX-2 produced age-dependent changes in cerebrovascular reactivity to VP and that VP-stimulated PGI2 and TXA2 production were enhanced by endogenous estrogen in younger F. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which estrogen exerts its effects may lead to new age- and sex-specific therapeutic agents for the prevention and/or treatment of cerebrovascular diseases.
Enhancement of DCT-JPEG Compressed Images

We present a method for enhanced decoding of standard DCT encoded images. Our algorithms, based on theory of Projections Onto a Convex Set(POCS), provide a fast convergence to the decoded-image with blocking artifacts removed, but directional features enhanced. These goals are achieved using a pair of new constructs: the POCS using a slope-difference-and-average(SDA) constraint at the block boundaries and the spatially localizable DCT (SLDCT), a new DCT-based linear block transform with spatial localizability. Our method combines these theoretic constructs with a strategy for multiscale classification of the received DCT blocks. Simulations on standard test images demonstrate that this decoder produces images of high fidelity to the original as measured by PSNR metric, and of enhanced perceptual quality, especially at directional edges.
One World or None

(1946). One World or None. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 17, No. 8, pp. 461-498.
Gun violence prevention: Ripe for the entire medical community.

Gun violence prevention in the Unites States is low hanging fruit, but not only for public health: it is ripe for the entire medical community in our country. Franco et al are spot on with their comparison of this crisis to the campaigns to reduce morbidity and mortality from tobacco, asbestos and motor vehicle related exposures (Franco et al., 2015). Despite the significant barriers to tackling this problem, as elucidated eloquently by several other articles in this excellent issue, Franco points out that despite the powerful political lobbies behind the aforementioned industries, public health initiatives "reversed the tide of economic dependence that legislators and entire nations have had on these industries." Would that we could accomplish the same with the gun industry. The issue of gun violence is one I have come to care about increasingly over the last several years. I am emergency medicine physician in St. Louis, and I work in the area's largest level one trauma center, and one of the tertiary care children's hospitals. I see the direct impact of this epidemic on a nearly daily basis: I have cared for gunshot victims of all races, for civilians and police officers, for males and females, from ages 2 to 86. Just last night our emergency department cared for 6 critical gunshot wound victims in 4 h. There have been over 300 mass shootings and 32,515 firearm-related deaths in the US this year alone (http://shootingtracker.com/wiki/Mass_Shootings_in_2015 and Braga and Weisburd, 2015). My city of St. Louis has a particularly bad record of gun violence: in 2014 there were 1844 shootings in our city (Purtle et al., 2015). This has to stop, and we have to stop it. While the public health community is certainly in the best position to manage population health on a national scale, I believe a health crisis of this magnitude requires mobilization of all health care providers, and a multidisciplinary solution... Language: en