cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
miR-1/206 down-regulates splicing factor Srsf9 to promote myogenesis

Background: Myogenesis is driven by specific changes in the transcriptome that occur during the different stages of muscle differentiation. In addition to controlled transcriptional transitions, several other post-transcriptional mechanisms direct muscle differentiation. Both alternative splicing and miRNA activity regulate gene expression and production of specialized protein isoforms. Importantly, disruption of either process often results in severe phenotypes as reported for several muscle diseases. Thus, broadening our understanding of the post-transcriptional pathways that operate in muscles will lay the foundation for future therapeutic interventions. Methods: We employed bioinformatics analysis in concert with the well-established C2C12 cell system for predicting and validating novel miR-1 and miR-206 targets engaged in muscle differentiation. We used reporter gene assays to test direct miRNA targeting and studied C2C12 cells stably expressing one of the cDNA candidates fused to a heterologous, miRNA-resistant 3′ UTR. We monitored effects on differentiation by measuring fusion index, myotube area, and myogenic gene expression during time course differentiation experiments. Results: Gene ontology analysis revealed a strongly enriched set of putative miR-1 and miR-206 targets associated with RNA metabolism. Notably, the expression levels of several candidates decreased during C2C12 differentiation. We discovered that the splicing factor Srsf9 is a direct target of both miRNAs during myogenesis. Persistent Srsf9 expression during differentiation impaired myotube formation and blunted induction of the early pro-differentiation factor myogenin as well as the late differentiation marker sarcomeric myosin, Myh8. Conclusions: Our data uncover novel miR-1 and miR-206 cellular targets and establish a functional link between the splicing factor Srsf9 and myoblast differentiation. The finding that miRNA-mediated clearance of Srsf9 is a key myogenic event illustrates the coordinated and sophisticated interplay between the diverse components of the gene regulatory network.
Missing not at random and the nonparametric estimation of the spectral density

The aim of the article is twofold: (i) present a pivotal setting where using an extra experiment for restoring information lost due to missing not at random (MNAR) is practically feasible; (ii) attract attention to a wide spectrum of new research topics created by the proposed methodology of exploring the missing mechanism. It is well known that if the likelihood of missing an observation depends on its value, then the missing is MNAR, no consistent estimation is possible, and the only way to recover destroyed information is to study the likelihood of missing via an extra experiment. One of the main practical issues with an extra-sample approach is as follows. Let n and m be the numbers of observations in a MNAR time series and in an extra sample exploring the likelihood of missing respectively. An oracle, that knows the likelihood of missing, can estimate the spectral density of an ARMA-type spectral density with the MISE proportional to ln(n)n−1, while a differentiable likelihood may be estimated only with the MISE proportional to m−2∕3. On first glance, these familiar facts yield that the proposed approach is impractical because m must be in order larger than n to match the oracle. Surprisingly, the article presents the theory and a numerical study indicating that m may be in order smaller than n and still the statistician can match performance of the oracle. The proposed methodology is used for the analysis of MNAR time series of systolic blood pressure of a person with immunoglobulin D multiple myeloma. A number of possible extensions and future research topics are outlined.
Does Participation in Food Benefit Programs Reduce the Risk for Depressive Symptoms

BACKGROUND:Food insecurity affects 15 million households in the United States and is associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes including Major Depressive Disorder. Governmental p...
Effects of back-support exoskeleton use on trunk neuromuscular control during repetitive lifting: A dynamical systems analysis

Abstract Back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) are a promising ergonomic intervention to mitigate the risk of occupational low back pain. Although growing evidence points to the beneficial effects of BSEs, specifically in reducing low-back physical demands, there is limited understanding of potential unintended consequences of BSE use on neuromuscular control of the trunk during manual material handling (MMH). We quantified the effects of two passive BSEs (BackX™ AC and Laevo™ V2.5) on trunk dynamic stability and movement coordination during a repetitive lifting task. Eighteen participants (gender-balanced) completed four minutes of repetitive lifting in nine different conditions, involving symmetric and asymmetric postures when using the BSEs (along with no BSE as a control condition). Maximum Lyapunov exponents (short-term: λ m a x - s ; long-term: λ m a x - l ) and Floquet multipliers (FMmax) were respectively calculated to quantify the local dynamic and orbital stability of thorax and pelvis trajectories. Thorax-pelvis segmental coordination was also quantified using the continuous relative phase. Wearing the Laevo™ significantly increased λ m a x - s for the pelvis (by ~ 8%) and FMmax for the thorax and pelvis (by ~ 5–10%). Use of either BSE decreased the in-phase coordination pattern for the thorax-pelvis coupling (by ~ 15%). These results suggest that BSE use can compromise neuromuscular control of the trunk, and caution should thus be used in selecting a suitable BSE for use in a given MMH task. Future work is needed, however, to assess the generalizability of different BSE design approaches in terms of unintended short-term and long-term effects on trunk neuromuscular control.
Using Technology Readiness Level (TRL), Life Cycle Cost (LCC), and Other Metrics to Supplement Equivalent System Mass (ESM) in Advanced Life Support (ALS)

The ALS project plan goals are reducing cost, improving performance, and achieving flight readiness. ALS selects projects to advance the mission readiness of low cost, high performance technologies. The role of metrics is to help select good projects and report progress. The Equivalent Mass (EM) of a system is the sum of the estimated mass of the hardware, of its required materials and spares, and of the pressurized volume, power supply, and cooling system needed to support the hardware in space. EM is the total payload launch mass needed to provide and support a system. EM is directly proportional to the launch cost.
Early Black Studies Movements.

The ways the first Afro-Americans-slaves and free blacksacquired and transmitted their knowledge of their history and culture are very significant. Some picked up the knowledge in a piecemeal fashion, others through a formal educational process, such as the Sabbath schools and truebands. Often the more literate blacks secretly communicated to their fellow men what they knew of Africa, African heritage, and the ways blacks were being exploited and oppressed in America. Shrewdly, these early black "teachers" and "preachers" gave private lessons in black history and culture unbeknown to whites. Their secret classrooms were the fields, work groups, restricted social gatherings, and black churches. Their textbooks were the Scriptures and "Ethiopianism," which they acquired from Greek and Roman literature. Prior to the eighteenth century, the first known and white-approved organized advocacy of what might be termed "black studies" came from the Quaker educators. Though only a minor part of their total "educational" program for
Group IV photonics: Enabling 2 [mu]m communications

High-speed 2 μm digital optical receivers are brought closer to reality by an extended-response foundry-made monolithic silicon-on-insulator avalanche photodiode.
Acute pancreatitis: With special reference to pathogenesis and the diagnostic value of the blood amylase test

Abstract Although much confusion still exists as to the classification of acute pancreatitis, an attempt should be made to identify the type of disease, particularly since the treatment and prognosis are apt to be different in the various types. All cases of acute pancreatitis may be divided roughly into an acute edematous (interstitial) type, and an acute hemorrhagic or necrotic type. It is possible that the acute edematous type is caused primarily by obstruction, whereas the main factor in the production of the hemorrhagic or necrotic type is the development of tryptic digestion within the gland. The clinical manifestations of the two groups may be very similar indeed, except that the acute edematous type is invariably the milder and is never associated with shock. It should be remembered that an acute pancreatitis, particularly of the edematous type, may readily be overlooked unless the pancreas is palpated. Areas of fat necrosis may likewise be overlooked unless special care is taken to search for them, particularly since they are occasionally located only along the surface of the pancreas. The value of the blood amylase test as a diagnostic aid has been discussed. From the experiences of the author and others who are using this test, it appears that a rise in the blood amylase level is rather consistently encountered, particularly in the acute edematous type early in the disease. It is significantly true that the rise in the blood amylase may persist no longer than two or three days. The level may then fall to normal, or more commonly in the author's experience, below normal. Obviously, if the patient is not seen during the first two or three days of the attack, the blood amylase test may be of no diagnostic value. This fact must be remembered lest the test receive undue condemnation. However, the author has noted the persistence of a high blood amylase in several cases for many days after the onset of the attack. The treatment of the acute edematous type appears definitely to be conservative. After the acute phase of the disease has receded, attention should then be directed toward operative correction of the cholecystic disease which is so frequently present in acute pancreatitis. There is difference of opinion as to the treatment of acute hemorrhagic or acute necrotic pancreatitis. Many surgeons advise immediate operation. Others advise conservative treatment and operation on the biliary tract later, as indicated. The author is inclined to favor strongly the latter method of treatment.
Verification and Test Methodologies for Structural Aluminum Repair

The increasing use of aluminum in the design of Body In White (BIW) structures created the need to develop and verify repair methodologies specific to this substrate. Over the past century, steel has been used as the primary material in the production of automotive BIW systems. While repair methods and techniques in steel have been evolving for decades, aluminum structural repair requires special attention for such common practices as welding, mechanical fastening, and the use of adhesives. This paper outlines some of the advanced verification and testing methodologies used to develop collision repair procedures for the aluminum 2003 Jaguar XJ sedan. It includes the identification of potential failure modes found in production and customer applications, the formulation of testing methodologies, CAE verification testing and component subsystem prove-out. The objective of the testing was to develop repair methodologies that meet or exceed production system performance characteristics. Through the test methodologies outlined, repair procedures were developed for the Jaguar XJ saloon that meet or exceed the vehicle's requirements. These robust procedures help ensure the repairability of aluminum BIW systems and help promote the increased usage of aluminum in today's vehicles.
Exercise training enhances cardiac function in response to an afterload stress in older men

This study was designed to characterize cardiac adaptations to endurance exercise training in older healthy men by evaluation of changes in left ventricular function in response to an afterload stress in the presence of cardiac muscarinic receptor blockade. Eight men 65 +/- 2 (SE) yr old underwent 9 mo of endurance exercise training. Maximal O2 uptake (V(O2 max)) was determined during treadmill exercise. Left ventricular function was assessed with two-dimensional echocardiography and pulsed Doppler transmitral flow velocity profile at baseline, after an intravenous bolus of atropine and during infusion of graded doses of phenylephrine. V(O2 max) was increased by 29% in response to training (28.9 +/- 1 to 37.3 +/- 1 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)). Baseline end-diastolic diameter (EDD) was increased, with no change in left ventricular wall thickness-to-radius ratio, after training, suggestive of eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy. EDD, end-systolic dimension, and end-systolic wall stress (sigma(es)) increased similarly in response to phenylephrine before and after training. Fractional shortening (FS) decreased in response to phenylephrine before but not after training. When the changes in FS (delta FS) during phenylephrine infusion were plotted as a function of changes in sigma(es), delta FS were significantly higher after than before training (P = 0.003) at comparable increases in sigma(es), indicative of improved contractile function. This adaptive response was preload independent, because EDD did not differ between the trained and untrained states during phenylephrine infusion. Heart rate responses to phenylephrine were similar before and after training. Exercise training resulted in a higher (P = 0.028) early-to-late transmitral diastolic flow velocity ratio at virtually identical heart rates, suggestive of improved diastolic filling. The results suggest that endurance exercise training induces an enhancement of left ventricular systolic function in response to an afterload stress in older healthy men.
Effect of wavelength converter density on the blocking performance of all-optical networks

Wavelength-routing networks have been proposed as a more feasible alternative to broadcast-and-select networks for all-optical information transport in the wide area. Of particular interest in the study of wavelength-routing networks is the analysis of blocking probability for circuit-switched networks. Recent work in this area has focused on finding the effect of wavelength converters (devices capable of converting any wavelength to any other) and path length on the session blocking probability in some regular topologies in the presence and absence of converters. Regular topology models are inappropriate for a WAN. Moreover, since wavelength converters are likely to be expensive devices, a practical scenario is one in which wavelength conversion is provided in a few selected nodes. In this paper, we propose a network model that is appropriate for a WAN and analytically evaluate the approximate blocking probability.
Dignity in Three Acts

The author develops three distinct senses of “dignity” that materialize in Drozek’s paper. Dignity as intrinsic worth invites the question of whether the implicit notion of dignity in contemporary psychoanalysis is best viewed as Kantian and, if so, how we are to accommodate the rationalism that inheres in it. Dignity as a state of mind leads the author to sketch the view that dignity is imperiled by absence (of vitality, of realness), contrasting it with Drozek’s emphasis on badness. Dignity as a relational provision summons inquiry into the distinction between “valuing” and “recognizing” in the encounter between subjectivities. Recognition, it is suggested, not only begets love, but also serves as the most compelling analytic instantiation of the Kantian Formula for Humanity—to treat the other as an end. By spelling out these interrelated significations, we not only discern our debts to the concept of dignity but also reveal potential psychoanalytic contributions to the broader conversation about dignit...
Age-related impairment in rat parotid cell α1-adrenergic action at the level of inositol trisphosphate responsiveness

Abstract α 1 -Adrenergic-stimulated calcium efflux from rat parotid cell aggregates declines approx. 40% between 3 and 24 months of age, with the bulk of the reduction occurring between 12 and 24 months. Intracellular free calcium levels following α 1 -adrenoceptor stimulation are also reduced about 40% between 3 and 24 months. No significant age differences in stimulation of inositol mono-, bis- or trisphosphate production are observed. However, the ability of inositol trisphosphate to directly stimulate calcium efflux is reduced by about 50% with increasing age. Concentrations of this inositol phosphate required for maximal calcium release do not change between 3 and 24 months. Differences in response are not due to a reduction in uptake of inositol trisphosphate into older cells, but suggest an age-related defect in the ability of inositol trisphosphate to liberate calcium from intracellular stores. Such dysfunction may be at least partially responsible for impaired α 1 -adrenergic responsiveness during aging.
Initial scrotal incision for unilateral nonpalpable testis.

ABSTRACT Purpose: We investigated use of initial scrotal incision for the management of unilateral nonpalpable testis. Materials and Methods: Scrotal incision followed by laparoscopy was performed in a consecutive series of 40 boys with unilateral impalpable testis. Results: Initial scrotal incision revealed 22 scrotal nubbins and 4 extra-abdominal testes among the 40 patients. Of 13 patients with intra-abdominal testis 6 had a looping vas that was dissected to the internal ring via the scrotal incision, and the incision was used for orchiopexy in 12. Laparoscopy detected 1 case of intra-abdominal vanished testis but falsely diagnosed 6 additional cases based upon blind-ending vas and vessels despite a known scrotal nubbin. It also detected 13 intra-abdominal testes but was inconclusive in 14 cases in which vas and vessels exited the internal ring, not including the 4 patients with extra abdominal testes who did not undergo laparoscopy. Conclusions: Scrotal incision may be sufficient to diagnose testicular loss when a nubbin is encountered, and can detect an extra abdominal testis not palpated with the patient under anesthesia. The incision is used for orchiopexy in those patients with a testis that can be brought to the scrotum in a single stage. Laparoscopy potentially can be reserved for cases in which no nubbin is found and in all cases when a patent processus vaginalis is encountered.
What Do Software Developers Need to Know about Business

A recent discussion with colleagues from my university's business school and computer science department focused on identifying the most critical knowledge for software developers. My computer science colleagues' perspective was quite interesting. They acknowledged that once a software developer has managed to climb into a second- or third-level management position, maybe an MBA wouldn't be such a bad idea. But for the most part, they held the strong belief that anyone smart enough to be a computer science graduate must be able to easily pick up this "business stuff" on the side. I felt the same quick surge of irritation that I usually get when dealing with students who want to bypass prerequisite courses and enroll directly into an upper-division software engineering course. They seem to think that software engineering can't be all that difficult compared to the mysteries of homomorphisms and context-free grammars. It's either (a) the height of conceit or (b) the height of ignorance about the depth of the field to suggest that, without serious study, someone could pick up a field that has taken others years to master. Over the years, I've come to realize that type b is more common than type a.So, whenever I hear someone talk about either business or computing issues as things to be "picked up on the job," I can't help but wonder whether the person is type a or type b. That's not to say that someone can't learn material from either discipline through self-study--but it requires a serious application of discipline and effort.
Dexamethasone attenuates kainate-induced AP-1 activation in rat brain

The goal of this investigation was to determine if administration of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone modulates rat brain AP-1 DNA binding activity. Treatment with the selective excitatory amino acid agonist kainate was used to activate AP-1 formation. Kainate (12 mg/kg) administration induced a biphasic activation of AP-1 in rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus with maximal levels observed at 1.5 h and 4.5 h and lower levels at 3 h and 6 h. Kainate also induced biphasic increases in the concentrations of some of the AP-1 constituent proteins (immediate early gene protein products), with initial increases of c-Jun, Fos, and Jun B occurring at 1.5 h and secondary larger increases at 4.5 h, but the level of Jun D was not altered by kainate treatment. Pretreatment with dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) reduced AP-1 activity at both 1.5 h and 4.5 h after kainate administration in both brain regions. Dexamethasone pretreatment did not modify the concentrations of the AP-1 constituent proteins obtained after kainate administration except for a reduction of Jun B levels 1.5 h after kainate. These results demonstrate that elevated glucocorticoid levels reduce the stimulation by kainate of AP-1 activity in rat cortex and hippocampus without causing corresponding decreases in the levels of immediate early gene proteins. Binding of the activated glucocorticoid receptor to c-Jun or Fos is likely to contribute to the decreased AP-1 DNA binding activity following dexamethasone treatment.
Band-dominated Fredholm Operators on Discrete Groups

In [8] the authors introduce a class of operators on the Hilbert space 2(Z) which they call band-dominated operators, and they construct a symbol calculus which provides a theoretical answer to the question whether or not a band-dominated operator is Fredholm. (The paper [8] also contains calculations for , p = 2, which will not be discussed here.) The purpose of this note is to extend the main results of the symbol calculus of [8], in the Hilbert space case. We shall replace the group Z by any (finitely generated) discrete group Γ which is exact in the sense of C∗-algebra theory, see [12]. The algebra of band-dominated operators is known to workers in coarse geometry as the translation C∗-algebra, and Skandalis, Tu and Yu showed that it is in fact the reduced C∗-algebra of a certain groupoid [11]. In the present context, this groupoid is amenable, and this gives a natural exact sequence associated to an open subgroupoid [5]. We conclude this note by relating the symbol calculus for band-dominated operators to this exact sequence. In a later paper we hope to discuss index theorems (along the lines of [9]) associated to the symbol calculus for band-dominated operators on Γ.
Multiple overlapping processes underlying short-term synaptic enhancement

Recently there have been exciting advances in understanding the mechanisms and functional roles of a form of short-term synaptic enhancement (STE) that results from an activity-dependent accumulation of Ca 2+ in the presynaptic terminal. This form of STE is composed of at least four processes: fast-decaying facilitation (F1), slow-decaying facilitation (F2), augmentation (AUG) and post-tetanic potentiation (PTP). Recent results suggest that these processes can now be distinguished mechanistically by the site of their induction within the presynaptic terminal: F1 and F2 appear to be induced by a rapid, high concentration of Ca 2+ at or near the site of exocytosis, whereas AUG and PTP seem to be induced by lower levels of Ca 2+ with slower kinetics, possibly within the core of the terminal. STE is highly conserved across diverse species, and appears to serve as a flexible mechanism for temporal information processing in systems ranging from peripheral motor control to higher cortical integration.
A dynamic macro social indicator model of changes in marriage, family, and population in the United States: 1947–1974

This paper presents an integrated 21-equation model of how marriage, family, and population conditions, as indexed by macro social indicators, affect each other and are affected by other social, demographic, and economic forces. An opportunity structures theoretical paradigm is applied to the specification of dynamic structural equations for determining changes (both trends and cyclical fluctuations) in marriage formation and dissolution, family and household composition, fertility, mortality, population growth, and population distribution. The equations are estimated on annual national data for the United States during the post-World War II years 1947 to 1972, and then they are used to make conditional forecasts of the values of some of the endogenous variables for 1973 and 1974. It is found that the equations fit the observed data well, lack demonstrable autocorrelation of disturbances, and forecast the 1973 and 1974 values usually with less than 2% error. Strategies are sketched for further refining some of the equations, and it is suggested that this model should be integrated into a larger societal model in order to estimate some of the effects of changes in demographic phenomena on other social conditions.
Study of Chemical Shift Variations in Tricyclic Urazoles with a Norbornane Skeleton

Abstract Molecules related to norbornane commonly serve as useful models for stereochemical and conformational analysis, as well as for elucidation of steric and electronic substituent effects. Chemical shifts of their bridge protons are well tabulated and follow clear, easily predictable patterns. For example, the exo protons on a two‐carbon bridge of these molecules are typically deshielded relative to the endo protons. Previously, some exceptions to this rule were noted and satisfactorily explained. In tricyclic urazoles, common precursors to cyclic diazenes, the order of chemical shifts of exo and endo bridge protons is reversed. In this paper, we use aromatic solvent induced shifts (ASIS) and homodecoupling experiments to assign 1H‐NMR signals in these urazoles and bridge proton signals in model molecules, and we discuss analysis of factors that influence chemical shifts in this polycyclic system.
Hemodynamics and Growth of Intracranial Aneurysms

Understanding the underlying mechanisms responsible for the progression and rupture of cerebral aneurysms is important for improving their evaluation and treatment. Previous studies have identified the main factors involved in these processes: hemodynamics, vascular wall biomechanics and mechano-biology, and contacts with peri-aneurysmal structures [1]. However, little is known about their relative importance and interactions. The goal of our study is to shed light into the mechanisms of aneurysm progression by studying cerebral aneurysms that are followed longitudinally in time. This is a challenging problem because due to the poor prognosis of aneurysm ruptures preventive interventions are considered for most aneurysms. This paper presents preliminary results and observations made on a series of aneurysms followed with non-invasive imaging.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Locally compact measure preserving flows

Ergodic theory originally arose from study of the time evolution of a mechanical system. If T, denotes the transformation of the phase space of a system which takes a state of the system to its state t time units later, then on physical grounds (T,: t E @ obeys the group property that T,,, = T,T, , i.e., forms a flow with parameter group R. Liouville discovered that a certain natural measure on phase space is preserved by each T, , reducing statistical mechanics to the study of asymptotic properties of flows of measure preserving transformations. This approach was simplified by discretizing time and considering only (Tnt,: n E Z] for some fixed to . This has the advantage that only the iterates of a fixed transformation are in question. Starting with the ergodic theorems of Birkhoff and von Neumann in 1931, an interesting theory of measure preserving transformations has been erected. Occasionally the continuous time case was investigated, notably by Weiner [ 171, Ambrose [l], and Ambrose and Kakutani [2]. However, developments centered on measure preserving transformations. In the last decade some progress has been made in classifying measure preserving transformations. Kolmogorov introduced a new numerical invariant in 1958 called entropy which was suggested by Shannon’s work on information theory. This invariant distinguished between some transformations which no one could previously tell apart, and some intriguing conjectures arose. In the past years a series of papers by Ornstein has completely solved a number of major problems, including the isomorphism problem for Bernoulli shifts. A basic technique used by Ornstein in these papers is a theorem of Rokhlin on the periodic approximation of transformations. Some recent work on statistical mechanics by Ruelle [16] and others
Diffusion of Naturopathic State Licensing in the United States and Canada

State licensing of naturopathic medicine is currently in the middle of the early majority stage of diffusion. This research found that licensing is occurring in a contagious manner; therefore, spatial proximity is an important determinant in predicting new adopters. Using the proportion of licensed neighbors to al neighbors as a measure for spatial proximity and the S-shaped curve, the remaining early majority and the first half of the late majority states and provinces were predicted. Lobbyists and recruiters might use this information to allocate resources to early majority states first.
Hysteresis and the Transition between Axisymmetric Flow and Wave Flow in the Baroclinic Annulus

A numerical model is employed to establish the transitions between axisymmetric flow and wave flow in the rotating, differentially heated annulus experiments of Fein for both rigid lid and free surface cases. It is shown that, for most of the transitions, the method of computing a steady axisymmetric flow and then testing its linear stability to wave disturbance results in good agreement with the experiments. Implications for the investigation of the dynamics of the earth's atmosphere are considered.
Microfabrication of fiber optic scanners

A cantilevered optical fiber is micromachined to function as a miniature resonant opto-mechanical scanner. By driving the base of the cantilevered fiber at a resonance frequency using a piezoelectric actuator, the free end of the cantilever beam becomes a scanned light source. The fiber scanners are designed to achieve wide field-of-view (FOV) and high scan frequency. We employ a non-linearly tapered profile fiber to achieve scan amplitudes of 1 mm at scan frequencies above 20 KHz. Scan angles of over 120 degree(s) (full angle) have been achieved. Higher order modes are also employed for scanning applications that require compactness while maintaining large angular FOV. Etching techniques are used to create the non-linearly tapered sections in single mode optical fiber. Additionally, micro-lenses are fabricated on the tips of the etched fibers, with lens diameters as small as 15 microns. Such lenses are capable of reducing the divergence angle of the emitted light to 5 degree(s) (full angle), with greater reduction expected by employing novel lens shaping techniques. Microfabricated optical fiber scanners have display applications ranging from micro-optical displays to larger panoramic displays. Applications for micro-image acquisition include small barcode readers to medical endoscopes.
In silico experiments of human eating patterns: Making a case for behavior-informed control of T1DM

Automatic control of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) with subcutaneous (SC) measurement of glucose concentration and subcutaneous (SC) insulin infusion is of great interest within the diabetes technology research community. Realistic computer simulation can provide invaluable information about the safety and limitations of closed-loop control algorithms, can guide and focus the emphasis of clinical studies, and can out-rule ineffective control scenarios in a cost-effective manner prior to human use. In this work, we introduce a stochastic simulation model of patient eating behavior that can be employed in silico to test the ability of closed loop control strategies to adapt to individual physiologic characteristics and to the behavioral profile of each person. The design of this simulation model is motivated by the realization that historical data about a patient's eating behavior can be used to characterize the timing, likelihood, and magnitude of a meal disturbance within pre-specified meal regimes (e.g. breakfast). We demonstrate the use of our simulation model in evaluating a recent behaviorally-oriented T1DM control strategy introduced in Patek et al. (2009a).
Legal issues of expert system use

The increasing development and use of expert systems raises questions concerning the liabilities of those involved in their development and use. These liabilities were analyzed according to the laws of the United Slates, with respect to various types of expert systems including medical systems. No court decisions have been made concerning expert system liability-Cases that may be applicable to expert system liability cases were therefore analyzed to provide insight into possible future court decisions concerning expert systems. The major factor in determining these liabilities is the classification of software. Software can be classified as a product or a service. If classified as a product, strict product liability will be imposed. If classified as a service, professional misconduct will be imposed. This determination of the software classification will most likely be made on a case-by-case basis, because in each case the expert system will be functioning in a different environment with a different value...
The effect of alloxan diabetes and insulin in vivo on peroxidase activity in the rat submandibular gland.

Abstract Protein content and peroxidase activity were determined in submandibular salivary gland homogenates from control and alloxan-diabetic rats. Fourteen days after alloxan administration, peroxidase activity and protein in the glands of diabetic rats were lower than in control rats. Stimulation of salivary secretion with pilocarpine produced a decrease in the difference between the peroxidase activities in the glands from control and diabetic animals. Insulin treatment of alloxan-diabetic animals produced an increase in submandibular gland peroxidase activity to control levels within 3 hours.
Special Issue on Family Therapy and Mental Health

(2007). Special Issue on Family Therapy and Mental Health. Journal of Family Psychotherapy: Vol. 17, No. 3-4, pp. 1-6.
Rethinking the Modular Nation Form: Toward a Sociohistorical Conception of Nationalism

Our current historical conjuncture is marked by a global proliferation of nationalisms that have fundamentally, and often violently, transformed the inherited geopolitical configuration of the post-war era. The apparent resurgence of nationalism has been matched by a growing convergence across disciplinary divides on the problematic of nationalism. A few salient prior works notwithstanding, it is mainly in the last two decades that nationalism has emerged as a central preoccupation of contemporary historical and social-scientific analyses. Remarkably, the stubborn persistence of nationalism in the current context of neo-liberal global restructuring and the dizzying expansion of nationalism research have not enhanced analytical consensus on core theoretical and methodological issues. Indeed, the rush for an analytical “fix” on nationalism has tended to fortify rather than resolve inherited methodological divides, especially that between objectivist and subjectivist approaches to nationalism.
Modal perspective on the transverse Anderson localization of light in disordered optical lattices

We present a detailed analysis of the transverse Anderson localization of light in a one-dimensional disordered optical lattice in the language of transversely localized and longitudinally propagating eigenmodes. The modal analysis allows us to explore localization behavior of a disordered lattice waveguide independent of the properties of the external excitation. Various localization-related phenomena, such as the periodic revival of a propagating Anderson-localized beam, are easily explained in modal language. We characterize the localization strength by the average width of the guided modes and carry out a detailed analysis of localization behavior as a function of the optical and geometrical parameters of the disordered lattice. We also show that in order to obtain a minimum average mode width, the average width of the individual random sites in the disordered lattice must be larger than the wavelength of the light by approximately a factor of two or more, and the optimum site width for the maximum localization depends on the design parameters of the disordered lattice.
The Solvability of the Derivability Problem for One-Normal Systems

A one-normal system is a Post production system on a finite alphabet {s1, s2, · · ·, ss} with productions siP → PEij, where i ranges over a subset of {1, 2, · · ·, s} and, for fixed i, j takes on the values 1, 2, · · ·, ni. The following derivability problem is shown to be solvable for each such system: Given two words P and Q, decide whether Q can be derived from P by successive applications of the production rules. The result was proved by Hao Wang for the monogenic case (i.e., when each ni = 1).
QUANTITATIVE MICROSCOPIC DETERMINATION OF THE QUARTZ CONTENT OF COMMERCIAL GROUND FELDSPARS

The literature on quantitative microscopic analyses is briefly reviewed. A variation in technique applied to fused feldspar samples is described. The results are compared with values obtained by calculation from the chemical compositions of the samples. The reproducibility of the results is demonstrated.
The glycation and cross-linking of isolated lens crystallins by ascorbic acid.

Abstract Individual lens crystallins were isolated from calf lens extracts and incubated in the presence of ascorbic acid for 3 weeks under aerobic conditions. Both α-crystallin and β H -crystallin rapidly cross-linked to form high molecular weight proteins, which did not enter the resolving gel on SDS-PAGE. Beta l -crystallin was somewhat less reactive, but γ-crystallin showed little or no crosslinking. Gamma-crystallin, however, was almost equivalent to the other crystallins as a substrate for glycation. This was measured by: ( a ) the binding of protein to a boronate affinity column; ( b ) the incorporation of 3 H from NaB 3 H 4 into protein; ( c ) amino acid analysis of the modified proteins to estimate the extent of lysine modification; and ( d ) the incorporation of [1- 14 C]ASA into individual crystallins. When the separated crystallins were combined with [ 125 I]γ-crystallin and incubated with ascorbic acid, radioactivity was readily incorporated into the cross-linked products with other crystallins, but again not with γ-crystallin itself. Gel filtration chromatography of a mixture of [ 125 I]γ-crystallin and α-crystallin showed the formation of a complex between γ- and α-crystallins. These data suggest that all crystallins are glycated, but that cross-linking occurs preferentially between proteins, which are already bound together non-covalently.
Pediatric oncology in developing countries: challenges and solutions.

In developed countries, pediatric cancers are one of the leading causes of death in children. As the under-5-year mortality rate in developing countries drops because of improved sanitation, immunization, and access to basic medical care, pediatric cancers become increasingly important, rising to a position of the third or fourth most common cause of childhood death. 1 It is estimated that 80%-85% of pediatric cancer cases occur in the developing world, where the 5-year survival can be less than 10% (in contrast to the US and western European countries, where it is approximately 70%). 2 Individual physicians and institutions have developedseveralprogramsthatmodelhowpediatriccancers can be effectively treated in a resource-poor setting. International partnerships involving twinning, the development of supportive services, and telecare have all proven to be effective in improving pediatric cancer outcomes in developing countries.
The effect of variations in quality and type of early child care on development

Variations in the quality and type of infant care in institutional and other settings in different cultures and social classes can have profound influences with important implications for long-term development on the child's rate, level, and type of cognitive development.
High affinity amino acid transport by frog spinal cord slices.

— The characteristics of amino acid uptake by frog spinal cord slices was studied by in vitro incubations in appropriate media. The uptake mechanisms exhibited saturation; kinetic analysis demonstrated 2 distinct systems for the influx of the possible neurotransmitters: GABA, glycine, L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid. One system showed a comparatively high substrate affinity (Km values, 10-26 μM) while the other system had a lower affinity (Km, 0.4-1.6 mM).-Leucine, an amino acid presumably not a transmitter, was accumulated only by a low affinity mechanism (Km 1.6 mM). The process responsible for high affinity uptake had many of the properties of an active transport mechanism. These included temperature sensitivity, energy dependence, requirement for Na+ ions and inhibition by ouabain. GABA and glycine uptake was inhibited only by closely related amino acids or structural analogues. The influx of L-glutamic acid was competitively inhibited by the presence of L-aspartic acid in the medium; the converse was also demonstrated. Thus, the high affinity uptake system for possible transmitter amino acids in the frog spinal cord closely resembles that described for mammalian CNS tissue. These results are compatible with the assumption that GABA, glycine, L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid are neurotransmitters in the amphibian spinal cord.
Peripheral transvenular delivery of adeno-associated viral vectors to skeletal muscle as a novel therapy for hemophilia B

Muscle represents an important tissue target for adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated gene transfer of the factor IX (FIX) gene in hemophilia B (HB) subjects with advanced liver disease. Previous studies of direct intramuscular administration of an AAV-FIX vector in humans showed limited efficacy. Here we adapted an intravascular delivery system of AAV vectors encoding the FIX transgene to skeletal muscle of HB dogs. The procedure, performed under transient immunosuppression (IS), resulted in widespread transduction of muscle and sustained, dose-dependent therapeutic levels of canine FIX transgene up to 10-fold higher than those obtained by intramuscular delivery. Correction of bleeding time correlated clinically with a dramatic reduction of spontaneous bleeding episodes. None of the dogs (n = 14) receiving the AAV vector under transient IS developed inhibitory antibodies to canine FIX; transient inhibitor was detected after vector delivery without IS. The use of AAV serotypes with high tropism for muscle and low susceptibility to anti-AAV2 antibodies allowed for efficient vector administration in naive dogs and in the presence of low- but not high-titer anti-AAV2 antibodies. Collectively, these results demonstrate the feasibility of this approach for treatment of HB and highlight the importance of IS to prevent immune responses to the FIX transgene product.
Linear excitation and detection in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Abstract We present the first Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) ion trap designed to produce both a linear spatial variation of the excitation electric potential field and a linear response of the detection circuit to the motion of the confined ions. With this trap, the magnitude of the detected signal at a given ion cyclotron frequency varies linearly with both the number of ions of given mass-to-charge ratio and also with the magnitude-mode excitation signal at the ion cyclotron orbital frequency; the proportionality constant is mass independent. Interestingly, this linearization may be achieved with any ion trap geometry. The excitation/detection design consists of an array of capacitively coupled electrodes which provide a voltage-divider network that produces a nearly spatially homogeneous excitation electric field throughout the linearized trap; resistive coupling to the electrodes isolates the a.c. excitation (or detection) circuit from the d.c. (trapping) potential. The design is based on analytical expressions for the potential associated with each electrode, from which we are able to compute the deviation from linearity for a trap with a finite number of elements. Based on direct experimental comparisons to an unmodified cubic trap, the linearized trap demonstrates the following performance advantages at the cost of some additional mechanical complexity: (a) signal response linearly proportional to excitation electric field amplitude; (b) vastly reduced axial excitation/ejection for significantly improved ion relative abundance accuracy; (c) elimination of harmonics and sidebands of the fundamental frequencies of ion motion. As a result, FT-ICR mass spectra are now more reproducible. Moreover, the linearized trap should facilitate the characterization of other fundamental aspects of ion behavior in an ICR ion trap, e.g. effects of space charge, non-quadrupolar electrostatic trapping field, etc. Furthermore, this novel design should improve significantly the precision of ion relative abundance and mass accuracy measurements, while removing spectral artifacts of the detection process. We discuss future modifications that linearize the spatial variation of the electrostatic trapping electric field as well, thereby completing the linearization of the entire FT-ICR mass spectrometric techniques. Suggested FT-ICR mass spectrometric applications for the linearized trap are discussed.
Designing an Effective Problem Solving Organization With The MAPS Design Technology

Because of increasingly dynamic and changing environments there is a greater need to create particular problem-solving designs so that frequently emerging problems can be defined and addressed. The MAPS Design Technology is a systematic set of methodologies to actually create problem-solving designs distinct from the organization's operational design. It is argued that the latter design is best for guiding specific, day-to-day activities while the problem-solving design is needed for the ill-defined, long-term concerns of the organization. Without a technology such as MAPS, the organization is expected to have a fairly difficult time in trying to create and decide on something as important and complex as organization design by simply intuitive processes.
Phosphorus sequestration in the form of polyphosphate by microbial symbionts in marine sponges

Marine sponges are major habitat-forming organisms in coastal benthic communities and have an ancient origin in evolution history. Here, we report significant accumulation of polyphosphate (polyP) granules in three common sponge species of the Caribbean coral reef. The identity of the polyP granules was confirmed by energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and by the fluorescence properties of the granules. Microscopy images revealed that a large proportion of microbial cells associated with sponge hosts contained intracellular polyP granules. Cyanobacterial symbionts cultured from sponges were shown to accumulate polyP. We also amplified polyphosphate kinase (ppk) genes from sponge DNA and confirmed that the gene was expressed. Based on these findings, we propose here a potentially important phosphorus (P) sequestration pathway through symbiotic microorganisms of marine sponges. Considering the widespread sponge population and abundant microbial cells associated with them, this pathway is likely to have a significant impact on the P cycle in benthic ecosystems.