cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fracture characterization of PC/ABS blends: effect of reactive compatibilization, ABS type and rubber concentration

Abstract The fracture of thin (3.18 mm) and thick (6.35 mm) specimens of polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) and PC/ABS blends with both standard and sharp notches was examined by standard Izod and single edge notch three point bend (SEN3PB) instrumented Dynatup tests. Ligament lengths were varied for SEN3PB samples and the corresponding fracture data were represented by plotting the specific fracture energy ( U / A ) as a function of ligament length (l). The slope of these plots was found to be closely related to both the Izod impact strength and the size of the process (or stress whitened) zones surrounding the crack surface. Significant morphology coarsening was seen in some PC/ABS (70/30) blends for thick (6.35 mm) injection molded parts; blends compatibilized with 1% of an SAN-amine polymer exhibited well-dispersed, stable morphologies. The effects of blend composition, ABS type, sample geometry, PC molecular weight, temperature, rubber concentration and reactive compatibilization on the fracture properties of these materials were examined.
The national estuarine sanctuary program

Abstract In the 1972 Coastal Zone Management Act, Congress established the Estuarine Sanctuary Program in response to two government studies showing that estuaries are economically and ecologically valuable to man and that they are in danger of being physically altered and polluted. The program makes available fifty‐percent matching grants to coastal states to help them set aside estuarine areas for the purposes of research and education. The sanctuaries will serve as natural outdoor laboratories for scientists and the public, and will also help to preserve natural habitats for estuarine dependent species. The information gained within these areas will aid in future management decisions concerning the coastal zone. The sanctuaries are established and operated under the Estuarine Sanctuary Guidelines, which provide for three distinct types of grants: preacqui‐sition, acquisition, and operations. At the present time there are five sanctuaries in operation, with others in the planning stage. The five establi...
Two-year follow-up of a randomized effectiveness trial evaluating MST for juveniles who sexually offend

Building on prior efficacy trials (i.e., university-based, graduate students as therapists), the primary purpose of this study was to determine whether favorable 12-month outcomes, obtained in a randomized effectiveness trial (i.e., implemented by practitioners in a community mental health center) of multisystemic therapy (MST) with juveniles who had sexually offended (JSO), were sustained through a second year of follow-up. JSO (n = 124 male youth) and their families were randomly assigned to MST, which was family based and delivered by community-based practitioners, or to treatment as usual (TAU), which was primarily group-based cognitive-behavioral interventions delivered by professionals within the juvenile justice system. Youth averaged 14.7 years of age (SD = 1.7) at referral, were primarily African American (54%), and 30% were Hispanic. All youth had been diverted or adjudicated for a sexual offense. Analyses examined whether MST effects reported previously at 1-year follow-up for problem sexual behaviors, delinquency, substance use, and out-of-home placement were sustained through a second year of follow-up. In addition, arrest records were examined from baseline through 2-year follow-up. During the second year of follow-up, MST treatment effects were sustained for 3 of 4 measures of youth problem sexual behavior, self-reported delinquency, and out-of-home placements. The base rate for sexual offense rearrests was too low to conduct statistical analyses, and a between-groups difference did not emerge for other criminal arrests. For the most part, the 2-year follow-up findings from this effectiveness study are consistent with favorable MST long-term results with JSO in efficacy research. In contrast with many MST trials, however, decreases in rearrests were not observed.
LYSOSOMAL ENZYMES OF RAT INTESTINAL MUCOSA

Six intracellular hydrolases known to be associated with lysosomes in rat liver were found in rat intestinal mucosa. The extent to which they were particulate-bound and the degree of enzyme release when the particulate fractions were suspended in hypotonic media followed the same pattern in both mucosa and liver. The specific activities of the mucosa enzymes were either comparable to or slightly smaller than those of the liver enzymes. These results suggest that the mucosa hydrolases belong to lysosome-like particles. However, differential fractionation of the mucosa indicated that the particles from the mucosa sediment at lower centrifugal forces than do those from the liver and are more heterogeneous in size, bearing a closer resemblance to kidney lysosomes. Possible physiological functions of particulate-bound digestive enzymes in intestinal mucosa are discussed.
ABIOTIC STRESS AND HERBIVORY INTERACT TO SET RANGE LIMITS ACROSS A TWO-DIMENSIONAL STRESS GRADIENT

Range boundaries are a fundamental expression of a species' relationship with other species and with the abiotic environment. In this study, I examined the roles of biotic and abiotic factors in setting the local range limits of Mazzaella parksii (formerly Mazzaella cornucopiae). In Washington State, this turf-forming red alga occurs almost exclusively in a discrete high intertidal band on north-facing, wave-exposed shores. I in- vestigated the mechanisms underlying these distributional patterns via a series of intra- and extra-limital transplant experiments coupled with manipulations of interacting species and abiotic stress. The upper limit of Mazzaella was set by physiological stress; turfs trans- planted above the natural Mazzaella zone bleached and died over the course of a few months. Mazzaella's lower limit was set by herbivory; turfs transplanted below the natural zone were consumed in treatments accessible to grazers but thrived in herbivore-exclusion plots. South-facing transplants at the same intertidal height as the natural north-facing Mazzaella zone declined regardless of interspecific interactions, indicating that Mazzaella's upper limit is lower on south-facing shores. However, the position of the herbivore-deter- mined lower limit was similar between aspects. South-facing transplants could survive below the natural Mazzaella zone if the grazer-determined lower limit was extended down- shore by herbivore exclusions or at Mazzaella's natural intertidal height (i.e., the height at which it persists on north-facing surfaces) if the physiologically determined upper limit was extended upshore by experimental shades. In the absence of such experimental mod- ifications, Mazzaella was effectively excluded from south-facing shores because its upper limit had converged on its lower limit. Thus, abiotic factors and biological factors interact to set the horizontal distributional limits of this alga. This conceptual model is consistent with Mazzaella's distribution at a variety of spatial scales and has broad implications for both spatial patterns and temporal trends in the distribution and abundance of species.
On the fine structure of strings

Abstract We investigate the consequences of adding a term proportional to the extrinsic curvature to the Nambu-Goto action, as suggested by Polyakov. A classical analysis of the equations of motion, constraint structure and hamiltonian of this system is performed. Quantum corrections are calculated in the mean field approximation for a large number of dimensions of the embedding space. The exact beta function of the new coupling constant in this limit is obtained; it possesses only one zero at the origin. Effects induced by adding a term that weights string configurations according to the number of self-intersections are discussed. We briefly comment on a similar proposal for free paths made recently.
The emergence of diagnostic imaging technologies in breast cancer: discovery, regulatory approval, reimbursement, and adoption in clinical guidelines

In this article, we trace the chronology of developments in breast imaging technologies that are used for diagnosis and staging of breast cancer, including mammography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and positron emission tomography. We explore factors that affected clinical acceptance and utilization of these technologies from discovery to clinical use, including milestones in peer-reviewed publication, US Food and Drug Administration approval, reimbursement by payers, and adoption into clinical guidelines. The factors driving utilization of new imaging technologies are mainly driven by regulatory approval and reimbursement by payers rather than evidence that they provide benefits to patients. Comparative effectiveness research can serve as a useful tool to investigate whether these imaging modalities provide information that improves patient outcomes in real-world settings.
All for Our Children: Migrant Families and Parent Participation in an Alternative Education Program

Children from migrant agricultural families have some of the lowest socioeconomic and educational indicators in the American Southwest, and migrant parents are often characterized by school personnel as “hard to reach” and uninvolved in their children's education. This study analyzes the process of school participation among migrant parents who participated in a community-based adult education program. It examines the participants' own process of self-actualization and the specific programmatic features that promoted educational and attitudinal changes that affected children's schooling. The data indicate the emergence of beneficial, assertive interactions between parents and school personnel that improved schooling for migrant children.
Uncoupling of the Cholera Toxin-GM1 Ganglioside Receptor Complex from Endocytosis, Retrograde Golgi Trafficking, and Downstream Signal Transduction by Depletion of Membrane Cholesterol

To induce toxicity, cholera toxin (CT) must first bind ganglioside G(M1) at the plasma membrane, enter the cell by endocytosis, and then traffic retrograde into the endoplasmic reticulum. We recently proposed that G(M1) provides the sorting motif necessary for retrograde trafficking into the biosynthetic/secretory pathway of host cells, and that such trafficking depends on association with lipid rafts and lipid raft function. To test this idea, we examined whether CT action in human intestinal T84 cells depends on membrane cholesterol. Chelation of cholesterol with 2-hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin or methyl beta-cyclodextrin reversibly inhibited CT-induced chloride secretion and prolonged the time required for CT to enter the cell and induce toxicity. These effects were specific to CT, as identical conditions did not alter the potency or toxicity of anthrax edema toxin that enters the cell by another mechanism. We found that endocytosis and trafficking of CT into the Golgi apparatus depended on membrane cholesterol. Cholesterol depletion also changed the density and specific protein content of CT-associated lipid raft fractions but did not entirely displace the CT-G(M1) complex from these lipid raft microdomains. Taken together these data imply that cholesterol may function to couple the CT-G(M1) complex with raft domains and with other membrane components of the lipid raft required for CT entry into the cell.
The Role of the School Psychologist in School Desegregation: A Plan for Action.

The research on the outcomes of school desegregation has been generally disappointing. This paper briefly reviews the historical role of social science in desegregation, and reviews some of the current research on cooperative learning in the desegregated classroom. A comprehensive role for the school psychologist is outlined, in which goals and subgoals, means for achieving them, and anticipated outcomes are clearly delineated. It is proposed that implementation of this role would lead to a much more positive school desegregation experience for all students.
Rare incidence of human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 in primary and metastatic human prostate cancer

Abstract Objectives. The reported data regarding the incidence and significance ofhuman papillomavirus (HPV) in prostate cancer have been inconsistent. In the present study the incidence of HPV 16 and 18 was evaluated in an expanded series of primary as well as metastatic prostate cancer specimens, in order to evaluate a potential role of HPV infection in development and progression of prostate cancer. This is the first study attempting to establish the significance of HPV in metastatic prostate cancer. Methods. The presence of high risk human papillomaviruses HPV 1 6 and 18 was analyzedusing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification method and Southern blot hybridization analysis in a total of 61 prostatic tissue specimens: 43 primary prostate adenocarcinoma formalin-fixed, parffin-embedded specimens, with varying degrees of differentiation (mean Gleason score 5.8, range 3 to 9); 17 pelvic lymph nodes positive for metastatic deposits; and 1 normal prostate specimen. Results. This human papillomavirus typing indicates that only 1 out of the 43 prostaticspecimens analyzed was positive for HPV 16 and 1 metastatic lymph node was positive for HPV 18, as revealed by Southern analysis. These results demonstrate the infrequent detection of HPV 16 and 18 DNA in all the primary prostatic adenocarcinoma specimens and metastatic lymph nodes analyzed in this study population. Conclusions. The negative HPV status for primary and metastatic prostate cancerdemonstrated in this study provides a strong argument against an etiological role of HPV infection in the development and progression of the disease.
Worker judgements of seriousness about and reporting of suspected child maltreatment.

Abstract Objective: This study examined the relationship between judgements about the seriousness of incidents of suspected maltreatment and the reporting of those incidents. Method: Eighty-six graduate social work students were given 12 vignettes depicting problematic parental behaviors. Students were asked to rate each vignette according to how serious they perceived the parental behavior to be with “1” being “not serious” and “7” being “very serious.” Students were also asked to indicate whether or not they would report the incident to child protective services. Data were analyzed by case and by individual. Results: All 12 vignettes were serious with mean incident ratings ranging from a low of 6.0 to a high of 6.9. However, not all incidents were reported with similar frequency. Only incidents that were collectively very serious were reported by nearly all respondents (Spearman rank order correlation coefficient = .94). Among worker characteristics, the worker’s judgement of seriousness was the only predictor of reporting. Conclusion: The results suggest that beginning human service workers are unsure of their legal responsibility to report suspected maltreatment. The results also point to a need for closer collaboration between mandated reporters and child protective services.
Sexual preference, feminism, and women's perceptions of their parents

In an attempt to clarify the relation between parental variables, sexual preference, and sex-role attitudes, three groups of women were studied: lesbian feminists, heterosexual feminists, and heterosexual traditional women. The women were asked about their perceptions of their parents when they were in high school. The groups differed more from each other with respect to their perceptions of their fathers than their mothers. The perceived attitudes of the father were much more important in differentiating lesbian feminists from heterosexuals than in differentiating heterosexual feminists from heterosexual traditionals. Both the heterosexual groups (feminist and traditionals) reported having a more affectionate and involved father who also encouraged them more in the expression of anger than the lesbian feminists reported. The results suggest women's father relationships must not be obscured in research and support Johnson's hypothesis that the father relationship is more central than the mother relationship in sex typing and especially in the specifically sexual aspects of sex typing.
The role of cytokines in multiple sclerosis

This workshop, initiated by the MS Forum, has covered many aspects of the intriguing and complex world of cytokines, and their role in multiple sclerosis (MS). Throughout the presentations, which cover a range of subjects from cytokine production to possible immunotherapeutic options in MS, there has emerged a common theme to our present state of knowledge--the innocent T cell that becomes nasty in an unpredictable way. Within this common theme, a number of interesting points are apparent. Pregnancy appears to protect against exacerbations of MS, and this may be due to an effect that the "pregnant state'' has on certain components of the immune response. For example, when peripheral blood lymphocytes from MS patients are incubated in pregnancy serum, there is a 60% reduction in interferon gamma (IFN-gamma)-secreting cells, compared with lymphocytes incubated in autologous serum or heterologous nonpregnancy serum. Pregnancy is very much a "state of health,'' and therefore, it may be possible to protect against MS by doing things to the immune system that are consistent with a "healthy state.'' A great deal is already known about the actions of individual cytokines, and that the effects of these may be different in vivo than in vitro. These effects may also change when two …
Strong correlations of dynamical and structural heterogeneities with localized soft modes in a Cu-Zr metallic glass

Structural and dynamical heterogeneities in metallic glasses, while intensely studied, remain an enigma. For instance, whether and how the dynamical and structural heterogeneities are correlated is still an outstanding question. Meanwhile, the nature of the impact of medium-range order (MRO) on the dynamical heterogeneity remains elusive. In this paper, we analyzed the structural and dynamical heterogeneities in both as-quenched and relaxed Cu 64.5Zr35.5 metallic glasses based on the atomistic trajectories collected from molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the majority of the mobile atoms are not involved in icosahedral clusters or Bergman superclusters, indicating that dynamical heterogeneities are strongly correlated with structural heterogeneities. The Bergman-type MRO has an even stronger correlation with the dynamical heterogeneity than the icosahedral short range order. Moreover, we found that the localized soft vibration modes below 1.0 THz are mostly concentrated on the mobile atoms. These results suggest that the vibrational properties can be conveniently utilized to predict the atomic mobility in metallic glasses, which can bridge the studies of dynamical heterogeneity by experiments and simulations.
Hyperactivity in the medial olivocochlear efferent system is a common feature of tinnitus and hyperacusis in humans

Tinnitus and hyperacusis are common, burdensome sources of morbidity with a high rate of co-occurrence. Knudson et al. (J Neurophysiol 112: 3197–3208, 2014) demonstrated that efferent suppression o...
Inhibition of free radical-induced DNA damage by uric acid.

Single-strand DNA breaks were produced in isolated rat liver nuclei incubated with 3 separate oxygen free radical generating systems: xanthine oxidase-acetaldehyde plus Fe(II); hematin-R(H)OOH; Fe(II)-H2O2. Uric acid inhibited the induction of damage in the first two systems only. At concentrations below those found in human plasma, it was particularly effective against strand breaks produced by hematin-cumene hydroperoxide. These results offer additional evidence that uric acid may function as a cellular protective agent against Superoxide and hydroperoxyl free radical-induced cytotoxicity toxicity.
Large-signal subthreshold CMOS transconductance amplifier

A folding architecture for a subthreshold CMOS transconductance amplifier is described in the Letter. Good linearity is obtained for an extremely large differential input voltage, without loss in the common-mode voltage range. Theoretical noise analysis indicates a 6 dB improvement in the dynamic range compared to a simple single-pair MOS implementation. A prototype has been fabricated in a 2 µm CMOS process, and experimental results are presented.
Tau-tubulin kinase

Tau-tubulin kinase (TTBK) belongs to casein kinase superfamily and can phosphorylate microtubule-associated protein tau and tubulin. TTBK has two isoforms, TTBK1 and TTBK2, which contain highly homologous catalytic domains but their non-catalytic domains are distinctly different. TTBK1 is expressed specifically in the central nervous system and is involved in phosphorylation and aggregation of tau. TTBK2 is ubiquitously expressed in multiple tissues and genetically linked to spinocerebellar ataxia type 11. TTBK1 directly phosphorylates tau protein, especially at Ser422, and also activates cycline-dependent kinase 5 in a unique mechanism. TTBK1 protein expression is significantly elevated in Alzheimer’s disease brains, and genetic variations of the TTBK1 gene are associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease in two cohorts of Chinese and Spanish populations. TTBK1 transgenic mice harboring the entire 55-kilobase genomic sequence of human TTBK1 show progression of tau accumulation, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration when crossed with tau mutant mice. Our recent study shows that there is a striking switch in mononuclear phagocyte and activation phenotypes in the anterior horn of the spinal cord from alternatively activated (M2-skewed) microglia to pro-inflammatory (M1-skewed) infiltrating peripheral monocytes in P301L tau mutant mice by crossing with TTBK1 transgenic mice. TTBK1 is responsible for mediating M1-activated microglia-induced neurotoxicity, and its overexpression induces axonal degeneration in vitro. These studies suggest that TTBK1 is an important molecule for the inflammatory axonal degeneration, which may be relevant to the pathobiology of tauopathy including Alzheimer’s disease.
Axillary ultrasound in patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer: which features are predictive of disease?

Abstract Background Axillary ultrasound is used in the evaluation of breast cancer patients to identify subclinical node-positive disease. The study aim was to identify whether certain radiologic characteristics correlate with cytology and final pathology. Methods We retrospectively reviewed ultrasound images of 110 women with clinically node-negative breast cancer and suspicious axillary ultrasound to identify specific anatomic characteristics previously shown to be more commonly associated with metastatic involvement. Results were compared with cytology and final pathology. We used descriptive statistics for data summary. Results Of the 110 patients, cytology was positive in 71 (68%) and final pathology was positive in 80 (73%). The most common indication for biopsy was lymph node cortex characterized by thickening or eccentric contour ( N = 40). Loss of the fatty hilum was described in 17 patients, and 9 patients had lymph nodes with both abnormal cortical and hilar features. Of 43 patients with “suspicious” disease without specific criteria, the most common indication for biopsy was disparity in size of one or more lymph nodes compared with others. Maximum cortical thickness was greater in patients with positive cytology compared with those with negative cytology (7.6 versus 6.2 mm; P = 0.047). Ultrasound characteristics such as lymph node size, cortical morphology, contour, and hilar fat were not individually predictive of final cytology and pathology. Conclusions Axillary ultrasound is a valuable tool that accurately predicted malignant axillary disease in 73% of patients with clinically node-negative breast cancer. Elaboration of standard criteria for nodal evaluation will improve usefulness of this imaging modality in preoperative staging of the axilla.
Market Transition: An Assessment of the State of the Field

Dramatic changes in global politics and economics have led a large number of economies to undergo transition from socialism to some form of market system. Sociologists have taken advantage of econo...
Age-associated changes of responses to acetylsalicylic acid

Aspirin can be an effective antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent, but unfortunately, its use in the elderly is often excessive [43]. In a survey by Gillies and Skyring, the overall prevalence of daily aspirin intake was greater in middle-age and older-age groups than for those of less than 40 years of age [16]. The elderly are susceptible to the advertising of non-prescription drugs and aspirin is frequently self-prescribed [8,31]. Age-related physiological changes modify the response to aspirin in the elderly. A higher incidence of drug reactions and interactions has been evidenced in this age group. The cases cited throughout this report substantiate the need for caution on the part of the geriatric patient and the physician in regard to aspirin therapy for the elderly.
THE NEOTROPICAL GENUS POTAMOCARIS DUSSART (COPEPODA: HARPACTICOIDA: PARASTENOCARIDIDAE), WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES

ABSTRACT The diagnosis of the South American parastenocaridid harpacticoid genus Potamocaris Dussart, 1979, is extended. "Parastenocaris" dentata Dussart, 1979, is synonymized with Potamocarisbifida Dussart, 1979; species included in the genus for the first time are Parastenocaris bidens Noodt, 1955, and Parastenocaris bidentata and Parastenocaris tridentata Dussart, 1981. Two new species, Potamocaris cuiabaensis and P. estevesi, are described from Brazil. Members of the genus appear to be confined to sand substrates in the drainage basins of the Rio Parana and smaller coastal rivers in southern Brazil and northern Argentina.
Outcome of Kidney Transplantation in African-Americans Using Tacrolimus

The Results of kidney transplantation in African-Americans have improved with better immunosuppressive regimens, but the overall graft survival is reported by many to be inferior to that of non-Black recipients.1–3 The underlying impact of such factors as HLA matching, immunosuppressive regimes, socioeconomic status, or center effect has remained in question as many examine the underlying cause for the poorer graft survival.2,4 Our early experience with the use of tacrolimus has shown no difference in kidney allograft survival when compared to the non-Black recipients.5 We examine the outcome of the use of tacrolimus, a better immunosuppressive agent, to evaluate the effect of graft survival in African-American patients undergoing renal transplantation alone at the University of Pittsburgh. Minimum follow-up is 12 months.
Bell's theorem. Experimental tests and implications

Bell's theorem represents a significant advance in understanding the conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics. The theorem shows that essentially all local theories of natural phenomena that are formulated within the framework of realism may be tested using a single experimental arrangement. Moreover, the predictions by those theories must significantly differ from those by quantum mechanics. Experimental results evidently refute the theorem's predictions for these theories and favour those of quantum mechanics. The conclusions are philosophically startling: either one must totally abandon the realistic philosophy of most working scientists, or dramatically revise out concept of space-time.
The Ethics of Human Dignity: A Nursing Theoretical Perspective

The concept of human dignity is a term commonly used in professional codes and standards for biomedical healthcare disciplines and professional nursing practice. What is the definition of this ethical concept? This column offers a unique definition from a nursing disciplinary perspective. Common straight thinking or ethical questions emerging with the application of the concept in practice are offered along with a discussion of misunderstandings regarding the use of the concept in nursing practice and in professional healthcare arenas.
Coupled Cognitive and Functional Change in Alzheimer's Disease and the Influence of Depressive Symptoms

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), cognition and function are only moderately correlated in cross-sectional studies, and studies of their longitudinal association are less common. One potential non-cognitive contributor to function is depression, which has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes. The current study investigated longitudinal associations between functional abilities, cognitive status, and depressive symptoms in AD. 517 patients diagnosed with probable AD and enrolled in The Multicenter Study of Predictors of Disease Course in Alzheimer's Disease were included. Patients were followed at 6-month intervals over 5.5 years. Longitudinal changes in the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale, modified Mini-Mental State Exam, and the depression subscale of the Columbia University Scale for Psychopathology in AD were examined in a multivariate latent growth curve model that controlled for gender, age, education, and recruitment site. Results showed that cognition and function worsened over the study period, whereas depressive symptoms were largely stable. Rates of change in cognition and function were correlated across participants and coupled within participants, indicating that they travel together over time. Worse initial cognitive status was associated with faster subsequent functional decline, and vice versa. Higher level of depressive symptoms was associated with worse initial functioning and faster subsequent cognitive and functional decline. These findings highlight the importance of both cognitive and psychiatric assessment for functional prognosis. Targeting both cognitive and depressive symptoms in the clinical treatment of AD may have incremental benefit on functional abilities.
In vivo modulation of CYP enzymes by quinidine and rifampin.

Background The metabolism of drugs and other xenobiotics is mediated by enzymes whose activities can be modulated by different compounds. The activities of these modulators have the potential to be used to optimize drug action, prevent toxicity, or identify the enzymes involved in a reaction. This approach requires that selective agents be used for specific enzymes. However, selectivity of action has been poorly characterized in vivo. Methods This study investigated the effect of 3 and 28 days of treatment with quinidine (200 mg daily) and rifampin (INN, rifampicin) (600 mg daily) on the activities of four cytochrome P450 enzymes and N -acetyltransferase in 28 healthy young male volunteers divided into three groups with a cocktail of drug probes used, including caffeine, mephenytoin, debrisoquin (INN, debrisoquine), and dapsone. Results Quinidine selectively and almost completely inhibited the activity of CYP2D6 from day 3 through day 28 without affecting any other enzymes. Rifampin showed evidence of time-dependent induction of the activities of all measured oxidative routes of metabolism but decreased the acetylation ratio in fast acetylators. The quinidine/rifampin combination resulted in selective CYP2D6 inhibition and induction of all other enzymes evaluated over this time period, suggesting that predictable complex interactions occur with the drug combination. Conclusions These observations illustrate the value of simultaneous assessment of the effect of modulators on the activities of multiple specific enzymes with the drug cocktail approach. (Clin Pharmacol Ther 2000;68:401-11.) Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2000) 68, 401–411; doi: 10.1067/mcp.2000.110561
Replicating real-time garbage collector

Real-time Java is becoming a viable platform for real-time applications, bringing new challenges to a garbage collector. A real-time collector has to be incremental as not to cause deadline misses by suspending an application for too long. In particular, if a real-time collector has to relocate objects in the heap, it must do so incrementally and transparently to the application. This is usually achieved via an indirection that has to be followed on every read and write to the heap. We present an alternative solution, based on object replication, which does not need any special handling for memory reads, but writes are more expensive: every value is written twice. As writes are less frequent than reads, the total overhead is reduced. With our implementation in a research real-time Java VM and DaCapo, pseudo-jbb, and SPEC JVM 98 benchmarks, we observe an average speed-up of 4% on a Linux/x86 platform. Compared with an existing technique for parallel systems, our technique targets uni-processor green-threading embedded systems, allowing us to design simpler and more predictable mutator barriers. Thanks to cheap synchronization provided by green threading, our technique features atomic writes to object replicas, providing programmers with the natural behavior in face of unprotected access to shared variables. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (A version of this work was presented at the 7th International Workshop on Java Technologies for Real.)
Inverse problem in optical diffusion tomography. I. Fourier–Laplace inversion formulas

We consider the inverse problem of reconstructing the absorption and diffusion coefficients of an inhomogeneous highly scattering medium probed by diffuse light. Inversion formulas based on the Fourier-Laplace transform are used to establish the existence and uniqueness of solutions to this problem in planar, cylindrical, and spherical geometries.
A Post-Amadori Inhibitor Pyridoxamine Also Inhibits Chemical Modification of Proteins by Scavenging Carbonyl Intermediates of Carbohydrate and Lipid Degradation

Reactive carbonyl compounds are formed during autoxidation of carbohydrates and peroxidation of lipids. These compounds are intermediates in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE) and advanced lipoxidation end products (ALE) in tissue proteins during aging and in chronic disease. We studied the reaction of carbonyl compounds glyoxal (GO) and glycolaldehyde (GLA) with pyridoxamine (PM), a potent post-Amadori inhibitor of AGE formation in vitro and of development of renal and retinal pathology in diabetic animals. PM reacted rapidly with GO and GLA in neutral, aqueous buffer, forming a Schiff base intermediate that cyclized to a hemiaminal adduct by intramolecular reaction with the phenolic hydroxyl group of PM. This bicyclic intermediate dimerized to form a five-ring compound with a central piperazine ring, which was characterized by electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, NMR, and x-ray crystallography. PM also inhibited the modification of lysine residues and loss of enzymatic activity of RNase in the presence of GO and GLA and inhibited formation of the AGE/ALENe-(carboxymethyl)lysine during reaction of GO and GLA with bovine serum albumin. Our data suggest that the AGE/ALE inhibitory activity and the therapeutic effects of PM observed in diabetic animal models depend, at least in part, on its ability to trap reactive carbonyl intermediates in AGE/ALE formation, thereby inhibiting the chemical modification of tissue proteins.
Design and analysis of a helical spherical antenna using the theory of characteristic modes

Electrically small dipole antennas with ka less than 0.5 exhibit low radiation resistance, high capacitive reactance and high Q factor which is inversely proportional to antenna bandwidth. Here, the k is the free space wave number and a is the radius of an imaginary sphere which circumscribes the whole antenna. Spherical dipole antennas potently have higher effective volume if compared to other small antennas with maximum dimension equal to a. The higher the effective volume the lower the Q if proper feeding is used. Characteristic mode theory, as formulated in (Harrington and Mautz, 1971), will be used to analyze the input impedance and currents of a one-turn four-arm spherical antenna to improve the antennapsilas broadband behavior.
Chemical properties and occurrence on Kalahari sand of salt licks created by elephants

Chemical and physical data from analyses of soil samples of Kalahari Sand deposits in Wankie National Park, Rhodesia, show that salt licks created and used by elephant are characterized by high concentrations of water soluble sodium. Soils with concentrations of calcium, magnesium and potassium in, for instance, termite mounds are used as licks only in regions where soluble sodium is not present in quantity in the soil. Shallow steep-sided salt licks are dug out by elephants with their forefeet during the dry season. Elephant dung is deposited in large quantities on and near salt licks at that season. A brown colour is present in aqueous extracts of salt-lick soils and is likely to consist of sodium salts of humic derivatives of elephant faeces or urine. Rainwater gathering in salt licks in the wet season has an equivalent brown colour and a high sodium content. Similar soil regions rich in sodium but not used as licks have no brown colouration in the soil extract. This brown soluble humic derivative may enable the elephant to detect the salt lick by smell. Licks appear to be important in the social life of the elephant populations. The intensity of present usage of salt licks by elephants is leading to localized soil erosion which will eventually result in the filling in of many clay pans with coarser sands.
Towards a New Paradigm in Monetary Economics: Reflections on the current state of monetary economics

To theorists, monetary economics has long presented a challenge: finding the assumptions under which it does or does not matter. The challenge is all the greater because, while it is easy to construct models in which money matters, it is hard to believe that the quantitative effects in at least many of these are significant enough to account for observed behavior. For instance, macro–economists have often relied on the real balance effect, the fact that as prices fall, the real value of money increases, making individuals feel better off. However, for moderate rates of decline in prices, the magnitude of the real balance effect is too small to account, for instance, for an economic recovery. A second example concerns the refutation of the monetarist doctrine that prices move proportionally to increases in the money supply, for any monetary regime, so that there are no real effects of the increase in the money supply. Assume that were the case. Define a monetary regime as a rule of monetary expansion, depending on the state of nature, such that the expected rate of change of the money supply E[d\ n M/dt] is a constant; the expected return to holding money is the same among monetary regimes given that prices move proportionally to M . However, if individuals are risk averse, then changes in the monetary regime will affect the probability distribution of returns, and hence, in general, the relative demand for money and capital, and therefore will have real effects, counter to the assumption.
Functional reorganization of the locomotor network in Parkinson patients with freezing of gait.

Freezing of gait (FoG) is a transient inability to initiate or maintain stepping that often accompanies advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) and significantly impairs mobility. The current study uses a multimodal neuroimaging approach to assess differences in the functional and structural locomotor neural network in PD patients with and without FoG and relates these findings to measures of FoG severity. Twenty-six PD patients and fifteen age-matched controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging along with self-reported and clinical assessments of FoG. After stringent movement correction, fifteen PD patients and fourteen control participants were available for analysis. We assessed functional connectivity strength between the supplementary motor area (SMA) and the following locomotor hubs: 1) subthalamic nucleus (STN), 2) mesencephalic and 3) cerebellar locomotor region (MLR and CLR, respectively) within each hemisphere. Additionally, we quantified structural connectivity strength between locomotor hubs and assessed relationships with metrics of FoG. FoG+ patients showed greater functional connectivity between the SMA and bilateral MLR and between the SMA and left CLR compared to both FoG− and controls. Importantly, greater functional connectivity between the SMA and MLR was positively correlated with i) clinical, ii) self-reported and iii) objective ratings of freezing severity in FoG+, potentially reflecting a maladaptive neural compensation. The current findings demonstrate a re-organization of functional communication within the locomotor network in FoG+ patients whereby the higher-order motor cortex (SMA) responsible for gait initiation communicates with the MLR and CLR to a greater extent than in FoG− patients and controls. The observed pattern of altered connectivity in FoG+ may indicate a failed attempt by the CNS to compensate for the loss of connectivity between the STN and SMA and may reflect a loss of lower-order, automatic control of gait by the basal ganglia.
Color in architecture

The use of color characterized architecture in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, in medieval cathedrals, and in the baroque, rococo, and even Victorian periods. Color was, to a great extent, banished in American architecture during the first third of the 20th Century and, after a brief revival of decoration in the 1930s, again during the second third up until the middle 1970s. Since then, however, the use of color in architecture has greatly accelerated, impelled by spiraling costs of construction, the energy crisis, and concern for conservation of limited resources and the environment.
On the direct sum and tensor product of matrix games

Abstract : A direct sum and tensor product of matrix games and of their equivalent linear programs are defined. The relationship of a 'composed' game to the corresponding 'composed' linear program is derived. Conditions are obtained for the solution of the direct sum or tensor product game to be determined from the solutions of the component games. Examples are given to show how many actual conflicts can be represented by direct sum or tensor product games. (Author)
Implementing Curriculum Within a Context of Fear and Disengagement

The purpose of this study was to examine situational and personal contextual factors that teachers and students reported as enhancing or minimizing student engagement in urban high school physical education classes. In this ethnographic study, 21 physical education teachers and their students in six high schools were observed, and all teachers at six schools and 51 students at five schools were interviewed to examine their perspectives on physical education. Data were analyzed using constant comparison. Findings suggested that students found some tasks to be embarrassing, boring, and irrelevant. Some students preferred to receive a failing grade rather than participate. All participants reported a sense of fear and alienation in the school or class environments. Students, however, described several teachers who created contexts of engagement in these schools. These teachers connected personally with students and worked to provide an innovative curriculum that students felt was relevant and worthwhile.
Yield and quality characteristics of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) exposed to ground-level ozone.

Early and late season-planted bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge, cultivar ‘Pensacola’) were grown in open-top chambers (OTC) to which added air had been carbon-filtered (CF), representative of that found at pristine air quality sites; non-filtered (NF), characteristic of ambient air in Auburn, AL and representative of that found in rural agricultural areas; or enriched with ozone (O3) to twice-ambient O3 concentration (2X), representative of that found in the vicinity of large metropolitan areas. Primary-growth and regrowth forages from each planting were harvested periodically throughout the experiment from each of six OTC (two OTC/air treatment). Mean daytime (09:00‐21:00 h) O3 concentrations over the entire 24-week experiment (7 May‐23 October 1997) were 22, 45 and 91 Z ll ˇ1 , respectively, for CF, NF and 2X treatments. Mean daytime ambient O3 concentrations peaked in mid-May and again in late August‐late September at 50‐ 60 Z ll ˇ1 , and highest individual ambient O3 concentrations were recorded in late June, late July, late August and mid-September at90 Z ll ˇ1 . Dry matter (DM) yield was greater for CF than for NF primary-growth forage, and concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were higher in 2X than in NF primary-growth and regrowth forages from the early-season planting. Concentration of acid detergent fiber (ADF) tended to be higher in 2X than in NF primary-growth forage and was higher in 2X than in NF regrowth forage, whereas acid detergent lignin (ADL) concentration was higher in 2X than in NF primary-growth forage and tended to be higher in 2X than in NF regrowth forage from the early-season planting. Crude protein (CP) concentrations were lower in CF than in NF regrowth forage from the early-season planting and in CF than in NF primary-growth forage from the initial harvest of the late-season planting. No differences were observed among treatments in DM yield or concentrations of cell wall constituents in primary-growth or regrowth forages from the late-season planting, although concentrations of CP, NDF and ADF tended to be higher in 2X
PS: polygon streams a distributed architecture for incremental computation applied to graphics

Polygon Streams is a distributed system with multiple processors and strictly local communication. A unique custom VLSI chip that constitutes an independent processing module forms a stage of the PS pipeline. The number of these modules in PS is a variable that is determined by the application. PS features a modular architecture, multi-ported on-chip memory, bit-serial arithmetic, and a pipeline whose computation can be dynamically configured. The PS design closely subscribes to the system characteristics favored by VLSI. The task of scan conversion for rendering computer graphics images on raster scan displays is very intensive in computation and pixel information access. It is very coherent and suitable, however, for forward difference algorithms. The discrete and regular layout of the raster display, in conjunction with the largely local effect of a pixel on an image, make rendering amenable to parallel architectures with localized memory and communication. These are precisely the attributes favored by VLSI and typical of PS. A modification of the Digital Differential Analyzer (DDA) is implemented to Gouraud Shade and depth buffer convex polygons at high speeds. The scan conversion task is distributed over the processors to efficiently subdivide the image space and maximize concurrency of processor operation. A study of the tradeoffs and architectural choices of the PS reveal the merits and deficits of the PS approach in comparison with Pixel-Planes, SLAMs, Super-Buffers, and SAGE.
Regulation and functions of Blimp-1 in T and B lymphocytes.

B lymphocyte–induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1), discovered 16 years ago as a transcriptional repressor of the IFNβ promoter, plays fundamentally important roles in many cell lineages and in early development. This review focuses on Blimp-1 in lymphocytes. In the B cell lineage, Blimp-1 is required for development of immunoglobulin-secreting cells and for maintenance of long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs). Direct targets of Blimp-1 and the transcriptional cascades Blimp-1 initiates to trigger plasmacytic differentiation are described. Blimp-1 also affects the homeostasis and function of CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory CD4+ T cells, and Blimp-1 levels are highest in antigen-experienced T cells. Blimp-1 attenuates T cell proliferation and survival and modulates differentiation. Roles for Blimp-1 in Th1/Th2 specification, regulatory T cell function, and CD8 differentiation and function are under investigation. Signals that induce Blimp-1 in B cells include Toll-like receptor ligands and cytokines; in T cells, T c...