cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-covalent chemical modification of crown ether side-chain polymethacrylates with a secondary ammonium salt: a family of new polypseudorotaxanes

Here we report syntheses of copolymeric polymethacrylates (5) bearing dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8) moieties and their non-covalent chemical modification with dibenzylammonium hexafluorophosphate (7) to form side-chain polypseudorotaxanes. The complexation process, primarily driven by hydrogen bonding and π-stacking interactions, was investigated in solution with 1H NMR spectroscopy. By the use of Scatchard and Hill plots it was shown that this system is anticooperative, with a Hill coefficient, nH ≈ 0.45; that is, in addition to the usual entropic effects associated with multiple binding sites, the addition of subsequent ligands to an already complexed macromolecule is retarded. Thus, the more crown moieties per macromolecule or the higher the fraction of complexed sites, the lower the effective macroscopic binding or association constant. Films of the side-chain polypseudorotaxanes showed significant increases in Tg compared to the parent polymers. The effects of pseudorotaxane formation on surface morphology of films are also reported.
Improved Visual Design for Graphics Display

The principles of good visual design used in advertising can help programmers design effective computer displays that will substantially improve the man-machine interface.
ELEVATED LEVELS OF TRIMETHYLAMINE OXIDE IN MUSCLES OF DEEP-SEA GADIFORM TELEOSTS : A HIGH-PRESSURE ADAPTATION?

Trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) as an osmolyte typically occurs at 20–70 mM in shallow-water marine teleost fishes. However, it has not been previously examined in deep-living species. We collected species from two families of benthic gadiform teleosts by otter trawl from the continental slope (1,800–2,000 m) and abyssal plain (2,850 m) off the Oregon coast. Muscle and plasma samples were analyzed for TMAO with a picric acid method. Muscle contents (below in millimoles/kilogram of wet weight) were found to be higher than previously reported for teleosts. Results from Macrouridae from 1,800–2,200 m were as follows: Albatrossia pectoralis, 83 ± 10; Coryphaenoides cinerus, 121 ± 11. Results from Macrouridae from 2,850 m were significantly higher: C. leptolepis, 158 ± 20; C. fillifer, 177 ± 8; C. armatus, 173 ± 5. Caught at both depths, Antimora microlepis (Moridae) had 211 ± 14. Plasmas had low TMAO (2–15 mM) and high Na+concentrations (227–273 mM), except A. microlepis plasma, which had the lowest Na+ (219 ± 30 mM) and highest TMAO (159 ± 46 mM). Osmotic pressures of fresh plasma (423–557 mosm) correlated highly with muscle TMAO and with plasma TMAO plus Na+ levels. These higher osmolalities may reduce osmoregulatory costs. However, as a methylamine known to stabilize protein, TMAO may counteract destabilizing effects of hydrostatic pressure on cellular proteins. With purified C. leptolepis muscle lactate dehydrogenase, 250 mM TMAO fully offset a 30% increase in NADH Km induced by 300 atm. J. Exp. Zool. 279:386–391, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Theoretical consideration on quantum lithography with conventional projection

At the end of last century, the name of “quantum lithography” has been emerged. This exciting approach was proposed for making a resolution two times higher than that of the conventional optics without changing a wavelength and a numerical aperture. For those who want optical lithography to last long, this has been thought to be a great technology. However, an applicability of the proposed method to the current exposure system i.e ., reduced projection exposure system has not yet been examined clearly. We have investigated the proposed quantum lithography to apply into the current exposure system using reticle. For simplicity, coherent illumination i.e. sigma is zero condition is used for calculation. Our quantum lithography compatible to mask exposure system explains probability of one and two photon absorption on the image plane i.e. on wafer. We have shown that the half-wavelength quantum lithography using conventional mask exposure system is impossible because diffraction at the mask makes biphoton into two photon. We have found that there is still super-resolution quantum lithography using mask exposure, however, there is little possibility of quantum lithography practically today because biphoton light source is as dark as stars. To realize quantum lithography practically, further development of not only biphoton light source but also two-photon absorption resist is indispensable.
A COMBINED TRAVELER BEHAVIOR AND SYSTEM PERFORMANCE MODEL WITH ADVANCED TRAVELER INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Abstract The goal of this paper is to develop a framework for evaluating the effect of Advanced Traveler Information Systems. The framework uses a composite traffic assignment model which combines a probabilistic traveler behavior model of route diversion and a queuing model to evaluate Advanced Traveler Information Systems impacts under incident conditions. The composite assignment model considers three types of travelers: those who are unequipped with electronic devices, i.e. they do not have Advanced Traveler Information Systems or radio in their vehicles; those who receive delay information from radio only; and those who access Advanced Traveler Information Systems only. The unequipped travelers are able to observe incident-induced congestion, if the congestion reaches or exceeds their decision point. The composite model assigns travelers with Advanced Traveler Information Systems to the shortest travel time route. Travelers with radio information and those who can observe the congestion are assigned according to a behavioral model calibrated on revealed preference data. Travelers who are completely unaware of the incident-induced congestion are assigned to their usual route. The unique feature of the composite model is the integration of realistic traveler behavior with system performance while accounting for the effect of real-time travel information. To demonstrate the application of the composite model, we consider the evolution of queues on a two link network with an incident bottleneck. The findings indicate that the overall system performance, measured by average travel time, improves marginally with increased market penetration of Advanced Traveler Information Systems. However, the benefits of Advanced Traveler Information Systems under incident conditions are expected to be marginal when there is more ‘information’ available to travelers through their own observation or radio. Specifically, delay information received through radio and from observation of incident-induced congestion induces people to divert earlier causing the network to operate closer to system optimal than user equilibrium. This limits the potential benefits of Advanced Traveler Information Systems.
A synoptic approach to Sun-weather investigations

The advantages of a regular program of daily observations of the magnetosphere, ionosphere and atmosphere are described. Such synoptic observations may be one of the best routes to understanding the physical mechanisms involved in sun-weather influences. Some specific examples of such observations are given.
Predictors of Alumni Association Membership

The authors examined factors associated with membership of university graduates in the dues-based alumni association of their alma mater. Logistic regression was used to analyze variables that came from survey responses and from an existing database. All participants had attended a public doctoral-granting research university in the South. Graduates were more likely to be alumni association members if they: (a) were donors, (b) had a telephone number on record, (c) were relatively older, (d) had positive experiences as alumni, (e) had positive perceptions of the alumni association, (f) were more frequently involved with the alma mater, and (g) were aware of other members of the alumni association. Alumni were less likely to be alumni association members if they were: (a) employed at the alma mater, (b) had a higher level of degree attainment, (c) had positive feelings about student experiences, and (d) had positive university perceptions. Empirical testing confirmed the utility of several variables of the prediction model in identifying the best prospects for alumni association membership.
Estrogen Replacement Reverses Endothelial Dysfunction in Postmenopausal Women

Abstract Purpose: To measure the effect of long-term clinical hormone replacement therapy on brachial artery vasomotor responses, and to compare these responses in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Patients and Methods: We studied 23 postmenopausal women, including 18 who were evaluated prior to starting clinically indicated oral hormone replacement therapy. Twelve postmenopausal women received estrogen alone, the other 6 were treated with estrogen/medroxyprogesterone combinations. Eleven premenopausal volunteers served as a comparison group. Change in brachial artery diameter in response to postischemic hyperemic flow and sublingual nitroglycerin was measured by ultrasound. Results: The 18 postmenopausal subjects receiving hormone replacement showed a progressive improvement in their postischemic vasodilation. Mean (±SD) postischemic vasodilation was 0.4% ± 7.1% prior to estrogen replacement. There were significant increases in postischemic vasodilation of 4.8% ± 6.6% after 1 month and 8.3% ± 3.4% after 6 months of estrogen replacement. The response to nitroglycerin was similar at all time points studied. Women with the most abnormal responses to hyperemic flow at baseline demonstrated the greatest improvement after 6 months of hormone replacement therapy. Premenopausal and postmenopausal subjects differed in their response to hyperemic flow, with premenopausal women showing 5.8% vasodilatation compared with a 0.6% vasodilation in postmenopausal women ( P = 0.046). Conclusions: Endothelial function is abnormal in many postmenopausal women compared with premenopausal women, and in some postmenopausal women it can be enhanced by estrogen replacement therapy. This effect may increase with prolonged use.
Achieve Agile Enterprise System through Collaboration with BPMS

Packaged enterprise systems (ES) have achieved strategic significance in enterprises as their backbone IT systems since late 80s of last century. They provide rich and standard functionality to support business running. However, the concern that packaged enterprise systems are not agile enough has been discussed for decades. This drawback becomes more and more critical because of the more and more fierce competition. Enterprises are embracing business process management technologies and tools as the solutions of pursuing agility. In recent years, collaboration between packaged enterprise systems with business process management suites (BPMS) becomes more and more important to achieve a balance between standardization and agility. Firstly this paper reviews the history of applying business process management principles, technologies and tools into enterprise system implementation. To achieve a lifecycle ES-BPMS collaboration, this paper proposes a three level solution model with some key considerations for applying the solution into practices. At last this paper lists some existing offerings of enterprise system and BPMS collaboration from major packaged enterprise system and BPMS vendors, also introduces our first attempt with IBM BPM and SAP Enterprise systems.
Twenty-four-hour coverage and workers' compensation insurance.

Abstract: Workers' compensation insurance provides cash benefits and health care for workers who are injured on the job. This DataWatch considers the costs and benefits of combining the health insurance component of workers' compensation with universal health insurance, creating a twenty-four-hour coverage plan. The paper documents a large potential savings from twenty-four-hour coverage: Workers' compensation medical charges are about twice as high as those for comparable off-work injuries. This disparity seems to result from price discrimination and lack of cost controls in workers' compensation. Twenty-four-hour coverage, however, may be difficult to implement.
Extreme ultraviolet photodissociative excitation of molecular oxygen

Photodissociation processes in molecular oxygen occurring in the wavelength range from 500 to 900 A, investigated through observations of the resulting atomic fluorescence radiation, are reported. The dispersed radiation from a continuous light source was used to excite the gas, and the resulting fluorescence radiation was observed in the ultraviolet and infrared. The results obtained are compared with the dissociation cross sections derived by Matsunaga and Watanabe (1967).
A SAS MACRO for calculating intercoder agreement in content analysis

Abstract Content analysis is an important methodology in advertising research. A key issue in content analysis is the level of agreement across the judgments which classify the objects or stimuli of interest. A review of articles published in the Journal of Advertising indicates that many authors are not fully utilizing recommended measures of intercoder agreement and thus may not be adequately establishing the reliability of their research. This paper presents a SAS MACRO which facilitates the computation of frequently recommended indices of intercoder agreement in content analysis. In particular, the MACRO calculates measures which correct for chance agreement and allow for multiple coders.
Engineering to the rule, not the exception: an interlibrary loan case study at The University of California, Santa Barbara

Purpose – During the implementation of a new interlibrary loan management system, Virtual Document eXchange (VDX), the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) analyzed all aspects of its operation to gain processing efficiencies and improve its service. This paper attempts to quantify the gains achieved from the implementation and to offer explanations for the improvements measured.Design/methodology/approach – Six months before implementing VDX, UCSB participated in the Association of Research Libraries' “Assessing ILL/DD Service Study” conducted in spring 2003. The results from the spring 2003 study were used as a benchmark for measuring the improvements observed after implementing VDX. To assure the validity of the results, an equivalent study using the same protocols prescribed in the 2003 ARL study was carried out in spring 2007.Findings – The findings confirmed that turnaround times and fill rates had improved after implementing VDX, despite an overall workload increase of 19 percent. Other fi...
Some Electrical Properties of Germanium Crystals Containing Compensated Impurities

Compensated $n$-type germanium crystals containing both radioindium and radioantimony were prepared. The indium and antimony content was determined by radiochemical procedures. The Hall constant $R$ and resistivity $\ensuremath{\rho}$ of three compensated samples and one uncompensated sample of room temperature resistivity comparable to that of one of the compensated samples were measured in the temperature range 78\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to 393\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The Hall mobility $\ensuremath{\mu}$ was calculated as $\frac{R}{\ensuremath{\rho}}$ and compared with theoretically calculated values of $\ensuremath{\mu}$.
PALLIATIVE TREATMENT OF TOTAL ANOMALOUS PULMONARY VENOUS DRAINAGE BY BALLOON ATRIAL SEPTOSTOMY

Abstract Total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (T.A.P.V.D.) carries a high risk of early death, and the mortality after surgical correction is 50-80% among infants. In a 2-month-old boy whose T.A.P.V.D. was not caused by pulmonary venous stenosis, balloon atrial septostomy proved a successful palliative procedure. Surgical correction, at age 14 months, was successful.
On the asymptotics of constrained local $M$-estimators

We discuss in this paper asymptotics of locally optimal solutions of maximum likelihood and,more generally, $M$-estimation procedures in cases where the true value of the parameter vector lies on the boundary of the parameter set $S$.We give a counterexample showing that regularity of $S$ in the sense of Clarke is not sufficient for asymptotic equivalence of $\sqrt{n}$-consistent locally optimal $M$-estimators.We argue further that stronger properties, such as so-called near convexity or prox-regularity of $S$ are required in order to ensure that any two $\sqrt{n}$-consistent locally optimal $M$-estimators have the same asymptotics.
A perturbation analysis of non-linear free flexural vibrations of a circular cylindrical shell

Abstract Non-linear free vibrations of a circular cylindrical shell are examined using Donnell's equations. A modal expansion is used for the normal displacement that satisfies the boundary conditions for the normal displacement exactly, but the boundary conditions for the in-plane displacements are satisfied approximately by an averaging technique. Galerkin technique is used to reduce the problem to a system of coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations for the modal amplitudes. These non-linear differential equations are solved for arbitrary initial conditions by using the multiple-time-scaling technique. Explicit values of the coefficients that appear in the forementioned Galerkin system of equations are given, in terms of non-dimensional parameters characterizing the shell geometry and material properties, for a three mode case, for which results for specific initial conditions are presented. A comparison of the results with those obtained in previous studies of the problem is presented and the discrepancies are discussed.
Mortality attributable to cholestatic liver disease in the United States.

In the past 2 decades, important advances have been made in the treatment of cholestatic liver diseases, including primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Whether these new therapies have had demonstrable impact on mortality on a population-wide scale has not been evaluated. This study describes the age-specific and sex-specific mortality rates from PBC and PSC in the United States between 1980 and 1998, based on the Multiple Cause of Death files. Age-specific and sex- specific mortality rates from PBC and PSC were calculated. The multivariable Poisson model was used to evaluate temporal changes in mortality rates. In 1998, the total age-adjusted and sex-adjusted PBC-related mortality rate was 0.24 per 100,000, and the age-adjusted and sex-adjusted PSC-related mortality rate was 0.23 per 100,000. During the observation period, PBC-related mortality significantly decreased over time in women younger than 65 years, and in men of all age groups, whereas in older women this number increased over time. PSC-related mortality remained essentially stable, except in men 65 years of age or older. Conclusion: Since the early 1980s, significant changes in mortality from PBC have occurred. The most noticeable change was an increase in the age of death, which indicates prolongation of survival. These changes may be attributable to liver transplantation or ursodeoxycholic acid. In contrast, mortality from PSC remained largely unchanged, highlighting the need for more effective therapeutic strategies. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.)
Bone morphogenetic proteins 2, 4, and 9 stimulate murine hepcidin 1 expression independently of Hfe, transferrin receptor 2 (Tfr2), and IL-6

Recently, it has been suggested that hepcidin, a peptide involved in iron homeostasis, is regulated by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), apparently by binding to hemojuvelin (Hjv) as a coreceptor and signaling through Smad4. We investigate the role of Hfe, Tfr2 (transferrin receptor 2), and IL-6 in BMP2-, BMP4-, and BMP9-stimulated up-regulation of murine hepcidin, because these molecules, like Hjv, are known to be involved in hepcidin signaling. We show that the BMP signaling pathway acts independently of Hfe, Tfr2, and IL-6: The response to BMP2, BMP4, and BMP9 is similar in isolated hepatocytes of wild-type, Hfe−/−, IL-6−/−, and Tfr2m mutant mice. The potency of different human BMPs in stimulating hepcidin transcription by murine primary hepatocytes is BMP9 > BMP4 > BMP2. However, in human HepG2 cells, BMP4 and BMP9 are equally potent, whereas BMP2 requires a higher dose to become an effective hepcidin activator. Moreover, all of the tested BMPs are more potent regulators of hepcidin than IL-6 and thus are the most potent known stimulators of hepcidin transcription.
Impaired Sperm Function After Spinal Cord Injury in the Rat Is Associated With Altered Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Signaling

Our previous observations of changes in the expression of cAMP-dependent genes and the cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) in rat testicular cells after spinal cord injury (SCI) implied abnormal cAMP signaling as one of the mechanisms underlying the effects of SCI on spermatogenesis. It was postulated that such effects might contribute to abnormal sperm function after SCI. In this study, we examined this possibility. In spinal cord-contused (SCC) and -transected (SCX) rats, impaired sperm motility was accompanied by an increase in sperm cAMP content. Treatment of SCX rats with exogenous testosterone or follicle-stimulating hormone resulted in a further decrease in sperm motility, whereas sperm cAMP either increased or remained unchanged. These effects differed from those in sham control rats that received identical treatments. Results of these experiments also demonstrated that impaired sperm motility in SCC and SCX rats was accompanied by decreases in sperm viability and mitochondrial potential, thus suggesting a possible link between these changes. We concluded that impaired sperm motility after SCI was associated with decreases in sperm viability and mitochondrial potential. These effects occurred in the face of elevated sperm cAMP content and changes in its regulation, suggesting that altered cAMP signaling events might contribute to impairment of sperm motility and perhaps other sperm functions after SCI.
Some Anatomical Factors Related to Furcation Involvements

A total of 305 dry human skull specimens were examined for the presence of furcation involvements. Of a total of 188 furcation involvements, 142 (75%) were related to the close proximity of the furcation to the cemento enamel junction of the tooth.
What Future for Jewish Culture in the Soviet Union

(1979). What future for Jewish culture in the Soviet union? Soviet Jewish Affairs: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 20-28.
Ranking data with BASIC

Researchers often need to rank data prior to statistical analysis; this is necessary, for example, to employ many nonparametric statistical procedures. The act of ranking assigns consecutive numbers to data to indicate their relative numerical magnitudes. McNally and Wood (1982) presented a BASIC computer program that assigns ranks to all members of a set of data, and when data are tied (i.e., equal in magnitude) assigns to each tied datum the mean of the positions it occupies in the ordered list of data. Ranks could be assigned by first sorting the data; however, the original sequence of data would be lost, which is undesirable, because the original configuration typically must be maintained for statistical and other analyses. There are better ways to rank data than to sort first, but if sorting is to be performed, it should be by one of many algorithms that have long been known to be more efficient and faster than the "bubble sort" suggested by McNally and Wood (e.g., see Barron & Diehr, 1983, Cooke, Craven & Clark, 1982, Knuth, 1973, Loeser, 1974, Lorin, 1975, and Martin, 1971), Lorin (1975) explained that, for n data, a bubble sort requires a mean of approximately (n (3n/4) comparisons and n exchanges in a storage array of size n. And the better general sorting routines have execution times proportional to n log n, instead of n" Although the McNally and Wood program does not require preliminary sorting, it appears to be more time consuming than sorting, requiring five passes through the n data (aside from initializing the arrays and providing output), 2n comparisons between pairs of data, and a mean ofn + [n(n 1)/2] acts of incrementing elements of the 3n storage matrix. Listing 1 presents a program that reads in an array of n data and assigns them ranks that are stored in a second array oflength n to be displayed as output. The program is written in very elementary BASIC so as to be relatively "portable" among computers. The total number of comparisons required to rank the data is from n(n 1)/2, when there are no ties and the data are submitted in numerical order, to n(n 1), when the data are either in reverse order or all tied. The number of times that members of the array of ranks would be incremented during the ranking process ranges from n(n 1)/2, when there
Verified Homology Computations for Nodal Domains

Homology has long been accepted as an important computational tool for quantifying complex structures. In many applications these structures arise as nodal domains of real-valued functions and are therefore amenable only to a numerical study based on suitable discretizations. Such an approach immediately raises the question of how accurately the resulting homology can be computed. In this paper we present an algorithm for correctly computing the homology of one- and two-dimensional nodal domains. The approach relies on constructing an appropriate cubical approximation for the nodal domain based on the behavior of the defining function at the vertices of a fixed grid. Betti numbers for these cubical sets are readily computable using [T. Kaczynski, K. Mischaikow, and M. Mrozek, Computational Homology, Springer-Verlag, New York, 2004; W. Kalies, M. Mrozek, and P. Pilarczyk, Computational Homology Project, http://chomp.rutgers.edu/ (2006)]. Here, we present a technique to verify that the cubical representatio...
Culture clash: a missed opportunity.

CASE Erasto is a term infant born by vaginal delivery to a gravida 7 para 7 Somalia woman with full prenatal care in the United States. His mother had gestational diabetes. The delivery was complicated by respiratory distress and an urgent admission to the neonatal intensive care unit for further evaluation for possible pulmonary disease and a congenital heart condition. A female pediatric intern was assigned to update Erasto's mother on the baby's status and to obtain consent for an intravascular line placement. When she entered the room to talk to the mother, multiple family members spanning at 3 generations were with the baby's mother. They were all women with the exception of Erasto's father who was apprised of the baby's clinical status by the male neonatal physician several minutes earlier. Through a telephone translator, the intern explained to Erasto's mother that her baby may have heart and lung problems that may be related to her gestational diabetes. At this point, many family members spoke simultaneously and excitedly. Some accused the intern of keeping the baby in the neonatal intensive care unit "to make more money," and others said they would sue her "if anything happened to Erasto." The mother denied that she had gestational diabetes, and claimed that because she "believed in God...nothing is wrong with my baby." The intern was not prepared for this response and asked herself, "What went wrong?"
Adoption of array technologies into the clinical laboratory.

Array-based methods are making substantial contributions to the discovery of disease biomarkers and are fueling the growth of multianalyte testing for disease diagnosis and treatment. The distillation of high-density array results into sets of signature markers promises to improve disease staging, risk stratification and treatment decisions. To accommodate the growing requirement for multiplex testing, clinical laboratories are converting several single-analyte tests into array-based formats. However, adoption of array technologies provides several challenges to the laboratory, which must evaluate these new formats, train laboratory personnel, market the new services and obtain reimbursement for new analytes. Liquid-bead arrays are an attractive format for routine clinical diagnostics due to a combination of appropriate analyte density, simultaneous array decoding and detection, and flexibility for rapid customization. In this review, the suitability of several array platforms to diagnostic testing and ap...
Publishing, interpreting, and accessing models

Abstract Models are tools that are used to predict the structure and the behavior of a system. They are usually developed to fit a particular set of data, however, once developed, they can be applied to other studies; to predict the behavior of the system under different conditions, explore the structure of parts of the system that were not sampled, identify areas that are lacking in data, and optimize the design of new studies. For published models to be interpreted and applied widely to other studies, models need to be communicated clearly. Papers describing models should contain full descriptions of the physiological relevance and mathematical rigor of the model. A working version of the model then needs to be made available to other investigators. This manuscript examines the areas of communicating and interpreting published models and describes a facility, called a ‘model library’, that is being developed to make published models available on the Internet. With better communication, information in models can be extracted and used to bridge the gap between theory and experiment to extend our understanding of complex systems and optimize the use of experimental resources.
Inflammatory markers and negative mood symptoms following exercise withdrawal

Abstract Objective: Physical inactivity is associated with elevated inflammatory markers, but little is known about the time trajectories of reduced physical activity and inflammatory markers. Changes in inflammatory markers in response to withholding regular aerobic exercise were prospectively examined and correlated with increased negative mood symptoms and fatigue that accompany exercise withdrawal. Methods: Participants with regular exercise habits ( N = 40, mean age of 31.3 ± 7.5 years, 55% women) were randomized to aerobic exercise withdrawal or to continue regular exercise for 2 weeks. Protocol adherence was documented using ambulatory actigraphy. Inflammatory markers (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1) were assessed at weekly intervals. Negative mood was measured with the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and fatigue with the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI). Autonomic nervous system activity was examined using heart rate variability-based indices. Results: Changes in inflammatory markers did not differ between exercise withdrawal and control groups (multivariate p interaction = 0.25). Exercise withdrawal resulted in increased negative mood symptoms and fatigue from baseline to day 14 compared to controls ( p ΔPOMS = 0.008, p ΔBDI = 0.002; p ΔMFI = 0.003), but these responses were not associated with changes in inflammatory markers ( p -values >0.10). Inflammatory markers were also not correlated with autonomic nervous system dysregulation ( p -values >0.10). Conclusion: Inflammatory markers were not increased following 2 weeks of exercise withdrawal. Negative mood symptoms and fatigue were not accounted for by changes in inflammatory markers. Compensatory feedback mechanisms may operate among healthy individuals to promote resilience from the effects of reduced exercise.
The effect of the mode of delivery on the maternal-neonatal erythrocyte membrane acetylcholinesterase activity.

Abstract Free radical production and high catecholamine levels are implicated with the modulation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Objective To investigate the effect of the mode of delivery on maternal–neonatal erythrocyte membrane AChE activity. Subjects and methods Some women with normal pregnancy (N = 30) were divided into two groups: group A (N = 16) with normal labour and vaginal delivery and group B (N = 14) with scheduled Cesarean section, twenty non-pregnant women were the controls. Blood was obtained from controls and from mothers pre- vs post-delivery as well as from the umbilical cord (CB). Total antioxidant status (TAS), membrane AChE activities and catecholamine blood levels were measured with a commercial kit, spectrophotometrically and HPLC methods, respectively. Results TAS and catecholamine levels as well as membrane AChE activities were similar in the two groups of mothers pre-delivery and in controls. TAS levels were reduced whereas AChE activities and catecholamine levels were increased post-delivery in mothers of group A and unaltered in group B at the same times of study. AChE activity was similarly lower in the CB of neonates than those of their mothers pre-delivery. Conclusions During a normal delivery process, the low TAS, the increased levels of catecholamines and the increased AChE activity, post-delivery, may be due to the increased stress due to the participation of uterus and skeletal muscles as during endurance exercise. The low AChE activity in newborns may be related to perinatal immaturity.
Support, stigma, health, coping, and quality of life in older gay men with HIV.

As life expectancy for persons living with HIV has increased due to antiretroviral therapy, quality of life (QOL) has become an emerging issue for older gay men with HIV, who comprise more than 50% of older adults living with HIV in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of QOL in older gay men with HIV. Sixty gay men ages 50–65 participated. Age, social support, and problem-focused coping were significantly and positively correlated with QOL, while medical comorbidities, social stigma, and emotion-focused coping were all significantly and negatively associated with QOL ( p
"Laughing" rats and the evolutionary antecedents of human joy?

Paul MacLean’s concept of epistemics—the neuroscientific study of subjective experience—requires animal brain research that can be related to predictions concerning the internal experiences of humans. Especially robust relationships come from studies of the emotional/ affective processes that arise from subcortical brain systems shared by all mammals. Recent affective neuroscience research has yielded the discovery of play- and tickle-induced ultrasonic vocalization patterns (50-kHz chirps) in rats may have more than a passing resemblance to primitive human laughter. In this paper, we summarize a dozen reasons for the working hypothesis that such rat vocalizations reflect a type of positive affect that may have evolutionary relations to the joyfulness of human childhood laughter commonly accompanying social play. The neurobiological nature of human laughter is discussed, and the relevance of such ludic processes for understanding clinical disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), addictive urges and mood imbalances are discussed. D 2003 Published by Elsevier Inc.
Collaborative Public Management and Democracy: Evidence from Western Watershed Partnerships

This article provides a framework for assessing the democratic merits of collaborative public management in terms of seven normative ideals: inclusiveness, representativeness, impartiality, transparency, deliberativeness, lawfulness, and empowerment. The framework is used to analyze a random sample of 76 watershed partnerships in California and Washington State. The study reveals the exclusionary nature of some partnerships and suggests that critical stakeholders are missing from many partnerships. However, representation was generally balanced. National and statewide advocacy groups were absent from most of these place-based partnerships; public agencies were the primary source of nonlocal perspectives. Deliberativeness was relatively strong, indicated by the prevalence of educational and fact-finding strategies and participants’ perceptions of respectful discussion and improved social capital. Half the partnerships had implemented new policies, and two-thirds of stakeholders believed their partnership had improved watershed conditions, indicating empowerment.
Proactive and reactive aggression in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analysis of differential relations with psychosocial adjustment:

Aggressive behavior in childhood has long been separated into that which is proactively motivated and that which is reactive. We report a meta-analytic review of the existing empirical literature that examines the associations of each type of aggression with six indices of psychosocial adjustment: internalizing problems, emotional dysregulation and ADHD-type symptoms, delinquent behaviors, prosocial behavior, sociometric status, and peer victimization. Even though not detectable in most single studies, meta-analytic combination revealed that reactive aggression was more strongly related to most of the indices of adjustment than was proactive aggression. This difference was small, however, and we argue that the difficulty in detecting differential correlates is due to the high intercorrelation between the functions of aggression, which appears to be an artifact of traditional measurement procedures. It is recommended that future research use measures that provide distinct assessment of the functions in ord...
IMPROVED LORAN RECEPTION AND RANGE EXTENSION

This paper shows the requirement for continued use of Loran, discusses the theoretical accuracy of Loran signals at extended ranges (1500 to 3000 nautical miles), reports how improved Loran reception was obtained and at what ranges reliable signals were received under controlled conditions, and tells how operational users may obtain the same results with equipment available today. It is customary to speak well of the dead. Since I am going to say a few kind words about Loran, I want to first assure you that this 15-year-old youngster is still quite alive and healthy. That the United States Air Force will continue to use Loran for some time to come was indicated in an unclassified letter from Headquarters, USAF, to all major commands on 15 February 1955. The subject of the letter was, "USAF Policy on Long Distance Aids to Navigation," and it said in part:
Postmortem brain abnormalities of the glutamate neurotransmitter system in autism

Background: Studies examining the brains of individuals with autism have identified anatomic and pathologic changes in regions such as the cerebellum and hippocampus. Little, if anything, is known, however, about the molecules that are involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Objective: To identify genes with abnormal expression levels in the cerebella of subjects with autism. Method: Brain samples from a total of 10 individuals with autism and 23 matched controls were collected, mainly from the cerebellum. Two cDNA microarray technologies were used to identify genes that were significantly up- or downregulated in autism. The abnormal mRNA or protein levels of several genes identified by microarray analysis were investigated using PCR with reverse transcription and Western blotting. α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionic acid (AMPA)- and NMDA-type glutamate receptor densities were examined with receptor autoradiography in the cerebellum, caudate-putamen, and prefrontal cortex. Results: The mRNA levels of several genes were significantly increased in autism, including excitatory amino acid transporter 1 and glutamate receptor AMPA 1, two members of the glutamate system. Abnormalities in the protein or mRNA levels of several additional molecules in the glutamate system were identified on further analysis, including glutamate receptor binding proteins. AMPA-type glutamate receptor density was decreased in the cerebellum of individuals with autism ( p Conclusions: Subjects with autism may have specific abnormalities in the AMPA-type glutamate receptors and glutamate transporters in the cerebellum. These abnormalities may be directly involved in the pathogenesis of the disorder.
Promoting Civically Engaged Scholarship Through a Study/Action Group

This article describes how a study/action group of faculty explored civically engaged scholarship during the course of an academic year. Participants learned about various forms of civically engaged scholarship such as service-learning and community-based research. Discussions included dialogue on issues relevant to retention, promotion, and tenure. Based on this information, participants developed their own civically engaged scholarship projects. Outcomes and future directions for the group are presented.
Partitioning of centralized integrated flight/propulsion control design for decentralized implementation

The notion of partitioning a centralized controller into a decentralized, hierarchical structure suitable for integrated flight/propulsion control (IFPC) implementation is discussed. A systematic procedure is developed for determining partitioned airframe and engine subsystem controllers (subcontrollers), with the desired interconnection structure, that approximate the closed-loop performance and robustness characteristics of a given centralized controller. The procedure is demonstrated by application to IFPC design for a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft in the landing-approach-to-hover-transition flight phase. >
Influence of Loading Frequency on the Room-Temperature Fatigue of a Carbon-Fiber/SiC-Matrix Composite

The influence of cyclic loading frequency on the tensile fatigue life of a woven-carbon-fiber/SiC-matrix composite was examined at room temperature. Tension-tension fatigue experiments were conducted under load control, at sinusoidal frequencies of 1, 10, and 50 Hz. Using a stress ratio ([sigma][sub min]/[sigma][sub max]) of 0.1, specimens were subjected to maximum fatigue stresses of 310 to 405 MPa. There were two key findings: (1) the fatigue life and extent of modulus decay were influenced by loading frequency and (2) the post-fatigue monotonic tensile strength increased after fatigue loading. For loading frequencies of 1 and 10 Hz, the fatigue limit (defined at 1 [times] 10[sup 6] cycles) was approximately 335 MPa, which is over 80% of the initial monotonic strength of the composite; at 50 Hz, the fatigue limit was below 310 MPa. During 1- and 10-Hz fatigue at a maximum stress of 335 MPa, the modulus exhibited an initially rapid decrease, followed by a partial recovery; at 50 Hz, and the same stress limits, the modulus exhibited an initially rapid decrease, followed by a partial recovery; at 50 Hz, and the same stress limits, the modulus continually decayed. The residual strength of the composite increased by approximately 20% after 1more » [times] 10[sup 6] fatigue cycles at 1 or 10 Hz under a peak stress of 335 MPa. The increase in strength is attributed in part to a decrease in the stress concentrations present near the crossover points of the 0[degree] and 90[degree] fiber bundles.« less
Unarmed Insurrections: People Power Movements in Nondemocracies and Citizen Power, Politics, and the Asian Miracle: Reassessing the Dynamics

Unarmed Insurrections: People Power Movements in Nondemocracies. By Kurt Schock. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005. $67.50 cloth, $22.50 paper. Citizen Power, Politics, and the Asian Miracle: Reassessing the Dynamics. By O. Fiona Yap. Boulder, CO: Lynne Reiner, 2005. $49.95. These works exemplify the kind of broadly comparative study that many political scientists call for, yet few actually undertake. Kurt Schock studies six different popular movements against authoritarian rule, and O. Fiona Yap analyzes the interaction between citizens and government in four Asian newly industrialized countries (NICs). Together, they illuminate the dynamics of state-society relations in illiberal political contexts.
Design and Analysis of a Mobile File Sharing System for Opportunistic Networks

Opportunistic networks are characterized by intermittent connectivity among mobile devices that occurs during their opportunistic contacts. With the increasing number of capable wireless devices and hence increasing potential formation of opportunistic networks, enabling applications over opportunistic networks has become critical. In this paper, we design and analyze a mobile file sharing system over opportunistic networks using Bluetooth technology. Our goal is to enable a mobile device to download desired files from available devices in its neighborhood and also allow its files to be disseminated to the network with the facilitation of opportunistic contacts. The key challenges we strive to address are system automation and file sharing efficiency. The mobile file sharing system is implemented on HP iPAQ 910 smart phones. Extensive experiments are conducted and the results indicate that our mobile file sharing system works efficiently and the data rate for file transferring can be up to 417 KB per second.
SBotMiner: large scale search bot detection

In this paper, we study search bot traffic from search engine query logs at a large scale. Although bots that generate search traffic aggressively can be easily detected, a large number of distributed, low rate search bots are difficult to identify and are often associated with malicious attacks. We present SBotMiner, a system for automatically identifying stealthy, low-rate search bot traffic from query logs. Instead of detecting individual bots, our approach captures groups of distributed, coordinated search bots. Using sampled data from two different months, SBotMiner identifies over 123 million bot-related pageviews, accounting for 3.8% of total traffic. Our in-depth analysis shows that a large fraction of the identified bot traffic may be associated with various malicious activities such as phishing attacks or vulnerability exploits. This finding suggests that detecting search bot traffic holds great promise to detect and stop attacks early on.
Mechanisms of C Sequestration in Soils of Latin America

Carbon (C) sequestration, defined as the process whereby atmospheric CO2 is transferred into a long-lived C pool, is an important issue not only in the scientific community but also in the society at large because of its potential role in off-setting fossil fuel emissions. Through photosynthesis this C is stored in plants and through decomposition, trunks, branches, leaves and roots are incorporated in the soil via the action of different soil organisms, i.e., bacteria, fungi and invertebrates. This, together with the C exudates from roots that are utilized by microbial populations, constitutes the natural pathways of incorporating biomass-C into the soil. The amount of C stored in terrestrial ecosystems is the third largest among the global C pools. Soil organic carbon (SOC) up to 3 m is 2,344 Pg C (1 Petagram = 1015 g), and the SOC pool in tropical soils is approximately 30% of the global pool. Abiotic factors, which moderate C sequestration in soils are clay content, mineralogy, structural stability, l...
Learning discriminant features for multi-view face and eye detection

In current face detection, mostly often used features are selected from a large set (e.g. Haar wavelets). Generally Haar wavelets only represent the local geometric feature. When applying those features to profile faces and eyes with irregular geometric patterns, the classifier accuracy is low in the later training stages, only near 50%. In this paper, instead of brute-force searching the large feature set, we propose to statistically learn the discriminant features for object detection. Besides applying Fisher discriminant analysis(FDA) in AdaBoost, we further propose the recursive nonparametric discriminant analysis (RNDA) to handle more general cases. Those discriminant analysis features are not constrained with geometric shape and can provide better accuracy. The compact size of feature set allows to select a near optimal subset of features and construct the probabilistic classifiers by greedy searching. The proposed methods are applied to multi-view face and eye detection and achieve good accuracy.