cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase by the autophosphorylated form of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.

Abstract The 63-kDa subunit, but not the 60-kDa subunit, of brain calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase was phosphorylated in vitro by the autophosphorylated form of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. When calmodulin was bound to the phosphodiesterase, 1.33 +/- 0.20 mol of phosphate was incorporated per mol of the 63-kDa subunit within 5 min with no significant effect on enzyme activity. Phosphorylation in the presence of low concentrations of calmodulin resulted in a phosphorylation stoichiometry of 2.11 +/- 0.21 and increased about 6-fold the concentration of calmodulin necessary for half-maximal activation of the phosphodiesterase. Peptide mapping analyses of complete tryptic digests of the 63-kDa subunit revealed two major (P1, P4) and two minor (P2, P3) 32P-peptides. Calmodulin-binding to the phosphodiesterase almost completely inhibited phosphorylation of P1 and P2 with reduced phosphorylation rates of P3 and P4, suggesting the affinity change of the enzyme for calmodulin may be caused by phosphorylation of P1 and/or P2. When Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II was added without prior autophosphorylation, there was no phosphorylation of the 63-kDa phosphodiesterase subunit or of the kinase itself in the presence of a low concentration of calmodulin, and with excess calmodulin the phosphodiesterase subunit was phosphorylated only at P3 and P4. Thus the 63-kDa subunit of phosphodiesterase has a regulatory phosphorylation site(s) that is phosphorylated by the autophosphorylated form of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and blocked by Ca2+/calmodulin binding to the subunit.
Journal of Actuarial Practice

This article has no abstract. Keywords: refereed journal; practicing; academic; pedagogical
Histone H2AX Is Phosphorylated in an ATR-dependent Manner in Response to Replicational Stress

H2AX, a member of the histone H2A family, is rapidly phosphorylated in response to ionizing radiation. This phosphorylation, at an evolutionary conserved C-terminal phosphatidylinositol 3-OH-kinase-related kinase (PI3KK) motif, is thought to be critical for recognition and repair of DNA double strand breaks. Here we report that inhibition of DNA replication by hydroxyurea or ultraviolet irradiation also induces phosphorylation and foci formation of H2AX. These phospho-H2AX foci colocalize with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), BRCA1, and 53BP1 at the arrested replication fork in S phase cells. This response is ATR-dependent but does not require ATM or Hus1. Our findings suggest that, in addition to its role in the recognition and repair of double strand breaks, H2AX also participates in the surveillance of DNA replication.
24 Pathways: A Model Service Delivery System

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the PATHWAYS program, a model service delivery system. The primary goal of the PATHWAYS program is to preserve families by providing intensive in-home therapeutic treatment to help maintain multi-problematic children in their own homes or in the least restrictive Children and Youth foster care homes. Children or adolescents are eligible for referral to PATHWAYS from birth to 18 years of age. The consumer families need to be willing/voluntary participants in the PATHWAYS program. The parents and other family members residing in the consumer family home need to be in agreement to participate by signing the family agreement form. In the case of single parent families, only the parent and children living at home need to sign the agreement. All consumers and their families are assured of freedom of choice with regard to admission and discharge decisions. In this chapter aspects of the PATHWAYS program are highlighted to give you a flavor of the service model's structure. The chapter focuses on program description, goals and objectives, admission criteria/admission staffing, treatment care plan/treatment team meeting, emergency services, and discharge criteria/discharge planning and staff development.
Photon and Magnetic Alignment of Interstellar Dust Grains

We have considered the cooperative effects of photon and magnetic alignment on plausible models for interstellar dust grains. Neither effect, either in cooperation or alone, appears able to produce the observed alignment.
Beyond average: toward sophisticated sensing with queries

High-level query languages are an attractive interface for sensor networks, potentially relieving application programmers from the burdens of distributed, embedded programming. In research to date, however, the proposed applications of such interfaces have been limited to simple data collection and aggregation schemes. In this paper, we present initial results that extend the TinyDB sensornet query engine to support more sophisticated data analyses, focusing on three applications: topographic mapping, wavelet-based compression, and vehicle tracking. We use these examples to motivate the feasibility of implementing sophisticated sensing applications in a query-based system, and present some initial results and research questions raised by this agenda.
Recent clinical advances in the treatment of dysraphic states.

A review of recent clinical advances in the treatment of children with meningomyelocele is presented. Various methods have been developed for intrauterine diagnosis including roentgenographic examinations ultrasonography fetography fetoscopy analysis of amniotic fluid components and analysis of maternal serum for the presence of alpha-fetoprotein. The genetic mechanism responsible for the inheritance of neural tube defect is postulated. Orthopedic management may be conservative delaying operative procedures until the patient is ready to attempt ambulation or more vigorous by early correction of deformities by operating on soft tissues. There have been several advances in the types of orthoses available. The urological disability of the patient must receive constant attention. Some training has been initiated with a small degree of success. Urinary diversion by cutaneous ureteroileostomy has been the procedure of choice. Other methods include implantable prosthetic urinary sphincters and intermittent catheterization. Bowel training is also discussed. Policies of selection criteria for the early treatment of patients with meningomyeloceles are still quite varied. Some attempt at consistency in the management of patients is desirable.
Amniotic fluid lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio in complicated pregnancies.

Abstract Amniotic fluid (AF) lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratios were obtained in 223 pregnancies. Gestations complicated by maternal diabetes (71), vascular disease (50), and fetal growth retardation (47) were included. Elevated L/S ratios at 34 to 36 weeks' gestation were observed to accompany maternal vascular disease; higher ratios were also related to fetal sex (female) and race (black). Declining L/S ratios were observed in 14 of 35 diabetic patients studied serially (40 per cent) and were accompanied by increased perinatal morbidity and deaths. These data suggest an urgent need for further studies concerning the clinical usefulness of a serial decline in the L/S ratio as a predictor of fetal compromise.
How accurate are patients in reporting their antidepressant treatment history

Background: A patient’s report of their antidepressant treatment history is one of the most important pieces of information used in selecting an antidepressant regimen. It is currently unknown how accurate patients are in describing and characterizing their antidepressant treatment history. Methods: Seventy-three patients receiving treatment for depression at our outpatient psychiatric practice were interviewed by an independent evaluator who was blind to each patient’s treatment history. Information was obtained regarding which antidepressant and augmentation regimens patients had undergone, antidepressant doses, duration of trials, and the nature of response to each trial. The results of these interviews were then compared with patients’ actual treatment history as elicited from an independent chart review. Results: Patients recalled 85 of the 104 (81.7%) monotherapy trials they had undergone in the past 5 years, but only recalled 12 of 46 (26.1%) augmentation trials (P<0.001). Patients were found to be very reliable in distinguishing between those trials that were of adequate dose and duration and those that were not. Patients were also generally reliable in depicting the quality of response to past trials, though patient report of a past negative trial was significantly more reliable than a report of a past positive trial. The presence of current depressive symptomatology did not adversely affect patients’ ability to recall past trials or accurately describe their responses to past regimens. Limitations: All patients were treated by a single psychiatrist, and all trials occurred within the last 5 years. Conclusion: Patients are able to recall the majority of monotherapy trials they have undergone, but have great difficulty remembering when two medications were taken concurrently, i.e. augmentation trials. Patient report appears to be a satisfactory method to obtain information regarding trial adequacy and response in most, but not all instances.
Simple reaction time event-related potentials: Effects of alcohol and diazepam

Acute effects of alcohol and diazepam on reaction time (RT) and event-related potential (ERP) measures were examined in 108 healthy male volunteers. The subjects engaged in a simple RT task at two levels of stimulus intensity during baseline and treatment sessions. Lower stimulus intensity produced increased RT's, increased ERP peak latencies, and suppression of peak amplitudes. Moderate and high doses of alcohol, and high doses of diazepam produced increased RT's. Alcohol suppressed P100 and N100 amplitudes, while diazepam suppressed P100 amplitudes only. P100 amplitudes were correlated to RT's under baseline and treatment conditions. These results were taken as evidence for impaired stimulus detection during alcohol and diazepam intoxication, with both drugs influencing sensory-perceptual processes and alcohol alone influencing the degree of attentiveness.
Domain-domain interactions in ion channels.

Ion channels are, with a few exceptions, multi-subunit complexes made of interacting functional domains ([Hille, 2001][1]). Combining different functionalities yields ion channels with complexity, allowing them to operate like a biological micro-machine. This general design permits the selective
A methodology for observing development of a formal reasoning strategy

Observations of the developmental process suggest that the most formidable obstacle to development may be the abandonment of old patterns, rather than construction of new ones.
IDENTIFICATION OF INSULIN-UKE GROWTH FACTOR-BINDING PROTEIN-2 (IGF-BP-2) AND A LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT IGF-BP IN HUMAN SEMINAL PLASMA

Three distinct binding proteins for the insulin-like growth factors (IGF-BPs) have recently had their cDNAs cloned and sequenced. We have evaluated IGF-BP expression in normal, oligospermic and azospermic human seminal plasma (SP), and have identified IGF-BP-2 in all samples. Additionally, SP contains a non-glycosylated low molecular weight IGF-BP (24K), which does not appear to be structurally or immunologically related to IGF-BP-1, -2 or -3.
A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of botulinum toxin B for sialorrhea in Parkinson’s disease

Background: Injections of botulinum toxin A are an effective treatment for sialorrhea in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Based on the relatively high rates of dry mouth seen with botulinum toxin B, there is reason to suspect that it may also improve sialorrhea. Objective: To determine whether botulinum toxin B (Myobloc; Elan Pharmaceuticals, New York, NY) is a safe and effective treatment for sialorrhea in patients with PD. Methods: Demographics, PD treatments, head posture, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), two questionnaires regarding drooling, Visual Analogue Scale, global impressions, salivary gland imaging, and a dysphagia questionnaire were assessed in 16 PD subjects with problematic sialorrhea. Patients were then randomized to receive either botulinum toxin B (1,000 units into each parotid gland and 250 units into each submandibular gland) or a pH-matched placebo, using only anatomic landmarks. Patients returned 1 month later to undergo an identical assessment. Results: Compared with placebo, those randomized to drug reported improvement on the Visual Analogue Scale ( p p p p Conclusion: Anatomically guided injections of botulinum toxin B into the parotid and submandibular glands appear to effectively improve sialorrhea without compromising dysphagia in patients with PD.
Theoretical and experimental studies of drug–receptor interactions: Determinants for recognition of 5‐hydroxytryptamine analogs

Experimental studies on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its congeners have shown these compounds to interact with the same receptors in peripheral tissues and in brain. To evaluate the importance of the relative position of the 5-HT-like recognition elements at these receptors, we studied two compounds structurally related to 5-HT in which the structural elements involved in receptor recognition are positioned differently from 5-HT: 5-hydroxyaminotetrahydrobenzindole (FHATHBIN) in which the position of the side chain is fixed with respect to the indole, and 4(β-aminoethyl)-5-hydroxyindole (FAEFHI) in which the side chain is flexible, and connected to the indole at the C4 position (rather than at C3 as in 5-HT). Ab initio molecular orbital calculations of the molecules and model fragments were performed with STO-3G and 3-21G basis sets, using structural optimization procedures. The results show that both structures possess the reactivity elements required for the interaction with the 5-HT receptor, but that FAEFHI cannot be recognized at the 5-HT receptor because the side chain is held in the wrong conformation with respect to the indole portion by a strong hydrogen bond between the side chain amine group and the hydroxyl at C5. We report results from competition experiments for binding at high affinity 5-HT binding sites in brain membranes which support this conclusion by showing that FAEFHI has low affinity for these sites.
Mindful Parenting: A Call for Research

Interest in mindfulness-based interventions for children and adolescents is growing, but despite substantial evidence that parental distress and psychopathology adversely affects children, there is little research on how mindfulness-based parenting interventions might benefit the child as well as the parent. As an established intervention for prevention of depressive relapse, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) conducted with parents is an intervention that potentially could improve parent–child relationships, reduce child symptoms, and promote healthy child development. Mindful parenting interventions bring mindful attention directly to parent–child interactions and are similar but not identical to existing clinical mindfulness interventions such as MBCT. Mindfulness-based parenting interventions have an interpersonal, rather than intrapsychic focus, with particular attention given to the parent–child relationship. Preliminary research suggests that this intervention approach may reduce stress, enhance parenting satisfaction, decrease child aggression, and increase children’s prosocial behaviors. Initial evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindful parenting programs is promising and supports our call for ongoing research.
Hot-spot ignition of condensed phase energetic materials

A micromechanics approach to hot-spot formation and growth to detonation in condensed-phase energetic materials is presented. A numerical model based on fundamental conservation principles is developed to examine the dynamic and thermodynamic processes that occur in a generalized heterogeneous, energetic material subjected to weak shock loading. The work focuses on the thermal/mechanical processes that act to transfer compression work of the shock wave into localized high-temperature ignition sites. A special interest of this research is to determine the dominant physical processes occurring at different times during hot-spot formation. Processes such as viscoplastic heating, phase change, finite rate condensed-phase decomposition, gas-phase heating, and heat transfer between the void and the condensed-phase are included in the model. Results for cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (C3H6N6O6), a common ingredient in high-energy solid rocket propellants, show that viscoplastic heating is an effective mechanism for producing high-temperature regions in the energetic material adjacent to a shock-collapsed void. Furthermore, it is shown that under certain initial conditions (pore size, shock pressure, etc.), localized heating can lead to the release of chemical energy that exceeds the energy dissipated by heat losses, and that melting and the variation of condensed-phase viscosity and yield strength can greatly affect the dynamics of pore collapse.
In-vitro susceptibility of Gram-positive cocci to LY146032 teicoplanin, sodium fusidate, vancomycin, and rifampicin

LY146032, a new antimicrobial agent with activity against Gram-positive cocci, was tested against methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staph. epidermidis, Staph. saprophyticus, and Streptococcus faecalis. MIC90s in cation-supplemented Mueller Hinton broth by the microdilution broth method were less than 1.0 mg/l for all organisms tested. Increasing or decreasing the inoculum size did not appreciably effect the MIC50 or MIC90 for any organism group nor did decreasing the incubation temperature. The addition of sodium chloride to the test system did not appreciably effect the susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus to LY146032. All organisms were 4 to 32 times more susceptible to LY146032 than to vancomycin. The Staph. aureus had LY146032 susceptibility patterns which were similar to those of teicoplanin and sodium fusidate. LY146032 was 4-16 times more active than teicoplanin against Staph. saprophyticus and Staph. epidermidis while teicoplanin was 8-16 times more active than LY146032 against Str. faecalis.
Paranoid and aggressive behavior in two obsessive-compulsive adolescents treated with clomipramine.

Abstract Obsessive-compulsive disorder is increasingly recognized in patients of different age groups. Serotonergic agents, such as clomipramine, have been recently found to be useful in the management of this condition. However, unexpected side effects, such as dysphoria, aggressiveness, and paranoid ideation, may occur with therapeutic doses of this compound, as evidenced in the cases of two male adolescents presented here. Possible pathogenetic factors, involving serotonin and serotonin-receptor abnormalities are discussed. Management of these side effects is based on adequate dose reduction and monitorization. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1991, 30, 6:999–1002.
Intermolecular Electron-Transfer Mechanisms via Quantitative Structures and Ion-Pair Equilibria for Self-Exchange of Anionic (Dinitrobenzenide) Donors

Definitive X-ray structures of “separated” versus “contact” ion pairs, together with their spectral (UV−NIR, ESR) characterizations, provide the quantitative basis for evaluating the complex equilibria and intrinsic (self-exchange) electron-transfer rates for the potassium salts of p-dinitrobenzene radical anion (DNB-). Three principal types of ion pairs, K(L)+DNB-, are designated as Classes S, M, and C via the specific ligation of K+ with different macrocyclic polyether ligands (L). For Class S, the self-exchange rate constant for the separated ion pair (SIP) is essentially the same as that of the “free” anion, and we conclude that dinitrobenzenide reactivity is unaffected when the interionic distance in the separated ion pair is rSIP ≥ 6 A. For Class M, the dynamic equilibrium between the contact ion pair (with rCIP = 2.7 A) and its separated ion pair is quantitatively evaluated, and the rather minor fraction of SIP is nonetheless the principal contributor to the overall electron-transfer kinetics. For ...
Sensory feedback, error correction, and remapping in a multiple oscillator model of place-cell activity.

Mammals navigate by integrating self-motion signals (‘path integration’) and occasionally fixing on familiar environmental landmarks. The rat hippocampus is a model system of spatial representation in which place cells are thought to integrate both sensory and spatial information from entorhinal cortex. The localized firing fields of hippocampal place cells and entorhinal grid cells demonstrate a phase relationship with the local theta (6–10 Hz) rhythm that may be a temporal signature of path integration. However, encoding self-motion in the phase of theta oscillations requires high temporal precision and is susceptible to idiothetic noise, neuronal variability, and a changing environment. We present a model based on oscillatory interference theory, previously studied in the context of grid cells, in which transient temporal synchronization among a pool of path-integrating theta oscillators produces hippocampal-like place fields. We hypothesize that a spatiotemporally extended sensory interaction with external cues modulates feedback to the theta oscillators. We implement a form of this cue-driven feedback and show that it can retrieve fixed points in the phase code of position. A single cue can smoothly reset oscillator phases to correct for both systematic errors and continuous noise in path integration. Further, simulations in which local and global cues are rotated against each other reveal a phase-code mechanism in which conflicting cue arrangements can reproduce experimentally observed distributions of ‘partial remapping’ responses. This abstract model demonstrates that phase-code feedback can provide stability to the temporal coding of position during navigation and may contribute to the context-dependence of hippocampal spatial representations. While the anatomical substrates of these processes have not been fully characterized, our findings suggest several signatures that can be evaluated in future experiments.
Growth of fluctuations in quenched time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model systems

A dynamical theory is presented for the enhanced fluctuations that occur in a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau model system with the order parameter not conserved which is quenched from a thermodynamically stable to an unstable state. In a certain weak-coupling, long-time, and long-distance limit, diffusion and saturation effects can be treated separately. As a result explicit expressions are found for the probability distribution functional, the two-point reduced distribution function, and the pair correlation function of the fluctuations, which evolve from an arbitrary initial probability distribution functional. The behavior of the latter two functions is also displayed graphically. A central role is played by the time-independent nonlinear transformation of the order parameter which takes care of the saturation effects. The nature of such a transformation is discussed in a general context. If the problem is viewed as a nonequilibrium critical phenomenon, the theory corresponds to the Landau mean-field theory. An expansion in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=4\ensuremath{-}d$ is suggested to improve our treatment, where $d$ is the dimensionality of space.
Serine Protease Inhibitor 6 Protects Cytotoxic T Cells from Self-Inflicted Injury by Ensuring the Integrity of Cytotoxic Granules

How cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) kill intracellular pathogens without killing themselves has been a recurring question ever since their discovery. By using mice deficient in Serine Protease Inhibitor 6 (Spi6), we show that by inhibiting granzyme B (GrB), Spi6 protects CTLs from self-inflicted injury. Infection with either Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or Listeria monocytogenes (LM) revealed increased apoptosis and diminished survival of Spi6 knockout (KO) CTLs, which was cell autonomous and could be corrected by GrB deficiency. Spi6 KO mice in turn were impaired in their ability to clear LCMV infection. Spi6 KO CTLs revealed a breakdown in the integrity of cytotoxic granules, increased cytoplasmic GrB, and ensuing apoptosis. We conclude that Spi6 protects CTLs from suicide caused by GrB-mediated breakdown of cytotoxic granules.
APL as a lingua franca in the computer science curriculum

In the last decade computer science has been struggling to establish it's independent identity, pressured on one side by those who refuse to admit the existence of any new sciences and on the other by those who see computer science as no more than the art of constructing computer programs.We who are teaching computer science are caught in the middle. We must teach our students some of the art of computer technology through programming courses, but we also must instill in them those principles of the science of computing which set it apart as a discipline in its own right. We must keep ourselves from spending all our time teaching our students to program in a variety of different languages so they can get jobs as technologists. But we must also beware of spending an inordinate amount of time on the theory without teaching programming basics.
Equilibria in structured populations.

The existence of a stable positive equilibrium state for the density ρ of a population which is internally structured by means of a single scalar such as age, size, etc. is studied as a bifurcation problem. Using an inherent birth modulus n as a bifurcation parameter it is shown for very general nonlinear model equations, in which vital birth and growth processes depend on population density, that a global unbounded continuum of nontrivial equilibrium pairs (n, ρ) bifurcates from the unique (normalized) critical point (1, 0). The pairs are locally positive and conditions are given under which the continuum is globally positive. Local stability is shown to depend on the direction of bifurcation. For the important case when density dependence is a nonlinear expression involving a linear functional of density (such as total population size) it is shown how a detailed global bifurcation diagram is easily constructed in applications from the graph of a certain real valued function obtained from an invariant on the continuum. Uniqueness and nonuniqueness of positive equilibrium states are studied. The results are illustrated by several applications to models appearing in the literature.
Some criteria for determining recognizability of a set

Let a n be the number of strings of length n in a set A ⊆ ∑ *, where ∑ is a finite alphabet. Several criteria for determining that a set is not recognizable by a finite automaton are given, based solely on the sequence { a n }. The sequence { a n } is also used to define a finitely addititive probability measure on all recognizable sets.
RINX(VSX1), a novel homeobox gene expressed in the inner nuclear layer of the adult retina.

The locus control region (LCR) of the human red and green visual pigment genes is critical for the formation of functional red and green cones in the retina. A 37-bp core of the LCR is perfectly conserved among mammals and binds specific retinal nuclear proteins. Here, we employed a yeast one-hybrid screen of an adult retinal cDNA library to clone and characterize these proteins. We identified clones encoding homeodomain (HD) transcription factors Pax6, Rx, and Chx10 and a novel paired-like HD protein, RINX. In the adult retina, RINX is exclusively expressed in a subset of cells (likely to be bipolar cells) of the retinal inner nuclear layer (INL). RINX is closely related to Chx10, which is also exclusively expressed in the INL of the adult retina and is critical for retinal development. The RINX gene is expressed in two classes of mRNA. One class encodes proteins that lack either part of or all of the HD, but retain the transcriptional activation domain. The RINX gene maps to chromosome 20p11.2 to which no retinal disease has been assigned. In conclusion, the LCR contains two adjacent motifs that are targets for binding of HD proteins that may specify the development and differentiation of cone photoreceptors and a subset of INL bipolar cells. Mutations in the related human CHX10 gene cause microphthalmia in a subset of families, and, therefore, the RINX gene is a candidate for this phenotype in another subset of patients. Since the RINX gene is likely an ortholog of the goldfish Vsx1 gene, it has been named VSX1 by the Human Gene Nomenclature Committee.
Emergency treatment of anterior circulation cerebral arterial thrombosis within the 6- to 9-h window

Statistics indicate that even in the best circumstances, there are many stroke patients who are not diagnosed for stroke treatment until 6 h or more have elapsed, potentially excluding them from thrombolytic treatment protocols. The authors present three cases of acute stroke patients in whom revascularization procedures were accomplished within the 6- to 9-h window with favorable neurological outcomes.
Understanding the Resonance Raman Scattering of Donor−Acceptor Complexes using Long-Range Corrected DFT

The optical properties involving charge-transfer states of the donor-acceptor electron-transfer complexes carbazole/tetracyanoethylene (carbazole/TCNE) and hexamethylbenzene/tetracyanoethylene (HMB/TCNE) were investigated by utilizing the time-dependent theory of Heller to simulate absorbance and resonance Raman spectra. Excited-state properties were obtained using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) using the global hybrid B3LYP and the long-range corrected LC- ωPBE functionals and compared with experimental results. It is shown that, while reasonable simulations of the absorbance spectra can be made using B3LYP, the resonance Raman spectra for both complexes are poorly described. The LC-ωPBE functional gives a more accurate representation of the excited-state potential energy surfaces in the Franck-Condon region for charge-transfer states, as indicated by the good agreement with the experimental resonance Raman spectrum. For the carbazole/TCNE complex, which includes contributions from two overlapping excited states on its absorbance spectrum, interference effects are discussed, and it is found that detuning from resonance with an excited state results in interference along with other factors. Total vibrational reorganization energy for both complexes is discussed, and it is found that both B3LYP and LC-ωPBE yield reasonable estimates of this quantity compared with experiment.
ISO 9000 in Education: A Comparison between the United States and England:

Quality schooling has often been a subject of international concern. In an effort to meet government standards for federal funding, improve their performance, and obtain public trust, education ins...
Deformation Quantization for Hilbert Space Actions

Rieffel's theory of deformations of C*-algebras for \(\)-actions can be extended to actions of infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. The CCR algebra over a Hilbert space H can be exhibited in this manner as a deformation of a commutative C*-algebra of almost periodic functions on H.
Structural Hierarchy and Social Good in Tzintzuntzan

Social ritual in a Mexican village is described as structural hierarchy with a common semantic base. Stretches of rule-governed behavior are generated through a series of metaphoric transformations of physiological process. The concordant structure that is so-derived constitutes a semantic network that provides and reinforces cultural equilibrium and shared ideology.
A common cardiac sodium channel variant associated with sudden infant death in African Americans, SCN5A S1103Y

Thousands die each year from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Neither the cause nor basis for varied prevalence in different populations is understood. While 2 cases have been associated with mutations in type Valpha, cardiac voltage-gated sodium channels (SCN5A), the "Back to Sleep" campaign has decreased SIDS prevalence, consistent with a role for environmental influences in disease pathogenesis. Here we studied SCN5A in African Americans. Three of 133 SIDS cases were homozygous for the variant S1103Y. Among controls, 120 of 1,056 were carriers of the heterozygous genotype, which was previously associated with increased risk for arrhythmia in adults. This suggests that infants with 2 copies of S1103Y have a 24-fold increased risk for SIDS. Variant Y1103 channels were found to operate normally under baseline conditions in vitro. As risk factors for SIDS include apnea and respiratory acidosis, Y1103 and wild-type channels were subjected to lowered intracellular pH. Only Y1103 channels gained abnormal function, demonstrating late reopenings suppressible by the drug mexiletine. The variant appeared to confer susceptibility to acidosis-induced arrhythmia, a gene-environment interaction. Overall, homozygous and rare heterozygous SCN5A missense variants were found in approximately 5% of cases. If our findings are replicated, prospective genetic testing of SIDS cases and screening with counseling for at-risk families warrant consideration.
A course project to design and implement the kernel of a real-time operating system

There is a desperate lack of training in real-time programming in the computer science curriculum. At best, students may write an interrupt driven program in an assembly language course. As a result, a majority of real-time programming in industry is done by enginers who understand hardware but have little training in program development for complex software systems. This paper describes a course project that can be used in an operating systems course or a course in real-time software design. The project development proceeds from the core of a real-time kernel outward to user calls to the kernel. The major components of this project are: the underlying data structures, the scheduler, input and output device drivers, programmer's interfaces to the system, and a series of user programs exercising the system. The original course was developed for an industrial environment where it proved to be quite successful. The project has been adapted for for use both in an operating systems course and a special topics course in real-time programming.
Improving underwater thruster performance through jellyfish biomimicry and 2D jet velocity

Biomimicry has gained much popularity recently in engineering design, taking advantage of natural optimization processes. A new underwater thruster design is inspired by propulsion mechanisms of jellyfish, squid, octopus and other cephalopods. The thruster expels finite jets of water periodically to provide necessary maneuvering forces on underwater vehicles and can be placed completely inside the vehicle body. Since the design is inspired by squid and jellyfish propulsion, this paper will investigate one way in which propulsive thrust is enhanced by these animals. A CFD simulation of a swimming jellyfish is analyzed to determine propulsive performance with respect to jetting kinematics, showing that the shape of the velar opening flaps induce a converging radial velocity in the jet increasing the total jet impulse. A prototype thruster was equipped with a set of nozzles to create both parallel and converging jet flows and it was observed that the converging jet flow produced a propulsive jet with ≈ 70% more impulse than the parallel jet flow.
Hypothesis testing for diffusion processes with continuous observations: Direct computation of large deviation results for error probabilities

Abstract We propose statistical tests for deciding between two alternatives for diffusion processes observed continuously over a finite time interval. Our tests emphasize the large deviation aspects, or equivalently, the asymptotic behavior of probabilities of type I and type II errors and the rate at which these probabilities go to zero as the observation time increases. We obtain these rates using direct methods of calculation. We provide specific computational examples for diffusion processes commonly used in finance and show that the error probabilities for these cases go to zero exponentially fast. Applications in finance and economics are discussed.
Survey of Safety and Efficacy Information in Drug Inserts for Topical Prescription Medications

Background and objective: Drug inserts are an important source of information for patients and physicians regarding the safety and proper administration of a drug. However, recent studies have found that inserts are still missing key information regarding a drug’s safety and efficacy. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether inserts in US-sold topical prescription drugs are deficient with respect to key safety and efficacy information required by the US FDA.
Techniques for preparation of pyrite and limonite permineralizations

Stein, W.E., Jr., Wight, D.C. and Beck, C.B., 1982. Techniques for preparation of pyrite and limonite permineralizations. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol., 36: 185--194. Procedures are presented for the preparation of fine-polished surfaces of pyrite permineralizations, and demineralized thin-sections of limonite permineralizations. A major new feature in both procedures involves the re-embedding in plastic of individual cut sections in order to promote stability of the often crumbly material during further preparation. Pyrite sections are kept flat during polymerization of the plastic by means of a binder clip press. The technique for limonite permineralizations is characterized by the use of plastic not only for re,embedding individual sections but also for adhesion of sections to glass slides. Following this, sections are ground thin and demineralized with hydrochloric acid. We strongly recommend use of the thin-section technique for all studies utilizing limonite permineralizations because this method permits a much greater resolution of detail than is possible with other methods.
How large is the class of operator equations solvable by a DSM Newton-type method?

Abstract It is proved that the class of operator equations F ( y ) = f solvable by a DSM (dynamical systems method) Newton-type method, ( ∗ ) u = − [ F ′ ( u ) + a ( t ) I ] − 1 [ F u ( t ) + a ( t ) u − f ] , u ( 0 ) = u 0 , is large. Here F : X → X is a continuously Frechet differentiable operator in a Banach space X , a ( t ) : [ 0 , ∞ ) → C is a function, lim t → ∞ | a ( t ) | = 0 , and there exists a y ∈ X such that F ( y ) = f . Under weak assumptions on F and a it is proved that ∃ ! u ( t ) ∀ t ≥ 0 ; ∃ u ( ∞ ) ; F ( u ( ∞ ) ) = f . This justifies the DSM ( ∗ ) .
Maximum face size in an arrangement of curves

The purpose of this note is to establish a bound on the number of edges on a face of an arrangement of curves in the plane, and to correct thereby an error in an earlier formulation by Grunbaum.
Factors Affecting Blood Mercury Concentrations in Practicing Dentists

It has been suggested that mercury vapor may be transformed into highly toxic organomercury compounds by micro-organisms in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. If this hypothesis is correct, practicing dentists might be expected to have concentrations of organic mercury in their blood higher than that found in non-dentists. Blood mercury concentrations of practicing dentists and non-dentists were determined by means of cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Potential sources of mercury exposure were identified in both dentists and non-dentists through a questionnaire completed at the time of sampling. Concentrations of total and inorganic blood mercury were significantly higher in dentists than in non-dentists. The organomercury concentrations of the two groups were not statistically different (p ≥0.05). The high concentration of inorganic mercury in the blood of dentists was not related to the organomercury level, suggesting that biotransformation of inorganic mercury to organomercury do...
Asymmetry, Potential Penetration and Supersonic Speeds in MBX Experiment at High Voltage and Medium Power

In MBX, a small mirror machine with a radial electric field creates a rotating plasma that is expected to evolve, under certain conditions, into a self-organizing, detached toroidal plasma ring, a magnetofluid state. In the present stage of the experiment a low density plasma generated by microwaves (1 kW at 2.54 GHz) has been successfully rotated at supersonic speeds using a 1 kV–80 mF capacitor bank with currents ∼5 amps. Under these conditions the plasma presents high asymmetry in the current, plasma potential and consequently rotation with the voltage applied. A simple model is presented to account for these features.
A wellness Android application with social networking capabilities

Wellness is an important issue and there is a large market of health-conscious individuals who try to eat more nutritious foods and exercise regularly. With cell phones increasingly integrated into our lives, it is not a new idea to use phones as a tool in encouraging people to be healthy.This project focuses on developing a cell phone application to not only help people keep track of their health-related habits, but to use social networking to give users further motivation to stay fit and to empower them to spread their own wellness tips to a broad audience of similar users. The application also accesses cell phone sensors like GPS to actively interpret how locations the user frequents have an effect on health. This work is applicable to many pervasive information systems for health care, and this research will lead to advances in analyzing sparse, highly uncertain temporal and spatial data and its application to patterns of human behavior.
The socio‐genetics of a complex society: female gelada relatedness patterns mirror association patterns in a multilevel society

Multilevel societies with fission–fusion dynamics—arguably the most complex animal societies—are defined by two or more nested levels of organization. The core of these societies are modular social units that regularly fission and fuse with one another. Despite convergent evolution in disparate taxa, we know strikingly little about how such societies form and how fitness benefits operate. Understanding the kinship structure of complex societies could inform us about the origins of the social structure as well as about the potential for individuals in these societies to accrue indirect fitness benefits. Here, we combined genetic and behavioural data on geladas (Theropithecus gelada), an Old World Monkey, to complete the most comprehensive socio-genetic analysis of a multilevel society to date. In geladas, individuals in the core social ‘units’, associate at different frequencies to form ‘teams’, ‘bands’ and, the largest aggregations, ‘communities’. Units were composed of closely related females, and females remained with their close kin during permanent fissions of units. Interestingly, female–female relatedness also significantly predicted between-unit, between-team and between-band association patterns, while male–male relatedness did not. Thus, it is likely that the socio-genetic structure of gelada society results from females maintaining associations with their female relatives during successive unit fissions—possibly in an attempt to balance the direct and indirect fitness benefits of group living. Overall, the persistence of associations among related females across generations appears to drive the formation of higher levels of gelada society, suggesting that females seek kin for inclusive fitness benefits at multiple levels of gelada society.
Piezoelectric transducer tuned bandstop filter

A tunable bandstop filter with a wide tuning range is presented. A piezoelectric transducer with an attached dielectric perturber is used to perturb the filter to obtain a wide tuning range. Without changing the dimensions of the bandstop filter, the tunable bandstop filter can provide a wide tuning range of 25% from 4.5 to 6 GHz. The high performance bandstop filter is useful for many microwave system applications.
Hoping for a miracle: supporting patients in transplantation and cardiac assist programs.

Purpose of reviewPalliative medicine is often viewed as a medical specialty reserved for end of life care. This review focuses on the role that palliative care can play in transplant and cardiac assist device programs, along the continuum of a patient's disease course.Recent findingsIn general, tran
Temporal profile of in situ DNA fragmentation after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat.

We measured the temporal profile and anatomic distribution of cells exhibiting DNA fragmentation at various durations of reperfusion after middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in the rat. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in male Wistar rats (n = 62) using an intraluminal monofilament blockade of the MCA. After 2 h of MCA occlusion, the animals were killed at different durations of reperfusion (0.5, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h and 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, n = 4 per time point). Sham-operated rats (n = 4) and normal rats not subjected to any surgical procedure (n = 4) were used as controls. Coronal brain sections (5 microns) were analyzed, using an in situ ApopTag kit, hematoxylin and eosin, and immunohistochemical double-staining methods. Six rats subjected to 2 h of MCA occlusion were killed at 24 h for measurement of DNA fragmentation by gel electrophoresis. Our data indicate that within a coronal section, DNA fragmentation was present in zero to three cells in each hemisphere of normal and sham-operated rats as well as in the contralateral hemisphere of ischemic rats. The number of cells exhibiting DNA fragmentation increased as early as 0.5 h (8 +/- 6), peaked at 24-48 h (213 +/- 59), and persisted for 4 weeks (10 +/- 2) after onset of reperfusion (p 95% neurons) were located primarily in the inner boundary zone of the infarct. With use of gel electrophoresis, purified DNA obtained from the ischemic tissue exhibited the characteristic nucleosome ladder pattern associated with apoptosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Teaching digital control without the use of impulse samplers

An approach to teaching the subject of digital control without the use of impulse samplers is presented. The benefits of not using these samples are: (1) every signal and block in the control loop used for analysis and design purposes corresponds to a physical signal and block in the actual control loop to be implemented; and (2) every signal and block is discrete-time, and described using Z-transforms and Z-transfer functions, respectively. Experience in teaching the subject from this point of view suggests that the material is more readily understood by the students, and requires less time to teach. >