cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of uncertainty in soil, climatic, and chemical information in a pesticide leaching assessment

A simple mobility index, when combined with a geographic information system, can be used to generate rating maps which indicate qualitatively the potential for various organic chemicals to leach to groundwater. In this paper we investigate the magnitude of uncertainty associated with pesticide mobility estimates as a result of data uncertainties. Our example is for the Pearl Harbor Basin, Oahu, Hawaii. The two pesticides included in our analysis are atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) and diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyul)-1,1-dimethylarea]. The mobility index used here is known as the Attenuation Factor (AF); it requires soil, hydrogeologic, climatic and chemical information as input data. We employ first-order uncertainty analysis to characterize the uncertainty in estimates of AF resulting from uncertainties in the various input data. Soils in the Pearl Harbor Basin are delineated at the order taxonomic category for this study. Our results show that there can be a significant amount of uncertainty in estimates of pesticide mobility for the Pearl Harbor Basin. This information needs to be considered if future decisions concerning chemical regulation are to be based on estimates of pesticide mobility determined from simple indices.
17β-estradiol stimulates substance P receptor gene expression

Abstract The actions of substance P (SP), a widely distributed tachykinin neuropeptide, are mediated by the NK1 receptor, a seven trans-membrane spanning domain cell surface receptor coupled to heterotrimeric G-proteins. SP regulates cellular processes in the CNS, placenta and vasculature including permeability, inflammation, mitogenesis and transformation. Examples of sexual dimorphism in tissue distribution and expression of SP and the SP receptor (SPR) in various organ systems (breast, uterus, brain) suggest the SPR may be under hormonal control. Using Northern blot analysis of SPR mRNA levels, we studied the effects of 17 β -estradiol (E 2 ) on SPR gene expression in AR42J (rat pancreatic acinar) cells which constitutively express high levels of SPR. E 2 (100 nM) led to a 2.5-fold increase in SPR mRNA levels (4.7 kb band) which was time- and concentration-dependent. The increase was inhibited by the RNA polymerase inhibitor actinomycin D (5 μ g/ml) but not by the translational inhibitor cycloheximide (10 μ g/ml). In addition, the antiestrogen tamoxifen (1 μ M) blocked the stimulatory effect of E 2 on SPR mRNA. Increased SPR mRNA levels in response to E 2 were linearly related to increased [ 3 H]SP binding to the SPR. This study has implications for understanding molecular mechanisms of hormonal control of receptor gene expression.
Congruence primes for Ikeda lifts and the Ikeda ideal

Let f be a newform of level 1 and weight.2 n/ for positive even integers and n. We study congruence primes for the Ikeda lift of f . In particular, we consider a conjecture of Katsurada stating that primes dividing certain L-values of f are congruence primes for the Ikeda lift. Instead of focusing on a congruence to a single eigenform, we deduce a lower bound on the number of all congruences between the Ikeda lift of f and forms not lying in the space spanned by Ikeda lifts.
Reform and reaction in twentieth century American politics

A Note on Terminology Introduction Liberalism and Reform Reform The Look of Reform Does Reform Run in Cycles? The Far Left Democrats and Republicans The Fortuitous Presidency The Nature of the Reform Regime Resistance Blurred Vision Government, Liberals, and the Business Culture Mass Inertia Reaction Distant Distractions The Welfare State as Police State Fortunes of War Moods Change Demythologizing the Beneficiaries The Demise and Departure of the Intellectuals The Disaffection and Departure of the Young Backlash The President and the State under Suspicion From Disorientation to Apathy Bibliographic Essay Index
A quick solution of triangle counting

A triangle is new if it contains a triangle from the bottom row of the diagram. The number of new triangles is Tn+ ?Tn. A triangle is crusty if it contains a triangle from the shaded 'crust'. All triangles are either nablas (V) or deltas (Ai). The number of new but not crusty triangles is clearly Tn -1 T-2The new, crusty deltas have their top apices "beaded." There are 2 n + 1 of them. The new, crusty nablas have their bottom apices ".:circled." There are n of them. Thus
Effects of chlorpromazine on food-maintained and observing behavior.

Pigeons were trained to peck each of two response keys. Periods during which pecks on one key (the food key) produced access to grain according to a random-ratio 80 schedule alternated irregularly with periods during which food-key responses had no scheduled consequences (extinction). Both keys remained amber unless a random-ratio 8-response requirement on the second key (the observing key) was met. Completion of the observing-response requirement darkened the observing key and illuminated the food key either red or green for 15 s, depending on whether food could be obtained by pecking the food key. Food-key response rate was high and constant when food could be obtained (and the key was illuminated red). Observing-key response rate was somewhat lower but also constant when the observing key was amber, and near zero otherwise. Increasing doses of chlorpromazine (0.03–17.0 mg/kg, IM) decreased food-key response rate, but sometimes increased observing-key response rate. Additionally, larger doses were required to decrease response rate on the observing key. The differential effect of chlorpromazine upon the two performances may have been due to differences in reinforcer type (conditioned versus unconditioned) or other aspects of reinforcement.
Multiple paternity in the thalassinidean ghost shrimp, Callichirus islagrande (Crustacea: Decapoda: Callianassidae)

Adult ghost shrimp, Callichirus islagrande (Schmitt, 1935), are obligate inhabitants of burrow systems that they excavate deeply into beachfront sediments in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Mating presumably occurs in these burrows but has never been directly observed in C. islagrande or any other thalassinidean. A variety of possible mating systems is suggested by those of other decapods, among which are examples of both internal and external sperm deposition, sperm competition among males, and male adaptations for paternity assurance. We used genetic markers to determine if clutches brooded by individual female ghost shrimp had been fertilized by multiple males. The two microsatellite loci we employed were sufficiently polymorphic to detect 95% of the occurrences of fertilization by two males. Among 40 ovigerous females collected from the Louisiana Isles Dernieres barrier island, eight (20%) carried egg masses for which more than two paternal alleles were detected, indicating fertilization by multiple males. In two cases of multiple paternity, alleles from one of the males were detected in only a portion of an egg mass. These observations suggest several, possibly novel characteristics of the mating system that can be further investigated.
Amino acids of Bence-Jones protein.

Summary1. Hydrolysates of a sample of Bence-Jones protein isolated from the urine of a patient with multiple myelomatosis were examined by paper chromatography. Quantitative estimations of 18 amino acids were also made by microbiological methods.2. The protein was characterized by a very low content of methionine (0.12%) and by relatively large amounts of serine, threonine, and proline. No evidence of the presence of hydroxyproline was obtained.3. The analyses accounted for 93% of the nitrogen present in the protein.
The influence of electrogenerated Sm(II), electrogenerated Yb(II), and magnesium ions produced at a sacrificial magnesium anode, upon the diastereoselectivity of electroreductive cyclization reactions

Abstract The diastereoselectivity of electroreductive cyclization reactions can be improved significantly by using electrogenerated lanthanide ions or Mg 2+ generated at a sacrificial anode. The ions presumably serve to coordinate with the Lewis base sites found at each end of the substrate chain, thereby establishing two complexes of differing energies. The diastereoselectivity most likely arises as a consequence of competition between transition states that resemble structures 16 and 17 . Unfortunately it was not possible to affect any of the processes catalytically.
Ethylene removal using biotrickling filters: Part I. Experimental description

Abstract The control of liquid flow is one of the most significant factors that affect operation of biotrickling filters. This study evaluated removal of ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) using biotrickling filters at various liquid recirculation flow rates. Perlite and glass beads were utilized as media in eight and two reactors, respectively. Trickle liquid recirculation flow rates ranging from 2.7 to 26 L h −1 (velocity of 0.4–3.7 m h −1 ) were used. Two perlite reactors were operated with the liquid being recirculated intermittently for 10 min every hour at a recirculation flow velocity of 13 L h −1 (velocity of 1.9 m h −1 ). Inlet gas contained about 30 mg m −3 of C 2 H 4 and 0–40 mg m −3 of ammonia (NH 3 ). The results showed that C 2 H 4 removal efficiencies increased as time elapsed, but the increasing rate of C 2 H 4 removal was different based on the reactor types. One of the two perlite biotrickling filters with low liquid recirculation flow exibited a high C 2 H 4 removal up to 90%, but other biotrickling filters reached only about 40–70% of C 2 H 4 removal efficiency, due to either a relatively high mass transfer limitation or poor distribution of nutrients. This study denotes that a trickle liquid flow over 0.8 m h −1 (5.4 L h −1 ) had a significant detrimental effect on ethylene removal due to high mass transfer limitation that suppresses microbial growth for ethylene degradation. Therefore, the perlite biotrickling filters with flow rates as low as 0.4 m h −1 (2.7 L h −1 ) can gave the best performance in high ethylene removal.
PROMPTED VOIDING TO REDUCE INCONTINENCE IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

In-home caregivers were taught to implement a prompted voiding procedure with 2 older adults with cognitive impairments and urinary incontinence. Results suggested that the procedures can be implemented by family caregivers, and the intervention reduced incontinence for both participants.
Temperature-Induced Protein Conformational Changes in Barley Root Plasma Membrane-Enriched Microsomes: III. Effect of Temperature and Cations on Protein Sulfhydryl Reactivity.

Temperature and cations modified the reaction of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv Conguest) root plasma membrane protein sulfhydryl groups with N-4-(7-diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin-3-yl)-phenyl maleimide (CPM). The pseudo-first-order rate constants for the formation of fluorescent CPM-protein adducts increased as the temperature was raised above 30°C, suggesting changes in protein conformation. Monovalent [K(I), Na(I), L(I)] and certain divalent cations [Ba(II), Mg(II)] increased the reaction rates. Other divalent cations [Ca(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Sr(II), Cd(II), Hg(II)] decreased the rate of fluorescent adduct formation. Na(I) promoted and Ca(II) delayed the onset of the temperature-dependent increases in reaction rates. The results are discussed in terms of lipid-mediated, temperature-dependent changes in membrane protein conformation and ion-protein interactions.
Ego-Motion Estimation on Range Images Using High-Order Polynomial Expansion

This paper presents two novel algorithms for estimating the (local and global) motion in a series of range images based on a polynomial expansion. The use of polynomial expansion has been quite successful in estimating optical flow in 2D imagery, but has not been used extensively in 3D or range imagery. In both methods, each range image is approximated by applying a high-order polynomial expansion to local neighborhoods within the range image. In the local motion algorithm, these approximations are then used to derive the translation or displacement estimation within the local neighborhoods from frame to frame within the series of range images (also known as range image flow). An iterative method for computing the local translations is presented. In the global motion algorithm, a global motion model framework is utilized to compute a global motion estimation based on the polynomial expansion of the range images. We evaluate the algorithms on several real-world range image sequences with promising results.
Enduring and sex-specific effects of adolescent social isolation in rats on adult stress reactivity

In adolescence, gender differences in rates of affective disorders emerge. For both adolescent boys and girls, peer relationships are the primary source of life stressors though adolescent girls are more sensitive to such stressors. Social stressors are also powerful stressors for non-human social species like rodents. In a rat model, we examined how social isolation during adolescence impacts stress reactivity and specific neural substrates in adult male and female rats. Rats were isolated during adolescence by single housing from day 30 to 50 of age and control rats were group housed. On day 50, isolated rats and control rats were re-housed in same-treatment same-sex groups. Adult female rats isolated as adolescents exhibited increased adrenal responses to acute and to repeated stress and exhibited increased hypothalamic vasopressin mRNA and BDNF mRNA in the CA3 hippocampal subfield. In contrast, adult male rats isolated as adolescents exhibited a lower corticosterone response to acute stress, exhibited a reduced state of anxiety as assessed in the elevated plus maze and reduced Orexin mRNA compared to adult males group-housed as adolescents. These data point to a markedly different impact of isolation experienced in adolescence on endocrine and behavioral endpoints in males compared to females and identify specific neural substrates that may mediate the long-lasting effects of stress in adolescence.
Pulmonary Toxicity in Patients With Advanced-Stage Germ Cell Tumors Receiving Bleomycin With and Without Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor

Study objectives The purpose of this study is to determine whether co-administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and bleomycin results in enhanced pulmonary toxicity compared with bleomycin alone. Design A retrospective analysis comparing two groups of patients with advanced germ cell tumors receiving combination chemotherapy that includes bleomycin with or without G-CSF. Setting Indiana University Medical Center. Patients Group A consisted of 29 patients with advanced-stage germ cell tumors who were treated with combination chemotherapy that included bleomycin. All patients received concurrent prophylactic G-CSF. Group B consisted of 57 patients with advanced-stage germ cell tumors who were treated on a phase 3 study comparing standard BEP (bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin) to BEP with twice the cisplatin dose. None of these patients received growth factor. Results Of the 29 patients who received concurrent chemotherapy and G-CSF, ten (34%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 17.9 to 54.3%) were believed to have clinically significant bleomycin toxicity. Of the 57 patients who did not receive growth factor, 19 (33%; 95% CI, 21.4 to 47.1%) had bleomycin-related toxicity. There was no difference in the incidence of pulmonary toxicity between the groups (p=1.00 by Fisher's Exact Test). Conclusions There is no increase in pulmonary toxicity with co-administration of G-CSF and bleomycin compared to bleomycin alone in patients with advanced germ cell tumors.
Enhancement of Diazepam and γ-Aminobutyric Acid Binding by (+) Etomidate and Pentobarbital

(+)Etomidate and pentobarbital enhance [3H]diazepam and [3H]gamma-aminobutyric acid [( 3H]GABA) binding to cerebral cortex membranes. Both (+)etomidate and pentobarbital increase the affinity of [3H]diazepam for its binding sites. In contrast, they increase the Bmax of both the high- and low-affinity GABA receptor sites. The enhancement of [3H]diazepam and [3H]GABA by (+)etomidate and pentobarbital is blocked by GABA antagonists. These results indicate that hypnotic drugs such as (+)etomidate and pentobarbital, which are not structurally related, modulate diazepam and GABA binding sites via similar mechanisms.
New Evidence on Home Prices from Freddie Mac Repeat Sales

The weighted repeat sales price index methodology recently reported in Case and Shiller [5][6] is applied to a dataset of over eight million loans bought by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation over the last twenty years. Regional price indices are reported and compared to indices from other sources. Statistical issues in the creation of the index, both technical and due to sample selectivity of the Freddie Mac dataset, are extensively discussed. It is found that the new index grows at a rate similar to other indices up until 1985, after which time it grows at a significantly higher rate.
GEOMORPHIC PROCESSES AND SPATIAL PATTERNS OF PRIMARY FOREST SUCCESSION ON THE BOGUE CHITTO RIVER, USA

Summary 1 The Bogue Chitto River, Louisiana, USA, is a meandering river with 16 early successional tree species having > 1% relative dominance. We hypothesized that geomorphic processes associated with river planform promote predictable spatial patterns of tree species within each river bend by influencing the physical conditions under which the forest is initially established. We predicted that (i) species of trees differ in their location of recruitment along the point bar, and trees on older land reflect the spatial patterns of recent recruits; (ii) the location of recruitment differs among tree species in elevation, soil texture, herbaceous cover and light; and (iii) a specific pattern of elevation, soil texture and tree species in the earliest stage of forest succession characterizes multiple river bends in a reach. 2 On the floodplain interior to one bend, we mapped all trees and sampled seedlings and saplings, elevation, soil texture, herbaceous cover and light. In newly established forest adjacent to the point bars of eight bends, we surveyed spatial patterns of tree species, elevation and soil texture. 3 Trees of most species had characteristically become established along either the upstream or downstream segment of each point bar. Variation in tree species composition was gradual both along the point bar and along an axis of increasing age of land. The locations of recruitment and mature trees were the same for eight of 11 common species on the focal river bend. 4 The locations of tree recruitment and of mature trees of specific species on the focal bend were related to spatial patterns of elevation (corresponding to flood regime), soil texture, light, herbaceous cover and the inferred pattern of shear stress by flood water on the point bar. The same patterns of elevation and soil texture and locations of tree species characterized multiple river bends. 5 Geomorphic processes related to the river planform of the Bogue Chitto River promote spatially complex but predictable patterns of primary forest succession.
RANGE OF THE SPIN-ORBIT FORCE BETWEEN TWO PROTONS

The effect or decreasing the range of the spin-orbit potential to the ""meson-theoretical'' value of 0.7 x 10-12 cm was investigated. The spin-orbit force is not unique. A reduction in range does not harm agreement with the p-p scattering data at 150 Mev. At 300 Mev, the reduced range yields phase shifts which constitute a distinct improvement over the previous ones. Short-range repulsive cores can readily be introduced into the Gartenhaus potential to eliminate the unphysical bound states without adverse effects on the scattering. It is not excluded that a more exotic combination of spin-orbit and modified Gartenhaus potentials can explain the p-p scattering data up to 300 Mev. (T.B.A.)
Monoclonal antibodies, systemic lupus erythematosus, and pregnancy: insights from an open-label study.

To the Editor: Controlled clinical trials have revealed modest efficacy for the use of belimumab in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)1,2. Followup of these patients has been published and of the 1458 patients who have received belimumab during phase II and III clinical trials, the most frequent events leading to discontinuation were lupus nephritis and infusion-related reactions3. We report herein the status of 47 patients who received open-label belimumab from a single-site cohort of patients whose longterm followup (mean 62 mos) could be ascertained. Pregnancy was found to be an atypical and potentially important reason for drug discontinuation that bears additional scrutiny. Study design and patient demographics for the first 52 and 76 weeks have been reviewed and published elsewhere1,2. Our initial cohort was composed of 55 patients in 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials: HGS-1056 and LBSL-02 (Figure 1). Twelve patients withdrew while blinded: 4 were receiving placebo and 8 withdrew because of pregnancy, flares (lupus nephritis, neuropsychiatric lupus), noncompliance, inefficacy, breast cancer, and the … Address correspondence to Dr. M.H. Weisman, 8700 Beverly Blvd., B131, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA. E-mail: weisman{at}cshs.org
The relative contribution of abuse severity and PTSD severity on the psychiatric and social morbidity of battered women in shelters

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe health problem associated with significant distress and impairment in women. The most common psychiatric difficulty in battered women is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, no research to date has investigated the relative impact of the severity of IPV and IPV-related PTSD symptoms on battered women's psychosocial functioning. In a sample of 177 sheltered battered women, PTSD severity was associated with considerable psychiatric morbidity, social maladjustment, and personal and social resource loss. Moreover, PTSD severity mediated the relationship between IPV severity and psychiatric severity and loss of personal and social resources. Results highlight the need for the assessment and treatment of IPV-related PTSD in battered women's shelters.
Geoengineering: A critique

Geoengineering is a technological response to the challenge of anthropogenic climate change and the failure of political mechanisms to achieve substantial progress in controlling atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Because it derives from the same policy framework as current global warming initiatives, it suffers from the same deficiencies. In particular, the geoengineering dialog to date fails to understand the full power of technology systems, and, because of its singleminded focus on global climate change, inadequately defines the class of technologies included in the geoengineering category.
Integration of remotely-sensed raster data with a vector-based geographical information system for land-use change detection

Abstract Methods of land-use change detection are different for raster and vector data types because of the differences in structures of the two data types. Since large amounts of land-use data (derived from existing maps and aerial photographs) are stored in vector format in a Geographical Information System (GIS), there is a need to develop a change detection algorithm for use with vector-formatted data. Since remotely-sensed images are increasingly being used to derive land-use data, it is necessary to integrate raster data with large volumes of vector data already available in a GIS. This necessitates an efficient and effective data integration technique using which raster data are to be integrated with a vector-based GIS. This paper presents a methodology of data integration of remotely-sensed raster data with vector data. A new approach is developed for land-use change detection for use with vector data in a GIS environment. The approach is based on the mathematical concepts of Sets and Groups, and ...
Localized CO 2 corrosion propagation at moderate FeCO 3 supersaturation initiated by mechanical removal of corrosion scale

The propagation of localized CO2 corrosion was investigated at moderate iron carbonate supersaturation using an artificial defect method with re-formed corrosion scale. A mechanical tool was developed which locally removed pre-formed iron carbonate scale and initiated localized corrosion at a FeCO3 supersaturation of 3–10. The localized corrosion rate was calculated based on electrochemical measurement using a simplified algorithm and was also measured at the deepest part of the defect using scanning electron microscopy. Localized corrosion was driven by a galvanic cell established between the two surfaces exposed in the artificial defect where an open circuit potential difference was maintained.
Management of an Unusual Iliac Fossa Venous Plexus

Symptomatic iliac fossa and suprapubic varicosities are uncommon presentations in adults. Such presentations often point to acquired obstructive process to pelvic outflow or to the progression of venous insufficiency and reflux in the pelvic and gonadal veins. Less frequently, venous anomalies of the renal veins or IVC might be implicated. Furthermore, late presentations of congenital or acquired developmental abnormalities might become manifest. As this case illustrates, a thorough understanding of the underlying pathologic process and the anatomical derangement must be sought before any treatment is instituted. Unnecessary extirpation of these varicosities would simply have removed vital physiologic cross-pelvic collateral circulation from the lower extremity in the face of chronic iliac vein occlusion.
Hybrid Approach to the Study of Inter-Organization High Performance Teams

AbstractAs construction projects increase in scale and complexity, a major challenge is to ensure the effective transfer of relevant information to the right entities to make decisions, manage conflict, and solve challenges, which will allow organizations to achieve the goals of the project. Project teams whose members have the necessary attitudes, competencies, and skills to overcome this challenge are often termed high performing teams (HPTs). Building on recent studies about HPTs, this paper proposes a hybrid methodology that uses network theory and the jobs-to-be-done framework for the study of teams that aspire to develop high performance. Social network analysis (SNA) provides a reactive approach to the study of team connectivity and hierarchical leadership patterns and is complemented by the jobs-to-be-done framework that focuses on the drivers of the behavior of the various project organizations. The paper demonstrates these concepts by analyzing the characteristics of HPTs through a case study on...
Noble gases in meteorites - Evidence for presolar matter and superheavy elements

Primitive meteorites contain a variety of trapped noble gas components, differing in isotopic composition, host phase, and release temperature. The major components can be plausibly derived from solar noble gases by mass-dependent fractionation, but some minor components require nuclear processes and may be of presolar origin. Two such presolar components are two varieties of ‘Ne-E ’ (nearly pure 22 Ne, probably from the decay of 2.6 a 22 Na), residing in micron-sized grains of spinel and a carbonaceous phase, apparently a carbyne. A third is s -process Xe and Kr, enriched in isotopes 128, 130, 132 and 82, 84, 86. All seem to be condensates from highly evolved stars, that found their way into the early Solar System and survived in primitive meteorites. A more controversial component is ‘CCFXe’, enriched up to twofold in the heavy Xe isotopes, and attributed either to fission of an extinct, superheavy element ( Z = 111 - 115) or to direct nucleosynthesis in a supernova. Its host phases, chromite and carbynes, show none of the other isotopic anomalies expected for a supernova origin, and several other lines of evidence likewise favour a local over an exotic origin. However, conclusive proof is still lacking. To establish the true nature of these components, their host phases must be isolated, a task that is made difficult by their low abundance (0.1-1 % (by mass)), small grain size (0.01-1 μm) and uncertain composition. The most fruitful approach has been a combination of chemical techniques (etching, selective dissolution) and conventional physical methods of mineral separation.
Cardiac-specific leptin receptor deletion exacerbates ischaemic heart failure in mice

Aims The obesity-related adipokine, leptin, has multiple actions on peripheral organs, including the mitigation of adverse cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI). Although we recently demonstrated that leptin, its receptor, and downstream signalling are up-regulated in the heart after MI, the significance of intact cardiomyoctye leptin signalling is unknown. Therefore, our objective was to generate a cardiomyocyte-specific leptin receptor knock-out (ObRKO) mouse to determine whether worse cardiac outcomes after MI result from impaired leptin signalling in cardiomyocytes. Methods and results Tamoxifen-inducible ObRKO mice were subjected to experimental MI or sham surgeries and studied after 1 month. After MI, ObRKO mice displayed a loss of cardiac signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling. Worse survival and cardiac morbidity were also seen in the ObRKO mouse post-MI, including decreased contractile function and glycolytic metabolism, and increased left ventricular dilation, hypertrophy, collagen deposition, matrix metalloproteinase activity, apoptosis, and inflammation. Treatment of ObRKO mice post-MI with an ObR-independent AMPK activator improved cardiac function and restored many of these maladaptive processes to wild-type levels. Conclusion These data indicate that leptin signalling mitigates cardiac injury in the post-MI failing heart by acting directly on cardiomyocytes to increase STAT3 and AMPK activation, to decrease cardiac hypertrophy, apoptosis, and inflammation, and to limit deleterious changes in cardiac structure, function, and glycolytic metabolism.
Hypoperfusion without stroke alters motor activation in the opposite hemisphere

To specifically investigate the effect that large-vessel disease may have on cortical reorganization, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study patients with unilateral hemispheric hypoperfusion and impaired vasomotor reactivity from critical internal carotid or middle cerebral artery disease but without stroke. We hypothesized that when these patients used the hand contralateral to the hypoperfused hemisphere they would show unique activation in motor-related areas of the normally perfused hemisphere, that is, ipsilateral activation. We found that normal performance of two motor tasks was associated with increased ipsilateral hemispheric activation in the patients compared with age-matched controls. In addition, although task difficulty had an effect on ipsilateral activation, the increased ipsilateral activation seen in patients was not dependent on task difficulty. Our findings demonstrate that hemodynamic compromise alone is sufficient to cause atypical ipsilateral activation. This activation may serve to maintain normal motor performance.
Using Anonymized Data for Classification

In recent years, anonymization methods have emerged as an important tool to preserve individual privacy when releasing privacy sensitive data sets. This interest in anonymization techniques has resulted in a plethora of methods for anonymizing data under different privacy and utility assumptions. At the same time, there has been little research addressing how to effectively use the anonymized data for data mining in general and for distributed data mining in particular. In this paper, we propose a new approach for building classifiers using anonymized data by modeling anonymized data as uncertain data. In our method, we do not assume any probability distribution over the data. Instead, we propose collecting all necessary statistics during anonymization and releasing these together with the anonymized data. We show that releasing such statistics does not violate anonymity. Experiments spanning various alternatives both in local and distributed data mining settings reveal that our method performs better than heuristic approaches for handling anonymized data.
An artificial intelligence approach for the design and manufacturing of micro electro mechanical systems

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is a new field. However, the application of MEMS has increased drastically for the past decade. The design and manufacturing of MEMS require specific expertise. A computerized consultant system for thorough static and dynamic analysis of MEMS is needed for design and manufacturing. A PC-based Expert System, EASYMEMS, has been developed. EASYMEMS contains domain specific knowledge of MEMS as well as the reasoning process of a human expert. It includes three sections: material, design, and manufacturing. It can be used to select the material for MEMS. It supports human reasoning and thus can offer MEMS design guidelines for engineers. It is also capable of performing thorough static and dynamic analysis and then calculating critical dimensions for the design of MEMS. Furthermore, it can be used for the consultation for MEMS manufacture. The computer graphics offered by EASYMEMS are very helpful for both MEMS design and manufacturing. In simple words, EASYMEMS is very user-friendly and is very beneficial for MEMS engineers.
An Assimilative Base Model of Strategy-Knowledge Interactions

An Assimilative Base Model is presented that is related to the later research and writings of Jean Piaget. The model is an attempt to capture the dynamics of the interaction between educational tasks in school settings and the assimilative base of the students, that is, the network of active relationships that are brought to the tasks. Three interchange processes are elaborated: automatic skill development, puzzlement leading to reorganization of relationships, and strategy development leading to enrichment of relationships. Special stress is placed on the difference between skills and strategies as related to curriculum planning. Practical suggestions for the improvement of instruction in writing are outlined, stressing the importance of collaborative social interactions among all children, including children labeled as learning disabled. Such collaborative interactions are seen as an arena for puzzlement and consequent strategy development leading to the enrichment of knowledge. In sum, the focus is on ...
Representations of the body surface in postcentral parietal cortex of Macaca fascicularis

The somatotopic organization of the postcentral parietal cortex of the Old World monkey, Macaca fascicularis, was determined with multi-unit microelectrode recordings. The results lead to the following conclusions: 1) There are at least two complete and systematic representations of the contralateral body surface in the cortex of the postcentral gyrus. One representation is contained within Area 3b, the other within Area 1. 2) While there are important differences in the organization of the two representations, they are basically mirror-images of each other. 3) Each representation maintains body-surface adjacency by cortical adjacency in some mediolateral regions. In other regions, two types of discontinuities can be described: first, in which adjacent body surfaces are represented in separate cortical loci; second, in which adjacent cortical regions represent disparate body-surface regions. The internal organization of each representation is better described as a composite of somatotopic regions (Merzenich et al., '78) than as a serial array of dermatomal bands, or as a "homunculus." 4) While architectonic Area 2 responds to stimulation of deep body tissue, at least parts of Area 2 also respond to cutaneous stimulation. The organiation of the cutaneous representation of the hand in Area 2 is basically a mirror-image of the hand representation in Area 1. 5) Area 3a is activated by deep body tissue stimulation, suggesting the possibility of a fourth body representation within the traditional "S-I" region of somatosensory cortex in macaques. In accord with a previous study in a New World monkey (Merzenich et al., '78), we suggest that the cutaneous representation in Area 3b be considered as SI proper, and that the cutaneous representation in Area 1 be termed the posterior cutaneous field. Furthermore, based on the orientation of the representations of the body surface, as well as other factors, we suggest that the representation in Area 3b is homologous to "SmI" (or "SI") in non-primates.
SWAP: a scheduler with automatic process dependency detection

We have developed SWAP, a system that automatically detects process dependencies and accounts for such dependencies in scheduling. SWAP uses system call history to determine possible resource dependencies among processes in an automatic and fully transparent fashion. Because some dependencies cannot be precisely determined, SWAP associates confidence levels with dependency information that are dynamically adjusted using feedback from process blocking behavior. SWAP can schedule processes using this imprecise dependency information in a manner that is compatible with existing scheduling mechanisms and ensures that actual scheduling behavior corresponds to the desired scheduling policy in the presence of process dependencies. We have implemented SWAP in Linux and measured its effectiveness on microbenchmarks and real applications. Our results show that SWAP has low overhead, effectively solves the priority inversion problem and can provide substantial improvements in system performance in scheduling processes with dependencies.
Structural Integrity of Fuselage Panels with Multisite Damage

Structural integrity assessment of aging flight vehicles is extremely important to ensure their economic and safe operation. A two-step analytical approach, developed to estimate the residual strength of pressurized fuselage stiffened shell panels with multi-bay fatigue cracking is presented in this article. Conventional finite element analysis of the damaged multibay panel is first carried out to obtain the load flow pattern through it. The Schwartz-Neumann alternating method is then applied to the fuselage skin with mutiple site damage, to obtain stresses and the relevant crack tip parameters that govern the onset of fracture. Fracture mechanics as well as net section yield criteria are used to evaluate the static residual strength. The presence of holes with or without multisite damage ahead of a dominant crack is found to significantly degrade the capacity of the fuselage shell panels to sustain static internal pressure. An elastic-plastic alternating method is newly developed and applied to evaluate the residual strength of flat panels with multiple cracks. The computational methodologies presented herein are marked improvements to the present state-of-the-art, and are extremely efficient, both from engineering manpower as well as computational costs point of view. Once verified, they can very well complement the experimental requirements, reducing the cost of structural integrity assessment programs.
Dynamic Spectrum Access with QoS and Interference Temperature Constraints

Spectrum is one of the most precious radio resources. With the increasing demand for wireless communication, efficiently using the spectrum resource has become an essential issue. With the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) spectrum policy reform, secondary spectrum sharing has gained increasing interest. One of the policy reforms introduces the concept of an interference temperature - the total allowable interference in a spectral band. This means that secondary users can use different transmit powers as long as the sum of these power is less than the interference threshold. In this paper, we study two problems in secondary spectrum access with minimum signal to interference noise ratio (quality of service (QoS)) guarantee under an interference temperature constraint. First, when all the secondary links can be supported, a nonlinear optimization problem with the objective to maximize the total transmitting rate of the secondary users is formulated. The nonlinear optimization is solved efficiently using geometric programming techniques. The second problem we address is, when not all the secondary links can be supported with their QoS requirement, it is desirable to have the spectrum access opportunity proportional to the user priority if they belong to different priority classes. In this context, we formulate an operator problem which takes the priority issues into consideration. To solve this problem, first, we propose a centralized reduced complexity search algorithm to find the optimal solution. Then, in order to solve this problem distributively, we define a secondary spectrum sharing potential game. The Nash equilibria of this potential game are investigated. The efficiency of the Nash equilibria solutions are characterized. It is shown that distributed sequential play and an algorithm based on stochastic learning attain the equilibrium solutions. Finally, the performances are examined through simulations
On the Spectrum of Granular and Intergranular Regions

A very high quality wiggly-line spectrogram was analyzed by making high-resolution spectral scans of numerous small solar features. An attempt from the line profiles to detect a magnetic field difference between the granular and intergranular regions, resulted in a field increase of 20 ± 15 G in the darker regions of the granular field. Line width increases apparently due to small-scale turbulent velocities are seen in the darker regions. It is postulated that in general darker regions show increased turbulent velocities. Conspicuous asymmetries in line profiles are seen in dark intergranular regions. It is suggested that these are the result of velocity gradients in the downward flow of material. An ionized Cr line showed a conspicuous increase in equivalent width in the darker regions of the granular field, thus indicating a decrease in electron pressure in these areas.
Effects of superimposed native insulin on disposal of iodoinsulin in the body.

SummaryIn eviscerated-nephrectomized rabbits the decay of iodoinsulin is retarded by addition of moderate and physiological doses of native insulin. The apparent volume of distribution of iodoinsulin is reduced by superimposed native insulin. This suggests a sequestering of part of the tracer compound by a process that can be saturated by added native insulin. The results indicate that in studying the physiology of insulin by use of iodoinsulin, investigators should add native insulin in appropriate dosage. Determinations carried out in this way indicate that iodoinsulin distributes in the eviscerated-nephrectomized rabbit in a volume equal to the extracellular compartment.
Individualizing high-dose oral busulfan: prospective dose adjustment in a pediatric population undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation for advanced hematologic malignancies

We investigated whether adjusting the oral busulfan (BU) dosage on the basis of early pharmacokinetic data to achieve a targeted drug exposure could reduce transplant-related complications in children with advanced hematologic malignancies. Twenty-five children received a preparative regimen consisting of thiotepa (250 mg/m2 i.v. daily for 3 days), BU (40 mg/m2 per dose p.o. every 6 h for 12 doses), and cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg i.v. daily for 2 days) and then underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Busulfan clearance and area under concentration time-curve (AUC) were determined after the first dose using a one-compartment pharmacokinetic (PK) model with first-order absorption. The initial PK analysis was successfully completed after the first BU dose in 21 patients (84%). A final AUC of 1000-1500 microM x min/dose was targeted and subsequent doses were modified as necessary to achieve this value. Fourteen of the 25 patients (56%) required dose adjustment. Follow-up PK analysis was completed in 21 patients and 16 of these achieved the targeted BU exposure for the course of therapy. Interpatient variability in BU clearance was high (up to five-fold). The most frequent regimen-related toxicities were cutaneous and gastrointestinal (stomatitis and diarrhea). Only one patient developed hepatic veno-occlusive disease. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of adjusting the oral BU dose in individual pediatric patients. Although toxicity associated with BU seemed to be reduced, this conclusion is tempered by the fact that the overall regimen-related toxicity (RRT) remains substantial and reflected the effects of all agents used in the preparative regimen.
Abstract 803: Expression of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and p53 in epithelial ovarian cancer

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Objectives: PARP, poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase, is a damage sensing protein that is essential to the repair of DNA single-strand breaks. P53 acts as a “genome guardian” molecule that in response to DNA damage mediates cell cycle arrest or induces apoptosis. PARP and p53 function synergistically in repairing DNA damage and suppressing chromosomal rearrangements. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of PARP and p53 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and correlate with clinico-pathologic characteristics. Methods: PARP and p53 was examined using immuno-histochemistry applied on a tissue microarray of 189 EOC. PARP and p53 expression were examined in relation to clinco-pathologic variables, including age of diagnosis, stage, grade, histologic type, optimal debulking, progression free survival and overall survival. Progression free survival and overall survival were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method, and statistical significance was calculated by the log-rank test. Results: PARP expression was demonstrated in 61% (115/189) of specimens and 99/185 (54%) samples exhibited p53 staining. PARP positive tumors tended to have higher grade (P = 0.03) and complete response to initial treatment (P = 0.009). Patients with positive p53 staining tended to have higher stage of disease (P = 0.004) and there was a trend of patients with positive p53 and weak PARP expression to increase the likelihood of disease progression (OR 2.25 (CI 0.389-13)). The median follow-up was 40 months. However, there were no significant associations between PARP and p53 expression. There was no significant difference in disease free or overall survival for PARP or p53. Conclusion: This study indicates that PARP and p53 are upregulated in EOC with higher grade tumors and more advanced stages, respectively, and may serve as a marker of aggressive disease behavior. Additional studies are warranted to evaluate the role of PARP and p53 expression as a predictor of response to initial treatment, and to identify patients that may benefit from alternative treatments in the adjuvant setting. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 803.