cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proper orthogonal decomposition based feedback optimal control synthesis of distributed parameter systems using neural networks

A new method for optimal control design of distributed parameter systems is presented in this paper. The concept of proper orthogonal decomposition is used for the model reduction of distributed parameter systems to form a reduced order lumped parameter problem. The optimal control problem is then solved in the time domain, in a state feedback sense, following the philosophy of 'adaptive critic' neural networks. The control solution is then mapped back to the spatial domain using the same basis functions. Numerical simulation results are presented for a linear and nonlinear one-dimensional heat equation problem in an infinite time regulator framework.
The blood-brain barrier, cancer, cell phones, and microwave radiation

The blood-brain barrier is an anatomic/physiologic complex associated with the cerebral vascular system. It is composed of a network of astrocytic pseudopodia, which envelopes the tight junctions of the vascular endothelium. It is a natural defense system, which maintains the physiochemical environment of the brain within certain narrow limits that are essential for life. The effect on this system of microwave radiation from cell phones is discussed together with the use of microwave radiation in the treatment of tumors.
Effect of dietary supplements of guar gum and cellulose on intestinal cell proliferation, enzyme levels and sugar transport in the rat

Male Wistar rats (approximately 200 g) were given fibre-free semi-synthetic diets containing either sucrose (S) or a sucrose-starch mixture (SS) as the carbohydrate component, or a diet similar to SS containing 40 g guar gum/kg (G), or 100 g cellulose/kg (C). The animals remained healthy, and weight gain after 30 d was similar in all groups. The small intestines of the animals given diet G were significantly longer than those of the other groups, and showed signs of increased mitotic activity and mucosal growth. No significant differences in mucosal enzyme activity were detected between the two fibre-free control groups. Lactase (EC 3.2.1.23) and alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) activities were significantly lower than controls in group G, but were higher in group C. Kinetic analysis of 3-O-methyl glucose uptake by isolated intestine indicated that the maximum transport rate (Vmax) of tissue from group G tended to be lower than from the fibre-free group SS and group C. It is concluded that materials which are classed as dietary fibre but which differ markedly in their physical properties may also differ in the functional changes to which they give rise in the small intestine. These changes may be at least partially mediated by effects on mucosal cell proliferation.
Effects of high compared with low calcium intake on calcium absorption and incorporation of iron by red blood cells in small children

Background: The potential benefits of increasing calcium intake in small children must be balanced with the potential risk to iron utilization from high calcium intakes. Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the relation between calcium intake and calcium absorption and iron incorporation into red blood cells. Design: We performed a multitracer, crossover study of the absorption of calcium and red blood cell incorporation of iron in 11 preschool children aged 3‐5 y who had been adapted for 5 wk to low- (502 ∠ 99 mg) and high- (1180 ∠ 117 mg) calcium diets. Stable-isotope studies were performed by using 44 Ca and 58 Fe given orally with meals and 46 Ca given intravenously. Results: Iron incorporation into red blood cells 14 d postdosing was similar (6.9 ∠ 4.2% compared with 7.9 ∠ 5.5%; NS) with the low- and high-calcium diets, respectively. Total calcium absorption (181 ∠ 50 compared with 277 ∠ 91 mg/d; P = 0.002) was greater in children with the higher calcium intake. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that small children may benefit from calcium intakes similar to those recommended for older children without adverse effects on dietary iron utilization. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:44‐8.
Relationship of Insulin Sensitivity and ApoB Levels to Intra-abdominal Fat in Subjects With Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia

Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) is one of the most common familial dyslipidemias associated with premature heart disease. Subjects with FCHL typically have elevated apolipoprotein B (apoB) levels, variable elevations in cholesterol and/or triglycerides, and a predominance of small, dense, low density lipoprotein particles. It is thought that insulin resistance is important in the expression of the combined hyperlipidemia phenotype. To further characterize the relationship between insulin resistance and increased apoB levels, 11 subjects from well-characterized FCHL families and normal control subjects matched for weight and/or age underwent measurement of intra-abdominal fat (IAF) and subcutaneous fat (SQF) by CT scan, insulin sensitivity (Si) by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test, and lipoprotein levels. Body mass index and IAF were higher and Si was lower (more insulin resistant) in the FCHL group than in the age-matched group, but the values were similar in the FCHL group and the age- and weight-matched control group. When the relationship between body fat distribution and Si was tested with multiple linear regression, only IAF was significantly correlated with Si after the addition of SQF and body mass index as independent variables. For any level of insulin sensitivity or IAF, however, apoB levels remained higher in the FCHL subjects than in the control groups. In conclusion, in FCHL, visceral obesity is an important determinant of insulin resistance. Visceral obesity and insulin resistance, however, do not fully account for the elevated levels of apoB in this disorder, and this study provides physiological support for separate, but additive, genetic determinants in the etiology of the lipid phenotype.
Glucose Disorders Associated with HIV and its Drug Therapy

OBJECTIVE:To review the impact that factors such as HIV infection, antiretrovirals, and other commonly used drug therapies have on glucose metabolism in HIV-infected patients.DATA SOURCES:Pertinent literature was identified via a MEDLINE search from 1980 to April 2000 and through secondary sources (abstracts presented at recent scientific meetings, manufacturers' package inserts). The key words used were antiretroviral therapy, HIV infection, insulin resistance, and metabolic abnormalities. All information deemed relevant to evaluate the impact that HIV infection and drug therapy have on glucose metabolism in HIV-infected patients was included.DATA SYNTHESIS:The viral burden and stress that are present in HIV-infected patients elicit a complex hormonal and immunologic response that may alter various biochemical pathways, including glucose metabolism. Although rare before the era of potent antiretroviral therapy, insulin resistance has now been described as an important component of the lipodystrophy syndr...
Ignition and extinction of surface and homogeneous oxidation of NH3 and CH4

Ignition, extinction and autothermal behavior of surface and homogeneous oxidation reactions of CH4, NH3, and mixed NH3/CH4 fuel systems in air over resistively heated Pt foils was studied in an atmospheric pressure flow reactor. Also examined were the effects of varying fuel concentration on the ignition, extinction, and autothermal surface temperatures. Heterogeneous ignition occurred at ∼200°C for NH3 and at ∼600°C for CH4. The mixed fuel systems exhibited two surface ignitions (∼200°C and ∼600°C), implying a sequential ignition of the two fuels. The effects of removing one of the fuels during autothermal operation gave results consistent with this hypothesis. In homogeneous ignition, two types of flames were observed: a boundary layer flame associated with NH3 systems and an independent flame observed in all systems. Homogeneous ignition of the two fuels and the mixtures occurred at surface temperatures ranging from 1,100°C to 1,600°C and appeared to be dominated by CH4 in the mixed systems. A generic behavior is proposed for homogenous-heterogeneous combustion of single and mixed fuels.
Homologous Recombination DNA Repair Genes Play a Critical Role in Reprogramming to a Pluripotent State

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great promise for personalized regenerative medicine. However, recent studies show that iPSC lines carry genetic abnormalities, suggesting that reprogramming may be mutagenic. Here, we show that the ectopic expression of reprogramming factors increases the level of phosphorylated histone H2AX, one of the earliest cellular responses to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Additional mechanistic studies uncover a direct role of the homologous recombination (HR) pathway, a pathway essential for error-free repair of DNA DSBs, in reprogramming. This role is independent of the use of integrative or nonintegrative methods in introducing reprogramming factors, despite the latter being considered a safer approach that circumvents genetic modifications. Finally, deletion of the tumor suppressor p53 rescues the reprogramming phenotype in HR-deficient cells primarily through the restoration of reprogramming-dependent defects in cell proliferation and apoptosis. These mechanistic insights have important implications for the design of safer approaches to creating iPSCs.
Towards Multi-Site Collaboration in 3D Tele-Immersive Environments

3D tele-immersion (3DTI) has recently emerged as a new way of video-mediated collaboration across the Internet. Unlike conventional 2D video-conferencing systems, it can immerse remote users into a shared 3D virtual space so that they can interact or collaborate "virtually". However, most existing 3DTI systems can support only two sites of collaboration, due to the huge demand of networking resources and the lack of a simple yet efficient data dissemination model. In this paper, we propose to use a general publish-subscribe model for multi-site 3DTI systems, which efficiently utilizes limited network resources by leveraging user interest. We focus on the overlay construction problem in the publish-subscribe model by exploring a spectrum of heuristic algorithms for data dissemination. With extensive simulation, we identify the advantages of a simple randomized algorithm. We present optimization to further improve the randomized algorithm by exploiting semantic correlation. Experimental results demonstrate that we can achieve an improvement by a factor of five.
Ultrastructural Preservation in Middle Eocene Metasequoia Leaf Tissues from the Buchanan Lake Formation

Mummified leaflets of middle Eocene Metasequoia Miki sampled at 5 mm vertical intervals from a section of lignite extracted from the Upper Coal member of the Buchanan Lake Formation at Napartulik on Axel Heiberg Island were examined via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the extent of sub-cellular preservation. The presence of chloroplasts and chloroplast constituents were tallied on a per cross-section basis, with equal examination time allotted to each cross-section. Features of note were stacked membranes, appressed membranes (grana), associated membranes, disassociated membranes, vesicular membranes, lipid droplets, starch grains and amorphous breakdown lipids. The size and shape of each organelle was measured, as well as the orientation. Intact chloroplasts were observed in 41.6% of the fossil leaves examined, and in 66.6% of the 5 mm intervals. In 27.7% of the leaves, the chloroplasts were so well preserved that features related to thylakoid geometry (degree of grana stacking, number of thylakoids per granum, stack width) were measurable. By performing a nested multivariate analysis of variance, significant differences in preservation were observed between individual leaflets as well as between vertical intervals. An apparent oscillation in preservation quality with an estimated period of 62.5 years was distinguished using the chloroplast features found to best discriminate between layers of lignite. The predominantly observed elliptical shape of the chloroplasts was deemed in general not to be the result of compression, but rather representative of the original geometry upon abscission, based upon the standard deviation of the orientation of the chloroplasts within each leaflet cross section. Where discernible, thylakoid features were used to classify the fossil leaflets as originating from high or low-light environments. Between 67 and 78% of the leaflets were classified as ‘shade-types.’
The Mathematics of Multiregional Demographic Growth

Mathematical demography traditionally has been concerned with the dynamics of the growth and structure of a population that is undisturbed by migration. In particular, attention has been directed at the relationships between a regional population's fertility and mortality schedules and its growth and age distribution. Recently, however, studies by the author and others have extended the mathematical theory of population growth in order to examine the relationships between a multiregional population's fertility, mortality, and mobility schedules and its growth and regional age distributions. This paper summarizes and reviews the major contributions of these studies.
Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Complications of Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive abnormality of the β-globin chain of hemoglobin (Hb), resulting in poorly deformable sickled cells that cause microvascular occlusion and hemolytic anemia. The spleen is almost always affected by SCD, with microinfarcts within the first 36 months of life resulting in splenic atrophy. Acute liver disorders causing right-sided abdominal pain include acute vaso-occlusive crisis, liver infarction, and acute hepatic crisis. Chronic liver disease might be due to hemosiderosis and hepatitis and possibly to SCD itself if small, clinically silent microvascular occlusions occur chronically. Black pigment gallstones caused by elevated bilirubin excretion are common. Their small size permits them to travel into the common bile duct but cause only low-grade obstruction, so hyperbilirubinemia rather than bile duct dilatation is typical. Whether cholecystectomy should be done in asymptomatic individuals is controversial. The most common laboratory abnormality is an elevation of unconjugated bilirubin level. Bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase levels correlate with one another, suggesting that chronic hemolysis and ineffective erythropoiesis, rather than liver disease, are the sources of hyperbilirubinemia. Abdominal pain is very common in SCD and is usually due to sickling, which resolves with supportive care. Computed tomography scans might be ordered for severe or unremitting pain. The liver typically shows sickled erythrocytes and Kupffer cell enlargement acutely and hemosiderosis chronically. The safety of liver biopsies has been questioned, particularly during acute sickling crisis. Treatments include blood transfusions, exchange transfusions, iron-chelating agents, hydroxyurea, and allogeneic stem-cell transplantation.
Treatment of cervical carcinoma employing a template for transperineal interstitial Ir192 brachytherapy

Abstract The development of a template technique at this institution for transperineal interstitial-intracavitary brachytherapy employing Ir 192 wire has previously been reported. In this paper we report the results of radiation treatment of 84 women with fresh, primary squamous carcinoma of the cervix admitted to the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center from April, 1975 to September, 1979 who received at least one transperineal template implant as part of their initial treatment. The 75 evaluable patients were followed 3 to 60 months, with a median of 17 months. Recurrence rates in the pelvic treatment field by clinical (FIGO) stage grouping were 35.7% (514) Stage IB; 0% (08) Stage IIA; 20% (525) Stage IIB; 46.2% (1226) Stage III; and 0% (02) Stage IVA. The overall failure rate within the treatment field was 29.3% (2275). The non-tumor associated rectovaginal and vesicovaginal fistula rate was 14.3% (214) in Stage IB; 0% (08) in Stage IIA; 16.0% (425) in Stage IIB; 15.4% (426) in Stage III; and 0% (02) in Stage IVA. The non-tumor associated fistula rate for all stages was 13.3% (1075). Severe or grade III nonfistulous, delayed adverse effects (proctosigmoiditis, cystitis, vault necrosis) occurred in an additional 6 patients. Thus, 21.3% (1675) of all evaluable patients experienced severe adverse radiation effects during the follow-up period. Pre-radiation staging laparotomy was performed on 31 patients. It had no obvious effect on the pattern or rate of radiation complications. The role of the interstitial-intracavitary template in the treatment of primary cervical carcinoma is discussed.
Decentering the Subject of Physics

Orch OR is reviewed with critical attention to the theory's epistemological claims. A modification of the Penrose-Hameroff hypothesis entailing state vector reduction by an eccentrically subjective agency is proposed. Empirically falsifiable implications of the revised model are discussed.
Alcohol expectancies and social self-efficacy as mediators of differential intervention outcomes for college hazardous drinkers with social anxiety.

The current pilot study examined the roles of two cognitive factors - positive alcohol expectancies of social anxiety reduction and drink refusal self-efficacy relevant to social situations - in mediating greater reduction in alcohol behaviors by the Brief Intervention for Socially Anxious Drinkers (BISAD; n=21) compared to an alcohol psychoeducation (n=20) in a sample of college hazardous drinkers with social anxiety. Mediation analysis results indicated that decreased positive alcohol expectancies and increased drink refusal self-efficacy relevant to social situations accounted for an average of 67% of the variance in treatment outcomes as measured by total quantity of alcohol consumption, heavy drinking days and problems related to alcohol use in the past month. Study results may enhance the understanding of cognitive factors' role in alcohol treatment outcomes, which could in turn improve the efficacy of interventions aimed to reduce hazardous drinking and comorbid social anxiety. Language: en
Experimental alteration of male song quality and output affects female mate choice and pair bond formation in zebra finches

Although bird song is thought to be important in mate attraction, little is known about how females perceive differences in song and which specific elements of song females prefer. Most studies, to date, have examined female choice during preference tests for song stimuli, and most have treated females with oestrogen prior to testing. At present, it is unclear whether song preferences during such tests reflect actual mate preferences. This study tested the hypothesis that experimentally altering male courtship vocalizations (song) would affect female mate choice and the formation of long-term socially monogamous relationships. Male zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, were vocally distorted using two minor and reversible techniques. Females in a two-choice paradigm preferred control males over vocally distorted or muted males. In a pair bond formation experiment, all control males had paired 5 days into the study, whereas only one vocally distorted male had paired. By the end of 2 weeks, however, four nerve-transected males and one air-sac-punctured male had paired. These results suggest that females do use song quality as a basis for choosing males. However, other male qualities may eventually override vocal quality as the basis for female choice.
On efficient generation of instruction sequences to test for delay defects in a processor

We present a technique that deals with the problem of efficiently generating instruction sequences to test for delay defects in a processor. These instruction sequences are loaded into the cache of a processor and the processor is run in its normal functional (native) mode to test itself. The methodology that we present avoids the significant increase in search space of a previous method while generating tests. We also present a technique which increases the probability of detecting multiple delay faults with a single instruction sequence. This technique can help immensely in reducing the cost of test. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our technique on an off-the shelf processor.
Anthropology and addiction: an historical review.

Aims This paper reviews the world anthropology of drugs and alcohol use literature, identifying key issues addressed by anthropologists, methods and theoretical models in use, trends in focus over time and future directions. Methods Papers and books that comprise the literature were identified through computer search using the keywords: ethnography of drug use (and variants, e.g. drug ethnography, qualitative approaches in drug research), ethnography of drinking, anthropology and drug use, and anthropology and drinking. Search engines included Google Scholar, EBSCOHost, AnthroSource and PubMed. Identified sources were read and integrated into the review. Results and Conclusions The literature search identified a rich and growing literature on the anthropology of drinking and drug use. The research and published literature on the anthropology of drug use has grown and diversified since the 1970s, found acceptance in the wider multi-disciplinary domain of alcohol and drug studies and developed beyond the socio-cultural model to include life-style, critical medical anthropology and experiential explanatory models. Anthropological research has helped to shape the field of addiction science, e.g. ethnographic studies show that the lived worlds and self-identities of drug users have cultural order and socially constructed purpose and meaning, and experiential research shows that some addictions or aspects of addictions can be affirmative, creative and sustainable, at least at the individual level. The human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic has significantly increased anthropological research on drug-related issues world-wide.
The use of ultrasonography to assess reproductive investment and output in pythons

Reproductive investment and output are integral fitness components, often incorporated into life-history trade-off models and important to population dynamics. The trade-offs associated with reproduction can be dramatic in species such as snakes that make especially large investments into reproduction. Unfortunately, traditional methods used to determine reproductive investment and output are effective in many (but not all) situations. Thus, we used portable ultrasonography to serially estimate reproductive investment and reproductive output in three python species that exhibit significant variation in phylogeny, geographic range, body size, egg size, and clutch size: ball pythons (Python regius), Children’s pythons (Antaresia childreni), and water pythons (Liasis fuscus). At each time point of measurement (range: 1‐49 days pre-oviposition), ultrasound estimates of viable clutch size were highly accurate in all three species. However, ultrasound estimates of mean viable egg mass, and thus viable clutch mass, significantly differed from the actual values (range: 23‐73% error). Interestingly, this error was considerably smaller as females approached oviposition, suggesting that female pythons transfer a significant amount of water into their eggs during the week before oviposition. Thus, water balance during late-stage egg development may be an integral part of reproductive success. The results obtained in the present study form the foundation for future assessments of reproductive investment, and also provide insight into the use of ultrasound technology to assist such efforts. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 103, 772‐778
Real-time hair mesh simulation

We present a robust real-time hair simulation method using hair meshes. Leveraging existing simulation models for sheet-based cloth, we introduce a volumetric force model for incorporating hair interactions inside the hair mesh volume. We also introduce a position correction method that minimizes the local deformation of the hair mesh due to collision handling. We demonstrate the robustness of our hair simulation method using large time steps with fast motion, and we show that our method can recover the initial hair shape even when the hair mesh goes through substantial deformation.
Plutonium from Nagasaki A-Bomb as a Possible Tracer for Global Transport, Using Existing Initial Conditions and Ice Cores

The element Plutonium was artificially produced during the 1940’s and was made known through the detonation of “atomic” bombs. Prior to this time, this element was not detectable in the environment. Since then, through the development of technology, the existence of Pu in the biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, etc. can be determined with ease. Thus, Pu can be useful to study one aspect of man’s influence on our environment during the last 4–5 decades. Furthermore, Pu has 6 relatively long-lived isotopes of mass numbers 236, 238, 239, 240, 241, and 242, whose relative isotopic abundance can provide information on the source of Pu (nuclear weapons, various types of nuclear reactors, and other uses).
Applications of the second virial coefficient: protein crystallization and solubility. Corrigendum

A number of citations in the article by Wilson & DeLucas [(2014). Acta Cryst. F70, 543–554] are corrected.
Structural Transformations During Growth of Epitaxial Fe(001) Thin Films on Cu(001) and Pt(001)

The authors have used grazing incidence x-ray diffraction to observe the structural evolution during growth of sputter-deposited epitaxial Fe films on Cu(001) and Pt(001). They find that on Cu(001), Fe is fcc up to a thickness of 10--12 monolayers, whereupon bcc Fe is observed in first the Pitsch and then the Bain orientations. The fcc Fe shows some relaxation of the misfit from the Cu, as do the Pitsch orientation bcc, which is in tension, and the Bain orientation bcc, which is in compression. All three Fe variants exist in a 40 monolayer thick film. On Pt(001) the Fe grows as bcc with the Bain orientation. However, a thin (20 {angstrom}) bcc Fe film is transformed to fcc Fe with cube-on-cube orientation by subsequent deposition of Pt. This behavior is consistent with intermixing of Pt into the Fe layer, which lowers the mismatch and bulk chemical energies of the fcc phase relative to that of the bcc phase.
The Inheritance of Resistance of Oat Hybrids to Loose Smut

The study of the inheritance of disease resistance constitutes a problem of great economic and scientific interest and numerous investigators have contributed towards its elucidation in various groups of diseases. The present paper is concerned with studies on the inheritance of resistance to the loose smut of oats, Ustilago Avenae (Pers.) Jens., in a hybrid between a very susceptible variety, Avena nuda L. var. inermis (S.N. 30), and a very resistant one, A. sativa L. var. Black Mesdag (S.N. 70). Although the results here described relate to a single cross, investigations are in progress on additional ones between the same parents, as well as crosses involving other varieties. A few results on oat smut inheritance have previously been recorded. Wakabayashi (18) has pubiished some data on the behavior of the progeny of a cross between Red Rustproof and Black Tartarian to Ustilago levis (K. & S.) Magn., the former being resistant and the latter susceptible to the smut. No smut was observed among the F1 and F2 plants. In the F3 generation, however, twelve families out of a total of ninety-five were observed to contain a few infected individuals. Barney (1) has recorded more extensive data on three different oat crosses. One cross involved two very resistant varieties, Fulghum and Black Mesdag; a second cross was between the resistant Burt and the susceptible Swedish Select; and the third cross was between two susceptible varieties, Turkish Rustproof and Golden Rain. Barney interpreted his results on the basis that resistance in the first cross depended upon three different factors, in the second upon two, and in the third upon only one. Reed and Stanton (16) have described their results with a cross between
Inhibition of the Growth of Egg Cultivated Tumor Tissue by Extracts of Cooperia pedunculata Herb

SummaryExtracts of Rain-lily bulbs have been tested for their effect on the growth of tumor and embryo of tumor-bearing eggs. The results obtained with aminopterin in the same tests are included for comparison. Acid aqueous and acetone extracts of the plant bulb inhibited tumor growth 81% and 94%, respectively, without affecting the embryo. Aminopterin inhibited tumor growth 87% and embryo growth 19%.
Contribution of the Acetate Anion to CO2 Solubility in Ionic Liquids: Theoretical Method Development and Experimental Study

A new theoretical method was developed to compute the Henry’s law constant for gas absorption in a solvent through strong nonphysical interactions. The new method was created by expanding the test particle insertion method typically applied to physisorbing systems to account for the strong intermolecular interactions present in chemisorbing systems. By using an ab initio (AI)-based Boltzmann-averaged potential to model the interaction between CO2 and the tetra-n-butylphosphonium acetate ([P4444][CH3COO]) ionic liquid, the total Henrys’s law constant at 298 K was computed to be 0.011 to 0.039 bar, reasonably comparable to the experimental value of 0.18 bar measured in this work. Three different AI potentials were used to verify the applicability of this approach. In contrast, when a classical force field (FF) was used to describe the interaction between CO2 and [P4444][CH3COO], the Henry’s law constant was computed to be 27 bar, significantly larger than the experimental value. The classical FF underestima...
DNA Synthesis and Cell Division in Germinating Onion: III. Variation in Apparent Feulgen-DNA Content with Nuclear area Change

SUMMARYCareful microspectrophotometric analysis of the 2C (Gl) nuclear population of the onion during the critical period of decompaction from the quiescent to the functional state reveals an increase in apparent DNA content correlated with increased nuclear area. This finding is demonstrated not to depend on technical flattening of nuclei, but on the state of chromatin condensation. The probable identity of this phenomenon with that recently reported from mammalian systems is discussed, as are the possible interpretations of cause. It is provisionally concluded that current evidence favors the view that the relationship reflects non-stoichiometric stain-substrate interaction. The relative advantages of the onion system for future work in this area are discussed.
Observations on the Biology of a new Geranium Aphid (Macrosiphum cornelli, Patch)

The host plants of the aphid, the number of instars, the length of the reproductive period and the number of young produced are discussed. Notes are given on the habits of four hymenopterous parasites reared from the aphid, namely, a braconid, Praon simulans and three chalcids, A phelinus jucundus, A. semiflavus and Aphidencyrtus inquisitor . Control measures are suggested.
A Foxtail mosaic virus Vector for Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Maize

Plant viruses have been widely used as vectors for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A limited number of viruses have been developed into viral vectors for the purposes of gene expression or VIGS in monocotyledonous plants, and among these, the tripartite viruses Brome mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus have been shown to induce VIGS in maize (Zea mays). We describe here a new DNA-based VIGS system derived from Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV), a monopartite virus that is able to establish systemic infection and silencing of endogenous maize genes homologous to gene fragments inserted into the FoMV genome. To demonstrate VIGS applications of this FoMV vector system, four genes, phytoene desaturase (functions in carotenoid biosynthesis), lesion mimic22 (encodes a key enzyme of the porphyrin pathway), iojap (functions in plastid development), and brown midrib3 (caffeic acid O-methyltransferase), were silenced and characterized in the sweet corn line Golden × Bantam. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the FoMV infectious clone establishes systemic infection in maize inbred lines, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis), indicating the potential wide applications of this viral vector system for functional genomics studies in maize and other monocots.
Anticipation in Human-Robot Interaction.

Anticipating the actions of others is key to coordinating joint activities. We propose the notion of anticipatory action and perception for for robots acting with humans. We describe four systems in which anticipation has been modeled for human-robot interaction; two in a teamwork setting, and two in a human-robot joint performance setting. In evaluating the effects of anticipatory agent activity, we find in one study that anticipation aids in team efficiency, as well as in the perceived commitment of the robot to the team and its contribution to the team's fluency and success. In another study we see anticipatory action and perception affect the human partner's sense of team fluency, the team's improvement over time, the robot’s contribution to the efficiency and fluency, the robot's intelligence, and the robot’s adaptation to the task. We also find that subjects working with the anticipatory robot attribute more human qualities to the robot, such as gender and intelligence.
Efficacy of Common Analgesics for Postsurgical Pain in Rats.

Dear Editor, I have some comments about the use of ketoprofen for analgesia in rats discussed in the recent JAALAS article by Waite and colleagues.3 One of the conclusions reached by the authors was that, for postsurgical pain, “ketoprofen was effective when given prophylactically (Figure 5B) at the 15 mg/kg (P<0.01) and 25mg/kg (P<0.05) doses” (rat grimace scale analysis).3 The designated chart (Figure 5B) includes 10 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg doses, but not the stated 15 mg/kg dose, so it appears to contain an error. But all of these doses are too high. Shientag and colleagues previously revealed that a single 5 mg/kg SC dose of ketoprofen caused significant bleeding, erosions, and ulcers in the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of anesthetized and nonanesthetized rats by 24 h postadministration compared to saline controls.2 It is not clear why much higher doses of ketoprofen would be tested in rats for post-operative analgesia when the 5 mg/kg dose caused significant GI lesions in most of the test animals in the aforementioned study. Although the Shientag study used Sprague-Dawley rats, the incontrovertible evidence of GI toxicity would seem to extend to all rat stocks and strains until proven otherwise. The analgesic effects of ketoprofen are expected to last 24 h and it is usually given once a day for postop pain in many species.1 The information provided in the Waite study indicates that the prophylactic treatment group of rats was tested at only one time point, around 110 minutes post ketoprofen administration (estimating 20 min duration for surgery). However, it can be realistically assumed that most researchers using ketoprofen for pain management would require a longer survival period and duration of pain management, at least up to 24 h, and could see serious GI toxicity by then. The findings of Shientag and colleagues strongly suggest that ketoprofen should have been omitted from the Waite and colleagues study. Its therapeutic use for pain management should no longer be recommended in rats.
Effectiveness of the Complete Health Improvement Program.

Currently, heart disease and diabetes dominate society as the leading cause of death for Americans. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of a lifestyle enhancement program on factors related to the development of heart disease. The Wabash Valley Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) is a community-based lifestyle change program with the aim to prevent and reverse the effects of all forms of heart disease through educating participants to make more positive choices in regard to their dietary habits, physical activity, stress management, and tobacco use. Fifty-one participants participated in this 8-week study consisting of 16 sessions that included preâ€“ and postâ€“health screenings for comparison. The health screenings included total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, weight (pounds), body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and resting heart rate. Aggregate data for the group were used to compare the preâ€“ and postâ€“heart screen data for each category. According to the American Heart Association (2006), approximately 34.3% of deaths in the United States are caused by some form of cardiovascular disease. Most of these cases result from unhealthy lifestyle choices related to poor nutrition, physical activity, stress, and tobacco use. In this study, we examined several factors to look for correlations between healthy lifestyle and risk of heart disease. Results show CHIP was effective in reducing the aforementioned factors from 4.8% to 19.2% from pre- to postscreening. These results suggest that the CHIP program was successful in reducing the participants' overall risk of heart disease.
Abstract LB-164: DNA ligase IV modulates the cellular response to DNA replication stress

Correctly repairing DNA damage is crucial to the survival and genomic integrity of cells. Double strand breaks (DSBs) are particularly problematic DNA damage; failure to properly repair DSBs can precede genomic instability leading to cancer. Because of the high proliferative index of cancer cells, replication toxins are successfully used to treat cancer. The two major DNA DSB repair pathways are homologous recombination and nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ). DNA ligase IV is a central component of NHEJ, performing the final ligation step to reseal the broken DNA ends, in concert with XRCC4. We determined cells lacking the early acting NHEJ protein, and DNA damage response signaling kinase, DNA-PK, restarted DNA replication forks quicker than wild-type following replication stress. The role of other NHEJ proteins in replication fork restart is unclear. Our goal was to investigate whether ligase IV, a protein that appears to function exclusively in NHEJ, is involved in the replication stress response. We tested the hypothesis that ligase IV delays replication restart following exposure to replication toxins. Ligase IV knockdown was confirmed by qPCR and western blotting. siRNA knockdown of ligase IV alone reduced cell viability and it reduced EdU incorporation after replication stress. The opposite effects of DNA-PK and ligase IV on the speed of replication fork restart suggests that NHEJ, per se, does not directly affect replication fork restart. We previously demonstrated that DNA-PK regulates replication fork restart, at least in part, by phosphorylating RPA32, which in turn regulates ATR activation and downstream checkpoint functions. Ligase IV deficiency may influence replication fork restart indirectly, for example, by causing spontaneous DSBs to persist longer, limiting availability of repair factors needed for fork restart (saturation effect). A not mutually exclusive possibility is that fork restart is hindered by persistent DSBs due to checkpoint activation. Understanding how NHEJ proteins impact the replication stress response may provide opportunities for developing more effective cancer treatments. Citation Format: Grace Hooks, Yasmin Anchondo, Neelam Sharma, Jac Nickoloff, Amanda Ashley. DNA ligase IV modulates the cellular response to DNA replication stress. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-164.
A time-varying biased random walk approach to human growth.

Growth and development are dominated by gene-environment interactions. Many approaches have been proposed to model growth, but most are either descriptive or describe population level phenomena. We present a random walk-based growth model capable of predicting individual height, in which the growth increments are taken from time varying distributions mimicking the bursting behaviour of observed saltatory growth. We derive analytic equations and also develop a computational model of such growth that takes into account gene-environment interactions. Using an independent prospective birth cohort study of 190 infants, we predict height at 6 years of age. In a subset of 27 subjects, we adaptively train the model to account for growth between birth and 1 year of age using a Bayesian approach. The 5-year predicted heights compare well with actual data (measured height = 0.838*predicted height + 18.3; R2 = 0.51) with an average error of 3.3%. In one patient, we also exemplify how our growth prediction model can be used for the early detection of growth deficiency and the evaluation of the effectiveness of growth hormone therapy.
Chapter 4 - Family Ties

We study the role of the most primitive institution in society: the family. Its organization and relationship between generations shape values formation, economic outcomes, and influences national institutions. We use a measure of family ties, constructed from the World Values Survey, to review and extend the literature on the effect of family ties on economic behavior and economic attitudes. We show that strong family ties are negatively correlated with generalized trust; they imply more household production and less participation in the labor market of women, young adult, and elderly. They are correlated with lower interest and participation in political activities and prefer labor market regulation and welfare systems based upon the family rather than the market or the government. Strong family ties may interfere with activities leading to faster growth, but they may provide relief from stress, support to family members, and increased well-being. We argue that the values regarding the strength of family relationships are very persistent over time, more so than institutions like labor market regulation or welfare systems.
Thin Crystalline and Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Abstract Developments and progress in thin (~20 micron) monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon solar cells for the last 10 years (2007 onward) are surveyed. Fabrication approaches include: (1) controlled wafer thinning for free-standing thin silicon cells, (2) silicon layer transfer methods that permit reuse of silicon substrates and include newer techniques employing formation of porous silicon or patterned surface regions to facilitate the release of a silicon layer for subsequent attachment to a surrogate substrate, and (3) various methods of recrystallizing silicon films deposited on glass using scanning laser or electron beams. Also a wide variety of optical enhancement schemes featuring nanostructured surfaces and nanoscale components achieving levels of optical absorption and photocurrents close to the theoretical maximum for crystalline silicon are reviewed. The required process engineering for translation from laboratory scale devices to manufacturable large-area solar cells that can compete with bulk silicon solar cells and up-and-coming thin-film solar cells will be challenging.
Medication Synchronization Programs Improve Adherence To Cardiovascular Medications And Health Care Use

Medication synchronization programs based in pharmacies simplify the refill process by enabling patients to pick up all of their medications on a single visit. This can be especially important for improving medication adherence in patients with complex chronic diseases. We evaluated the impact of two synchronization programs on adherence, cardiovascular events, and resource use among Medicare beneficiaries treated between 2011 and 2014 for two or more chronic conditions—at least one of which was hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes. Among nearly 23,000 patients matched by propensity score, the mean proportion of days covered (a measure of medication adherence) for the control group of patients without a synchronization program was 0.84 compared to 0.87 for synchronized patients—a gain of 3 percentage points. Adherence improvement in synchronized versus control patients was three times greater in patients with low baseline adherence, compared to those with higher baseline adherence. Rates of hospitali...
Drosophila melanogaster has the enzymatic machinery to make the melanic component of neuromelanin

In Drosophila, the same set of genes that are used for cuticle pigmentation and sclerotization are present in the nervous system and are responsible for neurotransmitter recycling. In this study, we carried out biochemical analysis to determine whether insects have the enzymatic machinery to make melanic component of neuromelanin. We focused our attention on two key enzymes of melanogenesis, namely phenoloxidase and dopachrome decarboxylase/tautomerase. Activity staining of the proteins isolated from the Drosophila larval brain tissue, separated by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, indicated the presence of these two enzymes. Mass spectral sequence analysis of the band also supported this finding. To best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of the enzymatic machinery to make melanin part of neuromelanin in any insect brain.
Obesity and Immunosenescence: Psychological, Behavioral and Biochemical Pathways

With improvements in medical care, individuals are living longer than any time in human history. However, with age comes increasing susceptibility to a cadre of age-related illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer. While chronological age remains the best predictor of disease onset, the rates at which these diseases befall aged individuals vary. Accordingly, a deeper understanding of factors that contribute to “biological aging” may illuminate novel therapeutic interventions with broad public benefit. In this regard, there is growing interest in the influence of obesity on the aging process.
Progress in Sintering Theory

Professor Kuczynski asked me to review Progress in the Theory of Sintering since the Second Conference on Sintering and Related Phenomena: that is, to cover only the last few years. My view of the progress is somewhat biased. Since I have devoted efforts to modeling by diffusive transport for various stages of sintering and hot pressing, most of the information which has been drawn to my attention has been in that area.
The Effects of Total Social Isolation Rearing on Behavior of Rhesus and Pigtail Macaques

Rhesus monkeys (M. mulatta) raised in social isolation exhibit a variety of post-rearing abnormalities which are so consistent that they have been termed “The Isolation Syndrome” (Sackett and Ruppenthal, 1973). This syndrome includes deviant personal behavior such as body rocking, self-clutching, peculiar postures, stereotyped locomotion, self-directed aggression, and a type of “waxy flexibility” in which an arm or a leg floats upward uncoordinated with other ongoing behavior. Isolates are also low in exploratory behavior, have almost no positive social interaction, and are abnormal as adults in sexual and maternal behavior. The only major type of behavior not showing pronounced abnormality is learning. Compared with socialized controls including wild-born monkeys, rhesus isolates are not deficient in discrimination, delayed response, or learning set performance (Gluck and Harlow, 1971; Harlow, et al., 1968).