cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
α-spectrins are major ubiquitinated proteins in rat hippocampal neurons and components of ubiquitinated inclusions in neurodegenerative disorders

Abstract We have demonstrated that α-spectrins (αSpIΣ∗ and αSpIIΣ1) are major ubiquitinated proteins in terminally differentiated hippocampal neurons in culture. Western blotting experiments, using αSpIΣ1, αSpIIΣ1, and ubiquitin antibodies and lysates of 11-day-old cultured rat hippocampal neurons, have demonstrated that a single band comigrating with αSpIΣ∗ and αSpIIΣ1 in a 5% polyacrylamide sodium dodecyl sulfate gel is recognized by ubiquitin antibodies when 125 I-protein A is used for detection. Immunofluorescence staining of the 7- and 12 -day-old rat hippocampal neuron cultures using ubiquitin, αSpIΣ1, and αSpIIΣ1 antibodies demonstrated that all of these antibodies label neurons but not the astrocytes in the cultures. Immunoprecipitation of spectrin subunits in lysates of 12-day-old rat hippocampal neurons under stringent conditions (9.5 M urea) using αSpIΣ1 and αSpIIΣ1 antibodies followed by Western blot experiments of the immunoprecipitated spectrin subunits using αSpIΣ1, αSpIIΣ1 and ubiquitin antibodies confirmed that both αSpIΣ∗ and αSpIIΣ1 are ubiquitinated in rat hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, we demonstrated by immunohistochemistry that α-spectrins are components of the cytoplasmic ubiquitinated inclusions in hippocampal neurons in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease patients.
A bond orbital model investigation of the surface electronic energy structure of Si(111)

Abstract Intrinsic surface states for the Si(111) surface are investigated using the Bond Orbital Model. The semi-infinite crystal is simulated by gradually increasing the number of layers until the convergence is achieved. Total density of states are presented for unrelaxed, relaxed and the hydrogen chemisorbed Si(111) surfaces. The effect of the (2 × 1) reconstruction on the dangling bond surface state is also investigated. The results are in excellent agreement with photoemission experiments.
Cation Interdependency in Acute Stressor States

Acute stressor states are inextricably linked to neurohormonal activation which includes the adrenergic nervous system. Consequent elevations in circulating epinephrine and norepinephrine unmask an interdependency that exists between K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+. Catecholamines, for example, regulate the large number of Mg2+-dependent Na/K ATPase pumps present in skeletal muscle. A hyperadrenergic state accounts for a sudden translocation of K+ into muscle and rapid appearance of hypokalemia. In the myocardium, catecholamines promote Mg2+ efflux from cardiomyocytes, whereas intracellular Ca2+ influx and overloading account for the induction of oxidative stress and necrosis of these cells with leakage of their contents, including troponins. Accordingly, acute stressor states can be accompanied by nonischemic elevations in serum troponins, together with the concordant appearance of hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia and ionized hypocalcemia, causing a delay in myocardial repolarization and electrocardiographic QTc prolongation raising the propensity for arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. In this review, we focus on the interdependency between K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ which are clinically relevant to acute stressor states.
Efficient robust estimates in parametric models

Let {P :θ∈Θ},Θ an open subset ofR k , be a regular parametric model for a sample ofn independent, identically distributed observations. This paper describes estimates {T n ;n≧1} ofθ which are asymptotically efficient under the parametric model and are robust under small deviations from that model. In essence, the estimates are adaptively modified, one-step maximum likelihood estimates, which adjust themselves according to how well the parametric model appears to fit the data. When the fit seems poor,T n discounts observations that would have large influence on the value of the usual one-step MLE. The estimates {T n } are shown to be asymptotically minimax, in the Hajek-LeCam sense, for a Hellinger ball contamination model. An alternative construction of robust asymptotically minimax estimates, as modified MLE's, is described for canonical exponential families.
Comparison of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (Achievement Scale) and the Basic Achievement Skills Individual Screener for learning disabled students.

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children--Achievement Scale and Basic Achievement Skills Individual Screener were administered to 40 students previously identified as learning disabled. Pearson coefficients between the sets of scores on various subtests ranged from .03 to .70.
Developing critical thinking skills in undergraduate nursing students: The potential for strategic management simulations

Critical thinking is a skill required by nurses in order for sound clinical decisions to be made with optimal patient outcomes. Previous nursing education specific strategies, aimed at developing critical thinking, include high-fidelity simulation, case study discussions, concept-mapping, and reflective writing. Post-graduation nurse residency programs have had some success in preparing the new graduate nurse to take on the challenges and demands of the profession. These strategies have had varied success in developing critical thinking skills and are, at times, costly. The purpose of this article is to explore Strategic Management Simulations (SMS) as an educational strategy for enhancing the development of critical thinking skills among undergraduate nursing students. SMS includes assessment, feedback, and training, which are not included in other strategies.
Persistent fear responses in rhesus monkeys to the optical stimulus of "looming"

The approach of an object corresponds with a spatiotemporal optical stimulus consisting of a symmetrical expansion of a closed contour in the field of view. The visual equivalent of impending collision was isolated and compared with its sequential inversion. Infant and adult rhesus monkeys manifested persistent avoidance responses to "looming" but not to the inverse. This visual stimulus alone is a strong exciter of avoidance, and the response appears early in life.
Prognostic factors in acute pulmonary edema.

• Over a six-month period, 106 admissions of 94 patients for acute pulmonary edema were identified and their charts were reviewed. Precipitating factors for acute pulmonary edema included progressively worsening congestive heart failure in 25.5% of cases, coronary insufficiency in 20.8%, subendocardial myocardial infarction in 16.0%, acute transmural myocardial infarction in 10.4%, arrhythmia in 8.5%, medical noncompliance in 6.6%, and other causes in 12.6%. In-hospital mortality was 17.0% (16 patients). Of those patients discharged from the hospital, an additional 27 (39.7%) were dead at one year, giving an overall one-year mortality of 51.2%. We found that patients with progressively worsening congestive heart failure have a better prognosis than patients with other precipitants. Also, patients with an initial systolic blood pressure in the emergency room of 160 mm Hg or higher had an improved survival over patients with an initial systolic blood pressure under 160 mm Hg. No other in-hospital or long-term prognostic factors were identified. (Arch Intern Med1986;146:489-493)
Crosstalk-aware signal probability-based dynamic statistical timing analysis

Crosstalk is an increasingly significant effect for VLSI timing performance. Traditional STA or SSTA techniques provide pessimistic crosstalk analysis based on timing window envelopes. In this paper, we present input-aware signal probability-based statistical timing analysis (SPSTA) taking crosstalk-induced delay variations into account. SPSTA achieves reduced pessimism and improved accuracy by signal propagation path/network-based timing analysis and leveraging some existing automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) techniques. Our experiments based on the 45nm Nangate open cell library show that compared with 1.35 million Monte Carlo simulation runs, while PrimeTime-SI over-estimates by 14.64%, 16.39% and 19.69%, SSTA achieves an average of 2.85%, 2.89% and 3.59% inaccuracy, and SPSTA achieves an average of 1.85%, 2.54% and 1.53% inaccuracy in crosstalk-oblivious, crosstalk-aware non-iterative and crosstalk-aware iterative analysis, respectively.
Sensitivity of populations of clonal lines of HeLa cells to polioviruses.

SummaryPropagation of HeLa cell populations from single clones isolated by the Puck technic provides cells which are more stable in growth potential and virus sensitivity than “farm” populations from which they were selected. Populations from 6 clones have been studied; 4 were of predominant cell type by microscopic examination (clones 1, 2, 3 and 6) and 2 differed from the predominant type (clones 4 and 5). Clone 5 was the most sensitive and clone 4 the most resistant to types 1 and 2 polio viruses. Although clone 5, as a generalization, maintained its characteristic morphology and sensitivity to poliovirus for 2 years, it was not possible to correlate morphology with sensitivity to the polioviruses. Selection and propagation of this most susceptible of the 6 clonal populations isolated provided a stable tool for studies of polioviruses. Since line 5 maintained its greater sensitivity for at least 2 years, a heritable factor (or factors) is probably responsible for the greater sensitivity.
Simulating groundwater flow in multi-aquifer systems with analytical and numerical Dupuit-models

Abstract Analytic Dupuit solutions for multi-aquifer flow are compared to exact solutions for two-dimensional flow in the vertical plane to determine the error in discharge that is introduced by adopting the Dupuit approximation. Specifically, the problem of flow in the bottom aquifer of a two-aquifer system is studied where flow is caused by a piecewise constant head in the top aquifer. The difference between the exact and Dupuit solutions is small if the leakage factor (a characteristic length of the aquifer system) is large relative to the thickness of the aquifer, even for anisotropic hydraulic conductivities. The accuracy of discharges obtained with a Dupuit solution improves when the aquifer is divided up in a number of layers, separated by leaky layers representing the vertical resistance to flow of the aquifer. In a second comparison, analytic Dupuit solutions are compared to numerical Dupuit solutions obtained with the finite difference method to determine reasonable cell sizes and domain sizes for finite difference models. Accurate discharges were obtained with the finite difference method when the cell size is chosen equal to or smaller than the smallest leakage factor and the domain size is at least six times the largest leakage factor. Both a two-aquifer system (with one leakage factor) and a three-aquifer system (with two leakage factors) were studied.
Expression of the human adenylate kinase isozymes, phosphopyruvate hydratase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and phosphoglucomutase-1 in man-rodent somatic cell hybrids

The expression of the adenylate kinase isozymes and of phosphopyruvate hydratase was studied in man-mouse and man-hamster hybrid clones. Concordant segregation of the loci coding for AK-2 and PPH was observed in 54 of 55 primary hybrid clones, and these loci were demonstrated to be synthetic with the loci specifying PGM-1 and PGD. The pattern of expression of the four enzymes in discordant clones suggests the gene order 1pter-(PGD,PPH)-AK-2-PGM-1-centromere. In addition, AK-1 was found to be expressed independently of AK-2.
Survival, Local Recurrence, and Function After Pelvic Limb Salvage at 23 to 38 Years of Followup

Background Malignant pelvic tumors frequently pose challenges to surgeons owing to complex pelvic anatomy and local extension. External hemipelvectomy frequently allows adequate margins but is associated with substantial morbidity and reduced function. Limb salvage is an alternative approach when adequate margins can be achieved, but long-term function and survival are unclear.
Differential regulation of the cynomolgus, human, and rat acyl-CoA oxidase promoters by PPARα

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) is a member of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors and is recognized as the molecular target of the hypolipidemic fibrate drugs. Fibrates promote lipid catabolism by inducing genes involved in fatty acid beta-oxidation. In rodents this is accompanied by peroxisome proliferation, and after chronic dosing hepatocarcinoma, whereas epidemiological studies suggest these adverse events are lacking in humans. Rodents such as rats and mice appear particularly sensitive to PPARalpha-induced peroxisome proliferation while humans are resistant. These findings question the utility of rodent models for safety monitoring of experimental PPARalpha agonists and highlight the need for additional preclinical models that display greater physiological relevance for human response. Thus we have focused on elucidating the molecular mechanism of species-dependent peroxisome proliferation by understanding the PPARalpha-dependent regulation of the acyl-CoA oxidase (AOX) promoter, the rate-limiting step of peroxisomal beta-oxidation. We have chosen the cynomolgus monkey as a model that is modestly responsive to peroxisome proliferation and functionally characterized it against the highly responsive rat and non-responsive human species. We report the identification of a putative peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE) within the 2.3 kb proximal promoter of the cynomolgus monkey AOX gene. Characterization of these promoters using a series of constitutively active, PPARalpha constructs demonstrate that the PPREs within the proximal cynomolgus and human AOX promoters are non-responsive to PPARalpha whereas the rat PPRE is highly responsive. These findings were verified in vivo using a small molecule PPARalpha agonist. Taken together, we demonstrate concordant regulation of the AOX promoter by PPARalpha in cynomolgus monkeys and humans and suggest that this model is superior to rodent models with respect to preclinical evaluation of PPARalpha agonists.
An optimization based method for design of the adaptive mechanism parameters in a model adaptive reference system estimator in a sensorless motor drive system

This paper presents an optimization based technique to design the proportional and integral coefficients of the adaptive mechanism of a Model Reference Adaptive System (MRAS) based estimator in a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) drive system. In this paper, first the MRAS based drive system is modeled linearly. Then the idea of the paper is explained based on the linear model. Finally, the proposed method is used to design the proportional and integral coefficients for a sample PMSM drive system to demonstrate its effectiveness. Preliminary simulation results are provided to verify the design method.
Attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide: Effects of physician background, patient prognosis and patient mental health status

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate views toward physician-assisted suicide (PAS) as patient illness (terminal, not terminal), patient mental health (depressed, not depressed) and physician background (preoccupied, not preoccupied with death) are varied. Participants (N = 211) read a newspaper article and trial summary involving a PAS then gave their impressions of the patient, physician and PAS. Patient mental health did not affect decisions, but the preoccupied physician's testimony was seen as less believable (intent was seen as patient death, not an end of pain and suffering), and he was more likely to be seen as guilty than the non-preoccupied physician (reflected by both verdict and guilt level ratings). The terminal patient was seen as suffering more, wanting suicide more, and making a more rational decision to die than the non-terminal patient. Results are discussed in light of recent legal activity involving PAS.
Tidal Circulation and Residence Time in a Macrotidal Estuary: Cobscook Bay, Maine

Abstract Cobscook Bay is a macrotidal estuary situated near the entrance to the Bay of Fundy, where the mean semi-diurnal tidal range is 5·7 m. Vigorous tidal currents in the bay maintain cold water temperatures year-round and effectively exchange nutrients and other dissolved matter with offshore waters. Partly because of the cold water and tidal exchange, a net-pen salmon aquaculture industry has rapidly expanded in the last decade, raising questions about sustainable levels of production in the environmentally pristine bay. The present study addresses the question of dispersion and flushing of materials in the bay, using a three-dimensional numerical model to simulate the circulation driven by the semi-diurnal tide and runoff from principal rivers. With initialization based on May 1995 cruise data, the results show that the tidal-mean flushing times for neutral surface particles vary from less than one day in the main channel near the entrance to more than a week in the extremities of the inner arms of the bay. A bay-wide average flushing time is about two days, or four tidal cycles, but the detailed distribution is strongly influenced by a pair of counter-rotating eddies that forms in the central bay during each flooding tide. The eddy pattern preferentially directs the initial flood into a southern arm of the bay, where particles and dissolved materials are sequestered. The effective horizontal mixing coefficient in the main channel of the central bay is 300–400 m 2 s −1 , leading to rapid dispersal of particles and pollutants in the along-channel direction and into the shallow inner arms of the bay where they tend to accumulate. A map of tidal-mean residence time indicates that most current aquaculture sites are located in reasonably well flushed regions.
Trends in anemia management in lung and colon cancer patients in the US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2002–2008

Purpose In 2007, growing concerns about adverse impacts of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in cancer patients led to an FDA-mandated black box warning on product labeling, publication of revised clinical guidelines, and a Medicare coverage decision limiting ESA coverage. We examined ESA therapy in lung and colon cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in the VA from 2002 to 2008 to ascertain trends in and predictors of ESA use.
Evaluation of atmospheric blurring effects via the line spread function

Abstract Atmospheric particulate blurring effects on Thematic Mapper data for areas with different particulate concentrations were studied through analysis of field edges. Edge gradient and Fourier techniques were utilized to determine the overall atmosphere‐sensor system line spread function (LSF). The sampled edge data were first fitted to a theoretical curve and then processed by a lowpass filter (LPF). Two parameters of the LSF, the equivalent width and the absolute equivalent width which is defined in this paper, were calculated for several sampling regions. In most cases, the results showed that a broader width (either equivalent or absolute equivalent) corresponds to higher particulate concentration and vice versa.
Protection of renal epithelial cells against oxidative injury by endoplasmic reticulum stress preconditioning is mediated by ERK1/2 activation.

We investigated the role of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response in intracellular Ca2+ regulation, MAPK activation, and cytoprotection in LLC-PK1 renal epithelial cells in an attempt to identify the mechanisms of protection afforded by ER stress. Cells preconditioned with trans-4,5-dihydroxy-1,2-dithiane, tunicamycin, thapsigargin, or A23187 expressed ER stress proteins and were resistant to subsequent H2O2-induced cell injury. In addition, ER stress preconditioning prevented the increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration that normally follows H2O2 exposure. Stable transfection of cells with antisense RNA targeted against GRP78 (pkASgrp78 cells) prevented GRP78 induction, disabled the ER stress response, sensitized cells to H2O2-induced injury, and prevented the development of tolerance to H2O2 that normally occurs with preconditioning. ERK and JNK were transiently (30–60 min) phosphorylated in response to H2O2. ER stress-preconditioned cells had more ERK and less JNK phosphorylation than control cells in response to H2O2 exposure. Preincubation with a specific inhibitor of JNK activation or adenoviral infection with a construct that encodes constitutively active MEK1, the upstream activator of ERKs, also protected cells against H2O2 toxicity. In contrast, the pkASgrp78 cells had less ERK and more JNK phosphorylation upon H2O2 exposure. Expression of constitutively active ERK also conferred protection on native as well as pkAS-grp78 cells. These results indicate that GRP78 plays an important role in the ER stress response and cytoprotection. ER stress preconditioning attenuates H2O2-induced cell injury in LLC-PK1 cells by preventing an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, potentiating ERK activation, and decreasing JNK activation. Thus, the ER stress response modulates the balance between ERK and JNK signaling pathways to prevent cell death after oxidative injury. Furthermore, ERK activation is an important downstream effector mechanism for cellular protection by ER stress.
Phase changes induced by cyclopropane of phosphatidylserine bilayers in the presence and absence of calcium.

Abstract The effects of calcium on the thermodynamic parameters of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylserine (DPS) bilayers in the presence of 1 atm nitrogen and cyclopropane was investigated calorimetrically. It found that at pH 3.1, in the absence of calcium, cyclopropane produces two endothermic phase transitions, at temperatures 63.0° and 60.5°, as compared to the single endothermic transition that was found in the presence of nitrogen. The enthalpies of the cyclopropane transition were also reduced. In the presence of calcium and nitrogen the transition temperature was 66.5°. Upon substituting cyclopropane for nitrogen two endothermic transitions were observed. The main peak remained at 66.5° while the second peak melted at 58.0°. This lower peak melts at about the same temperature as the calcium free dispersion in the presence of cyclopropane. Thus, in the presence of an inert gas, the ionic environment of a lipid can moderate the effect a particular iner; gas may have. Moreover, the presence of an inert gas can cause calcium to apparently dissociate from the bilayer to form a separate calcium free phase.
Can Treating the SYK Cell Cure Leukemia

Targeted therapy has remained elusive for most acute myeloid leukemia patients. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Stegmaier and colleagues identify SYK as a key mediator of the differentiation block seen in this disease. Their data suggest that SYK inhibition may be an effective therapy for a significant proportion of AMLs.
Haemonchus contortus: Enzymes. II. Fructose diphosphate aldolase☆

Abstract Soluble extracts were prepared from adult male and female Haemonchus contortus by differential centrifugation. This extract was fractionated DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose, and by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. A 20-fold purification from the crude soluble extract was achieved resulting in a preparation having an activity of 5.46 units/mg protein. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 8.0 in Tris-HCl buffer and 6.5 in phosphate buffer and a calculated Michaelis constant of 5.6 × 10 −4 M. The enzyme resembles rabbit muscle and Ascaris suum body wall fructose diphosphate aldolases in the characteristics mentioned above. Metallic ion activators were unnecessary and ethylenediaminetetraacetate did not inhibit activity. Adenosine 5′ triphosphate did inhibit the Haemonchus aldolase as had been reported for rabbit muscle aldolase. The latter substance was reported to activate Ascaris muscle aldolase.
Comparison of water trap pans and leaf counts as sampling techniques for green peach aphids on potatoes

Green peach aphid populations were monitored by using water trap pans and by taking leaf samples in 38 southwestern Idaho potato fields from 1972 to 1975. Numbers of winged aphids in trap pans were correlated with populations of aphids developing in adjacent fields but were not predictive of future population trends. Trap pan data are, however, useful in alerting growers to the possibility of damaging field populations which exist in a field at the time of sampling.
Satellite structure and NMR shift of 195Pt in Pt-Mo alloys☆

Abstract The 195Pt NMR shift decreases markedly in Pt with increasing Mo. A weakening of the exchange enhancement is discussed as a possible mechanism.
Storage control cache resource management: increasing diversity, increasing effectiveness

Efficient management of cached storage control resources has been important since the introduction of cached controllers in the early 1980s, and it continues to grow more important as technology advances. The need for cache resource management is due to the diversity of workloads that may coexist under a given controller. Some workloads may continually require the staging of new data into cache memory, with almost no benefit in terms of performance; other workloads may reap major performance benefits while requiring relatively little data staging. The sharing of resources among various workloads must therefore be controlled to ensure that workloads in the former group do not interfere too much with those in the latter. Management of cache functions is often viewed as the job of the host system to which the controller is attached. But it is now also possible for advanced controllers to perform such management functions in a stand-alone manner. Caching algorithms can change adaptively to match the workloads presented. This enables the controller to be ported across multiple plafforms without dependencies on software support. This paper surveys the variety of techniques that have been used for cache resource control, and examines the rapid evolution in such techniques that is now occurring.
Technology's challenges to the First Amendment☆

Abstract Freedom of speech, protected in the USA for 200 years by the First Amendment, is under stress as a result of the new information technologies. The author outlines the threats and opportunities offered by technological advances before examining more closely issues concerned with databanks and privacy, ‘junk calls’, access to public information and incipient censorship, both governmental and private. He argues that the First Amendment should be applied to all media, and that government regulation of information content should be used only as a last resort. Above all, the public must be fully informed of the challenges and opportunities offered by the new technologies.
The Eleanor Chelimsky Forum Integrating Theory and Practice

In response to Eleanor Chelimsky’s inspiring plenary address 3 years ago, and with generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Eastern Evaluation Research Society launched the Ele...
Pulmonary Section Development Influences General Medical House Officer Interests and ABIM Certifying Examination Performance

To determine whether sectional development in pulmonary and critical care medicine influences medical house officers' (HO) interests and knowledge about respiratory medicine, we reviewed HO performance on the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) certifying examination during 4 years before and 5 years after reorganization of our section. After major changes in the program and introduction of new educational opportunities, HOs more often selected pulmonary consultation electives (68.6% vs 47.8%; p=0.009) and entered pulmonary fellowships after completion of residency training (12% vs 3%; p=0.047). Total ABIM examination score did not change, but performance on its respiratory disease component improved from a median national percentile score of 48.5% (1986 to 1989) to 80.0% (1990 to 1994) (p=0.0365). In relation to other specialty component scores, the rank of the respiratory disease percentile improved from the lowest specialty score to the highest. ABIM examination scores correlated with the cumulative faculty effort directed toward HO teaching (r=0.70; p=0.04) and the total number of clinical teachers (faculty and fellows) interacting with HOs (r=0.73; p=0.02). Academic development in pulmonary/critical care faculty has an important influence on medical HO interests in and knowledge of that discipline. Plans for the future structure of academic pulmonaiy/critical care sections must take into account this impact on the training of generalists. Although institutional priorities, resources, and shifting external forces will define how, where, and by whom respiratory medicine will be taught, an appropriate number of faculty members and sufficient commitment of their time to HO education must be preserved.
Information spread in networks: Control, games, and equilibria

We design intervention schemes to control information spread in multi-agent systems. We consider two information spread models: linear distributed averaging and virus spread dynamics. Using the framework of differential games, we design a dynamical optimization framework that produces strategies that are robust to adversarial intervention. For linear dynamics, we show that optimal strategies make connection to potential-theory. In the virus spread case, we show that optimal controllers exhibit multiple switches. Moreover, we establish a connection between game theory and dynamical descriptions of network epidemics, which provides insights into decision making in infected networks. Finally, we present initial building blocks for network controllability using a limited number of controls.
Susceptibility of loblolly pine to bark beetle attack following simulated wind stress

Abstract Thirty-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) trees were subjected to simulated wind stress, which included bending stems with a winch and cable system and pruning branches on the same tree to simulate crown loss. The response of treated trees was compared with that of untreated control trees to determine the effect that extreme winds, such as those from hurricanes, have on the growth and function of surviving trees. The impact of acute wind stress on the susceptibility of pine trees to attack by the bark-feeding beetle genera Dendroctonus and Ips also was investigated. The reduction of photosynthetic capacity due to 50% leaf area loss from branch pruning decreased stem diameter growth by 67% after 1 year. It also decreased oleoresin flow, a critical defense mechanism of pines against bark beetle attack. Short-term mortality of fine roots was observed for trees receiving branch pruning, but fine root biomass quickly returned to levels similar to controls. Little damage to larger roots was observed. During the year following treatment, treated pines had similar xylem water potentials compared with control trees as well as similar gas exchange rates, except for higher photosynthetic rates per unit leaf area for treated trees. Any reduction in xylem water flow caused by stem bending appeared to be offset by decreased transpirational demand due to branch pruning. A trend of greater numbers of beetles trapped near stressed trees was observed in the study, but the increase was statistically significant only for one period. Overall, the number of beetles trapped was not large and there was no evidence of successful beetle attack on any tree. Loblolly pine trees subjected to treatment similar to that received from acute wind stress were not dramatically impaired physiologically under the conditions in this study and were not immediately prone to bark beetle attack, especially where crown loss was not severe.
A RAPID METHOD FOR IODIDE TOLERANCE DETERMINATIONS1

IN RECENT YEARS A NUMBER of investigators (1–8) have made use of iodide toler-ance tests as a means of studying thyroid function. Such tests have been com-plicated by the length and the complexity of their analytical procedure. In addition, each of the investigators, although determining tolerance to inorganic io-dides, have made analyses of the total blood iodine. Since, in these tests, injected inorganic iodide is studied, it is of advantage to employ an analytical method which measures only ionic iodide inthe blood. The procedure outlined in this report posses-ses this advantage and is alsomore convenient as well as accurate and sensitive. Pre-vious investigators have stressedthe iodide level found in the blood from 2 to 24 hours following iodide administration. However, since it has been repeatedly shown (9,10,11) that the thyroid exerts its greatest activity during the first few minutes fol-lowing iodide administration, emphasis is placed on this period of the tolerance test.
Quality of Social and Physical Environments in Preschools and Children's Development of Academic, Language, and Literacy Skills

This study examined associations between quality of social and physical environments in preschools and children's development of academic, language, and literacy skills, and the extent to which preschool quality moderated the associations between child risk and development. Participants were a diverse sample of 540 four-year-old children in Georgia who attended Head Start, the Georgia Pre-Kindergarten Program, or private preschools. Controlling for children's gender, family income, race/ethnicity, preschool program type, and pretest performance, high-quality social environments were positively associated with children's academic and literacy skills at the end of preschool. Quality of the physical environment was not associated with children's outcomes at the end of preschool; however, higher quality physical environments moderated the negative associations between income and academic development and between non-White race/ethnicity and literacy development.
Design, Analysis, and Performance of a Noise Modulated Covert Communications System

Ultrawideband (UWB) random noise signals provide secure communications because they cannot, in general, be detected using conventional receivers and are jam-resistant. We describe the theoretical underpinnings of a novel spread spectrum technique that can be used for covert communications using transmissions over orthogonal polarization channels. The noise key and the noise-like modulated signal are transmitted over orthogonal polarizations to mimic unpolarized noise. Since the transmitted signal is featureless and appears unpolarized and noise-like, linearly polarized receivers are unable to identify, detect, or otherwise extract useful information from the signal. The wide bandwidth of the transmitting signal provides significant immunity from interference. Dispersive effects caused by the atmosphere and other factors are significantly reduced since both polarization channels operate over the same frequency band. The received signals are mixed together to accomplish demodulation. Excellent bit error rate performance is achieved even under adverse propagation conditions.
MINMAX rate control with a perceived distortion metric

This paper presents a Rate-Distortion based optimization procedure for video coding that explicitly incorporates a perceptual distortion measure. A flexible MINMAX (minimizing the maximum distortion) optimization procedure based on Linear Programming (LP) is used to minimize the variation in distortion across frames. The distortion measure utilizes a multi-channel human vision model to generate a map of the perceived distortion at each pixel in a frame. This map is then collapsed into a single frame-level distortion. Lagrangian optimization is employed within each frame to assign macroblock-level quantization step-sizes that minimize this frame-level distortion. Coding results with MPEG-2 show a large reduction in peak perceived distortion with respect to TM5 as well as lower variation in distortion across the frames in the video sequence. Although results are presented for a specific metric, the LP based optimization procedure easily extends to other distortion measures.
Loss of visual suppression of vestibular nystagmus after flocculus lesions.

Summary Eye movements of rhesus monkeys were studied after flocculus and paraflocculus lesions. Positional nystagmus, gaze nystagmus, optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) and visual suppression of caloric nystagmus was present to the operated side after bilateral flocculus lesions. Gaze nystagmus was present to the operated side after unilateral flocculus removal, and in all directions after bilateral lesions. Optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) was altered after unilateral and bilateral flocculus destruction. Animals were unable to follow OKN drum rotation at velocities higher than 45°/sec after bilateral flocculectomy. Caloric nystagmus in darkness was unaffected by floccular destruction. Initially after unilateral flocculus removal there was ipsilateral directional preponderance but this later disappeared. Visual suppression of caloric nystagmus, a reproducible phenomenon in the monkey, was lost or significantly reduced by flocculus destruction. After unilateral flocculus removal visual suppression of caloric nystagmus was lost or reduced when quick phases were directed to the ipsilateral side. After bilateral flocculus destruction suppression of caloric nystagmus was lost or reduced in both directions. Suppression of spontaneous nystagmus and PAN was also reduced after flocculus destruction. These data suggest that the flocculus exerts an inhibitory influence on mechanisms responsible for production of nystagmus with ipsilateral quick phases and contralateral slow phases. They support the hypothesis that the flocculus is a medium through which the visual system can alter or modify vestibular reflexes.
Workers´health and colonial mercury mining at Huancavelica, Peru

Mining had far-reaching ecological consequences throughout much of colonial Spanish America. It deformed the landscape, introduced pollutants such as sulfur, mercury and salt into the biosphere, and caused human settlement of sparsely populated or uninhabited regions. Forests succumbed to the charcoal makers' axes. Workers' lungs filled with silicosis-causing dust. Cave-ins snuffed out lives or crippled those they spared. As unhealthy as mining was elsewhere in Spanish America, it was reported to have been especially harmful in the central Andes at Huancavelica. Workers there suffered the common diseases and injuries associated with the industry such as respiratory disease and broken limbs. They also had to overcome the challenges of arduous labor at high altitude. Most pernicious of all was the toxic nature of the mercury they were mining. Colonial critics asserted that Huancavelica was an environmental tragedy that placed workers in exceptionally dangerous conditions in order to produce the mercury needed by silver refiners to amalgamate and refine their ores. The critics claimed that the mercury mines' human cost was immoral, yet their cries of despair and outrage could not overcome quicksilver's crucial importance to the imperial economy. Killing and maiming, Huancavelica earned for itself an infamous reputation as the mina de la muerte (the mine of death).
Assessing the initiation of cocaine self-administration in humans during abstinence: effects of dose, alternative reinforcement, and priming

Rationale Impaired ability to refrain from initiating cocaine-taking is a central feature of cocaine dependence and an important target for behavioral and pharmacological interventions. One potential trigger of cocaine-taking is exposure to cocaine (i.e. priming).
Relax and try this instead: Abbreviated habit reversal for maladaptive self-biting

We evaluated the effectiveness of an abbreviated habit reversal procedure to reduce maladaptive oral self-biting in an adolescent boy in residential care. Treatment involved a combination of relaxation and two competing responses. Results of a withdrawal design and two posttreatment medical evaluations indicated that the intervention eliminated the biting and the tissue damage it caused.
The second law and chemically-induced, steady-state pressure gradients: controversy, corroboration and caveats

Abstract Experimental results are reported supporting key aspects of a recently proposed chemical pressure gradient (D.P. Sheehan, Phys. Rev. E 57 (1998) 6660). This pressure gradient has been invoked in a paradox involving the second law of thermodynamics (T.L. Duncan, Phys. Rev. E 61 (2000) 4661).
Can racial/ethnic subgroup criterion-to-test standard deviation ratios account for conflicting differential validity and differential prediction evidence for cognitive ability tests?

Differential validity and differential prediction analyses have come to conflicting conclusions regarding whether the relationship between cognitive ability tests and performance is the same across racial/ethnic subgroups. A prominent criticism of differential validity analyses is that they are confounded by subgroup differences in the ratio of criterion-to-test standard deviations (SDs). We investigated whether subgroup differences in these ratios can account for this conflicting evidence. Drawing on data from over 1 million participants, we find that subgroup differences in criterion-to-test SD ratios in general only account for a relatively small portion of subgroup differences in test-criterion correlations.
A Measure of Cooperative, Competitive, and Individualistic Attitudes

Summary Six studies involving over 6000 students from kindergarten through college were sequenced over a period of years to develop three relatively independent self-report scales with substantial internal reliability to measure attitudes toward cooperative, competitive, and individualistic interdependence between oneself and others in educational settings. The purpose of the scale development was to provide a research tool for social scientists interested in social interdependence. In addition, evidence consistent with a multidimensional view of social interdependence was gathered, and some additional evidence indicating a change in conceptions of the three types of social interdependence in junior high school was found.
Crafting corporate meaning

This article examines how meaning comes about through the symbolic interactions of organizational members. The article also explores the power dimension of creating and sustaining corporate meaning and proposes that leaders are well‐positioned to influence shared organizational meaning (culture). Specific attention is given to symbolic devices which corporate leaders can use to both craft and sustain meaning structures. Communicative implications for leaders who desire to craft corporate meaning are provided. Suggestions for research contributing to the verification and critical examination of shared corporate meaning are put forward.
Which two ventricles cannot be used for a biventricular repair? Echocardiographic assessment

Abstract Background . A variety of factors can influence the suitability of a congenitally malformed heart for biventricular repair, including size, morphology, function, and dimensions and function of the inflow and outflow, among others. Although certain features have been identified that may indicate a lower probability of successful biventricular repair, our ability to predict whether a particular patient will be able to tolerate completely separate in-series systemic and pulmonary circulations remains imperfect. Methods and Results . In this review, we discuss the echocardiographic evaluation of various factors that can influence a patient's suitability for two ventricle repair. We call on our own experience, and illustrate our discussion with a number of echocardiographic images. Conclusions . In most cases, echocardiography allows for full assessment of the anatomic and functional features that influence whether a patient is a suitable candidate for biventricular repair. Although a number of indices have been developed for determining who can and cannot be expected to undergo successful two ventricle repair, there remains substantial room for progress in this area.
Macroeconomic policy in recessions and unemployment hysteresis

I adopt Ball’s (1999) cross-sectional approach to test for unemployment hysteresis to panel data. Long-run unemployment is explained with standard institutional controls, and proxies for monetary and fiscal policy reactions in recessions. The sample consists of 20 OECD countries for the period 1985 to 2008. The results indicate that fiscal consolidation in recessions has long-lasting effects on unemployment. No significant impact of monetary policy is found. However, tentative evidence suggests that the effects of fiscal spending are stronger when accommodated by expansionary monetary policy.
Assessment of elemental contamination in estuarine and coastal environments based on geochemical and statistical modeling of sediments

Abstract Sediment of variable mineralogical, textural and metal contaminant composition was collected from 38 estuaries along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States and analyzed for total Al, Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Si, Sn, Tl and Zn concentrations. Based on observed covariation of elements at 15 estuaries remote from contaminant inputs, linear regressions of metals on Al were used to model the metal content in baseline sediments. A geochemical model for the covariation was developed, verified and used to guide the statistical modelling approach. Comparison of metal concentrations predicted by the models with those occurring in uncontaminated geological materials suggests that baseline relationships are valid for the entire region sampled. Using these baseline relationships, sediment metal concentrations can be partitioned into natural and anthropogenic fractions. Models improve the comparability of metal levels in sediments by correcting for variable background concentrations that, if left uncorrected, only serve to increase total data variability and reduce detection of spatial and temporal differences. Examples of the application of baseline models to pollution studies are provided. A continuing decline in Pb concentrations in Mississippi River delta sediments is observed consistent with the declining use of Pb additives in gasoline since 1970. Major spatial trends in contaminant metals in sediments along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts are noted.
Battles and beliefs: Rethinking the roles of today's leaders

The modern business environment is wild, messy, and unpredictable. That's why the two operating frameworks that leaders have typically relied on—the caregiver and the analyst—are no longer enough. Two additional frameworks—the wizard and the warrior—can help leaders make sense of the political and symbolic predicaments that organizations face daily.
Electroweak matrix elements in the two-nucleon sector from lattice QCD

Abstract We demonstrate how to make rigorous predictions for electroweak matrix elements in nuclear systems directly from QCD. More precisely, we show how to determine the short-distance contributions to low-momentum transfer electroweak matrix elements in the two-nucleon sector from lattice QCD. In potential model descriptions of multi-nucleon systems, this is equivalent to uniquely determining the meson-exchange currents, while in the context of nuclear effective field theory, this translates into determining the coefficients of local, gauge-invariant, multi-nucleon-electroweak current operators. The energies of the lowest-lying states of two nucleons on a finite volume lattice with periodic boundary conditions in the presence of a background magnetic field are sufficient to determine the local four-nucleon operators that contribute to the deuteron magnetic moment and to the threshold cross section of n p → d γ . Similarly, the energy-levels of two nucleons immersed in a background isovector axial weak field can be used to determine the coefficient of the leading local four-nucleon operator contributing to the neutral- and charged-current break-up of the deuteron. This is required for the extraction of solar neutrino fluxes at SNO and future neutrino experiments.