cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Method for Implementing Microprocessor-Controlled Systems

Techniques for both hardware and software development of microprocessor systems are discussed. A crossassembler, written for execution on a 16-bit control computer, is used to assemble programs and produce binary output tapes for programming read-only memories. A modular 8-bit microprocessor system has been developed that includes a bus-oriented card file and a group of analog and digital I/O interface cards. This has proved to be a flexible and inexpensive method of implementing a variety of one-of-a-kind microprocessor applications in a laboratory environment.
Physiological effects of painful stimulation during hypnotic analgesia under conditions designed to minimize anxiety.

Abstract A statistidy powerful experimental test of the phymological effects of painful etimulation during hypnotic analgesia was conducted under conditions designed to minimize anxiety. From the findings of no sgnificant differences between the experimental conditions, the plausible interpretation was advanced that, inasmuch as the subjective experience of pain is eliminated during hypnotic analgesia, those physiological reactions do not occur which would otherwise ordinarily result from the stressful or threatening qualities of the painful stimulation. It was further advanced, however, that anything else which minimizes the incidental anxiety component of the total pain experience–such as ego-protective procedures in the waking state–can have an effect on physiological responses to painful stimulation aimilar to that of hypnotic analgesia.
Group Dynamics: Philosophical Presuppositions

(1959). Group Dynamics: Philosophical Presuppositions. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 247-260.
Multiple scales of mechanical stratification and decollement fold kinematics, Sierra Madre Oriental foreland, northeast Mexico

Regional- to outcrop-scale stratigraphic relationships within Mesozoic shallow marine carbonates and clastics at Sierra del Fraile anticlinorium in northeast Mexico play an important role in controlling the deformation distribution, strain history and kinematics during folding. Structural analyses of meso- and microscopic deformation features from all stratigraphic and structural positions within the anticlinorium allow for the delineation of five regional-scale lithotectonic units. Kilometer- to decameter-scale stacking patterns of the preorogenic succession and the meter-scale stacking patterns of individual shallowing-upward carbonate cycles are shown to influence deformation kinematics in predictable ways. Mesoscopic faults and cleavage patterns along with penetrative strain from anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) fabrics constrain fold kinematics as progressive limb rotation about pinned anticlinal and synclinal hinges with constant limb length and a mobile basal decollement horizon within the evaporites of the Minas Viejas Formation that core the anticlinorium. AMS fabrics are shown to be a useful proxy for nascent penetrative strain orientations in sedimentary rocks. Macroscopic differences in strain suggest strong lithologic facies control responding to differences in bed thickness, grain size and carbonate content. At the regional scale, variation in deformation between the lithotectonic units identifies decollement horizons coincident with lithotectonic boundaries in the Minas Viejas, upper Taraises, and Parras Formations.
High‐modulation‐depth and short‐cavity‐length silicon Fabry–Perot modulator with two grating Bragg reflectors

We propose a silicon Fabry–Perot planar waveguide modulator structure consisting of two Bragg reflectors to form the cavity. The Bragg reflectors are nanoscale trenches in the waveguide fabricated using electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching. Compared to conventional waveguide modulator designs, large modulation depth can be achieved with much smaller modulator length using high‐finesse Fabry–Perot cavity, leading to much less loss and higher speed. This modulator design can also be utilized as an externally tunable spectral filter.
Intrabeam scattering at high energies

Abstract The growth of a beam of charged particles due to intrabeam scattering is studied in the high energy limit. The variation of the β-functions and the dispersion around the accelerator are included. In the high γ limit, analytical results are found for the horizontal, vertical and longitudinal growth rates. For a lattice consisting only of regular cells, with no insertions, a time invariant is found and the longitudinal and transverse growth rates are simply related. The dependence of the final state of the beam on the final energy is also studied.
The effect of oral thyroid medication upon the prothrombin time.

PRIOR to the free use of iodine in the treatment of Graves' disease a significant number of cases developed cirrhosis of the liver (2). The belief that hepatic dysfunction was in a great measure responsible for post-operative thyroid crises prevalent in the pre-iodine periods is strengthened by the striking similarity between these reactions and those frequently observed in cholemia after traumatic or surgical shock. Graves' disease is of complex activity. The question posed is whether thyroid excess exerts adverse effects upon the liver. The literature on the subject is very meager and evidently itsimplications have been little appreciated. The relationship becomes clinically significant because of the enormous and ever increasing quantities of thyroid extract used for therapeutic purposes. A study was made to learn whether altered liver function could be demonstrated in a group of patients given thyroid medication in substantial doses over varying periods of time. HEPATIC FUNCTION TEST
Analyses of the effects of Rck2p mutants on Pbs2p DD -induced toxicity in Saccharomyces cervisiae identify a MAP kinase docking motif, and unexpected functional inactivation due to acidic substitution of T379

Rck2p is a Ser/Thr kinase that binds to, and is activated by, Hog1p. Expression of the MAP kinase kinase Pbs2pDD from a GAL1 -driven plasmid hyperactivates the HOG MAP kinase pathway, and leads to cessation of growth. This toxic effect is reduced by deletion of RCK2. We studied the structural and functional basis for the role of Rck2p in mediating the growth arrest phenotype associated with overexpression of Pbs2pDD. Rck2p kinase activity is required for the effect, because Rck2p(Δ487–610), as well as full-length Rck2p, is toxic with Pbs2pDD, but kinase-defective versions of either protein with a K201R mutation are not. Thus, the C-terminal portion of Rck2p is not required provided the protein is activated by removal of the autoinhibitory domain. Relief of inhibition in Rck2p normally requires phosphorylation by Hog1p, and Rck2p contains a putative MAP kinase docking site (TILQR589R590KKVQ) in its C-terminal segment. The Rck2p double mutant R589A/R590A expressed from a centromeric plasmid did not detectably bind Hog1p-GFP and was functionally inactive in mediating the toxic effect of Pbs2pDD, equivalent to an RCK2 deletion. However, overexpression of Rck2p R589A/R590A from a multicopy plasmid restored function. In contrast, RCK2-K201R acted as a multicopy suppressor of PBS2 DD, markedly reducing its toxicity. This suppressor activity required the K201R mutation, and the effect was largely lost when the docking site was mutated, suggesting suppression by inhibition of Hog1p functions. We also studied the effect of replacing the predicted T379 and established S520 phosphorylation sites in Rck2p by glutamic acid. Surprisingly, the T379E mutant markedly reduced Pbs2pDD toxicity, and toxicity was only partially rescued by S520E. Rck2 T379E was sufficiently inactive in an rck2Δ strain to allow some cells to survive PBS2 DD toxicity even when overexpressed. The significance of these findings for our understanding of Rck2p function is discussed.
Treating sleep problems in dementia caregivers based on parent-child interventions.

Background: Interventions developed for improving sleep in parents of young children or in developmentally delayed children might also prove effective for persons with dementia and their caregivers...
Is bioluminescent turbulence an example of self-organized critically?

Abstract When mechanically stimulated by flow, some marine cells react by flashing blue light or bioluminescing. The flash response give a relatively non-invasive measure of turbulent behavior which lends itself readily and quantitatively to statistical models of fluid structure. We report substantial agreement between a series of experiments performed using stimulated light from the bioluminescence of seawater flowing through a glass pipe and theoretical predictions based on models proposed for describing a self-organized critical phenomenon. In this way, bioluminescent turbulent flow can be taken as a natural and potentially robust example connecting long-held scaling problems in turbulence to recent thinking on fractals and self-organized critically.
Crystal structures of copper(II) complexes of 2-formylpyridine substituted thiosemicarbazones; the first example of a coordinated thiosemicarbazone with a thiol function

Abstract The crystal structures of two 5-coordinate copper(II) complexes containing neutral, tridentate 2-formylpyridine N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones have been determined. 2-Formylpyridine N(4)-cyclohexylthiosemicarbazone, HFo4CHex coordinates via the pyridine nitrogen, imine nitrogen and thione sulfur with two chloro ligands to produce [Cu(HFo4CHex)Cl 2 ]. Similarly, 2-formylpyridine 3-(4-methylpiperazine)thiosemicarbazone, HFoppz4M, produces [Cu(HFoppz4M)Cl 2 ] with one major difference; rather than the expected thione form of the thiosemicarbazone moiety, it coordinates as the thiol isomer. Both complexes are close to a square pyramid structure with axial and equatorial chloro ligands and the thiosemicarbazone moieties of both ligands nearly planar. Also included is the crystal structure of N-cyclohexylthiosemicarbazide, CHextsc.
The Keystone Fasciocutaneous Flap in the Reconstruction of Lower Extremity Wounds

A I th o ugh primary linear closure is the most common form of surgical wound closure, it is not always feasible. Some wounds require local flap closure, skin grafting, or even free flap coverage. Because there is a paucity of lax tissue available for adjacent tissue transfer on the leg, larger defects in this area have historically been repaired with full- or split-thickness skin grafts. Lower extremity wounds tend to heal more slowly than wounds in other locations. Given the relatively higher metabolic demands of full-thickness skin grafts, split-thickness grafts have often been used as the reconstructive modality of choice for cutaneous defects on the distal lower extremities that cannot be closed primarily. These grafts have their own disadvantages, including donor site morbidity and the common atrophic, depressed, and hypopigmented appearance of the graft at the recipient site as it matures. There are also significant risks of graft failure when they are applied to lower extremity wounds. The keystone fasciocutaneous flap circumvents the challenges of wound closure in many areas of decreased tissue laxity. In addition, keystone flaps depend not on the anastomotic dermal plexus but on underlying muscular perforators for perfusion. These perforator vessels traverse the superficial muscular fascia and feed directly into the overlying subcutis and dermis, providing a surprisingly robust vascular supply. 1 Described and defined initially by Felix Behan in the late 1990s as a true fasciocutaneous flap (as opposed to a random-pattern island pedicle flap), the keystone flap has been recognized as an important innovation in the reconstructive armamentarium. It has even been touted as the "end of the skin graft" for reconstruction of wounds after melanoma excisions on the lower extremities. 2 Well described in the plastic and reconstructive surgical literature, the keystone flap has useful applications in dermatologic surgery. 1,3―5 This brief manuscript is intended to introduce the keystone fasciocutaneous flap to the dermatologic surgical literature.
Trading places: Accumulation as mediation in French ministry map depots, 1798–1810:

During the French Revolution, the comparative geographer Jean-Denis Barbie du Bocage lost his patron, his job, and (most importantly) his access to source materials. Working for ministry map depots, however, he was able to forge new alliances and, by acting as a broker between different actors and interests, mobilize new networks of accumulation inside France and across central and eastern Europe. In these new centers of accumulation, Barbie translated the meanings and the significance of the objects he collected to fit the interests of the different constituencies in his network: including French politicians, diplomats and consuls, Greek merchants and Enlightenment scholars. The strength of the ‘mobiles’ he collected was their mutability, the ease with which they could be repurposed. Such translations shifted Barbie’s own assumptions about the ways in which old and new information could be combined both in his work for the government and in his private antiquarian scholarship.
Distributed Functional Scalar Quantization Simplified

Distributed functional scalar quantization (DFSQ) theory provides optimality conditions and predicts performance of data acquisition systems in which a computation on acquired data is desired. We address two limitations of previous works: prohibitively expensive decoder design and a restriction to source distributions with bounded support. We show that a much simpler decoder has equivalent asymptotic performance to the conditional expectation estimator studied previously, thus reducing decoder design complexity. The simpler decoder features decoupled communication and computation blocks. Moreover, we extend the DFSQ framework with the simpler decoder to source distributions with unbounded support. Finally, through simulation results, we demonstrate that performance at moderate coding rates is well predicted by the asymptotic analysis, and we give new insight on the rate of convergence.
Vapor discrimination by dual-laser reflectance sensing of a single functionalized nanoparticle film†

Sorption-induced changes in the localized surface-plasmon resonance (LSPR) of an n-octanethiolate-monolayer-protected gold nanoparticle film on a Si chip are exploited to differentiate two volatile organic compounds (VOC) with a single sensor. Probing the film with 488 nm and 785 nm lasers gave reflectance sensitivity ratios at the two wavelengths of 0.68 and 0.80 for toluene and n-heptane, respectively, permitting their discrimination. Swelling-induced increases in inter-particle distance appear to predominate over changes in the refractive index of the inter-particle matrix in the sensor responses. The corresponding ratios of sensitivities with a reference film of polydimethylsiloxane did not differ for the two vapors. Approaches for extending the capability for VOC discrimination by use of arrays of such LSPR sensors are discussed, along with the advantages of employing this simple platform in compact, field-deployable environmental VOC monitoring systems.
A putative role of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein

Oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein is a cell-mediated process that is believed to increase the atherogenicity of the particle. There is a growing interest in measures that could inhibit this process because of their potential impact on the risk of atherosclerotic disease. It is suggested that diets rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 series inhibit cell-induced oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL), thereby contributing to the prevention of atherosclerosis.
AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC CLASSIFICATION OF THE RETINAL RECEPTORS OF THE LEOPARD FROG (RANA PIPIENS).

Conditions that make it possible to obtain a good fixation of the frog retinal receptor cells in combination with a well preserved relationship between the receptors and the pigment epithelium are described. The red rod, the green rod, the single cone, and the double cone of the leopard frog were studied over their entire length by means of serial sectioning and their main features at low magnification were shown. The differences between the receptor types were demonstrated, and structural features allowing a positive identification at all levels in the receptor cell layer are pointed out. The receptor distribution in the posterior pole of the retina was as follows: 50% red rods, 15% green rods, 20% single cones, and 15% double cones. Interreceptor contacts, defined as direct relationship between cell surfaces without any interposition of Muller cell processes, were observed.
Aparapi-UCores: A high level programming framework for unconventional cores

Combining several types of devices and architectures is at the heart of heterogeneous computing's power efficiency advantage, but the strength of heterogeneous systems is also their Achilles heel, i.e. the diversity of the devices and ecosystems needed to maintain them present major technological challenges. Some of the biggest challenges are in the realm of system programing. We believe that for heterogeneous systems computing to become a mainstream system design choice, high level and standard system design flows need to be adopted in order to achieve transparency when dealing with diverse devices and architectures. In this paper we present an open source high level framework and design flow that allows working with any type of device that supports OpenCL. In addition we test our design flow and framework on an N-body simulation across multiple device types and show how such high level framework and heterogeneous system design can deliver a more power efficient solution when compared to a single general purpose device and dual CPU+GPU device type approach.
Delinquent Peers Revisited: Does Network Structure Matter?1

This study examines whether structural properties of friendship networks condition the association between friends' delinquency and an individual's own delinquent behavior. Data from the Add Health allows a more accurate conceptualization of the peer network and a more rigorous measurement of peer delinquency than previous research. Findings from this study indicate that friends' delinquency is associated with an adolescent's own delinquency involvement. However, characteristics of adolescents' friendship networks, such as its density and adolescents' centrality and popularity, condition the delinquency‐peer association. Network density, in particular, emerges as an important component of the delinquency‐peer association, with very cohesive networks containing stronger delinquency‐peer associations than those that are less cohesive. These findings suggest that it is necessary to consider the underlying structural properties of friendship networks in order to understand the impact of peer influence on adol...
Comparative studies on hydrolysis of conjugated estrogens in human pregnancy urine.

WE HAVE previously reported (Katzraan et al., 1954) comparative studies on the hydrolysis of the conjugated estrogens of human pregnancy urine by bacterial β-glucuronidase, the phenolsulfatase of Mylase P, and boiling 15 vol.% HCl. In most instances, enzymatic hydrolysis liberated somewhat more estrogen than was obtained by treatment with acid. Use of the enzymes also permitted study of the nature of the conjugated estrogens. β-Glucuronidase obtained from culture filtrates of E. coli liberated most of the estrogen while only a small amount was liberated by the phenolsulfatase of Mylase P. Moreover, certain observations indicated that Mylase P liberates more estrogen from urines previously hydrolyzed with β-glucuronidase than from the same urines not so treated. One aspect of this paper is an extension of our previous work on the amount of estrogen liberated by phenolsulfatase prior to and subsequent to hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase.
Oral administration of spermine inhibits gastric acid secretion in rats.

Administration of spermine by oral route inhibits the histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in pylorous ligated rats. The extent of both the acid and volume of secretion is dependent on the dose of sperimen. The polyamine is completely ineffective when injected by the intravenous route. A single oral dose of spermine suppresses acid secretion for at least 6 hr. An inverse relationship between the efficacy of oral spermine and age of the animals was observed. These data suggest a therapeutic potential for the naturally occurring polyamine compounds.
Nutritional support of the cancer patient

Malnutrition is a common problem in cancer patients that results in devastating quality-of-life, economic, and survival issues. “Cancer cachexia” refers to a complex, multifactorial syndrome characterized by anorexia or the spontaneous and unintended loss of appetite, generalized host tissue wasting, skeletal muscle atrophy, immune dysfunction, and a variety of metabolic alterations. The malnourished cancer patient responds poorly to therapeutic interventions, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, with increased morbidity and mortality compared with well-nourished patients. Many studies have reported the prevalence of malnutrition in cancer patients. In a multicenter cooperative study of more than 3,000 cancer patients, DeWys et al 1 reported substantial weight loss in more than 50% of patients. The highest frequency and severity of weight loss occurred in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies. Weight loss also was identified in 40% of patients with breast cancer and 60% of patients with
Impending demands upon dental manpower and education.

The Committee on Manpower and Education predicts some of the impact of comprehensive health planning in the various states.
Membrane proteins of the vacuolar system. III. Further studies on the composition and recycling of endocytic vacuole membrane in cultured macrophages

In previous publications (Muller, W.A., R.M. Steinman, Z.A. Cohn. 1980, J.Cell Biol. 86:292-314), we found that the membrane of macrophage phagolysosomes could be selectively radioiodinated in living cells, The technique required phagocytosis of lactoperoxidase covalently coupled to latex spheres (LPO-latex), followed by iodination on ice with Na(125)I and hydrogen peroxide. In this paper, we use the LPO-latex system to further analyze the composition and recycling of phagocytic vacuole membrane. Three approaches were employed to examine the polypeptide composition of the phagolysosome (PL) and plasma membranes (PM). (a) The efficiency of intracellular iodination was increased by increasing lysosomal pH with chloroquine. By one-dimensional SDS PAGE, the heavily labeled chloroquine-treated PL exhibited the same labeled polypeptides as PM iodinated extracellularly with LPO-latex. (b) Iodinated PL and PM were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. No differences in the isoelectric point and molecular weight of the major iodinated species were detected. (c) Quantitative immune precipitation was performed with five specific antibodies directed against cell surface antigens. Four antibodies precipitated similar relative amounts of labeled antigen on the cell surface and endocytic vacuole. One antibody, secreted by hybridoma 2.6, detected a 21-kdalton polypeptide that was enriched sevenfold in PL membrane. This enrichment was cell surface-derived, since the amount of labeled 2.6 was increased sevenfold when iodinated PM was driven into the cell during latex uptake. Therefore, intracellular iodination primarily detects PL proteins that are identical to their PM counterparts. Additional studies employed electron microscope autoradiography to monitor the centrifugal flow of radiolabeled polypeptides from PL to PM. Cells were iodinated intralysosomally and returned to culture for only 5-10 min at 37 degrees C. Most of the cell-associated label then redistributed to the cell surface or its adjacent area. Significant movement out of the lysosome compartment occurred even at 2 degrees C and 22 degrees C. Extensive and rapid membrane flow through the secondary lysosome presumably contributes to the great similarity between PM and PL membrane polypeptides.
Lack of IgA envelope-reactive antibody producing cells in terminal ileum in early and chronic HIV-1 infection

Background HIV-1 vaccines must induce protective antibodies at mucosal surfaces; the role of IgA in protection remains unknown. The HIV-1 Env antibody response begins ~day 17 after transmission, and derives from a polyreactive memory B cell pool of gut flora-reactive IgG1 and IgA B cells. Whereas the IgG Env antibody response persists years after acute HIV-1 infection, the initial IgA response decreases over the first month. There is also selective destruction of terminal ileum germinal centers in early HIV-1 infection (EHI). To determine HIV-1 IgA responses in gut, we isolated Env-reactive antibodies from ileum from patients in EHI and chronic HIV-1 infection (CHI).
'Hybrid' benzofuran-benzopyran congeners as rigid analogs of hallucinogenic phenethylamines.

Abstract Phenylalkylamines that possess conformationally rigidified furanyl moieties in place of alkoxy arene ring substituents have been shown previously to possess the highest affinities and agonist functional potencies at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor among this chemical class. Further, affinity declines when both furanyl rings are expanded to the larger dipyranyl ring system. The present paper reports the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of a series of ‘hybrid’ benzofuranyl–benzopyranyl phenylalkylamines to probe further the sizes of the binding pockets within the serotonin 5-HT2A agonist binding site. Thus, 4(a–b), 5(a–b), and 6 were prepared as homologs of the parent compound, 8-bromo-1-(2,3,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane 2, and their affinity, functional potency, and intrinsic activity were assessed using cells stably expressing the rat 5-HT2A receptor. The behavioral pharmacology of these new analogs was also evaluated in the two-lever drug discrimination paradigm. Although all of the hybrid isomers had similar, nanomolar range receptor affinities, those with the smaller furanyl ring at the arene 2-position (4a–b) displayed a 4- to 15-fold greater functional potency than those with the larger pyranyl ring at that position (5a–b). When the furan ring of the more potent agonist 4b was aromatized to give 6, a receptor affinity similar to the parent difuranyl compound 2 was attained, along with a functional potency equivalent to 2, 4a, and 4b. In drug discrimination experiments using rats trained to discriminate LSD from saline, 4b was more than two times more potent than 5b, with the latter having a potency similar to the classic hallucinogenic amphetamine 1 (DOB).
Privacy in stochastic control: A Markov Decision Process perspective

Cyber physical systems, which rely on the joint functioning of information and physical systems, are vulnerable to information leakage through the actions of the controller. In particular, if an external observer has access to observations in the system exposed through cyber communication links, then critical information can be inferred about the internal states of the system and consequently compromise the privacy in system operation. In this work, a mathematical framework based on a Markov Process model is proposed to investigate the design of controller actions when a privacy requirement is imposed as part of the system objective. Quantifying privacy using information theoretic equivocation, the tradeoff between achievable privacy and system utility is studied analytically. Specifically, for a sub-class of Markov Decision Processes (MDP), where the system output is independent of present and future states, the optimization is expressed as a solution to a Bellman equation with convex reward functions. Further, when the state evolution is a deterministic function of the states, actions and inputs, the Bellman equation is reduced to a series of recurrence relations. For the general MDP with privacy constraints, the optimization is expressed as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process with belief dependent rewards (ρ-POMDP). Computable inner and outer bounds are provided on the achievable privacy utility tradeoff using greedy policies and rate distortion optimizations respectively.
Tax structure in a federation

Abstract Does national taxation of a base influence the degree to which the local government will use the same tax base? Does the tax rate chosen by one local government influence the choices made by another local government? The theoretical answer to these questions is often in the affirmative because of vertical and horizontal externalities that result when several governments are operating at the same time in a fiscal system. However, little empirical information is available. This paper estimates the impact of horizontal and vertical externalities on the choice of tax rates by local governments operating in a federation. Higher national income tax rates and lower poverty rates are found to lead to lower local income tax rates.
Health-care utilization, costs, and the burden of disease related to eosinophilic esophagitis in the United States.

Health-Care Utilization, Costs, and the Burden of Disease Related to Eosinophilic Esophagitis in the United States
Spin-wave theory for the biaxial (m=2) Lifshitz point problem in three dimensions

It is known that no long-range order can exist on the boundary between the helical phase (wherein the magnetisation varies spatially in one or more of m distinct directions) and the ferromagnetic phase in the biaxial (m=2) Lifshitz point problem in three dimensions when n, the number of components of the order parameter, is greater than unity. The Guassian (quadratic) spin-wave approximation to the n=2 problem predicts that on this phase boundary correlations decay as power laws at large distance. It is shown here that the presence of a marginal quartic spin-wave operator produces logarithmic corrections to the power laws.
Effect of 6-Mercaptopurine Alone and in Combination With Other Agents Upon Renal Homograft Rejection

In a study of 94 dogs with renal homotransplants treatment with 6-mercaptopurine in combination with protein restriction, colchicine, 5-fluorouracil or colloidal iron prolonged the median functional survival of the transplants up to 11 to 13 days. When 6-mercaptopurine was combined with probenecid, the median functional survival was only seven days.
An XACML-based policy management and authorization service for globus resources

We describe our approach to a policy management system and a policy enforcement point which is integrated into the globus toolkit middleware. Our system enables the specification and modification of resource policies by administrative parties through a graphical user interface and the secure association with and transport of these policies to the policy decision components.
The Vocational Personality of School Psychologists in the United States

This study represents the first empirical test of the vocational personality of US school psychologists. Specifically, we investigated the personality of school psychologists using Holland's (1997) well-researched theory of vocational personalities and work environments. The sample consisted of 241 randomly selected members of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). The Self-Directed Search (Holland, 1994) was used to identify personality types. Results offered general support for the three-letter vocational personality code for school psychologists that is listed in the Dictionary of Holland Occupational Codes (Gottfredson and Holland, 1996).
Spatio-temporal consistency and distributivity as qualities of features

In this work, we define two new and important qualities of features which expand upon the usual local feature information. Spatio-temporal consistency is a quality of a feature that quantifies how consistently a feature has been tracked in prior frames and how smooth its motion was over prior frames. Distributivity is a quality of a feature that quantifies physical distance (in number of pixels) from other features in the same frame.
Effect of insulator profiles on DC flashover voltage under polluted conditions. A study using a dynamic arc model

From field experience and laboratory tests, it has been observed that the contamination flashover voltage of insulators used on DC lines is more influenced by geometry (diameter and profile) than those used on AC lines. Presented in this paper are the results and analysis of a study of the effect of insulator shapes on the DC contamination flashover voltage. A dynamic arc model is used for this purpose. The salient feature of the model is that it takes into account the geometry of the insulator at every instant of the arc propagation, and thus includes the role of geometry in the contamination flashover process. A variety of porcelain cap and pin insulator geometries that are widely used in practice have been evaluated using this model. Nonuniform pollution distribution on insulators, which is more representative of field conditions, has also been considered, and its effect on the flashover voltage has been evaluated for the various geometries. Results are in good agreement with the experimental findings. Use of the model as a design tool to select type and number of insulators for HVDC transmission lines has been illustrated. >
Letters from California--the safety police.

I am sure many people imagine the United States of America as the land of the free, where people can do what they want unfettered by unnecessary rules, regulations and taxation. Unfortunately, the truth is very different and there are as many rules and regulations in the USA as almost anywhere else, and in some cases they are more complex since regulations come from both the federal government and the state government. Both may pass similar laws which differ in small degrees so there may be considerable areas of overlap but also considerable differences between the federal and state regulations. For dentists, a particular area of concern in recent years has been the agency known as OSHA, the Office of Safety and Health Administration
The C-terminal αO helix of human Ogg1 is essential for 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase activity: the mitochondrial β-Ogg1 lacks this domain and does not have glycosylase activity

The human Ogg1 glycosylase is responsible for repairing 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG) in both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Two distinct Ogg1 isoforms are present; alpha-Ogg1, which mainly localizes to the nucleus and beta-Ogg1, which localizes only to mitochondria. We recently showed that mitochondria from rho(0) cells, which lack mitochondrial DNA, have similar 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase activity to that of wild-type cells. Here, we show that beta-Ogg1 protein levels are approximately 80% reduced in rho(0) cells, suggesting beta-Ogg1 is not responsible for 8-oxoG incision in mitochondria. Thus, we characterized the biochemical properties of recombinant beta-Ogg1. Surprisingly, recombinant beta-Ogg1 did not show any significant 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase activity in vitro. Since beta-Ogg1 lacks the C-terminal alphaO helix present in alpha-Ogg1, we generated mutant proteins with various amino acid substitutions in this domain. Of the seven amino acid positions substituted (317-323), we identified Val-317 as a novel critical residue for 8-oxoG binding and incision. Our results suggest that the alphaO helix is absolutely necessary for 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase activity, and thus its absence may explain why beta-Ogg1 does not catalyze 8-oxoG incision in vitro. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of significant amounts of alpha-Ogg1 in human mitochondria. Together with previous localization studies in vivo, this suggests that alpha-Ogg1 protein may provide the 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase activity for the repair of these lesions in human mitochondrial DNA. beta-Ogg1 may play a novel role in human mitochondria.
Observations on penicillin prophylaxis of experimental inhalation anthrax in the monkey.

The result of penicillin prophylaxis of experimental inhalation anthrax in the Rhesus monkey has been shown to be dependent upon the time of its initiation. If begun too early, it is unsuccessful. It may not be too long delayed, or the infection will have passed the point of no return. A brief, critical time period exists, during which successful prophylaxis may be initiated. This favourable outcome is attributed to the elaboration in vivo of sufficient antigen or antigens to stimulate an adequate immune response, prior to the initiation of antibiosis.
Psilocin, bufotenine and serotonin: historical and biosynthetic observations.

(1979). Psilocin, Bufotenine and Serotonin: Historical and Biosynthetic Observations. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 11, Innovative Approached to Drug Abuse Treatment, pp. 61-69.
A motivational model of rural students' intentions to persist in, versus drop out of, high school

Using self-determination theory, the authors tested a motivational model to explain the conditions under which rural students formulate their intentions to persist in, versus drop out of, high school. The model argues that motivational variables underlie students’ intentions to drop out and that students’ motivation can be either supported in the classroom by autonomy-supportive teachers or frustrated by controlling teachers. LISREL analyses of questionnaire data from 483 rural high school students showed that the provision of autonomy support within classrooms predicted students’ self-determined motivation and perceived competence. These motivational resources, in turn, predicted students’ intentions to persist, versus drop out, and they did so even after controlling for the effect of achievement.
A Procedure to Predict Influence of Acceleration and Damping of Blades Passing Through Critical Speeds on Fatigue Life

Turbine Blades suffer fatigue damage when they cross over a critical speed during start up and shut down conditions. The stress response is usually determined from quasi-steady analysis through resonance with an assumed damping. This response above fatigue limit can be divided into several steps to reach the peak value at critical speed and then fall after passing the critical. For a given acceleration of the rotor, one can then determine the number of cycles at each of these stress levels and assess cumulative damage for one crossing. In this paper, the effect of acceleration and damping on the magnitude of peak stress and where it occurs in the vicinity of critical speed is included in determining the damage suffered by a blade while passing through the critical speed.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Performance of Random Fingerprinting Codes Under Arbitrary Nonlinear Attacks

This paper analyzes the performance of arbitrary nonlinear collusion attacks on random fingerprinting codes. We derive the error exponent of the fingerprinting system, which determines the exponential decay of the error probability. A Gaussian ensemble and an expurgated Gaussian ensemble of codes are considered. The collusion attacks include order-statistics attacks as special cases. In our model, a correlation detector is used. The colluders create a noise-free forgery by applying an arbitrary nonlinear mapping to their individual copies, and next they add a Gaussian noise sequence to form the final forgery. The colluders are subject to a mean-squared distortion constraint between host and forgery. We prove that the uniform linear averaging attack outperforms all others.
The relationship between dosing of alosetron and discontinuation patterns reported by patients participating in a follow‐up programme

Summary Background Alosetron was reintroduced for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with a risk management programme in November 2002. Recommended starting dosage was 1 mg/day for 4 weeks. If symptoms remained uncontrolled, dosage could be changed to 2 mg/day. Aim To describe alosetron dosages and associated patient characteristics from the Lotronex follow-up survey programme. Methods Patients reported dosages of alosetron at start and regular follow-up intervals. Analyses were limited to patients with the potential to have at least 1 year of follow-up (enrolled between 9 December 2002 and 31 December 2003). Results At baseline, 75% of 2817 respondents reported starting on 1 mg/day, 17% on 2 mg/day and 8% on other doses. Adherence to recommended starting dosage did not vary by status at end of follow-up, previous alosetron experience or age. At last reported dose, 50% of respondents were using 1 mg/day; 29% were using 2 mg/day. Discontinuation was not related to baseline doses. Longer times to discontinuation were associated with previous use, symptoms for more than 6 months and dose change throughout follow-up. Conclusions High adherence to recommended dosing at baseline and follow-up suggests that the risk management programme is encouraging safe use of alosetron, including adherence to dosing recommendations.
A Natural Gradient Algorithm for Multichannel Blind Deconvolution: Frequency Domain Criteria and Time Domain Updates

This paper addresses the problem of blind deconvolution and separation of multiple independent signals. A frequency domain approach is taken wherein a criterion for separating instantaneous linear mixtures is applied at each frequency. To eliminate the permutation and scaling ambiguity across frequencies, time-domain impulse response coefficients are updated instead of weights in the frequency domain. Using techniques of differential geometry, a new natural gradient algorithm is derived for updating the impulse response coefficients of the separation system by pulling back a Riemannian metric from the frequency domain to the time domain. This leads to a technique for resolving permutation and scale ambiguity across frequency bins that agrees with an approach proposed by Parra and Spence[1].
The Appropriate Use of Employment At-Will in County Sheriffs’ Departments Employment At-Will or Political Patronage?

This study reports survey results of one state’s county sheriffs’ experiences and attitudes toward employment at will (EAW). We developed a model that tests survey respondents’ attitudes concerning...
Genetic susceptibility and resistance to influenza infection and disease in humans and mice

Although genetic risk factors for influenza infection have not yet been defined in people, differences in genetic background and related variation in the response to infection, as well as viral virulence, are all likely to influence both the likelihood of infection and disease severity. However, apart from characterization of viral binding sites in avian and mammalian hosts, relatively little investigation has focused on host genetic determinants of susceptibility or resistance to infection, or the severity of the associated disease in humans or other species. Similarly, the role of genetic background in the generation of an efficacious immune response to either infection or vaccination has not been extensively evaluated. However, genetic influences on susceptibility and resistance to numerous infectious agents and on the resultant host inflammatory and immune responses are well established in both humans and other animals. Mouse-adapted strains of human influenza viruses and the use of inbred strains of laboratory mice have supported extensive characterization of the pathogenesis and immunology of influenza virus infections. Like individual humans, inbred strains of mice vary in their reactions to influenza infection, particularly with regard to the inflammatory response and disease severity, supporting the potential use of these mice as a valuable surrogate for human genetic variation. Relying heavily on what we have learned from mice, this overview summarizes existing animal, human and epidemiologic data suggestive of host genetic influences on influenza infection.
Evaluation of novel measurement methods for detecting heterogeneous repolarization

There exists a well-documented link between heterogeneity of cardiac recovery characteristics and vulnerability to arrhythmia; however, electrocardiographic detection of this heterogeneity remains problematic. The only modalities suitable for measuring variation of repolarization are electrophysiologic in nature, with action potential duration in single cells the most direct method and QT intervals from the body surface electrocardiogram the most common clinical approach. The authors have shown previously, however, that the QT interval is a poor measure of regional change in repolarization, especially when shortening occurs. Here, the authors discuss an experimental preparation based on an isolated canine heart suspended in a human-shaped, instrumented, electrolytic tank and describe a method of applying cold to create local, transient changes in recovery characteristics. The authors have simultaneously recorded epicardial and torso tank surface potentials before, during, and after intervention, and from them have generated isopotential and isointegral maps and computed activation-recovery intervals (ARIs). In all cases, epicardial potentials revealed changes in recovery associated with localized heating and cooling. The changes were visible from tank surface potential distributions in some, but not all, cases. The results also suggest that epicardial ARIs are sensitive to changes in recovery and that, at least for a subset of tank surface leads, ARIs can be used to create noninvasive indices of disparity of repolarization characteristics.
Image Analysis for Cotton Fibers Part I: Longitudinal Measurements

This paper presents the image analysis algorithms developed for a microscopy system that specifically evaluates cotton properties from longitudinal views. The system uses a motorized stage to transport a sample slide to grab sequential images of fiber segments, transversely scans the detected fibers in the images, and outputs both fineness and maturity measurements of cotton based on the statistical data of the massive scans across fibers. The experiments show that the longitudinal data are repeatable and consistent with the data obtained from other testing methods.
Selective role for RGS12 as a Ras/Raf/MEK scaffold in nerve growth factor‐mediated differentiation

Regulator of G‐protein signaling (RGS) proteins accelerate GTP hydrolysis by heterotrimeric G‐protein α subunits and thus inhibit signaling by many G protein‐coupled receptors. Several RGS proteins have a multidomain architecture that adds further complexity to their roles in cell signaling in addition to their GTPase‐accelerating activity. RGS12 contains a tandem repeat of Ras‐binding domains but, to date, the role of this protein in Ras‐mediated signal transduction has not been reported. Here, we show that RGS12 associates with the nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor tyrosine kinase TrkA, activated H‐Ras, B‐Raf, and MEK2 and facilitates their coordinated signaling to prolonged ERK activation. RGS12 is required for NGF‐mediated neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells, but not outgrowth stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor. siRNA‐mediated knockdown of RGS12 expression also inhibits NGF‐induced axonal growth in dissociated cultures of primary dorsal root ganglia neurons. These data suggest that RGS12 may play a critical, and receptor‐selective, role in coordinating Ras‐dependent signals that are required for promoting and/or maintaining neuronal differentiation.