cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activity-dependent accumulation of basal lamina by cultured rat myotubes

Abstract Myoblasts from 20-day rat embryos fuse and differentiate in culture to form spontaneously active myotubes. The myotubes acquire an extracellular matrix that includes a patchy basal lamina (BL) and a layer of fibrils that runs among and above the cells. Several antibodies that bind to muscle fiber basement membrane in vivo were used to study the organization of the extracellular matrix and the effect of muscle activity on the accumulation of its components. Light and electron microscopic immunohistochemical methods showed that the composition and organization of myotube BL in vitro resemble those seen in vivo. Antibodies that bind to both synaptic and extrasynaptic muscle fiber BL in vivo stain the entire myotube BL in vitro, while antisera that bind preferentially to synaptic BL in vivo stain small patches of myotube BL, which are usually associated with regions rich in acetylcholine receptors. The effects of activity on accumulation of BL were studied by comparing control myotubes to myotubes paralyzed with tetrodotoxin or lidocaine. Immunohistochemical and 125I-antibody binding experiments with three antisera that stain the entire BL showed that paralyzed myotubes accumulate less BL than active myotubes. The effects of activity and inactivity are reversible: new BL forms if toxin is removed from cultures and BL is lost if active myotubes are paralyzed. Thus, accumulation of BL by myotubes is dependent, at least in part, on activity. In contrast, the number of patches stained by synapse-specific BL antibodies is increased in inactive cultures. Thus, immunologically distinguishable components of BL are differentially affected by activity.
Osteotoxicity after chronic dietary administration of 13-cis-retinoic acid, retinyl palmitate or selenium in mice exposed to tumor initiation and promotion

In view of the clinical trials of retinoids as therapeutic agents for premalignant skin lesions, a radiographic study was undertaken to measure skeletal toxicities after chronic dietary administration of retinoids in mice exposed to tumor initiation and promotion. CD-1 mice were initiated with 0.15 moles of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and promoted twice daily with 8 nmoles of 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate for 23 weeks. Diets were supplemented with 60 IU, 200 IU, or 700 IU of retinyl palmitate (RP) per g diet. After 5 weeks, the 700 IU of RP /g diet was lowered to 350 IU/g diet. Administration of these diets to mice during the 23 weeks of tumor promotion resulted in a 0-fold, 2-fold, or 10-fold increase in bone fractures, respectively. Osteoporotic bone lesions identified on radiographs rose 0-fold, 0-fold, and 10-fold at the respective doses, whereas metaphyseal flares increased 0-fold, 1.4-fold, and 3.6-fold. Bone deformities were augmented 0-fold, 1.8-fold and 2.9-fold at the respective doses. Addition of selenium (2 ppm in the drinking water) did not alter the bone toxicity of RP. 13-cis-retinoic acid (CRA) was less toxic at 700 IU/g diet than was RP at that dose, as evidenced by the death of 12 of 70 mice by the 6th week of dietary RP and no deaths in the 35 mice fed 700 IU CRA/g diet for 23 weeks. CRA at 700 IU/g diet resulted in 3/4 as many osteoporotic bones, 1/3 as many bone fractures, 4/5 as many metaphyseal flares, and a similar number of bone deformities as mice fed 700/350 IU/g diet. At the dose of 200 IU/g food, osteotoxicities were similar in the mice fed diets supplemented with RP and CRA. Thus, the light dose of CRA (700 IU/g diet) was less toxic than the high dose of, RP but at a lower dose (200 IU/g), CRA was as osteotoxic as was RP. Bone fractures in mice exposed to prolonged dietary administration of retinoids was a more sensitive index of retinoid toxicity than was body weight. We have detected osteotoxicity in mice at a total dose of CRA which was about twice the total dose used clinically.
Abstract 4411: Novel internalizing human scFvs targeting pancreatic tumor cells residing in their natural tissue microenvironment

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States with a five-year survival rate of about 4%. Current diagnostic and therapeutic regimens are limited and ineffective. The goal of this project is to develop novel internalizing human antibodies that target pancreatic tumor cells residing within their natural tissue microenvironment, and possess the ability to translocate through the cell membrane to reach the inside of live tumor cells. Antibodies with these two properties, i.e., being able to target tumor cells in human tissue specimen and to penetrate live tumor cells, can in the future be used to develop minimally invasive imaging strategy for earlier detection and targeted therapy that requires efficient and specific accumulation of payloads inside tumor cells. To achieve this objective, we have selected a large naive phage antibody display library that we have recently constructed on microdissected human PDAC tissue specimens. We have identified a panel of internalizing human single chain antibodies (scFvs) that target pancreatic tumor cells in situ residing in their natural tissue microenvironment. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that these scFvs bound to human PDAC, thereby recognizing clinically represented tumor antigens as opposed to cell line artifacts. All antibodies studied are internalized by PDAC cells in vitro. Using single photon emission computed tomography / computed tomography (SPECT/CT), we showed that technetium-labeled scFvs target human xenograft PDAC cells in vivo. Interestingly, a subset of these scFvs also target murine pancreatic tumor cell lines derived from transgenic PDAC mice, indicating that they target tumor epitopes conserved between human and mouse. Antibodies targeting tumor antigens across species would allow future imaging and therapy studies to be performed not only in xenograft but also transgenic PDAC models. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4411.
Parameter estimates in differential equation models for chemical kinetics

We discuss the need for devoting time in differential equations courses to modelling and the completion of the modelling process with efforts to estimate the parameters in the models using data. We estimate the parameters present in several differential equation models of chemical reactions of order n, where n = 0, 1, 2, and apply more general parameter estimation approaches to an optimization problem involving the production chemical reaction A ? B ? C.
EFFECT OF AIR EXPOSURE AND OCCLUSION ON EXPERIMENTAL HUMAN SKIN WOUNDS.

THE benefits of special dressings versus air exposure of cutaneous wounds has long been debated. Winter and Scales1,2 have recently added fresh insight into the problem. In the domestic pig they demonstrated that an occlusive dressing doubles the rate of wound re-epithelization when compared with wounds exposed to the air. In this communication we report parallel studies performed in man.
Electromagnetic Structure of the Nucleon in Local-Field Theory

In analogy to the dispersion-relation method for scattering, the description of nucleon electromagnetic structure by local-field theory is discussed in terms of mass-spectral representations for the form factors. The existence of such representations is made plausible although not proved, and it is shown that the spectral distribution functions are related to scattering amplitudes on the mass shell but sometimes in a nonphysical region. It is argued that the main contributor to the magnetic moment structure in the spectral distribution must be the two-pion state, and an attempt is made to evaluate this contribution in terms of the known behavior of pion-nucleon scattering. A semiquantitative calculation yields results in reasonable agreement with experiment. It is emphasized that the large observed charge radius of the proton does not imply the dominance of the two-pion state in the charge structure. Thus it is not impossible that higher mass configurations supply the isotopic scalar charge needed to explain the small neutron-electron interaction.
Shear buckling of sandwich, fiber composite and lattice columns, bearings, and helical springs: Paradox resolved

As shown three decades ago, in situations where the initial stresses before buckling are not negligible compared to the elastic moduli, the geometrical dependence of the tangential moduli on the initial stresses must be taken into account in stability analysis, and the stability or bifurcation criteria have different forms for tangential moduli associated with different choices of the finite strain measure. So it has appeared paradoxical that, for sandwich columns, different but equally plausible assumptions yield different formulas, Engesser’s and Haringx’ formulas, even though the axial stress in the skins is negligible compared to the axial elastic modulus of the skins and the axial stress in the core is negligible compared to the shear modulus of the core. This apparent paradox is explained by variational energy analysis. It is shown that the shear stiffness of a sandwich column, provided by the core, generally depends on the axial force carried by the skins if that force is not negligible compared to the shear stiffness of the column (if the column is short). The Engesser-type, Haringx-type, and other possible formulas associated with different finite strain measures are all, in principle, equivalent, although a different shear stiffness of the core, depending linearly on the applied axial load, must be used for each. The Haringxtype formula, however, is most convenient because it represents the only case in which the shear modulus of the core can be considered to be independent of the axial force in the skins and to be equal to the shear modulus measured in simple shear tests (e.g., torsional test). Extensions of the analysis further show that Haringx’s formula is preferable for a highly orthotropic composite because a constant shear modulus of the soft matrix can be used for calculating the shear stiffness of the column, and further confirm that Haringx’s buckling formula with a constant shear stiffness is appropriate for helical springs and built-up columns (laced or battened). @DOI: 10.1115/1.1509486#
Reconstruction of late Quaternary paleohydrologic conditions in southeastern British Columbia using visible derivative spectroscopy of Cleland Lake sediment

Abstract Visible derivative spectroscopy (VDS) analysis of sediment from Cleland Lake, Southeastern British Columbia provides a reconstruction of paleolimnological productivity and hydrologic change during the past 14,000 calibrated 14 C years before present (cal yr BP). The first five principal components (PC) of the VDS data explain 97% of the variance in the VDS data set. Four PCs correlate with standard reflectance derivative spectra for diatom, dinoflagellate algae, and cyanophyte pigments that record ecological change, while two PCs are paleohydrologic indicators. Dinoflagellate algae are predominant from 11,600 to 8600 cal yr BP then decrease to low levels after ~ 8500 cal yr BP. PCs 3–5 represent variations in cyanophyte abundance and exhibit peaks from 14,000 to 11,600, 14,000 to 9500, and 6100 to 5400 cal yr BP, respectively. Conditions shifted toward favoring diatoms around 9400 and lasted until 170 cal yr BP. Higher dinoflagellate-related pigment concentrations suggest a lower lake level from 11,600 to 8600 cal yr BP, followed by higher water levels and wetter conditions after 8500 cal yr BP. We propose that drier conditions transitioning from the late glacial into the Holocene were caused by summer insolation-driven, non-linear feedbacks between the northern hemisphere subtropical high-pressure systems, vegetation, and soil moisture.
The effects of a new foot-toe orthosis in treating painful hallux valgus.

Abstract Tang SF, Chen CP, Pan J-L, Chen J-L, Leong C-P, Chu N-K. The effects of a new foot-toe orthosis in treating painful hallux valgus. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2002;83:1792-5. Objective: To assess the effects of a new foot-toe orthosis on painful hallux valgus. Design: Uncontrolled intervention study. Setting: An outpatient clinic in a tertiary medical center with an orthotic laboratory in Taiwan. Participants: Seventeen patients with painful hallux valgus. Intervention: Application of a new total contact insole with fixed toe separator. Main Outcome Measures: The hallux valgus angle, an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS-11) for pain assessment, and walking ability scale. Results: The average hallux valgus angle reduction ± standard deviation was 6.5°±3.8° after insole application ( P P P =.002) 3 months later for the 12 patients who completed the study. The walking ability scale improved at least 1 grade or more after the insole was worn for 3 months ( P =.002). All patients tolerated the insole well without any clinical evidence of skin ulcers or blisters. Conclusion: Our new total contact insole with fixed toe separator reduced pain, and improved walking ability and the hallux valgus angle. It is an effective alternative treatment for patients with painful hallux valgus. © 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
A Proteasome For All Occasions

In the ubiquitin-proteasome system, substrates fated for destruction first acquire covalent modification by ubiquitin, and are subsequently destroyed by the proteasome. Traditionally, 26S proteasomes have been seen as largely uniform in their composition and functional capacity. Accordingly, cells can control proteasome abundance via transcriptional pathways that mediate concerted regulation of all known proteasome genes. However, recent evidence suggests that the proteasome is also subject to subunit-specific modes of regulation, which serve to alter proteasome function and may generate ensembles of compositionally distinct proteasomes. These modes of proteasome regulation provide varied means to adapt protein degradation pathways to changing conditions in the cell.
Which electromagnetic equations apply in rotating coordinates

It was discovered some years ago by Schiff that the equations divE = 4πQ and curlB - (1/c) ∂E/∂t = (4π/c)J for fields in vacuum do not carry over without change from an inertial frame to a frame with rotating axes of space coordinates, even for a region with all velocities of orderv≪c. However, the belief that all four of the field equations are invariant under such conditions is still prevalent and causes misconceptions in physical applications, including astrophysical and geophysical ones. The purpose of the present paper is therefore to call attention to Schiff's discovery, discussing its basis and its extension to fields in material media, and to interpret the additional terms that must be added to the equations in order to obtain valid transformations to rotating axes of coordinates.
Patterns of dispensed disulfiram and naltrexone for alcoholism treatment in a veteran patient population.

Background: Short-term treatment trials indicate that two Food and Drug Administration–approved agents, disulfiram and naltrexone, may each curtail alcohol consumption, but two large 1-year Veterans Administration cooperative studies showed no long-term benefits for these agents over placebo. To assess whether these agents are being prescribed for extended periods, as an indicator of long-term use in nonexperimental settings, we compared dispensing patterns in a veteran patient population. Methods: The New England Veterans Integrated Service Network outpatient pharmacy files between January 1, 1998, and June 30, 2001, were analyzed; only patients with prescriptions on or after March 1, 1998, were included. Measurements for each patient included data on new and refilled prescriptions of disulfiram, naltrexone, and control medications. Prescription survival curves with right censoring were constructed. Distinct treatment episodes were defined by having six or more months between the end date of a prior prescription and the start date of a new prescription. Results: From eight New England Veterans Integrated Service Network centers, 754 patients were dispensed disulfiram, and 971 were dispensed naltrexone, encompassing 873 and 1075 treatment episodes, respectively. Treatment episode durations were virtually identical for both drugs: more than 35% of episodes were 1 month or shorter, more than 50% were 2 months or shorter, and 75% were 5 months or shorter. Concurrently prescribed neuroleptic or statin medications predicted longer disulfiram and naltrexone treatment episodes. However, for patients newly prescribed common neuroleptic, antidepressant, or statin agents, the risks for discontinuing disulfiram or naltrexone were 1.4 to 2.3 times greater than for discontinuing these other agents. Conclusions: In clinical settings, veteran patients were likely to be dispensed either disulfiram or naltrexone for only several months or less. The contexts and reasons for these predominantly short-term treatment episodes or the benefits derived were not known and merit further study.
Cryptococcal meningitis in patients with AIDS.

In the U.S., cryptococcal meningitis is the most common form of fungal meningitis and a major cause of morbidity and mortality among immuno-suppressed patients. In the AIDS patient, cryptococcal meningitis often presents with fever and headache and is best treated with intravenous amphotericin B and oral flucytosine, or fluconazole. However, toxic effects may result from the therapy. This disease frequently relapses necessitating life-long treatment to prevent reactivation. Essential management principles focusing upon health education are presented to promote comprehensive nursing care for patients testing positive for the human immunodeficiency virus who also have cryptococcal meningitis.
Frictionless contact in a layered piezoelectric half-space

A matrix formulation is presented for the solution of frictionless contact problems on arbitrarily multilayered piezoelectric half-planes. Different arrangements of elastic and piezoelectric materials with hexagonal symmetry within the layered medium are considered. A generalized plane deformation is used to obtain the governing equilibrium equations for each individual layer. These equations are solved using the infinite-Fourier-transform technique. The problem is then reformulated using the local/global stiffness method, in which a local stiffness matrix relating the stresses and electric displacements to the mechanical displacements and electrical potentials in the transformed domain is formulated for each layer. Then it is assembled into a global stiffness matrix for the entire half-plane by enforcing interfacial continuity of traction forces and displacements. This local/global approach not only eliminates the necessity of explicitly finding the unknown Fourier coefficients, but also allows the use of efficient numerical algorithms, many of which have been developed for finite-element analysis. Unlike finite-element methods, the local/global stiffness approach requires minimal input. Application of the mixed boundary conditions reduces the problem to a singular integral equation. This integral equation is then numerically solved for the unknown contact pressure using a collocation technique. Knowledge of the contact pressure and electrostatic distributions is very important for applications where piezoelectric layers are used as sensors and/or actuators. One example includes the active deformation and shape control of support surfaces.
Encounters with the “peasant”: Memory work, masculinity, and low fertility in Italy

The peasant in Italy has all but vanished as an exemplar of an economic way of life but as a social figure has relevance to trends such as the transformation to small families. Ethnographic “encounters” provide the basis for my explorations into the trauma and meaning of the historical experiences that find expression in Italian women's low fertility rates. Current family-making practices have resulted from historical adjustments deeply linked to economic shifts that involved the unraveling of a patriarchal hierarchy and necessitated a subsequent reworking of gendered subjects situated in new socioeconomic conditions. An ethnographic focus on memory work reveals that the social figure of the peasant persists in meaningful ways that shape people's family-making practices.
Association between monocyte Fcγ subclass expression and acute coronary syndrome

Atherosclerosis lesions contain abundant immunoglobulins complexed with oxidized LDL (OxLDL) that are endocytosed by macrophages to form foam cells. While recent evidence supports a role for the macrophage scavenger receptor pathway in 75–90% of OxLDL uptake, in vitro evidence suggests another potential uptake pathway could involve autoantibody binding to IgG subclass-specific Fc receptors. To address this mechanism from an in vivo standpoint, the objective of this study was to utilize flow cytometry to prospectively determine monocyte Fcγ (FcR) I, II, and III receptor expression levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS, n = 48), diabetes mellitus (DM, n = 59), or neither (C, n = 88). Increased FcR I expression was found in the ACS versus DM groups [geometric mean, (95% CI) = 2.26 (2.07, 2.47) versus 1.83 (1.69, 1.98) (p < 0.001)] and versus C [1.90 (1.78, 2.03) (p = 0.005)]. Similar relationships were found with both the FcR II receptor [ACS mean = 4.57 (4.02, 5.19) versus DM 3.61 (3.22, 4.05) (p = 0.021) and versus C 3.86 (3.51, 4.24) (p = 0.09)] and FcR III receptor [ACS mean = 1.55 (1.44, 1.68) versus DM 1.36 (1.27, 1.46) (p = 0.038) and versus C 1.37 (1.30, 1.45) (p = 0.032)]. There was no difference between DM and C groups in FcR I, II or III expression. This in vivo data supports a possible second OxLDL-autoantibody macrophage uptake mechanism through an Fc receptor-mediated pathway and a potential relationship between atherosclerotic plaque macrophage FcR levels and ACS.
Twenty Years of Work and Family at International Business Machines Corporation

Twenty years ago, corporate work and family programs at International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) were seen as a means to accommodate the needs of working mothers. Today, IBM's work/life strategy is seen as a business imperative to attract, motivate, and retain key talent needed to drive success in the marketplace. To intelligently develop work/life strategies that would simultaneously meet business and personal needs, IBM conducted seven work and life issues surveys, beginning in 1986. These surveys provide a wealth of data on which dramatic change has been based. Many initiatives have been implemented related to dependent care, flexibility in when and wherework is done, and management support of employees'work/life needs. This article briefly shares IBM'swork/life experience during the past 20 years. Key results from each work/life survey are enumerated along with the substantive policies that they engendered to make IBM a global corporate work/life leader.
Oral antiplatelet therapy after acute coronary syndrome and percutaneous coronary intervention: balancing efficacy and bleeding risk.

Purpose The benefits and risk of bleeding associated with oral antiplatelet agents used for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or in patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are discussed. Summary Over the past decade, significant advances have been made with the use of oral antiplatelet agents in ACS patients and in those undergoing PCI and stenting. Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin has been considered the gold standard for reducing cardiovascular events in these patients. However, use of clopidogrel has limitations, including variable patient response. These limitations can affect patient outcomes achieved with clopidogrel, leading to concerns regarding its use. Subsequently, more potent oral antiplatelet agents have been developed, including prasugrel and ticagrelor. Prasugrel is an oral thienopyridine with greater potency and less antiplatelet variability than clopidogrel. Ticagrelor, another oral antiplatelet agent that has shown greater platelet inhibition than clopidogrel, is currently under investigation. Although a greater reduction in ischemic events has been observed with dual antiplatelet therapy and the use of newer oral antiplatelet agents, there is also a progressive increase in the risk of major bleeding. Treatment decisions should be based on current practice guidelines, as well as individualized patient risk and benefit analyses. Conclusion Knowledge of the benefits and bleeding risks associated with oral antiplatelet agents, as well as guideline recommendations, can help health care providers make informed decisions regarding the most appropriate therapy for patients after ACS and PCI.
Design, Implementation and Testing of a Vision System for Small Unmanned Vertical Take off and Landing Vehicles with Strict Payload Limitations

Alternative designs of a simple, low cost and effective vision system for small, portable, unmanned aerial vertical take off and landing (VTOL) vehicles are presented. Design configurations follow the `on-board' and `on-the-ground' processing concept and they depend on very strict payload limitations and power supply restrictions. Hardware and software components for both designs are described; advantages and disadvantages of both alternatives are compared; computational complexity is calculated and trade offs are discussed. Implementations on a series of small unmanned VTOL vehicles as well as testing details are included and experimental results are presented.
Trellis-coded quantization for binary erasure channels

Trellis-coded quantizers (TCQ) are designed for the binary erasure channel (BEC) for memoryless sources. When the bit erasure rate is large, the channel-optimized TCQ can provide up to 1.4 dB improvement over TCQ designed for a lossless channel.
The Roles of International Organizations (IOs) in Globalizing Higher Education Policy

This chapter describes the dynamics involved in globalizing higher education policy vis-a-vis international organizations (IOs). It synthesizes the higher education literature to date on four key IOs that assemble a higher education global policy space, namely the World Bank (WB), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Educational, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the European Union (EU). Three emergent themes are presented that help us understand IOs and their relationship with higher education policy: IOs as discursive forces, IOs as networker and coordinator, and the salience and mediation of IO policy influences. Based on this literature review, it argues that the study of IOs is integral to understanding the globalization of higher education policy and recommends higher education researchers to move beyond methodological nationalism and higher educationism in policy studies.
Innovative interactive media for electrical engineering education

The techniques used to educate future electrical engineers need to integrate innovative teaching approaches with today's technology in order to reach and motivate the diverse groups (students, faculty, professionals) that will be involved. This paper provides an overview of the work in progress to create, demonstrate, and implement web-based interactive learning modules (ILMs) and educational multimedia technologies that are being produced under a NSF-CCLI grant at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. These technologies operate within a browser environment and include: a means to capture, review and process a student's actions while using a interactive learning module (Scribe); a technology that allows for interactive, collaborative exploration, design and testing across the Internet (WebTeam); and the ability to provide Internet access to instrumented experimentation and data gathering using an inexpensive microcontroller board (LongLab).
Microtubule-Templated Cadmium Sulfide Nanotube Assemblies

This paper describes the use of microtubules (MTs) as nanoscale templates for the biologically directed growth and assembly of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanotubes. CdS is a wide bandgap semiconductor with valuable optical, electronic, and chemical properties, and the organization of CdS nanostructures is critical to their widespread utility. The present work explores a bioinspired, biomediated approach to the formation and assembly of CdS nanotubes. In particular, a biomimetic synthetic strategy is used to control the uniform growth of cubic zinc blende CdS nanocrystals on MT templates, replicating the MTs' tubular morphology with dense CdS only a single nanocrystal thick. Furthermore, specific interactions between MTs and functional microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are exploited to manipulate the secondary organization of these MT templates. The subsequent directed growth of CdS nanotubes on these structures produces specific biomediated architectures including linear arrays, 3D asters, and rings. Finally, cathodoluminescence from MT-templated CdS structures verifies that the valuable semiconducting character of these materials is exhibited. These demonstrations of nanoscale materials synthesis and assembly illustrate a new level of complexity and control over materials synthesis that may be achieved using such biological tools and processes.
The Use of the Compound Poisson in Pert

The use of the normal or Beta distributions has become well established for PERT applications. The authors question whether the use of these standardized distributions yields the best answers in some cases and submits an alternative method of computing the critical path using a compound poisson distribution. This change requires adapting many of the PERT assumptions to the new distribution.
Longitudinal study of people learning to use continuous voice-based cursor control

We conducted a 2.5 week longitudinal study with five motor impaired (MI) and four non-impaired (NMI) participants, in which they learned to use the Vocal Joystick, a voice-based user interface control system. We found that the participants were able to learn the mapping between the vowel sounds and directions used by the Vocal Joystick, and showed marked improvement in their target acquisition performance. At the end of the ten session period, the NMI group reached the same level of performance as the previously measured "expert" Vocal Joystick performance, and the MI group was able to reach 70% of that level. Two of the MI participants were also able to approach the performance of their preferred device, a touchpad. We report on a number of issues that can inform the development of further enhancements in the realm of voice-driven computer control.
Stereotactic radiosurgery provides equivalent tumor control to Simpson Grade 1 resection for patients with small- to medium-size meningiomas.

Abstract Purpose: To compare tumor control rates after surgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with small- to medium-size intracranial meningiomas. Methods and materials: Between 1990 and 1997, 198 adult meningioma patients treated at our center underwent either surgical resection (n = 136) or radiosurgery (n = 62) as primary management for benign meningiomas Results: The tumor resections were Simpson Grade 1 in 57 (42%), Grade 2 in 57 (42%), and Grade 3–4 in 22 (16%). The mean margin and maximal radiation dose at radiosurgery was 17.7 Gy and 34.9 Gy, respectively. Tumor recurrence/progression was more frequent in the surgical resection group (12%) than in the radiosurgical group (2%; p = 0.04). No statistically significant difference was detected in the 3- and 7-year actuarial progression-free survival (PFS) rate between patients with Simpson Grade 1 resections (100% and 96%, respectively) and patients who underwent radiosurgery (100% and 95%, respectively; p = 0.94). Radiosurgery provided a higher PFS rate compared with patients with Simpson Grade 2 (3- and 7-year PFS rate, 91% and 82%, respectively; p Conclusion: The PFS rate after radiosurgery was equivalent to that after resection of a Simpson Grade 1 tumor and was superior to Grade 2 and 3-4 resections in our study. If long-term follow-up confirms the high tumor control rate and low morbidity of radiosurgery, this technique will likely become the preferred treatment for most patients with small- to moderate-size meningiomas without symptomatic mass effect.
The Ups and Downs of Minimum Wage Policy: The Fair Labor Standards Act in Historical Perspective

I provide here a historical overview of the impact of minimum wage legislation, enacted over 75 years ago in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 and as amended subsequently on numerous occasions. Given elected officials’ caution today about raising the minimum wage in bad economic times, the timing of the passage of the FLSA is remarkable. After a long and heated political debate, Congress passed the FLSA in 1938, establishing a nationwide minimum wage of $0.25 per hour, with increases to $0.30 in 1939 and to $0.40 in 1945. Importantly, the federal minimum wage established a floor, not a ceiling. States and localities could enact higher minimum wages—although none did until the 1980s. Similar to much other landmark legislation, the initial law represented a compromise with significant exemptions, many of which were closed only in subsequent decades. Nonetheless, in his Fireside Chat of June 24, 1938, just before he signed the bill, President Roosevelt had no doubts about the importance of the FLSA both for raising living standards and its effects on the economy. Roosevelt articulated these two key points as follows:
Age-specific Patterns of Diagnosis of Acute Otitis Media

A retrospective review of clinical experience with the diagnosis of acute otitis media (AOM) in a large pediatric population (age, 0-12 years old) reveals two age-specific patterns of diagnosis: one in preschool children and one in schoolage children. In the population as a whole, AOM is diagnosed most frequently in the first 5 years of life; rates of diagnosis vary with gender (male: female ratio = 1.10) and season (fall/winter peak). In a linear regression model, age, gender, season, and interactions among these account for 52 percent of the variability in diagnostic rates.In children less than 5 years of age, rates of diagnosis vary strikingly with gender and season; the regression model accounts for 55 percent of observed variability in diagnostic rates. In schoolage children (5-11 years old), however, males and females are equally likely to be diagnosed to have AOM, and seasonal variability is blunted; among these children, the regression model predicts only 22 percent of diagnostic rate variability....
No monkey business: why studying NK cells in non-human primates pays off.

Human NK cells play a key role in mediating host immune responses against various infectious diseases. For practical reasons, the majority of the data on human NK cells has been generated using peripheral blood lymphocytes. In contrast, our knowledge of NK cells in human tissues is limited, and not much is known about developmental pathways of human NK cell subpopulations in vivo. Although research in mice has elucidated a number of fundamental features of NK cell biology, mouse and human NK cells significantly differ in their subpopulations, functions and receptor repertoires. Thus, there is a need for a model that is more closely related to humans and yet allows experimental manipulations. Nonhuman primate models offer numerous opportunities for the study of NK cells, including the study of the role of NK cells after solid organ and stem cell transplantation, as well as in acute viral infection. Macaque NK cells can be depleted in vivo or adoptively transferred in an autologous system. All of these studies are either difficult or unethical to carry out in humans. Here we highlight recent advances in rhesus NK cell research and their parallels in humans. Using high-throughput transcriptional profiling, we demonstrate that the human CD56bright and CD56dim NK cell subsets have phenotypically and functionally analogous counterparts in rhesus macaques. Thus, the use of nonhuman primate models offers the potential to substantially advance human NK cell research.
Electrostatic and lipid anchor contributions to the interaction of transducin with membranes: mechanistic implications for activation and translocation.

The heterotrimeric G protein transducin is a key component of the vertebrate phototransduction cascade. Transducin is peripherally attached to membranes of the rod outer segment, where it interacts with other proteins at the membrane-cytosol interface. However, upon sustained activation by light, the dissociated Gtα and Gβ1γ1 subunits of transducin translocate from the outer segment to other parts of the rod cell. Here we used a computational approach to analyze the interaction strength of transducin and its subunits with acidic lipid bilayers, as well as the range of orientations that they are allowed to occupy on the membrane surface. Our results suggest that the combined constraints of electrostatics and lipid anchors substantially limit the rotational degrees of freedom of the membrane-bound transducin heterotrimer. This may contribute to a faster transducin activation rate by accelerating transducin-rhodopsin complex formation. Notably, the membrane interactions of the dissociated transducin subunits are very different from those of the heterotrimer. As shown previously, Gβ1γ1 experiences significant attractive interactions with negatively charged membranes, whereas our new results suggest that Gtα is electrostatically repelled by such membranes. We suggest that this repulsion could facilitate the membrane dissociation and intracellular translocation of Gtα. Moreover, based on similarities in sequence and electrostatic properties, we propose that the properties described for transducin are common to its homologs within the Gi subfamily. In a broader view, this work exemplifies how the activity-dependent association and dissociation of a G protein can change both the affinity for membranes and the range of allowed orientations, thereby modulating G protein function.
Optics and supercomputing

Storage, interconnection, and processing are discussed. Various types of optical disks and page-oriented holographic memories are considered. It is shown that optical storage is advancing rapidly and holds the potential of hundreds of megabytes per second data rates from a single storage unit, which can provide many new opportunities for supercomputing. Module-to-module, board-to-board, and chip-to-chip interconnection and gate-to-gate communication are discussed. It is concluded that optical interconnection is, in many cases, superior to electronic interconnection and holds the key to the development of future electrooptic systems. Optical computing devices are discussed and various application areas where optical processing as well as storage and interconnection are expected to play a role in the future are considered. The authors believe that optical processing, while holding considerable promise, lags behind its electronic counterpart primarily due to the fact that digital optical device development is in its infancy. They predict near-term systems will be electrooptic, with each technology providing its strength to the problem at hand. >
The use of mixed-integer programming for inverse treatment planning with pre-defined field segments

Complex intensity patterns generated by traditional beamlet-based inverse treatment plans are often very difficult to deliver. In the approach presented in this work the intensity maps are controlled by pre-defining field segments to be used for dose optimization. A set of simple rules was used to define a pool of allowable delivery segments and the mixed-integer programming (MIP) method was used to optimize segment weights. The optimization problem was formulated by combining real variables describing segment weights with a set of binary variables, used to enumerate voxels in targets and critical structures. The MIP method was compared to the previously used Cimmino projection algorithm. The field segmentation approach was compared to an inverse planning system with a traditional beamlet-based beam intensity optimization. In four complex cases of oropharyngeal cancer the segmental inverse planning produced treatment plans, which competed with traditional beamlet-based IMRT plans. The mixed-integer programming provided mechanism for imposition of dose–volume constraints and allowed for identification of the optimal solution for feasible problems. Additional advantages of the segmental technique presented here are: simplified dosimetry, quality assurance and treatment delivery.
The Effect of Cover Letter Salutations on Response Rates and Selected Item Omission Rates on an Industrial Survey

Using data from a survey of industrial distributors, this research examines the effect of personal and impersonal cover letter salutations on overall response rates, mean item omission rates, and item omission rates on complex versus non-complex and confidential versus non-confidential questions. The findings indicated that in some cases the choice of salutation format can have a significant impact on both the response rate and the responses on the returned instruments.
Financial-Market Reform in the Czech Republic, 1991-1994: The Revival of Repression?

In 1991 the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic embarked on the rapid liberalization of its financial markets under tight monetary policy. This involved the creation of a functioning capital market through a program of mass privatization, along with the establishment of a universal banking system. In these respects, the Czech Republic is considered one of the most successful examples of post-socialist reform. But evidence from the former CSFR and the Czech Republic between 1991 and 1994 also shows that some of the main institutions created to oversee industrial-financial reform have been converted into instruments of indirect, selective credit-allocation, due largely to the leverage of economically non-viable firms and their large-bank creditors, together with the unwillingness of reformers to re-organize fundamentally the economic bureaucracy. How can we explain the formation of these institutions by which reforming governments intervene in financial markets, even in the relatively successful case of the Czech Republic? In a system of financial repression, governmental authorities maintain substantial control over the allocation of credit, which is often granted at below-market interest rates to favored enterprises. This paper suggests that financial repression has political sources. In the economies of the former East Bloc, privatizing firms whose subsidies have been cut off want cheap credit. Old state banks whose portfolios are tied up in bad loans want substantial debt relief. The executive bureaucracies, finally, need to acquire the expertise and information in order to replace centralized command structures with broad financial regulation. So it is in the Czech Republic that reformers, fearing that bankruptcies of the largest firms will send unemployment figures soaring and strengthen the hand of the opposition, are led to design institutional structures which allocate credit to vital industries, which swap bank debt for equity in these firms, and which generally enable some governmental discretion in corporate finance.
The Fog of Peace: A Memoir of International Peacekeeping in the 21st Century

‘Where you stand depends on where you sit', or Miles’ Law, is an old adage that claims that opinions and judgements are formed based on one's own perspective. In bureaucracies, policy positions and...
Study of applicability of Chinese remainder theorem based group key management for cloud environment

This paper reports on applicability of the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT) based Group Key Management (CRTGKM) for cloud environment. The results of our experiments confirm that the cloud environment group key management schemes known as ACV-BGKM and AB-GKM require high computation time for key update and key recovery processes. Therefore, to reduce the computational cost, a CRTGKM algorithm of multimedia multicast environment is applied to cloud environment based on applicability criteria. JAVA-based testbed was developed for simulation of performance of various group key management schemes and for estimation of the computation time for key update and key recovery processes.
Grazing Behavior of Beef Steers Consuming Different Tall Fescue Types and Lakota Prairie Grass

Abstract The grazing behavior of beef steers was evaluated using behavior data recorders in 4 sampling periods of 5 d each during June to September 2004. Forage treatments were ‘Kentucky-31’ endophyte-infected (K31E+) tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), ‘Quantum’ nil-ergot alkaloid producing endophyte-infected (QNE) tall fescue, and Lakota (LAK) prairie grass (Bromus catharticus Vahl.). There was a weak tendency for steers in LAK to spend more time grazing than steers grazing K31E+ (P = 0.16) and QNE (P = 0.18). Steers grazing K31E+ spent less (P
34 IDENTIFICATION OF RAT STRAIN-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN SUSCEPTIBILITY TO VENTILATION INDUCED LUNG INJURY

Rationale/Methods Little is known regarding the genetic predisposition to the increased vascular permeability and lung inflammation that are cardinal features of acute lung injury (ALI) and mechanical ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI). The comparison of strain-specific responses to high volume mechanical ventilation in rodent models of lung injury is useful in understanding genetic predisposition to ALI/VILI in humans. In the present study, we identified strain-specific differences in susceptibility to high volume mechanical ventilation using an in vivo rat model. Two strains of highly inbred rats, Dahl Salt Sensitive (SS) and Brown Norway (BN), underwent either spontaneous ventilation or high tidal volume ventilation (20 mL/kg, 85 bpm) for two hours. Vascular permeability was measured by tissue Evan9s Blue dye (EBD) deposition and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein concentrations. Lung inflammation was assessed with BALF cell count and differential. Results There were no significant differences in baseline BALF cell count/differential, BALF protein, or tissue EBD deposition between the two strains. High volume ventilation had no significant effect on BALF cell count or differential in either strain. However, the BN strain rats had a significant increase in both BALF protein (235% increase, p Conclusion Using an in vivo rodent model, we have identified strain-specific differences in susceptibility to VILI that strongly support an important genetic contribution to the development of increased vascular permeability that occurs during ALI. Ongoing genomic studies using parental and consomic rats will allow for the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and candidate genes important in determining both susceptibility and mechanisms of VILI. NHLBI HL07534.
Shibboleth: A Project of the Internet2 Middleware Initiative

Shibboleth, a Hebrew watchword once used to distinguish tribal affiliation, has reemerged as a brand name for a unique middleware authentication product. Developed by Internet2, a U.S. networking consortium, Shibboleth is a federated, open source authentication suite serving research federations and higher education. Shibboleth is a freely-available product, providing seamless access across multiple institutional platforms including: databases, data, internal documents, indexes, etc. Offering a single password sign-on, Shibboleth provides a secure gateway between users and proprietary resources.