cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrogenic Na/HCO3 cotransporter (NBCe1) variants expressed in Xenopus oocytes: functional comparison and roles of the amino and carboxy termini.

Using pH- and voltage-sensitive microelectrodes, as well as the two-electrode voltage-clamp and macropatch techniques, we compared the functional properties of the three NBCe1 variants (NBCe1-A, -B, and -C) with different amino and/or carboxy termini expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Oocytes expressing rat brain NBCe1-B and exposed to a CO2/HCO3− solution displayed all the hallmarks of an electrogenic Na+/HCO3− cotransporter: (a) a DIDS-sensitive pHi recovery following the initial CO2-induced acidification, (b) an instantaneous hyperpolarization, and (c) an instantaneous Na+-dependent outward current under voltage-clamp conditions (−60 mV). All three variants had similar external HCO3− dependencies (apparent KM of 4–6 mM) and external Na+ dependencies (apparent KM of 21–36 mM), as well as similar voltage dependencies. However, voltage-clamped oocytes (−60 mV) expressing NBCe1-A exhibited peak HCO3−-stimulated NBC currents that were 4.3-fold larger than the currents seen in oocytes expressing the most dissimilar C variant. Larger NBCe1-A currents were also observed in current–voltage relationships. Plasma membrane expression levels as assessed by single oocyte chemiluminescence with hemagglutinin-tagged NBCs were similar for the three variants. In whole-cell experiments (Vm = −60 mV), removing the unique amino terminus of NBCe1-A reduced the mean HCO3−-induced NBC current 55%, whereas removing the different amino terminus of NBCe1-C increased the mean NBC current 2.7-fold. A similar pattern was observed in macropatch experiments. Thus, the unique amino terminus of NBCe1-A stimulates transporter activity, whereas the different amino terminus of the B and C variants inhibits activity. One or more cytosolic factors may also contribute to NBCe1 activity based on discrepancies between macropatch and whole-cell currents. While the amino termini influence transporter function, the carboxy termini influence plasma membrane expression. Removing the entire cytosolic carboxy terminus of NBCe1-C, or the different carboxy terminus of the A/B variants, causes a loss of NBC activity due to low expression at the plasma membrane.
Prelude to a RIF: Older Workers, Part-Time Hours, and Unemployment

Since the beginning of the most recent recession in December 2007, involuntary part-time employment (part-time for economic reasons) in the United States has increased from 4.2 million workers to 9.1 million, more than doubling. In this paper, we examine whether such increases in involuntary part-time employment have helped combat unemployment in the past or placed a disproportionate burden on older workers. Using Current Population Survey (outgoing rotation group) data from 1983 to 2002, we find that increases in involuntary part-time work in an industry raise the industry unemployment rate. Furthermore, the connection between rising rates of involuntary part-time work and unemployment is stronger among older workers than among younger workers. We conclude that reducing work hours through the use of part-time work does not ameliorate the effects of recessions on workers. Rather, it is a harbinger of unemployment, especially among those older than 55.
The crystal structure of L-chiro-inositol.

Abstract The crystal structure of l - chiro -inositol is monoclinic, P 2 1 , with a = 6.867(3), b = 9.133(4), c = 6.217(3) A, β = 106.59(4)°, Z = 2. The structure was solved by using MULTAN, and refined to R = 0.028 for 1065 intensities observed with Ni-filtered MoKα radiation. The molecule has the expected chair conformation, with puckering parameters Q = 0.561 A, θ = 4.4°, φ = 51.2°. The non-hydrogen molecular symmetry is close to C 2 , with deviations of less than 0.07 A from a weighted fit. The intramolecular hydrogen-bonding forms infinite chains which are cross-linked through the weaker component of a three-center bond. The CC bond lengths range from 1.515 to 1.528 A, and the CO bond lengths from 1.418 to 1.436 A. The CCC angles range from 109.7 to 113.1°, and the CCO angles from 106.5 to 112.0°.
Universal Cross-Cloud Communication

Integration of applications, data-centers, and programming abstractions in the cloud-of-clouds poses many challenges to system engineers. Different cloud providers offer different communication abstractions, and applications exhibit different communication patterns. By abstracting from hardware addresses and lower-level communication, the publish/subscribe paradigm seems like an adequate abstraction for supporting communication across clouds, as it supports many-to-many communication between publishers and subscribers, of which one-to-one or one-to-many can be viewed as special cases. In particular, content-based publish/subscribe (CPS) systems provide an expressive abstraction that matches well with the key-value pair model of many established cloud storage and computing systems, and decentralized overlay-based CPS implementations scale up well. However, CPS systems perform poorly at small scale, e.g., one-to-one or one-to-many communication. This holds especially for multi-send scenarios which we refer to as entourages that may range from a channel between a publisher and a single subscriber to a broadcast between a publisher and a handful of subscribers. These scenarios are common in cloud computing, where cheap hardware is exploited for parallelism (efficiency) and redundancy (fault-tolerance). With CPS, multi-send messages go over several hops before their destinations are even identified via predicate matching, resulting in increased latency, especially when destinations are located in different data-centers or zones. Topic-based publish/subscribe (TPS) systems support communication at small scale more efficiently, but still route messages over multiple hops and inversely lack the flexibility of CPS systems. In this paper, we propose CPS protocols for cloud-of-clouds communication that can dynamically identify entourages of publishers and corresponding subscribers. Our CPS protocols dynamically connect the publishers with their entourages through uberlays . These uberlays can transmit messages from a publisher to its corresponding subscribers with low latency. Our experiments show that our protocols make CPS abstraction viable and beneficial for many applications. We introduce a CPS system named Atmosphere that leverages out CPS protocols and illustrate how Atmosphere has allowed us to implement, with little effort, versions of the popular HDFS and ZooKeeper systems which operate efficiently across data-centers.
Perceived Risk as a Constraint on Occupational Performance During Hot and Cold Water Pouring

OBJECTIVE Occupational therapists are interested in quality of movement under different environmental conditions. It has been shown that during reaching tasks, the physical aspects of the objects to be grasped can influence the quality of movement. This study investigated whether perceived risk (water temperature) affected the quality of movement during a pouring task. METHOD In a counterbalanced, repeated measures design, 56 participants (M = 27.1 years, SD = 7.4 years) poured hot, then cold water to prepare hot and cold beverages. Dependent variables included movement time, displacement, peak velocity, percentage of movement time to peak velocity, and movement units. Data were analyzed with paired t tests. RESULTS Participant performance in displacement and movement time was significantly different when considering the entire pouring task for both the hot and the cold conditions (ps < .05). In addition, significant differences were found in the discrete movement "sub-portions" of the pouring task (ps < .05). CONCLUSION Perceived risk is an element of meaning that the occupational therapist can consider in providing the person with just enough challenge to facilitate successful performance. By varying the amount of perceived risk in the occupational form, the therapist can help the person experience and develop the range of movement strategies required by everyday occupations. Future research is needed to corroborate these findings in simple and more complex occupations as well as to examine perceived risk in special populations.
Effects of ecdysterone, inokosterone and eyestalk ablation on limb regeneration in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator

Bilateral ablation of eyestalks or injection of either ecdysterone or inokosterone (two 25-μg doses or five 10-μg doses into crabs weighing on an average 1.5 g) caused precocious proecdysis and ecdysis in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator. On a weight basis ecdysterone was more effective than inokosterone in exerting the effects. Whether the accelerated proecdysis was accompanied by regenerative limb growth depended on the degree of limb bud development at the time of treatment with ecdysones. Ecdysterone and inokosterone blocked the initiation of basal limb growth when administered as two 25-μg doses into crabs exhibiting scar tissue without any visible limb bud. When injected into crabs with limb buds in various stages of basal limb growth exogenous ecdysones accelerated basal limb growth and led to proecdysial limb growth. The degree of acceleration of limb bud growth noticed within three to six days after injection of ecdysones into crabs with limb buds in early stages of basal limb growth was greater than that resulting from eyestalk ablation. In crabs with limb buds in later stages of basal growth, the degree of acceleration of limb bud growth evoked by exogenous ecdysones was similar to that resulting from eyestalk ablation. The final sizes of the limb buds preceding ecdysis in eyestalkless crabs and crabs injected with ecdysones depended on the proecdysial duration available for regeneration. The rate of proecdysial limb growth has been known to vary with the speed at which the crabs complete the proecdysial stages of the molt cycle. This study shows that the time required for the initiation and completion of the basal limb growth also varies depending on how soon the intact and eyestalkless crabs approach proecdysis and ecdysis.
The Maxwellian view

Abstract Optical questions arising in the so-called Maxwellian View method of illuminating the retina have been analyzed theoretically. Problems discussed in detail include those of photometry, of magnification, of focus and finally of pupil size insofar as it relates to the transmission of spatial frequencies in coherent and incoherent illumination.
Kinetic Studies of a Shear Thickening Micellar Solution

The time-dependent rheological behavior of a mixed micellar solution of tetradecyldimethylaminoxide and sodium dodecylsulfate with added salt is studied. Upon applying a constant shear flow, the shear stress begins to increase with time after an extraordinarily long initial induction period (on the order of tens of seconds) which is inversely proportional to the shear rate. The stress eventually reaches a plateau which fluctuates randomly over a narrow range, and the time required to achieve this decreases with shear rate according to a power law. The flow birefringence and extinction angle are also measured as a function of time. The unusually slow buildup of stress occurs only if the applied shear rate exceeds a critical value above which shear thickening takes place. It is suggested that shear induced coagulation among rodlike micelles as a kinetic process is consistent with the experimental observations.
Assessment of Chinese Students' Experience with Foreign Faculty: A Case Study from a Chinese University.

This article compares Chinese students' responses to local Chinese versus American professors, and the effectiveness of the professors' respective teaching techniques. A case study made at a single university in China, which had a joint academic program with the United States, found that Chinese students preferred local Chinese professors to American professors in spite of the students' perception that the American professors' were more highly qualified, and despite the American professors' student-centered teaching styles. The Chinese students consider local Chinese professors to be more effective in teaching and they have higher expectation of the Chinese students than the U.S. professors. This article explores the differences between Chinese and Western teaching styles and proposes approaches needed to guide Chinese students from their familiar teacher-centered classrooms toward accepting a student-centered classroom approach. Recommendations are offered for improving Western ways of educating Chinese ...
Health in foreign policy: An analytical overview

(2009). Health in foreign policy: An analytical overview. Canadian Foreign Policy Journal: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 11-29.
Low-temperature heat capacity of ErxY1−xRh4B4

Abstract Resistivity and specific heat data have been used to establish the presence of antiferromagnetic transitions in the Er x Y 1−x Rh 4 B 4 system for concentrations x =0.1 and 0.3. The relationship of these transitions to the general magnetic and superconducting phase diagram for this pseudoternary system is discussed.
Computation of transonic flow about finite lifting wings.

The results of Murman and Krupp (1971) are used to develop a procedure for computing a transonic flow about a finite lifting wing. A small disturbance equation describing the velocity potential of three-dimensional wings is solved in the process. The procedure is applied to a wing with a symmetric biconvex airfoil section in a zero-incidence subsonic flow, to a supersonic rectangular lifting wing with a sharp leading edge and to a subcritical nonlifting rectangular wing with a blunt leading edge.
Potency measures for developmental toxicity

Potency measures provide a useful means of ranking chemicals, drugs and other substances with respect to the danger they pose to humans. While several authors have proposed estimators of carcinogenic potency, the task of ranking developmental toxicants has received little attention. The purpose of this paper is to develop a quantitative measure of developmental potency, based on a correlated multinominal model that allows for dose effects on foetal death, variation and malformation rates. The proposed estimator is illustrated with data from several studies conducted through the National Toxicology Program.
Combined Experimental and Computational Study of TpRu{P(pyr)3}(NCMe)Me (pyr = N-pyrrolyl): Inter- and Intramolecular Activation of C−H Bonds and the Impact of Sterics on Catalytic Hydroarylation of Olefins

Complexes of the type TpRu{P(pyr)3}(L)R {L = PPh3 or NCMe; R = Cl, OTf (OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate), Me, or Ph; Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate; pyr = N-pyrrolyl} and TpRu{κ2-P,C-P(pyr)2(NC4...
Current-induced breakdown of carbon nanofiber interconnects

Current-induced breakdown phenomena of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) for future on-chip interconnect applications are presented. The effect of heat dissipation via the underlying substrate is studied using different experimental configurations. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques are utilized to study the structural damage by current stress. While the measured maximum current density in the suspended CNF in air is inversely proportional to nanofiber length and independent of diameter, SiO2-supported CNFs improves their current capacity, which implies effective heat dissipation to the oxide. The correlation between maximum current density and electrical resistivity confirms the importance of local Joule heating, showing strong coupling between electrical and thermal transport in CNFs.
A discrete analogue of the Laplace distribution

Following Kemp (J. Statist. Plann. Inference 63 (1997) 223) who defined a discrete analogue of the normal distribution, we derive a discrete version of the Laplace (double exponential) distribution. In contrast with the discrete normal case, here closed-form expressions are available for the probability density function, the distribution function, the characteristic function, the mean, and the variance. We show that this discrete distribution on integers shares many properties of the classical Laplace distribution on the real line, including unimodality, infinite divisibility, closure properties with respect to geometric compounding, and a maximum entropy property. We also discuss statistical issues of estimation under the discrete Laplace model.
Predictors of Prenatal Attachment in Mothers of Twins

Objectives: To explore the predictive relationship between prenatal attachment and selected demographic and biopsychosocial factors and to compare these predictors to those identified in previous research on maternal attachment in singleton pregnancies. Design: A predictive correlational descriptive design. Setting: Data were obtained via mailed surveys. Participants: 214 women expecting twins were recruited from a national mother of twins support group. Main Outcome Measures: Instruments included the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, Norwood Social Support Apgar, Muller Prenatal Attachment Inventory, and a demographic data tool to collect data on perinatal factors of gestational age, infertility history, perceived risk status, fetal movement, and planning of pregnancy. Results: Women who were younger, with lower income, a history of infertility, greater self‐esteem, who had experienced quickening, and were further along in their pregnancy reported greater prenatal attachment to their twins (Adjusted R 2 = 19.4%, p Conclusion: Factors that influence attachment in women experiencing a twin pregnancy are complex, and much is still unknown. Development and testing of theory is needed to guide future research and practice.
Pre-test epinephrine injections reverse DDC-induced retrograde amnesia

The effects of pre-test systemic administration of epinephrine on DDC-induced retrograde amnesia (RA) for discriminated Pavlovian fear-conditioning were examined in rats. Epinephrine reversed RA with the optimal dosage being 0.05 mg/kg. Apparently, the effect was specifically reversal of amnesia since (a) performance was restored to control levels, but no higher, and (b) sensitization and activity-related artifacts were minimized. These results are consistent with those showing reversal of RA by pre-test administration of hormones or catecholamine agonists. That is, they suggest that amnesia is due to a retrieval deficit rather than to failure of memory storage. Results are discussed in terms of epinephrine-induced modulation of storage and retrieval processes through central and peripheral mechanisms.
Promotion analysis in multi-dimensional space

Promotion is one of the key ingredients in marketing. It is often desirable to find merit in an object (e.g., product, person, organization, or service) and promote it in an appropriate community. In this paper, we propose a novel functionality, called promotion analysis through ranking, for promoting a given object by leveraging highly ranked results. Since the object may not be highly ranked in the global space, our goal is to discover promotive subspaces in which the object becomes prominent. To achieve this goal, the notion of promotiveness is formulated. We show that this functionality is practical and useful in a wide variety of applications such as business intelligence. However, computing promotive subspaces is challenging due to the explosion of search space and high aggregation cost. For efficient computation, we propose a PromoRank framework, and develop three efficient optimization techniques, namely subspace pruning, object pruning, and promotion cube, which are seamlessly integrated into the framework. Our empirical evaluation on two real data sets confirms the effectiveness of promotion analysis, and that our proposed algorithms significantly outperform baseline solutions.
Slotted third-harmonic gyro-TWT amplifier experiment

The first operation of a slotted third-harmonic gyrotron traveling-wave amplifier is reported. The low-magnetic-field moderate-voltage gyrotron amplifier's 62-keV 2.5-A /spl upsi//sub /spl perp////spl upsi//sub /spl par//=1.2 axis-encircling electron beam was supplied by a gyroresonant RF accelerator. The 10-GHz 1.3-kG single-section slotted third-harmonic amplifier is stable and yielded 12.5 dB of small signal gain with a bandwidth of 2.5%. The experiment was performed as a scaled proof-of-principle test of the 95-GHz multisection slotted amplifier under development at CPI (formerly Varian).
Monolithic integrated re-configurable antenna with RF-MEMS switches fabricated on printed circuit board

A re-configurable antenna providing scan-beam capability with a single antenna is presented in this paper. The proposed antenna system includes a re-configurable rectangular spiral antenna with a set of MEMS switches, which are monolithically integrated onto the same substrate printed circuit board (/spl epsiv//sub r/=3.27 and tan /spl delta/=0.004). The system is based on a single-arm rectangular spiral antenna, capable of changing its radiation pattern using RF-MEMS switches. The spiral is made out of multiple segments, which are interconnected by RF-MEMS switches strategically located along the spiral. On activating these switches, the spiral overall arm length is changed and consequently its radiation beam direction is changed. The antenna radiates right hand circular polarization (RHCP). The gain of the antenna varies between 3/spl sim/6 dBi, and satisfies the 3-dB axial ratio criterion at the operating frequency band of 10 GHz. The excellent performance of the proposed system emphasizes the importance of being able to integrate MEMS switches into the same low loss substrate for antenna applications.
Betrayal Trauma and Gender Differences in Posttraumatic Stress

The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of betrayal trauma in explaining why women report higher rates of posttraumatic stress than men. Betrayal trauma theory posits that cognitive dissociation is adaptive when trauma occurs at the hands of a caregiver (Freyd, 1996). Betrayal trauma has also been linked to poorer outcomes in mental health, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (DePrince & Freyd, 2002; Goldsmith, 2004). DePrince and Freyd (2002) proposed that the increased frequency with which females experience betrayals accounts in part for the correspondingly higher rates of PTSD and dissociative disorders among women. Thus, it is possible that closeness to the perpetrator acts as a partial mediator of gender differences in prevalence rates (Goldberg & Freyd, 2006). Using an online survey with a college sample (n 1,041) and a community sample (n 199), the findings of the current study confirmed prior research that traumas high in betrayal (e.g., abuse by a close other) are more strongly associated with symptoms of posttraumatic stress than traumas lower in betrayal (e.g., natural disaster or abuse by someone not close to the victim). Women also reported higher rates of depression, anxiety, and reexperiencing symptoms of PTSD, but not avoidance and hyperarousal symptoms. The hypothesis that betrayal trauma would mediate the association between gender and PTSD reexperiencing symptoms was supported by statistical significance, but the effect was not substantial.
Candelariella clarkii and Lecidea hoganii: two lichen species new to science from White Rocks Open Space, City of Boulder, Colorado

Abstract Two new species are described from vouchers collected as part of an intensive lichen inventory of Fox Hills Sandstone outcrops in an open space preserve within the city limits of Boulder, Colorado. Candelariella clarkii is characterized by its cryptolecanorine apothecia, chartreuse areolate thallus, and 8-spored asci. Lecidea hoganii is a member of the L. auriculata morphological group characterized by a thick white chalky thallus, pink pigments in the hymenium, and absence of secondary compounds. We provide IUCN conservation assessments for both new species, which should be considered critically endangered. The discovery of two species new to science in a relatively densely populated region of North America illustrates the ecological relevance of small of patches of native habitat, which are certain to become even more important in the future.
Neural crest inducing signals.

The formation of the neural crest has been traditionally considered a classic example of secondary induction, where signals form one tissue elicit a response in a competent responding tissue. Interactions of the neural plate with paraxial mesoderm or nonneural ectoderm can generate neural crest. Several signaling pathways converge at the border between neural and nonneural ectoderm where the neural crest will form. Among the molecules identified in this process are members of the BMP, Wnt, FGF and Notch signaling pathways. The concerted action of these nals and their downstream targets will define the identity of the neural crest.
Augmentation of cardiac function in end-stage heart failure by combined use of dobutamine and amrinone.

A patient with end-stage congestive cardiomyopathy had progressive hemodynamic deterioration while awaiting orthotopic heart transplantation. Attempts to support cardiovascular function by high-dose dobutamine infusions were complicated by life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. The addition of the noncatecholamine inotropic agent, amrinone, improved ventricular performance, enabling reduction of the dose of dobutamine and resolution of the cardiac arrhythmias. Beta receptor stimulation by dobutamine combined with phosphodiesterase inhibition by amrinone may additively or synergistically augment cardiac function despite severe congestive heart failure and also have an adrenergic "sparing effect."
An Energy-efficient Reconfigurable Viterbi Decoder on a Programmable Multiprocessor

A reconfigurable Viterbi decoder capable of accommodating K from 6 to 9, and r = 1/2 and 1/3 has been implemented on a programmable multiprocessor, fabricated in TSMC 0.18-mum CMOS. Efficient trellis partitioning and path metric memory localization techniques endow the Viterbi decoder with simple configuration control and high efficiency. For this Viterbi decoder, performance can be traded off in favor of power savings, or vice-versa.
Correlation functions in the QCD vacuum

Correlation functions are one of the key tools used to study the structure of the QCD vacuum. They are constructed out of the fundamental fields and can be calculated using quantum-field-theory methods, such as lattice gauge theory. One can obtain many of these functions using the rich phenomenology of hadron physics. They are also the object of study in various quark models of hadronic structure. This review begins with available phenomenological information about the correlation functions, with their most important properties emphasized. These are then compared with predictions of various theoretical approaches, including lattice numerical simulations, the operator product expansion, and the interacting instanton approximation.
Stimulation by carnitine of branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase in intact heart mitochondria of rats

Abstract Carnitine stimulated α[1- 14 C]ketoisovalerate oxidation by branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) in isolated intact heart mitochondria of normal rats. Ketoisovalerate oxidation was shown to be independent of exogenous coenzyme A, which indicated that BCKAD was located on the matrix side of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Mechanism of carnitine stimulation of BCKAD was investigated by altering the levels of the product, α[1- 14 C] isobutyryl-CoA, by agents that inhibited its oxidation and facilitated or blocked the formation of its carnitine esters in purified mitochondria from the rat ventricular muscle. Octanoate, DL-octanoylcarnitine, and 4-pentenoate were inhibitory and 2-bromopalmitate had no effect. With the exception of DL-octanoylcarnitine, carnitine was found to reverse inhibition by 4-pentenoate and Octanoate. We conclude that carnitine stimulated branched-chain keto acid oxidation in rat heart in part by favorably altering intra-mitochondrial levels of branched-chain acyl-CoA esters and/or free CoA, primarily through involvement of carnitine acyl transferase II (CAT II).
Shielding Theory of Enclosures with Apertures

This paper develops the theory of EM radiation from metallic enclosures with apertures, excited by an internal source at frequencies below the fundamental resonance of the enclosure. The enclosure with an aperture is analyzed from two different points of view: as a cavity with a small aperture in a wall, and as a waveguide section short-circuited at one end and open at the other. Rectangular geometries are used throughout, since these are by far the most commonly encountered in practical enclosures and cabinets. Using the corresponding dyadic Green's functions, the fields generated inside the enclosure by some simple sources are determined. The fields radiated through small apertures in a cavity are determined using Bethe's theory of diffraction by small holes. The radiation from an open waveguide is calculated with the help of field-equivalence theorems, with assumptions applicable to the case of evanescent waves. The final step is to derive expressions for the " insertion loss" of the shield, defined as the ratio of the field strength at a point external to the shield, before and after the insertion of the enclosure. To do so, the effect of the shield upon the input impedance of the antenna is analyzed, and expressions obtained for the applicable cases. The resulting insertion-loss expressions are numerically evaluated for some representative cases, and graphically compared with a series of measurements performed to obtain experimental confirmation. Very good agreement is obtained in all cases, establishing the validity of the analysis.
When play works: turning game-playing into learning

Current research on technology development for children focuses on children's roles as design partners helping to set high level goals or exploring prototypes and interfaces. In this project, we investigate whether game modification toolkits enable children to build games themselves rather than turning their ideas over to expert developers. Using an accessible toolkit for the game Neverwinter Nights, we invited seven children between the ages of 12 and 14 to design and build their own games. We analyzed their plans, the games, and their reflections on the experience to explore what our participants discovered about the roles of developers and players, how their experience as builders differed from their experiences as players, and what they perceived to be the benefits of building rather than simply designing or playing games. Our results show that children can master modification toolkits and that there may be value in encouraging children to build rather than simply play computer games.
Some Recent Work of H. Theil on Estimation in Systems of Simultaneous Equations

Dr. Hans Theil of the Netherlands School of Economics, Rotterdam, has recently proposed a new method of estimating the coefficients of a single equation in a system of simultaneous linear equations, and has shown how this method is a member of a general class of estimators, of which the least squares and limited information estimators are also members (Theil, 1953). Since Dr. Their’s work is not likely to become generally available for some time, it seems worthwhile to summarize it for those who are currently interested in the field of estimation of simultaneous linear equations. At the same time the notation has been changed to correspond fairly closely to that of Cowles Commission Monograph 14 (Hood and Koopmans, 1953).
Challenges and developing solutions for increasing the benefits of IL-2 treatment in tumor therapy

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a cytokine with pleiotropic effects on the immune system. Systemic IL-2 treatment has produced durable responses in melanoma and renal cancer patients, but unfortunately this is effective only in a fraction of patients. Moreover, IL-2 treatment also engenders serious side effects, which limit its clinical utility. It is now appreciated that IL-2 not only stimulates NK and effector T cells but also has a critical role in the generation and maintenance of regulatory T cells, which act to dampen immune responses. Thus, successful immunotherapy of cancers using IL-2 has to address two fundamentally important issues: (1) how to limit side effects yet be active where it is needed, and (2) how to preferentially activate effector T cells while limiting the stimulation of Tregs. Strategies are now being developed to address these critical obstacles that may lead to a renaissance of IL-2 therapy.
A pilot trial of G3139, a bcl-2 antisense oligonucleotide, and paclitaxel in patients with chemorefractory small-cell lung cancer

Abstract Background Chemorefractory small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is defined as disease that progresses during primary therapy or within 3 months of completion of primary therapy. Patients with chemorefractory SCLC have a very poor prognosis, and no treatment has been shown to be of significant clinical benefit. Elevated expression of Bcl-2 is found in the majority of SCLCs and has been associated with therapeutic resistance. Suppression of Bcl-2 levels through the use of G3139, an antisense oligonucleotide complementary to the mRNA encoding Bcl-2, might increase the antitumor efficacy of cytotoxic therapy. Patients and methods Twelve patients with chemorefractory SCLC participated in this pilot trial of paclitaxel combined with G3139. G3139 was given by continuous i.v. infusion over 7 days at a fixed dose of 3 mg/kg/day. Paclitaxel dose was initially 175 mg/m2 on day 6, but was decreased to 150 mg/m2 due to myelosuppression observed in two of the three patients treated in the first dose cohort. Results The combination of paclitaxel at 150 mg/m2 and G3139 at 3 mg/kg/day was found to be feasible and well tolerated. No objective responses were observed, but two patients had stable disease, one remaining stable on therapy for >30 weeks. Plasma G3139 levels were determined, and were found to be highest in the patient with prolonged stable disease, suggesting that individual variation in metabolism and clearance of the antisense oligonucleotide may influence activity. Conclusions This study demonstrates that G3139 can be combined with paclitaxel in a cytotoxic dose range, and suggests that a similar combination be tested for activity in the context of chemoresponsive disease.
IMPLEMENTING SPATIAL SEGREGATION MEASURES IN GIS

Abstract Segregation can be regarded as the spatial separation of different population groups. Most studies of segregation so far have relied on aspatial measures that are not effective to differentiate different spatial distribution patterns among population groups. Spatial measures have been introduced but have not been adopted widely because they are difficult to compute even with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). However, it is still logical to employ GIS technology to compute spatial segregation measures. A previous implementation attempt was successful, but inefficient and suffered from several short comings. This paper describes a recent effort to implement a set of spatial segregation measures in a GIS environment. An integrative approach is adopted to take advantage of various recent advances in GIS technology. Algorithms designed to implement spatial segregation measures consist of the general procedures to extract spatial information from feature data and to combine spatial information with attribute (population) data to derive the indices. Different types of spatial information include geometric characteristics and spatial relationship of the areal units, and the location information of the population. Using ArcView GIS and its Avenue programming tool as an application example, computations of various spatial segregation indices were implemented as additional functions in an ArcView user interface.
On the Foundations of Statistical Inference

Abstract The concept of conditional experimental frames of reference has a significance for the general theory of statistical inference which has been emphasized by R. A. Fisher, D. R. Cox, J. W. Tukey, and others. This concept is formulated as a principle of conditionality, from which some general consequences are deduced mathematically. These include the likelihood principle, which has not hitherto been very widely accepted, in contrast with the conditionality concept which many statisticians are inclined to accept for purposes of “informative inference.” The likelihood principle states that the “evidential meaning” of experimental results is characterized fully by the likelihood function, without other reference to the structure of an experiment, in contrast with standard methods in which significance and confidence levels are based on the complete experimental model. The principal writers supporting the likelihood principle have been Fisher and G. A. Barnard, in addition to Bayesian writers for whom i...
Less Encouraging Lessons From the Front Lines: Barriers to Implementation of an Emergency Department-Based HIV Screening Program

Objective We describe barriers to, and discuss recommendations for, implementing a limited emergency department (ED)-based HIV screening program. Methods A pilot program was designed to study the feasibility of integrating HIV screening into ED care among patients aged 18 to 64 years at an urban academic emergency department with an annual census of 50,000 patients. Results During the first 12 weeks of the pilot program, 395 patients were screened. Of those, 2 (0.5%; 95% confidence interval 0.06% to 1.8%) received a positive test result for HIV. Both were contacted by telephone, and one was seen for result notification, posttest counseling, and further care in the local health department. Of the patients who received a negative test result, 98% were contacted about their results. We encountered numerous barriers to implementation, which we categorized as departmental, public health, legal, institutional, test limitations, and infrastructure. Conclusion Understanding potential barriers and making plans for dealing with them are critical to the successful implementation of an HIV screening program in the ED.
Severe Epilepsy Syndromes of Early Childhood: The Link Between Genetics and Pathophysiology With a Focus on SCN1A Mutations

Advances in genetics have increased our understanding of the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms that cause severe epilepsy syndromes of early childhood. Many of the mutations associated with these syndromes are located in genes coding for ion channels or their accessory subunits, giving rise to the concept of epilepsy ;;channelopathies.'' In particular, the SCN1A gene coding for the pore-forming a-subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel Na(V)1.1 appears to be a common target for epilepsy syndrome-specific mutations. An SCN1A mutation can potentially result in either a gain or loss of sodium channel function. Epilepsies linked to SCN1A mutations range from a relatively benign syndrome called generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus to severe childhood epilepsies such as severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (Dravet syndrome). The availability of genetic tests for SCN1A mutations is expanding awareness of the spectrum of diseases mediated by this gene and is beginning to permit genotype- phenotype correlations. Eventually, such information might enable clinicians to select an appropriate therapeutic regimen for patients with specific epilepsy gene mutations.
THE POLIS AND ITS ANALOGUES IN THE THOUGHT OF HANNAH ARENDT

Criticized as a nostalgic anachronism by those who oppose her version of political theory and lauded as symbol of direct democratic participation by those who favor it, the Athenian polis features prominently in Hannah Arendt's account of politics. This essay traces the origin and development of Arendt's conception of the polis as a space of appearance from the early 1950s onward. It makes particular use of the Denktagebuch, Arendt's intellectual diary, in order to shed new light on the historicity of one of her central concepts. The article contends that both critics and partisans of Arendt's use of the polis have made the same mistake: they have presumed that the polis represents a space of face-to-face immediacy. In fact, Arendt compared the polis to a series of analogues, many of which are not centered on direct exchanges between political actors and spectators. As a result, Arendt's early work on the polis turns out to anticipate many of the concerns of her later work on judgment, and her theory of the polis becomes a theory of topics.
REFLECTIONS ON PASTORAL LEADERSHIP IN THE FACE OF CULTURAL-COMMUNAL “RUIN”

Radical hope anticipates a good for which those who have hope as yet lack the appropriate concepts with which to understand it. — Lear (2006, p. 103)
Acupunctura na dor lombar: há evidência?

Objectives: To review the available evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of low back pain. Data Sources:MEDLINE, National Guideline Clearinghouse, Guidelines Finder, Cochrane Library, DARE, Bandolier, UpToDate and Index of Portuguese Medical Magazines. Review Methods: Research using the MeSH terms acupuncture and low back pain and the DeCS terms acupuntura e dor lombar. The search was limited to articles published between January 2000 and May 2009 in english, portuguese and spanish. American Family Physicians Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) was used to assess the level of evidence. Results: Two meta-analysis, six systematic reviews, three randomised controlled trials and three guidelines met inclusion criteria. Guidelines say that acupuncture might be helpful in the treatment of low back pain. Unspecific chronic low back pain: the meta-analysis, systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials demonstrated that acupuncture is more effective than notreatment and that the association of acupuncture with conventional treatment is more effective than isolated conventional treatment. The studies didnt demonstrate that acupuncture was more effective than placebo or conventional therapies. Acute low back pain: data are inconclusive. Conclusions: Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of unspecific chronic low back pain, isolated or in addition to other interventions (SORT A); it was not proved that acupuncture was superior to other interventions. In the treatment of acute low back pain, there was no evidence of effectiveness of acupuncture. It would be advisable to do high quality, long-term, controlled and randomised studies, addressing its cost-benefit.
Are Gender Roles Fixed or Malleable?: An Implicit Theory Relevant to “Having It All”

This chapter addresses individuals’ implicit theories about the fixedness vs. malleability of gender roles and their influence on preferences for gendered divisions of labor, gender role conformity pressure, system justification and expected work-life tradeoffs. It demonstrates that “entity theorists”, believing in the fixedness of gender roles, compared to “incremental theorists”, believing in the malleableness of gender roles, are more likely to support traditional gender roles, to stress the importance of gender, to view the current gender social system as fair and to expect work-life tradeoffs for women more than men.
Donepezil for cancer-related fatigue: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study

9003 Background: Fatigue is the most frequent symptom in advanced cancer. No standard treatment is available. We previously found that open-label donepezil significantly improved fatigue by day 3 a...
Chemical Sensors: New Ideas for the Mature Field

Chemical sensors for diverse applications for gas- and liquid-phase sensing have their own design requirements. Thus, sensors typically have long timelines from the concept through the evolution and cost reduction to commercial products. For some applications, it is attractive to take advantage of previously developed, optimized, and mass-produced physical transducers, optoelectronic, radiofrequency identification, and other types of components and to rationally combine them with sensing materials to produce new types of chemical sensors, more rapidly than it is typically achieved. Widely deployed and accepted commodity consumer products present a striking set of attractive capabilities applicable for advanced sensors. This chapter presents several recent examples from our laboratory to demonstrate developments in chemical sensors based on electrical, mechanical, and radiant signal-transduction methodologies.
Epidemiologic and clinical aspects of opportunistic infections.

Infections in the immunocompromised host occur because of immune defects and epidemiological influences. They are often referred to as opportunistic infections, but many are caused by organisms, such as the pneumococcus, that infect apparently immunologically normal individuals. The infections are usually more severe in the immunocompromised host. There are, in addition, certain organisms such as Pneumocystis carinii that only infect immunocompromised individuals. In this paper, a clinical approach to the immunocompromised host is presented along with some selected features concerning therapy. With the exception of a few general references, the literature cited here reflects our experience at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).
FMIT Beamstop

The Fusion Material Irradiation Test (FMIT) and FMIT prototype beamstops provide several unique design challenges. The prototype beamstop must be capable of handling 500 kW of continuous power; the FMIT beamstop must handle 3500 kW of power in a pulsed form. The particle involved is H2+. These beamstops must convert these energies to heat that is carried away by cooling water, while being contained in a relatively compact package, tolerant of changes in beamspot shape and size. The range of the beam is less than 0.1 mm in the prototype beamstop and less than 3 mm in the FMIT beamstop; thus energy cannot be spread over the depth of the absorbing material very readily. Long-term irradiation of the materials used must be kept low, to minimize maintenance problems, requiring consideration of materials. Material distortion from thermal effects also must be considered.
Learning Object Affordances by Leveraging the Combination of Human-Guidance and Self-Exploration

Our work focuses on robots to be deployed in human environments. These robots, which will need specialized object manipulation skills, should leverage end-users to efficiently learn the affordances of objects in their environment. This approach is promising because people naturally focus on showing salient aspects of the objects [1]. We replicate prior results and build on them to create a combination of self and supervised learning. We present experimental results with a robot learning 5 affordances on 4 objects using 1219 interactions. We compare three conditions: (1) learning through self-exploration, (2) learning from supervised examples provided by 10 naive users, and (3) self-exploration biased by the user input. Our results characterize the benefits of self and supervised affordance learning and show that a combined approach is the most efficient and successful.