cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survival advantage with decitabine versus intensive chemotherapy in patients with higher risk myelodysplastic syndrome: comparison with historical experience.

BACKGROUND Decitabine, a hypomethylating agent, is active and has been approved for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Intensive chemotherapy is an accepted form of therapy for patients with higher risk MDS. The comparative efficacy of these 2 forms of treatment in MDS is unknown. The objective of the current study was to compare the efficacy and toxicity profiles of decitabine and intensive chemotherapy in MDS. METHODS The authors compared lower intensity decitabine therapy (n = 115 patients) with intensive chemotherapy (as it is used in acute myeloid leukemia [AML]) in patients with higher risk MDS. Two comparisons were made with a cohort of 376 historic patients (from 1995 to 2005): The first comparison included a subcohort of 115 patients (Group A) who matched the 115 decitabine study patients according to age, International Prognostic Scoring System, and cytogenetics; and the second comparison included the whole cohort of 376 patients without matching (Group B). A multivariate analysis was performed for outcome. RESULTS The complete remission (CR) rate according to AML criteria was 43% with decitabine, 46% with intensive chemotherapy in Group A, and 52% with intensive chemotherapy in Group B. Compared with Group A, mortality at 6 weeks was 3% with decitabine versus 13% with intensive chemotherapy (P = .006) and, at 3 months, 7% with decitabine versus 23% with intensive chemotherapy (P = .001). Survival was better with decitabine versus intensive chemotherapy in Group A (median survival: 22 months vs 12 months; P < .001). A multivariate analysis of survival in all 491 patients who received decitabine or intensive chemotherapy (Group B) selected decitabine as an independent, favorable prognostic factor for survival (P = .006; hazard ratio, 0.74) after accounting for the independent prognostic effect of pretreatment factors. CONCLUSIONS In this analysis, decitabine was associated with a survival advantage compared with intensive chemotherapy in patients with higher risk MDS. Future studies should evaluate prospectively the results of decitabine versus intensive chemotherapy in this setting. Cancer 2007 © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Hemolysis induced by Prymnesium parvum toxin. Effect of primaquine treatment.

Abstract The effect of primaquine (1 mM) incubation on rabbit erythrocytes was studied at 25° using the hemolytic toxin (prymnesin) of the chrysomonad Prymnesium parvum . One notable effect is the alteration of rate of prymnesin-induced hemolysis. The hemolysis rate constant, k ψ , showed a biphasic dependence on length of primaquine incubation: a gradual increase in k ψ was observed (0–4 h), followed by a more pronounced increase (4–6 h). Incubation with primaquine (an antimalarial) is known to cause invaginations and loss of cell surface by subsequent internalization. No biphasic effect of primaquine incubation was noted in the tendency of prymnesin to be bound (using 3 H-labeled toxin). Median cell volume, however, does show a biphasic relationship, and it appears that the biphasic effect depends upon changes in one out of two or more populations of cells.
Quantum cascade laser intracavity absorption sensor

A mid-infrared intracavity laser absorption spectrometer based on an external cavity multi-mode quantum cascade laser is combined with a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer is used as tunable narrow band transmission filter to analyze the laser emission spectrum. Sensitivity as a trace gas detector at 8.1 micron wavelengths has been demonstrated based on a weak water vapor line at an absorption coefficient of 1 x 10 -5 cm -1 . For molecules of reasonably strong absorption cross section (10-17 cm 2 ), this corresponds to a detection limit of 40 ppb.
Three forms of RPTP-beta are differentially expressed during gliogenesis in the developing rat brain and during glial cell differentiation in culture.

In situ hybridization and Northern analysis demonstrate that the three splicing variants of RPTP-β have different spatial and temporal patterns of expression in the developing brain. The 9.5-kb and 6.4-kb transcripts, which encode transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatases with different extracellular domains, are predominantly expressed in glial progenitors located in the subventricular zone (SVZ). The 8.4-kb transcript, which encodes a secreted chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (phosphacan), is expressed at high levels by more mature glia that have migrated out of the SVZ. The three transcripts are also differentially expressed in glial cell cultures; O2A progenitors express high levels of the 9.5- and 8.4-kb transcript, whereas type 1 astrocyte progenitors predominantly express the 6.4-kb transcript. C6 gliomas also express high levels of the 6.4-kb transcript. Treating C6 cells with the differentiating agent dibutyryl cyclic-AMP (DBcAMP), induces a decrease in the 6.4-kb transcript and a corresponding increase in the 8.4-kb transcript. O2A cells grown in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) remain highly proliferative and undifferentiated, and continue to express high levels of RPTP-β. However, when O2A cells are grown in conditions that induce oligodendrocyte differentiation, there is a marked decrease in the expression of the transmembrane forms of RPTP-β, as determined by immunofluorescence. These results demonstrate that RPTP-β expression is regulated during glial cell differentiation and suggest that the different forms of RPTP-β perform distinct functions during brain development. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Phenytoin-induced hyperglycaemia may confound rat cerebroprotection models.

SUMMARY 1. The anticonvulsant phenytoin (PHT) has been used with variable success in animal models of cerebral ischaemia. Although PHT has been reported to alter glucose regulation in man, this potential effect has been largely ignored in animals. Because hyperglycaemia strongly influences the outcome of cerebral ischaemia, we sought to systematically delineate the effects of PHT on serum glucose in several rat strains. 2. We have studied the PHT dose-response curve for serum PHT and glucose concentrations and several physiological variables. Phenytoin induces a significant, concentration-dependent hyperglycaemia, even in the ranges commonly used for humans and in animal models. 3. Hypothermia of several degrees was observed during PHT administration, but no hypotension or bradycardia was found. 4. Both hyperglycaemia and hypothermia must be considered when PHT is studied as a neuroprotective agent in animal models.
A re-examination of enkephalin's coexistence with gamma-aminobutyric acid in amacrine cells of the larval tiger salamander retina.

Abstract Double-label immunocytochemistry was utilized to re-examine the colocalization of enkephalin and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in amacrine cells of the larval tiger salamander retina. A total of 465 enkephalin-immunoreactive amacrine cells were identified and in all cases these cells were GABA-immunoreactive. This finding corroborates a previous study that showed greater than 96% of enkephalin-amacrine cells in the tiger salamander retina to specifically accumulate [ 3 H]GABA and provides additional evidence for the GABAergic nature of these enkephalin-amacrine cells.
Prejudice and Proximity An Analysis of Age Differences

Using data from a national sample, the hypothesis that frequency of contact with blacks is associated with less antipathy toward blacks was tested. With multiple regression techniques, it was found...
Bezier curve string method for the study of rare events in complex chemical systems

We present a new string method for finding the most probable transition pathway and optimal reaction coordinate in complex chemical systems. Our approach evolves an analytic parametric curve, known as a Bezier curve, to the most probable transition path between metastable regions in configuration space. In addition, we demonstrate that the geometric properties of the Bezier curve can be used to construct the optimal reaction coordinate near the most probable reaction path, and can further be used to devise a ranking vector capable of identifying precisely which collective variables are most important for governing the transition between metastable states. We discuss the algorithmic details of the Bezier curve string method, analyze its stability, accuracy and efficiency, and illustrate its capabilities using model potential energy functions. In particular, we use the degree elevation property of Bezier curves to develop an algorithm that adaptively learns the degree polynomial necessary to accurately represent the most probable transition path. Subsequently, we apply our method to the isomerization of alanine dipeptide, and demonstrate that the reaction coordinate obtained from the Bezier curve string method is in excellent agreement with the optimal reaction coordinate constructed from an aimless shooting and maximum likelihood procedure. Finally, we apply our method to a large complex system and study the homogenous nucleation of benzene from the melt. In these two examples, we illustrate that the ranking vector correctly identifies which collective variables govern these chemical transitions.
Mechanisms of Pentobarbital Actions on Prolactin Release

The effects of pentobarbital (PB) on serum and pituitary prolactin and on hypothalamic PIF activity were studied in female rats. An injection of PB completely depleted the hypothalamus of PIF activity by the end of 10 minutes, and 2 hours later PIF activity was still lower than in control rats injected with saline. Implantation of PB in the median eminence resulted in increased serum prolactin values during each stage of the estrous cycle, presumably as a result of the decrease in hypothalamic PIF activity. On the other hand, addition of PB to a pituitary incubation system resulted in inhibition of prolactin release, indicating that PB can directly inhibit prolactin release by the pituitary. The initial brief rise in serum prolactin previously observed by us after injecting PB is believed to be due to a rapid decrease in hypothalamic PIF activity, whereas the subsequent prolonged fall in prolactin is believed to be due to its direct inhibitory action on the pituitary. Electrochemical stimulation of the ar...
Comparative study on the use of anticoagulants heparin and recombinant hirudin in a rabbit traumatic anastomosis model

Antithrombotic drugs, such as heparin, have been used in the clinics for a long time. Heparin acts by binding with antithrombin III to form a complex thereby enhancing the activity of antithrombin III to inactivate coagulation factors IIa, IXa, Xa, XIa and XIIa. Hirudin is a new antithrombotic agent and is reported to be much more powerful than heparin on a gravimetric basis. When both are administered systemically, one of the common complications seen is bleeding. Some previous studies have shown that local vascular endothelial concentrations of heparin are 30 to 7500 times greater than those found in the circulating blood. In order to avoid such complications, topical administration of antithrombotic drugs may be an ideal route of administration. The rabbit ear arterial crush-avulsion thrombosis model was used in this study. The animals were divided into five groups: one control group and four treatment groups which received varying concentrations of heparin and hirudin. In the saline control group, the patency rate was 19.23% at 24 hrs and 15.38% at 7 days. A higher patency rate at 7 days was obtained in groups treated with high concentration of heparin and hirudin. ACT, PT and APTT performed on samples drawn one hour after drug administration were within the normal range in both the control and the treatment groups. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the different extent of the clots on the injured intimal surfaces of the vessels in different groups. The results indicate that high concentrations of topically administered heparin or hirudin minimize the systemic complications and maximize the antithrombotic effects.
Misinterpreted dating behaviors and the risk of date rape

This study investigated how traditional and nontraditional women and men, as measured by the Attitudes toward Women Scale, interpreted various dating behaviors and how their attitudes toward date rape related to such dating behaviors. For each of 11 scenarios describing dates in which who initiated, who paid, and the dating activity were varied, 272 female and 268 male undergraduates indicated how much they thought the woman wanted sex (sex-willingness ratings) and how justified the man would be in having sex with her against her wishes (rape-justifiability ratings). Results showed that sex-willingness and rape-justifiability ratings were highest when the woman initiated the date, when they went to the man's apartment, and when the man paid the dating expenses. Men's sex-willingness ratings were consistently higher than women's, suggesting that a man may overestimate his date's interest in sex and may later feel “led on,” which some males regard as justifying rape. Rape-justifiability ratings were higher ...
The Patient Assessment Questionnaire: Initial validation of a measure of treatment effectiveness for patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

Investigation of patients' subjective perspective regarding the effectiveness - as opposed to efficacy - of antipsychotic medication has been hampered by a relative shortage of self-report measures of global clinical outcome. This paper presents data supporting the feasibility, inter-item consistency, and construct validity of the Patient Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ)-a self-report measure of psychiatric symptoms, medication side effects and general wellbeing, ultimately intended to assess effectiveness of interventions for schizophrenia-spectrum patients. The original 53-item instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary team which utilized brainstorming sessions for item generation and content analysis, patient focus groups, and expert panel reviews. This instrument and additional validation measures were administered, via Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI), to 300 stable, medicated outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Item elimination was based on psychometric properties and Item-Response Theory information functions and characteristic curves. Exploratory factor analysis of the resulting 40-item scale yielded a five factor solution. The five subscales (General Distress, Side Effects, Psychotic Symptoms, Cognitive Symptoms, Sleep) showed robust convergent (β's=0.34-0.75, average β=0.49) and discriminant validity. The PAQ demonstrates feasibility, reliability, and construct validity as a self-report measure of multiple domains pertinent to effectiveness. Future research needs to establish the PAQ's sensitivity to change.
Towards a design theory for online communities

Online communities are increasingly important in modern social life. Yet, the diverse collection of guidelines that have directed online community design may not be keeping pace with significant changes in the operating environment of these systems. This paper collects and distills the most relevant of these guidelines and describes their instantiation in a design artifact foundational to a larger design science research project. The core contributions include the distilled guidelines, a detailed account of the mechanics of their translation into practice, and a framework for doing design science research in online communities.
The Politics of the Difficult: Congress, Public Opinion, and Early Cold War Aid and Trade Policies

Many foreign policies central to American cold war efforts were politically difficult. Understanding the politics behind these policies is important for understanding the capacity of democracies to implement difficult but strategically important policies. I argue that we must recognize the important role of public opinion. When the public is unified, popular preferences permeate and dominate the entire political system. For the case of the early cold war, I present quantitative evidence that public attitudes about national security influenced Senate voting on security aid and trade issues. My tests employ previously unused opinion data and take advantage of methodological advances in the analysis of panel data.
Preference for blocking or response redirection during stereotypy treatment

Response redirection and response blocking reduce stereotypy maintained by automatic reinforcement. The current study evaluated the effects of redirection and response blocking on the stereotypic responding of three elementary-age children diagnosed with autism. During the treatment evaluation, redirection and response blocking were evaluated using an alternating treatment embedded in a reversal design. Both procedures resulted in comparably low levels of motor stereotypy. Following treatment evaluation, a concurrent chain was conducted to evaluate participant preference for redirection or response blocking. All three participants preferred redirection. Practitioners may wish to consider participant preference when developing and implementing treatments for stereotypy.
Developing Cross-Racial Self-Efficacy: A Longitudinal Examination of the Role of Cross-Racial Mastery Experiences

A social-cognitive model for the development of cross-racial self-efficacy was developed and tested in a longitudinal study involving a racially and culturally diverse sample of undergraduate students (N = 879). Multiple group analyses indicated that the model fit equally well for men and women and for White students and ethnic minority students. En un estudio longitudinal que involucro a un grupo de estudiantes racial y culturalmente diverso (N = 879), se desarrollo y probo un modelo socio-cognitivo para el desarrollo de la autoeficacia interracial. Multiples analisis del grupo indicaron que el modelo se adapta igualmente bien a hombres y mujeres, asi como a estudiantes Blancos y de minorias etnicas.
Water movement across the mammalian cortical collecting duct.

One of the cardinal tasks of the kidney is to functionally separate water absorption from solute absorption, thereby maintaining constant extracellular fluid volume, intracellular fluid volume, and body fluid osmolality despite wide daily variations in water and solute intake. While most cell plasma membranes are freely permeable to water, the function of certain epithelia concerned with vectorial transport of water across the cell is critically dependent upon the ability to alter rapidly and reversibly the water permeability of one of its plasma membranes, the apical membrane, while maintaining the basolateral membrane freely permeable to water. This latter phenomenon is noted most dramatically in the regulation of water permeability of terminal nephron segments by the antidiuretic hormone (ADH). For example, in the mammalian cortical collecting duct, ADH increases the water permeability of apical plasma membranes by about an order of magnitude without altering solute permeability to any significant degree. How these apical plasma membranes effect this remarkable transformation is a major question in membrane biology and remains an area for major inquiry.
Tuberculosis Control in Ohio State Reformatory: (1) With Comparative Study of Two Year Periods. (2) With Survey of Penal Institutions in the United States and Canada. (3) With Recommendations for More Complete Control Measures.

1)An active tuberculosis control program has been followed in this institution for four years with reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis from 3.67 per cent to 2.1 per cent. 2)The tuberculosis control program in 78 penal institutions in the United States and Canada is inadequate in almost all institutions answering the questionnaire. 3)All institutions could markedly decrease the incidence of tuberculosis by actively engaging in a tuberculosis control program with the facilities available. 4)The basis of any control program is built around a place for isolation and treatment. In large populous States, this may be a penal tuberculosis hospital. In smaller States, it may be a penal section in a State or County tuberculosis hospital. In other States, it may be a tuberculosis division of a large penal hospital.
Zwitterionic fusion in hydrogels and spontaneous and time-independent self-healing under physiological conditions

The biomedical applications of current self-healing materials are largely impeded by their healing conditions, which usually require heating, UV exposure or harsh pH environments. At the same time, for very few existing spontaneously self-healing materials, healing can only be achieved immediately after rupture occurs. Here, we developed a spontaneously healing material, driven by a new mechanism, "zwitterionic fusion", which is repairable independent of time after damage under physiological conditions. We also tested the anti-fatigue property of this zwitterionic hydrogel. Furthermore, we utilized this zwitterionic fusion to link different cell-hydrogel constructs together.
Fermion mixings in SU(9) family unification

Abstract In an SU ( 9 ) model of gauged family unification, we propose an explanation for why angles observed in the lepton flavor ( P M N S ) mixing matrix are significantly larger than those measured for any analogous quark flavor (KM) mixing angle. It is directly related to a see-saw mechanism that we assume to be responsible for the generation of neutrino masses. Our model is more constrained and therefore even more predictive than a model previously proposed by Barr.
Medial wall motor areas and skeletomotor control

Abstract The results of recent studies in primates provide convincing evidence that the cortex on the medial wall of the hemisphere contains multiple areas concerned with the generation and control of body movement. Highlights of these findings include the demonstration that each of these motor areas has substantial direct projections to the spinal cord, somatotopically organized projections to the primary motor cortex, a ‘motor’ map, revealed by intracortical stimulation, and neuronal activity that precedes trained hand movements.
Effects of leptin on apoptosis and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Abstract Leptin has been demonstrated to induce adipose tissue apoptosis, which can contribute to the decrease of adiposity, after either central nervous system or peripheral administration. However, it is not known whether leptin acts only centrally to initiate a signal or can also act directly on adipocytes to induce apoptosis. The objective of this study was to determine the direct effect of leptin on adipocyte apoptosis and adipogenesis in vitro using 3T3-L1 cell lines. An ELISA for single stranded DNA, which is highly specific for apoptotic cells, was used to quantify apoptosis. Preconfluent preadipocytes treated with 10−9, 10−8, 10−7, and 10−6 M leptin showed inhibitory effects on cell viability, and similar observations were also found in maturing preadipocytes treated during day 0–2 and day 2–4 of maturation. After 48 h incubation with 10−6 M leptin, LDH release was increased by 24.3% (p
THE IMPACT OF PRICES AND CONTROL POLICIES ON CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

Smoking among youths and young adults has been rising throughout the 1990’s. Numerous policies have been enacted to try to reverse this trend. However, little is known about the impact that these policies have on the smoking behavior of young adults. This study uses a dichotomous indicator of daily smoking participation in the past thirty days, an ordered measure representing the frequency of cigarette consumption and a quasi-continuous measure of the number of cigarettes smoked per day on average to examine the impact of cigarette prices, clean indoor air laws and campus level smoking policies on the smoking behaviors of a 1997 cross section of college students. The results of the analysis indicate that higher cigarette prices are associated with lower smoking participation and lower levels of use among college student smokers. Local and state level clean indoor air restrictions have a cumulative impact on the level of smoking by current smokers. Complete smoking bans on college campuses are associated with lower levels of smoking among current smokers but have no significant impact on smoking participation. Bans on cigarette advertising on campus as well as bans on the sale of cigarettes on campus have no significant effect on the smoking behavior of college student smoking behavior.
Reputation Cycles: The Value of Accreditation for Undergraduate Journalism Programs.

Accreditation is among various outside influences when developing an ideal journalism curriculum. The value of journalism accreditation standards for undergraduate programs has been studied and is still debated. This study discovers views of opinion leaders in U.S. journalism programs, as surveyed program directors give reasons for being accredited or not. The most important reason for schools with, or obtaining, accreditation is reputation enhancement. But many directors question accreditation’s value. Some perceive the cap on journalism credits that students can take as a limitation of student development and a hindrance to responding to increasing media industry convergence.
Psychogenic urinary retention in eight-year-old boy.

Abstract A case report of a boy with psychogenic urinary retention is presented. Etiology, evaluation, and treatment are discussed. Psychogenic urinary retention, particularly in the youngster, is a perplexing problem in diagnosis and management.
How each movement changes the next: an experimental and theoretical study of fast adaptive priors in reaching

Most voluntary actions rely on neural circuits that map sensory cues onto appropriate motor responses. One might expect that for everyday movements, like reaching, this mapping would remain stable over time, at least in the absence of error feedback. Here we describe a simple and novel psychophysical phenomenon in which recent experience shapes the statistical properties of reaching, independent of any movement errors. Specifically, when recent movements are made to targets near a particular location subsequent movements to that location become less variable, but at the cost of increased bias for reaches to other targets. This process exhibits the variance-bias tradeoff that is a hallmark of Bayesian estimation. We provide evidence that this process reflects a fast, trial-by-trial learning of the prior distribution of targets. We also show that these results may reflect an emergent property of associative learning in neural circuits. We demonstrate that adding Hebbian (associative) learning to a model network for reach planning leads to a continuous modification of network connections that biases network dynamics toward activity patterns associated with recent inputs. This learning process quantitatively captures the key results of our experimental data in human subjects, including the effect that recent experience has on the variance-bias tradeoff. This network also provides a good approximation of a normative Bayesian estimator. These observations illustrate how associative learning can incorporate recent experience into ongoing computations in a statistically principled way.
MICROANALYSIS OF HUMAN NAILS BY PIXE MEASUREMENT USING HEAVY ION MICROPROBES

Human nails were analyzed by PIXE measurements using focused 3MeV Si2+ and 2MeV proton beams. It was found that the 3MeV Si2+ ions have a higher sensitivity for sodium and aluminium, on the other hand, 2MeV protons have a higher sensitivity for sulfur, potassium and calcium in nails. By using 3MeV Si2+ microprobe, it was observed that the sodium is distributed uniformly with some depletion areas and that aluminium segregates in grains. It shows an advantage of a heavy ion microprobe over a proton microprobe.
The Impact of Free Agency and the Salary Cap on Competitive Balance in the National Football League

This article examines the competitive balance of the National Football League (NFL) using Gini coefficients and the deviations of the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index. The authors present upper bounds for both measures that are constructed using actual playing schedules. They model competitive balance as a function of player talent, the incidence of strikes, the expansion of the NFL, change in the number of playoff teams, schedule length, team relocation, the number of new stadiums, and the introduction of free agency and the salary cap in the NFL using data from the 1970 to 2002 seasons. The authors find that free agency and salary cap restrictions tend to promote competitive balance, whereas a concentration of player talent reduces competitiveness among teams. Player strikes and the construction of new stadiums also affect competitive balance.
Tinder, Spark, Oxygen, and Fuel: The Mysterious Rise of the Taliban

Though the Taliban has become one of the best-known fundamentalist groups in the world, its origins remain a mystery. This article argues an explanatory narrative for the rise of the Taliban comprised of three steps in a causal sequence. The first stage consists of causal factors identified in the literature on the rise of the Taliban, including state failure, ethnicity, prevailing poor socio-economic conditions, generational memory of young disaffected males, the fundamentalist teachings of a system of madrasas, and the disappointment of rising expectations (J-curve). These factors are explored individually and then categorized in more detail. J-curve disappointment is found to be a spark that set off a second stage in the causal sequence through the violent mobilization of the Taliban ideology. In this stage, the unique religious ideology acted as the effective oxygen feeding the fire of the Taliban rise. A third stage, in which external support fueled the spread of the Taliban, explains how it was able...
Evaluation of insulin sensitivity in obese offspring of diabetic rats by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique.

ABSTRACT: Young adult macrosomic offspring of streptozotocin-induced mildly hyperglycemic rats exhibit accelerated growth through the first 10 wk of age. At 10 wk, oral glucose loading resulted in elevated plasma insulin and glucose concentrations compared to controls. To assess the mechanism of the abnormal glucose tolerance in vivo, hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies were performed. Ten-wk-old rats were fasted overnight, and porcine insulin was infused (2.4 mU.kg-1.min-1). Glucose was infused concurrently at varying rates to maintain euglycemia for 40–60 min. Insulin levels were raised from a baseline value of 163 ± 57 pmol/L (23 ± 8 μU/mL) (SD) to 476 ± 57 pmol/L (67 ± 8 μU/mL) at steady state for males and from 178 ± 43 pmol/L (25 ± 6 μU/mL) to 454 ± 43 pmol/L (64 ± 6 μU/mL) for females. The results showed that the macrosomic male and female animals were significantly less sensitive to the effects of insulin than were their respective controls; this was evident by a lower increment in glucose disposal rate per unit increase in insulin (0.04 ± 0.01 versus 0.11 ± 0.03 for males and 0.05 ± 0.03 versus 0.18 ± 0.07 mg.kg-1 per μU/mL for females). The endogenous glucose production by the liver in the basal (fasted) state in the macrosomic group compared to controls was higher, suggesting possible hepatic insulin resistance. However, endogenous glucose production was suppressed to the same degree between the experimental and control groups during the hyperinsulinemic period, suggesting that the hepatic insulin resistance can be overcome by high insulin levels. Thus, the reduced sensitivity to the effect of insulin on glucose disposal in the macrosomic animals provides additional in vivo evidence for peripheral insulin resistance as a contributing factor for the development of glucose intolerance in obese offspring of mildly hyperglycemic dams.
Effects of electroconvulsive shock on open-field behavior and spontaneous alternation in rats.

One hundred and twelve male Long–Evans hooded rats were used in a series of three experiments which evaluated the effects of a single electroconvulsive shock alone on open-field behavior and spontaneous alternation. Contrary to several reports suggesting that a single electroconvulsive shock is aversive, decreased open-field activity and other behavioral changes were not observed under either high or low levels of testing illumination. However, spontaneous alternation in the T maze was reduced to random levels for 4 days after electroconvulsive shock. An attempt was made to dissociate the disruptive effect of electroconvulsive shock on spontaneous alternation into stimulus and response components by using a plus-type maze and a single alternation test. It was found that both electroconvulsive shock-treated rats and controls alternated at random levels in all conditions. The results were evaluated in the context of previous electroconvulsive shock studies and compared to the effects of hippocampal lesions.
Vibrational modes and infrared absorption of interstitial oxygen in silicon

A quasi-linear Si2O molecule model (QLMM) is suggested from an analysis of the configuration and the interactions of an isolated oxygen atom with its neighbor silicon atoms. The vibrational modes are assigned and the infrared absorption spectra are calculated in detail with the model. The theoretical results are in reasonably good agreement with reported experimental values. This agreement shows that for the analysis of the vibrational modes of the interstitial oxygen atom in silicon crystals it is not necessary to consider the coupling of the “molecule” with the rest of the lattice. The interaction of the oxygen atom with its six second-nearest silicon atoms only causes the level separation of theν2 mode and the formation of the fine structure.
Balance Declines may Predict Relapse Onset in Multiple Sclerosis—A Case Study

The goal of the present case study was to track balance performance during a videogame-based training intervention, and prior to a clinically-significant relapse of Multiple Sclerosis. A 28 year old male volunteer with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis since childhood was recruited. Balance was tracked using custom software and a Nintendo Wii Balance Board at weekly intervals during a videogame-based balance intervention. The intervention was planned for three, 30 min sessions a week, over 6 weeks. However, at week five, the participant had a relapse of his MS and had to be withdrawn from the study till remittance. Based on body sway measured as center of pressure from the balance tracking system, balance showed improvement during the first 2 weeks of intervention, with a 12 % reduction in body sway. In contrast, balance performance decreased in the following 2 weeks (i.e. weeks three and four), despite continued training. This balance decline anticipated a clinically-relevant relapse event, which occurred at week five of the intervention. This balance decline remained at follow-up (i.e. upon remittance). Balance tracking at regular time intervals may serve as a useful bio-indicator of intervention efficacy and as a predictor of relapse onset. The latter finding has clear implications for the mitigation of relapse events in Multiple Sclerosis.
Potential sensitivity in projectile excitation for 7 Li+ 40 Ca

Detailed angular distributions have been measured for /sup 7/Li elastic and inelastic scattering to the first 1/2/sup -/ state in /sup 7/Li (projectile excitation) and the first 2/sup +/, 3/sup -/, and 5/sup -/ states in /sup 40/Ca at E( /sup 7/Li) = 34 MeV. Distorted-wave Born approximation and coupled-channels calculations of the inelastic processes were carried out with both Woods-Saxon and microscopic double-folded real optical potentials. No renormalization of the real double-folded potential is needed to fit the elastic data when the contribution from the ground state quadrupole moment of /sup 7/Li is accounted for in coupled-channels calculations, otherwise a renormalization of 0.6 is required. Moreover, these coupled-channels calculations matched the phase of the oscillations in the projectile excitation data, while calculations employing a Woods-Saxon real potential did not. The calculations for the excitation of states in /sup 40/Ca were insensitive to the form of real potential chosen.
Instantaneous and continuous measurement of 14C-labeled substrate oxidation to 14CO2 by human surgical biopsy specimens: An ionization chamber method☆

Abstract The vibrating reed electrometer and ionization chamber have been adapted for studies of 14 C-labeled substrate oxidation to 14 CO 2 by isolated tissues. This apparatus has been used to measure instantaneously and continuously substrate metabolism by human surgical biopsy specimens. Substrate oxidation by human kidney cortex, parathyroid, thyroid and gastric fundus mucosa was studied using this technique. The vibrating reed electrometer and ionization chamber are useful tools for radiorespirometric studies of surgical biopsy specimens.
Health monitoring of a concrete structure using piezoceramic materials

Health monitoring for reinforced concrete bridges and other large-scale civil infrastructure has received considerable attention in recent years. Traditional inspection methods (x-ray, C-scan etc.) are expensive and sometimes ineffective for large-scale structures. Piezoceramic transducers have emerged as new tools to health monitoring of large size structures due to the advantages of active sensing, low cost, quick response, availability in different shapes, and simplicity for implementation. In this research, piezoceramic transducers in the form of patches are used to detect internal cracks of a 6.1-meter long reinforced concrete bridge bent-cap. Piezoceramic patches are embedded in the concrete structure at pre-determined spatial locations prior to casting. This research can be considered as a continuation of an early work, where four piezoceramic patches were embedded in planar locations near one end of the bent-cap. This research involves ten piezoceramic patches embedded at spatial locations in four different cross-sections. To induce cracks in the bent-cap, the structure is subjected to loads from four hydraulic actuators with capacities of 80-ton and 100-ton. In addition to the piezoceramic sensors, strain gages, LVDTs, and microscopes are used in the experiment. During the experiment, one embedded piezoceramic patch is used as an actuator to generate sweep sinusoidal waves, and the other piezoceramic patches are used as sensors to detect the propagating waves. With the increase of number of and severity of cracks, the magnitude of the sensor output decreases. Wavelet packet analysis is used to analyze the recorded sensor signals. A damage index is formed on the basis of the wavelet packet analysis. The experimental results show that the proposed methods using piezoceramic transducers along with the damage index based on wavelet packet analysis is effective in identifying the existence and severity of cracks inside the concrete structure. The experimental results also show that the proposed method has the ability to predict the failure of concrete as verified by results from conventional microscopes (MS) and LVDTs.
A theory of structural determination

While structural equations modeling is increasingly used in philosophical theorizing about causation, it remains unclear what it takes for a particular structural equations model to be correct. To the extent that this issue has been addressed, the consensus appears to be that it takes a certain family of causal counterfactuals being true. I argue that this account faces difficulties in securing the independent manipulability of the structural determination relations represented in a correct structural equations model. I then offer an alternate understanding of structural determination, and I demonstrate that this theory guarantees that structural determination relations are independently manipulable. The account provides a straightforward way of understanding hypothetical interventions, as well as a criterion for distinguishing hypothetical changes in the values of variables which constitute interventions from those which do not. It additionally affords a semantics for causal counterfactual conditionals which is able to yield a clean solution to a problem case for the standard ‘closest possible world’ semantics.
Inclusion paradigms in conflict

(1996). Inclusion paradigms in conflict. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 35, Inclusive Schools: The Continuing Debate, pp. 4-11.
Cost sharing mechanisms for near-optimal traffic aggregation and network design

A fundamental network design problem is the one of Traffic Aggregation or Network Design. The goal is to design a network which is able to support a unit flow for each commodity, at a time, between its source-sink pair, e.g., to support buffered multicast traffic. When the flows are unsplittable, this corresponds to the Steiner forest problem and to the problem of sharing cost of multicast by different users.As a result of greedy selfish behavior of users in the network design game, the overall quality of the resulting solution is often not as good as the globally optimum solution of the underlying problem. We are therefore interested in the problem of designing distributed cost sharing mechanisms that induce the selfish agents to converge to the near-optimum solutions.In this paper, our main contribution is showing that (1+e) ratio can be achieved by (non-obvious) unfair cost sharing mechanism, at least for the fractional version of the problem. Our second contribution is showing how to implement our cost sharing mechanism which guarantees fast convergence to a near-optimum equilibrium.
Distributed attitude alignment in spacecraft formation flying

In this paper, we consider a distributed attitude alignment problem for a team of deep space formation flying spacecraft through local information exchange. We propose control laws for three different cases. In the first case, multiple spacecraft converge to their (possibly time-varying) desired attitudes while maintaining the same attitude or given relative attitudes during formation maneuvers under an undirected communication graph. In the second case, multiple spacecraft converge to the same rotation rate while aligning their attitudes during formation maneuvers under an undirected communication graph. In the third case, attitude alignment under a directed information exchange graph is addressed. Simulation results for attitude alignment among six spacecraft demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electronic speckle pattern interferometric vibration fringes

In this paper a comparison of different techniques to obtain vibration patterns by phase stepping on an electronic speckle pattern interferometer (ESPI) is made. The theoretical evaluation of the contrast of the fringes shows that the (pi) phase step method gives good contrast; however, the four step method gives the same contrast along with better pictorial representation. Speckle averaging on the other hand also increases the contrast of the fringes apart from smoothing of speckles. Experimental results corroborating the theoretical predictions are also presented.
A Worldwide Physics-Based, High Spectral Resolution Atmospheric Characterization and Propagation Package for UV to RF Wavelengths

The Air Force Institute of Technology’s Center for Directed Energy (AFIT/CDE) developed the High Energy Laser Endto-End Operational Simulation (HELEEOS) model in part to quantify the performance variance in laser propagation created by the natural environment during dynamic engagements. As such, HELEEOS includes a fast-calculating, first principles, worldwide surface-to-100 km, atmospheric propagation and characterization package. This package enables the creation of profiles of temperature, pressure, water vapor content, optical turbulence, atmospheric particulates and hydrometeors as they relate to line-by-line layer transmission, path and background radiance at wavelengths from the ultraviolet to radio frequencies. Physics-based cloud and precipitation characterizations are coupled with a probability of cloud free line-of-sight algorithm for all possible look angles. HELEEOS was developed under the sponsorship of the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office. In the current paper an example of a unique high fidelity simulation of a bi-static, time-varying five band multispectral remote observation of laser energy delivered on a test object is presented. The multispectral example emphasizes atmospheric effects using HELEEOS, the interaction of the laser on target and the observed reflectance and subsequent hot spot generated. A model of a sensor suite located on the surface is included to collect the diffuse reflected in-band laser radiation and the emitted radiance of the hot spot in four separate and spatially offset MWIR and LWIR bands. Particular care is taken in modeling the bidirectional reflectivity distribution function (BRDF) of the laser/target interaction to account for both the coupling of energy into the target body and the changes in reflectance as a function of temperature. The architecture supports any platform-target-observer geometry, geographic location, season, and time of day; and it provides for correct contributions of the sky-earth background. The simulation accurately models the thermal response, kinetics, turbulence, base disturbance, diffraction, and signal-to-noise ratios.
From Talent Identification to Multidimensional Assessment: Toward new models of evaluation in dance education

This paper describes new approaches to assessment in dance and dance education. The first part examines assumptions behind traditional models of evaluation in academic and performing arts contexts. I consider whether it is useful to understand human ability as unitary or if it is meaningful to evaluate people according to a single dimension of competence, such as a general intelligence or a unique talent. I argue that pluralistic models of human intelligent performance--and 'intelligence-fair' assessments--more accurately portray the richness, multidimensionality, and diversity in human behaviour. The second part uses this theoretical meta-structure to define key requirements for multidimensional assessment. Recent approaches to assessment in dance are considered in light of these requirements: the United Kingdom's National Curriculum (1988), United States' National Assessment of Educational Progress (1998), and Warburton's (2000a) Multidimensional Assessment in Dance. Implications for dance and dance edu...