cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Modified Second-Order Collatz Equation as a Mathematical Model of Bipolar Disorder

We propose, for the sake of dialogue, that the following system of difference equations serve as a phenomenological model of bipolar disorder, a psychiatric illness characterized by cycles or recurrent episodes of severe disturbances in mood (i.e., in being happy or sad, emotions at opposite poles of the spectrum): $$ \left\{ \begin{array}{l} x_{n+1}=(ax_{n}+b) \bmod m, \\ \\ z_{n+1}=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \displaystyle {\frac{-z_{n}-z_{n-1}}{2}}, &{} \text {if } z_{n}+z_{n-1} \text { is even}, \\ \displaystyle {-z_{n}-z_{n-1}}, &{} \text {if } z_{n}+z_{n-1} \text { is odd} \end{array}\right. +s\updelta (x_{n}), \end{array}\right. $$ where \(a, b, m\in \mathbf {N}\), \(x_{0}\in \mathbf {N}\cup \{0\}\), \(s\in \mathbf {Z}-\{0\}\), \(z_{-1}, z_{0}\in \mathbf {Z}\), and $$ \updelta (x)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} 0, &{} \text {if } x\ne d\in \{0, 1, \ldots , m-1\}, \\ &{} \\ 1, &{} \text{ if } x=d. \end{array}\right. $$ The first equation in the system is a linear congruential sequence, used to generate a pseudo-random sequence of numbers; and the second equation is a modified (with the addition of \(s\updelta (x_{n})\)) version of one of the sixteen Collatz difference equations investigated by Amleh and colleagues in 1998. Let c be an odd scalar. While every solution of the (unmodified) Collatz equation is eventually periodic in the three-cycle \((c, 0, -c)\) or \((-c, 0, c)\), we observe (and conjecture) that every solution \(\{z_{n}\}_{n=0}^{\infty }\) of the system above is also eventually periodic, but not in the three-cycle \((c, 0, -c)\) or \((-c, 0, c)\) and instead contains infinitely many recurrences of the interrupted three-cycle \((c, 0, -c)\) or \((-c, 0, c)\). Thus, a solution \(\{z_{n}\}_{n=0}^{\infty }\) of the system is intended to represent the recurrent episodes of mood disturbance seen in an individual with bipolar disorder.
Biomechanical Evaluation of a Dynamic Stabilization System for the Prevention of Proximal Junctional Failure in Adult Deformity Surgery.

Study design Biomechanical spine model. Comparison of stress in the implant and the adjacent cranial segment was done with conventional rigid versus dynamic stabilization system (DS) fixation. Objective The aim of this study was to study stress at the proximal end of spinal fixation with a novel DS. Summary of background data High stress at the implant bone junction may cause proximal junctional failure (PJF) in adult deformity surgery. Methods Five life-size spine models were instrumented with pedicle screws and a 5.5-mm Titanium rod from T8-S1. The same models were subsequently instrumented with a similar rod and DS between T8-9 pedicle screws. The spine model was loaded with 25 Nm static load cranial to the proximal fixation in six directions. Strains were measured from the proximal screws. Disc pressure was measured from the proximal instrumented segment (T8-9) and cranial adjacent segment (T7-8). Results Rigid fixation produced highest strain at T8, followed by T10 then T9. In contrast, DS fixation produced highest strain at T10, followed by T9 then T8. Strain at T8 was significantly less with DS fixation than rigid fixation (P = 0.019). The T10 screw strain was not significantly higher with DS stabilization compared to rigid fixation (P = 0.091). Rigid fixation allowed no load-sharing or pressure rise at T8-9 but an abrupt rise at T7-8. DS system permitted load-sharing and pressure rise in T8-9; the difference compared to rigid fixation was significant in flexion loading (P = 0.04) and similar trend but not significant in extension (P = 0.09). DS system produced a rise in the adjacent segment disc pressure (T7-8), which was smaller than rigid fixation but not significant. Conclusion Long spinal fixation using rigid rods produces maximum stress at the proximal end screw and increases adjacent disc pressure, possibly leading to PJF. Dynamic stabilization at the cranial end segment may prevent PJF by reducing these factors.Level of Evidence: N/A.
Designing an Online Infrastructure for Collecting AI Data From People With Disabilities

AI technology offers opportunities to expand virtual and physical access for people with disabilities. However, an important part of bringing these opportunities to fruition is ensuring that upcoming AI technology works well for people with a wide range of abilities. In this paper, we identify the lack of data from disabled populations as one of the challenges to training and benchmarking fair and inclusive AI systems. As a potential solution, we envision an online infrastructure that can enable large-scale, remote data contributions from disability communities. We investigate the motivations, concerns, and challenges that people with disabilities might experience when asked to collect and upload various forms of AI-relevant data through a semi-structured interview and an online survey that simulated a data contribution process by collecting example data files through an online portal. Based on our findings, we outline design guidelines for developers creating online infrastructures for gathering data from people with disabilities.
Dynamic Programs with Shared Resources and Signals: Dynamic Fluid Policies and Asymptotic Optimality

We consider a sequential decision problem involving shared resources and signals in which a decision maker repeatedly observes some exogenous information (the signal), modeled as a finite-state Markov process, then allocates a limited amount of a shared resource across a set of projects. The framework includes a number of applications and generalizes Markovian multi-armed bandit problems by (a) incorporating exogenous information through the signal and (b) allowing for more general resource allocation decisions. Such problems are naturally formulated as stochastic dynamic programs (DPs) but solving the DP is impractical unless the number of projects is small. In this paper, we develop a Lagrangian relaxation and a DP formulation of the corresponding fluid relaxation --- a dynamic fluid relaxation --- that provide upper bounds on the optimal value function as well as a feasible policy. We develop an iterative primal-dual algorithm for solving the dynamic fluid relaxation and analyze the performance of the feasible dynamic fluid policy. Our performance analysis implies, under mild conditions, that the dynamic fluid relaxation bound and feasible policy are asymptotically optimal as the number of projects grows large. Our Lagrangian relaxation uses Lagrange multipliers that depend on the history of past signals in each period: we show that the bounds and analogous policies using restricted forms of Lagrange multipliers (e.g., only depending on the current signal state in each period) in general lead to a performance gap that is linear in the number of projects and thus are not asymptotically optimal in the regime of many projects. We demonstrate the model and results in two applications: (i) a dynamic capital budgeting problem and (ii) a multi-location inventory management problem with limited production capacity and demands that are correlated across locations by a changing market state.
Improving SD-WAN Resilience: From Vertical Handoff to WAN-Aware MPTCP

Demands for wide-area connectivity between enterprise site-edge networks and central office core networks/cloud data centers have grown rapidly. Various software defined wide area network (SD-WAN) solutions have been developed with the primary aim of improving WAN link utilization. However, mechanisms used by existing SD-WAN solutions fail to provide high reliability and performance required by today’s edge to cloud applications. In this article, we present WAN-aware MPTCP which seamlessly aggregates multiple WAN links into a “big pipe” for better WAN resilience thus minimizing application performance degradation under WAN link failures. We leverage the congestion control of MPTCP to balance traffic across multiple WAN links. The key innovation is to combine LAN virtualization at end systems with WAN virtualization at SD-WAN gateways. Through evaluation in both emulated testbeds and real-world deployment, we demonstrate the performance gain of WAN-aware MPTCP in terms of resilience and throughput over existing SD-WAN solutions.
Mechanical behavior of metal anodes for next-generation rechargeable batteries

Li, Na, K, and Mg metal anodes have the highest capacities of anodes of their respective rechargeable metal-ion battery systems but suffer from several issues that have precluded their practical deployment. While the electrochemistry of these systems has received extensive study, at the heart of many issues lies a mechanics of materials problem: damage or unstable deformation occurs during cycling. A deeper understanding of mechanics in these systems is thus required to mitigate these issues. To this end, through nanoindentation, microhardness, and bulk testing, this talk will present experimental studies of the mechanical properties of metallic Li, Na, K, and Mg anodes. These properties will be connected to implications in battery performance, as to provide insight into guiding the design of battery materials, architectures, and electrochemical conditions that mitigate unstable growth of metal anodes during electrochemical cycling.
A Framework for Promoting Access, Increasing Participation, and Providing Support in Early Childhood Classrooms

The purpose of this paper is to provide an inclusive framework for supporting all children in early childhood education classrooms while also considering early learning standards, curricula, and everyday activities and routines. We describe universal design for learning, multi-tiered systems of support, embedded learning opportunities, and how these practices can be intertwined to support the early development and learning of all young children. Within universal design for learning we describe the multi-sensory ways early childhood educators can represent information, engage young learners, and facilitate expression. Multi-tiered systems of support promote intentional and individualized instructional decision-making guided by data to support children in attaining target learning objectives. We describe embedded learning opportunities which are intentional and naturalistic opportunities to work on specific skills throughout daily activities and routines. Sample informal assessments and additional resources to learn more about each of these practices are included.
Emission impacts of China's solid waste import ban and COVID-19 in the copper supply chain.

Climate change will increase the frequency and severity of supply chain disruptions and large-scale economic crises, also prompting environmentally protective local policies. Here we use econometric time series analysis, inventory-driven price formation, dynamic material flow analysis, and life cycle assessment to model each copper supply chain actor's response to China's solid waste import ban and the COVID-19 pandemic. We demonstrate that the economic changes associated with China's solid waste import ban increase primary refining within China, offsetting the environmental benefits of decreased copper scrap refining and generating a cumulative increase in CO2-equivalent emissions of up to 13 Mt by 2040. Increasing China's refined copper imports reverses this trend, decreasing CO2e emissions in China (up to 180 Mt by 2040) and globally (up to 20 Mt). We test sensitivity to supply chain disruptions using GDP, mining, and refining shocks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, showing the results translate onto disruption effects.
A comprehensive analysis of factors that influence interstate highway crash severity in Alabama

This paper identifies factors that influence the severity of interstate crash outcomes and how they vary depending on the location and manner of collision. Four separate injury severity models were...
Nephrectomy Is Not Associated with Increased Risk of Mortality or Acute Kidney Injury after High-Grade Renal Trauma: A Propensity Score Analysis of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP).

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Patients with high-grade renal trauma (HGRT) who undergo nephrectomy may be at higher risk for mortality compared to those who receive conservative management. However, n...
Discrimination, harassment, and the glass ceiling: Women executives as change agents

In this article, we discuss the relationships between discrimination, harassment, and the glass ceiling, arguing that many of the factors that preclude women from occupying executive and managerial positions also foster sexual harassment. We suggest that measures designed to increase numbers of women in higher level positions will reduce sexual harassment. We first define and discuss discrimination, harassment, and the glass ceiling, relationships between each, and relevant legislation. We next discuss the relationships between gender and sexual harassment, emphasizing the influence of gender inequality on sexual harassment. We then present recommendations for organizations seeking to reduce sexual harassment, emphasizing the role that women executives may play in such efforts and, importantly, the recursive effects of such efforts on increasing the numbers of women in higher level positions in organizations.
Voice identification Using a Composite Haar Wavelets and Proper Orthogonal Decomposition

In present day business and consumer environment, a robust voice identification system is needed to reduce false positives, and true negatives. In this work, a modified voice identification system is described using over sampled Haar wavelets followed by proper orthogonal decomposition. The audio signal is decomposed using over sampled Haar wavelets. This converts the audio signal into various non-correlating frequency bands. This allows us to calculate the linear predictive cepstral coefficient to capture the characteristics of individual speakers. Adaptive threshold was applied to reduce noise interference. This is followed by multi-layered vector quantization technique to eliminate the interference between multi-band coefficients. Finally, proper orthogonal decomposition is used to evaluate unique characteristics for capturing more details of phoneme characters. The proposed algorithm was used on KING and MAT-400 databases. These databases were chosen as previous extraction results were available for them. In the present study, the KING database were trained with three sentences, and tested with two. On the other hand, the MAT-400 database were trained with two seconds of random voice signal, and tested with other two seconds. Results were compared with vector quantization and Gaussian mixture models. The present model gave consistently better performance on speech collected through mouthpieces, but gave comparatively poor performance on audio collected on telephones. The better performance is obtained at the cost of higher computational time.
Regulatory mechanisms in cytotoxic T lymphocyte development: III. Induction, specificity, and genetic restriction of an in vitro suppressor T cell

We addressed questions pertaining to the immunogenetics of an in vitro alloinduced suppressor T cell (Ts) previously shown to inhibit cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) development by suppressing CTL precursor proliferation. Using intra-MHC recombinant strains of B10 congenic mice, the requirements for H-2 differences to induce Ts activity, the antigen specificity of the Ts, and the genetic restriction of Ts function were studied. It was found that differences at the K, D, or I regions alone can induce strong suppressor activity. Suppression of CTL development does not appear to be genetically restricted since the Ts inhibit CTL from responder cells disparate at K, K and D, I, or K and I. The alloinduced Ts is specific for the antigen stimulating its induction, but also inhibits CTL responses against immunologically unrelated determinants, even between class I and class II antigens, provided those determinants are carried on cells expressing the original inducing antigen. Ts can be triggered by antigens present on the responder cells but absent on the stimulator cells, indicating that the suppressive signal may be exerted directly on the responder population without specific interaction with stimulator cells.
Transfer RNA-primed oligoadenylate synthesis in maize seedlings: I. Requirements of the reaction and nature of the product with crude enzyme

Abstract 1. 1. An enzyme, isolated from corn seedlings, catalyzes the addition of AMP residues to tRNA's upon incubation with ATP, Mn2+, dithiotreitol and tRNA. 2. 2. The AMP residues are in 3′,5′-phosphodiester linkage and the oligonucleotide is covalently linked to the 3′-terminus of the primer tRNA. 3. 3. The enzyme is similar to poly A polymerases isolated from rat liver and Escherichia coli; however, the corn enzyme exhibits specificity for tRNA's.
Fluorescence Enhancement of Rhodamine 6G Molecules in TiO2 Semiconductor Colloid

Since the discovery of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering(1) much effort has been devoted to understanding the nature of the interaction of molecules with rough surfaces. Several theoretical models have been suggested to explain it(2). The authors turn special attention to the surface plasmon model(3). According to this model, the enhancement is due to the amplification of the incident and radiated optical fields by plasma resonances of the metal.
Reconstructing the Big Easy: racial heritage tourism in New Orleans

This paper identifies the dominant narratives, themes, and marketing strategies that local tourism organizations and groups have used to promote racial heritage tourism in New Orleans. Drawing on ethnographic methods and qualitative data,I argue racial heritage tourism is a form of cultural production in which people construct and draw on past memories and current perceptions of racial discrimination and segregation to contest marginalization and fashion a racial identity. African Americans use racial heritage tourism as a set of discourses and practices to position themselves as stewards of New Orleans culture and therefore central to the process of ‘reconstructing the Big Easy’ as a distinctive place of African American identity and racial consciousness. The analysis focuses on the linkages between identity construction processes and the growth of heritage tourism and examines the ways in which tourism discourses can mobilize people to create new collective identities. Examining racial heritage tourism ...
Diabetes in Urban African Americans: Functional Health Literacy of Municipal Hospital Outpatients With Diabetes

Functional health literacy was assessed in 63 patients from the diabetes outpatient clinic, 20 from the general medicine clinic, and a total of 48 from two satellite medical clinics. All patients received a demographic questionnaire, visual screening, and the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults, an instrument with good validity and internal consistency used to measure the ability to read and understand medical instructions. Functional health literacy was adequate in only 47% of new patients at the diabetes clinic and only 25% of established patients at all sites. There were no significant differences in functional health literacy among established patients across all sites. Overall, patients' mean functional health literacy level was inadequate to marginal. Of the patients with inadequate functional health literacy, 43%, denied difficulty in reading. Patient education strategies and materials are needed to address this important barrier to healthcare delivery.
Haya metaphors for speech

Metaphorical statements about speech are shown to embody implicitly certain indigenously named semantic dimensions. Hayas use these dimensions to conceive of and evaluate their own speech behavior. The dimensions are specified first through indigenous literal statements about speech, then through one-word metaphors applied to speech, and finally through ten proverbs about speech interactions that link metaphorically a named category of speech act with the alimentary act of expelling a flatus. (Metaphor, humor, componential analysis, folklore, proverbs, speech acts, ethnography of communication.)
Abundance, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rates of ciliates in the Nordic Seas during summer

In open water and light drift ice regions of the Iceland, Greenland and Barents Seas during July–August 1988, chlorophyll-containing ciliates (plastidic oligotrichs and Mesodinium rubrum) accounted for 58–65% and 14–28% of ciliate numerical abundance in surface waters and at 50 m, respectively, Assimilation numbers (1.0–3.1 μg C μg Chl−1 h−1) and chlorophyll-based alpha values [0.02–0.07 μg C μg Chl−1 h−1 (μE m−2 s−1)−1] for the most common plastidic oligotrich, Strombidium sp. A, were similar to previously reported values for polar phytoplankton. Light-saturated photosynthetic rates for Strombidium sp. A of about 2.5% body carbon h−1 are sufficient to enhance ciliate growth rate and/or survival. On average, the contribution of ciliate chlorophyll to total chlorophyll appeared modest, i.e. < 15% of total chlorophyll. However, at stations where community chlorophyll was low (≤ 0.2 μg/l), Strombidium sp. A alone accounted for up to 24% of total chlorophyll. Marine oligotrichous ciliates generally do not withstand even gravity filtration. Hence, in oligotrophic waters when plastidic oligotrichs are abundant, standard size fractionation methods using polycarbonate filters may underestimate chlorophyll and primary productivity in large size categories.
Distributions of two gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor types in a cichlid fish suggest functional specialization.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone 1 (GnRH1) from the brain controls reproduction in vertebrates via a GnRH-specific receptor in the pituitary; however, other forms of GnRH are found in all species, suggesting additional roles for this family of peptides. GnRH action depends critically on the location of its cognate receptors in the brain. To understand the potential roles of additional GnRH forms, we localized two known GnRH receptor types in a cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, in which GnRH1 is socially regulated. Using in situ hybridization, we describe the mRNA expression pattern of these GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) subtypes in the brain, specifically with respect to GnRH-producing neurons. Our data suggest that following a gene duplication, the two GnRH receptors have evolved to serve different functions. The type 1 receptor (GnRH-R1) is expressed less widely than the type 2 receptor (GnRH-R2). Specifically, GnRH-R1 is expressed in groups of neurons in the telencephalon, preoptic area, ventral hypothalamus, thalamus, and pituitary. In contrast, GnRH-R2 is expressed in many more brain areas, including the olfactory bulb, telencephalon, preoptic area, hypothalamus, thalamus, midbrain, optic tectum, cerebellum, hindbrain, and pituitary. The specific distribution of GnRH-R2 suggests that the GnRH ligands may act via this receptor to influence behavior in A. burtoni. Moreover, only GnRH-R2 mRNA is colocalized in the three known groups of GnRH-containing neurons, suggesting that any direct feedback regulation of GnRH by itself must act through this receptor type. Taken together, these data suggest that the two GnRH receptor types serve different functional roles in A. burtoni .J . Comp. Neurol. 495:314 –323, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Indexing terms: GnRH receptor; GnRH autocrine regulation; teleost; A. burtoni
Accuracy and cost effectiveness of GPS-assisted wild oat mapping in spring cereal crops

Abstract Managing weed infestations in a spatially precise manner requires accurate and cost-effective weed identification techniques. The goal of our research was to quantify the accuracy of continuous weed presence–absence maps and assess how management based on those maps may affect producer net returns. Each continuous sampled map covered the entire field and contained vector polygons labeled as either wild oat presence or wild oat absence. The accuracy of the continuous wild oat maps at each sampling time was determined from georeferenced quadrats of wild oat densities. The accuracy of the continuous wild oat seedling maps ranged from 48.3 to 87.1% among the six site-years. The accuracy of the wild oat seedling maps improved by at least 8% when a 10-m buffer was included around areas mapped as wild oat presence. The accuracy of continuous wild oat panicle maps from the combine at harvest ranged from 65.8 to 90.9% among the six site-years. The variation in accuracy for the wild oat seedling maps among...
A new statistic in the one-way multivariate analysis of variance

In the multivariate one-way analysis of variance a test statistic based solely on the rank orders of the data is proposed. In the two group case the statistic simplifies to a test of Puri and Sen [19]. Monte Carlo simulation techniques are used to evaluate the performance of the test statistic under various distributions. These evaluation include the simulated significance levels and power functions. By the nature of the proposed test it is evident that the new procedure is easier to implement than other existing rank based tests.
Simple Relay Enabled MAC (SRMAC) Protocol for Cooperative Communication

In this paper we propose a simple relay enabled medium access (SRMAC) protocol that enables cooperative relay transmissions. Due to the wireless signal power attenuation with distance, using a relay in a wireless network can make wireless networking more bandwidth efficient at the expense of requiring multiple transmissions for a single packet. Standard MAC protocols such as the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol, while useable with relaying, however are not designed explicitly for relay communication. When IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol is used for cooperative communication such a relaying, each packet transmission would need to separately contend for the channel via a channel access procedure which can use significant resources (both energy and bandwidth). Because using a single relay requires two transmissions, an efficient medium access control (MAC) protocol that supports two hop transmission is needed. We introduce a protocol, SRMAC, which is a simple cooperative MAC protocol that utilizes information from the physical layer for the MAC operation of relay networks. We consider the bandwidth efficiency of SRMAC protocol considering both the physical layer and MAC layer. The SRMAC protocol includes the possibility of both cooperative transmission and direct transmission. With SRMAC, cooperative transmission (relaying) can be dynamically chosen when it is more beneficial than direct transmission. The SRMAC protocol can improve the throughput by up to 20% compared to conventional MAC protocols.
The effect of antidepressant drugs on regional cerebral glucose utilization in the rat.

Abstract The 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) technique is a potentially powerful method for assessing the effect of centrally acting drugs on local neuronal function in the brain. Since little is established on the effect of antidepressant drugs on local functional activity throughout the brain, we have employed this technique to study the effects of desmethylimipramine (DMI), a tricyclic antidepressant, and phenelzine, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor used clinically as an antidepressant, on local glucose utilization. The drugs were administered either as an acute dose, or repeatedely for 7 days, or chronically for 28 days. The local metabolic rate of glucose was determined in 30 regions of rat brain. Acute DMI increased glucose utilization in 11 regions whereas, in contrast,chronic DMI decreased glucose utilization in 7 regions of rat brain. Many of the areas affected are those of the telencephalon and diencephalon that receive prominent noradrenergic innervation. This is consistent with the notion that acute DMI treatment leads to enhanced and chronic DMI treatment leads to reduced noradrenergic functioning in the CNS. In contrast to these effects with DMI, phenelzine had little effect on glucose utilization either after acute of chronic dosing.
Computation of stress intensity factors for plate bending via a path-independent integral

Abstract A simple and accurate method to determine stress intensity factors in cracked plates subjected to bending loads is proposed. A new vector J denned in terms of the sum of line and domain integrals is derived and expressed in terms of plate resultant quantities through the use of Reissner's transverse shear theory. Mindlin's plate theory is also treated within this framework. Of particular interest is the accomodation of the effect of a distributed pressure load. Relationships between J and the stress intensity factors are presented and employed for solving several example problems with the aid of finite element analysis. Detailed modeling of the crack tip region is completely avoided with this formulation. The stress intensity factor is computed for the case of a square plate containing a through crack and subjected to uniform transverse pressure loading. The geometric boundary conditions and Poisson's ratio were treated as parameters in this analysis.
RACK1 Binds to a Signal Transfer Region of Gβγ and Inhibits Phospholipase C β2 Activation

Abstract Receptor for Activated C Kinase 1 (RACK1), a novel Gβγ-interacting protein, selectively inhibits the activation of a subclass of Gβγ effectors such as phospholipase C β2 (PLCβ2) and adenylyl cyclase II by direct binding to Gβγ (Chen, S., Dell, E. J., Lin, F., Sai, J., and Hamm, H. E. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 17861-17868). Here we have mapped the RACK1 binding sites on Gβγ. We found that RACK1 interacts with several different Gβγ isoforms, including Gβ1γ1, Gβ1γ2, and Gβ5γ2, with similar affinities, suggesting that the conserved residues between Gβ1 and Gβ5 may be involved in their binding to RACK1. We have confirmed this hypothesis and shown that several synthetic peptides corresponding to the conserved residues can inhibit the RACK1/Gβγ interaction as monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy. Interestingly, these peptides are located at one side of Gβ1 and have little overlap with the Gα subunit binding interface. Additional experiments indicate that the Gβγ contact residues for RACK1, in particular the positively charged amino acids within residues 44-54 of Gβ1, are also involved in the interaction with PLCβ2 and play a critical role in Gβγ-mediated PLCβ2 activation. These data thus demonstrate that RACK1 can regulate the activity of a Gβγ effector by competing for its binding to the signal transfer region of Gβγ.
Hormonal regulation of adult type keratin gene expression in larval epidermal cells of the frog Xenopus laevis

Abstract Triiodothyronin (T3) is known to induce amphibian metamorphosis but other hormones such as glucocorticoids accelerate T3 action. The increase in plasma concentration of both T3 and glucocorticoids during metamorphic climax is correlated with the transformation of the epidermis from larval type (uncornified) to adult type (cornified). Previously we have shown that T3 induced adult-type 63 Kd keratin gene expression and cornification of the larval epidermis. In this study, we have examined the effects of T3 and hydrocortisone (HC) on the conversion of larval to adult epidermal cells in vitro. When larval epidermal cells were treated with both T3 and HC, they had a synergistic effect on adult-type keratin synthesis (both 63 Kd and 49 Kd keratins) and epidermal cornification. The synergistic effect between T3 and HC required a pretreatment with T3 for 3 days. During this time, addition of HC to cultures containing T3 did not change the amount of 63 Kd keratin mRNA. Thus, HC did not reduce the lag time for epidermal cells to respond to T3. After 4 days of hormone treatment, T3 increased the amount of 63 Kd keratin mRNA 9-fold while T3 and HC induced it 18-fold. When cultures were pretreated with T3 for 3 days, a 1 day treatment with HC was sufficient to obtain the synergistic effect. Thus the induction of 63 Kd keratin gene expression by T3 required a much longer lag (3 days) than the lag required for the synergistic action of T3 and HC (
Discourse treatment for word retrieval impairment in aphasia: The story so far

Background: Impairment-focused aphasia treatment has an ultimate goal of improving language production in connected speech and communication in daily life. Although impairment-based treatment has typically been carried out in words or sentences, investigations have begun to explore the efficacy of treatment during discourse production. Focusing treatment on an impaired linguistic process during discourse production is a complex and challenging endeavour. Aims: This paper aims to review investigations of discourse treatment for word retrieval impairment in aphasia in order to identify and discuss variables that emerge as being important considerations in clinical practice and continued research. Main Contribution: Seven investigations that applied treatments during structured discourse production to improve word retrieval in participants with aphasia were reviewed. Treatment methods used in the investigations included phonologic and orthographic cues, semantic feature analysis, contingency-based cueing hie...
Characterization of a DNA-binding phosphoprotein from vaccinia virus replication complex.

Abstract The DNA-protein complex which forms in the cytoplasm of HeLa cells during the course of vaccinia virus infection contains a single DNA-binding phosphoprotein, termed FP11. This phosphoprotein has been purified to near homogeneity by chromatography on denatured DNA-cellulose. Phosphoprotein FP11 has an apparent molecular weight of 34,000, as determined by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate. High-voltage paper electrophoresis following acid hydrolysis reveals that the polypeptide contains phosphothreonine but not phosphoserine. The in vivo phosphorylation occurs at a minimum of four distinct phosphothreonine residues. FP11 is an acidic protein with an isoelectric point lying in the pH region 5.2–5.5
Effect of preexposure on methylphenidate-induced taste avoidance and related BDNF/TrkB activity in the insular cortex of the rat

Exogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the insular cortex (IC) is known to influence conditioned taste avoidance (CTA) learning, but little is known of its endogenous role in the phenomenon. Preexposure to many abusable compounds attenuates their ability to induce CTA, thus providing a possible platform from which to further elucidate the endogenous role of IC BDNF in CTA. The role of IC BDNF in CTA learning was examined by assessing the effect of preexposure to methylphenidate (MPH) on MPH-induced CTA, followed by expression between preexposure groups of BDNF in the IC, central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Following preexposure to MPH (18 mg/kg), CTAs induced by MPH (0, 10, 18, and 32 mg/kg) were assessed in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 64). In separate groups (n = 31), differences in BDNF and tropomyosin-related kinase receptor-B (TrkB) were assessed using Western blots following similar preexposure and conditioning procedures. Preexposure to MPH significantly blunted MPH-CTA compared to preexposure to vehicle. Unexpectedly, there were no significant effects of MPH on BDNF activity following CTA, but animals preexposed to MPH exhibited decreased activity in the CeA and enhanced activity in the IC and NAc. Preexposure to MPH attenuates its aversive effects on subsequent presentations, and BDNF’s impact on CTA learning may be dependent upon its temporal relation to other CTA-related intracellular cascades.
Electromagnetic scattering by an aggregate of spheres: asymmetry parameter

Abstract We present a rigorous analytical solution to the efficiency factor for radiation pressure and the scattering cross section of an aggregate of small spheres, which is applicable to the general case of an ensemble of small nonspherical particles. Practical examples show that the theoretical results agree with laboratory scattering measurements.
The penalty interior-point method fails to converge

Equilibrium equations in the form of complementarity conditions often appear as constraints in optimization problems. Problems of this type are commonly referred to as mathematical programs with complementarity constraints (MPCCs). A popular method for solving MPCCs is the penalty interior-point algorithm (PIPA). This paper presents an example for which PIPA converges to a nonstationary point, providing a counterexample to the established theory. The reasons for this adverse behavior are discussed. †Preprint ANL/MCS-P1091-0903.
Age-Related Prevalence of Human Serum IgG and IgM Antibody to the Core Glycolipid of Escherichia coli strain J5, as Measured by ELISA

Administration of antibody to Escherichia coli strain J5 reduces mortality in patients with gram-negative septic shock. Limited evidence suggests that this antibody is present in the serum of healthy individuals and deficient in persons with malignancy; however, the age-related prevalence of serum antibody to strain J5 in normal subjects is unknown. We developed an ELISA method to measure IgG and IgM antibody to purified J5 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in sera from 33 maternal-newborn cord pairs, 40 neonates, and 253 individuals aged from one day to twenty years. Reciprocal geometric mean titers for serum antibody to strain J5 LPS were as follows: maternal-IgG, 12.3; IgM, 174; one month old or less-IgG, 8.3; IgM, 5.6; one to 24 months old-IgG, 10.5; IgM, 44.7; greater than 24 months old -IgG, 16.2; IgM, 200. We conclude that human serum antibody to J5 LPS is predominantly IgM and that it is usually present by two years of age. The ELISA method should provide a valuable tool in studying the relation of core glycolipid antibody to immunity and therapy of gram-negative bacterial infections.
The numerical solution of random initial-value problems

Abstract We outline a numerical technique for the solution of systems of nonlinear ordinary differential equations containing arbitrary numbers of random parameters and random initial conditions. The random parameters are restricted to be time-independent, and hence, stochastic processes are excluded from consideration. Depending upon the number of random initial conditions and parameters relative to the number of dependent variables, this technique yields either the joint probability density function for the dependent variables or the marginal probability density functions for individual dependent variables.
“The Partridge” is a phoenix: revising the Exeter Book Physiologus

The poem about a bird on folios 97v to 98r of the Exeter Book that has been traditionally called “The Partridge” is unlikely to be about that particular bird and more likely to be about the phoenix. The case for the phoenix is supported by the structure of the Anglo-Saxon Physiologus as a whole, with the “The Panther” representing Christ, or Christ’s death, “The Whale,” the devil or the descent into hell, and the bird poem, Christ’s or man’s resurrection. The appearance of a marvelous odor in the other two Physiologus poems suggests that such an odor would have appeared in the third, also supporting the phoenix as the identity of the bird. If the lines on 97v and 98r are indeed part of the same poem, the presence of the words hweorfan and cyrran in the homiletic passage also supports the link with the phoenix. The use of animal exempla for didactic purposes also links the Physiologus poems to other poems in the Exeter Book (such as the riddles) and to the cultural concerns of the 10th-century Benedictine Reform.
Religion, Spirituality, and Ethnicity What it Means for Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders

Caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) provide an inordinate and escalating level of care. It has been postulated that: (1) religious beliefs and/or spirituality may assist individuals in their caregiving efforts; and (2) coping strategies may vary depending on ethnicity. The intent of this pilot study was to examine these theories by interviewing five African-American and five white caregivers of persons with AD using demographic and open-ended questions regarding spirituality, religious practices, and ethnicity. Five themes were identified regarding the development of the caregivers' beliefs and practices:1. later life development of beliefs;2. religious training and practices;3. family influences;4. impact of ethnicity on caregiving; and5. impact of spirituality and religion on caregiving.All caregivers felt their spirituality and/or religious practices shaped how they approached providing care and all reported that they were influenced by their ethnic background. Most stated that religiou...
The redox chemistry of the triply bonded compounds Re2X4(μ-dmpm)3 (XCl or Br; dmpm=Me2PCH2PMe2) and the isolation and characterization of the nitrosyl complex Re2Cl5(μ-dmpm)2(NO)

Abstract The current literature on multiply bonded dirhenium complexes that contain the bis(dimethylphosphino)methane ligand (abbreviated dmpm) is reviewed. New procedures are described for the synthesis of the complex Re2Cl4(μ-dmpm)3. The analogous bromide and iodide complexes of stoichiometry Re2X4(μ-dmpm)3 have been prepared by the reactions of Re2Br4(μ-dppm)2 (dppm=Ph2PCH2PPh2) and Re2X4(PR3)4 (XBr or I; REt or Prn) with dmpm. The reactions of Re2X4(μ-dmpm)3 (XCl or Br) with NOPF6 in dichloromethane give the paramagnetic species [Re2X4(μ-dmpm)3]PF6. The chloro complex reacts further with NOPF6 to afford the diamagnetic complex Re2Cl5(μ-dmpm)2(NO). This is the first triply bonded dimetal complex that contains a nitrosyl ligand and is stabilized to fission of the metal-metal bond. The identity of this complex has been confirmed by a single crystal X-ray structure determination. Crystal data at 20 °C: orthorhombic space group Iba2 (No. 45), a=14.278(3), b=23.966(3), c=13.880(3) A, V=4749(3) A, Z=8. The structure was refined by full matrix least-squares to R=0.036 (Rw=0.047) for 1427 data with I>3σ(I). The structure, which can be represented as Cl3Re(μ-dmpm)2ReCl2(NO), contains a terminally bound NO ligand and a cis, trans disposition of the pairs of phosphorus donor atoms at the two metal centers. The ReRe bond distance is 2.379(1) A.
Polynomial Representations of the Orthogonal Groups

This paper is concerned with realizations of the irreducible representations of the orthogonal group and construction of specific bases for the representation spaces. As is well known, Weyl's branching theorem for the orthogonal group provides a labeling for such bases, called Gelfand-Žetlin labels. However, it is a difficult problem to realize these representations in a way that gives explicit orthogonal bases indexed by these Gelfand-–etlin labels. Thus, in this paper the irreducible representations of the orthogonal group are realized in spaces of polynomial functions over the general linear groups and equipped with an invariant differentiation inner product, and the Gelfand-Žetlin bases in these spaces are constructed explicitly. The algorithm for computing these polynomial bases is illustrated by a number of examples.
Transient suppression of growth hormone secretion after chronic ethanol intake.

Fifty-two percent of patients with chronic heavy intake of ethanol had an abnormally low growth hormone (GH) response to propranolol-glucagon. The effect of ethanol is transient, since the GH response was normal in patients studied 2 wk or more after withdrawal of ethanol. The low GH response was not due to a difference in the levels of glucose or insulin. Ethanol probably suppresses the GH response by acting on the hypothalamus or pituitary gland. Along with previous data suggesting transient ACTH deficiency in chronic alcoholic patients, our findings suggest that these patients may have multiple hypothalamic-pituitary deficiencies.
Synthesis and structure of Li8(HPO4)(BePO4)6·H2O: A new zeolite LOS-type beryllophosphate molecular sieve

Abstract We report the synthesis and single-crystal structure of Li8(HPO4)(BePO4)6·H2O (BePO-LOS), which is a topological equivalent of the synthetic “low-sodium” aluminosilicate zeolite losod, Na6(AlSiO4)6·9 H2O (structure code: LOS). Crystal data for BePO-LOS: trigonal, space group P31c (no. 159), a = 11.504 (2) A , c = 9.273 (2) A , V = 1062.8 A 3 , Z = 2, R = 4.63%, and Rw = 4.88% for 1053 observed reflections with / > 3σ(/). Refined framework-atom bond distances [dave(BeO) = 1.624 (4) A, dave(PO) = 1.531 (2) A] reflect the fully ordered distribution of Be and P atoms over the framework tetrahedral nodes. The extraframework lithium cations are in typical tetrahedral geometry (three framework oxygen atoms + one extraframework oxygen atom), whereas the encapsulated hydrogen phosphate anion, coordinated by lithium cations with the loso-cage, is novel. The structure of BePO-LOS is considered in relationship to other BePO sieves characterized recently.
The International Community's Reaction to Coups

With ten attempts since 2010, coups d’etat are surprisingly common events with vital implications for a state’s political development. Aside from being disruptive internally, coups influence interstate relationships. Though coups have important consequences, we know little about how the international community responds to these upheavals. This paper explores what drives global actors to react to coups. Our theory differentiates between normative concerns (for example, protection of democracy) and material interests (for example, protection of oil exports) as potential determinants of international responses to coups. We argue that coups against democracies, coups after the Cold War, and coups in states heavily integrated into the international community are all more likely to elicit global reaction. Using newly collected data, we explore the number of signals that states and IOs send to coup states from 1950 to 2011. The analyses reveal that coups against democracies and wealthy states draw more attention. States react when democracies are challenged by coups, while IOs react to coups in Africa and coups during the post-Cold War period. We surprisingly find that heavy traders and oil-rich states do not necessarily receive more reaction, suggesting that international actors are more driven by normative concerns than material interests when reacting to coups.
Molecular management: Protocols in the maker culture

ABSTRACTEarly industrialism was influenced by the organization of cottage industries, and in a similar vein, many of today's creative industries emerge largely from networked small-scale initiatives or cultural scenes. Collaborations and interactions are the backbone of the contemporary Do-It-Yourself (DIY) or ‘maker culture’, a distributed milieu of open software programmers and hardware hackers, but also crafters, backyard tinkerers, hobbyists and homesteaders. The scene is held together by micro-management tactics, or ‘molecular’ management, using protocols to guide collaborative innovation and shared craft practices, forming an emergent and innovative creative cottage industry. The maker culture is thus less of a DIY and more a do-it-together culture, merging collaborative play and interactions, often for the sake of shared curiosity. The mindset of the participants is that of the explorative craftsman; using a practical attitude of sharing ideas, methods and skills among practitioners, and the intera...