cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rita Campos e Cunha: a professor, mentor and colleague who ends up being a friend for life

The purpose of this article is to share the gist of an interview with Rita Campos e Cunha conducted by Santiago Ibarreche. It highlights her vitality, her love for academia and her personal dedication to her students in Iberoamerican and international contexts.,This paper is an interview.,The interview explores Rita’s career, her achievements and continued search for excellence in terms of teaching, research and service in academia, especially her contributions in the areas of innovative behavior and corporate social responsibility.,The interview in this special section, A Life in Research, brings out an individual scholar’s experience and history not only as recognition of scholarly impact but also as recognition of the person.,El presente articulo muestra la esencia de una entrevista a Rita Campos e Cunha, llevada a cabo por Santiago Ibarreche. Muestra su vitalidad, su amor por la academia y su dedicacion personal hacia sus estudiantes en Iberoamerica y otros contextos internacionales.,Este articulo es una entrevista.,La entrevista explora la carrera de Rita, sus logros y busqueda continua de la excelencia en terminos de docencia, investigacion y servicio en la academia y sociedad; especialmente sus contribuciones en las areas de Comportamiento de Innovacion y Responsabilidad Social Corporativa.,La entrevista en esta seccion especial, A Life in Research, muestra la experiencia e historia de un academico. No es solo un reconocimiento a su impacto en la academia, sino tambien un reconocimiento a la persona.,Academia, Mozambique, Portugal, Innovacion, Ciencias del Comportamiento, Consejeria,Mentores,Tipo de articulo – Punto de vista,Este artigo apresenta a essencia de uma entrevista com Rita Campos e Cunha, levada a cabo por Santiago Ibarreche. Salienta a sua vitalidade, a sua Paixao pela academia e a sua dedicacao pessoal aos seus alunos, nos contextos ibero-americano e internacional.,Este artigo e uma entrevista.,A entrevista explora a carreira da Rita, as suas realizacoes e a sua procura continua da excelencia em termos de ensino, investigacao e servico, na academia e na sociedade; especialmente as suas contribuicoes nas areas de Comportamentos de Inovacao e Responsabilidade Social Corporativa.,A entrevista nesta secao especial, A Life in Research, traz a experiencia e a historia de um estudioso individual, nao so como reconhecimento de impacto academico, mas tambem como reconhecimento da pessoa.,Academia, Mocambique, Portugal, Inovacao, Ciencias do Comportamento, Recomendacoes, Mentores,Punto de vista
Instilling Critical Pedagogy in the Italian Language Classroom

This article explores theoretical underpinnings for the use of critical pedagogy in the Italian language learning classroom. Its description of various components of critical theory lends a historical context for critical pedagogy, particularly in the arguments of Gramsci and the Frankfurt School, that contrast with positivist tenets. These critical elements extend to the classroom in a Freirian framework, including concepts such as banking, coding, and conscientization. Such lenses apply to the realm of foreign language teaching, particularly aspects of transformative learning. Issues surrounding materials design are also considered. Avenues and opportunities for critical thinking are explored through lesson plan ideas, as well as possible thematic unit topic suggestions in Italian courses. This paper concludes with questions for future research by language scholars in the field of education, in addition to a call to action for educators of Italian.
The Perceptions of School Involvement of Parents of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: a Systematic Literature Review

Several different types of parent involvement with schools have been identified in the special education and general education literature, including (a) advocacy, (b) collaborative partnership, (c) home-school communication, and (d) school-based participation. However, it is unclear which types of involvement are addressed in the literature and how parents of children with autism spectrum disorders perceive these types of school involvement. In this systematic literature review, we synthesized this body of literature, which consisted of 37 studies published from 2001 to 2017. Authors addressed all four types of parent involvement using a range of measures, most frequently addressing home-school communication. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed, including the importance of collecting and reporting on the characteristics of survey respondents and identifying and validating common measures across studies.
Detection of Early Human Papillomavirus–Associated Cancers by Liquid Biopsy

PURPOSEA circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test to detect plasma Epstein-Barr viral DNA can be used to screen for early nasopharyngeal cancers; however, the reported sensitivity of viral ctDNA tests to...
14C evidence that millennial and fast-cycling soil carbon are equally sensitive to warming

The Arctic is expected to shift from a sink to a source of atmospheric CO2 this century due to climate-induced increases in soil carbon mineralization1. The magnitude of this effect remains uncertain, largely because temperature sensitivities of organic matter decomposition2,3 and the distribution of these temperature sensitivities across soil carbon pools4 are not well understood. Here, a new analytical method with natural abundance radiocarbon was used to evaluate temperature sensitivities across soil carbon pools. With soils from Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, an incubation experiment was used to evaluate soil carbon age and decomposability, disentangle the effects of temperature and substrate depletion on carbon mineralization, and compare temperature sensitivities of fast-cycling and slow-cycling carbon. Old, historically stable carbon was shown to be vulnerable to decomposition under warming. Using radiocarbon to differentiate between slow-cycling and fast-cycling carbon, temperature sensitivity was found to be invariant among pools, with a Q10 of ~2 irrespective of native decomposition rate. These findings suggest that mechanisms other than chemical recalcitrance mediate the effect of warming on soil carbon mineralization.
High Rates of PrEP Eligibility but Low Rates of PrEP Access Among a National Sample of Transmasculine Individuals.

Background Transmasculine individuals have been largely ignored in HIV prevention research, and there is a lack of data regarding this population's eligibility for and utilization of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Setting National online survey conducted in the United States. Methods Between May and July 2017, we surveyed 1808 transmasculine individuals (aged 18-60 years; 30% people of color and/or Latinx), asking questions about sexual behavior and receipt of sexual health care, including PrEP. We examined the number of individuals who would meet eligibility criteria for PrEP and then used log-linked Poisson regression with robust variance estimation to examine predictors of PrEP eligibility. Results Almost one-quarter of the sample (n = 439; 24.3%) met one or more criterion for PrEP eligibility. PrEP eligibility did not differ by age, race/ethnicity, education, or binary gender identity. PrEP eligibility was lower among heterosexual-identified and higher income participants, and was higher among participants who were in open relationships and reported substance use. Among PrEP-eligible individuals, 64.9% had received an HIV test in the past year, 33.9% had received PrEP information from a provider, and 10.9% (n = 48) had received a PrEP prescription. PrEP-eligible individuals who had received a PrEP prescription were more likely to have a binary gender identity, identify as gay, and be taking testosterone. Conclusions A substantial proportion of transmasculine individuals meet PrEP eligibility criteria, but few are receiving adequate PrEP services. Enhanced efforts should be made by providers, programs, and systems to assess HIV-related risk in transmasculine patients and engage them in comprehensive sexual health care.
Reflections on South Africa's Rendezvous with Destiny

In this article, the author reflects on the history of racial oppression in South Africa, and the beginning of the reversal of this oppression with a new interim constitution in November 1993, and the elections of April 1994. The author served as an assistant in the international mediating effort between the African National Congress, and the Inkatha Freedom Party.
Persistent material hardship and childhood physical aggression

Abstract Some developmental models of childhood aggression deny any influence of socioeconomic status (SES), while others stress a more central role. We argue that greater attention to persistent material hardship (i.e., inability to provide for basic needs) may enhance the centrality of SES in developmental approaches. We analyze a longitudinal sample of children in the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study, and examine whether persistent material hardship shapes patterns of childhood aggression. We find that while the majority of children are insulated, some experience multiple, enduring hardships. More importantly, experiencing a single, persistent hardship during the period of childhood increases the likelihood of aggression by 4.8% among males and 6.4% among females, a magnitude that is comparable to the influence of impulsivity. Findings warrant greater attention to the consequences of material hardship in theoretical models and life course research that goes beyond the traditionally-examined indicators of SES.
Integrated Optical Fibre — Investigating the Vibrational Response using Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry

Integrated Optical Fibre (IOF) is a new technology in integrated optics using flame hydrolysis deposition to permanently attach an optical fibre onto a silicon substrate. This approach combines the low losses of optical fibre with the mechanical integrity of an integrated planar platform [1]. By attaching the fibre with high quality optical glass we create devices that transform the packaging of fibres for sensing applications removing any use of glues, epoxies, adhesives and making it suitable for harsh environments such as aerospace. The binding medium itself can also be used for its optical properties [1]. Fig. 1 shows an SEM image of the attached fibre platform, both in cross-section (inset) and also showing a standard 125 μm diameter optical telecom fibre.
Modern genetic and genomic improvement of the pig

Abstract Modern pork production is an important source of animal protein with pork accounting for nearly 43% of all red meat consumed worldwide. Despite environmental concerns pertaining to livestock production, growing consumer demand especially in the developing world will push meat consumption much higher worldwide in places such as Asia and Africa. To meet such market demands, pig producers must use all genetic and genomic technology available. During the past 50 years, swine genetics have moved from evaluating pigs based on visual appraisal to more advanced methods of measuring growth, backfat and feed efficiency. With the beginning of the age of genomics, swine geneticists first used genetic markers to remove defects and to select for improved feed efficiency, growth, meat quality and increased litter size. More recently, sequencing of the pig genome has led to the ability to genotype animals for thousands of genes to identify those genes responsible for a number of specific traits, to use genomic selection to improve rates of genetic improvement and to reduce levels of inbreeding. Recent discoveries to find pigs less susceptible to disease and heat stress are also being made. It is expected that such genetic improvements will lead to more sustainable production and improved pork products for the consumer.
Nonlinear two-point boundary value problems: applications to a cholera epidemic model.

This paper is concerned primarily with constructive mathematical analysis of a general system of nonlinear two-point boundary value problem when an empirically constructed candidate for an approxim...
AptaBlocks Online: A Web-Based Toolkit for the In Silico Design of Oligonucleotide Sticky Bridges.

The AptaBlocks Web Interface is focused on providing graphical, intuitive, and platform-independent access to AptaBlocks, an experimentally validated algorithmic approach for the in silico design o...
A phase-field model for non-isothermal phase transformation and plasticity in polycrystalline yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia

Abstract We propose an elastoplastic phase-field (PF) model to investigate the mechanics of tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation (TMPT) and elastoplastic deformation of polycrystalline yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (YSTZ). A Landau polynomial with non-vanishing chemical energy at the equilibrium temperature is introduced to account for the actual formation energies of the phases. The effects of different grain orientations, latent heat, and temperature on TMPT and deformation mechanisms are considered. The suppressive transformation effects of the grain boundaries (GBs) is modeled using an inhomogeneous kinetic coefficient in the bulk and GBs. The simulation results for single crystals demonstrate the capability of the model to reproduce the orientation-dependent compressive deformation of YSTZ similar to atomistic simulations and micropillar experiments. The single crystal with [100] crystallographic orientation along the loading direction (SC[100]) displays both TMPT and plasticity, SC[101] experiences only phase transformation, while SC[001] undergoes only plastic yielding. The TMPT induced by compressive loading exhibits shape memory effect (SME) below the equilibrium transformation temperature and pseudoelasticity above it, while the critical transformation stress increases with increasing loading temperature. The irrecoverable plastic strain is found to trap a part of the monoclinic phase, which prevents a complete reverse transformation. The polycrystalline cases also display SME and PE at low and high temperatures, respectively. Due to the orientation differences between grains and the stress concentrations at geometric nonlinearities, plastic deformation occurs in polycrystalline YSTZ for an applied load less than the yield stress. The results suggest a possible limitation of plasticity and an improvement of the shape recovery of YSTZ if one can control the orientation of the grains and/or increase the density of stacking faults at the GBs during material processing.
Frame-Based Stereotactic Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy—Toward Improved Precision and Minimizing Morbidities

Background Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a widely accepted treatment for obstructive hydrocephalus. For most practitioners, this procedure will be performed without navigation guidance. Without such guidance, the complications associated with the procedure have ranged from 1% to 8%. We hypothesized that the discrepancy between the surface bony anatomy and internal cranial anatomy contributes to the morbidities associated with ETV. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the position of the entry point defined by the classic Kocher's point relative to the ideal entry point that would result in no manipulation of the endoscope defined by frame-based stereotaxis. Methods The cranial computed tomography scan of 58 patients who had undergone frame-based stereotactic ETV was reformatted into 3-dimensional renderings. The location of this entry point was compared with the Kocher point, as determined by the external bony anatomy. Results Overall, >70% of the burr holes that provided an ideal trajectory to the third ventricle were ≥0.5 cm from the Kocher point in both the sagittal and the coronal planes. Median deviations of 0.74 and 0.81 cm in the coronal (P Conclusion The use of stereotactic endoscopic techniques increase the safety of third ventriculostomy by adding precision and reducing otherwise unnecessary surgical maneuvering.
The New Roadmap for Creating Online Courses: An Interactive Workbook

Are you ready to create an online course, but do not know where to start? Do your online learners seem isolated and disengaged? Are your online courses effective enough for the current, competitive market? Whether you are an instructor, instructional designer, or part of a team, this interactive workbook will help you create effective online courses to engage your learners. Key features of the workbook include integrating cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of learning; explaining the central role of self-reflection, dialogue, and realistic application; the incorporation of themes, scenarios, and characters to provide relevant and meaningful learning experiences; and the use of semiotics for inclusion of diverse learners. As you journey through the course creation process in this workbook, you will expand your ideas and discover new possibilities for the students taking your online course.
Sonographic Analysis of Abscess Maturation in a Porcine Model

Abscesses are walled-off collections of infected fluids that often develop as complications in the setting of surgery and trauma. Abscess care depends on size, location, composition and complexity, among other patient factors. The goal of this work is to describe, using the latest ultrasound imaging technologies, the progression of abscess development in a porcine animal model. Intramuscular or subcutaneous injections of bacteria plus dextran particles as an irritant led to identifiable abscesses over a 2- to 3-week period. The abscesses were imaged at least weekly with B-mode, 3D B-mode, shear-wave elastography (SWE) and color flow imaging. Mature abscesses were characterized by a well-defined core of varying echogenicity surrounded by a hypoechoic capsule that was highly vascularized on Doppler imaging. Size and shape changes during development were quantified with 3D imaging. With SWE, the lesion stiffness varied interiorly and generally decreased over time. These ultrasound features potentially provide biomarkers to facilitate improved selection of treatment strategies for abscesses.
100 dB/cm broadband optical parametric amplification in dispersion engineered nanophotonic lithium niobate waveguides

We demonstrate phase-sensitive amplification and confirm a gain exceeding 100 dB/cm on a dispersion-engineered thin-film lithium niobate waveguide, using less than 20 pJ of pump energy, and exhibiting a gain bandwidth larger than 600 nm around 2.09 µm.
An Intention Guided Hierarchical Framework for Trajectory-based Teleoperation of Mobile Robots

In human-in-the-loop navigation, the operator’s intention is to locally avoid obstacles while planning long-horizon paths in order to complete the navigation task. We propose a hierarchical teleoperation framework that captures these characteristics of intention, and generates trajectories that are locally safe and follow the operator’s global plan. The hierarchical teleoperation framework consists of 1) a global path which encapsulates the intended direction of the operator, 2) local trajectories that circumvent obstacles near the vehicle’s vicinity while following the global path, and 3) safety monitoring to avoid possible imminent collisions. By removing the operator from providing dynamic-level control inputs and instead having inputs inform trajectory generation, we show a significant reduction of the operator’s engagement while maintaining smooth performance.We showcase hierarchical teleoperation in navigation tasks in a random forest environment and a high-clutter warehouse characterized by narrow gaps and dense obstacles. With our method, we maintain consistent high speed throughout the task with smooth jerk profiles, decreased time to completion, and significantly reduced operator engagement.
Models of Ecological Processes in Riverine Ecosystems

Ecological models are more like artists' sketches of landscapes than true facsimiles; and as such, they should be considered heuristic, that is, works in progress. Models describing structure and function within mostly pristine riverine ecosystems are primarily adaptations of theories developed in other ecosystems. Those most specific to lotic systems incorporate the unusually high degree of spatiotemporal variability of rivers. They are also hierarchical and account for the river's four dimensional nature: longitudinal (upstream-downstream), lateral, vertical (surface to hyporheos), and temporal. The best known model restricted to lotic ecosystems is the River Continuum Concept (RCC), which predicts a clinal response of organisms and ecological processes to gradual and continuous changes in physical conditions along a longitudinal dimension. The original RCC was modified along the lateral dimension for floodplain rivers by the Flood Pulse Concept, and the RCC's food web predictions were challenged by the Riverine Productivity Model, which emphasizes the importance of instream primary production. The importance of tributary junctions and branching patterns are emphasized in the Network Dynamics Hypothesis. More recent models, like the Riverine Ecosystem Synthesis, portray rivers as structured by large hydrogeomorphic patches rather than gradual clines and incorporate conclusions of the Natural Flow Regime model.
Technicolor Signals at the LHC

Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06520(Dated: December 11, 2008)In this lecture I give an introduction to technicolor and extended technicolor theories. Idiscuss the issues models of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking struggle with andpropose how non QCD-like dynamics, such as a ‘walking’ or nearly-conformal technicolorcoupling, can invalidate many conventional arguments against technicolor. I provide a shortdiscussion of AdS/CFT-inspired extra-dimensional (Higgsless) models and their similaritiesand di erences with older 4D technicolor models. To conclude, a summary of some possibleLHC signatures is given.Introduction
Optical fiber atomic force microscope with photonic crystal force sensor

An atomic force microscope (AFM) integrated directly on the facet of a standard single-mode optical fiber is designed, fabricated, and tested. High resolution force sensing is achieved with a Fabry-Perot interferometer made of two photonic crystal (PC) mirrors separated by silicon springs. The device is fabricated with standard MEMS techniques and assembled on the facet of a single mode optical fiber by focus ion beam (FIB) welding and OmniProbe manipulation. We demonstrate that topographic and tip-sample interaction force information can be extracted from its reflected light. The force curve measurement has a resolution of 10pN/Hz0.5 in a drastically smaller footprint than traditional AFMs, which can enable in-vivo AFM imaging.
Anomalous pulmonary origin of the left coronary artery.

To the Editor: The echocardiographic images of the anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the main pulmonary artery presented by Lin et al1 are very instructive. But I disagree with the statement the authors made in the legend of their Figure 3 that “Turbulent flow from the main pulmonary artery through the orifice to the left coronary artery is evident.” In anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the main pulmonary artery, because pulmonary artery pressure is lower …
Interactions of sulfated mucopolysaccharides with lectins. Application to the separation of mucopolysaccharide mixtures.

Abstract The interaction of sulfated mucopolysaccharides and lectins has been studied by determining the amount of precipitate formed when mucopolysaccharides are added to a solution of concanavalin A or a partially purified lectin preparation from red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The amount of insoluble complex obtained when a given mucopolysaccharide is added to a solution of partially purified red kidney bean preparation is pH dependent. The reaction of concanavalin A and heparin has also been studied by adding increasing amounts of mucopolysaccharide to a fixed amount of lectin. This interaction results in the development of a precipitin-like curve and leads to the isolation of a heparin fraction which has been found to be more reactive with respect to formation of a precipitate than the original heparin preparation. Monosaccharides such as α-methyl- d -mannopyranoside and N-acetyl- d -glucosamine which are known to bind specifically to the lectin, greatly inhibit precipitate formation. The interactions between sulfated mucopolysaccharides and lectins have been used to isolate various sulfated mucopolysaccharides.
Power Management Techniques for Data Centers: A Survey

With growing use of internet and exponential growth in amount of data to be stored and processed (known as “big data”), the size of data centers has greatly increased. This, however, has resulted in significant increase in the power consumption of the data centers. For this reason, managing power consumption of data centers has become essential. In this paper, we highlight the need of achieving energy efficiency in data centers and survey several recent architectural techniques designed for power management of data centers. We also present a classification of these techniques based on their characteristics. This paper aims to provide insights into the techniques for improving energy efficiency of data centers and encourage the designers to invent novel solutions for managing the large power dissipation of data centers.
True stories, storied truth: stitching narrative and logico-scientific discourse together in an age of Spin

This paper includes a framework for combining narrative and logico-scientific thinking in the consumption and production of stories about the real world, such as journalistic and historical accounts. The framework involves graphical representation, at an intermediate level of abstraction, in "storygrams" showing sequences of actions involving agents, using cultural tools, to serve goals, within contexts of interpreted scenes. The framework also involves four elements of "narrative metacognition", including monitoring of perspectives, precedents, symbolism and narrative frames. Utilizing this framework may help learners better develop their facility at moving back and forth between assessments of "narrative truth" and "logico-scientific truth".
Functions of organizational leaders in cultural change: Financial and social well-being.

Social responsibility looms as a key feature of leadership decision making and citizenship behavior as the world’s resources are depleted, health and education crises increase, and communities, societies, and cultures adapt to a new context shaped by emerging technologies, political upheavals, global warming, and other drivers of behavior change. In this article we call for future work in behavior analysis, emphasizing the importance of organizational leaders’ decision-making behaviors in establishing organizational practices that support prosocial behavior and eliminate aversive conditions within cultural systems. The discussion expands on recent behavior analytic literature on cultural change and leadership behavior by first providing a summary of popular definitions of human well-being and relating this concept to prosocial behavior. By drawing upon these definitions, we then summarize the behavior analytic concepts of metacontingencies and macrocontingencies as a framework from which behavior analysts...
Porphyrins. XIII: Fluorescence spectra and quantum yields

Abstract Fluorescence spectra, quantum yields, natural radiative lifetimes, and absorption oscillator strengths are reported for a number of porphyrins in benzene solution. Emission yields for free base, Mg-, and Zn-phthalocyanine in 1-chloronaphthalene solution are also reported. The phthalocyanines are considerably more fluorescent than the porphyrins, and this is attributed mainly to their shorter radiative lifetimes. The heavy atom effect on fluorescence is strong with yields in the order H 2 ∼ Mg > Zn ⪢ Cd. The effect of peripheral substituents is small, both on absorption and fluorescence. Four free base porphyrins studied all showed yields of about 10%, natural radiative lifetimes about 120 nsec, and oscillator strengths about 0.03. Closed-shell metal derivatives have natural radiative lifetimes roughly half those for the free bases, independent of the atomic number of the metal. A simple theoretical model of borrowing from the B band gives a good explanation for the difference between metal and free-base radiative lifetimes.
Comparative recovery of uninjured and heat-injured Listeria monocytogenes cells from bovine milk.

The standard selective enrichment protocols of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) were compared with an experimental nonselective broth enrichment (NSB) protocol and variations of the standard cold-enrichment (CE) protocol for the recovery of heat-injured Listeria monocytogenes. Bacterial cells (10(7)/ml) were suspended in sterile milk and heated at 71.7 degrees C in a slug-flow heat exchanger for holding times ranging from 1 to 30 s. Surviving cells were determined (50% endpoint) by the given protocols, and the following D values were obtained: NSB, D = 2.0 +/- 0.5 s; FDA, D = 1.4 +/- 0.3 s; USDA, D = 0.6 +/- 0.2 s; CE, D less than or equal to 1.2 s. The respective direct-plating media used in these enrichments were also analyzed for recovery, and the following D values were calculated from the enumeration of surviving cells; NSB, D = 2.7 +/- 0.8 s; FDA, D = 1.3 +/- 0.4 s; USDA, D = 0.7 +/- 0.2 s. The low levels of heat-injured L. monocytogenes cells which were detected at inactivation endpoints on the optimal nonselective media (25 degrees C for 7 days) failed to recover and multiply during experimental CEs (4 degrees C for 28 days). Initial inactivation experiments in which raw whole milk was used as the heating menstruum gave much lower recoveries with all protocols. The detectable limits for uninjured cells that were suspended in raw milk were similar (0.35 to 3.2 cells per ml) for the standard CE, FDA, and USDA protocols.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Msh2 Acts in Medium-Spiny Striatal Neurons as an Enhancer of CAG Instability and Mutant Huntingtin Phenotypes in Huntington’s Disease Knock-In Mice

The CAG trinucleotide repeat mutation in the Huntington’s disease gene (HTT) exhibits age-dependent tissue-specific expansion that correlates with disease onset in patients, implicating somatic expansion as a disease modifier and potential therapeutic target. Somatic HTT CAG expansion is critically dependent on proteins in the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway. To gain further insight into mechanisms of somatic expansion and the relationship of somatic expansion to the disease process in selectively vulnerable MSNs we have crossed HTT CAG knock-in mice (HdhQ111) with mice carrying a conditional (floxed) Msh2 allele and D9-Cre transgenic mice, in which Cre recombinase is expressed specifically in MSNs within the striatum. Deletion of Msh2 in MSNs eliminated Msh2 protein in those neurons. We demonstrate that MSN-specific deletion of Msh2 was sufficient to eliminate the vast majority of striatal HTT CAG expansions in HdhQ111 mice. Furthermore, MSN-specific deletion of Msh2 modified two mutant huntingtin phenotypes: the early nuclear localization of diffusely immunostaining mutant huntingtin was slowed; and the later development of intranuclear huntingtin inclusions was dramatically inhibited. Therefore, Msh2 acts within MSNs as a genetic enhancer both of somatic HTT CAG expansions and of HTT CAG-dependent phenotypes in mice. These data suggest that the selective vulnerability of MSNs may be at least in part contributed by the propensity for somatic expansion in these neurons, and imply that intervening in the expansion process is likely to have therapeutic benefit.
A framework for integrating manufacturing process design and analysis

Abstract Product design and evaluation requires a broad and varied set of information and analysis tools. Yet effective design and evaluation of a product during its design phase is critical if production costs are to be minimized. A system is described that integrates product design specifications with material and process databases, and a simulation-based analysis module. The system allows product designs to be evaluated in terms of economic and technical criteria, and to identify the best production environment.
Heat transfer and ice-melting in ambient water near its density extremum

Abstract An experimental study of natural convection flow over a vertical ice slab immersed in cold water has been carried out. The effect of changing the ambient water temperature, on heat transfer, was measured. The major emphasis was on ambient temperatures in the vicinity of the density extremum of water. The effect of the density extremum on flow direction was investigated and the ambient temperature where upflow changes to downflow was determined. The experimentally determined heat-transfer results were compared with theoretical results giving a mean magnitude of deviation of 5.6%
THE ESTIMATION AND APPLICATION OF LONG MEMORY TIME SERIES MODELS

Abstract. The definitions of fractional Gaussian noise and integrated (or fractionally differenced) series are generalized, and it is shown that the two concepts are equivalent. A new estimator of the long memory parameter in these models is proposed, based on the simple linear regression of the log periodogram on a deterministic regressor. The estimator is the ordinary least squares estimator of the slope parameter in this regression, formed using only the lowest frequency ordinates of the log periodogram. Its asymptotic distribution is derived, from which it is evident that the conventional interpretation of these least squares statistics is justified in large samples. Using synthetic data the asymptotic theory proves to be reliable in samples of 50 observations or more. For three postwar monthly economic time series, the estimated integrated series model provides more reliable out-of-sample forecasts than do more conventional procedures.
Estradiol reduction of α2-adrenoceptor binding in female rat cortex is correlated with decreases in α2A/D-adrenoceptor messenger RNA

Abstract We developed a quantitative RNAse protection assay for α 2A/D -adrenoceptor messenger RNA in rats to test the hypothesis that decreases in cortical α 2 -adrenoceptor binding observed following estrogen treatment of ovariectomized rats correlate with reduced levels of messenger RNA encoding the predominant α 2 -adrenoceptor subtype expressed in cortex. Estradiol treatment for 48 h reduced cortical α 2A/D -adrenoceptor messenger RNA by approximately 50% when compared to ovariectomized, oil-treated control animals. Estradiol down-regulation of α 2A/D -adrenoceptor messenger RNA was accompanied by a significant decrease in cortical α 2 -adrenoceptor density, as measured by 3 H-RX821002 binding. Estrogen treatment did not alter α 2A/D -adrenoceptor messenger RNA or α 2 -adrenoceptor binding in female rat hypothalamus–preoptic area. This study provides the first evidence that estradiol regulates expression of postsynaptic α 2 -adrenoceptors in female rat frontal cortex, suggesting a possible molecular substrate for hormonal modulation of cognitive function.
Late Recurrence of Minimal Lesion Nephrotic Syndrome

Abstract Nephrotic syndrome recurred in 16 patients who had been free of the disease for an interval of 4 to 25 years. Their initial illness began in childhood and responsed to adrenocorticosteroid...
Fragile X Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome: Blame the Messenger!

rCGG repeats in premutant alleles of the fragile X gene ( FMR1 ) cause neurodegeneration in Drosophila and are thought to cause fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome in humans. Two reports in this issue of Neuron (Jin et al. and Sofola et al.) present data indicating a disease mechanism involving disruption of RNA-binding protein function.
Joint Rate Adaptation and Channel-Adaptive Relaying in 802.11 Ad Hoc Networks

Channel-adaptive relaying has recently been proposed as a means to exploit spatial and temporal diversity in multihop ad hoc networks with fading. In conjunction with appropriate routing protocols, adaptive relaying enables each forwarding node in a multihop path to dynamically select the next-hop relay as a function of the measured (time-varying) channel state, providing a form of selection diversity at each hop. Based on the notion that links to diversity-selected relays have higher information capacity and therefore can support higher data rates than links obtained with traditional routing, this paper proposes marrying channel-adaptive relaying with rate adaptation (or adaptive modulation-coding). In particular, we specify a protocol for performing joint rate and relay adaptation in 802.11 ad hoc networks with geographic routing. Using both analytical and simulation tools, synergistic gains are observed in throughput, capacity and delay. Performance results are given for individual links as well as for multihop networks, in time-varying, correlated Rayleigh and Ricean fading channels over a range of channel speeds. Of particular interest in this study is the robustness of the adaptation to increasing channel Doppler. As a by-product of this work, we propose a new, SNR-based rate adaptation scheme for use in 802.11 systems that requires no modification to the standard 802.11 frame structure. *This research was performed while the author held a National Research Council Research Associateship Award at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Cross-Layer Optimization for UWB-Based AD HOC Networks

In this paper, we consider a UWB-based ad hoc network and study how to maximize data rate utility for a group of communication sessions. We formulate the data rate utility problem into a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem through a cross-layer approach by taking into consideration of scheduling and power control at link layer and routing at network layer. The main contribution of this paper is the development of a solution procedure based on branch-and-bound framework. We employ a powerful optimization technique called reformulation linearization technique (RLT) to obtain a linear relaxation, which is a key component required in the branch-and-bound framework. Numerical results demonstrate the importance of cross-layer approach and offer some important insights.
Mifepristone and misoprostol and methotrexate/misoprostol in clinical practice for abortion

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, side-effect profile, and follow-up rates in women who obtain a medical abortion in a nonresearch setting. Study Design: From December 1, 2000, to June 30, 2001, we prospectively followed 218 women who had been evaluated in our private office for medical abortion. Women received either mifepristone 200 mg orally followed 1 to 2 days later by self-administered misoprostol 800 μg vaginally or methotrexate 50 mg/m2 intramuscularly followed 3 to 7 days later by self-administered misoprostol 800 μg vaginally. Results: Of the 174 women who had a medical abortion, 148 women (85%) chose mifepristone/misoprostol, and 26 women (15%) chose methotrexate/misoprostol. In women up to 49 days of gestation, complete abortion occurred by the first follow-up visit in 82 of 86 women (95%; 95% CI, 89-99) and in 21 of 25 women (84%; 95% CI, 64-95) women, respectively. In women who used mifepristone/misoprostol from 50 to 63 days of gestation, complete abortions occurred in 56 of 59 women (95%; 95% CI, 86-99) women. Four women (2%; 95% CI, 1-6) were lost to follow-up. Conclusion: Medical abortion with mifepristone/misoprostol and with methotrexate/misoprostol can be provided in a nonresearch setting with efficacy similar to that reported in the medical literature for research protocols. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:664-9.)
Factors Influencing Help-Seeking From Informal Networks Among African American Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the challenges African-American women in abusive relationships face when they consider seeking-help from their informal networks. Data are reported from interviews with 15 African-American women who were self-identified as having survived physical intimate partner violence. A 13-item, semi-structured interview guide was developed in order to elicit information from participants. All of the interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded for analysis. This analysis revealed emergent themes from these interviews concerning the social factors and perceptions that influence help-seeking behavior. Participants perceived their informal networks as willing to offer instrumental support. However, informal networks were not emotionally supportive. Participants also noted that the African-American community at-large believes victims of violence to be "stupid" for remaining in violent relationships. Additional results are also discussed. Results may be used to help enhance efforts to reduce the rates of intimate partner violence among African-Americans.
Magnesium Metabolism in Patients Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Magnesium metabolism was studied in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. In 12 patients the mean preoperative serum magnesium level of 1.56±0.10 mEq/L fell to abnormal levels in all patients (1.07±0.04 mEq/L; P<0.001). The decrease in serum magnesium that occurred during bypass is explained by dilution of extracellular volume, as there was no significant difference between mean preoperative and bypass extracellular magnesium. The further postoperative fall in serum magnesium was less than predicted on the basis of magnesium excretion and dilution, implying movement of magnesium from intracellular to extracellular sites. Although the level of serum magnesium correlated poorly with cardiac rhythm or gross neuromuscular abnormalities, three patients with resistant ventricular fibrillation were successfully defibrillated after intravenous bolus injections of magnesium sulfate.
Mathematical model of the simple cells in the visual cortex

A mathematical model for the spatial computations performed by simple cells in the mammalian visual cortex is derived. The construction uses as organizing principles the experimentally observed simple cell linearity and rotational symmetry breaking, together with the constraint that simple cell inputs must effectively be ganglion cell outputs. This leads to a closed form expression for the simple cellkernel in terms of Jacobi?-functions. Using a?-function identity, it is also shown how Gabor sampling arises as an approximation to this exact kernel for most cells. In addition, the model provides a natural mechanism for introducing the type of nonlinearity observed in some simple cells. The cell's responses to a variety of visual stimuli are calculated using the exact kernel and compared to single cell recordings. In all cases, the model's predictions are in agreement with available experimental data.
Nested bounds for the constrained sensor placement problem

The objective of this paper is to find numerical upper bounds on the optimal solution to the sensor placement problem. Given noisy measurements and knowledge of the state correlation matrix, the sensor placement problem can be formulated as an integer programming problem using a linear minimum mean squared error estimator. Since finding the optimal placements of a fixed number of sensors in a large network is computationally infeasible, finding bounds for the optimal solution is a fundamental task. In this paper we present a family of nested bounds using matrix pencils and their generalized eigenvalues that upper bound the optimal performance. In the analysis we consider nodes that we want to place sensors and other nodes where we cannot or do not want to place sensors. Finally we compare the upper bounds with the optimal solution using simulations on a 5 by 5 grid network.
Non-tuberculous mycobacterial cochlear implant infection: An emerging pathogen

AbstractObjective and importanceTo report one of the first cases of a cochlear implant infected by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), an emerging otologic pathogen.Clinical presentationWe report the case of a 78-year-old woman who underwent uncomplicated cochlear implantation though subsequently developed wound dehiscence and device exposure. Tissue culture grew non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection with Mycobacterium abscessus.InterventionThe device was explanted, the surgical bed debrided, and the patient was successfully treated with a prolonged course of oral and parenteral antibiotics. She elected not to undergo re-implantation.ConclusionNon-tuberculous mycobacterial infections are being increasingly encountered and reported within the temporal bone. Although this is the first reported case of cochlear implant contamination with NTM, surgeons should be aware of this entity so that an appropriate treatment plan can be initiated.
A monospecific antibody to human sulfatase A. Preparation, characterization and significance.

Abstract A human enzyme, sulfatase A (arylsulfatase A, EC 3.1.6.1), was fractionated from liver and purified by electrofocusing. When injected into rabbits, the enzyme served as an antigen and induced the formation of antibodies. A monospecific antibody was then obtained when this rabbit antiserum was absorbed with human liver fractions which had been isoelectrically focused next to sulfatase A. Reaction kinetics between this anti-sulfatase A and sulfatases A and B were then studied. The activity of the enzyme was enhanced by the antibody under specified conditions. Thereafter, the antibody could be used to purify the enzyme relatively simply and rapidly.
Stability of Stochastic Differential Equations Under Discretization

Long time behavior of stochastic differential equations (SDE) involves two instances of exponential mean square stability (EMS-stability). First deals with stability of the original continuous time system while the second is concerned with stability after the time step discretization. By considering a linear operator S associated with SDE, we show that the discrete system is EMS-stable if and only if S is a positive contraction on the set of symmetric positive definite matrices.
Purification and properties of a Substance P-inactivating enzyme from bovine brain☆

Abstract An enzyme which inactivates Substance P at neutral pH has been extracted and purified from bovine brain. The action of the purified kininase on SP shows a broad pH optimum near 6·4, while proteinase action of the preparation toward hemoglobin is maximal near 4·0. Physical and enzymatic properties of the kininase differ from those of known brain enzymes. The smooth muscle activities of bradykinin and kallidin are also destroyed upon incubation with the enzyme, but eledoisin is unaffected. The significance of the reported enzyme is discussed in terms of a possible neurohumoral activity of Substance P in the central nervous system.
A rate regulating traffic conditioner for supporting TCP over Diffserv

The ever-growing usage of the Internet and the popularity of multimedia applications result in a need to extend its simple best-effort service model. Differentiated Services (Diffserv) is a promising architecture for supporting a wide range of network services over the Internet. While scalable and flexible, Diffserv must still overcome several challenges including providing per-flow service guarantees and fairness. A critical problem is the difficulty faced by TCP flows in achieving their guaranteed or fair-share rates, especially when competing with flows that do not support congestion control mechanisms, such as UDP. In this paper, we present a traffic conditioner based on Rate Regulation via Early Adaptive Detection (READ). READ uses knowledge of TCP congestion control behavior to proactively regulate flow throughput in order to achieve the desired rate. Our simulation results demonstrate READ's effectiveness in providing TCP flows with their guaranteed or fair share rates. Its adaptive early detection mechanism leads to highly predictable TCP flow behavior, even under dynamic load environments with high priority traffic and competing UDP flows.