cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calcium control of transmitter release at a cerebellar synapse

Abstract The manner in which presynaptic Ca 2+ influx controls the release of neurotransmitter was investigated at the granule cell to Purkinje cell synapse in rat cerebellar slices. Excitatory postsynaptic currents were measured using whole-cell voltage clamp, and changes in presynaptic Ca 2+ influx were determined with the Ca 2+ -sensitive dye furaptra. We manipulated presynaptic Ca 2+ entry by altering external Ca 2+ levels and by blocking Ca 2+ channels with Cd 2+ or with the toxins ω-conotoxin GVIA and ω-Aga-IVA. For all of the manipulations, other than the application of ω-Aga-IVA, the relationship between Ca 2+ influx and release was well approximated by a power law, n ≈ 2.5. When ω-AgaIVA was applied, release appeared to be more steeply dependent on Ca 2+ (n ≈ 4), suggesting that ω-Aga-IVA-sensitive channels are more effective at triggering release. Based on interactive effects of toxins on synaptic currents, we conclude that multiple types of Ca 2+ channels synergistically control individual release sites.
Enhanced Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction for Prostate-specific Antigen Combined With Needle Biopsy Results: A Superior Predictor of pT3 Disease.

Background : Preoperative staging for prostate cancer underestimates the final pathology stage in approximately 40–50% of the cases. Previous work from our institution demonstrated that an enhanced reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) enabled more accurate staging of presumably localized prostate cancer. The goal of the current study is to determine if needle biopsy results when combined with the RT-PCR for PSA assay are a better predictor of final pathology stage. Methods and Results : One hundred sixty-two men with needle biopsy-diagnosed prostate cancer had blood drawn for the RT-PCR for PSA assay before undergoing radical prostatectomy. Polymerase chain reaction primers specific for the PSA gene were run, along with appropriate controls. Tumor was characterized using the TMN staging system: organ confined (pT2a-c), capsular penetration (pT3a-b), seminal vesicle involvement (pT3c). Surgical margins and lymph nodes were also evaluated. Of the 162 patients, the majority had localized disease by digital rectal examination: T2 = 97%, and T3 = 3%. On needle biopsy, 48 cases (30%) had a Gleason score ≥7 and 35 cases (22%) had perineural involvement (PNI). The RT-PCR for PSA assay was positive in 50 patients (31%). Final pathology revealed 39% of patients had pT3 disease; none of the 162 patients had lymph node involvement. Statistical analysis revealed that a Gleason score ≥7 had 81% specificity and 46% sensitivity in predicting pT3 disease (odds ratio 3.6). The presence of PNI on needle biopsy was 89% specific and 38% sensitive in predicting pT3 disease (odds ratio, 4.9). The RT-PCR for PSA assay was 89% specific and 62% sensitive in predicting pT3 disease (odds ratio, 13.0). All 14 cases with both RT-PCR for PSA and PNI positivity had pT3 disease. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated the independent predictive strength of PNI on needle biopsy, Gleason score ≥7, and RT-PCR for PSA positivity for identifying pT3 disease; their combined odds ratio was more than 180. Conclusions : Using the RT-PCR for PSA assay in conjunction with needle biopsy results increases the predictive strength for pT3 disease in patients with presumed organ-confined prostate carcinoma.
Computer simulation of spinodal decomposition in ternary systems

Abstract The non-linear spinodal decomposition kinetics of a quenched homogeneous ternary alloy within three- or two-phase fields is modeled using a computer simulation technique formulated in the reciprocal lattice. Based on two-dimensional computer simulations, it is shown that, similar to binary alloys, spinodal decomposition in a ternary system usually produces interconnected morphologies at the very early stages of decomposition. For most of the compositions investigated, a decomposition of a homogeneous phase into three phases takes place in two stages. For some compositions, the two stages are the phase separation of an homogeneous phase into two phases, followed by further phase separation of one of the two phases into another two phases, resulting in a three-phase mixture. For other compositions, the first stage is a phase separation of an initially homogeneous phase into a two-phase mixture followed by a second stage, the appearance of a third phase along the existing interphase boundaries. This sequential phase separation in a ternary alloy can be justified from a thermodynamic stability analysis combined with the knowledge of the thermodynamic driving force for phase separation. It is also demonstrated that a third minor component strongly segregates to interphase boundaries during spinodal decomposition and subsequent coarsening of a homogeneous ternary alloy into two phases.
Postoperative ascending cholangitis following portoenterostomy for biliary atresia: Measures for control

Twenty-five patients with biliary atresia were treated by a modification of Kasai's hepatic portoenterostomy operation. The midportion of the Roux-en-Y bilioenteric conduit was exteriorized as a Mikulicz anastomosis. This type of biliary reconstruction permitted precise analysis of the biliary drainage, including determinations of the concentrations and types of microorganisms infecting the bilioenteric conduit before, during, and after episodes of cholangitis.
Dental Pathologies and Diet in the Middle Woodland Burials from Helena Crossing, Arkansas

The goal of this study is to evaluate dental lesions and infer the diet of those interred at Helena Crossing, Arkansas. Helena Crossing is located in Southeastern North America and dates to the Middle Woodland Period (150 B.C. ± 75–A.D. 335 ± 75). Until now, no systematic dental analysis has been done in this group. For the purpose of this study, all remains were macroscopically examined for age, sex, and dental pathologies. Adult teeth presented antemortem tooth loss (AMTL; 8.3%), dental wear (100%; mode = 3), alveolar resorption (100%; x = 3.0), calculus deposits (44.8%), hypoplastic defects (12.2%), and caries (11.8%). Subadult teeth were slightly worn (70.5%; x = 2), and showed small calculus deposits (25.6%; x = 1.1), caries (2.5%), and hypoplastic defects (16.4%). The results show that those buried at Helena Crossing ate a diet that was soft, well cooked, and possibly rich in carbohydrates, where domesticated plants may have been an important component.
CP-violating solitons in the minimal supersymmetric standard model

We study nontopological and CP-violating static wall solutions in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric standard model. We show that such membranes, characterized by a nontrivial winding of the relative U(1) phase of the two Higgs fields in the direction orthogonal to the wall, exist for small values of the mass of the CP-odd Higgs boson when loop corrections to the Higgs potential are included. Although their present-day existence is excluded by experimental bounds, we argue why they may have existed in the early universe with important cosmological consequences. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Securin and B-cyclin/CDK are the only essential targets of the APC

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC) is a highly conserved ubiquitin ligase that controls passage through the cell cycle by targeting many proteins for proteolysis. The complex is composed of at least thirteen core subunits, eight of which are essential, and two activating subunits, Cdc20 (essential) and Cdh1/Hct1 (non-essential). Previously, it was not known which APC targets are sufficient to explain the essential nature of the complex. Here, we show that each of the eight normally essential APC subunits is rendered non-essential ('bypass-suppressed') by the simultaneous removal/inhibition of the APC substrates securin (Pds1) and B-type cyclin/CDK (Clb/CDK). In strains lacking the APC, levels of Clb2 and Clb3 remain constant, but Clb/CDK activity oscillates as cells cycle. This suggests that in the absence of B-type cyclin destruction, oscillation of the Clb/CDK-inhibitor Sic1 is sufficient to trigger the feedback loops necessary for the bi-stable nature of Clb/CDK activity. These results strongly suggest that securin and B-type cyclin/CDK activity are the only obligatory targets of the APC in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Analysis of purines in urinary calculi by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract A high-pressure liquid chromatography method has been developed for the analysis in urinary calculi of six purines: uric acid, 2,8-dihydroxyadenine, xanthine, hypoxanthine, allopurinol, and oxypurinol. Separation was conducted isocratically on a reversed-phase column, using 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 5.5) / methanol (97/3, v/v) as mobile phase. Limits of detection, depending on compound, ranged from 7 to 28 μg/g stone weight. Hitherto, no reports have appeared on other purines present with uric acid in stones, due to lack of a sensitive and specific analytical method. We have now found that all calculi with more than 4% uric acid also contained 1-methyluric and 7-methyluric acids and trace amounts of hypoxanthine, xanthine, and 2,8-dihydroxyadenine. Accurate identification and quantitation of purines in urinary calculi are important for the diagnosis of rare metabolic diseases leading to urolithiasis (xanthinuria, dihydroxyadeninuria), as well as for prevention of iatrogenic complications during treatment with allopurinol of uric acid urolithiasis. The method may be used for reference purposes in clinical laboratories and for research on the pathogenesis of urolithiasis in disorders of purine metabolism.
MADN - Multipath Ad-hoc Data Network prototype and experiments

This paper presents the first prototype of Multipath Ad-hoc Data Network (MADN) a clean slate protocol for ad-hoc wireless content distribution. Inspired by the recent advances on Information Centric Networking (ICN), MADN is namely a pull-based protocol that emphasizes on seamless route redundancy and multi-path data delivery. It is complementary to the former IP protocol and therefore does not implement primitives for machine-to-machine communication. In consideration of targeting specifically the wireless medium, it uses rateless encoded data packets to counterbalance packet loss and to benefit from multi-source data distribution. A major difference between MADN and previous works is the use of the BlooGo algorithm in place of the conventional routing protocols - e.g. random walks, landmarks or coordinate spaces. The main advantages of using BlooGo is that it delivers the packets in considerably less hops while it maintains alternative routes open as backup of the shortest ones. This paper serves two aims, firstly it proposes a new protocol for multipath content distribution in ad-hoc environments, secondly it presents its architecture and how this interfaces with the final applications. Ultimately, the implementation is intentionally kept modular in order to facilitate deploying and evaluation of new solutions and new configurations - e.g. different caching algorithms or different types of Erasure Codes - without major refactoring of the codebase.
Sodium stibogluconate-sensitive visceral leishmaniasis in the non-endemic hilly region of Uttarakhand, India

Although visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic in various parts of India, mainly Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa, and neighbouring countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh, it is rarely reported from the hilly areas of India. We report on nine male VL cases from the non-endemic Garhwal region of Uttarakhand who were treated successfully with sodium stibogluconate. We conclude that sodium stibogluconate-sensitive VL is emerging in this region and that urgent and effective vector control measures may be warranted to prevent the disease from becoming a major health problem and to ensure that resistance to sodium stibogluconate does not emerge.
A silicon aluminum relationship in aged brain

Abstract The review by Crapper McLachlan is a highly informative and interesting summary of the research on aluminum and Alzheimer's disease. As he pointed out, to establish a cause and effect relation of aluminum as a potential factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease demands a greater understanding of how aluminum acts at the molecular level in brain and I would add in the entire body.
Improved spectrum access control of cognitive radios based on primary ARQ signals

Cognitive radio systems capable of opportunistic spectrum access represent a new paradigm for improving the efficiency of current spectrum utilisation. In this work, the authors present a novel cognitive channel access method based on learning from both primary channel transmissions and the receiver ARQ feedback signals. This new sensing-plus-confirmation scheme constitutes a non-trivial generalisation of the more traditional ‘Listen-Before-Talk’ (LBT) strategy that merely listens to and yields to primary transmissions regardless of primary receiver (PRx) responses. Our new method exploits the bi-directional and interactive nature of most wireless communication links to facilitate better opportunistic secondary access while achieving PRx protection. By allowing the secondary users to learn from both primary transmissions and the corresponding receiver confirmations, our approach allows secondary cognitive users to exploit critical information that PRxs regularly send to their transmitters. The authors show that, by monitoring both primary transmissions and receiver feedback signals, secondary radio access can improve throughput over the traditional LBT while limiting the probability of collision with primary user signals.
Aluminum corrosion: Correlations of corrosion rate with surface coverage and tunneling spectra of organic inhibitors

Abstract Thin films of evaporated aluminum form a convenient model system for studying corrosion and corrosion inhibition on aluminum because (1) corrosion can be conveniently and continuously monitored by both electrical resistance measurements and optical transmission, (2) surface coverage of inhibitor species can be measured by either radiotracer techniques or tunneling spectroscopy and (3) the nature of surface adsorbed species can be determined with tunneling spectroscopy. The corrosion rate for these films is of order 20 μm/year in pure water at flow rates of order 20 cm/s. The corrosion is inhibited by roughly one order of magnitude by monolayer surface coverages of the surface species that result when acetic acid, benzoic acid, cupferron or ethylene glycol are added to the water. At surface coverages of order 1/100 of a monolayer, the corrosion rate is increased by roughly an order of magnitude for the first three additives but not for ethylene glycol. From the previous studies of tunneling spectra, it is clear that the acetic and benzoic acids lose a proton to become benzoate and acetate ions on the surface. The ethylene glycol loses the protons from both of its OH groups during bonding. The spectrum of the adsorbed cupferron species is presented but not analyzed.
In vivo and in vitro response of human branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase to thiamine and thiamine pyrophosphate.

Summary: In a homozygous affected patient with maple syrup urine disease, pharmacologic doses of thiamine lowered urinary excretion of branched chain α-ketoacids and stimulated branched chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKAD) in his peripheral blood leukocytes. Supplementation of his branched chain aminoacid restricted diet with 100 mg/day of thiamine eliminated recurrent episodes of ketoacidosis. These clinical responses were studied in vitro using mitochondrial inner membranes prepared from his cultured skin fibroblasts and those from another thiamine-responsive patient from Canada. BCKAD in both mutant cell lines had similarities to normal enzyme including: identical apparent Km value for thiamine pyrophosphate; similar heat inactivation profiles which were slowed by the presence of thiamine pyrophosphate; and stimulation above basal activity by thiamine pyrophosphate. Differences in the enzymes included: decreased apparent Vmax for thiamine pyrophosphate; increased lability at 37°; and failure to respond to added NAD+ CoASH, and Mg2+. We propose that “excess” thiamine led to increased available thiamine pyrophosphate which stabilized the branched chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase, decreased biologic turnover, increased enzyme specific activity and produced in vivo tolerance to branched chain aminoacids in these patients with maple syrup urine disease. Speculation: By studying the partially purified normal and mutant branched chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenases from cultured human fibroblasts, direct in vitro effects of thiamine pyrophosphate can be measured and related to in vivo clinical responses. This should improve and extend the treatment and management of patients with maple syrup urine disease and provide a method for study of other mutant human enzymes located in the mitochondrial membrane.
Issues and dilemmas in sexual treatment.

Abstract Five concrete issues and dilemmas typically confronted in the practice of treatment of sexual problems are discussed, These are: (a) the issue of therapeutic values and conflict in values that may arise for the therapist; (b) the phenomenon of the desperation of the impotent male and its relationship to coping techniques and cultural expectations; (c) masturbation as a developmental stage in sexual responsiveness, based on evidence from historical, cross-cultural, human, and animal studies and clinical practice; (d) the positive aspects of the self-concept of nonorgasmic women that may serve as resistance to sexual responsiveness; and (e) a specific value conflict for women therapists that is a reflection of the change in values promoted by the women's movement.
Evaluation of the kinetic performance of new prototype 2.1mm×100mm narrow-bore columns packed with 1.6μm superficially porous particles.

Abstract The mass transfer mechanism in three prototype narrow-bore columns (2.1 mm × 100 mm format) packed with 1.6 μm superficially porous particles was investigated using different instruments. The heights equivalent to a theoretical plate of three small molecules were measured using a mixture of acetonitrile and water as the eluent. The values reported include the contributions of longitudinal diffusion, eddy dispersion, and the solid–liquid mass transfer resistance. The bulk diffusion coefficients of the analytes were measured using the capillary method, calibrated with thiourea in pure water. The reduced longitudinal diffusion coefficient was determined from the results of a series of peak parking experiments. The solid–liquid mass transfer resistance coefficient and the intra-particle diffusivities of the analytes in the porous region of the particles were estimated from Garnett–Torquato's model of effective diffusion in dense beds packed with core–shell particles. The eddy dispersion term, mostly due to trans-column and border effects, was obtained by subtracting the longitudinal diffusion and the solid–liquid mass transfer resistance terms from the total HETP obtained from the first and second central peak moments calculated by numerical integration (Simpson's approach) after baseline correction and systematic left and right cuts of the peak profiles. The results show that the eddy dispersion controls at least 66% of the overall column HETP for small molecules beyond the optimum velocity. This work illustrates how important it is to use ultra-low dispersive very high pressure liquid chromatography (vHPLC) systems to properly measure and to practically use the high efficiencies of narrow-bore columns packed with 1.6 μm core–shell particles since these columns provide intrinsic efficiencies higher than 400,000 plates per meter.
“Cannot” Implies “Not Ought”

I argue for a version of “ought” implies “can”. In particular, I argue that it is necessarily true that if an agent, S, ultima facie ought to do A at T’, then there is a time T* such that S can at T* do A at T’. In support of this principle, I have argued that without it, we cannot explain how it is that, in cases where agents cannot do the best thing, they often ought to do some alternative action – such as get help or do the promised action later; nor can we explain the phenomenon of necessary enablers or the phenomenon of more stringent prima facie obligations overriding less stringent ones in cases where the agent cannot fulfill both.
Upper Semicontinuity of Morse Sets of a Discretization of a Delay-Differential Equation

Abstract In this paper, we consider a discrete delay problem with negative feedback x ( t )= f ( x ( t ), x ( t −1)) along with a certain family of time discretizations with stepsize 1/ n . In the original problem, the attractor admits a nice Morse decomposition. We prove that the discretized problems have global attractors. It was proved by T. Gedeon and K. Mischaikov (1995, J. Dynamical Differential Equations 7 , 141–190) that such attractors also admit Morse decompositions. We then prove certain continuity results about the individual Morse sets, including that if f ( x , y )= f ( y ), then the individual Morse sets are upper semicontinuous at n =∞.
Outcome of valve repair and the cox maze procedure for mitral regurgitation and associated atrial fibrillation

Abstract Objective: The objective was to determine whether the Cox maze procedure provides adjunctive benefit in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing mitral valve repair. Methods: We compared the outcome of 39 patients who had the Cox maze procedure plus mitral valve repair between January 1993 and December 1996 (maze group) with that of 58 patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation who had mitral valve repair during the same interval by the same surgeons (control group). Patients in the 2 cohorts were similar for age, gender, preoperative New York Heart Association class III or IV, and duration of preoperative atrial fibrillation. The control group had a higher incidence of previous heart surgery and coronary artery disease. Results: No operative deaths occurred, and 1 patient in each group required pacemaker implantation after the operation. Duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (122 ± 40 minutes vs 58 ± 27 minutes, P P P P = .04). At most recent follow-up, 82% of maze patients were in normal sinus rhythm (53% in control group). Conclusion: The addition of the Cox maze procedure to mitral valve repair is safe and effective for selected patients, and elimination of atrial fibrillation decreased late complications. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;118:628-35)
School Board Member and Superintendent Turnover and the Influence on Student Achievement: An Application of the Dissatisfaction Theory

District-level leadership often has been perceived as irrelevant to educational reform. This study compared district political and apolitical board and superintendent turnover to student performance change on the state criterion-referenced test. Results included student test score decline as board turnover increased, particularly in smaller districts and when delineating politically motivated board turnover. Also, student test scores declined in small, rural districts where there was no superintendent change over the course of the eight-year study. Conclusions included support for the dissatisfaction theory, which predicts that politically motivated board and superintendent turnover may influence student performance.
Adaptations and pathologies linked to dynamic stabilization of neural circuitry.

Abstract Brain circuits for infrequently employed memories are reinforced largely during sleep by self-induced, electrical slow-waves, a process referred to as “dynamic stabilization” (DS). The essence of waking brain function in the absence of volitional activity is sensory input processing, an enormous amount of which is visual. These two functions: circuit reinforcement by DS and sensory information processing come into conflict when both occur at a high level, a conflict that may have been the selective pressure for sleep’s origin. As brain waves are absent at the low temperatures of deep torpor, essential circuitry of hibernating small mammals would lose its competence if the animals did not warm up periodically to temperatures allowing sleep and circuit reinforcement. Blind, cave-dwelling vertebrates require no sleep because their sensory processing does not interfere with DS. Nor does such interference arise in continuously-swimming fishes, whose need to process visual information is reduced greatly by life in visually relatively featureless, pelagic habitats, and by schooling. Dreams are believed to have their origin in DS of memory circuits. They are thought to have illusory content when the circuits are partially degraded (incompetent), with synaptic efficacies weakened through infrequent use. Partially degraded circuits arise normally in the course of synaptic efficacy decay, or pathologically through abnormal regimens of DS. Organic delirium may result from breakdown of normal regimens of DS of circuitry during sleep, leaving many circuits incompetent. Activation of incompetent circuits during wakefulness apparently produces delirium and hallucinations. Some epileptic seizures may be induced by abnormal regimens of DS of motor circuitry. Regimens of remedial DS during seizures induced by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) apparently produce temporary remission of delirium by restoring functional or ‘dedicated’ synaptic efficacies in incompetent circuitry. Sparing of sensory circuitry in fatal familial insomnia seemingly owes to supernormal circuit use in the virtual absence of sleep. ECT shocks and cardioverter defibrillation may have analogous remedial influences.
A Test for Price Pressure Effects in Tender Offer Stock Repurchases

The evidence in this paper supports the hypothesis that the previously documented stock price reversal following a tender offer announcement is consistent with a price pressure caused by a temporary shift in the security's demand curve. The authors came to this conclusion by redocumenting the price reversal, by finding an increase in trading volume around the tender offer announcement and expiration, by showing the increase in volume to be larger than expected from only an information effect, and by showing that short selling activity increases after the announcement and before the expiration of the tender offer.
Use of Mössbauer Spectroscopy for the Characterization of Order/Disorder Phenomena in Tin(II) Containing Ionic Conductors and for Making Predictions Regarding Possible Electron Contribution to the Conduction

Mossbauer spectroscopy has been seldom used for the characterization of ionic conductors. However, since the introduction of divalent tin in MF2 fluorites (M = Sr, Pb and Ba) to form MSnF4, PbSn4F10 or the Pb1−xSnxF2 solid solution, all of which have structures closely related to the fluorite type, results in an enhancement of the fluoride ion conductivity by up to three orders of magnitude, and since 119 Sn is the second best Mossbauer nuclide, it seems that the Mossbauer technique could provide useful information about how tin(II) modifies the fluorite structure and leads to such a tremendous enhancement of the fluoride ion mobility. The MF2/SnF2 systems contain some number of materials that show order/disorder phenomena (between M and Sn, and also between different fluorine atoms) which make it difficult to understand them from diffraction data only. Mossbauer spectroscopy has been invaluable in helping understand the local structure at tin. By probing the valence electronic structure of tin, we can also make predictions on the possible long range mobility of the tin(II) non-bonded electron pair, which would make the material an electronic conductor or a mixed conductor.
Dynamics of coherent plasmon damping

We use ultrafast THz spectroscopy to study coherent plasmon oscillations in InSb. The coherent plasmons can be manipulated by optical carrier injection and engineered structures that induce Landau damping.
Continuation of contraception following menstrual regulation–a Bangladesh experience

The study compares the 3 years of birth control practice of 1172 women who underwent early menstrual regulation (MR) and 499 others who accepted contraceptives only (nonMR) from an urban clinic in Bangladesh. About 60% of the women in the sample were followed-up and their all-method continuation rate was analyzed by life-table technique. The 3-year overall continuation rate in the MR group (64%) did not differ from that of the nonMR group (62%). In the age groups 25 and over the continuation rate was higher in the MR group. Among the women who did not desire any more children the continuation rate in the MR group was significantly higher than that of the nonMR group (80% versus 68% P<0.05). Of women with parity greater than 2 the MR group had significantly higher continuation rates than the nonMR group. The MR group had higher extended use-effectiveness for IUDs conventional contraceptives (condom and foam) injectables and oral contraceptives than the nonMR group. These findings indicated effective contraceptive practice following MR for this urban population. Easy availability of a multimethod service after MR seemed to be important in promoting effective contraception. (authors modified)
Hybrid cell: An implementation of an object based strongly distributed system

The cell is a framework for the design of strongly distributed object based systems that preserves the autonomy of the nodes. The hybrid system was transformed to a cell prototype with the introduction of a membrane providing the services of type matching, object mapping, and connection trading. A type matching language was designed, and the connection and trading protocols were defined. >
School Shooting Fatalities and School Corporal Punishment: A Look at the States

Student deaths from school shootings were examined across all 50 states according to the state's policy on the use of corporal punishment in schools after controlling for associated differences in poverty rates and the prevalence of conservative Christian religions. There were significantly more school shooting deaths found in states allowing school corporal punishment compared with those that do not. The odds of fatal involvement in a school shooting were greatest in states permitting school corporal punishment compared with those prohibiting it (odds ratio, 2.04) or restricting it to districts serving less than half the student population (odds ratio, 1.77). Moreover, the rate of school corporal punishment was moderately correlated with the rate of fatal school shootings both across all states and within the South, the region in which endorsement of school corporal punishment is most prevalent.
The Mobius Modeling Environment: Recent Extensions - 2005

The Mobius modeling environment is an extensible framework for discrete-event system analysis that allows multiple formalisms and solution techniques to easily intemperate, and new modules to be easily added. The basis of the framework is an abstract functional interface that defines the behavior and data to be shared among modules. New formalism and solver modules continue to be added to the tool. This paper describes recent additions to Mobius, including a fault tree model definition formalism, a model composition formalism based on action synchronization, improvements in reward model definition, and additional lumping capabilities in the symbolic state space generator
Phenytoin Toxicity from Cocaine Adulteration

The use of phenytoin (PHT) as a cocaine adulterant was reported decades ago;that practice is still current. Ironically PHT has also been used for the treatment of cocaine dependence. A drug smuggler developed PHT toxicity after swallowing several rocks of crack. We investigated the current trends of PHT as a cocaine adulterant and its toxicological implications. We also reviewed the clinical use of PTH in relation to cocaine. The use of PHT as cocaine cut is a current practice. This may affect the clinical manifestations and the management of the cocaine-related visits to the emergency department. [West J Emerg Med. 2014;15(2):127–130.]
Evolution of dynamic maneuvers in a 3D galloping quadruped robot

Dynamic maneuvers are an important part of legged locomotion used to adapt to varying terrain conditions. Quadrupedal dynamic maneuvers have received little attention in the literature due to limitations of traditional analytical approaches. In this study we look at several dynamic maneuvers in a 3D galloping quadruped robot using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. In particular, we consider the jump-start, the high-speed turn, the running jump, and the sudden-stop. The control approach and fitness criteria are described for each maneuver, and biological-mode solutions are presented
Combined D-dimer and cardiac troponins for pulmonary embolism in renal insufficiency.

We thank Lindner et al for their interesting research study, “D-dimer to Rule Out Pulmonary Embolism in Renal Insufficiency” in the April 2014 issue of the Journal. The authors demonstrated the high sensitivity of D-dimer for exclusion of pulmonary embolism. Unfortunately, its specificity decreased significantly with impaired renal insufficiency. We would propose the addition of cardiac enzymes (troponin I or T) to D-dimer in the study model to provide higher specificity in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in patients with chronic kidney disease. Although renal impairment is a condition associated with elevated D-dimer and troponin concentrations, serum troponins are high in 30% to 50% of patients with moderate to extensive pulmonary embolism with a significant increase in mortality. Elevated troponin T is also significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease.
Conformity Analyzed and Related to Personality

(1961). Conformity Analyzed and Related to Personality. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 271-283.
A model of moral stages

The argument of this paper focuses on the relationship between cognitive structures and structures of interaction. It contends that there is still a place in moral development theory and research for a concept of moral stages. The thesis, in short, is that moral stages are not structures of thought. They are structures of action encoded in thought. When individuals seek reciprocity or appeal to reciprocity as a norm, they are not inventing reciprocity or constructing a philosophical concept out of thin air. They are, following Piaget and G.H. Mead, bringing to conscious realisation the reciprocity in the functioning social system in which they interact. The basic assumptions of Kohlberg’s early social‐pragmatist, cognitive‐developmental approach are outlined and a stage sequence that follows this format is described.
How to Develop a Budget for a Research Proposal

Novice investigators may be intimidated by the task of proposal budget preparation. Often a basic understanding of the mechanics of budgeting, paired with a good working relationship with the institution's sponsored programs office, can alleviate much of the stress investigators encounter in developing budgets. Careful attention to the detailed inclusive costs of conducting the proposed study combined with awareness of university and agency budget requirements is essential. This article describes strategies for developing a budget for a research proposal.
Structure, Fragmentation, and Phonons in Silicon Microclusters

Molecular-dynamics simulations are performed to investigate structures, vibrational spectra, and fragmentation channels of silicon microclusters ranging in size from 32 to 52 atoms. Structural information is derived from pair-distribution functions, bond-angle distributions, and the structure and statistics of rings. Molecular-dynamics simulation results for energetics suggest that 33, 39, 45 and 51 atom clusters are highly stable. These magic-number clusters have predominantly five and six membered rings. With an increase in “temperature”, most clusters tend to fragment by loosing one atom at a time. Vibrational densities of states of 32-52 atom silicon clusters show only minor deviations from the bulk behavior.
The Cultural Mission of Russian Orthodoxy

A GENERATION AGO the study of Russian church history was considered a highly specialized field. Outside Slavic lands little attention was paid to it and in Heussi's great compendium of church history the sections on Russia occupy hardly more than a page. Similarities and differences between Russian and Roman or Anglican theology interested enthusiasts for the restoration of unity between Eastern and Western Christianity and this led in some instances to serious historical study. The names of Palmer, Neale, Stanley and Fortescue in England, of Palmieri in Italy and d'Herbigny in France, not to mention other scholars associated with the excellent publications of the Pontifical Institute of Oriental Studies, are familiar in this connection. The Ecumenical Movement after 1918 effected a wider and better understanding of the Russian Church especially in England and America. No general and popular interest, however, was stimulated or sustained. What theologians and historians failed to accomplish, the Soviet Revolution brilliantly succeeded in achieving. Overnight the Russian Church lost all its privileges and most of its rights and the conflict between the Bolsheviks and Orthodoxy suddenly translated into violent action the theoretical opposition between secular minded Communism and the more conservative social
End-to-end delay bounds for traffic aggregates under guaranteed-rate scheduling algorithms

This paper evaluates, via both analysis and simulation, the end-to-end (e2e) delay performance of aggregate scheduling with guaranteed-rate (GR) algorithms. Deterministic e2e delay bounds for a single aggregation are derived under the assumption that all incoming flows at an aggregator conform to the token bucket model. An aggregator can use any of three types of GR scheduling algorithms: stand-alone GR, two-level hierarchical GR, and rate-controlled two-level hierarchical GR. E2e delay bounds are also derived for the case of multiple aggregations within an aggregation region when aggregators use the rate-controlled two-level hierarchical GR. By using the GR scheduling algorithms for traffic aggregates, we show not only the existence of delay bounds for each flow, but also the fact that, under certain conditions (e.g., when the aggregate traverses a long path after the aggregation point), the bounds are smaller than that of per-flow scheduling. We then compare the analytic delay bounds numerically and conduct in-depth simulation to: 1) confirm the analytic results and 2) compare the e2e delays of aggregate and per-flow scheduling. The simulation results have shown that aggregate scheduling is very robust and can exploit statistical multiplexing gains. It performs better than per-flow scheduling in most of the simulation scenarios we considered. Overall, aggregate scheduling is shown theoretically to provide bounded e2e delays and practically to provide excellent e2e delay performance. Moreover, it incurs lower scheduling and state-maintenance overheads at routers than per-flow scheduling. All of these salient features make aggregate scheduling very attractive for use in Internet core networks.
Preprocessing differential methylation hybridization microarray data

DNA methylation plays a very important role in the silencing of tumor suppressor genes in various tumor types. In order to gain a genome-wide understanding of how changes in methylation affect tumor growth, the differential methylation hybridization (DMH) protocol has been developed and large amounts of DMH microarray data have been generated. However, it is still unclear how to preprocess this type of microarray data and how different background correction and normalization methods used for two-color gene expression arrays perform for the methylation microarray data. In this paper, we demonstrate our discovery of a set of internal control probes that have log ratios (M) theoretically equal to zero according to this DMH protocol. With the aid of this set of control probes, we propose two LOESS (or LOWESS, locally weighted scatter-plot smoothing) normalization methods that are novel and unique for DMH microarray data. Combining with other normalization methods (global LOESS and no normalization), we compare four normalization methods. In addition, we compare five different background correction methods. We study 20 different preprocessing methods, which are the combination of five background correction methods and four normalization methods. In order to compare these 20 methods, we evaluate their performance of identifying known methylated and un-methylated housekeeping genes based on two statistics. Comparison details are illustrated using breast cancer cell line and ovarian cancer patient methylation microarray data. Our comparison results show that different background correction methods perform similarly; however, four normalization methods perform very differently. In particular, all three different LOESS normalization methods perform better than the one without any normalization. It is necessary to do within-array normalization, and the two LOESS normalization methods based on specific DMH internal control probes produce more stable and relatively better results than the global LOESS normalization method.
Significance of microbial interactions in control of microbial ecosystems

A microbial ecosystem represents a delicately balanced population of microorganisms each interacting with and influencing the other members of the population. An understanding of the nature and effects of these interactions is essential to improving the performance of these ecologies, which are important, in such diverse processes as biological waste treatment procedures, water pollution abatement, industrial fermentations, human or animal digestives processes and in soil. There are several types of mocrobial interactions, such as commensalism, inhibition, food competition, predation, parasitism, and synergism, which either singly or in combination may influence the functioning of the microbial ecology. To understand interactions, it is necessary to perform a detailed study of the physiology of the individual predominating microorganisms to establish their requirements with respect to such environmental factors as nutrients, temperature, pH, oxidation-reduction potential, removal of waste products, or toxic materials which may be involved in control processes and to determine how these factors affect their capabilities. The sum total of this information will indicate the possible interactions between the microorganisms and will form the basis for conducting experiments either in the laboratory or with mathematical models. Such experiments will lead to an understanding of microbial activities and to the formulation of control measures, often using an alteration of the environmental factors for regulation of the microbial ecologies. Extensive research remains to be done on the microbial interact inns in obtain the desired, precise control of these ecological processes.
WiMAX Capacity Enhancement: Capacity Improvement of WiMAX Networks by Dynamic Allocation of Subframes

A WiMAX TDD frame contains one downlink subframe and one uplink subframe, the capacity allocated to each subframe is a system parameter that should be determined based on the expected traffic conditions. Normally, the load in downlink is higher compared to uplink, hence the downlink subframe is expected to have a longer duration. The split between downlink and uplink subframes is usually decided once, based on average statistical traffic behavior, setting the system accordingly. Nevertheless, it is also possible that through real-time monitoring, the system itself may adapt the uplink and downlink boundary dependent on the current traffic conditions. We devise a custom algorithm which assigns the network resources dynamically via adaptive allocation of uplink and downlink subframes.
Redesign of Protein Function: A Semisynthetic Selenoenzyme

An artificial selenoenzyme, selenolsubtilisin, was prepared by chemical conversion of the active site nucleophile (Ser 221) in the protease subtilisin into a selenocysteine. The properties of the selenol group make it a useful and general molecular probe of steric and electronic effects in catalysis involving serine (or cysteine) side chains in proteins. In the case of subtilisin, the effects of the selenium for oxygen substitution on the acylation and deacylation steps that occur during substrate hydrolysis and on partitioning of the acyl enzyme intermediate between amines and water were studied. Increases in aminolysis selectivity of up to 14,000 fold were achieved with the selenoenzyme compared to native subtilisin, suggesting that selenolsubtilisin could be useful as a peptide ligase. Like the naturally occurring selenoenzyme glutathione peroxidase, selenolsubtilisin also has interesting redox properties. It catalyzes the reduction of hydroperoxides by thiols. Comparison of the initial rates for the oxidation of 3-carboxy-4-nitro-benzenethiol by t-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of the enzyme and a model selenocompound indicates a 17,000 fold rate enhancement due to protein binding.
Breaking down to build up: Neuroligin’s C-terminal domain strengthens the synapse

The mechanisms by which neuroligin adhesion molecules modulate synaptic plasticity remain unclear. In this issue, Liu et al. (2016. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201509023) demonstrate that neuroligin 1 promotes actin assembly associated with synaptic strengthening independent of adhesion, suggesting additional ways for neuroligins to contribute to neuronal development and disease pathology.
Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of CoPt(001) and FePt(001) Films Formed from Epitaxial Co/Pt and Fe/Pt Multilayers

ABSTRACTTransmission electron microscopy was performed on epitaxial Fe/Pt and Co/Pt [001] oriented multilayers that were sputter deposited onto single crystal [001] MgO. Films were examined as-deposited and after annealing in vacuum. Before annealing, the films had a magnetic easy axis in the plane while after annealing the easy axis was out of the plane. Perpendicular anisotropies of 8× 106 erg/cm3 and 1.9x 107 erg/cm3 were measured for the Fe/Pt and Co/Pt post-annealed films. Large magneto-optic Kerr rotations were also measured, 0.6° and 0.4° for the Fe/Pt and Co/Pt annealed films, respectively. Changes in the magnetic properties were a direct result of the transformation of the multilayer into c axis oriented FePt and CoPt intermetallic compounds upon annealing.