cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of single chip computer virtual laboratory based on the Proteus software

The paper proposes a scheme of building single chip computer laboratory based on proteus software.By analyzing an application instance,the simulation shows that the approach is feasible.This scheme solves the problems of capital shortage,difficulty in equipment maintenance and the hardware resources limit in lab box to a certain extent.Students' practical ability is cultivated.
Generalized Estimating Equations Logistic Regression

Many fields of study use longitudinal datasets, which usually consist of repeated measurements of a response variable, often accompanied by a set of covariates for each of the subjects/units. However, longitudinal datasets are problematic because they inherently show correlation due to a subject’s repeated set of measurements. For example, one might expect a correlation to exist when looking at a patient’s health status over time or a student’s performance over time. But in those cases, when the responses are correlated, we cannot readily obtain the underlying joint distribution; hence, there is no closed-form joint likelihood function to present, as with the standard logistic regression model. One remedy is to fit a generalized estimating equations (GEE) logistic regression model for the data, which is explored in this chapter. This chapter addresses repeated measures of the sampling unit, showing how the GEE method allows missing values within a subject without losing all the data from the subject, and time-varying predictors that can appear in the model. The method requires a large number of subjects and provides estimates of the marginal model parameters. We fit this model in SAS, SPSS, and R, basing our work on the variance means relationship methods, Ziang and Leger (Biometrics 42:121–130, 1986a, Biometrics 73:13–22, 1986b), and Liang and Zeger (Biometrika 73:13–22, 1986).
The National Cholesterol Education Program: implications for dietetic practitioners from the Adult Treatment Panel recommendations.

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) was initiated to contribute to the prevention of illness and death from coronary heart disease by reducing the prevalence of high blood cholesterol. The report of an expert panel of this program provides guidelines for the treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults 20 years of age and over. Dietary therapy is the primary treatment. The goal of the recommended dietary therapy is to lower the LDL-cholesterol concentration, although measurement of total blood cholesterol can be used to monitor the response to diet. Dietary modification involves a progressive decrease in intake of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. The Step-One Diet calls for an intake of total fat less than 30% of calories, saturated fatty acids less than 10% of calories, and cholesterol less than 300 mg/day. If the desired decrease in LDL-cholesterol is not achieved with that dietary change, then the Step-Two Diet is begun. It requires a reduction in saturated fatty acids to less than 7% of calories and cholesterol to less than 200 mg/day. This article provides background information on the organization and objectives of the NCEP and focuses on the recommendations of the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP), e.g., classification of risk for developing coronary heart disease based on total and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels and recommendations for treatment of patients with high blood cholesterol. The emphasis of the discussion is on dietary treatment. The implications of the recommendations for the dietetic practitioner are discussed. These include an expanded leadership role to meet the education needs of health professionals and patients.
Preoperative and postoperative management in total hip reconstruction.

SUMMARY Although a less rigorous rehabilitation program is necessary for the patient undergoing total hip replacement, close attention must be given to the fine details of postoperative management, as previously outlined. In this manner the continued success of a major hip reconstruction program is assured.
The stress response and the lung

The stress response is a highly conserved cellular defense mechanism defined by the rapid and specific expression of stress proteins, with concomitant transient inhibition of nonstress protein gene expression. The stress proteins mediate cellular and tissue protection against diverse cytotoxic stimuli. Among the many classes of stress proteins, heat shock protein 70 and heme oxygenase-1 are the best characterized with respect to lung biology. A potential role for stress proteins in human lung disease is inferred from studies demonstrating stress protein expression in the lungs of patients with cancer, asthma, and acute lung injury. Several examples of stress protein-mediated cytoprotection exist in cell and animal models of acute lung injury. Stress protein induction protects rats against acute lung injury caused by either systemic administration of endotoxin or intratracheal administration of phospholipase A1. In vitro, increased expression of stress proteins protects lung cells against endotoxin-mediated apoptosis and oxidant injury. The mechanisms of stress response-mediated cytoprotection may involve the enzymatic and molecular chaperone properties of stress proteins. Alternatively, the stress response may protect by modulating lung proinflammatory responses. Data from extrapulmonary systems suggest that stress response-associated factors (heat shock protein 70 and heat shock factor) are directly involved in modulation of proinflammatory gene expression. Recent evidence also demonstrates interactions between the stress response and the I-kappa B/nuclear factor-kappa B pathway in cultured lung cells. Increased understanding about the role of stress proteins in lung biology may support efforts to selectively increase expression of one or more stress proteins to provide protection against human acute lung injury.
Integration of deterministic inference with formal synthesis for control under uncertainty

In this work, we consider an agent playing a turn-based game in a known environment against an adversary with unknown dynamics. The model of the adversary is assumed to belong to a subclass of regular languages that can be learned in the limit. We use tools from formal methods to synthesize a control strategy for the agent to win the game as it learns the model of its adversary, if a winning strategy exists. The strategy is updated as new information about the adversary is learned. The proposed framework is tested in simulation.
Partial convex hull algorithms for efficient grasp quality evaluation

We present two algorithms to efficiently determine the value of two grasp quality metrics formerly proposed in literature. The first one is heavily used in practice but has some drawbacks, e.g.,~it is not scale invariant and it does not focus on the disturbance forces that will occur in practice when the robot grasps an object. The second one overcomes these limitations, but is rarely used because it is computationally too demanding. The two algorithms we propose are based on the common intuition that both metrics can be efficiently computed through a modified version of the QuickHull algorithm that is commonly used to compute convex hulls. In both cases it is possible to establish when enough information has been generated to determine the desired value, and then stop the construction of a suitably defined convex hull. Extensive numerical evaluations demonstrate that our algorithms provide substantial computational gains when compared with the state of the art. The speedup provides an immediate benefit to planners using grasp quality metrics to guide the search through the space of possible grasps. Two algorithms to compute grasp quality evaluation metrics are presented.Algorithms are based on computational geometry insights derived from convex hull computation.Extensive simulations substantiate substantial performance gains over the state of the arton.Code and datasets are made freely available to the research community.
Symbolic Interactionism and Social Assessment

Social work needs a theoretical perspective that will provide impetus to the development of its unique function: social assessment and social intervention. The images and concepts characterizing symbolic interactionism seem to have the potential of meeting this need. This paper explores the perspective with the intent of suggesting its utility for assessing and intervening in interpersonal and environmental circumstances.
The age 60 rule: age discrimination in commercial aviation.

BACKGROUND: The Federal Aviation Administration's Age 60 Rule, promulgated in 1959, prohibits airline pilots from working in Part 121 operations once they have reached the age of 60. The Age 60 Rule remains a most contentious and politically sensitive topic, with challenges to the Rule currently mounted in both legislative and legal arenas. METHODS: An extensive review of the medical literature was accomplished using MEDLINE. Pertinent Federal Regulations were examined. Legal proceedings and public domain documents were noted. Letters and personal communication were solicited where necessary information could not be ascertained by other means. RESULTS: The Age 60 Rule was not based on any scientific data showing that airline pilots aged 60 and older were any less safe than younger pilots, and there is evidence to indicate that the choice of age 60 was actually based on economic rather than safety considerations. Airline pilots consistently exceed general population norms for longevity, physical health, and mental abilities. Fear of an adverse pilot health event causing a crash in standard multi-crew operations is not justified. For decades, airline pilots under age 60 have been granted the means to demonstrate their fitness for flying by taking medical, cognitive, and performance evaluations that are denied to airline pilots when they reach age 60. Actual flight experience demonstrates that older pilots are as safe as younger pilots. International aviation experience indicates that abolishing the Age 60 Rule will not compromise aviation safety. CONCLUSION: There appears to be no medical, scientific, or safety justification for the Age 60 Rule. As such, perpetuation of the Age 60 Rule, where age alone is used as the single criterion of older pilot fitness, represents age discrimination in commercial aviation. Language: en
Incorporating Dispositional Traits into the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

We provide a general framework to guide the development of interventions that aim to address persistent features in eating disorders that may preclude effective treatment. Using perfectionism as an exemplar, we draw from research in cognitive neuroscience regarding attention and reinforcement learning, from learning theory and social psychology regarding vicarious learning and implications for the role modeling of significant others, and from clinical psychology on the importance of verbal narratives as barriers that may influence expectations and shape reinforcement schedules.
Are Angels Extraterrestrials

With the anticipation of having knowledge in hand fairly soon about how many planets in the Milky Way are hospitable for life and perhaps even whether life itself exists beyond the Earth, the remaining chapters examine the theological positions of a number of religions regarding the possibility that extraterrestrial life exists. Before looking in detail at the relevant histories, scriptural texts and theological approaches of these many religions, however, we first need to discuss angels. Specifically, we need to consider whether angels are extraterrestrials?
Abstract 4068: Galectin-1 intensifies immunosuppression in head and neck cancer by boosting myeloid-derived suppressive cell (MDSC) expansion

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with more than 450,000 newly diagnosed cases annually, is the 6th most common cancer worldwide. Recent literature shows that tumor induced suppression of the host immune system is critical to HNSCC progression and metastases. Tumor secreted factors directly influence the expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which are considered important contributors for tumor to escape from immune surveillance. The presence of expanded MDSCs peripherally and within the tumor microenvironment is associated with metastasis and recurrence after definitive treatment in HNSCC patients. In this study, we evaluated at the role of tumor secreted Galectin-1 in recruitment of MDSCs in HNSCC. We utilized HPV-negative as well as HPV-positive HNSCC models to test the effect of Galectin-1 knockout (KO) in the tumor microenvironment. CRISPR/Cas9 knock out Galectin-1 in MOC2 and MEERL models resulted in a ~50% reduction in the tumor growth. We further analyzed the tumor microenvironment of these tumors for MDSC recruitment. Both MOC2 and MEERL tumors showed highly inflammatory phenotype, with significant presence of MDSCs (>70% of CD45+ cells were of myeloid origin). Knocking out Galectin-1 led to a significant decrease in CD11b+Gr1+ MDSCs in both MOC2 and MEERL tumors. We also observed high level of MDSCs in both the spleen and the peripheral blood of mice bearing Galectin-1 wildtype (WT) tumors in both models. In contrast, knocking out Galectin-1 from the tumor reduced systemic MDSCs levels. To investigate how Galectin-1 modulates MDSC levels, we compared the secreted cytokine profiles between MOC2 WT and Galectin-1 KO tumors. Galectin-1 null cells secreted significantly lower levels of monocyte and macrophage recruiting chemokines: CCL5, CXCL1, and G-CSF. Analysis of the gene expression signatures of MOC-2 WT and KO tumor cells revealed critical signaling pathways differences, including down-regulation of PI3K-AKT pathway in KO-tumors. In conclusion, the present study reveals that tumor derived Galectin-1 can stimulate the recruitment of MDSCs, thereby potentiating an inflammatory tumor microenvironment which supports HNSCC progression. (Acknowledgements: BMS for Anti-Gal1 Abs. Dr R. Uppaluri, for MOC-2 oral cancer cells, Dr. W. Spanos for MEERL cells) Citation Format: Dhanya K. Nambiar, Todd A. Aguilera, Joshua Daniel Bloomstein, Dadi Jiang, Hongbin Cao, Albert Koong, Quynh Thu Le. Galectin-1 intensifies immunosuppression in head and neck cancer by boosting myeloid-derived suppressive cell (MDSC) expansion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4068.
An experimental test of the fetal programming hypothesis: Can we reduce child ontogenetic vulnerability to psychopathology by decreasing maternal depression?

Maternal depression is one of the most common prenatal complications, and prenatal maternal depression predicts many child psychopathologies. Here, we apply the fetal programming hypothesis as an organizational framework to address the possibility that fetal exposure to maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy affects fetal development of vulnerabilities and risk mechanisms, which enhance risk for subsequent psychopathology. We consider four candidate pathways through which maternal prenatal depression may affect the propensity of offspring to develop later psychopathology across the life span: brain development, physiological stress regulation (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis), negative emotionality, and cognitive (effortful) control. The majority of past research has been correlational, so potential causal conclusions have been limited. We describe an ongoing experimental test of the fetal programming influence of prenatal maternal depressive symptoms using a randomized controlled trial design. In this randomized controlled trial, interpersonal psychotherapy is compared to enhanced usual care among distressed pregnant women to evaluate whether reducing prenatal maternal depressive symptoms has a salutary impact on child ontogenetic vulnerabilities and thereby reduces offspring's risk for emergence of later psychopathology.
Multi-modal Brain Connectivity Study Using Deep Collaborative Learning

Functional connectivities in the brain explain how different brain regions interact with each other when conducting a specific activity. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) based models, have been used to detect correlations and to analyze brain connectivities which further help explore how the brain works. However, the data representation of CCA lacks label related information and may be limited when applied to functional connectivity study. Collaborative regression was proposed to address the limitation of CCA by combining correlation analysis and regression. However, both prediction and correlation are sacrificed as linear collaborative regression use the same set of projections on both correlation and regression. We propose a novel method, deep collaborative learning (DCL), to address the limitations of CCA and collaborative regression. DCL improves collaborative regression by combining correlation analysis and label information using deep networks, which may lead to better performance both for classification/prediction and for correlation detection. Results demonstrated the out-performance of DCL over other conventional models in terms of classification accuracy. Experiments showed the difference of brain connectivities between different age groups may be more significant than that between different cognition groups.
Synthesis of analogs of amrinone: 4-(3,4-Disubstitutedphenyl)pyridines and derivatives thereof

4-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)pyridine (5c) prepared by the coupling of 3,4-dimethoxyphenyldiazonium chloride with pyridine was converted to 4-(4-pyridinyl)benzene-1,2-diol (6c) by treating with hydrobromic acid. Diazotization of 4-(4-pyridinyl)benzeneamine (7) and 3-(4-pyridinyl)benzeneamine (12) gave the corresponding phenols 8 and 13 which were nitrated to give 2-nitro-4-(4-pyridinyl)phenol (9) and 2-nitro-5-(4-pyridinyl)-phenol (14), respectively. Reduction of these nitrophenols gave the corresponding aminophenols 10 and 16 which in turn were reacted with N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole to yield benzoxazolones 11 and 17, respectively. Catalytic reduction of 2-nitro-4-(4-pyridinyl)benzeneamine (18) gave 4-(4-pyridinyl)benzene-1,2-diamine (19) which was reacted with orthoesters, urea, tetraethoxymethane, and N,N'-di(carbomethoxy)methylpseudothiourea to give the corresponding benzimidazole derivatives 20, 21, 22, and 23.
Developers’ Behavioral Characteristic and Its Impact On Performance: A Case Study Of Iot Development Product Design:

The IoT industry is facing a significant demand to provide more efficient paths for developer communities. At the same time, products are often developed without consideration of usability or are l...
Para uma reinterpretação de Cien Años de Soledad no contexto da globalização

Cien Anos de Soledad (1967) e um dos livros mais lidos e comentados na historia da literatura de lingua espanhola. Ja nos anos 60, o romance de Gabriel Garcia Marquez se tornou a primeira obra de ficcao latino-americana a alcancar a marca de 100.000 exemplares publicados anualmente. A partir de 1982, entao, com a conquista do Premio Nobel de Literatura pelo autor, sua projecao global se tornou ainda maior. No campo academico, um dos principais motivos para a continuidade dessa proeminencia parece ser a crescente legitimidade dos estudos pos-coloniais e da chamada world literature nas principais universidades do planeta. Mas se, por um lado, e evidente que o interesse mundial pela obra segue intenso, por outro lado, a narrativa de Garcia Marquez parece ainda mal situada em meio ao quadro literario das decadas de 50 e 60 ao qual pertence. Como Cien Anos (...) se localiza em relacao ao panorama em questao? Como sua forma dialoga com as propostas de outros escritores relevantes nesse âmbito? Para responder essa pergunta, o presente artigo sugere que Cien Anos (...) seja uma das primeiras obras pos-modernas na historia da America Latina, razao pela qual deve ser discutida a luz do tema da globalizacao.
Standards-Based Clinical Decision Support Platform to Manage Patients Who Meet Guideline-Based Criteria for Genetic Evaluation of Familial Cancer.

PURPOSEThe ubiquitous adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) with family health history (FHH) data provides opportunities for tailoring cancer screening strategies to individuals. We aimed to...
Exploring Rain as Source of Biological Control Agents for Fire Blight on Apple

Poor survival on plants can limit the efficacy of Biological Control Agents (BCAs) in the field. Yet bacteria survive in the atmosphere, despite their exposure to high solar radiation and extreme temperatures. If conditions in the atmosphere are similar to, or more extreme than, the environmental conditions on the plant surface, then precipitation may serve as a reservoir of robust BCAs. To test this hypothesis, two hundred and fifty-four rain-borne isolates were screened for in vitro inhibition of Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight, as well as of other plant pathogenic bacteria, fungi and oomycetes. Two isolates showed strong activity against E. amylovora and other plant pathogenic bacteria, while other isolates showed activity against fungal and oomycete pathogens. Survival assays suggested that the two isolates that inhibited E. amylovora were able to survive on apple blossoms and branches similarly to E. amylovora. Pathogen population size and associated fire blight symptoms were significantly reduced when detached apple blossoms were treated with the two isolates before pathogen inoculation, however, disease reduction on attached blossoms within an orchard was inconsistent. Using whole genome sequencing, the isolates were identified as Pantoea agglomerans and P. ananatis, respectively. A UV-mutagenesis screen pointed to a phenazine antibiotic D-alanylgriseoluteic acid synthesis gene cluster as being at the base of the antimicrobial activity of the P. agglomerans isolate. Our work reveals the potential of precipitation as an under-explored source of BCAs, whole genome sequencing as an effective approach to precisely identify BCAs, and UV-mutagenesis as a technically simple screen to investigate the genetic basis of BCAs. More field trials are needed to determine the efficacy of the identified BCAs in fire blight control.
An observational study of recess quality and physical activity in urban primary schools

To date, there is scant literature that examines the recess context concurrent with, but separate from, levels of physical activity. The primary purpose of the current study was to examine how recess quality impacted physical activity levels, and how this was moderated by gender. A secondary purpose was to examine if differences in children’s engagement in activities occurred between recess sessions scored as low- or high- quality. This was an observational study of children at 13 urban elementary schools in the U.S. Across the 13 schools, data were collected at 55 recess sessions, with 3419 child-level observations (n = 1696 boys; n = 1723 girls). Physical activity data were collected using Fitbit accelerometers, recess quality data were collected using the Great Recess Framework – Observational Tool (GRF-OT), recess engagement data were collected using the Observation of Playground Play (OPP), and basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) data were collected using a modified version of the BPNS for recess physical activity survey. Primary analyses were conducted using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) with children nested within recess sessions. Gender moderated the relationship between adult engagement and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (b = .012; 95% CI .001, .024), student behavior and MVPA (b = −.014; 95% CI −.021, −.007), and student behaviors and light physical activity (b = .009, 95% CI .003, .015). Both boys and girls engaged in more play during recess sessions scored as high quality on the GRF-OT. Children reported higher levels of basic psychological need satisfaction at recesses sessions scored as high quality on the GRF-OT. Results of the current study showed that the quality of the recess environment, and the interactions of both adults and students in that environment, need to be taken into consideration in future school-based recess studies.
Evaluating the effects of downscaled climate projections on groundwater storage and simulated base-flow contribution to the North Fork Red River and Lake Altus, southwest Oklahoma (USA)

Potential effects of projected climate variability on base flow and groundwater storage in the North Fork Red River aquifer, Oklahoma (USA), were estimated using downscaled climate model data coupled with a numerical groundwater-flow model. The North Fork Red River aquifer discharges groundwater to the North Fork Red River, which provides inflow to Lake Altus. To approximate future conditions, Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 climate data were downscaled to the watershed and a time-series of scaling factors were developed and interpolated for three climate scenarios (central tendency, warmer and drier, and less warm and wetter) representing future climate conditions for the period 2045–2074. These scaling factors were then applied to a soil-water-balance model to produce groundwater recharge and evapotranspiration estimates. A MODFLOW groundwater-flow model of the North Fork Red River aquifer used the scaled recharge and evapotranspiration data to estimate changes in base flow and water-surface elevation of Lake Altus. Compared to a baseline scenario, the mean percent change in annual base flow during 2045–2074 was −10.8 and −15.9% for the central tendency and warmer/drier scenarios, respectively; the mean percent change in annual base flow for the less-warm/wetter scenario was +15.7%. The mean annual percent change in groundwater storage for the central tendency, warmer/drier, and less-warm/wetter climate scenarios and the baseline are −2.7, −3.2, and +3.0%, respectively. The range of outcomes from the climate scenarios may be influenced by variability in the downscaled climate data for precipitation more than for temperature.
Validation of the Sexual Grooming Model of Child Sexual Abusers

Sexual grooming has been deemed an integral part of the child sexual abuse process. However, there has yet to be a universally accepted model for this process and, as a consequence, there is no cle...
HIV induces airway basal progenitor cells to adopt an inflammatory phenotype

Despite the introduction of anti-retroviral therapy, chronic HIV infection is associated with an increased incidence of other comorbidities such as COPD. Based on the knowledge that binding of HIV to human airway basal stem/progenitor cells (BC) induces a destructive phenotype by increased MMP-9 expression through MAPK signaling pathways, we hypothesized that HIV induces the BC to express inflammatory mediators that contribute to the pathogenesis of emphysema. Our data demonstrate that airway BC isolated from HAART-treated HIV+ nonsmokers spontaneously release inflammatory mediators IL-8, IL-1β, ICAM-1 and GM-CSF. Similarly, exposure of normal BC to HIV in vitro up-regulates expression of the same inflammatory mediators. These HIV-BC derived mediators induce migration of alveolar macrophages (AM) and neutrophils and stimulate AM proliferation. This HIV-induced inflammatory phenotype likely contributes to lung inflammation in HIV+ individuals and provides explanation for the increased incidence of COPD in HIV+ individuals.
Neurological deteriorations in mild brain injuries: the strategy of evaluation and management

Most mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can be treated conservatively. However, some patients deteriorate during observation. Therefore, we tried to evaluate the characteristics of deterioration and requirement for further management in mild TBI patients. From 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2017, patients with mild TBI and positive results on CT scans of the brain were retrospectively studied. Patients with and without neurological deteriorations were compared. The characteristics of mild TBI patients with further neurological deterioration or the requirement for interventions were delineated. One hundred ninety-two patients were enrolled. Twenty-three (12.0%) had neurological deteriorations. The proportions of deterioration occurring within 24 h, 48 h and 72 h were 23.5, 41.2 and 58%, respectively. Deteriorated patients were significantly older than those without neurological deteriorations (69.7 vs. 60.2; p = 0.020). More associated extracranial injuries were observed in deteriorated patients [injury severity score (ISS): 20.2 vs. 15.9; p = 0.005). Significantly higher proportions of intraventricular hemorrhage (8.7 vs. 1.2%; p = 0.018) and multiple lesions (78.3 vs. 53.8%; p = 0.027) were observed on the CT scans of patients with neurological deteriorations. Subset analysis showed that deteriorated patients who required neurosurgical interventions (N = 7) had significantly more initial GCS defects (13 or 14) (71.4 vs. 12.5%; p = 0.005) and more initial decreased muscle power of extremities (85.7 vs. 18.8%; p = 0.002). More attention should be given to mild TBI patients with older age, GCS defects, decreased muscle power of the extremities, multiple lesions on CT scans and other systemic injuries (high ISS). Most deteriorations occur within 72 h after trauma.
Aged Brains Express Less Melanocortin Receptors, Which Correlates with Age-Related Decline of Cognitive Functions

Brain G-protein coupled receptors have been hypothesized to be potential targets for maintaining or restoring cognitive function in normal aged individuals or in patients with neurodegenerative disease. A number of recent reports suggest that activation of melanocortin receptors (MCRs) in the brain can significantly improve cognitive functions of normal rodents and of different rodent models of the Alzheimer’s disease. However, the potential impact of normative aging on the expression of MCRs and their potential roles for modulating cognitive function remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we first investigated the expression of these receptors in six different brain regions of young (6 months) and aged (23 months) rats following assessment of their cognitive status. Correlation analysis was further performed to reveal potential contributions of MCR subtypes to spatial learning and memory. Our results revealed statistically significant correlations between the expression of several MCR subtypes in the frontal cortex/hypothalamus and the hippocampus regions and the rats’ performance in spatial learning and memory only in the aged rats. These findings support the hypothesis that aging has a direct impact on the expression and function of MCRs, establishing MCRs as potential drug targets to alleviate aging-induced decline of cognitive function.
Multiphoton Absorption Fragmentation Mechanisms of CH3I by Picosecond and Nanosecond Laser Mass Spectrometry

Previous attempts to determine pathways of fragment formation in multiphoton ionization studies have been made by recording and analyzing power dependent mass spectra. These measurements are not satisfying in that accurate power measurements are difficult, and the exponents extracted from log-log plots of ion signal verses laser power pertain only to the rate determining steps. This leads to some ambiguity in the assignment of ion formation mechanisms. Thus even though this method has been used to determine trends in the MPI process, more quantitative measurements need to be developed in order to definitively assign these mechanisms.
Libraries reaching out with health information to vulnerable populations: guidance from research on information seeking and use.

Objective: Two branches of applied social science have devoted substantial attention to researching information seeking and use. One branch is the field of communication, with its emphasis on the design of messages to effectively transmit expert information. The second is the field of library and information science, with its emphasis on meeting user needs. This paper is an overview and comparison of what is known about information seeking and use based on these two bodies of research, particularly as it applies to serving the needs of racial and ethnic minorities. Data Source: This paper is informed by three in-depth literature reviews of the two fields and of the difficulties of bringing findings from disparate fields to bear on the same phenomena. Conclusions: Twenty-five broad brushstroke propositions are extracted in a way that allows both commonalities and contradictions to be informative, particularly as they relate to how the flexibilities offered by electronic technologies may allow experts to serve user needs more effectively and efficiently. Remarkably, while both fields have approached their studies from separate viewpoints without much overlap, both have struggled with the baggage imposed on their research by information-as-transmission assumptions and both have moved toward approaches that focus on information-as-communication.
Quarter-harmonic generation of femtosecond pulses at 4.18 μm from a mode-locked Yb:Fiber laser

We report generation of 104 mW of 110-fs pulses at 4.18 μm using two cascaded sub-harmonic PPLN-based optical parametric oscillators pumped by a 950-mW Yb:fiber mode-locked laser at 250 MHz with expected intrinsic phase-locking.
How to and How Not to Introduce Competition Law and Policy in Transitional and Developing Economies

The paper first summarizes the benefits of competition, i.e. why competitive markets are more efficient than oligopolistic or monopolistic markets, and the threats to competitive markets from cartels, concentration, and government interference. In the main part, the paper presents the key components of effective competition oversight, in particular for countries seeking to reform their competition laws and agencies and those planning for the first time to introduce meaningful competition oversight. Finally, the paper advocates that transitional and developing countries should look to the European Union for the most advanced model of robust competition oversight and avoid costly and time consuming experiments with inferior alternatives. In an annex, the paper provides links to legislative materials of countries that have modernized their competition laws since 1990.
Does a Voluntary Tipping Policy Really Improve Service? An Examination of Consumer Agency in the Cruise Industry

Marketing and organizational - behavior scholars have identified several control mechanisms - behavioral, outcome, and clan - for managing employee performance. However, these mechanisms are inadequate in contexts characterized by high customer contact and complex, customizable service interactions (e.g., restaurant dining or spa services). In such contexts, we advocate a new, potentially more effective and efficient control mechanism borrowed from the economics literature - namely, consumer agency. We focus on a pervasive form of consumer agency - voluntary tipping - that has received little attention in marketing and report on three studies that test the effectiveness of this control mechanism as a means of improving service in the context of the cruise industry. Our results show that tipping does have a statistically significant positive effect on service. Implications of this finding are discussed for marketing theory and for strategic issues in services-marketing management.
Newly Developed Chronic Conditions and Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women.

Objectives To prospectively assess the effects of newly developed chronic conditions on changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in postmenopausal women. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Forty clinical centers in the United States. Participants Women aged 50 to 79 enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study during 1993–98 (N = 75,198). Measurements Onset of seven chronic conditions (hypertension, heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, arthritis), HRQoL based on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form survey (SF-36), and change in HRQoL from baseline to Year 3 in scores on the Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS) Component Summary of the SF-36. Results Each of the seven chronic conditions was statistically significantly associated with HRQoL for physical and mental health. Women with incident stroke had the greatest decline in HRQoL for physical and mental health (PCS: 10.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 8.3–12.1; MCS: 10.4, 95% CI = 8.8–12.1), which exceeded minimal clinically important differences (MCID). Having more new chronic conditions was associated with greater decrease in HRQoL. Declines in HRQoL in women with two or more chronic conditions exceeded MCID. Those with heart disease and stroke had the largest decline in physical health, and those with stroke and arthritis had the greatest decline in mental health. For all conditions other than stroke and diabetes mellitus, the more recently a condition was diagnosed, the greater the decrease in PCS. For stroke and cancer, a similar pattern was observed for MCS. Conclusion The more conditions a woman developed, the greater reduction in HRQoL she experienced. Declines in HRQoL in women with stroke, cancer, and some combinations exceeded MCID. Findings from this study might lead to more-effective patient-centered approaches to health care for women with multiple chronic conditions.
American Library Association Mid‐Winter Conference, San Diego, California

Gives an overview of the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Mid‐Winter Conference, held in San Diego in January 2004.
Part I: A Review of the Literature on Multisystemic Treatment Within an Evidence-based Framework: Implications for Working With Culturally Diverse Families and Children

One key step in the evidence-based practice process directs practitioners to pose client-oriented, practical, evidence-search questions (COPES), seeking the truth about what will help their client (Gibbs, 2003) and inform policy (Gambrill, 2006) and not to take a “one method fits all” position. Literature focusing on providing services to minority children and families in the child welfare system strongly supports this approach (Cohen, 2000; Lum, 2004; Samantrai, 2004). This article poses an effectiveness question, locates and evaluates existing evidence, and then presents implications for working with families and children from diverse backgrounds. The effectiveness question posed is, “If families and children from diverse populations experiencing mental health problems receive Multisystemic Therapy, will they have similar outcomes across race and ethnicity?”
Anorexia following the systemic injection of amylin.

Abstract The intravenous injection of 100 μg/kg of rat amylin reduced food intake in schedule-fed rats for 1 h of an 8 h measurement period. Associated with this brief anorexia was hyperglycemic response, observed 30 min after a subsequent amylin administration. Determination of neurochemical alterations revealed increased concentration of serotin in the hypothalamus and decreased level of the dopamine metabolite, 3-methoxytyramine, in the corpus striatum. Since similar neurochemical alterations were observed following the systemic injection of glucose, both the neurochemical changes and anorexia following intravenous amylin treatment may be secondary to hyperglycemia.
Peripheral antigen-expressing cells and autoimmunity

There is growing evidence that self-molecules with tissue-restricted expression are also expressed at low levels in the thymus, where such expression may affect the development of self-tolerance. Genetic factors may modulate such expression and, in turn, influence susceptibility to autoimmune responses against specific molecules. Contrasting reports exist regarding the phenotype of the cells that express self-molecules in the thymus. Indeed, both bone marrow derived antigen-presenting cells and thymic epithelial cells were reported to express self-molecules with tissue-restricted expression. Further studies of these cells and the mechanisms by which they exert their putative tolerogenic effects clearly are necessary.
'Not Gay, but Not Homophobic' : Male Sexuality and Homophobia in the 'Lifestyle'

This article explores the relative lack of male same-sex activity in heterosexual `swinging', or `the lifestyle', especially compared to the ubiquity of female same-sex activity and eroticism. `Lifestyle sexuality' is conceptualized as a system of erotic relations and a cultural experience as a way of theorizing beyond identity and the binary oppositions of homo/hetero or straight/queer that often underlie discussions of sexual desire, practice, and homophobia (Ward, 2007). Desires, aesthetics, sexual styles, ethical premises, and beliefs about gender and sexuality are variously configured in different heterosexual communities. Exploring their specificities strengthens our ability to analyze distributions of power, privilege and stigma, and allows us to explore more precisely how changing meanings of love, sex, and commitment, along with developments in the organization and experience of late capitalism, are affecting sexual practices and identities. The analysis here thus examines how lifestyle sexuality...
Informal formative assessment: The role of instructional dialogues in assessing students’ learning

Abstract This paper focuses on an unceremonious type of formative assessment – informal formative assessment – in which much of what teachers and students do in the classroom can be described as potential assessments that can provide evidence about the students’ level of understanding. More specifically, the paper focuses on assessment conversations, or dialogic interactions or exchanges, which continuously happen in the classroom and that are at the center of informal formative assessment. It is argued that assessment conversations make students’ thinking explicit in an unobtrusive manner, and when students’ thinking is explicit, it can be examined, questioned, and shaped as an active object of constructive learning. The paper conceptualizes informal formative assessment at the center of effective instructional activities with the use of instructional dialogues as assessment conversations, a typical informal formative assessment practice. The paper then presents a discussion about the evidence on the effect of assessment conversations on student learning.
VCAM-1 influences Lymphocyte Proliferation and Cytokine Production during Mixed Lymphocyte Responses

Abstract The allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) is regarded as an effective model for examining the events which occur during an allospecific immune response. Numerous studies have delineated the role of adherence molecule interactions during the MLR response. In the present study we have identified VCAM-1 as having a contribution to the generation of an allogeneic MLR response. These findings may have broad implications in vivo during antigen-specific and allograft rejection events. RT-PCR analysis was initially used to examine whether VCAM-1 mRNA expression was observed during MLR responses and demonstrated peak expression between 12 and 48 hr of culture. Immunolocalization of VCAM-1 on adherent mononuclear phagocytes, but not non-adherent lymphocytes, from MLR cultures verified its expression during this response. Addition of anti-VCAM-1 mAbs to MLR assays inhibited the proliferative response by over 70%, while addition of anti-VCAM-1 as late as Day 2 of the assay allowed significant inhibition of the proliferative response. This correlated with peak expression of VCAM-1 mRNA observed as late as 48 hr in RT-PCR analyses. In further studies, anti-VCAM-1 significantly inhibited peak expression of IL-2 on Days 3 and 4, while TNF-α production was diminished at 30 min and 1, 96, and 120 hr of culture, compared to control cultures. The production of macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), a chemotactic cytokine which has an important role in vivo for the recruitment of leukocytes to a site of inflammation, was also significantly inhibited during peak production on Days 4 and 5 of the MLR assay. This study demonstrates novel findings of VCAM-1 expression during an allogeneic MLR response. The expression of VCAM-1 may have important implications during allospecific immune responses for the activation and proliferation of T lymphocytes as well as cytokine production.
Infectious Complications in Renal Transplant Recipients

Infectious complications present major challenges to physicians caring for renal transplant recipients. The high rate of infection reflects the net state of immunosuppression associated with end-stage renal disease, transplantation, donor and environmental exposure. An understanding of the factors that affect the patients' overall state of immunosuppression is essential to prevent and treat infectious complications, which may lead to significant morbidity, graft dysfunction, or mortality. Familiarity with the various pathogens, clinical presentation, diagnostic options, treatment, and prophylaxis is important to care for renal transplant patients. The authors present their approach, based on review of current literature, to these issues.
The LEGS Data Acquisition Facility

The data acquisition facility for the LEGS medium energy photonuclear beam line is composed of an auxiliary crate controller (ACC) acting as a front-end processor, loosely coupled to a time-sharing host computer based on a UNIX-like enviromnent. The ACC services all real-time demands in the CAMAC crate: it responds to LAMs generated by data acquisition modules, to keyboard commands, and it refreshes the graphics display at frequent intervals. The host processor is needed only for printing histograms and recording event buffers on magnetic tape. The host also provides the environment for software development. The CAMAC crate is interfaced by a VERSAbus CAMAC branch driver.
Early response of cultured lepidopteran cells to exposure to δ-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis: Involvement of calcium and anionic channels

Abstract The role of ion channels in the initial steps following exposure of SF-9 lepidopteran insect cells in culture to the δ-endotoxin CryIC from the insecticidal bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis was investigated using single ionic channel measurements and microspectrofluorescence of the calcium-sensitive probe fura-2. It was found that: (1) the toxin triggers an immediate rise in intracellular calcium; (2) the surge is due to calcium entering the cells via calcium channels; (3) the toxin recruits or introduces anionic channels in the cell's plasma membrane in a time-dependent manner. These channels, not seen in the absence of the toxin, are induced by toxin exposure to either side of the cell membrane. They have a conductance of 26 picosiemens (pS) and are mainly permeable to chloride. This study provides the first evidence of the primary role of calcium and chloride ion in the action of δ-endotoxin on cultured insect cells.
Platelets made to order

![Figure][1] Given their abundance and importance in thrombosis and hemostasis, platelets have been the target of intense scientific inquisition for decades. While the study of physiologic platelet functions such as aggregation and granule secretion have been well characterized, platelets