cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carnitine Palmitoyl Transferase Deficiency in a University Immunology Practice

This report describes the clinical manifestations of 35 patients sent to a University Immunology clinic with a diagnosis of fatigue and exercise intolerance who were identified to have low carnitine palmitoyl transferase activity on muscle biopsies. All of the patients presented with fatigue and exercise intolerance and many had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Their symptoms responded to treatment of the metabolic disease. Associated symptoms included bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gastrointestinal reflux symptoms, recurrent infections, arthritis, dyspnea, dry eye, visual loss, and hearing loss. Associated medical conditions included Hashimoto thyroiditis, Sjogren’s syndrome, seronegative arthritis, food hypersensitivities, asthma, sleep apnea, and vasculitis. This study identifies clinical features that should alert physicians to the possibility of an underlying metabolic disease. Treatment of the metabolic disease leads to symptomatic improvement.
Efficient Synthesis of Compact Deep Neural Networks.

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have been deployed in myriad machine learning applications. However, advances in their accuracy are often achieved with increasingly complex and deep network architectures. These large, deep models are often unsuitable for real-world applications, due to their massive computational cost, high memory bandwidth, and long latency. For example, autonomous driving requires fast inference based on Internet-of-Things (IoT) edge devices operating under run-time energy and memory storage constraints. In such cases, compact DNNs can facilitate deployment due to their reduced energy consumption, memory requirement, and inference latency. Long short-term memories (LSTMs) are a type of recurrent neural network that have also found widespread use in the context of sequential data modeling. They also face a model size vs. accuracy trade-off. In this paper, we review major approaches for automatically synthesizing compact, yet accurate, DNN/LSTM models suitable for real-world applications. We also outline some challenges and future areas of exploration.
Chapter 6 – Antennae

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses antennae in insects. Antennae are segmented appendages that function primarily in chemoreception and mechanoreception. The overall shape of most insect antennae is elongate and cylindrical, although elaborations into plumose, lamellate, or pectinate forms have arisen many times in different insect lineages. There are three parts to an insect antenna: the scape, the pedicel, and the flagellum. The scape is the first segment of the antenna and it is attached to the head by a rim of flexible, intersegmental cuticle. The movements of an antenna are controlled, in part, by one or two pairs of muscles that attach inside the head with the other end attached inside the scape. An additional pair of muscles runs from the scape to the next segment of the antenna, the pedicel. The combined action of these two sets of muscles is capable of moving an antenna in almost any direction. The final segment of the antenna, the flagellum, is the most variable in morphology among insects. The primary function of antennae is the assessment of the chemical and physical characteristics of the environment. Detection is made with innervated chemosensory and mechanosensory organs that are arrayed on the antennae. A single antenna usually has sensory organs of several types, with different properties.
Human Rights, Conflicts, and Dislocation: The Case of Turkey in a Global Spectrum

The overall purpose of this study is to explore human rights ramifications in the recent context of Turkey, the forced migration journeys of intellectuals from the country after the failed coup attempt in 2016, their experiences of seeking legal status, and other immigration issues in Europe and the USA focusing on integration and adaptation issues. As a qualitative research conducted through interviews, this paper analyzes implementation of international human rights laws in Turkey by scrutinizing the political practices and their influences on the targeted individuals/groups particularly after the 2016 coup attempt. The findings in this paper will help researchers studying this specific era in Turkey’s historical context in terms of human rights obtain a comprehensive insight through lived and shared experiences of persecuted people.
Assessment of Mixed-Reality Technology Use in Remote Online Anatomy Education.

This survey study uses survey responses from first-year medical students to evaluate the initial experience of an anatomy lesson delivered remotely using teleconferencing and mixed-reality technology.
Extending a land-surface model with Sphagnum moss to simulate responses of a northern temperate bog to whole ecosystem warming and elevated CO 2

Abstract. Mosses need to be incorporated into Earth system models to better simulate peatland functional dynamics under the changing environment. Sphagnum mosses are strong determinants of nutrient, carbon, and water cycling in peatland ecosystems. However, most land-surface models do not include Sphagnum or other mosses as represented plant functional types (PFTs), thereby limiting predictive assessment of peatland responses to environmental change. In this study, we introduce a moss PFT into the land model component (ELM) of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) by developing water content dynamics and nonvascular photosynthetic processes for moss. The model was parameterized and independently evaluated against observations from an ombrotrophic forested bog as part of the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) project. The inclusion of a Sphagnum PFT with some Sphagnum-specific processes in ELM allows it to capture the observed seasonal dynamics of Sphagnum gross primary production (GPP) albeit with an underestimate of peak GPP. The model simulated a reasonable annual net primary production (NPP) for moss but with less interannual variation than observed, and it reproduced aboveground biomass for tree PFTs and stem biomass for shrubs. Different species showed highly variable warming responses under both ambient and elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, and elevated CO 2 altered the warming response direction for the peatland ecosystem. Microtopography is critical: Sphagnum mosses on hummocks and hollows were simulated to show opposite warming responses (NPP decreasing with warming on hummocks but increasing in hollows), and hummock Sphagnum was modeled to have a strong dependence on water table height. The inclusion of this new moss PFT in global ELM simulations may provide a useful foundation for the investigation of northern peatland carbon exchange, enhancing the predictive capacity of carbon dynamics across the regional and global scales.
Select Papers From the 8th Aging and Speech Communication Conference.

Purpose The purpose of this introduction is to briefly describe the nature of the conference, Aging and Speech Communication: An International and Interdisciplinary Research Conference, and to intr...
Anatomic thermochromic tissue-mimicking phantom of the lumbar spine for pre-clinical evaluation of MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) ablation of the facet joint.

To develop a thermochromic tissue-mimicking phantom (TTMP) with an embedded 3D-printed bone mimic of the lumbar spine to evaluate MRgFUS ablation of the facet joint and medial branch nerve. Multipl...
Institutional Responses to Environmental Pressures: Confucius Institute Closures in the United States

In 2004 China began establishing Confucius Institutes at universities around the world with the aim of promoting Chinese language and culture. At their peak, more than 100 operated at universities in the United States. Questions surrounding Confucius Institutes have existed since they first began to proliferate, and in 2018 the federal government responded to those concerns with policy changes tied to federal funding to encourage the closure of Confucius Institutes in the United States. This paper uses critical discourse analysis to examine how the language of university press releases relays the ideological and power dimensions involved in the decision to close a campus Confucius Institute in the United States and how the language used in university issued press releases reflects the broader discourse surrounding Confucius Institutes and U.S.-Sino relations.
Ensemble of Supervised and Unsupervised Learning Models to Predict a Profitable Business Decision

Real-Estate rent prediction in housing market analysis plays a key role in calculating the Rate of Return - a salient index used to evaluate real-estate investment options. Accurate rent prediction in real estate investment can help in generating capital gains and guaranty a financial success. In this paper, we carry out a comprehensive analysis and study of seven machine learning algorithms for rent prediction, including Linear Regression, Multilayer Perceptron, Random Forest, KNN, Locally Weighted Learning, SMO, and KStar algorithms. We train new model for the US territory, including three house types of single-family, townhouse, and condo. Each data instance in the dataset has 21 internal attributes (e.g., area space, price, number of bed/bathroom, rent, school rating, so forth). A subset of the collected features selected by filter methods for the prediction models. We also employ a hierarchical clustering approach to cluster the data based on two factors of house type, and average rent estimate of zip codes. The empirical results suggest that the rent prediction models based on lazy learning algorithms lead to higher accuracy and lower prediction error compared to eager learning methods.
Research in Boraginaceae: A new variety of Cryptantha maritima , Cryptantha pondii resurrected, and Johnstonella echinosepala transferred back to Cryptantha

A review of the species Cryptantha maritima (Boraginaceae) supports the continued recognition of the three varieties, these differing in corolla size, ovule and nutlet number, and calyx vestiture. Mapping of these taxa from verified specimens demonstrates some geographic trends, but also some overlap in ranges. In the process of our study, we discovered a new taxonomic entity. Cryptantha maritima var. vizcainensis is described as new. This variety is restricted to the Vizcaino Desert of Baja California Sur, Mexico and should be considered rare, as it is known to date from only eleven collections. It differs from the other three varieties of the species in having a canescent, appressed-strigose stem vestiture lacking spreading trichomes, in having a relatively large corolla, and in having a fruit derived from two 1-ovuled ovary lobes, developing into two heteromorphic nutlets. We also discovered that the species Cryptantha pondii, previously treated as a synonym of C. patula, should be resurrected as a distinct taxon. Cryptantha pondii is restricted to the western Vizcaino Desert and to Natividad Island of Baja California Sur. It is morphologically distinctive in having bracteate flowers, relatively large corollas, and four smooth nutlets heteromorphic by size. It is to date known from only three collections and should be considered extremely rare. We also reviewed the morphological and phylogenetic status of Johnstonella echinosepala. This taxon shows similarities to Cryptantha maritima and also exhibits some morphological discontinuity between Pacific and Gulf populations in Baja California Sur. Evidence from both morphological and phylogenetic studies supports the transfer of this species from the genus Johnstonella back to the genus Cryptantha. Finally, we propose that both C. pondii and C. echinosepala are likely close relatives of C. maritima, all of the “Maritimae clade,” a group distantly related to the main core of the genus Cryptantha. This study confirms the great importance of studying herbarium specimens in taxonomic research.
Effects of Provocative Testing on Phase III Migrating Motor Complex in Children.

Objectives Antroduodenal manometry (ADM) is used to evaluate antral and small intestinal motility, with the presence of phase III migrating motor complexes (MMC) indicating an intact enteric neuromuscular system. The lack of evidence-based or consensus-driven established norms for MMC in fasting phase and after provocative testing marks a major limitation in the interpretation of ADM studies. We aimed to determine the characteristics of MMC in fasting and post-provocative phase in children. Methods Data from subjects aged ≤ 20 years with ADM results evaluated at Neuro-gastroenterology and Motility Disorders Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center from January 2018 to March 2019 were analyzed. Results Forty-eight ADM tracings that did not demonstrate abnormal patterns were included; the mean age was 10.00 ± 5.72 years and 50% were male. Indications for ADM included: vomiting (27.1%), feeding intolerance (27.1%), abdominal pain (16.6%), nausea (14.6%), and abdominal distension (14.6%). Thirty-seven percent of subjects had enteral access for feeds. During fasting, one-third of all MMC originated in the antrum. Azithromycin-induced MMC occurred in 28% of subjects and two-thirds of these originated in the antrum with antral contractions of significantly higher frequency and amplitude compared to fasting. Octreotide significantly increased frequency, amplitude, and duration of MMC compared to fasting, with 76% originating in the antrum. Both azithromycin and octreotide induced more than one MMC in a third of subjects. Conclusions We describe the characteristics of antral and small intestinal motility during fasting and after provocative testing in children. These values will help standardize our interpretation of pediatric ADM studies.
“What We Have Here, Is a Failure to [Replicate]”: Ways to Solve a Replication Crisis in Implementation Science

Adapting the classic line from the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, the title is meant to convey that implementation science (IS), like other fields, has not been embracing replication studies, which is a key component to the open science movement. The purpose of this article is to review what is known about replication of implementation trials and identify the gaps and next steps to continue increasing the transparency, openness, and replicability of implementation research. After presenting an overview of study replication and how it is a key component of open science, the article will examine how replication of implementation studies has (or more accurately has not) been approached in IS. As will be discussed, replication in IS shares some challenges with studies that attempt to replicate interventions, but also presents unique challenges. This article discusses different types of replications (e.g., direct vs. conceptual) and how they can benefit the field of IS. The article then presents a specific example of an implementation strategy called Getting To Outcomes© to describe how to design a replication study and interpret the results. The article ends with multiple options implementation scientists could consider to improve the likelihood and quality of replication studies. The discussion also envisions how implementation science can enable researchers and practitioners to work together in real-world contexts to encourage wide replication of implementation studies and advance the goal of improving public health.
Understanding Communication in an Online Cancer Forum: Content Analysis Study.

Background: Cancer affects individuals, their family members, and friends, and increasingly, some of these individuals are turning to online cancer forums to express their thoughts/feelings and seek support such as asking cancer-related questions. The thoughts/feelings expressed and the support needed from these online forums may differ depending on if (1) an individual has or had cancer or (2) an individual is a family member or friend of an individual who has or had cancer; the language used in posts in these forums may reflect these differences. Objective: Using natural language processing methods, we aim to determine the differences in the support needs and concerns expressed in posts published on an online cancer forum by (1) users who self-declare to have or had cancer compared with (2) users who self-declare to be family members or friends of individuals with or that had cancer. Methods: Using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), which is a natural language processing algorithm and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a psycholinguistic dictionary, we analyzed posts published on an online cancer forum with the aim to delineate the language features associated with users in these different groups. Results: Users who self-declare to have or had cancer were more likely to post about LDA topics related to hospital visits (Cohen d=0.671) and use words associated with LIWC categories related to health (Cohen d=0.635) and anxiety (Cohen d=0.126). By contrast, users who declared to be family members or friends tend to post about LDA topics related to losing a family member (Cohen d=0.702) and LIWC categories focusing on the past (Cohen d=0.465) and death (Cohen d=0.181) were more associated with these users. Conclusions: Using LDA and LIWC, we show that there are differences in the support needs and concerns expressed in posts published on an online cancer forum by users with cancer compared with family members or friends of those with cancer. Hence, responders to online cancer forums need to be cognizant of these differences in support needs and concerns and tailor their responses based on these findings.
The King's Courts and the King's Soul: Pardoning as Almsgiving in Medieval England

This paper examines the workings of the English royal courts in the thirteenth century through one of their practices — pardoning — and argues that the king and his officials could see courts not just as venues for justice, but also as institutions through which the king could see to the health of his own soul. The royal courts and royal administration of the thirteenth century used the power to pardon to relieve people of many legal penalties, from amercements (what we would today call fines) to the death penalty in felony cases. Scholars who have studied these pardons have tended to use the medieval sources to try to find the rules of pardoning. They have assumed that pardoning followed some kind of legal logic, and that pardons were given to the worthy. Amercement pardons were given to those who could not afford to pay and felony pardons were given to those who were not culpable. This paper looks at pardons that cannot be explained according to this legal logic. It looks at the many pardons explicitly made “for the sake of the king’s soul,” many of which have nothing to do with the killer’s culpability or the amerced party’s ability to pay, and argues that they operated according to a different logic: the logic of alms. Pardons were granted or denied based on their ability to salve the king’s soul, leading to results that appear to be anomalous to us today — such as a blanket pardon for most felons that excluded Jews — but which would have appeared to be logical to people who were accustomed to view the courts not solely as agents of justice, but as extensions of the king’s person.
Softwood Pallet Stringer Temperature Estimation

Monitoring temperature inside a pallet specimen during a test could be challenging. In this study, two methods were used to estimate temperature in a softwood pallet stringer at the time of testing based on the initial temperature of when it was removed from a temperature chamber and the duration of when it was removed from a chamber until the time it was tested. Five cooling down and three warming up temperature profiles were collected using thermocouples. In the first method, an artificial neural network was developed based on the collected data. In the second method, a mathematical model was suggested based on heat transfer principles. Collected data was used to validate the model. Both methods yield satisfactory results. The heat transfer model allows temperature estimation for specimens with different thickness and species, while the neural network is more precise but limited to the specimen used. Both methods allow other researchers to estimate the temperature without having to collect temperature data.
Experimental coronary arteriography. The effects of some modifications of the circulation.

Summary A controlled method of coronary arteriography was used to assess the effect of temporary modifications of the circulation upon coronary opacification. Some improvement in coronary opacification was apparent following decrease of the heart rate, reduction of the venous return to the heart and partial obstruction of the left ventricular ejection in a limited number of experiments. The variations obtained with these modifications were slight and were scarcely more than the variations observed in consecutive control injections. Nitroglycerin and amyl nitrite consistently produced dilatation and improved visualization of normal coronary arteries. Vasodilatation was also apparent beyond the site of induced, partial occlusion of a major branch of a coronary artery. The use of vasodilating drugs may be a useful adjunct to the technique of coronary arteriography. Coronary arteriography is suggested as a method for pharmacologic investigation of vasodilating drugs.
Chapter 1 The colorful past and bright future of monoamine oxidase research

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an introduction to monoamine oxidase (MAO) and discusses the researches related to it. The existence of two forms of MAO in mitochondria was clearly recognized in 1961 by Hardegg and Heilbron, on the basis of the different inhibitory effects of iproniazid on the oxidation of serotonin (an A substrate) and tyramine (an A–B substrate) in rat liver mitochondria. Evidence that MAO A and B are immunologically distinct proteins was reported by McCauley and Racker in 1973. Additional evidence that MAO A and B activities are catalyzed by different proteins accrued steadily in the years to follow from differences in subunit molecular weights and peptide pattern. Of paramount importance is the crystallization and determination of the three-dimensional structures of MAO A and B. With techniques now at hand, the fact that MAO is membrane-bound is no longer a deterrent because several membrane enzymes have been crystallized. The successful over expression of MAO A from the human liver permits the isolation of several hundred milligrams of pure MAO A. Thus, efforts to crystallize it are well on the way.
Predicting Revolt: Fragility Indexes and the Level of Violence and Instability in the Arab Spring

This article is one of the first to systematically assess the ability of state fragility measures to predict violent protests and adverse regime changes in countries. We focus on the Arab Spring as an example of a situation that such measures ought to predict. Through a variety of analyses, we find that none of the measures are predictive. We then create a simple model using the literature of protest and revolts to predict both the level of violence and the extent of regime change in the Arab Spring countries. This simpler model does a better job of predicting the level of involvement in the Arab Spring than any of the complex State Fragility Indexes. Thus, the goal of this article is not to explain the causes of the Arab Spring, but to add to the discussion of the predictive value of measures of instability.
Identification and Location of ε-N-Trimethyllysine in Yeast Cytochromes c

Abstract Iso-I cytochrome c of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains 1 residue of e-N-trimethyllysine at position 72 in the sequence. Iso-II cytochrome c from this species and cytochrome c from Candida krusei also contain 1 residue of this amino acid. Thus, cytochromes c of Ascomycetes contain 1 residue and, as previously reported, a higher plant contains 2 residues of e-N-trimethyllysine. This amino acid is completely absent from a large variety of animal cytochromes and from other types of proteins.
A comprehensive analytic model of accumulation-mode MOSFET's in PolySilicon thin films

A comprehensive analytic description of the polysilicon (poly-Si) MOSFET, operating in the accumulation mode is presented. The model is not a single crystalline analog. Rather, the formulation is based upon structural and electronic properties inherent in poly-Si thin films. The model is capable of quantitatively explaining the bulk of reported device characteristics, specifically the temperature coefficient of current (TCC). Drive and leakage current as a function of doping level are also quantitatively discussed. In addition, transconductance, drain admittance, and ON/OFF current ratio are described extensively at room temperature and above and are compared with experimental data. The role of grain boundary hydrogenation in effecting the device performance is quantified. Finally, a few pertinent design guidelines are presented.
Effects of intraarterial thrombin in the swine model.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of catheter-directed thrombin in the peripheral arterial circulation of swine. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thrombin was injected into a single femoral artery in 20 domestic swine. Each of five animals from four dose groups received 50, 150, 250, or 1,000 U as a single dose. Bilateral femoral arterial flow was monitored for as long as 4 hours and evaluated relative to baseline and contralateral limb flow. Interval arteriographic results were evaluated by segmental patency and a numeric angiographic score. RESULTS Mean baseline flow was 136 mL/min ± 44, with an internal arterial diameter of 3.4 mm ± 0.5. A transient increase in blood flow after thrombin administration was followed by diminished flow and thrombosis. These findings varied directly with dose and inversely with baseline flow. Angiographic and flow abnormalities generally improved with time and recovery was generally better in swine that received 50 or 1,000 U than in other groups. However, one animal that received 1,000 U (13.2 U/mL/min) developed stable, complete limb thrombosis. The degree of recovery varied with thrombin dose and thrombus location. At doses greater than 50 U (0.33 u/mL/min ± 0.05), abnormalities were commonly persistent. Animals receiving the 150-U dose (1.33 U/mL/min ± 0.41 ) had a higher incidence of persistent distal occlusion. Distal occlusions were less likely to resolve than proximal occlusions. CONCLUSIONS The effect of intraarterial thrombin is directly related to dose and inversely related to baseline blood flow. In swine, a threshold for significant flow disruption and thrombosis exists above a dose of 50 U (0.33 U/mL/min 6 0.05). A threshold dose for irreversible occlusion may also exist. Although small amounts of thrombin in a high-flow vessel may not cause significant complication, administration into the arterial circulation should be avoided.
Influence of a polar near-neighbor on incipient proton transfer in a strongly hydrogen bonded complex

Rotational spectroscopy and ab initio calculations have been used to characterize the complexes H3N−HF and H3N−HF−HF in the gas phase. H3N−HF is a C3v symmetric, hydrogen bonded system with an NF distance of 2.640(21) A and an N···H hydrogen bond length of 1.693(42) A. The H3N−HF−HF complex, on the other hand, forms a six-membered HN−HF−HF ring, in which both the linear hydrogen bond in the H3N−HF moiety and the F−H−F angle of (HF)2 are perturbed relative to those in the corresponding dimers. The N···F and F···F distances in the trimer are 2.4509(74) A and 2.651(11) A, respectively. The N···H hydrogen bond length in H3N−HF−HF is 1.488(12) A, a value which is 0.205(54) A shorter than that in H3N−HF. Similarly, the F···F distance, 2.651(11) A, is 0.13(2) A shorter than that in (HF)2. Counterpoise-corrected geometry optimizations are presented, which are in good agreement with the experimental structures for both the dimer and trimer, and further characterize small, but significant, changes in the NH3 and HF...
Vita Contemplativa Why I Stopped Trying to Understand the Real World

Years ago, I believed that rationality could manufacture understanding. I lived in physical and social environments that were real and I wanted to understand the social realities. I wanted to create a genuine ‘behavioral science’ based on mathematical models, computer simulation, and systematic experiments. Various experiences over the years have challenged these beliefs. I discovered that rationality can not only be a deceptive tool but a potentially dangerous one, and I learned a few techniques to help me challenge my rational thought. I discovered that research .ndings have very low reliabilities, that some .elds make no discernible progress over many decades, and that societal cultures strongly in.uence researchers’ judgments about what constitutes useful knowledge. I saw that much that passes for research is merely random noise dressed up in pretentious language. Rather than realities, the social systems I was studying proved to be arbitrary categories created by observers or social conventions. I be...
Phase I study of high doses of methotrexate with citrovorum factor in patients with lung cancer.

A Phase 1 study of high-dose “pulse” methotrexate infusions combined with citrovorum factor “rescue” in advanced lung cancer indicated consistent tumor response in eight patients. A dose schedule allowing for repeated treatments, and thus suitable for prolonged management, was developed. Three patients treated accordingly for 8 to 10 months continue to show regression of their original lesions without evidence of new metastases. These observations are consistent with previously proposed concepts for use of citrovorum “rescue” after administration of high-dose “pulses” of folic acid antagonists.
Exchange reactions of 18O− with some di- and triatomic molecules

Abstract Rate coefficients have been measured for the reactions of 18O−1 with H2O, CO2, O2, CO, NO and SO2 using the tandem flowing afterglow selected ion flow tube. For H2O and CO2, isotope exchange occurs at the statistical limit, which suggests the formation of a long-lived complex. In contrast, the exchange reaction with O2 occurs with only 17% efficiency. Both associative detachment and isotope exchange are observed in the reactions of 18O− with CO, NO and SO2. These data are discussed together with previous results to obtain a comprehensive picture of the reaction mechanism.
Functional arginine residues involved in coenzyme binding by dihydrofolate reductase.

Abstract Reaction of dihydrofolate reductase from amethopterin-resistant Lactobacillus casei with phenylglyoxal results in a complete loss of enzyme activity. This inactivation is concomitant with the modification of five of a total of eight arginine residues per mole of enzyme. In the presence of the reduced coenzyme, NADPH, two of the five reactive arginines are protected from chemical modification with complete retention of enzyme activity. The results suggest the involvement of essential arginine residues at or near the coenzyme binding site and thus at or near the active center of the enzyme.
Periodic and asymptotically periodic solutions of systems of differential-difference equations of neutral type

We establish sufficient conditions for the existence of a continuously differentiable T -periodic solution of a system of differential-difference equations of neutral type and study some properties of this solution.
Interpersonal Fitts’ law: when two perform as one

Intra- and interpersonal coordination was investigated using a bimanual Fitts’ law task. Participants tapped rhythmically between pairs of targets. Tapping was performed with one hand (unimanual), two hands (intrapersonal coordination), and one hand together with another participant (interpersonal coordination). The sizes and distances of targets in a pair were manipulated independently for each hand. When target difficulty was unequal across hands, movement times were similar in the coordination conditions, in violation of Fitts’ law. Processing speed (measured by index of performance) increased for more difficult tasks, suggesting increased attention, even for dyads. These findings suggest that similar processes, not captured by centralized control, guide coordination for both individuals and dyads. Measures of coordination, though, still showed stronger coordination tendencies for intrapersonal coordination, indicating a possible role for centralized mechanisms.
Introduction to the special issue: improving outcomes for students with exceptionalities in the general curriculum.

Beginning with Public Law 94-142 (see Education for All Handicapped Children Act [IDEA] of 1975, codified and amended as Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 2000), a succession of legislative acts has had a powerful influence on public education (in this issue, Hardman & Dawson; see also Swanson & Stevenson, 2002). With the more recent enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 and the IDEA of 2004, there is an unwavering commitment to ensuring that students with disabilities have access to general education. These laws have substantially raised the proverbial bar as it relates to the quality of classroom instruction. Today, students with disabilities must not only receive an individualized education but also achieve prescribed academic standards. The question facing school personnel is how to accomplish this. The tremendous challenge associated with improving outcomes for students with disabilities has left many present-day general and special educators struggling to find a solution.
Absence of NMDA receptors in dopamine neurons attenuates dopamine release but not conditioned approach during Pavlovian conditioning.

During Pavlovian conditioning, phasic dopamine (DA) responses emerge to reward-predictive stimuli as the subject learns to anticipate reward delivery. This observation has led to the hypothesis that phasic dopamine signaling is important for learning. To assess the ability of mice to develop anticipatory behavior and to characterize the contribution of dopamine, we used a food-reinforced Pavlovian conditioning paradigm. As mice learned the cue–reward association, they increased their head entries to the food receptacle in a pattern that was consistent with conditioned anticipatory behavior. D1-receptor knockout (D1R-KO) mice had impaired acquisition, and systemic administration of a D1R antagonist blocked both the acquisition and expression of conditioned approach in wild-type mice. To assess the specific contribution of phasic dopamine transmission, we tested mice lacking NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) exclusively in dopamine neurons (NR1-KO mice). Surprisingly, NR1-KO mice learned at the same rate as their littermate controls. To evaluate the contribution of NMDARs to phasic dopamine release in this paradigm, we performed fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in the nucleus accumbens of awake mice. Despite having significantly attenuated phasic dopamine release following reward delivery, KO mice developed cue-evoked dopamine release at the same rate as controls. We conclude that NMDARs in dopamine neurons enhance but are not critical for phasic dopamine release to behaviorally relevant stimuli; furthermore, their contribution to phasic dopamine signaling is not necessary for the development of cue-evoked dopamine or anticipatory activity in a D1R-dependent Pavlovian conditioning paradigm.
Does irbesartan improve the risk of death or hospitalization for cardiovascular causes among patients with HF and PEF

and device therapies that have been shown to improve morbidity and mortality in patients with HF and reduced ejection fraction (REF), but no studies have demonstrated a benefit in patients with HF and PEF. This study was designed to determine if the angiotensin receptor blocker irbesartan would improve mortality, HF hospitalization, or quality of life in patients with HF and PEF.
High Transparency Infrared Materials

The period 1970-1975 has been one of unusual activity in the field of infrared materials. Driven primarily by the need for highly transparent lens and window elements in high power laser optics, significant advances have been made in the quality, physical strength and size of a variety of materials and in particular the alkali halides, alkaline earth fluorides, zinc selenide, and for use in fiber optics, fused silica. The state-of-the-art of these materials is outlined, the basic physical processes that determine their optical and mechanical limits are reviewed, and suggestions are made for future work in electro-optic and magneto-optic materials research.
Psychophysical suppression of selective portions of pulsation threshold patterns

Pulsation threshold patterns are measured for single tones and two-tone combinations. It is demonstrated that one tone can selectively suppress part of the pattern of another tone. This result supports the view that suppression takes the form of a distributed attenuation. Suppression does not function as if the suppressed tone is attenuated in level. When one tone suppresses another higher in frequency, the suppression is not as selective. In this case the entire pattern of the suppressed tone is reduced, but the reduction is not uniform across frequency. Mutual suppression, in which a reduction is seen in the patterns of both tones, is observed for one subject.
Assessment of the covalent binding potential of 2,2,4-trimethylpentane to rat α2u-globulin

Subchronic exposure of male rats to the nephrotoxin 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (TMP) causes an accumulation of protein droplets in the epithelial cells of the renal cortex. Experimental evidence suggests that these droplets contain alpha 2u-globulin, a low-molecular-weight protein found specifically in the urine of male rats. It has been proposed that aldehyde metabolites of TMP form Schiff base adducts with the lysine groups of alpha 2u-globulin and thereby inhibit renal lysosomal processing of the protein. Accordingly, the ability of TMP and its metabolites to covalently bind to alpha 2u-globulin was examined. As a model, a [14C] formaldehyde-alpha 2u-globulin Schiff base was formed. This protein adduct was stabilized by reduction with cyanoborohydride and could be identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Protein analysis by SDS-PAGE demonstrated that hepatocytes isolated from male Fischer-344 rats produced significant quantities of alpha 2u-globulin in culture, whereas hepatocytes from female rats did not. A 15-hr exposure of metabolically competent, primary cultures of male rat hepatocytes to [14C] TMP (0.1 and 0.5%, v/v), followed by reduction with cyanoborohydride, dialysis, and analysis with SDS-PAGE, revealed no evidence of radiolabeled alpha 2u-globulin. When [14C]TMP was administered to an adult male Fischer-344 rat (300 mg/kg, ig) 22, 16, and 10 hr before sacrifice, 16% of the administered radioactivity was eliminated in the urine as TMP metabolites. Analysis as above showed no TMP-derived radioactivity in fractions containing alpha 2u-globulin from liver, blood, kidney cortex, or urine. The absence of a detectable covalent interaction between TMP and alpha 2u-globulin following in vitro or in vivo exposure suggests that a TMP-alpha 2u-globulin adduct is not responsible for the excessive formation of protein droplets in the renal cortex of exposed male rats.
Mechanisms of Slow Fatigue Crack Growth in High Strength Aluminum Alloys: Role of Microstructure and Environment

The role of microstructure and environment in influencing ultra-low fatigue crack propagation rates has been investigated in 7075 aluminum alloy heat-treated to underaged, peak-aged, and overaged conditions and tested over a range of load ratios. Threshold stress intensity range, ΔK0, values were found to decrease monotonically with increasing load ratio for all three heat treatments fatigue tested in 95 pct relative humidity air, with ΔK 0 decreasing at all load ratios with increased extent of aging. Comparison of the near-threshold fatigue behavior obtained in humid air with the data forvacuo, however, showed that the presence of moisture leads to a larger reduction in ΔK0 for the underaged microstructure than the overaged condition, at all load ratios. An examination of the nature of crack morphology and scanning Auger/SIMS analyses of near-threshold fracture surfaces revealed that although the crack path in the underaged structure was highly serrated and nonlinear, crack face oxidation products were much thicker in the overaged condition. The apparent differences in slow fatigue crack growth resistance of the three aging conditions are ascribed to a complex interaction among three mechanisms: the embrittling effect of moisture resulting in conventional corrosion fatigue processes, the role of microstructure and slip mode in inducing crack deflection, and crack closure arising from a combination of environmental and microstructural contributions.
143P/Kowal-Mrkos and the Shapes of Cometary Nuclei

We add 143P/Kowal-Mrkos to the small but growing sample of well-observed cometary nuclei. Photometric observations from 3.4 to 4.0 AU heliocentric distance reveal a pointlike object with no detectable outgassing. Periodic modulation of the scattered light (ΔmR = 0.45 ± 0.05) is attributed to rotation of the bare nucleus with a double-peaked period 17.21 ± 0.10 hr and a projected ratio of the shortest to longest axis of about 0.67/1. We also measured the phase coefficient (0.043 ± 0.014 mag deg-1), the BVRI colors (V-R = 0.58 ± 0.02), and the absolute red magnitude [mR(1, 1, 0) = 13.49 ± 0.20]. The effective circular radius is 5.7 ± 0.6 km (geometric albedo 0.04 assumed). We study the properties of 11 well-observed Jupiter-family comet (JFC) nuclei. On average, the nuclei are systematically more elongated (average photometric range = 0.54 ± 0.07) than main-belt asteroids of comparable size ( = 0.32 ± 0.05) and more elongated than fragments produced in laboratory impact experiments. We attribute the elongation of the nuclei to an evolutionary effect, most likely driven by sublimation-induced mass loss. However, we find no evidence for any relation between the nucleus shape and the sublimation timescale. This may be because the timescale for evolution of the nucleus shape is very short compared with the dynamical timescale for the JFCs, meaning that most nuclei in our sample are already highly physically evolved.
An XXXY boy with X/XY half-sister.

The clinical findings in a 13-year-old 48, XXXY boy are described. His half-sister (same mother) has a 45.X/XY karyotype. The Xga blood studies are compatible with his extra X's originating from the mother. These Xga studies and the IgM levels in the 48, XXXY boy raise the possibility of a gene-dosage effect for X-linked genes affecting these traits. The proband also has chronic pulmonary problems, an interesting association that has been noted with the Klinefelter syndrome, although usually in adults.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Induced Ovarian Hyperstimulation in Monkeys: Blockade of the Luteinizing Hormone Surge*

The availability of a pure human FSH preparation for studies of the primate ovarian/menstrual cycle permitted novel experiments on gonadotropic stimulation of follicular growth in monkeys. Administration of pure FSH on days 1 through 12 of the menstrual cycle resulted in significant ovarian hyperstimulation, as manifested by the development of multiple (bilateral) ovarian follicles and sustained high serum estradiol levels (∼400 pg/ml). In spite of overt follicular development and concurrent increases in serum estradiol, timely LH surges were not elicited. Similarly, during FSH-induced ovarian hyperstimulation, GnRH effects on LH secretion were blunted. Equivalent FSH treatments of long term ovariectomized monkeys had no discernible effects on estrogen-induced LH surges or GnRH responses. Our interpretation is that when supraphysiological FSH levels persist into the late follicular phase, thereby overriding selection of the single dominant follicle of the natural cycle, secretion of an ovarian factor(s) b...
Mentoring at Work: Developmental Relationships in Organizational Life

A close look at relationships in the work place that enhance an individual's performance, development and career potential during the early, middle and late career years. The author targets three distinct audiences: individuals at every career stage, practicing managers and employees in all occupations and finally, human resource specialists, organizational researchers and psychologists. Originally published in 1985 by Scott, Foresman and Company.
Is there statistical evidence for a blood lead-blood pressure relationship?

Abstract In this paper we show that there is weak statistical evidence for a blood lead-blood pressure relationship in the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. The significance and magnitude of this relationship for 40–59 year old white males as originally reported by Pirkle, Schwartz, Landis, and Harlan does not characterize other age and sex samples and is sensitive to the use of blood pressure data of questionable quality.
Testing the long-term efficacy of a prevention program for improving marital conflict in community families

Abstract Family-focused prevention programs for community samples have potentially broad, clinically relevant implications but few studies have examined whether any program benefits continue to be observed over the long term. Although benefits of a marital conflict focused parent education program, the Happy Couples and Happy Kids (i.e., HCHK) program, were supported in a study based on pre-test, post-test, 6-month follow-up, and 1-year follow-up assessments, the longer-term stability of treatment effects has not been established. Couples with children between 4 and 8 years of age who had previously participated in the HCHK study completed a two-year follow-up, including a parent-only group (PO, n = 12); parent–child group (PC, n = 15); and a self-study group (SS, n = 12). Greater knowledge about the effects of marital conflict on families and behavioral improvements in constructive conflict, and specifically in problem-solving behaviors, were observed at the two-year follow-up for couples who received the HCHK program. Reflecting an innovative analysis of mediating mechanisms, change-to-change analyses showed that these changes were linked with improvements in other family processes over time, including marital satisfaction, parenting and child adjustment. The findings support the relatively long-term efficacy of brief, psychoeducational programs for educating community samples about marital conflict and family processes.
Physiologic Basis of Host Susceptibility

Host defense mechanisms are reviewed with examination of aspects particular to the increased susceptibility found in neonates. Three main factors contributing to this increased susceptibility are identified: inexperienced immune system, immature phagocytosis, and an inability to localize infection.
Impact of position inaccuracy on V2V intersection protocols

We have been investigating vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications as a part of co-operative driving in the context of autonomous driving. In this work, we study the effects of position inaccuracy of commonly-used GPS devices on some of our V2V intersection protocols and suggest required modifications to guarantee their safety and efficiency despite these impairments.