cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection by ELISA of laminin released by endothelial cells from a collagen coated layer of Matrigel

We have developed an in vitro model system quantitating the degradation of extracellular matrix by endothelial cells. Collagen is layered over a reconstituted basement membrane matrix (Matrigel) and the release of laminin contained in the Matrigel into the media by endothelial cells is quantitated by ELISA. The cell-specific release of laminin is consistent and reproducible. Incubating an equivalent number of dead endothelial cells in the same manner results in no release of laminin relative to media controls. The cell-specific laminin release is abolished by removing the exogenous growth factor component of the media and plating the cells in media plus 10% serum. Cells plated onto wells coated with collagen alone do not release laminin into the media, indicating that no de novo synthesis and release of laminin occurs during the time frame of the experiment, and that some factor or combination of factors present in the media supplement is essential for the endothelial cells to release laminin degrading enzymes.
Effects of A-B Similarity and Dissimilarity in a Dyadic Interaction

Summary.-Both similariq and complimentary hypotheses have been advanced to explain the operation of the A-B variable in patient-therapist interaction. It was hypothesized that matching on A-B would not affect perceived similarity or ratings of regard and empathy while perceived similarity would affect regard and empathy. Th~rty pairs of male undergraduates were selected on the basis of their A-B scores (As, ABs, and Bs) to provide ten subjects in all possible A-B pairings. Each dyad was instructed to talk about personally relevant topics. At the end of 40 minutes the subjects rated their partners on Barren-Lennard Relationship Inventories and a seven point bi-polar rating scale of similarity. The similarly paired subjects did not perceive themselves as more similar nor did they report greater empathy or regard than the dissimilar pairs. Perceived similarity, however, did relate to the perception of regard and empathy. Results were interpreted as consistent with studies indicating that the effect of A-B is due to persona;ity qualities of A and B individuals and not matching. Kennedy ( 1973 ) and Klem ( 197 1 ) have proposed that the relationship of the A-B variable to therapy outcome is a function of matching of similar A-B types between the therapist and the client. Kennedy (1973), contrary to his hypothesis, however, found that dissimilarity of patient and therapist A-B score resulted in higher ratings of facilitative conditions. Only that of genuineness reached significance. Klem (1971) assessed the similarity vs dissimilarity hypothesis in groups of male seminary students. Only cwo of the six dimensions under study showed an effect, favoring dissimilarity, but the only contact the subjects had were in groups of e~ght These findings are more consistent with the "complimentarity" hypothesis of Berzins, Friedman, and Seidman ( 1969). They found that A-type university counseling center cliertts reported and were rated by their therapists as having symptoms representing neurotic intropunitive tendencies, whereas B clients showed extrapunitive tendencies. These results were then extrapolated to suggest that defensive style of A and B therapist-patient dyads (A with B) would be more effective than similar ones (A with A, B with B) due to an inability to interact effectively with someone having similar defenses to one's own. In a clinical study of dissimilarity-similarity of A-B, Beutler, Jobe, Johnson, and Neville ( 1973) found that patient-therapist similarity of A-B scores resulted in ratings of greater improvement as measured by therapist ratings but not in shorter hospitalization. Portnoy and Resnick ( 1972) explored the similaritydissimilarity question by smdying A and B "experimenters' " ability verbally to condition A and B clients. The results suggested that neither a similarity nor
2-d physics and 3-d topology

Invariants of three dimensional manifolds and of framed oriented labeled links in them are rigorously defined using any solution to the Moore-Seiberg axioms for a Rational Conformal field theory. These invariants are generalizations of Witten's Chern-Simons path integrals. Connections are explored with supersymmetry, four dimensional manifolds, and quantum gravity.
Integrating Organizational and Design Perspectives to Address Challenges of Renewal: A case study of NASA's post‐shuttle workforce transition

As organizations become increasingly complex and technology-dependent, likewise their challenges become increasingly complex and technology-driven. In the practice of organizational and design ethnography, the elements of organization and technology design overlap. However, a need remains for an explicit framework to deal with the complex challenges of innovation and change faced by contemporary organizations. This need is evident in a case study of NASA's workforce transition as a result of the space shuttle's retirement. NASA's challenge is both organizational and technological – the end of the Space Shuttle Program left the agency without a clear replacement vehicle and the risk of losing an experienced, expert workforce. An integrated organizational and design approach could foster an environment of renewal by involving stakeholders at all levels of the agency and adopting a future-oriented approach to anticipating change.
HRR25, a Putative Protein Kinase from Budding Yeast: Association with Repair of Damaged DNA

In simple eukaryotes, protein kinases regulate mitotic and meiotic cell cycles, the response to polypeptide pheromones, and the initiation of nuclear DNA synthesis. The protein HRR25 from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was defined by the mutation hrr25-1. This mutation resulted in sensitivity to continuous expression of the HO double-strand endonuclease, to methyl methanesulfonate, and to x-irradiation. Homozygotes of hrr25-1 were unable to sporulate and disruption and deletion of HRR25 interfered with mitotic and meiotic cell division. Sequence analysis revealed two distinctive regions in the protein. The NH2-terminus of HRR25 contains the hallmark features of protein kinases, whereas the COOH-terminus is rich in proline and glutamine. Mutations in HRR25 at conserved residues found in all protein kinases inactivated the gene, and these mutants exhibited the hrr25 null phenotypes. Taken together, the hrr25 mutant phenotypes and the features of the gene product indicate that HRR25 is a distinctive member of the protein kinase superfamily.
Technological advancements in the care of the trauma patient.

Introdution Medical technology has benefited many types of patients, but trauma care has arguably benefited more from technologic development than almost any other field.
The stimulatory effect of insulin on diacylglycerol generation in adipocyte membranes from ob/ob mice is impaired by growth hormone

Physiologically, the action of insulin on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism is opposed by several hormones, including glucocorticoids, glucagon, catecholamines, and pituitary GH. Perhaps least is known about the mechanism(s) involved in the antiinsulin action of GH. Since the generation of diacylglycerol (DAG) appears to be an early event in the insulin-signaling cascade, it was of interest to determine whether GH would interfere with this effect of insulin. Experiments were conducted to determine whether insulin would stimulate the generation of DAG in adipocytes of the obese (ob/ob) mouse, and whether this response could be blocked by the diabetogenic GH derivative S-carboxymethylated human GH (RCM-hGH). Isolated adipocytes of the ob/ob mouse were used for these studies, because unlike normal rodents, the ob/ob mouse responds predictably to the antiinsulin action of GH. Insulin produced a rapid biphasic increase in the amount of DAG in a crude membrane fraction of the adipocytes. The first peak in DAG m...
Limits of tame automorphisms of k[x1, …, Xn]

Abstract Let J consist of all endomorphisms ψ of S = k[x1, …, xN] whose Jacobtan determinant, det ( ∂ψ(x i ) ∂ j ) , is a non-zero constant. Let G be the group of tame automorphisms of S. In this paper we prove that G is dense in J in the “formal power series topology.” In particular, every automorphism of S is a limit of tame automorphisms. We also demonstrate that certain subquotients of G have a natural Lie algebra structure.
Compliance with national guidelines in patients with diabetes in a family practice clinic.

Study Objective. To assess whether clinicians are treating patients with both type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia according to national goals for blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and glucose levels. Design. Retrospective chart review. Setting. University-based family medicine teaching practice. Patients. One hundred twenty-four patients with both type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Measurements and Main Results. Sixty-nine patients (58%) met the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel II's goals for LDL (< 130 mg/dl for primary prevention and < 100 mg/dl for secondary prevention). Only 47 patients (38%) were in compliance with national standards for both systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The mean hemoglobin A1c (A1C) level was 8.6%; 27 patients (21.8%) had A1C levels below 7%. Conclusion. A high percentage of patients in our family practice clinic met their goals for reducing lipid levels, but more aggressive therapy is necessary to attain glucose and blood pressure goals. Data from this study emphasize the need for understanding which factors influence clinicians' treatment decisions.
Between Dependency and Autonomy: India's Experience with the International Computer Industry

India's experience with the international computer industry serves as a key test of the “bargaining school” and the “Marxist-dependencia school” on relations between developing countries and multinational enterprises. India changed (and improved) its performance over time in reformulating its ties with the international computer industry. How did changes in international computer technology and industrial structure combine with Indian domestic institutional and political developments to yield an improved position for India in international computing? The case study illustrates the overall analytical superiority of the bargaining school over the Marxist-dependencia school. It also suggests a modest revision of the bargaining school's understanding of the speed at which certain developing countries are attaining the capability to negotiate successfully with multinationals in high-technology industries.
Initial Series of Robotic Radical Nephrectomy with Vena Caval Tumor Thrombectomy

Abstract Laparoscopy has become a standard modality for most renal tumors but not as yet for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) involving the inferior vena cava (IVC). Robotic technology may facilitate such complex procedures. We report the first series of robotic nephrectomy with IVC tumor thrombectomy including the first cases requiring cross-clamping of the IVC in a minimally invasive fashion. Five patients underwent robotic nephrectomy with IVC tumor thrombectomy including one patient having two renal veins, each with an IVC thrombus, for a total of six IVC thrombi. The IVC was opened in all patients, and tumor thrombi were delivered intact, followed by sutured closure. The mean patient age was 64 yr (53–70 yr) with a mean body mass index of 36.6kg/m 2 (22–43kg/m 2 ). Thrombi protruded 1cm, 2cm, 4cm, and 5cm into the IVC in five patients and 3cm and 2cm in the patient with two thrombi. The mean estimated blood loss was 170ml (50–400ml). Mean operative time was 327min (240–411min). Mean length of stay was 1.2 d. There were no complications, transfusions, or readmissions. This early series represents a limited experience by a single surgeon with a new procedure and may not be reproducible in larger numbers or by all surgeons. Further experience is necessary to validate this application.
Dephasing of molecular vibrations in liquids: Effects of molecular orientations and attraction

Abstract An equation for vibrational dephasing rates in liquids containing the effects of molecular orientations and attraction has been derived by use of the binary collision model. Dephasing rates are found to be a strong function of the orientation angle of vibrating molecules. For liquid nitrogen, the inclusion of oriented encounters leads to a slowing down of the dephasing rate by a factor of about three. Molecular attraction is found to enhance dephasing significantly.
Desorption-complexation-dissolution characteristics of adsorbed cadmium from kaolin by chelators

In order to provide a sound experimental background for the remediation of metal-contaminated soil by chelators, the desorption/complexation/dissolution characteristics of Cd from kaolin as a representative soil component by four chelators (NTA, EDTA, EGTA and DCyTA) have been investigated as a function of solution pH. For all chelating agents under examination, the ratio of Cd (desorbed from kaolin) to chelator was found to be 1:1. The chelation/dissolution of Cd was strongly dependent on the solution pH for NTA and EDTA. In the NTA system, 100% Cd dissolution occurred only at a pH = 8 and pH EGTA > EDTA > NTA.
Counseling Persons with a Fear of AIDS.

The increasing incidence of AIDS has created a societal fear of AIDS that, in turn, has raised the level of fear and anxiety in individuals prone to fear responses. Fears accentuated by AIDS are discussed and guidelines for counseling offered.
Horizontal transfer of RNAs: exosomes as mediators of intercellular communication

Multicellular organisms are similar to biological communities, consisting of various cell types; thus, inter-cell communication is critical for the functioning of the whole system that ultimately constitutes a living being. Conventional models of cellular exchange include signaling molecules and direct contact-mediated cell communications. Exosomes, small vesicles originating from an inward budding of the plasma membrane, represent a new avenue for signaling between cells. This interchange is achieved by packaging RNA species into exosomes endowed with specific cell surface-targeting motifs. The delivered RNA molecules are functional, and mRNA can be translated into new proteins, while microRNAs (miRNAs) target host mRNAs in the recipient cell. RNA involved in transmitting information or molecules between cells is called exosomal RNA (esRNA). This review summarizes the characteristics of exosomes, specifically focusing on their role in the horizontal transfer of cellular information.
Mutable objects in R

Programming paradigms help us understand the differences and similarities between fundamental choices in language design. This paper looks at R in the context of three paradigms of object oriented programming: mutable versus immutable objects, generic-function versus message-passing methods, and class-based versus prototype-based inheritance. The paper also describes a new OO package for R, mutatr, which provides mutable objects with message-passing methods and prototype-based inheritance. The mutatr package is available on CRAN.
The effects of years lived in the United States on the general health status of California's foreign-born populations.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of immigrant status and years lived in the United States on the general health status of California’s foreign-born populations. Two models were constructed using California’s aggregate adult population and the adult foreign-born population. A binary logistic regression was conducted using data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey. California’s immigrant populations were found to enjoy a self-assessed health advantage compared to California’s US-born population. The results present evidence of a downward trend in self-assessed health amongst California’s foreign-born population associated with increased years lived in country. The initial health advantage found among California’s foreign-born appears to function mainly through socio-economic factors. These results suggest that the deterioration in health associated with increased years lived in the US may be an effect of immigrants’ exposure to California’s environmental determinants of human health rather that the loss of culture-specific protective factors.
Risk stratification and pathological mechanisms in preterm delivery.

The delivery of infants before 37 weeks gestation is a leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity in the United States. Traditional methods of predicting women at risk relying on obstetric history or premonitory symptoms (detected clinically or by tocodynamometry) are neither sensitive nor specific. Recent approaches to predicting preterm delivery have included sonographic measurement of cervical length and various biochemical assays. Although more sensitive than traditional methods, none of these alone exhibits sufficient accuracy to warrant widespread use. We contend that the failure of current approaches to predicting preterm delivery reflects an inadequate understanding of the underlying pathogenesis. Clinical and experimental evidence support the concept that most cases of preterm delivery reflect four pathogenic processes, which share a common final biological pathway leading to uterine contractions and cervical changes with or without premature rupture of membranes. These pathogeneses are: (1) activation of the maternal or fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; (2) decidual-chorioamniotic or systemic inflammation; (3) decidual haemorrhage (i.e. abruption); and (4) pathological distention of the uterus. Our research seeks to combine the most useful biophysical and biochemical markers of such processes with optimal clinical and epidemiological predictors into a composite, easily applied risk tool. This integrated approach has the potential to identify at-risk asymptomatic patients with high sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values, and also to ascertain underlying pathogenic processes that can lead to targeted therapy. To accomplish these goals, we employ logistic regression and artificial neural network models to assess and apply the appropriate weight to markers associated with each of the above pathogenic pathways, in addition to markers of the final common pathway leading to fetal membrane rupture, cervical extracellular matrix degradation, and myometrial activation. By combining these markers, we expect ultimately to produce a predictive model that is more robust than any existing method, and that identifies the relative contribution of each pathogenic process. Further analysis of this model using a neural network will enable us to identify asymptomatic patients destined to deliver preterm with high sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and to assess the relative contribution of each of the four distinct pathogeneses to this preterm delivery risk.
Whiteness as Pathological Narcissism

AbstractWhite, liberal, educated, upwardly mobile people are often thought to have transcended racism. Consequently, they may not think of themselves as white, as possessing any particular white privilege, or as having any sense of superiority about their whiteness. To confront someone about one's repudiated white privilege is analogous to confronting the person about their defensive grandiosity; the person feels attacked and responds with denial and counterattack. We suggest that white racial superiority, white privilege, and repudiated white racial identity are forms of pathological narcissism driven by an unconscious desire to be a triumphant oedipal winner and to avoid, at any price, being a disgraced oedipal loser. White racial superiority, white privilege, and white identity rely on racialized oedipal splitting in which whiteness comes to represent all idealized forms of love and lust while blackness comes to represent the devalued forms.
Influence of cell adhesion and spreading on impedance characteristics of cell-based sensors

Impedance measurements of cell-based sensors are a primary characterization route for detection and analysis of cellular responses to chemical and biological agents in real time. The detection sensitivity and limitation depend on sensor impedance characteristics and thus on cell patterning techniques. This study introduces a cell patterning approach to bind cells on microarrays of gold electrodes and demonstrates that single-cell patterning can substantially improve impedance characteristics of cell-based sensors. Mouse fibroblast cells (NIH3T3) are immobilized on electrodes through a lysine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (KRGD) peptide-mediated natural cell adhesion process. Electrodes are made of three sizes and immobilized with either covalently bound or physically adsorbed KRGD (c-electrodes or p-electrodes). Cells attached to c-electrodes increase the measurable electrical signal strength by 48.4%, 24.2%, and 19.0% for three electrode sizes, respectively, as compared to cells attached to p-electrodes, demonstrating that both the electrode size and surface chemistry play a key role in cell adhesion and spreading and thus the impedance characteristics of cell-based sensors. Single cells patterned on c-electrodes with dimensions comparable to cell size exhibit well-spread cell morphology and substantially outperform cells patterned on electrodes of other configurations.
Compressive radar clutter subspace estimation using dictionary learning

Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) based on matched filter processing in the presence of additive clutter (modeled as colored noise) requires knowledge of the clutter covariance matrix. In practice, this is estimated via the sample covariance matrix using samples from the neighboring range bins around the reference bin. By applying compressive sensing, the number of training samples needed to estimate the covariance matrix can be significantly reduced, provided that the basis mismatch problem, inherent to compressive sensing can be mitigated. This paper presents an adaptive approach to choosing the best sparsifying basis, using dictionary learning to estimate the radar clutter subspace. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm achieves the desired reduction in training samples, and is more accurate than previous reduced-rank algorithm baseline.
Nuclear proteins of rat liver and of an aminoazo-dye-induced hepatoma

Nuclear proteins of rat liver and rat ascites hepatoma were fractionated by extraction in solutions of different salt concentration and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The difference between the electrophorograms of the different fractions of nuclear proteins isolated from liver and from hepatoma was found in the bands which have the same electrophoretic mobility as the main proteins of informofers and are extracted from nuclei at salt concentrations which extract informofers. These changes in the electrophoretic patterns of proteins with the solubility and mobility of the proteins of informofers could be related to the defective processing of heterogeneous nuclear RNA in the hepatoma. In addition the identity of electrophorograms of nuclear proteins isolated from liver and from hepatoma and the identity of most bands in the electrophorograms of nuclear proteins which are soluble in 0.35 M NaCl and chromosomal proteins which are not soluble at this salt concentration support the notion that these nonhistone nuclear proteins which can be identified as the major bands in electrophorograms of chromosomal proteins are not the specific regulators of gene expression.
Targeted Inhibition of Intrinsic Coagulation Limits Cerebral Injury in Stroke without Increasing Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Agents that restore vascular patency in stroke also increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). As Factor IXa is a key intermediary in the intrinsic pathway of coagulation, targeted inhibition of Factor IXa–dependent coagulation might inhibit microvascular thrombosis in stroke without impairing extrinsic hemostatic mechanisms that limit ICH. A competitive inhibitor of native Factor IXa for assembly into the intrinsic Factor X activation complex, Factor IXai, was prepared by covalent modification of the Factor IXa active site. In a modified cephalin clotting time assay, in vivo administration of Factor IXai caused a dose-dependent increase in time to clot formation (3.6-fold increase at the 300 μg/kg dose compared with vehicle-treated control animals, P < 0.05). Mice given Factor IXai and subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion demonstrated reduced microvascular fibrin accumulation by immunoblotting and immunostaining, reduced 111In-labeled platelet deposition (42% decrease, P < 0.05), increased cerebral perfusion (2.6-fold increase in ipsilateral blood flow by laser doppler, P < 0.05), and smaller cerebral infarcts than vehicle-treated controls (70% reduction, P < 0.05) based on triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining of serial cerebral sections. At therapeutically effective doses, Factor IXai was not associated with increased ICH, as opposed to tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) or heparin, both of which significantly increased ICH. Factor IXai was cerebroprotective even when given after the onset of stroke, indicating that microvascular thrombosis continues to evolve (and may be inhibited) even after primary occlusion of a major cerebrovascular tributary.
The James Webb Space Telescope integrated science instrument module

The Integrated Science Instrument Module of the James Webb Space Telescope is described from a systems perspective with emphasis on unique and advanced technology aspects. The major subsystems of this flight element are described including: structure, thermal, command and data handling, and software.
Normal and neoplastic lymphocyte maturation.

Lymphocytes arc cells that are responsible for processes of specific antigen recognition and for those aspects of the immune response that characterize adaptive immunity. In this respect adaptive immunity can be characterized as antigen-induced immune memory and effector functions as compared to native immunity – the nonspecific phagocytic and humoral protective elements in lower vertebrates. In vertebrates both B and T lymphocytes apparently express self-synthesized receptors that (1) are involved in the recognition of antigens, and (2) mediate the interactions between various important cells in the hematolymphoid system. There are three major subclasses of T lymphocytes – those involved with helper/inducer functions, those involved with suppressor functions, and those involved in direct cytotoxicity of antigenic target cells [1,2].
Argon-40/argon-39 analyses of samples from the Gardnos impact structure, Norway

Abstract-We have conducted 40ArPAr age dating on a sample of impact melt from the Gardnos impact structure in Norway in an attempt to better constrain the formation age of the crater. Current estimates of the age of the Gardnos crater cover a wide range and are as old as 900 Ma (Dons and Naterstad, 1992; French et al., 1997). The age spectra that we obtained from three samples are consistent with a thermal event at 385 ? 5 Ma (la). Because this differs greatly from the best stratigraphic age of -600 Ma, and because the minerals present in the dated sample are a metamorphic assemblage, we believe we have not dated the formation age of the crater. Instead we have probably dated the effect of the early Devonian collapse of the late Caledonian (Scandian) orogeny on these materials (Dons and Naterstad, 1992; French et al., 1997). Although it may be possible, it will be dif€icult to determine the age of the impact by isotopic means alone because of this widespread metamorphism. Detailed stratigraphic analyses of the crater fill sediments may be the most promising method for constraining the crater age.
Volcanic eruptions observed with infrasound

[1] Infrasonic airwaves produced by active volcanoes provide valuable insight into the eruption dynamics. Because the infrasonic pressure field may be directly associated with the flux rate of gas released at a volcanic vent, infrasound also enhances the efficacy of volcanic hazard monitoring and continuous studies of conduit processes. Here we present new results from Erebus, Fuego, and Villarrica volcanoes highlighting uses of infrasound for constraining quantitative eruption parameters, such as eruption duration, source mechanism, and explosive gas flux.
Study of silent myocardial ischemia using exercise stress test among diabetic and non-diabetic patients with documented coronary artery disease

Abstract Introduction Prospective studies have documented an increased likelihood of sudden cardiac death and unrecognized myocardial infarction in patients with diabetes. Aim of the work To study silent myocardial ischemia using exercise stress test among diabetic and non-diabetic patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease. Patients and methods Patients with contra-indications to exercise test were excluded. All patients were subjected to treadmill test using modified Bruce protocol & were considered to have silent ischemia if ECG shows ischemic changes without chest pain. Statistics Data were collected & analyzed statistically. Results The study included 80 patients with CAD (40 diabetics & 40 non-diabetics). Their mean age was 58 years old, including males (73.8%). According to stress test patients were classified: 1- Group 1: 28 patients (35%), showed no ST depression no chest pain during exercise test, 10 patients of them (35.7%) were diabetic. 2- Group 2: two patients (2.5%) who were diabetic showed chest pain without stress induced ST depression (only pain). 3- Group 3: 26 patients (32.5%) showed stress ST depression without chest pain (silent ischemia), 18 patients of them (69.2%) were diabetic. 4- Group 4: 24 patients (30%) showed ST depression and chest pain during exercise test (symptomatic ischemia), 10 patients of them (41.7%) were diabetic. All patients underwent coronary angiography (100%) and all of them had significant coronary artery disease (more than 50% stenosis). Conclusion Diabetics with coronary artery disease have a higher prevalence of silent myocardial ischemia than non-diabetics.
The intrinsic functional organization of the brain is altered in autism

In higher functioning individuals with autism, a striking disparity exists between impaired social and emotional abilities and relatively preserved sustained attention and goal-directed cognitive abilities. As these two functional domains appear to map onto two distinct large-scale brain networks, the Task-Negative Network and the Task-Positive Network, respectively, we examined their intrinsically defined functional organization in individuals with autism. Using resting functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI), we found that, in autism, there was altered functional organization of the network involved in social and emotional processing, but no group difference in the functional organization of the network involved in sustained attention and goal-directed cognition. We suggest that these findings might serve to relate the seemingly disparate strengths and weaknesses of the autistic behavioral, perceptual, and cognitive phenotype into a tractable neurofunctional framework. These results also highlight the usefulness of resting fcMRI for studying the brain in neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Optical control over femtosecond polarization dynamics

Abstract Multiple-pulse femtosecond optical excitation of ferroelectric materials is reviewed and new results are presented. The use of femtosecond pulse sequences to drive and amplify coherent phononpolariton responses is reviewed in connection with the objectives of elucidating nonlinear lattice and polarization dynamics and inducing domain switching and phase transitions. Preliminary results are presented on the use of pairs of femtosecond pulses to control the direction of induced polarization on ultrafast time scales. The induced polarization direction can be made to rotate or undergo other timedependent changes with extensive optical control.
Increasing the opportunities for aging in place

A growing social problem in the U.S. and elsewhere is supporting older adults who want to continue living independently as opposed to moving to an institutional care setting. The “Aging in Place” project strives to delay taking that first step away from the family home. Through the careful placement of technological support we believe older adults can continue living in their own homes longer.The goal of our research is to take a three-pronged approach to understanding the potential of such environmental supports. The research team combines expertise in human-computer-interaction, computational perception, and cognitive aging. Together the team is assessing the feasibility of designing environments that aid older individuals in maintaining their independence. Based on our initial research, we are dividing this work into three parts: recognizing and adverting crisis, assisting daily routines, and supporting peace of mind for adult children.
Representations of geometrical and topological quantities in cellular automata

Abstract This paper addresses the problem of finding novel representations of analogs of physical field variables in cellular automata. Several examples illustrate how this might be done: (1) a manifestly covariant vector law for diffusion, (2) a model for potential energy and exact one-forms, (3) a counting algorithm using a winding number density, and (4) fields which support topological charges. In order to combine the advantages of cellular automata and continuum analysis, it is necessary to have representations which involve more than one cell.
The effect of host Chlorella NC64A carbon : phosphorus ratio on the production of Paramecium bursaria Chlorella Virus‐1

SUMMARY 1. We used the freshwater alga Chlorella NC64A (Division Chlorophyta) and its virus Paramecium bursaria Chlorella virus-1 (PBCV-1) as a model system to test for potential stoichiometric constraints on a virus–host interaction. 2. Media phosphorus concentrations were manipulated to create Chlorella NC64A host cells with low (91 ± 23) or high (453 ± 246) C : P ratio. In contrast, the C : P ratio of PBCV-1, calculated from its biochemical composition, was 17 : 1. 3. Stoichiometric theory predicts that infection success and postinfection viral production should be depressed in high C : P cultures due to insufficient intracellular P for production of P-rich viral particles. 4. Consistent with this hypothesis, viral production was strongly affected by host C : P ratio. While host C : P ratio did not affect viral attachment or the percentage of new viral particles that were infectious, in the low C : P Chlorella NC64A treatment, nine times more viruses were produced per infected cell than in the high C : P treatment (158 ± 138 versus 18 ± 18), indicating that the low C : P cells were higher quality for PBCV-1 proliferation. 5. This result implies that the stoichiometric quality of algal cells can have a major effect on host–virus population dynamics.
Mitral annulus segmentation from four-dimensional ultrasound using a valve state predictor and constrained optical flow.

Measurement of the shape and motion of the mitral valve annulus has proven useful in a number of applications, including pathology diagnosis and mitral valve modeling. Current methods to delineate the annulus from four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound, however, either require extensive overhead or user-interaction, become inaccurate as they accumulate tracking error, or they do not account for annular shape or motion. This paper presents a new 4D annulus segmentation method to account for these deficiencies. The method builds on a previously published three-dimensional (3D) annulus segmentation algorithm that accurately and robustly segments the mitral annulus in a frame with a closed valve. In the 4D method, a valve state predictor determines when the valve is closed. Subsequently, the 3D annulus segmentation algorithm finds the annulus in those frames. For frames with an open valve, a constrained optical flow algorithm is used to the track the annulus. The only inputs to the algorithm are the selection of one frame with a closed valve and one user-specified point near the valve, neither of which needs to be precise. The accuracy of the tracking method is shown by comparing the tracking results to manual segmentations made by a group of experts, where an average RMS difference of 1.67 ± 0.63 mm was found across 30 tracked frames.
Inosine Triphosphate Protects Against Ribavirin-Induced Adenosine Triphosphate Loss by Adenylosuccinate Synthase Function

Background & Aims Genetic variation of inosine triphosphatase ( ITPA ) causing an accumulation of inosine triphosphate (ITP) has been shown to protect patients against ribavirin (RBV)-induced anemia during treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection by genome-wide association study (GWAS). However, the biologic mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Methods We examined whether ITP can be used by adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) in human erythrocytes or recombinant human adenylosuccinate synthase (ADSS). RBV-induced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) reduction in erythrocytes was compared with the genetically determined low or normal activity of ITPA , leading respectively to high or normal ITP levels. Results Although ITP is not used directly by human erythrocyte ATPase, it can be used for ATP biosynthesis via ADSS in place of guanosine triphosphate (GTP). With RBV challenge, erythrocyte ATP reduction was more severe in the wild-type ITPA genotype than in the hemolysis protective ITPA genotype. This difference also remains after inhibiting adenosine uptake using nitrobenzylmercaptopurine riboside (NBMPR). Interestingly, the alleviation of ATP reduction by the hemolysis protective ITPA genotype was canceled by the ADSS inhibitor 6-mercaptoethanol (6-MP). Conclusions ITP confers protection against RBV-induced ATP reduction by substituting for erythrocyte GTP, which is depleted by RBV, in the biosynthesis of ATP. Because patients with excess ITP appear largely protected against anemia, these results confirm that RBV-induced anemia is due primarily to the effect of the drug on GTP and consequently ATP levels in erythrocytes.
Contraceptive use among solid organ transplant patients: a systematic review.

Abstract Background Women undergoing solid organ transplantation are advised to avoid pregnancy for up to 24 months following transplant surgery. Study Design We conducted a systematic review of the literature, from database (PubMed) inception through February 2009, to evaluate evidence on the safety and effectiveness of contraceptive use among women having undergone solid organ transplantation. Results From 643 articles, eight articles from seven studies satisfied review inclusion criteria; six articles pertained to kidney transplant patients, and two reported on liver transplant patients. Two reports of one prospective cohort of 36 kidney transplant recipients taking combined oral contraceptives (COCs) or using the transdermal contraceptive patch reported no significant changes in biochemical measures after 18 months of use for either group, although 13 women modified antihypertensive medication, and two women discontinued the study because of serious medical complications. Four case reports of five kidney recipients using intrauterine devices reported inconsistent findings, including both beneficial health effects and contraceptive failures. One retrospective, noncomparative study of 15 liver transplant recipients using COCs or the transdermal contraceptive patch found no significant changes in any biochemical measures obtained, no discontinuations or severe complications and no pregnancies after a 12-month follow up. One case report of a liver transplant recipient on cyclosporine and prednisone documented the development of cholestasis associated with high-dose (50 mcg ethinyl estradiol) COC use as treatment for heavy uterine bleeding. Conclusions Very limited evidence on COC and transdermal contraceptive patch use among kidney and liver transplant recipients indicated no pregnancies and no overall changes in biochemical measures. Excluding case reports, evidence on other contraceptive methods or contraception among other types of solid organ transplants was not identified.
Effects of morphine and other centrally acting drugs on 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylene glycol sulfate (DOPEG-SO4) in rat brain.

Brain concentrations of DOPEG-SO4 were measured fluorometrically 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 hr after i.p. injections of morphine sulfate (20 mg/kg), d-amphetamine sulfate (5 mg/kg), desmethylimipramine HCl (25 mg/kg), or reserpine (5 mg/kg) in order to observe the effects of these drugs on intraneuronal norepinephrine degradation. No change in brain levels of DOPEG-SO4 was found until 8 hr after morphine, at which time the metabolite was significantly (p<.01) decreased. d-Amphetamine and desmethylimipramine significantly (p<.01) decreased the metabolite at all observed timepoints after 0 hr. Brain DOPEG-SO4 after reserpine was significantly (p<.01) increased at 0.5 and 1 hr, and significantly (p<.01) decreased at 4 and 8 hr. DOPEG-SO4 remained unchanged 0–8 hr after saline injections. These results, together with previous measurements of brain 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol sulfate (MOPEG-SO4), indicate that the mechanism of morphine action on noradrenergic neurons differs from those of the other drugs examined and that morphine may cause central norepinephrine release.
An On-Chip Pcr Approach Enabling Cancer Diagnosis

The development of microfluidic platforms broke the barrier for rampant growth of on-chip biomarker identification in the field of disease diagnostics. Unfortunately, the amplification of nucleic acids directly from raw patient blood has yet to find a simple but complete design on a point-of-care microfluidic device. Here we report a technological approach to detect circulating DNA typically found in whole blood of cancer patients through an on-chip blood-plasma separation, filtration, reagent mixing, and PCR amplification. Raw patient sample blood will first be placed through a self-driven, gravitational and drag powered filtration system, where separation times as low as 10 minutes per 5 μL of blood can be achieved. Plasma separation coupled with nitrocellulose filters will lead to a 99% pure plasma product. Patient plasma can then be properly placed into micro-chambers, where they will be exposed to corresponding lyophilized reagents and enzymes. With each well equipped to an individual micro-heater, concentrated thermo-cycling induces DNA amplification by following golden-standard PCR methodology on a minute-scale basis. Amplification of nucleic acids in the steps indicated above present a simple device design for diagnosis of DNA biomarkers from patient to PCR. To thoroughly accomplish all desired tasks in a direct and efficient manner, the components of an on-chip PCR platform will include a simple yet powerful blood separation method, lyophilized reagent storage, and micro-heated thermo-cycling.
Machiavellianism as Tough-Mindedness

Summary Eysenck's Inventory of Social Attitudes was presented together with the 20 Mach TV items to a heterogeneous sample of 206 white American Ss. It was hypothesized that Eysenck's T dimension possesses conceptual validity and that previous studies have inadequately operationalized this variable. The present paper was designed to test the hypothesis that the Machiavellianism scale is a better measure of tough-mindedness than the scale devised by Eysenck. Factor analysis indicated two orthogonal factors best defined as social conservatism and Machiavellianism. A correlational analysis based upon total radicalism (R) scale scores suggested that R does seem to accord reasonably well with current conceptions of economic radicalism. In turn, Mach scores but not tough-mindedness (T) scores are independent of R. These findings, together with the moderate correlation between Mach and T support the authors' contention that Eysenck's second political attitudinal factor, tough-mindedness, is more appropriately de...
Unimolecular Reaction Kinetics of CF2ClCF2CH3 and CF2ClCF2CD3: Experimental Evidence for a Novel 1,2-FCl Rearrangement Pathway†

Chemically activated CF2ClCF2CH3 and CF2ClCF2CD3, containing 98.5 and 100 kcal/mol of internal energy, respectively, were formed in the gas phase from the combination of CF2ClCF2 and CH3 or CD3 radicals, respectively. These radicals were generated from the UV photolysis of CF2ClCF2I and CH3I or CD3I. The decomposition products were CF2ClCFCH2 (CF2ClCFCD2) from a 2,3-HF (DF) elimination and CF3CFCH2 (CF3CFCD2) suggesting a 1,3-HCl (DCl) elimination reaction. The 1,3-HCl elimination mechanism appears to be a two-step process; a 1,2-FCl rearrangement, producing CF3ClCFClCH3 (CF3CFClCD3), followed by a 2,3-HCl (DCl) elimination. Unimolecular rate constants for CF2ClCF2CH3 (CF2ClCF2CD3) were 5.3 ± 2.1 × 105 s-1 (1.8 ± 0.7 × 105 s-1) for 2,3-HF (DF) loss and 3.6 ± 1.4 × 104 s-1 (2.3 ± 0.9 × 104 s-1) for the 1,2-FCl rearrangement. The branching ratio was 13.5 ± 3 (7.8 ± 1.6) favoring the HF (DF) process. The isotope effect for 2,3-HF/DF was 2.9 ± 0.6, while for the FCl rearrangement, it was considerably smaller ...
Flow based observations from NETI@home and honeynet data

We conduct a flow based comparison of honeynet traffic, representing malicious traffic, and NETI@home traffic, representing typical end user traffic. We present a cumulative distribution function of the number of packets for a TCP flow and learn that a large portion of these flows in both datasets are failed and potentially malicious connection attempts. Next, we look at a histogram of TCP port activity over large time scales to gain insight into port scanning and worm activity. One key observation is that new worms can linger on for more than a year after the initial release date. Finally, we look at activity relative to the IP address space and observe that the sources of malicious traffic are spread across the allocated range.
Matching criteria and the accuracy of time domain adaptive integral method

The fast Fourier transform (FFT) is successfully used to accelerate the solution of both frequency- and time-domain integral equations. One of the most general and practical FFT-based algorithms is the adaptive integral method (AIM) (see Bleszynski, E. et al., Radio Science, vol.31, no.5, p.1225-51, 1996). The AIM separates the method of moments matrix into near and far-field components, computes the near-field components directly, and approximates the far-field components by using an auxiliary uniform mesh. The repeated multiplications of the far-field components by past and trial current vectors in the time-marching and iterative solution of time- and frequency-domain integral equations are efficiently computed using FFTs. Specifically, AIM (as well as other FFT-based algorithms) reduces the complexity of marching-on-in-time (MOT) based time-domain integral equation solvers (see Bleszynski et al., IEEE APS Int. Symp. Dig., p.176-80, 2001). We consider the MOT-based solution of an electric field integral equation (EFIE) pertinent to the analysis of scattering from a perfect electrically conducting body that resides in unbounded lossless dielectric media. The time-domain AIM for accelerating MOT solvers is reviewed and two methods for approximating the far-field components are compared on their relative merits in terms of accuracy and complexity.
A general total variation minimization theorem for compressed sensing based interior tomography

Recently, in the compressed sensing framework we found that a two-dimensional interior region-of-interest (ROI) can be exactly reconstructed via the total variation minimization if the ROI is piecewise constant (Yu and Wang, 2009). Here we present a general theorem charactering a minimization property for a piecewise constant function defined on a domain in any dimension. Our major mathematical tool to prove this result is functional analysis without involving the Dirac delta function, which was heuristically used by Yu and Wang (2009).