cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE EFFECTS OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, FAMILY BACKGROUND, AND EARLY JOB ACHIEVEMENT ON AGE AT MARRIAGE

National data for ever-married men aged 20 to 65 in March 1973 are utilized to estimate least squares and log-linear structural equation models of age at marriage. We demonstrate that most characteristics of family background (including both the family structure and its socioeconomic standing) are irrelevant in their effect on age at marriage. Intercohort trends are not explicable with reference to the changing socioeconomic, ethnic, or nativity compositions of the cohorts. Regional differences in age at marriage have persisted over the years in only slightly diminished form and cannot be explained by reference to the nativity, ethnic, or socioeconomic compositions of the regions. Early job status relates only weakly to age at marriage. Only those activities that are time-consuming or otherwise disruptive of the smooth operation of normal life-cycle processes during the transition from adolescence to adulthood (such as college attendance and service in the military) seriously affect the age at which a man marries.
Field study of water mass balance in a wastewater land application system

A water mass balance approach was proposed as a design approach for surface application of effluent for on-site wastewater systems, but little field study was available to verify the validity of the approach. The mass balance was investigated using plots at the wastewater treatment plant of the City of Littlefield, Texas, from October 2005 to September 2007. The highest monthly precipitation is 181 mm while the lowest is 1 mm; the individual Christiansen’s coefficient of uniformity (UCC) ranged from 31 to 75%, yet the annual UCC was 83%. The average daily leaching amount was measured in the range of 0–2 mm. The ratio of leaching to total water input in each sampling period is 0.49–37.05%, while the ratio of cumulative leaching to cumulative total water input is relatively constant and ranged from 12 to 14%. The regression model between cumulative leaching (y) and cumulative total input (x) was analyzed and resulted in an R 2 of 0.98.
Limited reaction of lysozyme with a fluorescent labeling agent

Abstract Lysozyme reacts with dansyl chloride to give a conjugate having a maximum of about 1 dansyl group per mole of protein. The conjugate exhibits cold lability but is enzymically active. ϵ-Dansyl lysine was recovered from hydrolysates, and preliminary tryptic digests suggest that only 1 lysine is labeled. The dansyl group is lost from the conjugate over several days with an apparent increase in quantum yield and lifetime. The dansyl group seems to be in a very exposed region, as the emission is orange and peaks at 560 nm. The extinction coefficient of the bound dansyl group, 5270 cm −1 M −1 , was determined with C 14 -dansyl chloride and is unusually high for proteins.
Dorn's duality for quadratic programs revisited: The nonconvex case

Abstract The duality theory for quadratic programming problems as developed by Dorn is based principally on the assumption of convexity. In this paper, we present a derivation for this ‘dual’ program using the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions, and examine the relationships between the pair of problems for a general nonconvex situation. Under convexity assumptions, the results of Dorn are readily recovered. However, for the nonconvex case, this pair of problems exhibits certain anomalies which preclude their interpretation as a pair of dual programs in the usual sense. These anomalies are clarified by showing that a particular Lagrangian dual formulation for the nonconvex case recovers Dorn's dual program with an additional term in the objective function, which happens to be zero under convexity assumptions. A sufficient condition for the absence of a duality gap with respect to this revised dual problem is also presented for the nonconvex situation.
Toward an Alcohol Treatment Model: A Comparison of Treated and Untreated Respondents with DSM‐IV Alcohol Use Disorders in the General Population

The purpose of this study was to compare characteristics of person with alcohol use disorders who sought alcohol treatment with those who did not using data from a nationally representative sample of the United States. Applying an organizing framework from the larger literature on service utilization, a logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the interaction among factors influencing treatment. The results identified unemployment status and lower educational level as barriers to alcohol treatment, but the impact of these factors differed depending on whether the respondent had previous experience with alcohol treatment. The major findings of this study are discussed in terms of consumer satisfaction, minimizing barriers to alcohol treatment services, and the need to examine individual determinants of alcohol treatment within the larger context of organizational and sociopolitical factors.
Unfinished Conquest: The Guatemalan Tragedy

Unfinished Conquest: The Guatemalan Tragedy. VICTOR PERERA. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993. 418 pp., illustrations. $27.00 (cloth). ISBN 0–520–07965–5.
The structural characterization of Ga 2 O 3 -Na 2 O-CaO-ZnO-SiO 2 bioactive glasses

The characterization of bioactive glasses in which zinc (Zn) has been incrementally replaced by gallium (Ga).
Solution- and Solid-Phase Synthesis of N-Protected Glycopeptide Esters of the Benzyl Type as Substrates for Subtilisin-Catalyzed Glycopeptide Couplings

This paper describes the solution- and solid-phase synthesis of glycopeptides containing a GlcNAc moiety at different positions and investigates them as substrates for subtilisin-catalyzed glycopeptide condensation, with an aim to develop enzymatic synthesis of complex glycopeptides and glycoproteins. A systematic study was performed to determine the sites at which the protease subtilisin will accept a glycosylated residue in enzymatic peptide ligations. It was found that Fmoc-glycopeptide esters with unprotected side chains can be prepared by solid-phase methodology using the Rink amide resin. Both removal of the side chain protecting groups as well as release from the resin was accomplished by treatment with acid to provide glycopeptide esters of the benzyl type which were used directly as substrates. One such 12 residue peptide ester was used in a subtilisin-catalyzed glycopeptide condensation in a kinetically controlled mode to demonstrate the utility of this approach.
Development of multiple monoclonal serum immunoglobulins (multiclonal gammopathy) following both HLA-identical unfractionated and T cell-depleted haploidentical bone marrow transplantation in severe combined immunodeficiency

We have identified five patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) who developed multiple monoclonal serum immunoglobulin components (multiclonal gammopathy) following bone marrow transplantation. Four patients received haploidentical bone marrow stem cells depleted of T cells and other mature marrow cells by soy lectin agglutination and/or sheep erythrocyte rosetting. One patient received unfractionated HLA-identical bone marrow. Twenty-one distinct paraproteins were detected: 14 IgG, 5 IgM, and 2 IgA, all containing either kappa or lambda light chains. In the haploidentical stemcell recipients, these monoclonal immunoglobulins appeared immediately prior to, or concomitant with, a rise in T-cell numbers and function. Resolution or diminution of this multiclonal gammopathy occurred as T-cell function was established. Posttransplant karyotypic analyses revealed PHA-stimulated T cells to be of donor origin in all patients. Karyotyping of B-cell lines posttransplantation revealed them to be 100% donor in the patient receiving unfractionated HLA-identical marrow and 100% host (1/4), 100% donor (1/4), mixed (1/4), or not tested (1/4) in the patients receiving haploidentical marrow stem cells. There was no evidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in any of the patients. All patients are currently alive and well. Immunoglobulin synthesis is normal in the patient who received the HLA-identical marrow but remains below normal in the four patients who received T cell-depleted haploidentical stem cells. The posttransplantation development of monoclonal immunoglobulins in the absence of EBV infection did not adversely affect the outcome of either HLA-identical marrow or haploidentical stem-cell grafting. The development of these monoclonal components posttransplantation in SCID patients is a more common phenomenon than previously recognized (26% of 31 patients we have evaluated). The onset and resolution of multiclonal gammopathy in this patient population may have implications for the pathogenesis of other clonal B-cell and plasma disorders.
Interleukin-1 stimulates Human Uterine prostaglandin production through induction of cyclooxygenase-2 expression

PROBLEM Uterine infection occurs in as much as 20% of preterm labor and results in increased decidual cytokines. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, NS-398, on myometrial prostaglandin (PG) production and COX-2 expression. METHOD OF STUDY Human uterine myocytes were stimulated with IL-1 (0-50 ng/mL) over 24 hr. PGE2, PGF2alpha, and 6-keto F1alpha were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Both COX-1 and COX-2 proteins and mRNA were measured by western and northern blot, respectively. RESULTS IL-1 increased PG production beginning at 6 hr, COX-2 protein increased beginning at 4 hr and continued to increase at 24 hr. COX-2 mRNA increased at 2 hr and peaked at 4 hr. NS-398 blocked PG production but had no effect on COX-2 protein or mRNA. CONCLUSIONS IL-1 increases PG production by myometrium by increased COX-2 expression. NS-398 completely blocks IL-1-induced PG production. With intrauterine infection, IL-1 may induce labor through the autocrine production of uterotonic PGs.
Reductions of metal carbonyls by quaternary ammonium borohydrides

Abstract Quaternary ammonium borohydrides, used directly or generated in phase transfer reactions, are highly effective reagents for preparing metal carbonyl anions from metal carbonyls [Mo(CO) 6 , Mn 2 (CO) 10 , Re 2 (CO) 10 , CO 2 (CO) 8 , Fe 3 (CO) 12 , Ru 3 (CO) 12 and (η 5 -C 5 H 5 ) 2 Mo 2 (CO) 6 ] and from some metal carbonyl halides [BrMn(CO) 5 and η 5 -C 5 H 5 Mo(CO) 3 Cl]. Where strongly basic anions would be formed from a halide [BrMn(CO) 4 PPh 3 and η 5 -C 5 H 5 Ru(CO) 2 Br], the reactions provide efficient syntheses of the corresponding hydrides instead. The anion η 5 -C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 − is not accessible by these techniques; reaction of η 5 -C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 Br yields the iron dimer (via the highly nucleophilic anion) and the dimer is unreactive toward Q + BH 4 − . Reductions of Re 2 (CO) 10 conducted in CH 2 Cl 2 provide Re 2 (CO) 9 Cl − in high yield.
Enzyme studies in muscular dystrophy. II. Muscle dipeptidase activity and vitamin E-deficiency.

SummaryThe effect of vit. E-deficiency on hydrolysis of glycylglycine and glycyl-l-leucine by skeletal muscle extracts and homogenates was investigated. During this deficiency there was a marked increase in dipeptidase activity of both muscle extracts and homogenates. The increase in glycylglycine dipeptidase activity could be demonstrated only after the addition of Co++.
The Middle Soap-Isotropic Transition at High Pressures in OPE10/Water

Abstract The middle soap-isotropic phase transition in p, t-octylphenoxynonaethoxyethanol (OPE10) and water systems is examined at high pressures. It is found that the melting curves in the P-T plane share some characteristics with transitions in thermotropics but are generally much steeper than in other liquid crystalline systems. The strong curvature of the melting line for one concentration allows transitions from isotropic to condensed to isotropic phases when changing pressure at a fixed temperature. The effect of increasing pressure on the peak in transition temperature as a function of concentration is to move it toward higher concentrations.
Effect of fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) strain and diet on oviposition and development of the parasitoid Euplectrus platyhypenae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Abstract Oviposition tendency and subsequent development of the parasitoid wasp Euplectrus platyhypenae Howard was compared using the corn and rice host strains of Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) fed corn ( Zea mays , ‘Truckers Favorite’) or stargrass ( Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst var. nlemfuensis , ‘Florona’). In no-choice and two-choice experiments using newly molted fourth instar hosts, female wasps preferred to oviposit on corn strain larvae fed corn plants. Rice strain larvae were parasitized when fed corn plants, but only after the host had reached an optimal size. This preference might be due to differences in size between host strains at a given stage. No oviposition preference for corn or rice strain larvae fed grass was observed. When female wasps were given a choice between corn and rice strain larvae, they always produced more female offspring on the corn strain than the rice strain larvae, irrespective of the host plant the larvae fed upon. Among rice strain hosts, those fed corn hosted more female offspring than those fed grass. The data also show that host quality had a direct effect on parasitoid size, since larger parasitoid offspring resulted from the largest host fed corn plants, and smaller offspring resulted from the smallest hosts, rice strain larvae fed stargrass. Furthermore, E. platyhypenae larval mortality occurred in hosts of both strains fed stargrass, which may indicate that stargrass allelochemicals are not appropriate for this parasitoid. Implications of these results for biological control methods are discussed.
Testicular mixed germ cell tumors: a morphological and immunohistochemical study using stem cell markers, OCT3/4, SOX2 and GDF3, with emphasis on morphologically difficult-to-classify areas.

Stem cell markers, OCT3/4, and more recently SOX2 and growth differentiation factor 3 (GDF3), have been reported to be expressed variably in germ cell tumors. We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of these markers in different testicular germ cell tumors, and their utility in the differential diagnosis of morphologically difficult-to-classify components of these tumors. A total of 50 mixed testicular germ cell tumors, 43 also containing difficult-to-classify areas, were studied. In these areas, multiple morphological parameters were noted, and high-grade nuclear details similar to typical embryonal carcinoma were considered ‘embryonal carcinoma-like high-grade’. Immunohistochemical staining for OCT3/4, c-kit, CD30, SOX2, and GDF3 was performed and graded in each component as 0, negative; 1+, 1–25%; 2+, 26–50%; and 3+, >50% positive staining cells. The different components identified in these tumors were seminoma (8), embryonal carcinoma (50), yolk sac tumor (40), teratoma (40), choriocarcinoma (3) and intra-tubular germ cell neoplasia, unclassified (35). By immunohistochemistry, the staining patterns were OCT3/4 −3+, all seminomas, embryonal carcinomas and intra-tubular germ cell neoplasia; SOX2 −3+, all embryonal carcinomas and −2 to 3+, 11/14 (79%) primitive neuroectodermal components in immature teratomas; GDF3 −2 to 3+, all yolk sac tumors, seminomas and intra-tubular germ cell neoplasia and 1 to 2+, 40/50 embryonal carcinomas. A total of 34/43 (79%) of difficult-to-classify areas stained 3+ for OCT3/4, CD30, and SOX2, similar to embryonal carcinoma. Among these areas, only ‘embryonal carcinoma-like high-grade’ nuclear details were significantly associated with such an immunophenotype. Thus, SOX2 is expressed in embryonal carcinoma and primitive neuroectoderm of teratoma, and unlike OCT3/4, not in intra-tubular germ cell neoplasia and seminoma. Therefore, it may be useful in the distinction of seminoma from embryonal carcinoma, and potentially in diagnosing early carcinomatous differentiation in seminoma. GDF3 positivity, in the absence of OCT3/4 and CD30, combined with morphological features, is helpful in the diagnosis of yolk sac tumor. ‘Embryonal carcinoma-like high-grade’ nuclear details are the most important morphological criterion for the diagnosis of embryonal carcinoma in difficult-to-classify areas.
Does phasic trauma treatment make patients with dissociative identity disorder treatment more dissociative

Proponents of the iatrogenic model of the etiology of dissociative identity disorder (DID) have expressed concern that treatment focused on direct engagement and interaction with dissociated self-states harms DID patients. However, empirical data have shown that this type of DID treatment is beneficial. Analyzing data from the prospective Treatment of Patients With Dissociative Disorders (TOP DD) Study, we test empirically whether DID treatment is associated with clinically adverse manifestations of dissociated self-states: acting so differently that one feels like different people, hearing voices, and dissociative amnesia. We show that, over the course of the study, there were significant decreases in feeling like different people and hearing voices. These results indicate that this form of DID treatment does not lead to symptomatic worsening in these dimensions, as predicted by the iatrogenic model. Indeed, treatment provided by TOP DD therapists reduced, rather than increased, the extent to which patients experienced manifestations of pathological dissociation. Because severe symptomatology and impairment are associated with DID, iatrogenic harm may come from depriving DID patients of treatment that targets DID symptomatology.
Incorrect voting in the 2012 U.S. presidential election: How partisan and economic cues fail to help low-information voters

Abstract The importance of voting in undisputed, yet scholarly works attempting to understand the causes and consequences of incorrect voting are relatively scarce. Building on the works of Lau and Redlawsk (1997, 2006; Lau et al., 2008), I design and implement a new survey method measuring incorrect voting I call Self-identified Incorrect Voting (SIV). This method allows survey respondents to determine for themselves if they voted incorrectly in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. I conducted the SIV survey of a national sample of voters and use the results to test traditional hypotheses regarding the value of partisanship and the economy as cues to help low-information voters behave in the same manner as high-information voters.
The octave potencies convention: a mathematical model of dilution and succussion.

Several hypothesized explanations for homeopathy posit that remedies contain a concentration of discrete information-carrying units, such as water clusters, nanobubbles, or silicates. For any such explanation to be sustainable, dilution must reduce and succussion must restore the concentration of these units. Succussion can be modeled by a logistic equation, which leads to mathematical relationships involving the maximum concentration, the average growth of information-carrying units rate per succussion stroke, the number of succussion strokes, and the dilution factor (x, c, or LM). When multiple species of information-carrying units are present, the fastestgrowing species will eventually come to dominate, as the potency is increased. An analogy is explored between iterated cycles dilution and succussion, in making homeopathic remedies, and iterated cycles of reseeding and growth, in bacterial cultures. Drawing on this analogy, the active ingredients in low and medium potency remedies may be present at early dilutions but only gradually come to ‘dominate’, while high potencies may develop from the occurrence of low-probability but fastergrowing ‘mutations.’ Conclusions from this model include: ‘x’ and ‘c’ potencies are best compared by the amount of dilution, not the amount of succussion; the minimum number of succussion strokes needed per cycle is proportional to the logarithm of the dilution factor; and a plausible interpretation of why potencies at approximately regular ratios are traditionally used (the octave potencies convention). Homeopathy (2007) 96, 202–208.
Conduction block in hereditary neuropathy with susceptibility to pressure palsies

Slow nerve conduction velocities, temporal dispersion of action potentials and conduction block occur in polyneuropathies with segmental demyelination. Conduction block has been reported in focal compressive neuropathies and in acute and chronic autoimmune polyneuropathy but not in hereditary motor and sensory demyelinating neuropathy. We report conduction block in five nerves of four patients from two families with a hereditary neuropathy with susceptibility to pressure palsies and pathologic changes of segmental demyelination and tomaculous swellings. Conduction block that may be long lasting is a feature of this type of hereditary neuropathy, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of this electrophysiologic finding.
Life-threatening serotonin toxicity due to a citalopram-fluconazole drug interaction: case reports and discussion.

Abstract Objective To discuss two cases of life-threatening serotonin toxicity due to a drug interaction between citalopram and fluconazole and to review the pertinent literature. Methods A Medline search without date limitation was conducted using the terms serotonin syndrome, serotonin toxicity, fluconazole and citalopram. Results and Discussion Fluconazole inhibits CYP2C19. Citalopram is a substrate for 2C19 and inhibition of its metabolism may result in serotonin toxicity. Serotonin toxicity in oncology patients may not present with the classic constellation of signs typically described in the literature. Delirium may be the only presenting feature. Current level of evidence for treatment of serotonin toxicity is level 4 or 5 (case series and expert opinion). Nevertheless, there is a strong theoretical basis for treating serotonin toxicity in medical patients with a 5H 2A blocker such as cyproheptadine. Conclusions Consultation–liaison psychiatrists and oncologists should be aware of this preventable and underrecognized interaction. Citalopram should be stopped or substituted prior to the concurrent administration of fluconazole, and in the event of toxicity, treatment with cyproheptadine has a favorable risk-benefit ratio despite a lack of randomized controlled data to support its use.
A pilot study in the efficacy and safety of gemfibrozil in a pediatric population.

Background Gemfibrozil reduces plasma triglycerides and raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in adults and also reduces the incidence of cardiovascular endpoints in adults. Its efficacy in improving lipid abnormalities has not been evaluated in children. Objective Our purpose was to investigate whether gemfibrozil would lower triglycerides and raise HDL-C with minimal adverse effects in a pediatric population with metabolic syndrome. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 47 pediatric patients with metabolic syndrome who started gemfibrozil treatment, 1200 mg/day because of failure or lack of interest in therapeutic lifestyle changes. Eligibility required patients to be younger than 21 years of age, and have pretreatment and on-treatment fasting lipid profiles. Data recorded included age at start of treatment, blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, percent body fat, total plasma cholesterol, HDL, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. Treatment duration was elapsed time between starting gemfibrozil and the last clinic visit. Results Average age of the study cohort was 14 years and mean duration on medication was 249 days. Those patients who had pretreatment and on-treatment plasma lipid data (33 of 47) were included in an analysis for efficacy. All 47 patients were monitored for safety. Mean triglycerides decreased by 57%: 426 (standard error of mean=33.6) to 184 mg/dL (standard error of mean=19) ( P P Conclusion Gemfibrozil significantly lowers triglycerides and raises HDL with reasonable safety in a pediatric population with metabolic syndrome.
Classroom Strategies for Managing Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Practical help for teachers who may feel overwhelmed and frustrated dealing with challenging behavior
Summary of propagation conditions and digital radio performance across the English Channel

The transmission of digital information in microwave line-of-sight circuits can be easily degraded by multipath effects, particularly in long overwater paths such as the English Channel. The results of a test program designed to investigate the propagation conditions, the multipath parameters, and the performance of a new digital radio over this link are presented. It is shown that the performance of the radio is improved by adaptive equalization techniques used in its design. However, the performance was below expectations at times, and these specific problems are treated. It is concluded that a dynamic aspect, namely, the rate of change of the multipath delay, is one cause for the unexpected degradation. >
Reliability and validity of a performance-based measure of skills for communicating with doctors for older people with serious mental illness.

Background: Older people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) have high rates of medical comorbidity and impaired social skills, including basic communication skills that are imperative for medical encounters.Aim: To examine two role-plays developed to evaluate communication in a health care visit.Method: A total of 152 people over age 50 with SMI were rated on two standardized medical visit role-plays.Results: This assessment had excellent inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability. Performance was not related to gender or age, although participants with a mood disorder had better social skill performance than those with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Performance was strongly related to the Social Skills Performance Assessment (SSPA: Patterson et al., ), designed to assess basic communication skills in older people with SMI. Performance was also correlated with self-care skills, social functioning, number of medical visits within the past six months, and informant rating of the effect...
The cyberself: the self-ing project goes online, symbolic interaction in the digital age

Juxtaposing symbolic interactionist and postmodern interpretations of cyberself-ing, I bring data to bear on the tensions between these two theoretical stances. I argue that postmodernist accounts are no longer tenable; such studies were based on multi-user domains (MUDs), but generalized to cyberspace. I examine the evolving internet population, which has reached a critical mass of the American population, to demonstrate that MUD users no longer constitute the majority of users. After substantiating this shift in the user base, I elucidate evidence that corroborates the countervailing thesis of ‘socialized’ online selves. I argue that using a symbolic interactionist perspective to frame the cyberself-ing project allows us to understand the creation of the cyber ‘I,’‘me,’ and digital ‘generalized other,’ as well as the dynamics of interactional cuing online.
Transcription-Dependent Increase in Multiple Classes of Base Substitution Mutations in Escherichia coli

We showed previously that transcription in Escherichia coli promotes C G-to-T A transitions due to increased deamination of cytosines to uracils in the nontranscribed but not the transcribed strand (A. Beletskii and A. S. Bhagwat, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:13919–13924, 1996). To study mutations other than that of C to T, we developed a new genetic assay that selects only base substitution mutations and additionally excludes C Gt o T A transitions. This novel genetic reversion system is based on mutations in a termination codon and involves positive selection for resistance to bleomycin or kanamycin. Using this genetic system, we show here that transcription from a strong promoter increases the level of non-C-to-T as well as C-to-T mutations. We find that high-level transcription increases the level of non-C-to-T mutations in DNA repair-proficient cells in three different sequence contexts in two genes and that the rate of mutation is higher by a factor of 2 to 4 under these conditions. These increases are not caused by a growth advantage for the revertants and are restricted to genes that are induced for transcription. In particular, high levels of transcription do not create a general mutator phenotype in E. coli. Sequence analysis of the revertants revealed that the frequency of several different base substitutions increased upon transcription of the bleomycin resistance gene and that G C-to-T A transversions dominated the spectrum in cells transcribing the gene. These results suggest that high levels of transcription promote many different spontaneous base substitutions in E. coli.
Synthesis of optimal controllers for a class of maximization problems

This paper discusses a class of final value problems where the criterion function and the set of admissible control variables are given by equation (1.1) of this paper. One feature which makes the maximization of the criterion function less straightforward is the presence of a time varying upper limit on the input to the linear plant, where the input to the plant is related to the control variable linearly. (In the paper they are related via an integrator.) Because the control variable enters linearly into the criterion function of equation (1.1), the criterion function can be transformed into such a form that an optimal control variable can be recognized as simply depending on signs of some auxiliary function as in equation (2.7) of the paper. Investigations of optimal policies would be simpler if the auxiliary function is independent of the control variable. Because of the special feature of the time-varying upper limit, the auxiliary function depends on the adopted control policy; hence there results the added complication in searching for an optimal policy. In the paper the assumption that h(T-t) is of the same sign is used in an essential way to obtain explicitly an optimal control policy. Some discussions on the uniqueness of such optimal control variables are also given in the paper. The approach in this paper is applicable in principle to optimization problems where the criterion function is factorable, J(z) = @?^1"0 h[z(t)]k(t)dtwhere h(z) is linear in z, and/or in its derivatives. One of the most significant pieces of information in optimal problems is the structural information of the control policy space, since such structural information can be used in answering questions on optimal and suboptimal policies on a wider basis, e.g., questions reflecting economic and engineering factors not originally included in the mathematical model. Some initial attempts in this direction have been made in this paper. As a final comment, in general optimization problems, judicious uses of some auxiliary functions in the investigation of optimal policies may be quite effective.
A pattern tracking algorithm for lossless data compression

Where digital data is costly or subject to federal law (space, seismic or medical imaging), importance of the data may lead to exclusive use of lossless encoding. We present a pattern-tracking algorithm for lossless encoding, complete with a file header. This algorithm is based upon the expectation that data contain patterns that re-occur with varying amplitudes. This algorithm is compared to standard lossless coding algorithms using 24 data sets from four signal applications. Compression ratios were 1.6 to 2.7. The pattern-tracking algorithm performed best on certain data sets, while competing algorithms performed best on other data sets.
Recent Improvements of the Algorithm of Mode Isolation

The Algorithm of Mode Isolation (AMI) identifies the natural frequencies, modal damping ratios, and mode vectors of a system by processing complex frequency response data. It uses an iterative procedure based on the fact that a general frequency response function is a superposition of modal contributions. The iterations focus successively on a single mode. The mode that is in focus is isolated by subtracting the other modal contributions using prior estimates of their modal properties. This process leads to a self-contained identification of the number of modes that participate in any frequency band, whereas other techniques require a priori guesses. This paper describes modifications intended to improve AMI’s accuracy and reduce its computational effort. These involve the use of a new linear least squares method for identifying the natural frequency and damping ratio of a single mode, and a linear least squares global fit of the data in order to identify mode vectors. Results are presented for a model of a cantilever beam with suspended spring-mass-dashpot systems. This system was used by Drexel, Ginsberg, and Zaki [Journal of Vibration and Acoustics, 2003 (forthcoming)] to assess the prior version’s ability to identify weakly excited modes and modes having close natural frequencies in the presence of high noise levels. Application of the modified version of AMI to the same system is shown to lead to significantly more accurate damping ratios and mode vectors, with equally good natural frequencies.
Comparison of the satiating properties of egg- versus cereal grain-based breakfasts for appetite and energy intake control in children.

Abstract Background Few studies exist that have systematically examined the role of protein, and egg protein in particular, in appetite and energy intake regulation in children. Objective The aim of this study was to compare the effects of three different types of breakfast on appetite and energy intake at subsequent meals in children. Design Forty children, ages 8–10, were served a compulsory breakfast (egg, cereal, or oatmeal) and lunch, consumed ad libitum, once a week for three weeks. Children's appetite ratings were assessed repeatedly throughout the morning. On each test day, caregivers completed food records, which captured children's intake for the remainder of the day. Results There was a significant main effect of breakfast condition on energy intake at lunch ( P = 0.02) indicating that children consumed ~ 70 fewer calories at lunch following the egg breakfast (696 ± 53 kcal) compared to the cereal (767 ± 53 kcal) and oatmeal (765 ± 53 kcal) breakfasts. Calories consumed for the remainder of the day and daily energy intake did not differ across conditions ( P > 0.30). There also were no significant differences in children's appetite ratings between conditions ( P > 0.43). Conclusions Consuming an egg-based breakfast significantly reduced short-term, but not longer-term, energy intake in children in the absence of differences in appetite ratings.
Multispectral Iris Fusion and Cross-Spectrum Matching

Traditionally, only a narrow band of the Near-Infrared (NIR) spectrum (700–900 nm) is utilized for iris recognition since this alleviates any physical discomfort from illumination, reduces specular reflections and increases the amount of texture captured for some iris colors. However, previous research has shown that matching performance is not invariant to iris color and can be improved by imaging outside of the NIR spectrum. Building on this research, we demonstrate that iris texture increases with the frequency of the illumination for lighter colored sections of the iris and decreases for darker sections. Using registered visible light and NIR iris images captured using a single-lens multispectral camera, we illustrate how physiological properties of the iris (e.g., the amount and distribution of melanin) impact the transmission, absorbance, and reflectance of different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum and consequently affect the quality of the imaged iris texture. We introduce a novel iris code, Multispectral Enhanced irisCode (MEC), which uses pixel-level fusion algorithms to exploit texture variations elicited by illuminating the iris at different frequencies to improve iris matcher performance and reduce Failure-To-Enroll (FTE) rates. Finally, we present a model for approximating an NIR iris image using features derived from the color and structure of a visible light iris image. The simulated NIR images generated by this model are designed to improve the interoperability between legacy NIR iris images and those acquired under visible light by enabling cross wavelength matching of NIR and visible light iris images.
Current Understanding of Metformin Effect on the Control of Hyperglycemia in Diabetes

Metformin is a first-line oral anti-diabetic agent that has been used clinically to treat patients with type 2 diabetes for over 60 years. Due to its efficacy in therapy and affordable price, metformin is taken by more than 150 million people each year. Metformin improves hyperglycemia mainly through the suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis along with the improvement of insulin signaling. However, its mechanism of action remains partially understood and controversial, especially in regard to the role of AMPK in metformin's action and the mechanism of AMPK activation. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of metformin's suppression of hepatic glucose production and the mechanism related to the improvement of insulin signaling.
I See a Black Roof and I Want to Paint it White: A Tax Plan for Energy Savings

One of Secretary of Energy Steven Chu’s ideas that quickly caught the media’s attention was having people change the color of roofs from predominantly black to completely white. This Article examines this idea from science to implementation.Part I of the Article discusses the scientific basis for this idea. White roofs make a house - or any building - cooler; thus, the costs of cooling the house will be reduced and there will be reduced electricity usage as a result. Part II examines two ways that the federal government can encourage individual behavior - through government spending programs and through the federal tax code. Part III then describes, in depth, what a government program would look like, first as a spending program then as a tax expenditure. Part IV then further describes what I believe would be the government’s best method for implementing a program to encourage citizens to change the color of their roofs.
Pharmacologic Characterization of AMG 334, a Potent and Selective Human Monoclonal Antibody against the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Receptor

Therapeutic agents that block the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) signaling pathway are a highly anticipated and promising new drug class for migraine therapy, especially after reports that small-molecule CGRP-receptor antagonists are efficacious for both acute migraine treatment and migraine prevention. Using XenoMouse technology, we successfully generated AMG 334, a fully human monoclonal antibody against the CGRP receptor. Here we show that AMG 334 competes with [(125)I]-CGRP binding to the human CGRP receptor, with a Ki of 0.02 nM. AMG 334 fully inhibited CGRP-stimulated cAMP production with an IC50 of 2.3 nM in cell-based functional assays (human CGRP receptor) and was 5000-fold more selective for the CGRP receptor than other human calcitonin family receptors, including adrenomedullin, calcitonin, and amylin receptors. The potency of AMG 334 at the cynomolgus monkey (cyno) CGRP receptor was similar to that at the human receptor, with an IC50 of 5.7 nM, but its potency at dog, rabbit, and rat receptors was significantly reduced (>5000-fold). Therefore, in vivo target coverage of AMG 334 was assessed in cynos using the capsaicin-induced increase in dermal blood flow model. AMG 334 dose-dependently prevented capsaicin-induced increases in dermal blood flow on days 2 and 4 postdosing. These results indicate AMG 334 is a potent, selective, full antagonist of the CGRP receptor and show in vivo dose-dependent target coverage in cynos. AMG 334 is currently in clinical development for the prevention of migraine.
Information technology planning in manufacturing industry: an empirical study

As information technology (IT) evolves from a limited perspective to the backbone of all computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) activities, it is becoming more strategic to the long term success of manufacturing organisations. This evolution makes the planning for the effective and efficient acquisition, assimilation, and utilisation of information technology especially important for manufacturing organisations. Despite the perceived importance and need for IT planning, the state of knowledge of current IT planning practices in manufacturing organisations is relatively minimal. This paper reports on a survey of IT planning practices in seventy–six manufacturing organisations. The results of the study show actual planning practices focus on short–term financial/budget and hardware acquisition planning, while the perceived need is more toward identifying the organisation's overall needs and linking the IT plan to the organisation's strategic plan. The paper also explores some of the benefits and inhibitors of IT planning within the manufacturing environment.
Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 downregulates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma to promote hypoxia-induced pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation.

Hypoxia stimulates pulmonary hypertension (PH), in part by increasing the proliferation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) via sustained activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK 1/2), and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB); elevated expression of NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4); and downregulation of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) levels. However, the upstream mediators that control these responses remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) plays a critical role in the mechanism of hypoxia-induced HPASMC proliferation. To test this hypothesis, HPASMCs were exposed to normoxia or hypoxia (1% O2) for 72 hours. Hypoxia activated Pyk2 (detected as Tyr402 phosphorylation), and inhibition of Pyk2 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) or tyrphostin A9 attenuated hypoxia-induced HPASMC proliferation. Pyk2 inhibition attenuated ERK 1/2 activation as early as 24 hours after the onset of hypoxia, suggesting a proximal role for Pyk2 in this response. Pyk2 inhibition also attenuated hypoxia-induced NF-κB activation, reduced HPASMC PPARγ messenger RNA levels and activity, and increased NF-κB-mediated Nox4 levels. The siRNA-mediated PPARγ knockdown enhanced Pyk2 activation, whereas PPARγ overexpression reduced Pyk2 activation in HPASMCs, confirming a reciprocal relationship between Pyk2 and PPARγ. Pyk2 depletion also attenuated hypoxia-induced NF-κB p65 activation and reduced PPARγ protein levels in human pulmonary artery endothelial cells. These in vitro findings suggest that Pyk2 plays a central role in the proliferative phenotype of pulmonary vascular wall cells under hypoxic conditions. Coupled with recent reports that hypoxia-induced PH is attenuated in Pyk2 knockout mice, these findings suggest that Pyk2 may represent a novel therapeutic target in PH.
Damage and strain identification in multifunctional materials via electrical impedance tomography with constrained sine wave solutions

Tomographic methods such as electrical impedance tomography have tremendous potential for electrical conductivity-based structural health monitoring, damage identification, strain sensing, and envi...
Can online student performance be forecasted by learning analytics

The paper focuses on utilising learning analytics to assess student performance in an online business. The value of this paper is in the literature review and the process used for analysis since it provides a way of how research in Moodle learning analytics or other similar systems could be leveraged to track student progress and for retention. The engagement analytics module is a relatively new component of Moodle but it has not yet been investigated with respect to student performance or in online business courses. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationships between student academic performance and Moodle engagement analytics indicators along with student online activity data from the system logs. Unfortunately none of the hypothesised learning analytics factors were positively related to, nor could they predict, student academic performance. However, several interesting deductions from the learning analytics data gave rise to ideas for further research. Sense making of puzzling statistics suggested a mediating pattern of students' poor self-regulation skills because more focus was put on the assignment requirements but less on interacting with the lesson materials needed to complete the assignment and thereby resulting in lower grades.
Critical incident stress management and the assaulted staff action program.

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM; Everly & Mitchell, 1999) is a clinical and administrative approach to address the psychological sequelae in the aftermath of critical incidents. CISM is a comprehensive, multicomponent crisis intervention procedure that spans pre-incident preparedness to acute crisis to post-crisis follow up. The Assaulted Staff Action Program (Flannery, 1998) is a voluntary, system-wide, peer-help, CISM crisis intervention program for employee victims of patient assault. ASAP's crisis intervention procedures and empirical results are used to illustrate the potential power and effectiveness of CISM approaches. The implications are discussed. Language: en
Intervention for an Adolescent With Cerebral Palsy During Period of Accelerated Growth.

Purpose The purpose of this case report was to describe changes in body functions and structures, activities, and participation after a biweekly 10-week program of home physical therapy and hippotherapy using a weighted compressor belt. Participant A 13-year-old boy with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, Gross Motor Function Classification System level II, was referred because of accelerated growth and functional impairments that limited daily activities. Outcome measures The Modified Ashworth Scale, passive range of motion, 1-Minute Walk Test, Timed Up and Down Stairs, Pediatric Balance Scale, Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Computer Adaptive Test, and Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire 17 were examined at baseline, 5, and 10 weeks. Outcomes Data at 5 and 10 weeks demonstrated positive changes in passive range of motion, balance, strength, functional activities, and motivation, with additional improvements in endurance and speed after 10 weeks. Clinical implications This report reveals enhanced body functions and structures and activities and improved participation and motivation.