cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Out-of-sequence signal 3 as a mechanism for virus-induced immune suppression of CD8 T cell responses

Virus infections are known to induce a transient state of immune suppression often associated with an inhibition of T cell proliferation in response to mitogen or cognate-antigen stimulation. Recently, virus-induced immune suppression has been linked to responses to type 1 interferon (IFN), a signal 3 cytokine that normally can augment the proliferation and differentiation of T cells exposed to antigen (signal 1) and co-stimulation (signal 2). However, pre-exposure of CD8 T cells to IFN-inducers such as viruses or poly(I∶C) prior to antigen signaling is inhibitory, indicating that the timing of IFN exposure is of essence. We show here that CD8 T cells pretreated with poly(I∶C) down-regulated the IFN receptor, up-regulated suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), and were refractory to IFNβ-induced signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) phosphorylation. When exposed to a viral infection, these CD8 T cells behaved more like 2-signal than 3-signal T cells, showing defects in short lived effector cell differentiation, reduced effector function, delayed cell division, and reduced levels of survival proteins. This suggests that IFN-pretreated CD8 T cells are unable to receive the positive effects that type 1 IFN provides as a signal 3 cytokine when delivered later in the signaling process. This desensitization mechanism may partially explain why vaccines function poorly in virus-infected individuals.
Stereospecific degradation of the phenoxypropionate herbicide dichlorprop

Abstract 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)/α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) dioxygenase, TfdA, from Ralstonia eutropha JMP134, was purified from recombinant cells and shown by gas chromatographic and colorimetric methods to degrade only the S enantiomer of dichlorprop, a phenoxypropionate herbicide. Similarly, cell extracts of Burkholderia cepacia RASC, containing a biochemically and genetically related α-KG-dependent dioxygenase, also were shown to oxidize (S)-dichlorprop using chiral HPLC and colorimetric methods. In contrast, cell extracts of a mecoprop-degrading strain of Alcaligenes denitrificans were shown to catabolize (R)-dichlorprop. Although the A. denitrificans activity exhibited stereospecificity opposite to that of the JMP134 and RASC strains, its cofactor requirements were found to be characteristic of an α-KG-dependent dioxygenase. A PCR amplification product from the DNA of this strain was shown to encode an amino acid sequence that was 95% and 86% identical to the corresponding region of TfdA in RASC and JMP134, respectively. Thus, closely related herbicide-degrading gene products appear to be capable of exhibiting opposite stereochemical degradative capabilities.
Operative mortality after hepatic resection: are literature-based rates broadly applicable?

Introduction Literature-based data on mortality after hepatectomy may be misleading, as poor outcomes are less likely to be published. The objective of the current study was to compare published vs public, nationally available mortality rates after hepatic resection.
Long-term modeling of the thermal–hydraulic–mechanical response of a generic salt repository for heat-generating nuclear waste

Abstract A modeling effort has been undertaken to investigate the long-term response of a generic salt repository for heat-generating nuclear waste, including processes that could affect the geological (natural salt host rock) and geotechnical (backfill) barriers. For this purpose, the TOUGH-FLAC sequential simulator for coupled thermal–hydraulic–mechanical processes modeling has recently been provided with a capability for large strains and creep. The responses of the saliferous host rock and the crushed salt backfill are modeled using dedicated constitutive relationships. Similarly, the coupling between the geomechanics and the flow sub-problems is performed on the basis of theoretical and experimental studies. The repository investigated in this work considers in-drift emplacement of the waste packages and subsequent backfill of the drifts with run-of-mine salt. Using the updated TOUGH-FLAC, the compaction of the backfill and the evolution of its properties as porosity decreases can be modeled. Additionally, different processes that may influence the initial tightness of the host rock can be investigated. On the basis of state-of-the-art phenomenological models, our simulation results show that, in order to evaluate the barriers integrity, it is necessary to consider full coupling between thermal, hydraulic and mechanical processes. A base case scenario that accounts for these coupled processes is presented and compared to a case in which the mechanical processes are disregarded. Also, we investigate the sensitivity of the coupled numerical predictions to two factors: the initial saturation within the host rock and the capillary forces. Although the outcome of these simulations is preliminary and will be improved as the understanding of relevant processes moves forward, the numerical tools required to perform the target predictions have been significantly improved.
In the Beginning: Reflections on the Genesis of Molecular Therapy.

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the inaugural issue of Molecular Therapy, I would like to share my recollections of the events that led to the creation of the Journal, which occurred under my watch as the second President of the American Society of Gene Therapy.
Illumination robust interest point detection

Most interest point detection algorithms are highly sensitive to illumination variations. This paper presents a method to find interest points robustly even under large non-uniform photometric changes. The method, which we call illumination robust feature extraction transform (IRFET), determines salient interest points in an image by calculating and analyzing contrast signatures. A contrast signature shows the response of an interest point detector with respect to a set of contrast stretching functions. The IRFET is generic and can be used with most interest point detectors. In this paper, we demonstrate that the IRFET improves the repeatability rate of the Harris corner detector significantly (by around 25% on average in the experiments).
Urban-rural migration: uncertainty and the effect of a change in the minimum wage.

This paper extends the neoclassical, Harris-Todaro model of urban-rural migration to the case of production uncertainty in the agricultural sector. A unique feature of the Harris-Todaro model is an exogenously determined minimum wage in the urban sector that exceeds the rural wage. Migration occurs until the rural wage equals the expected urban wage („expected” due to employment uncertainty). The effects of a change in the minimum wage upon regional outputs, resource allocation, factor rewards, expected profits, and expected national income are explored, and the influence of production uncertainty upon the obtained results are delineated.
The Chi-Square Test: Often Used and More Often Misinterpreted.

The examination of cross-classified category data is common in evaluation and research, with Karl Pearson's family of chi-square tests representing one of the most utilized statistical analyses for answering questions about the association or difference between categorical variables. Unfortunately, these tests are also among the more commonly misinterpreted statistical tests in the field. The problem is not that researchers and evaluators misapply the results of chi-square tests, but rather they tend to over interpret or incorrectly interpret the results, leading to statements that may have limited or no statistical support based on the analyses preformed.This paper attempts to clarify any confusion about the uses and interpretations of the family of chi-square tests developed by Pearson, focusing primarily on the chi-square tests of independence and homogeneity of variance (identity of distributions). A brief survey of the recent evaluation literature is presented to illustrate the prevalence of the chi-...
Differential gene expression in uterine leiomyoma

Abstract Uterine leiomyomas are the most common tumor of the genitourinary system in women and are a major cause of morbidity. The molecular causes of the disease remain unclear. In this study, we examined gene expression in leiomyomas and normal myometrium. RNA was prepared and gene expression determined with the use of Affymetrix GeneChip U_95 arrays containing approximately 12,000 known genes and 48,000 expression sequence tags. Several genes were found to be differentially expressed in these two sample sets, and these genes were analyzed for their expression in a variety of other normal and diseased tissues. Four genesamdash;doublecortin, calpain 6, interleukin-17B, and proteolipid protein 1amdash;were found to be overexpressed in leiomyomas compared with normal myometrium and eighteen other tissues. Sets of genes were identified whose expression could be used to cluster samples with leiomyomas or normal myometrium with the use of Eisen Cluster software. We conclude that differences in gene expression can be detected between leiomyomas and normal myometrium and that these changes in gene expression may yield clues to the pathophysiology of this common tumor.
X-ray investigation of the lattice transformation in single crystal Nb3Sn

Abstract Evidence is presented which supports theoretical predictions of a volumeless, first order, lattice transformation in Nb3Sn, with a spontaneous tetragonal strain at TM in agreement with theory. Below TM the crystal gradually converts to a tetragonal domain structure. The orientation of the domains is largely explicable in terms of the general theory of martensitic transformations.
A LEED and AES study of the structure, debye temperature, and oxidation of the (111) crystal face of thorium

Abstract The structure, and reactivity towards O 2 and CO, of the (111) crystal face of a single crystal of high purity thorium metal was studied using low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). After the sample was cleaned in vacuum by a combination of ion bombardment and annealing, a (1 × 1) LEED pattern characteristic of a (111) surface was obtained. Extended annealing of the cleaned sample at 1000 K produced a new LEED pattern characteristic of a (9 × 9) surface structure. A model of a reconstructed thorium surface is presented that generates the observed LEED pattern. When monolayer amounts of either O 2 or CO were adsorbed onto the crystal surface at 300 K, no ordered surface structures formed. Upon heating the sample following these exposures the (111) surface structure was restored accompanied by a reduction in the amount of surface carbon and oxygen. With continued exposure to either O 2 or CO and annealing, a new LEED pattern developed which was interpreted as resulting from the formation of thorium dioxide. Debye-Walter factor measurements were made by monitoring the intensity of a specularly reflected electron beam and indicated that the Debye temperature of the surface region is less than it is in bulk thorium. Consequently, the mean displacement of thorium atoms from their equilibrium positions was found to increase at the surface of the crystal. The presence of chemisorbed oxygen on the crystal surface affected the Debye temperature, raising it significantly.
Infant temperament ratings: A function of infants, of mothers, or both?

Correlates of mother-rated infant temperament (IBQ) at three months were investigated with a sample of 56 mothers and infants using parity, sex, feeding style, NBAS scores, and one-and-three-month observed infant and mother behaviors as predictors. It was found that some aspects of rated infant temperament are associated with antecedent and concurrent mother behavior even when the effects of newborn characteristics are statistically controlled. Results are discussed in terms of the processes by which mother behavior might affect infant temperament, the possible contribution of infant constitutional and maturational characteristics, and the likely transactional nature of infant and mother effects.
Highlights of the annual meeting of the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology.

The 47th annual meeting of the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology was held on 22–25th May 2013 in London, UK. This is one of the largest scientific meetings in Europe within the field of congenital cardiac disease and was held in association with the Japanese Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, and Asia Pacific Pediatric Cardiology Society. There were 900 submitted abstracts and over 1000 delegates from 57 countries attended. We have summarized some of the highlights of the meeting below.
Antiviral therapy for cytomegalovirus infections in pediatric patients

Appreciation of the spectrum of illness caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections has increased markedly during the past 2 decades. The number of immunosuppressed patients also has increased during the same time period, reflecting the central tenet that CMV disease is most severe in this patient population. Fortunately, antiviral therapies with activity against CMV also have been identified during this same time course, and they include ganciclovir, foscamet, and cidofovir. Although all 3 of these therapies can have significant toxicities associated with them, nonetheless they are employed with relative frequency to treat potentially life-threatening CMV disease. Ganciclovir is the first-line compound used, followed by foscarnet and cidofovir. This article summarizes those CMV infections that require antiviral therapy and outlines therapeutic options for each.
Azelaic acid esters do not depigment pigmented guinea pig skin.

To the Editor.— Azelaic acid (1,7-heptanedicarboxylic acid) is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid produced byMalassezia furfur, which has been postulated to cause the hypopigmentation seen in tinea versicolor.1Some authors maintain that azelaic acid has selective inhibition of only hyperproliferative melanocytes.2-3Other authors maintain that it does not cause significant depigmentation or inhibition of growth of melanocytes at physiologic levels.4Azelaic acid was recently compared with several other known depigmenting agents, and was found to produce weak depigmentation compared with the other compounds studied.4 Since the intensity of the depigmenting effect of azelaic acid varies from laboratory to laboratory, we thought that drug delivery could be important. We postulated that if azelaic acid is indeed able to depigment by inhibition of melanogenesis via inhibition of tyrosinase,1then its depigmenting activity could be increased by modification of the rather hydrophilic molecule to a more lipophilic
The global consequences of increasing tropospheric ozone concentrations

Recent analyses of long-term records of tropospheric ozone measurements in the Northern Hemisphere suggest that it is increasing at a rate of 1 to 2 percent per year. Because of this, it is argued that the amount of atmospheric warming due to increasing tropospheric ozone is comparable to, or possibly even greater than, the amount of warming due to the increase of carbon dioxide. Unlike all other climatically important trace gases, ozone is toxic, and increases in its concentration will result in serious environmental damage, as well as impairment of human health.
The interaction of Np(V)O2+ with common mineral surfaces in dilute aqueous solutions and seawater

The extent and kinetics of Np(V)O2+ adsorption from dilute aqueous solutions and seawater onto a variety of synthetic and natural solids were determined at 25°C and 1 atm total pressure. Extensive and complex adsorption reactions were found, contrary to speculations in the literature that NpO2+ should behave as a simple monovalent ion with a low affinity for surfaces. When normalized to adsorption per unit solid surface area, the ranking for the synthetic solids was aragonite ⩾ calcite > goethite ⪢ MnO2 ≈ clays. Natural materials generally followed the same behavior patterns as their synthetic counterparts. The dissolved/adsorbed ratio was found to be constant over a wide range (10−13–10−7M) of NpO2+ concentrations. At higher concentrations the extent of adsorption decreased until a solubility limit was reached at approximately 10−5 M. Solution composition had the most significant influence for NpO2+ adsorption on goethite, where much more extensive adsorption occurs in dilute solutions than in seawater. When seawater is added to a dilute solution, extensive desorption of NpO2+ from goethite occurs. Tests conducted on NpO2+ adsorbed on carbonates indicated that it remained in the V oxidation state. There is a growing consensus that Pu dissolved in natural waters also occurs dominantly in the V oxidation state as PuO2+ ion. Consequently, these results for NpO2+ may serve as a guide for Pu behavior when also in the V oxidation state. The fact that most adsorbed Pu is found in the III or IV oxidation states indicates that reduction of Pu may occur subsequent to adsorption in the V oxidation state.
Localized perineal cutaneous nodules: a case of recurrent systemic anaplastic large‐cell lymphoma

Summary We report an unusual case of localized cutaneous nodules heralding the recurrence of systemic CD30+ anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). A 47-year-old woman developed numerous violaceous nodules in the perineal and upper thigh area 3 years after multimodal treatment and complete remission of primary anaplastic large-cell CD30+ lymphoma. Using immunohistochemical and T-cell gene rearrangement analysis, a recurrence of her anaplastic large-cell lymphoma was diagnosed.
Nucleation of bubbles in superheated aqueous solutions by fast particles

Abstract Energy loss along the track of a fission recoil or α-particle in superheated uranyl sulphate solution or the recoil from a fast-neutron collision in superheated ether can account for evaporation of sufficient liquid to form bubble nuclei under conditions where nucleation is observed. The contribution of charge repulsion cannot be determined from experimental results.
Interferometric Determination Of Anchoring Energy In Nematic Cells

A simple interferometric technique is developed to study the weakly anchored nematic liquid crystal behaviour. The Freedericksz transition threshold and the thickness of the wedged nematic sample are measured by recording its birefringence fringe pattern as a function of angles of incidence of the input beam and its optic axis. These values have been used to determine the anchoring energy coefficients.
Determination of vehicle speed in traffic video

In this paper, we present a semi real-time vehicle tracking algorithm to determine the speed of the vehicles in traffic from traffic cam video. The results of this work can be used for traffic control, security and safety both by government agencies and commercial organizations. The method described in this paper involves object feature identification, detection, and tracking in multiple video frames. The distance between vertical broken lane markers has been used to estimate absolute distances within each frame and convert pixel location coordinates to world coordinates. Speed calculations are made based on the calibrated pixel distances. Optical flow images have been computed and used for blob analysis to extract features representing moving objects. Some challenges exist in distinguishing among vehicles in uniform flow of traffic when the object are too close, are in low contrast with one another, and travel with the same or close to the same speed. In the absence of a ground truth for the actual speed of the tracked vehicles accuracy cannot be determined. However, the vehicle speeds in steady flow of traffic have been computed to within 5% of the speed limit on the analyzed highways in the video clips.
Cooling of photoexcited carriers in graphene by internal and substrate phonons

We investigate the energy relaxation of hot carriers produced by photoexcitation of graphene through coupling to both intrinsic and remote (substrate) surface polar phonons using the Boltzmann equation approach. We find that the energy relaxation of hot photocarriers in graphene on commonly used polar substrates, under most conditions, is dominated by remote surface polar phonons. We also calculate key characteristics of the energy relaxation process, such as the transient cooling time and steady-state carrier temperatures and photocarrier densities, which determine the thermoelectric and photovoltaic photoresponse, respectively. Substrate engineering can be a promising route to efficient optoelectronic devices driven by hot carrier dynamics.
The Use of Cross-National Comparisons for Local Education Policy

Cross-national education survey research was firstjust an experiment, born out of a chance visit of Torsten Husen from the University of Stockholm to the Comparative Education Center at the University of Chicago in the mid 1950s. There Husen met C. Arnold Anderson, Mary Jean Bowman, and Ben Bloom, whose view was that the whole world should be seen as a single educational "laboratory." From this meeting emerged the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), which, for diplomatic purposes, was managed from Sweden. First results appeared in 1964. Since then there have been 33 cross-national studies, 29 of which have been associated with IEA (Table 1). From the beginning, a myriad of problems emerged-the logistics of managing such a massive enterprise, the complexities of agreeing on common definitions, methodologies, sampling, and data management. These problems have been the focus of a great deal of official and unofficial assessments of the state of the art (Olkin & Searls, 1985; Horvitz, 1992; Medrich & Griffith, 1992; Goldstein, 1995; Postlethwaite, 1999; Linn, 2002; Chromy, 2002; Buchmann, 2002; Floden, 2002; Smith, 2002; Rowen, 2002), and these assessments have helped generate a number of significant improvements in the standards expected for cross-national surveys (National Research Council, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1999; Martin, Rust, & Adams, 1999). In spite of this progress, doubts and skepticism remain (Rotberg, 1990) and these have generated carefully constructed replies (Bradburn et al., 1991). Reviews of cross-national policy implications have focused attention on better understanding of the generalizations associated with the influences on academic achievement. One of the most persistent generalizations has been that the influence of the home has been greater than the influence of the school itself (Coleman et al., 1966). Heyneman and Loxley, however, found that the degree of this influence varied across nations, and that the lower a nation's gross domestic product (GDP), the more influence the school seemed to have (Heyneman & Loxley, 1983). This finding has been
Circulating concentrations of 17-estradiol influence pattern of LH in circulation of cows.

Abstract The objective of the research was to determine the relationship between circulating 17β-estradiol (E2) and secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) in cows. A second objective was to determine if response to E2 was influenced by interval between ovariectomy and the start of E2 treatment. Thirty-one nulliparous cows 3 yr of age were randomly assigned to a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement of treatments. Sixteen cows were ovariectomized at 18 mo of age (long term), and the other 15 cows were ovariectomized at 36 mo of age (short term). At the time of ovariectomy of cows in the short term group, 11 cows in the short term group and 12 cows in the long term group were implanted subcutaneously with 1, 2 or 4 polydimethylsiloxane capsules containing E2. The other eight cows served as non-implanted controls (n=4-short term, n=4-long term). All cows were fitted with jugular vein catheters on day 29 of treatment, and on day 30 blood samples were collected at 12-min intervals for 6 hr. At the end of 6 hr, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) was administered and blood sampling continued at 12-min intervals for an additional hour. Serum was analyzed for LH and E2. Variables of LH secretion analyzed were mean concentration, frequency of pulses, amplitude of pulses and maximum concentration after LHRH. There were no significant interactions for any of the variables of LH among cows ovariectomized for the long and short term. There was a significant linear increase in mean concentration of LH with increased circulating concentration of E2. Frequency of LH pulses was not affected by circulating concentration of E2. As circulating concentration of E2 increased, amplitude of LH pulses increased and response to LHRH increased - resulting in an increase in mean LH. Interval from time of ovariectomy to the start of E2 treatment only had a minor influence on mean concentration of LH and profile of LH concentrations in circulation.
A Logic of Traffic Light Controller Modelled and Analyzed by Statecharts

Statechart has been utilized as a visual formalism for the modeling of complex systems. It illuminates the features on describing properties of causality, concurrency and synchronization. In this paper, we try to describe the behavioral of the traffic lights by using Statecharts. We use Boolean function to make the traffic light controller behavior in a certain way. This paper used Boolean function to analyze the models which are modeled by using Statecharts. Their formalism provides a clear means for presenting control logic. Finally, an example of traffic light controller system is examined successfully.
Probability of strictly positive secrecy capacity of the Weibull fading channel

In this paper, the information-theoretic secrecy of Weibull fading channels is investigated. The present work generalizes the analysis on Rayleigh fading. Several formulas of the probability of strictly positive secrecy capacity are derived. It is shown that in some cases the results can be expressed in terms of a general function, the Meijer G-function. Profile examples are illustrated and discussed.
A Variation on the Coupon Collecting Problem

The classical coupon collector's problem is considered, where each new coupon collected is type i with probability pi , ∑ n i = 1 pi = 1. Suppose coupons are collected in a sequence of independent trials. An expression is developed for the probability that all coupon types i, i ≠ j, have been collected prior to collecting r ⩾ 1 coupons of type j in the sequence of trials. Given two different coupon subsets A, B of {1, 2, …, n}, the foregoing is then generalized to an expression for the probability that s ⩾ 1 copies of A appear in the sequence of trials before r ⩾ 1 copies of B. Some computational considerations are discussed.
TH-C-332-08: Calibration of the Geometry in a Stationary Digital Breast Tomosynthesis System

Purpose: To accurately estimate the parameters those describe the geometry of a stationary digital breast tomosynthesis system, namely, the source‐detector distance and the location of the focal spots. Method and Materials: Our novel stationary tomosynthesis system consists of 25 x‐ray sources linearly arranged to cover an angle of 48°. With a limited number of images, the tomosynthesisreconstruction becomes very sensitive to geometric alignment. It is vital that we accurately calibrate the geometry of the system with a suitable phantom. We have designed and built such a phantom that consists of two 6 mm stainless steel balls mounted on a low‐density plastic base. We obtained twelve evenly spaced projection images of the phantom over 360° for each x‐ray source. The motion of the two objects in a circle during data acquisition will cause their projections to trace ellipses on the detector. We calculated the centroids of the two objects in the detector plane and used these to derive the ellipse parameters. Together with the known distance between the two objects, this enabled us to analytically solve for the geometry parameters. Results: The source‐detector distance was calculated to be 69.4 ± 2 mm. The calculated distances between the sources were also in good agreement with the designed values. The parameters were used for the tomosynthesisreconstruction of a sponge phantom and the results showed improved image quality and geometric accuracy. Conclusion: We have designed and tested a calibration phantom that can accurately estimate the geometry of a stationary tomosynthesis system. We are continuing to assess the accuracy of our method to optimize our results. Further, we are looking at ways in which to make the process more efficient by calibrating for only the central source using this phantom and estimating the locations of the other sources using a simpler secondary phantom.
Sonographers and Occupational Overuse Syndrome: Cause, Effect, and Solutions

Due to remarkable advances in technology, sonographers today are working more efficiently, serving considerably more patients per day. One would assume this to be a benefit, when in fact a new prob...
“Pull Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps”: A Response to Depression in Older Adults

Although depression is one of the most common problems among adults in primary care settings, many do not seek or adhere to the treatment regimens suggested by their providers. Understanding the cultural model surrounding depression and its treatment in older adults might provide insight into the development of more effective strategies for addressing the problem in the clinical setting. In this study, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with adults over age 65. Personal responsibility for the management of depression emerged as a pervasive approach to dealing with depression. Older adults used orientational and movement metaphors to describe the process of moving out of depression. They viewed initiation and follow-through of this process as the sole responsibility of the depressed individual. This attitude might be rooted in the cultural experiences of this particular cohort of older adults and has implications for their use of physical and mental health services for depression.
Stray Voltage and Equipotential Planes Revisited Rebuttal of Equipotential Planes a Figment of the Imagination

For a number of years technical papers have been written which have focused on the electrical phenomenon commonly referred to as stray voltage. A considerable portion of this effort has been focused on the possible origins of stray voltage and their impacts on the cows in dairy farms. Included in some of the papers has been a mitigation strategy involving equipotential planes. A paper has been written which questions the integrity of equipotential planes. This author's paper will rebut some of the statements and the conclusions in that paper.
Packet synchronization and identification for incremental redundancy transmission in FH-CDMA systems

Incremental redundancy transmission is an efficient data communication technique in a frequency hopping code division multiple access system. However, there are some difficulties in practical implementation of this technique such as synchronization of packets of different sizes and identification between regular and subpackets. This paper describes these problems and suggests practical solutions to avoid the loss of synchronization and decoding ambiguity during transmission of messages. >
Calcium currents, transmitter release and facilitation of release at voltage-clamped crayfish nerve terminals.

1. The presynaptic terminals at crayfish (Procambarus spp.) opener neuromuscular junctions were voltage clamped. Calcium currents were measured during (ICa) and following (tail ICa) presynaptic depolarizations; EPSPs or IPSPs were simultaneously recorded from the (postsynaptic) muscle fibre directly beneath the presynaptic impalement. 2. For short (< or = 6 ms) presynaptic depolarizations, most of the transmitter release occurred during the tail ICa. EPSP or IPSP amplitudes at the end of the 6 ms pulse (end EPSP or end IPSP) increased monotonically with the integral of the ICa ([symbol: see text]ICa). The suppression potential for transmitter release was near the apparent reversal potential for ICa. 3. When the end EPSP or end IPSP amplitude was plotted against the peak ICa elicited during a presynaptic pulse (peak ICa), large and small depolarizations which evoked the same peak ICa evoked different amounts of transmitter release. The differences in transmitter release were eliminated when end EPSP amplitude was plotted against [symbol: see text] ICa, suggesting that transmitter release during a depolarization depends only upon calcium current and not upon a subsequent voltage-dependent step. 4. The synaptic transfer function of various measurements of EPSP or IPSP amplitude vs. [symbol: see text]ICa evoked during a presynaptic depolarization was a power function having an exponent of about 3. Similar measurements of EPSP amplitude vs. [symbol: see text]tail ICa evoked following a presynaptic depolarization had an exponent of about 2. 5. Facilitation of an EPSP or IPSP was not due to increases in calcium current at the test depolarization. 6. When the conditioning depolarization was increased and the test depolarization remained constant, EPSP amplitude at the test depolarization and facilitation increased . When the conditioning depolarization remained constant and the test depolarization was increased, EPSP amplitude at the test depolarization increased, while facilitation decreased. 7. Our data suggested that transmitter release at crayfish neuromuscular junctions is a non-linear function of calcium influx, and that facilitated release utilizes intracellular calcium differently from non-facilitated release. These data contradict simple models of facilitation which combine the residual calcium hypothesis with the calcium co-operativity hypothesis of non-facilitated release.
Active vibration control of flexible steel cantilever beam using piezoelectric actuators

Considerable attention has been devoted recently to active vibration control using intelligent materials as actuators. This paper presents results on active control schemes for vibration suppression of flexible steel cantilever beam with bonded piezoelectric actuators. The PZT patches are surface bonded near the fixed end of flexible steel cantilever beam. The dynamic model of the flexible steel cantilever beam is derived. Active vibration control methods, such as optimized parameter PID compensator, strain rate feedback control are investigated and implemented using xPC target real-time system. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed methods achieve effective vibration suppression results of steel cantilever beam.
Maria W. Stewart’s “The First Stage of Life”: Black Girlhood in the Repository of Religion and Literature, and of Science and Art

“The First Stage of Life” (1861) is a six-page short story by Maria W. Stewart, African American woman writer, orator, and activist. It is serialized in three parts in the Repository of Religion and Literature, and of Science and Art in April, July, and October 1861. From 1858 to 1863, the Repository was a black magazine administered by black men and designed for black readers. It was based in Indianapolis, and in 1861 its chief editor was John Mifflin Brown. Published quarterly with each edition containing just over twenty bound pages of poems, parables, and essays, the magazine attracted black households with rising amounts of disposable income and leisure time. Today, the Repository is a non-circulating, non-digitized, rare black magazine on microfilm at the Indiana State Library with one extant issue housed in Harvard University’s Houghton Library. Stewart’s serialized story about a black girl’s coming-of-age published in an early black magazine broadens the contributions African American women have made to nineteenth-century print culture, and her early emphasis on black girlhood invites further study on the methodologies, frameworks, and emerging trends that continue to shape the canon of early African American literature and print culture. This article explores what we gain by examining the intersection of black girlhood and black print culture studies. To define black girlhood, nineteenth-century African American women writers distinguish between youthful and knowing girlhood, a demarcation that is represented by a black girl’s age and offers rhetorical advantages for race activists. Identifying black girls as youthful and therefore childlike removes sexual suggestion from their bodies. The growth from youthful to prematurely knowing girlhood occurs when black girls gain a deepened awareness of their precarious positions and seek methods for their survival. To emphasize a black girl’s age as a textual marker recognizes that, similar to all women, black women in the antebellum period experience a youthful period and undergo distinct stages of growth and maturity into
MRI-derived body segment parameters of children differ from age-based estimates derived using photogrammetry.

Abstract Body segment parameters are required when researching joint kinetics using inverse dynamics models. However, the only regression equations for estimating pediatric body segment parameters across a wide age range were developed, using photogrammetry, based on 12 boys and have not been validated to date (Jensen, R.K., 1986. Body segment mass, radius and radius of gyration proportions of children. Journal of Biomechanics 19, 359–368). To assess whether these equations could validly be applied to girls, we asked whether body segment parameters estimated by the equations differ from parameters measured using a validated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method. If so, do the differences cause significant differences in joint kinetics during normal gait? Body segment parameters were estimated from axial MRIs of the left thigh and shank of 10 healthy girls (9.6±0.9 years) and compared to those from Jensen's equations. Kinematics and kinetics were collected for 10 walking trials. Extrema in hip and knee moments and powers were compared between the two sets of body segment parameters. With the exception of the shank mass center and radius of gyration, body segment parameters measured using MRI were significantly different from those estimated using regression equations. These systematic differences in body segment parameters resulted in significant differences in sagittal-plane joint moments and powers during gait. Nevertheless, it is doubtful that even the greatest differences in kinetics are practically meaningful (0.3%BW×HT and 0.7%BW×HT/s for moments and power at the hip, respectively). Therefore, body segment parameters estimated using Jensen's regression equations are a suitable substitute for more detailed anatomical imaging of 8–10-year-old girls when quantifying joint kinetics during gait.
Dual Severe Mental and Substance Use Disorders as Predictors of Federal Inmate Assaults

The relationships between dual psychiatric and substance use disorders and assaults among U.S. federal prisoners were examined using logistic regression. Dually disordered inmates were more likely to be assaulted than nondually disordered inmates but both groups were equally likely to assault others. Assault victimization and perpetration were strongly correlated, and assault victimization and perpetration were associated with being assaulted before this incarceration and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses. Dually disordered inmates may be "importing" into prison some vulnerability to being assaulted. Effectively screening for and treating inmates' trauma-related disorders (e.g., PTSD), and providing inmates specialized dual disorders treatments are two study implications. Language: en
IMMUNOLOGICAL EFFECT OF A SYNTHETIC GROWTH HORMONE PEPTIDE ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE IN SWINE

Abstract A mouse monoclonal antibody (mAb), designated PS-7.6, was previously shown to enhance the activity of porcine growth hormone (pGH) in promoting the growth of hypophysectomized (hypox) rats. Epitope mapping studies indicated that the region recognized by PS-7.6 resided within an amino acid sequence 54–95 of pGH. A peptide corresponding to this sequence was synthesized and found to induce swine antibodies capable of augmenting pGH activity in hypox rats. On the basis of these previous observations, an attempt was made in this study to determine whether or not the peptide pGH(54–95) could be used as a vaccine to elicit antibodies functionally similar to PS-7.6 mAb, thus potentiating the efficacy of endogenous GH in swine. Young pigs (15–20 kg) were immunized with pGH(54–95) that had been conjugated with ovalbumin (OVA) and boosted twice at 4-week intervals. Control animals were similarly immunized with OVA. The weight gains and feed consumption of these animals were closely monitored throughout the trials. A number of carcass parameters were also examined when these animals reached 110–120 kg, at which time they were killed. Results indicated that immunization with peptide significantly accelerated the daily weight gain during the growing phase of growth. However, this effect disappeared during the finishing phase of growth. The failure to prolong the initial growth effect by the peptide immunization apparently correlated with the kinetics of antibody production, because antibodies immunoreactive to the peptide and pGH were detected in these animals after immunization but gradually diminished. This idea was supported by the fact that antibodies obtained from pigs 5 and 9 weeks after the initial immunization potentiated the activity of pGH in hypox rats, whereas antibodies harvested at week 16 did not. Furthermore, carcass evaluation was performed at time of killing and showed that the leaf fat and loin eye muscle were also significantly improved by peptide immunization. Taken together, the present findings suggest that pGH(54–95) peptide can be employed as a potential growth-promoting vaccine to improve the performance of swine.
Efficient Implicit Non-linear LU-SGS Approach for Viscous Flow Computation Using High-Order Spectral Difference Method

An implicit non-linear lower-upper symmetric Gauss-Seidel (LU-SGS) solution algorithm has been developed for a high-order spectral difference Navier-Stokes solver on unstructured hexahedral grids. The non-linear LU-SGS solver is preconditioned by the block element matrix, and the system of equations is then solved with a LU decomposition approach. The large sparse Jacobian matrix is computed numerically, resulting in extremely simple operations for arbitrarily complex residual operators. Several viscous test cases were performed to evaluate the performance. The implicit solver has shown speedup of 1 to 2 orders of magnitude over the multi-stage Runge-Kutta time integration scheme.
Prolactin receptor messenger ribonucleic acid expression in the ovary during the rat estrous cycle.

We have investigated the relative amounts and sites of synthesis during the rat estrous cycle of the two ovarian mRNAs encoding the long and short PRL receptors (PRL-R). Quantitative analysis has revealed that the mRNA encoding the short PRL-R is consistently present throughout the cycle in lower quantities than the long receptor mRNA. Both receptor mRNAs are at maximal levels during proestrus, decline to their lowest level of expression during estrus, then gradually rise in metestrus and diestrus. By in situ hybridization, both receptor mRNAs are present during early proestrus in corpora lutea, in the granulosa cell layers of large Graafian follicles, and in the interstitial cells closely associated with these follicles. The short PRL-R mRNA was detected at significant levels in the granulosa-derived cumulus oophorus and in the thecal cell region at this time, whereas the long PRL-R mRNA was only weakly expressed in these cell types. In contrast, the long PRL-R mRNA was present at higher levels, compared...
IMPUTED YIELDS OF A SINKING FUND BOND AND THE TERM STRUCTURE OF INTEREST RATES

annually with the trustee of the bond certain sums of money so long as a part of the issue is still outstanding. Such sums of money are known-as sinking funds and represent generally a fixed or variable percentage of the face amount of the issue outstanding originally. This paper first studies the true or imputed yield(s) to an investor on such a corporate bond. It then studies the relationship between the true yield(s) and the yield(s) as defined customarily under a variety of bond prices and sinking fund provisions. It further explores the practical applicability of the analytical models for- investors and suggests how the models can be modified to meet other requirements. It finally concludes by discussing the limitations of this paper and by explaining how the models can be used by an issuer. Sinking fund bonds can be classified into two types according to how the fund should be used: Type One: Upon receipt of the fund, the trustee must use it to retire immediately a part of the bonds of the issue then outstanding by either purchasing at market or exercising the right to call.' Type Two: In addition to the choice of retiring the bonds then outstanding, the trustee can use the sinking fund to invest in some securities. The trustee may also be allowed to accept, in lieu of sinking funds, some mortgageable properties as additional collateral to the issue to fulfill the sinking fund requirement. In practice, most industrial2 and many utility bonds are type one sinking fund bonds (hereafter type one bond) while most utility mortgage bonds are of the type two variety. The principal characteristic of an issue of type one bonds can also be considered as similar to that of a serial issue because in both cases, some bonds mature each year instead of all on a single date.' Neverthe* Associate Professor of Finance and Management Science, and Manufacturers & Traders Trust Co. Professor of Finance, respectively, State University of New- York at Buffalo. Completion of this paper was facilitated by the first author's participation in the Workshop in Research in Business Finance held at Harvard University in the Summer, 1965, and sponsored by the Ford Foundation. We also wish to express our appreciation to the Computer Center of the State University of New York at Buffalo for the computing time, Thomas E. Dewey of Kuhn Loeb & Co. for -supplying various information, Alan Savery, John Reid and Judith Matasar for statistical assistance.
SP-A preserves airway homeostasis during Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in mice

The lung is constantly challenged during normal breathing by a myriad of environmental irritants and infectious insults. Pulmonary host defense mechanisms maintain homeostasis between inhibition/clearance of pathogens and regulation of inflammatory responses that could injure the airway epithelium. One component of this defense mechanism, surfactant protein-A (SP-A), exerts multifunctional roles in mediating host responses to inflammatory and infectious agents. SP-A has a bacteriostatic effect on Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp), which occurs by binding surface disaturated phosphatidylglycerols. SP-A can also bind the Mp membrane protein, MPN372. In this study, we investigated the role of SP-A during acute phase pulmonary infection with Mp using mice deficient in SP-A. Biologic responses, inflammation, and cellular infiltration, were much greater in Mp infected SP-A −/− mice than wild-type mice. Likewise, physiologic responses (airway hyperresponsiveness and lung compliance) to Mp infection were more severely affected in SP-A −/− mice. Both Mp-induced biologic and physiologic changes were attenuated by pharmacologic inhibition of TNF-α. Our findings demonstrate that SP-A is vital to preserving lung homeostasis and host defense to this clinically relevant strain of Mp by curtailing inflammatory cell recruitment and limiting an overzealous TNF-α response.