cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geometric analysis of barrage relay networks for optimizing reliable communications in mobile ad hoc networks (Conference Presentation)

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) pose challenges distinct from commercial wireless networking, including a need for decentralized routing. We consider the barrage relay network (BRN) routing algorithm for unicast communications, beginning with a simple connected graph model (CGM) and then more physically motivated models. We show geometrically and through simulation that lower bound on the domain of utilized nodes nodes converges to an elliptical region in the high-density limit. In this bound, the number of utilized nodes scales with the (1.5)-power of the distance between source and destination. We conclude with recommendations on how to reduce load while maintaining reliability.
Authentication of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) fillets using a combination of real-time PCR and DNA barcoding

Abstract Red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a historically overfished and highly valued species that is commonly substituted with other fish, such as tilapia, rockfish, and other snapper species. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of real-time PCR to be used as a screening tool to rapidly test commercial fillets for the presence of red snapper, followed by species identification of negative samples with DNA barcoding. A total of 24 frozen, fresh, or thawed (previously frozen) fillets labeled as “red snapper” were tested with real-time PCR, along with 54 fillets from fish that are common substitutes for red snapper. Real-time PCR parameters were optimized to reduce cross-reactivity. All samples were also tested with DNA barcoding to confirm the identity of fish species. Among the 78 total samples, 3 were authenticated as red snapper with DNA barcoding and successfully detected with real-time PCR. An additional two samples were initially identified as red snapper with real-time PCR but confirmed negative with DNA barcoding, resulting in a false positive rate of 2.7%. Overall, 39.7% of all samples and 91.7% of “red snapper” samples were mislabeled. Red snapper was substituted with other snapper species, rockfish, sea bream, and mahi-mahi. These results illustrate the ability of real-time PCR to be used as a screening tool and the importance of species confirmation with DNA barcoding. Real-time PCR has the potential to be used as a rapid on-site screening tool for regulatory and industry officials to determine the authenticity of red snapper fillets.
Motivators or conceptual foundation? Investigating the development of teachers’ conceptions of contextual problems

Teachers are encouraged to connect mathematic instruction to the real-world by posing tasks that are situated in rich, relevant contexts, but research has found that many teachers integrate contextual problems (CPs) as motivators rather than as supports for conceptual development. To provide insight into how teachers’ conceptions about CPs shift as they teach through contextual problem solving, we interviewed six teachers before and after they taught from a unit designed from principles of realistic mathematics education, an instructional design theory which positions realistic contexts as learning supports. Our findings indicate that teachers initially viewed CPs primarily as affective or motivating enhancements, but after teaching the RME unit with university-based support, the teachers articulated integrated understandings of how CPs can function as supports for conceptual development. The teachers articulated how CPs provide initial access, sites for progressive representational formalization, and references to which students can fall back in order to interpret subsequent tasks. The authors identify connections between these ideas and the support provided by the university team and the teachers’ guides.
Working Mothers’ Experiences in an Intensive Mothering Culture: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

The population of working mothers has greatly increased over the past few decades, yet cultural norms and standards for women have not progressed at the same rate. Intensive mothering ideals set ex...
The Gut Microbiome, Inflammation, and Salt-Sensitive Hypertension.

Salt sensitivity of blood pressure (SSBP) is an independent predictor of death due to cardiovascular events and affects nearly 50% of the hypertensive and 25% of the normotensive population. Strong evidence indicates that reducing sodium (Na+) intake decreases blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular events. The precise mechanisms of how dietary Na+ contributes to elevation and cardiovascular disease remain unclear. The goal of this review is to discuss mechanisms of salt-induced cardiovascular disease and how the microbiome may play a role. The innate and adaptive immune systems are involved in the genesis of salt-induced hypertension. Mice fed a high-salt diet exhibit increased inflammation with a marked increase in dendritic cell (DC) production of interleukin (IL)-6 and formation of isolevuglandins (IsoLG)-protein adducts, which drive interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and IL-17A production by T cells. While prior studies have mainly focused on the brain, kidney, and vasculature as playing a role in salt-induced hypertension, the gut is the first and largest location for Na+ absorption. Research from our group and others strongly suggests that the gut microbiome contributes to salt-induced inflammation and hypertension. Recent studies suggest that alterations in the gut microbiome contribute to salt-induced hypertension. However, the contribution of the microbiome to SSBP and its underlying mechanisms are not known. Targeting the microbiota and the associated immune cell activation could conceivably provide the much-needed therapy for SSBP.
Successful implementation of text-based blood pressure monitoring for postpartum hypertension.

Abstract Objectives A clinical trial showed postpartum text-based blood pressure (BP) monitoring is effective in meeting clinical guidelines and reduces racial disparities in postpartum hypertension care. Our objective was to compare clinical outcomes to those from a clinical trial after implementation of the program in a second hospital within our hospital system. Study design Comparison of women randomized to text-based BP monitoring in a clinical trial compared to an implementation cohort clinically enrolled in text-based BP monitoring. BP outcomes and postpartum visit were compared in bivariate and multivariable analyses. Main outcome measures BP ascertainment was defined as at least 1 BP texted during the 10 days of monitoring. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommendation was defined as BP sent on postpartum day 3–4 and again day 7–10. Results The implementation cohort had 333 women compared to 103 in the trial cohort. The implementation cohort was older (p Conclusions Text-based BP monitoring performed similarly in an implementation cohort compared to the trial participants. This program is scalable to manage postpartum hypertension and reduce racial disparities in postpartum care in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
Toward the development of a perceived IRB violation scale

This study introduces survey items that can be used to assess the perceived prevalence of specific IRB violations by researchers or to gauge the perceived seriousness of such infractions. Using sur...
Compliance with germline testing in pancreatic cancer in a rural tertiary care hospital.

10599Background: Pancreatic cancer is the 7th most common cause of cancer death worldwide and is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer death in the next decade. Personalized care is be...
Analysis on Transport Layer Protocols and Its Developments

Over the years, the Internet has been enhanced with new accessible correspondence advancements, for both fixed and versatile organizations and gadgets, showing a significant development in terms of execution, with consistently expanding affordable information rates. The Internet research network has continued attempting to develop the transport layer protocols to coordinate present-day organizations' abilities to receive the rewards of the new correspondence advances ultimately. This paper studies the principle oddities identified with transport protocols that have been as of late proposed, distinguishing three fundamental examination patterns. The advancement of clog control calculations, to target ideal execution in testing situations, conceivably with the utilization of machine learning methods; the proposition of spic and span transport protocols, option in contrast to the Transmission Control Protocol formally known as TCP also, executed in the client space.
College students who believe they have ADHD report more neuropsychological deficits than non-ADHD peers.

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in college students has been associated with poor academic outcomes and greater neuropsychological and emotional difficulties. The present study sought to determine whether college students who believe they have ADHD report more neuropsychological deficits than non-ADHD peers. Method: College students (N = 1,520) completed a confidential online survey designed to explore ADHD beliefs and subjective neuropsychological impairment. MANOVA was used to examine the association between ADHD beliefs and neuropsychological symptoms. LSD post hoc analysis was used to examine pairwise comparisons across groups. Results: College students who believe they have ADHD reported more neuropsychological deficits than those without ADHD and similar levels of neuropsychological impairment as peers with a self-reported diagnosis of ADHD. Conclusion: Results show a statistically and clinically significant relationship between ADHD belief and neuropsychological impairment among college students. These findings highlight the need for qualified ADHD assessment in college students who believe they have ADHD.
Contiguously-hydrophobic sequences are functionally significant throughout the human exome

Hydrophobic interactions have long been established as essential to stabilizing structured proteins as well as drivers of aggregation, but the impact of hydrophobicity on the functional significance of sequence variants has rarely been considered in a genome-wide context. Here we test the role of hydrophobicity on functional impact using a set of 70,000 disease and non-disease associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), using enrichment of disease-association as an indicator of functionality. We find that functional impact is uncorrelated with hydrophobicity of the SNP itself, and only weakly correlated with the average local hydrophobicity, but is strongly correlated with both the size and minimum hydrophobicity of the contiguous hydrophobic domain that contains the SNP. Disease-association is found to vary by more than 6-fold as a function of contiguous hydrophobicity parameters, suggesting utility as a prior for identifying causal variation. We further find signatures of differential selective constraint on domain hydrophobicity, and that SNPs splitting a long hydrophobic region or joining two short regions of contiguous hydrophobicity are particularly likely to be disease-associated. Trends are preserved for both aggregating and non-aggregating proteins, indicating that the role of contiguous hydrophobicity extends well beyond aggregation risk. Statement of SignificanceProteins rely on the hydrophobic effect to maintain structure and interactions with the environment. Surprisingly, no signs that amino acid hydrophobicity influences natural selection have been detected using modern genetic data. This may be because analyses that treat each amino acid separately do not reveal significant results, which we confirm here. However, because the hydrophobic effect becomes more powerful as more hydrophobic molecules are introduced, we tested whether unbroken stretches of hydrophobic amino acids are under selection. Using genetic variant data from across the human genome, we found evidence that selection pressure increases continually with the length of the unbroken hydrophobic sequence. These results could lead to improvements in a wide range of genomic tools as well as insights into disease and protein evolutionary history.
Rainfall Estimation from Tempest-D Cubesat Observations

This paper presents a machine learning model to estimate surface rainfall from TEMPEST-D observations. An artificial neural network (ANN) was chosen to build the rainfall estimation model from TEMPEST-D measurements. TEMPEST-D brightness temperature (TB) observations performed at five frequencies (i.e. 87, 164, 174, 178 and 181 GHz) were used as inputs, and the Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor System (MRMS) radar-only rain rate product at the surface was used as ground truth and target to train the ANN model. A spatial alignment algorithm was developed to align the TEMPEST-D observed storm with the storm measurement from ground radar. The training data set was generated from 14 storm events observed simultaneously by the ground radar network and TEMPEST-D over the continental U.S. Two storm events were used for independent testing. The testing showed that estimated rainfall matched well with the MRMS surface rainfall product in terms of rainfall intensity, area, and precipitation system pattern. The structural similarity index measure scores for the two independent test cases are 0.72 and 0.81.
Transaction Processing in Multilevel Secure Databases

In this chapter, we review the research efforts towards developing secure transaction processing algorithms. A secure transaction processing protocol, in addition to complying with the two Bell-LaPadula restrictions, must be free of all covert channels. This requirements prohibits the use of conventional concurrency control and commit protocols since they are susceptible to covert channels.
Open-ended three-phase drive with matrix converter for common-mode elimination with deadband compensation

In this article a deadband compensation scheme is proposed for matrix converter driven open-ended three phase machines. The open-ended machine driven by two matrix converters has several benefits. Appropriate switching combinations eliminate the common-mode voltage. Very small common mode voltage remains due to the non-ideal behavior of the switches due to the deadband effect. A method is proposed to remove the common mode voltages generated due to deadband effects. By eliminating the common mode voltage from the three phases of the machine the motor bearing current is entirely removed. By using matrix converters for power conversion bulky capacitors are eliminated from the drive.
Pictures, knowledge acquisition, and information design

Information designers should familiarize themselves with the theoretical literature surrounding pictures and the acquisition of knowledge. To ignore this theory is to lack guidance when designing pictures for a particular learning task, audience or delivery media. >
Rhea: automatic filtering for unstructured cloud storage

Unstructured storage and data processing using platforms such as MapReduce are increasingly popular for their simplicity, scalability, and flexibility. Using elastic cloud storage and computation makes them even more attractive. However cloud providers such as Amazon and Windows Azure separate their storage and compute resources even within the same data center. Transferring data from storage to compute thus uses core data center network bandwidth, which is scarce and oversubscribed. As the data is unstructured, the infrastructure cannot automatically apply selection, projection, or other filtering predicates at the storage layer. The problem is even worse if customers want to use compute resources on one provider but use data stored with other provider(s). The bottleneck is now the WAN link which impacts performance but also incurs egress bandwidth charges. This paper presents Rhea, a system to automatically generate and run storage-side data filters for unstructured and semi-structured data. It uses static analysis of application code to generate filters that are safe, stateless, side effect free, best effort, and transparent to both storage and compute layers. Filters never remove data that is used by the computation. Our evaluation shows that Rhea filters achieve a reduction in data transfer of 2x- 20,000x, which reduces job run times by up to 5x and dollar costs for cross-cloud computations by up to 13x.
A scalable architecture system for automatic target recognition

Automatic target recognition (ATR) is a very difficult problem due to the variety of conditions under which an ATR system may be required to operate. Because the number of operations required to execute a particular ATR algorithm can vary greatly from one scenario to another; a fixed hardware and software architecture will usually not be able to execute a given ATR algorithm in all required scenarios within some given real-time constraints. A solution to this problem is to use a scalable architecture. The hardware and software of such an architecture can easily be scaled to meet the processing requirements of a particular scenario. This paper describes a scalable architecture system which we have developed that implements a real-time ATR algorithm. >
Suppression of cardio-protective molecules by diabetic marker miR-29: a mechanism for the high rate of cardiac damage in diabetes? (1086.6)

Diabetic marker miRNA-29 (miR-29) is up-regulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines and hyperglycemia. miR-29 induced suppression of MCL-1, a protein essential for mitochondrial function and cell survi...
The Electrophoretic Analysis of the Third Component of Complement (C3) in Dried Bloodstains

The polymorphic serum protein C3, which is the third component of the classical complement system, has been analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and immunofixation. It is sufficiently stable that phenotyping can be performed from dried bloodstains maintained at room temperature for at least two weeks or kept frozen for at least one month. Because its rate of migration differs from that of group specific component (Gc) in Tris-glycine buffer, both genetic markers can be simultaneously phenotyped.
Recurrence of tumor after total hysterectomy for carcinoma in situ.

Abstract Hysterectomy for carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix is not always curative. The lesion may recur as a carcinoma in situ or as frankly invasive cancer. Three illustrative cases are presented, with recurrence six, seven, and ten years after operation. Patients with carcinoma in situ treated by hysterectomy deserve a careful follow-up.
Unusual ribosome particles occurring during spore germination.

Woese, Carl R. (Yale University, New Haven, Conn.). Unusual ribosome particles occurring during spore germination. J. Bacteriol. 82: 695–701. 1961.—Spores of Bacillus subtilis germinated for varying amounts of time were disrupted under conditions of varying divalent ion concentration and analyzed for content of ribosomes by ultracentrifugal techniques. The picture of microsome development during germination is as follows: The spore contains only 50S and 68S particles. Early in germination, 25S and 35-8S particles increase in amount first. These particles seem to be formed in close association with the cell deoxyribonucleic acid. Their binding in the cell requires a chelating agent to release them maximally. Further, 25S and 35-8S particles are the only ones sensitive to ribonuclease and the only ones produced in the presence of chloramphenicol. The kinetics of their appearance, and their relative size, suggest them as precursors of 50S particles, which increase in amount shortly after appearance of 25S and 35S particles. It was found that 31S particles do not appear until later in germination, and their appearance signals a rise in 68S material, suggesting again the oft-reported relationship: one 31S + one 50S = one 68S. We have been unable to discern any precursors of the 31S material in these studies. Images
Cation-Dependent Binding of Substrate to the Folate Transport Protein of Lactobacillus casei

Lactobacillus casei cells grown in the presence of limiting folate contained large amounts of a membrane-associated binding protein which mediates folate transport. Binding to this protein at 4 degrees C was time and concentration dependent and at low levels (1 to 10 nM) of folate required 60 min to reach a steady state. The apparent dissociation constant (K(d)) for folate was 1.2 nM at pH 7.5 in 100 mM K-phosphate buffer, and it varied by less than twofold when measured over a range of pH values (5.5 to 7.5) or in buffered salt solutions of differing ionic compositions. Conversely, removal of ions and their replacement with isotonic sucrose (pH 7.5) led to a 200-fold reduction in binding affinity for folate. Restoration of the high-affinity state of the binding protein could be achieved by the readdition of various cations to the sucrose medium. K(d) measurements over a range of cation concentrations revealed that a half-maximal restoration of binding affinity was obtained with relatively low levels (10 to 50 muM) of divalent cations (e.g., Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and ethylenediammonium(2+) ions). Monovalent cations (e.g., Na(+), K(+), and Tris(+)) were also effective, but only at concentrations in the millimolar range. The K(d) for folate reached a minimum of 0.6 nM at pH 7.5 in the presence of excess CaCl(2). In cells suspended in sucrose, the affinity of the binding protein for folate increased 20-fold by decreasing the pH from 7.5 to 4.5, indicating that protons can partially fulfill the cation requirement. These results suggest that the folate transport protein of L. casei may contain both a substrate- and cation-binding site and that folate binds with a high affinity only after the cation-binding site has been occupied. The presence of these binding sites would support the hypothesis that folate is transported across the cell membrane via a cation-folate symport mechanism.
Transfer of Thymidine Kinase to Thymidine Kinaseless L Cells by Infection with Ultraviolet-Irradiated Herpes Simplex Virus

L cells lacking thymidine kinase (TK) activity (Ltk(-) cells) have been stably transformed to a TK-positive phenotype by infection with ultraviolet-irradiated herpes simplex virus (HSV-UV). The highest frequency of the Ltk(-) to Ltk(+) transformation observed in these experiments was approximately 10(-3), whereas no measurable transformation was observed (less than 10(-8)) in the absence of HSV-UV infection. Cell lines of HSV-transformed Ltk(+) cell lines contain 7 to 24 times as much TK activity as do the parental Ltk(-) cells, and they have been maintained in culture for a period exceeding 8 months. The kinetics of thermal inactivation of the TK activity derived from an Ltk(+) HSV-transformed cell line and the TK activity from Ltk(-) cells lytically infected with infectious HSV are similar. Both of these TK activities are much more thermolabile than the TK activity present in wild-type L cells. A mutant strain of HSV which does not induce TK activity during lytic infection does not cause the Ltk(-) to Ltk(+) transformation. These data suggest that either an HSV TK gene has been transferred to Ltk(-) cells or that an HSV gene product has caused the expression of a previously repressed cellular enzyme.
Action Flow in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Rituals: a model based on Extended Synergetics and a Comment on the 4th Law

The flow of actions in rituals of obsessive individuals is discussed from a nonlinear physics perspective. An amplitude equation model based on extended synergetics is studied. The amplitude dynamics describes both the behavioral actions and the experienced emotions during obsessive-compulsive disorder rituals. The model suggests that in addition to the behavioral and emotional levels that are accessible to external observation and self-reports there are hidden levels captured by parameter dynamics that determine the action flow in obsessive-compulsive disorder rituals. The model can also be used to discuss on the mechanistic and behavioral levels differences between purposeful and purposeless rituals. While purposeful rituals involve a continuous control of the emotional level over the behavioral level, purposeless rituals do not exhibit such a continuous control mechanism. Finally, it is argued that the selection principle determining the action flow in obsessive-compulsive disorder rituals is consistent with the so-called 4th law of non-equilibrium phase transitions in animate and inanimate systems
Discovering knowledge in DNA and protein data

This research investigates a method for discovering knowledge in structural data. We have implemented the SUBDUE substructure discovery system which discovers interesting and repetitive subgraphs in a labeled graph representation using the minimum description length principle. Experiments have shown SUBDUE's applicability in a variety of domains. We are currently applying SUBDUE to both DNA and protein data from the Brookhaven PDB, where SUBDUE was able to find patterns in secondary structure that are both characteristic and unique to categories of proteins, such as hemoglobin and myoglobin. Ultimately, we plan to use SUBDUE to find structural patterns in functional groups of proteins and the boundaries of genes in DNA.
Identification of microinjected cells using biotinylated antibodies and strep-avidin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase

Results from experiments using needle microinjection of cells are often compromised by an inability to readily demonstrate which cells within a population have been injected. The technique described here allows the unambiguous identification of cells that have been successfully microinjected. Sequential incubation of fixed cells with biotinylated anti-immunoglobulin antibodies, followed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated Strep-avidin and HRP substrate, provides a sensitive assay for identification of cells containing trace amounts of immunoglobulins. This allows direct correlation to the presence of injected molecules of effects on cell morphology, the ability to enter into DNA synthesis, or expression of specific genes. By a variety of criteria, nonspecific immunoglobulins do not adversely affect cellular processes when injected by themselves or in the presence of other proteins known to have biological effects when injected, such as cAMP-dependent protein kinase and the ras oncogene protein.
Interactive exploration of large-scale time-varying data using dynamic tracking graphs

Exploring and analyzing the temporal evolution of features in large-scale time-varying datasets is a common problem in many areas of science and engineering. One natural representation of such data is tracking graphs, i.e., constrained graph layouts that use one spatial dimension to indicate time and show the “tracks” of each feature as it evolves, merges or disappears. However, for practical data sets creating the corresponding optimal graph layouts that minimize the number of intersections can take hours to compute with existing techniques. Furthermore, the resulting graphs are often unmanageably large and complex even with an ideal layout. Finally, due to the cost of the layout, changing the feature definition, e.g. by changing an iso-value, or analyzing properly adjusted sub-graphs is infeasible. To address these challenges, this paper presents a new framework that couples hierarchical feature definitions with progressive graph layout algorithms to provide an interactive exploration of dynamically constructed tracking graphs. Our system enables users to change feature definitions on-the-fly and filter features using arbitrary attributes while providing an interactive view of the resulting tracking graphs. Furthermore, the graph display is integrated into a linked view system that provides a traditional 3D view of the current set of features and allows a cross-linked selection to enable a fully flexible spatio-temporal exploration of data. We demonstrate the utility of our approach with several large-scale scientific simulations from combustion science.
Stress task specific impairments of cardiovascular functioning in obese participants

The role that excess adipose tissue plays in chronic inflammation gives rise to its importance as an independent risk factor in cardiovascular dysfunction. Operationalizing chronic stress as obesity, we sought to explore the relationship between obesity, perceived stress and cardiovascular reactivity and recovery from laboratory stressors. Cardiovascular function was assessed using blood pressure and heart rate. Two stress tasks (mental arithmetic and cold pressor) were employed to examine potential differences between type of stress and cardiovascular response. Body mass index (BMI) was able to predict dysfunction in both cardiovascular reactivity and recovery. Participants with a higher BMI exhibited blunted systolic blood pressure and heart rate reactivity to the mental arithmetic task. In contrast, BMI has an incongruent effect on blood pressure reactivity to the cold pressor task that is dependent on the level of perceived stress. This suggests that in some instances the effect of BMI on cardiovascular response to acute stress may be moderated by perceived stress. Further, we found greater adiposity was related to delayed heart rate recovery following both stress tasks.
Brain PP2A is modified by thiol-disulfide exchange and intermolecular disulfide formation.

Abstract The regulation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity by thiol-disulfide exchange and resulting formation of an intermolecular disulfide was examined following exposure of a rat brain soluble fraction to a biotinylated derivative of the model disulfide HPDP (HPDP–biotin) which would be expected to label reactive protein thiols with a disulfide-linked biotin. The results show that a low concentration (500 μM) of HPDP–biotin produced substantial inhibition of PP2A activity and promoted the binding of the catalytic subunit of PP2A to an immobilized avidin-affinity column. Both the inhibition of PP2A activity and the binding of PP2A to the avidin column were reversed by treatment with the disulfide reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT). Furthermore, the specific activity of PP2A was up to 7-fold higher in the DTT-eluted fractions from the avidin-affinity column than in the soluble fraction. These findings demonstrate directly that PP2A is susceptible to reversible inhibitory modification by thiol-disulfide exchange and provide mechanistic support for the emerging view that PP2A is an oxidant-sensitive protein phosphatase.
A scaled united atom model for diatomic hydrides

An eigenfunction for a diatomic hydride is approximated by a scaled eigenfunction (or linear combination of scaled eigenfunctions) for the corresponding united atom or separated ion (e.g., LiH, Be and Li−, respectively). All “atomic” contributions to the resulting energy expressions are obtained exactly from experiment. The sum of one-electron two-center coulomb interactions between the scaled united atom or separated ion charge density and proton are approximated by integrals over orthogonalized Slater atomic orbitals. Configuration interaction is invoked in three cases. Force constants, equilibrium internuclear distances and electronic excitation energies are computed and compared with available experimental data.
Curriculum change in an obstetrics-gynecology residency program and its impact on pregnancy in residency

Objective : Our purpose was to determine whether pregnancy was better tolerated by the individual female resident and the program as a whole after changes in the curriculum. Study Design : The 1983 through 1992 graduates of an obstetrics-gynecology residency program were questioned to assess the stress experienced by all residents and by the pregnant female residents. The level of agreement to statements expressing support and resentment for pregnancy in residency was measured. Results : Resentment among residents toward their pregnant colleagues was significantly greater in 1983 through 1987 than in 1988 through 1992. Male residents expressed more resentment toward pregnancy in their colleagues than did female residents but they were perceived by the pregnant female residents as equally supportive as female residents. The level of stress experienced by the 1983 through 1987 graduates was greater than by those from 1988 through 1992. Conclusion : Reducing the workload in training programs is associated with a decrease in the resentment of the residents toward pregnant residents and in the overall stress of the program.
A conservative inverse normal test procedure for combining P-values in integrative research

The use ofp-values in combining the results of independent studies often involves studies that are potentially aberrant either in quality or in actual values. A robust data analysis suggests the use of a statistic that takes these aberrations into account by trimming some of the largest and smallestp-values. We present a trimmed statistic based on an inverse cumulative normal transformation of the orderedp-values, together with a simple and convenient method for approximating the distribution and first two moments of this statistic.
Simulation of vehicle acoustics in support of netted sensor research and development

The MITRE Corporation has initiated a three-year internally-funded research program in netted sensors, the first-year effort focusing on vehicle detection for border monitoring. An important component is developing an understanding of the complex acoustic structure of vehicle noise to aid in netted sensor-based detection and classification. This presentation will discuss the design of a high-fidelity vehicle acoustic simulator to model the generation and transmission of acoustic energy from a moving vehicle to a collection of sensor nodes. Realistic spatially-dependent automobile sounds are generated from models of the engine cylinder firing rates, muffler and manifold resonances, and speed-dependent tire whine noise. Tire noise is the dominant noise source for vehicle speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour (MPH). As a result, we have developed detailed models that successfully predict the tire noise spectrum as a function of speed, road surface wave-number spectrum, tire geometry, and tire tread pattern. We have also included realistic descriptions of the spatial directivity patterns for the engine harmonics, muffler, and tire whine noise components. The acoustic waveforms are propagated to each sensor node using a simple phase-dispersive multi-path model. A brief description of the models and their corresponding outputs is provided.
Habit Reversal Treatment of Repetitive Hand Writing in a 7-Year-Old Child with a Learning Disability

Habit reversal (HR) is a cognitive—behavioral treatment for tic disorders, Tourette syndrome, stereotypic movements, and habit disorders. This case study utilizes aspects of habit reversal, including awareness training, self-monitoring, and competing response training, as an intervention for obsessive—compulsive repetitive air handwriting in a 7-year-old girl with a significant learning disability. Therapy is provided on an outpatient basis in a private practice setting. Analysis of in-home, at-school, and in-session data collected by the parents, teacher, and therapist show decreased frequency in repetitive handwriting. Supplemental and cojoint administration of antianxiety medication extinguishes all obsessive handwriting within a 6-month period. These results support previous research demonstrating the efficacy of cojoint cognitive—behavioral and medication treatment of acute obsessive—compulsive symptomatology in children.
A novel minisatellite at a cloned hamster telomere.

The ends of eukaryotic chromosomes have special properties and roles in chromosome behavior. Selection for telomere function in yeast, using a Chinese hamster hybrid cell line as the source DNA, generated a stable yeast artificial chromosome clone containing 23 kb of DNA adjacent to (TTAGGG)n, the vertebrate telomeric repeat. The common repetitive element d(GT)n appeared to be responsible for most of the other stable clones. Circular derivatives of the TTAGGG-positive clone that could be propagated in E. coli were constructed. These derivatives identify a single pair of hamster telomeres by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The telomeric repeat tract consists of (TTAGGG)n repeats with minor variations, some of which can be cleaved with the restriction enzyme MnlI. Blot hybridization with genomic hamster DNA under stringent conditions confirms that the TTAGGG tracts are cleaved into small fragments due to the presence of this restriction enzyme site, in contrast to mouse telomeres. Additional blocks of (TTAGGG)n repeats are found ∼4–5 kb internally on the clone. The terminal region of the clone is dominated by a novel A-T rich 78 bp tandemly repeating sequence; the repeat monomer can be subdivided into halves distinguished by more or less adherence to the consensus sequence. The sequence in genomic DNA has the same tandem organization in probably a single primary locus of >20–30 kb and is thus termed a minisatellite.
Resonant Transport Properties of Polyatomic Gases in Oscillating Magnetic Fields

The transport properties of a polyatomic gas in collinear static and oscillating magnetic fields are discussed qualitatively and studied quantitatively using a microscopic kinetic equation. With no adjustable parameters, resonances recently observed in the thermomagnetic torque (the Scott Effect) are quantitatively reproduced. Related resonant phenomena are predicted for the viscosity, thermal conductivity, and various Burnett coefficients. The calculations are performed for molecules with a unique magnetic moment and for molecules with a distribution of moments. The measured moment distribution is essential for explaining the results on NO, on which the most careful and varied dynamic measurements have been performed. Agreement between theory and experiment for N2 and NO is satisfactory. The calculation entails the evaluation of correlation functions for a steady state in an oscillatory external field. Limiting values of the functions determine the ordinary and Burnett transport coefficients. The details...
Increased Expression of SVCT2 in a New Mouse Model Raises Ascorbic Acid in Tissues and Protects against Paraquat-Induced Oxidative Damage in Lung

A new transgenic mouse model for global increases in the Sodium Dependent Vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT2) has been generated. The SVCT2-Tg mouse shows increased SVCT2 mRNA levels in all organs tested and correspondingly increased ascorbic acid (ASC) levels in all organs except liver. The extent of the increase in transporter mRNA expression differed among mice and among organs. The increased ASC levels did not have any adverse effects on behavior in the SVCT2-Tg mice, which did not differ from wild-type mice on tests of locomotor activity, anxiety, sensorimotor or cognitive ability. High levels of SVCT2 and ASC were found in the kidneys of SVCT2-Tg mice and urinary albumin excretion was lower in these mice than in wild-types. No gross pathological changes were noted in kidneys from SVCT2-Tg mice. SVCT2 immunoreactivity was detected in both SVCT2 and wild-type mice, and a stronger signal was seen in tubules than in glomeruli. Six treatments with Paraquat (3x10 and 3x15 mg/kg i.p.) were used to induce oxidative stress in mice. SVCT2-Tg mice showed a clear attenuation of Paraquat-induced oxidative stress in lung, as measured by F2-isoprostanes. Paraquat also decreased SVCT2 mRNA signal in liver, lung and kidney in SVCT2-Tg mice.
Comparison of the measurement of beam‐current densities in an electron microscope using a Faraday cup and solid‐state detector

A Faraday cup has been constructed which is capable of accurately measuring beam‐current densities in the image plane of an electron microscope. This device has been employed to calibrate a solid‐state detector typical of those often used to measure such small electron intensities. The ability of the solid‐state detector to distinguish single electrons was found to be a sensitive function of the incident electron intensity. Important applications of this work include investigations of radiation damage in beam‐sensitive materials, e.g., biological specimens.
Techno-economic analysis of 5-nonanone production from levulinic acid.

Abstract We analyze a process for production of 5-nonanone (dibutyl ketone, DBK) from levulinic acid (LA) which is a biobased platform chemical that can be produced in large quantities from a variety of lignocellulosic biomass sources. The techno-economic analysis is based on a catalytic pathway developed in lab scale. The final product (DBK) has applications as an industrial solvent and serves as a platform chemical for the production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels in the diesel and gasoline ranges. A detailed process model has been created for two different product purity levels (90% and 99%). Process economics have been studied in a discounted cash flow analysis to analyze the viability of production and relative product purification costs. The modeled process utilizes 480 metric ton/day of LA feedstock to produce 194 metric ton/day of DBK along with other by-products. Sensitivity analysis is used to identify the impact of key parameters on the minimum selling price of product. Thus, the price of the feedstock (LA) and the DBK final yield were found to be the most sensitive parameters affecting the final price of the product. With the current LA market price ($3.2 per kg) and the experimental yield of 66%, the minimum selling price estimated for a high purity DBK was $8.5 per kg, comparable to the current DBK purchase price ($9.07 per kg) but still quite high compared to the price of a typical petroleum-derived solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone ($0.77 per kg). Further improvements on the lab scale to increase the yield of DBK, and the use of inexpensive LA from the patented Biofine process, would allow the production of DBK at competitive prices for chemical and fuel applications.
Focusing of Gravitational Radiation

Under the assumptions that gravitational radiation is emitted by a pointlike source and focused by passage through the exterior or interior gravitational fields of a massive object, the intensity gain is shown to be of the order of GM/ lambda c/sup 2/ over a diffraction beam of small angular width. (auth)
Sodium bicarbonate supplementation improves hypertrophy-type resistance exercise performance

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3)) administration on lower-body, hypertrophy-type resistance exercise (HRE). Using a double-blind randomized counterbalanced design, 12 resistance-trained male participants (mean ± SD; age = 20.3 ± 2 years, mass = 88.3 ± 13.2 kg, height = 1.80 ± 0.07 m) ingested 0.3 g kg(-1) of NaHCO(3) or placebo 60 min before initiation of an HRE regimen. The protocol employed multiple exercises: squat, leg press, and knee extension, utilizing four sets each, with 10-12 repetition-maximum loads and short rest periods between sets. Exercise performance was determined by total repetitions generated during each exercise, total accumulated repetitions, and a performance test involving a fifth set of knee extensions to failure. Arterialized capillary blood was collected via fingertip puncture at four time points and analyzed for pH, [HCO(3)(-)], base excess (BE), and lactate [Lac(-)]. NaHCO(3) supplementation induced a significant alkaline state (pH: NaHCO(3): 7.49 ± 0.02, placebo: 7.42 ± 0.02, P < 0.05; [HCO(3)(-)]: NaHCO(3): 31.50 ± 2.59, placebo: 25.38 ± 1.78 mEq L(-1), P < 0.05; BE: NaHCO(3): 7.92 ± 2.57, placebo: 1.08 ± 2.11 mEq L(-1), P < 0.05). NaHCO(3) administration resulted in significantly more total repetitions than placebo (NaHCO(3): 139.8 ± 13.2, placebo: 134.4 ± 13.5), as well as significantly greater blood [Lac(-)] after the exercise protocol (NaHCO(3): 17.92 ± 2.08, placebo: 15.55 ± 2.50 mM, P < 0.05). These findings demonstrate ergogenic efficacy for NaHCO(3) during HRE and warrant further investigation into chronic training applications.
Melatonin rhythms: Trekking toward the heart of darkness in the chick pineal

Abstract Chick pineal cells make melatonin rhythmically, even in culture. Light pulses have two effects on these cells: acute suppression of melatonin synthesis and phase shifts (entrainment) of the underlying pacemaker. The two effects use different mechanistic pathways: the first goes through cAMP, and the second goes through the clock. Both converge on serotonin N-acetyltransferase, whose gene has recently been cloned, with cAMP acting on mRNA levels, but primarily on, enzyme activity, and the clock acting primarily on mRNA levels. Aspects of calcium regulation, not yet well-understood, may impinge on both pathways. These cells also have a novel calcium channel and a novel photopigment.
The effects of asymptomatic attacks on the spread of infectious disease: A deterministic model†

A deterministic model for a multi-agent disease epidemic with asymptomatic attacks is proposed and investigated. The limitations inherent in the assumptions of the model are discussed in connection with specific agents of disease. The mathematical treatment of the model is separated into analyses of the equilibrium situation and the transient behavior of the disease outbreak. Explicit formulas are derived for the number of susceptibles in the population as well as for the numbers of each type of infective—those with and without symptoms. These theoretical results are followed by a discussion of the practical considerations which must be taken into account to obtain useful information from the model.
Dismantling Anger Control Training for Children: A Randomized Pilot Study of Social Problem-Solving Versus Social Skills Training Components.

Two components of multimodal anger control training were compared in a randomized study. The first component, social problem-solving training, utilized the techniques of cognitive restructuring, attribution retraining, and solution generation that targeted social-cognitive deficits implicated in anger and aggression. The second component, social skills training, was based on the techniques of modeling, behavioral rehearsal, and corrective feedback that targeted social competencies for resolution of interpersonal conflicts and coping skills for appropriate expression of anger. Twenty-six participants (boys with a mean age of 9.6 years), referred for excessive anger, aggression, and disruptive behavior, completed the treatment. The 2 treatments were similar in significantly reducing aggression, conduct problems, and the frequency of anger expression. Similar rates of improvement were also reported for the relationships with parents and on the measure of competent responses to peer provocation. However, the 2 treatment modalities were specific for the targeted constructs of hostile attribution bias and anger control. Parent ratings indicated that 53% and 57% of treatment completers were either recovered or much improved on the measures of aggression and conduct problems, respectively. Treatment gains were maintained after 3 months in 17 participants who were available for the follow-up evaluation.
Bilayer Packing of Amphiphilic Cationic Fullerenes in Crystalline Salts: Models for Self-Assembled Nanostructures

The structures of three crystalline salts—[C60(N(CH2CH2)2NH)+][Rh(CO)2Cl2−]·2CS2, [C60(CH2NH(CH3)CH2)+][Rh(CO)2Cl2−]·CS2, and [C60(CH2N(CH3)(CH2CH3)CH2)+](I−)·CH3CH2I—have been determined. Each packs in a bilayered arrangement such that the cationic heads of the fullerene units and the corresponding anions form distinct polar regions, whereas the fullerene cage and the solvate molecules (carbon disulfide or ethyl iodide) are located in distinct hydrophobic regions.