cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The development of hierarchical knowledge in robot systems

This dissertation investigates two complementary ideas in the literature on machine learning and robotics—those of embodiment and intrinsic motivation—to address a unified framework for skill learning and knowledge acquisition. "Embodied" systems make use of structure derived directly from sensory and motor configurations for learning behavior. Intrinsically motivated systems learn by searching for native, hedonic value through interaction with the world. Psychological theories of intrinsic motivation suggest that there exist internal drives favoring open-ended cognitive development and exploration. I argue that intrinsically motivated, embodied systems can learn generalizable skills, acquire control knowledge, and form an epistemological understanding of the world in terms of behavioral affordances. I propose that the development of behavior results from the assembly of an agent's sensory and motor resources into state and action spaces that can be explored autonomously. I introduce an intrinsic reward function that can lead to the open-ended learning of hierarchical behavior. This behavior is factored into declarative "recipes" for patterned activity and common sense procedural strategies for implementing them in a variety of run-time contexts. These skills form a categorical basis for the robot to interpret and model its world in terms of the behavior it affords. Experiments conducted on a bimanual robot illustrate a progression of cumulative manipulation behavior addressing manual and visual skills. Such accumulation of skill over the long-term by a single robot is a novel contribution that has yet to be demonstrated in the literature.
Long-Term HIV/AIDS Survivors: Coping Strategies and Challenges

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a clearer understanding of the challenges and needs of long-term HIV/AIDS survivors living in rural and semirural areas, as well as to explore what factors and resources may be related to more effective coping. Eleven long-term HIV/AIDS survivors were invited to participate in this research through an AIDS service organization working in rural/semirural California towns. Each participant was interviewed using structured questions. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Spirituality, having a sense of control, and social support were associated with more positive perceptions. Perceiving life as “better” or “worse” seemed unrelated to prediagnostic functioning for the majority of the participants. Coping seemed to have more to do with individual reactions than to actual life circumstances, health, or financial status. Interestingly, some of the most ill with the most limited incomes expressed the most optimistic perceptions of their ...
Change in body composition during a weight loss trial in obese adolescents.

What is already known about this subject Adolescence is an important period of physiological growth. Loss of central adiposity with preservation of lean mass during weight loss is optimal. There are discrepancies in the literature concerning changes in lean mass during weight loss in adolescents. What this study adds This study provides information of regional and total body composition change in adolescents during weight loss. This study controls for important factors that impact body composition in growing adolescents such as age, sex, height, baseline weight and race. This study provides correlations of changes in waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) with total and trunk fat mass during weight loss in adolescents. Summary Background Changes in body composition during weight loss among obese adolescents are poorly understood. This study characterized the composition of weight loss and its association with changes in waist circumference (WC) in obese adolescents. Methods Total (Tot), trunk (Tr) and appendicular (Ap) fat mass (FM) and lean mass (LM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 61 obese adolescents (40 girls) who participated in a randomized controlled weight loss trial. Changes in body composition were assessed at 0, 6 and 12 months using mixed-effects regression models. Correlation analysis of change in WC and total and regional compartments of FM and LM were assessed. Results Weight loss for adolescents was 90.3% FM and 15.9% LM at 0–6 months, and 98.2% FM and 7% LM at 0–12 months. At 12 months, girls lost 2.67 kg more TotFM than boys in models adjusted for height, age, race and baseline weight. Boys gained LM in all compartments in all models. At 12 months, girls lost TotLM (2.23 ± 0.74, P < 0.004) and ApLM (0.69 ± 0.31, P = 0.03) and gained TrLM (0.37 ± 0.35, P = 0.29). The percentage LM, increased for boys and girls in all models. TotFM was correlated with body mass index (BMI) change with TotFM (R = 0.70–0.91, P = 0.001) and WC change (R = 0.53–0.55, P < 0.001). Conclusions Weight loss in obese adolescents during a weight loss trial using lifestyle management and sibutramine was primarily from trunk FM. Although absolute LM increased in boys and decreased in girls, the percentage of weight that is LM increased for both boys and girls. Changes in BMI were more reflective of changes in FM than changes in WC.
Visualizing spatiotemporal trajectories of mobile social media users using space–time cube

The implementation of social network applications on mobile platforms has significantly elevated the activity of mobile social networking. Mobile social networking offers a channel for recording an...
Multiple scattering and scaling in dynamics of polymer solutions

Abstract A new stochastic model for describing polymer dynamics in solutions at finite concentration is presented. When a multiple-scattering formalism is incorporated, there emerge the coupled equations which areisomorphic to the Freed-Edwards theory. Various scaling properties are shown to be contained therein.
Further in vitro steroid metabolic studies of testicular 17β-reduction deficiency

Abstract The conversion of androstenedione (A) to testosterone (T) by homogenates of testes from a male pseudohermaphrodite with a testicular 17β-reduction deficiency (17RD) was examined in relation to time while using individual cofactors, NADH or NADPH. Little T was produced when NADPH was added, whereas NADH effected a significant increase in T formation, in contrast to testes from a control which reduced A to T nearly maximally with NADPH but formed very little T with NADH. The conversion of A to T by the 17RD testes was then studied using varying concentrations of NADH and of NADPH. Similar studies were carried out for the conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) to 5-androstene-3β,17β-diol (A-DIOL), estrone (E 1 to estradiol (E 2 ), as well as for the reverse reactions including T to A. The results indicate that in the control testes, NADPH was the preferred cofactor for 17β-reduction of A and E 1 , but NADH effected a greater conversion of DHA to A-DIOL. In the 17RD testes, however, there was a sizable reduction of A and DHA only in the presence of NADH. In the reverse reactions in the control testes, NAD + was the preferred cofactor for the oxidation of T to A, whereas NADP + rather than NAD + effected a greater conversion of E 2 and A-DIOL to E 1 and DHA, respectively. In contrast, the 17RD testes oxidized T, E 2 and A-DIOL primarily in the presence of NAD + . The above findings are consistent with the assumption that the reduction defect may be due to decreased affinity of a single 17β-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase (17β-HSOR) or that two or more substrate and/or cofactor specific 17β-HSORs are present in normal testes and that the one requiring NADPH is deficient or has decreased substrate and/or cofactor affinity in the 17RD testes.
Ablation of the Blood-Testis Barrier in Rats and Guinea Pigs by 48/80, a Histamine Releaser, and Cadmium Chloride

When adult male guinea pigs were injected unilaterally intratesticularly with compound 48/80 (1 mg in 0.05 ml saline), their testicular peritubular capillaries were engorged with blood, intratubular edema was present on the ipsilateral side, and the blood-testicular (BT) barrier (measured by the entrance of acriflavin into the seminiferous tubule) was ablated. The contralateral testis, when injected with saline, showed no pathological changes nor a breakdown of the BT barrier. Subcutaneous injection of guinea pigs with cadmium chloride resulted in a more intense intratubular fluorescence than was observed for 48/80-treated animals. The H1 and H2 receptor blockers (diphenhydramine and cimetidine, respectively) reduced the intensity of capillary engorgement and edema. Intraperitoneal injections of 48/80 (0.5 mg) was lethal to rats, and both diphenhydramine and cimetidine induced survival even with as much as 1 mg of 48/80. Intratubular fluorescence was less severe than that observed for similarly treated guinea pigs or from cadmium chloride-treated rat testes. Neither treatment (48/80 or cadmium chloride) altered the blood-epididymal barrier of either guinea pigs or rats. Species differences were observed in the lethal effects of exogenously administered histamine.
Self-perceived competence and prospective changes in symptoms of depression and social anxiety

The primary aim of the current study was to replicate and extend previous findings by examining the relation of self-perceived competence with symptoms of depression and social anxiety in older adolescents. Focusing first on cross-sectional relations, we found that older adolescents' depressive symptoms were similarly related to levels of perceived scholastic competence and social acceptance, whereas social anxiety was significantly more strongly related to perceived social acceptance. Next, examining symptom changes over a six-month follow-up, we found that perceived social acceptance and scholastic competence both independently predicted prospective changes in adolescents' depressive symptoms, whereas perceived social acceptance, but not scholastic competence, predicted prospective changes in social anxiety. Although we also examined vulnerability-stress models of symptom change with negative academic and social events, none of these analyses was significant.
Shell-model calculations of fission decay widths and probabilities in superheavy nuclei

Abstract The stability of excited superheavy nuclei with respect to fission is studied on the basis of realistic shell models and of the BCS Hamiltonian. A statistical approach is used to calculate the deformation probabilities of excited nuclei as well as the fission and neutron decay widths. The results of the calculations show a rapid washing out with energy of the shell effects responsible for the high fission barriers predicted in the superheavy region. The first chance fission probabilities are calculated for nuclei in the region between Z = 108 and Z = 126. Two single-particle models proposed by Nilsson and by Bolsterli et al. have been used in the calculations. The results are discussed in terms of the possible production of superheavy elements by means of standard nuclear reactions.
Temperature Variation Characterization and Thermal Management of Multicore Architectures

Increased variability affects the efficiency of dynamic power and thermal management. Existing on-chip sensor infrastructure can be used to improve the inherent thermal imbalances among cores in a multicore architecture. Experimental analysis based on live measurements on a special test chip shows reduced on-chip heating with no performance loss.
Impact of operative intervention delay on pediatric trauma outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Establishing quality indicators is an essential step in improving mortality and disability among pediatric patients with trauma. We hypothesized that timing of craniotomy, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring for traumatic brain injury, and abdominal operation for solid organ injury correlates with a reduced risk of death, shorter stay, and reduced risk of requiring assistance at discharge. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 99,513 pediatric patients with trauma, using the National Trauma Data Bank. RESULTS: For patients who had an ICP monitor placed within 4 hours compared with those whose ICP monitor was delayed, there was no difference in mortality; however, there was a shorter stay in the hospital (relative risk [RR], 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.72-0.97) and in the intensive care unit (ICU) (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.86) in those that survived to discharge. Patients who had craniotomy within 4 hours had higher mortality (RR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.11-3.51) compared with those that were delayed. After excluding those that died, there was a shorter overall stay (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.59-0.81) and ICU stay (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.57-0.83). Similar length of stay results were seen in pediatric patients with solid organ injuries. Excluding those that died, length of stay (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.47-0.73) and ICU stay (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.37-0.74) were shorter. CONCLUSION: Early intervention in those who survive their initial operation is associated with shorter ICU and hospital stay for traumatic brain and solid organ injuries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, level III. Language: en
Computer hardware performance: production and cost function analyses

Based on microeconomics, computer hardware performance is analyzed using two methods. For the cost function analysis, both purchase and lease prices are used. The results show no economies of scale for the mainframes and superminis during the 1981-1985 period.
Working with reactant patients: are we prescribing nonadherence?

Objective: In spite of high levels of antidepressant nonadherence frequently observed among depressed samples, relatively little research has investigated psychosocial predictors of adherence. Fostering greater collaboration in depression treatment to increase adherence has been advocated, but this strategy has not been adequately studied. The aim of this study was to examine the interaction of provider collaboration and patient reactance in the prediction of antidepressant adherence during the acute treatment phase. Method: Fifty outpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder beginning antidepressant treatment within psychiatry clinics of the VA San Diego Healthcare System comprised the study sample. Patients were administered questionnaires following their medication evaluations to measure predictor variables. Antidepressant adherence was assessed via brief telephone interviews 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks after treatment initiation. The roles of provider collaboration, patient reactance, and their interaction in adherence were examined using multiple regression analyses. Results: The interaction between provider collaboration and patient reactance accounted for 18.3% of the variance in 3-week adherence (P<.01). Among more reactant patients, greater levels of collaboration predicted better adherence, whereas among patients lower in reactance less collaboration predicted better adherence. No relationships were observed beyond the initial 3 weeks of treatment. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that interpersonal process variables are important in influencing antidepressant adherence and challenges the advocacy of more collaboration in antidepressant treatment as a “blanket strategy.” Establishing a more collaborative set with reactant patients may ensure greater early treatment adherence, a critical period during which antidepressants have typically not yet taken effect. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Electrorheological adaptive structures with embedded sensing and control

Interferometric fiberoptic sensor (FOS) is immune from electromagnetic influence and provides a useful tool for vibration monitoring. In this paper, some problems associated with the vibration sensing for structures are analyzed. A phase drift model was developed and used to investigate the experimental phenomena occurring at the test. This simpler method was utilized to detect the exciting frequency without complicated signal demodulation. The obtained FOS was used to control the vibration of the structure subjected to a random external excitation.
An extended view of nuclear lamin structure, function, and dynamics

Molecularly-based studies of nuclear lamins have progressed at a rapid rate in the last decade. However, we still have no answer to the most important question: what are the functions of lamins? In this review we describe recent experiments which challenge traditional views of lamin function and structure. These surprising results indicate that much lamin functionality remains to be discovered, and that more global approaches to lamin structure and function are especially appropriate at this time.
Comparative effects of diltiazem and hydrochlorothiazide in blacks with systemic hypertension

The blood pressure-lowering effects of a calcium-entry blocker, diltiazem (240 or 360 mg/day), and a thiazide diuretic, hydrochlorothiazide (50 or 100 mg/day), were studied in 20 black hypertensive patients. Supine blood pressure decreases of -34/-18 mm Hg for diltiazem and -29/-21 mm Hg for hydrochlorothiazide were noted after 14 weeks of therapy. Differences between drugs were not significant. Blood pressures were normalized in all 4 of the monotherapy nonresponders when the 2 drugs were combined. Significant adverse effects were not noted. These data suggest that diltiazem is an effective antihypertensive agent in black patients. As monotherapy, its blood pressure-lowering effect is equivalent to hydrochlorothiazide.
Connecting Polyakov loops to the thermodynamics of S U ( N c ) gauge theories using the gauge-string duality

We show that in four-dimensional gauge theories dual to five-dimensional Einstein gravity coupled to a single scalar field in the bulk, the derivative of the single heavy quark free energy in the deconfined phase is $d{F}_{Q}(T)/dT\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{-}1/{c}_{s}^{2}(T)$, where ${c}_{s}(T)$ is the speed of sound. This general result provides a direct link between the softest point in the equation of state of strongly-coupled plasmas and the deconfinement phase transition described by the expectation value of the Polyakov loop. We give an explicit example of a gravity dual with black hole solutions that can reproduce the lattice results for the expectation value of the Polyakov loop and the thermodynamics of $SU(3)$ Yang-Mills theory in the (nonperturbative) temperature range between ${T}_{c}$ and $3{T}_{c}$.
Theory of spin magnetohydrodynamics

We develop a phenomenological hydrodynamic theory of coherent magnetic precession coupled to electric currents. Exchange interaction between electron spin and collective magnetic texture produces two reciprocal effects: spin-transfer torque on the magnetic order parameter and the Berry-phase gauge field experienced by the itinerant electrons. The dissipative processes are governed by three coefficients: the ohmic resistance, Gilbert damping of the magnetization, and the ``$\ensuremath{\beta}$ coefficient'' describing viscous coupling between magnetic dynamics and electric current, which stems from spin mistracking of the magnetic order. We develop general magnetohydrodynamic equations and discuss the net dissipation produced by the coupled dynamics. The latter in particular allows us to determine a lower bound on the magnetic-texture resistivity.
Could the quark electroweak and mass eigenstates coincide

Abstract We conjecture that in the absence of new mixing effects at the weak scale the standard quark mass eigenstates and the quark weak eigenstates would coincide, and that for all three families a simple hierarchy would apply, with muo > mdo. We further assume that the observed mass inequality md>mu arises from mixing of d with a heavier quark D. This approach leads to a CKM matrix that is automatically expressed in terms of mass ratios and different from other ones that have been studied; it is consistent with experimental constraints. In addition to requiring the existence of D with a mass on the electroweak scale, in general an unambiguous prediction is that |Vtd| = |Vub|, which is soon testable. The approach can be implemented in E6-based models.
Inherent and stress-induced leakage in heavily doped silicon junctions

Inherent leakage currents and leakage induced with reverse-bias stress are investigated in heavily doped emitter-base junctions of polysilicon self-aligned bipolar transistors and similar diodes. Inherent in the devices is a reverse leakage component found to have a perimeter trap-assisted tunneling component characteristic of the Si-SiO/sub 2/ surface and evident at doping insufficient for significant band-to-band tunneling. The band-to-band phonon-assisted tunneling and avalanche leakage components are also identified. Introducing surface states through reverse-bias stress induces a Pool-Frenkel electric field enhanced generation/recombination surface leakage component. The induced and trap-assisted tunneling components are distinct. The induced component is found to saturate as available states, dependent on the peak electric field, are exhausted. Trapped charge accumulation after extensive stressing affects the electric field along the surface reducing the induced and trap-assisted tunneling leakage components. >
Cascade Blue as a Donor for Resonance Energy Transfer Studies of Heme-Containing Proteins

Abstract Cascade Blue acetyl azide is an amine reactive compound with spectral properties ideally suited for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) studies in which heme prosthetic groups serve as acceptors. To demonstrate utility of the Cascade Blue–heme spectroscopic ruler, cytochrome c was employed as a test case to calibrate distance measurements obtained from FRET analysis. Following modification, stoichiometrically labeled cytochrome c was digested with trypsin and derivatized fragments were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to identify Lys25 as the predominant site of covalent modification. FRET analysis on derivatized protein demonstrated nearly complete quenching of Cascade Blue fluorescence, indicating the labeled lysine residue to reside within 30 A of the heme prosthetic group. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) denaturation resulted in an approximately 28% recovery of fluorescence, demonstrating the utility of this donor–acceptor pair for evaluating distance changes of ∼30–90 A. Modeling the Cascade Blue donor molecule onto Lys25 of a cytochrome c NMR structure confirmed a distance of ≤30 A from the heme acceptor, as determined by FRET analysis. Further modeling of the SDS-denatured state as an extended chain suggested a maximum separation distance of ∼45 A, also consistent with results derived from FRET analysis.
SU-GG-T-288: Modeling the Increased Scatter From Tertiary Collimators

Purpose: The tertiary multileaf collimators in certain linear accelerators add to the amount of scatter produced. This scatter is often ignored at the time of commissioning and beam data collection, i.e. the collimator and phantom scatter factors are measured with the MLCs retracted. This increased scatter contributes to skindose and affects the accuracy of the dosimeter readings when placed on the skin. For majority of conventional radiotherapy portals, the jaws are set to conform to MLCs as closely as possible. In the case of IMRT treatments, the jaw is often set at a fixed size, and the MLCs form the segments, or control points, of each beam. Thus the difference between MLC and jaw settings may be significant. Method and Materials: We have quantified the magnitude of this scatter for various field sizes defined by MLCs and jaws and have characterized the variation of this scatter with MLC and jaw settings. We have measured collimator scatter factors in air for MLC‐defined square fields of different sizes (2 cm2 and up to the jaw size) for jaw settings of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 36 cm2. Results: Our data indicates that the larger the difference between MLC and jaw settings, the greater the difference between the scatter factors and, as the size of the MLC setting approaches that of the jaw, the scatter values converge into a single value at the point of equal MLC/jaw setting. We have also fitted curves to the MLC scatter for any given jaw setting, which can be used for estimation of the increased dose as a function of jaw and MLC sizes. Conclusion: The quantification of increased scatter due to MLCs can potentially be used to get more accurate skindose estimates in treatment planning and to correct diode readings for IMRT treatments.
Involvement of beta 7 integrin and mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) in the development of diabetes in obese diabetic mice.

Nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice develop autoimmune-mediated lymphocytic inflammation of pancreatic islets (insulitis) that leads to β-cell destruction and development of diabetes. Inflamed islets show expression of lymphocyte α 4 β 7 integrin and endothelial mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1), adhesion molecules involved in tissue-selective migration of lymphocytes to mucosal lymphoid tissues. To elucidate the roles of the mucosal lymphocyte/endothelial adhesion system in the development of diabetes, we treated NOD mice with monoclonal antibody against β 7 integrin or MAdCAM-1. Treatment of mice from age 7 to 28 days or 8 to 12 weeks with either antibody led to significant and long-standing protection against the spontaneous development of diabetes and insulitis. In contrast, neither treatment prevented the development of salivary gland inflammation (sialadenitis), indicating that the effect was tissue-selective. Monoclonal antibody treatment had no demonstrable effect on numbers or phenotypes of peripheral lymphocytes or on the immune response to pancreatic islet or exogenous antigens. These data indicate that lymphocyte and endothelial adhesion molecules involved in the migration of lymphocytes into mucosal lymphoid tissues play a role in the development of diabetes in NOD mice. Moreover, the results suggest that treatment of humans with antibodies against tissue-selective lymphocyte or endothelial adhesion molecules may selectively inhibit the development of autoimmune diseases such as diabetes.
Ru-TsDPEN with Formic Acid/Hünig’s Base for Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation, a Practical Synthesis of Optically Enriched N-Propyl Pantolactam

The Noyori−Ikariya catalysts, Ru-TsDPEN 1 or 2, in combination with HCOOH/Hunig’s base (5:2) have been successfully utilized for catalytic asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of α-ketopantolactam, and optically enriched N-substituted pantolactam was prepared (S/C = 500, up to 95% ee and 99% conversion in HCOOH/Hunig’s base condition). More than 2 kg of this key intermediate 9 has been synthesized efficiently with excellent chemical yield and chiral purity.
An Integrated Nano-Structured Heat Spreader for High Heat Flux Electronic Systems

With the increase in power densities and decrease in chip and electronic package dimensions, their thermal management is a challenge and is a focus of several ongoing research efforts. To achieve the desired thermal management for optimal device operation, heat generated by the chip has to be effectively transferred to the ambient via several structures of the electronic package. Hence the need for development of high thermal conductivity structures is of prime importance. Heat spreaders quickly spread the heat generated by the chips over a larger area from where it is conducted to the ambient via heat sink. Heat-spreading research from a materials view point involves direct combination of high thermal conductivity materials within the microprocessor substrate. In this paper, a novel nano heat spreader design is proposed. Highly conductive graphene layer is integrated on a silicon carbide substrate on one side and thin films of carbon nano tubes as thermal interface material on the other side. Analytical solutions and case studies are presented to show that the proposed approach for the heat spreader design can yield very high effective thermal conductivity while remaining mechanically flexible, as required for reducing thermal stresses.© 2010 ASME
Thoracic CT Scanning in Critically III Patients: Information Obtained Frequently Alters Management

Conventional radiographic studies of the chest in the intensive care unit often fail to positively identify suspected intrathoracic pathology due to many patient- and equipment-related variables. Our experience has indicated that CT scanning of the chest improves diagnostic accuracy, precisely defines anatomic abnormalities, frequently affects treatment decisions, and has been performed safely in this fragile patient population. Examples of correctable lesions have included pneumothorax, empyema, lung abscess, mediastinal abscess and pleural effusion. Chest CT findings always occurred while the portable plane chest radiographs were nondiagnostic. CT-directed intervention often improved patient outcome.
Buprenorphine implants and opioid dependence.

To the Editor: Dr Ling and colleagues provided evidence of the effectiveness of buprenorphine implants for the treatment of opioid dependence. However, as Dr O’Connor pointed out in his accompanying Editorial, there are barriers to this approach, and it remains to be seen whether this is more effective than the current practice of prescribing sublingual buprenorphine in an office-based setting. In their discussion, the study authors made a case for the superiority of implants over the current approach by selectively comparing their 6-month treatment retention of 65.7% with 3 other studies with rates ranging from 33% to 38%. However, none of these studies assessed office-based treatment. One (reference 21 in the article) provided a modest maximum dose of 8 mg per day of buprenorphine; another (reference 22) was a 16-week trial followed by a 10-week taper-off treatment; and the third (reference 20) was a study of a stepped-care approach that reported a 6-month treatment retention of 77%, but approximately half of those assigned to buprenorphine switched to methadone maintenance. In contrast, there are published studies of office-based sublingual buprenorphine treatment that report much better treatment retention rates. In the open-label phase of the landmark study by Fudala et al, 55% of the participants received at least 6 months of treatment. In an analysis of officebased buprenorphine treatment at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 57% of patients remained in treatment at 12 months.
Bioinspired antifouling polymers

Controlling biointerfacial phenomena is crucial to the success of many biomedical technologies. For applications in biosensing, diagnostics, and medical devices, precise control of interactions between material surfaces and the biological milieu is an important but elusive goal 1 . Emerging strategies for manipulating the biological response to medical materials seek to take advantage of specific interactions between designed surfaces, biomolecules, and cells 2 . Limiting nonspecific interaction of cells, proteins, and microorganisms with material surfaces is critical, since these interactions can prove highly problematic for device efficacy and safety. Thus, a central research focus continues to be the development of versatile, convenient, and cost-effective strategies for rendering surfaces resistant to fouling by proteins, cells, and bacteria.
Comparative Physiological Responses of Dairy Calves Fed Rations Having Different Levels of Milk Proteins

Summary 1. The responses of two major groups of milk-fed calves, one receiving a ration of normal nutritive ratio and the other of narrow nutritive ratio, were compared. 2. All calves regardless of supplements possessed a depraved and erratic appetite. 3. The consumption of abnormally large amounts of casein by calves did not adversely affect growth or general appearance, but induced lethargy and occasionally digestive disturbances. 4. The most pronounced difference observed in the blood constituents of the two groups was in the plasma nitrogen, which was high in the calves receiving the protein-supplemented ration and comparatively low in the sugar-supplemented. 5. The results do not substantiate the postulate that milk proteins constitute the principal etiological factor in the disturbance of the mineral metabolism of milk-fed calves.
Preclinical evaluation of a gene therapy treatment for transitional cell carcinoma

Three drugs were compared for their efficacy in treating murine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. Intravesical gene therapy treatments utilizing expression-targeted plasmids, where the murine cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) promoter was used to drive the expression of exogenously inducible forms of caspases 3 and 9, were compared with treatment modalities employing Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and celecoxib. When administered via lavage, only the gene therapy regimen was found to be effective at restricting tumor progression following a 7-day incubation of tumor tissues. Celecoxib was also administered via the diet to allow for systemic delivery of the drug. The most efficacious celecoxib use tested yielded tumors with masses of (18.3±8.4 mg) versus the gene delivery method, which yielded tumors with masses of (3.6±7.7 mg). The difference was significant (t-test, n≥4, P<0.025). The results showed that the Cox-2 expression-targeted gene therapy system could efficiently bypass the bladder permeability barrier and more effectively inhibit tumor growth and development than either BCG or celecoxib treatments. Long-term data further demonstrated that the gene therapy system could effectively inhibit tumor growth and elongate life expectancy.
Endoscopic Approach to Traumatic Visual Loss.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To review our experience with the use of endoscopic optic nerve decompression in traumatic blindness. METHOD: We did a retrospective analysis of patients with traumatic blindness that underwent endoscopic decompression of the optic canal to determine postoperative visual acuity and correlate it to preoperative visual loss and intraoperative findings. The setting was a Level I university trauma center. We identified 8 patients treated with both surgery and steroids over a 10-month period beginning in 1993 (Seven males, one female). RESULTS: Four of six patients with total blindness (no light perception) had improvements in visual acuity. In three patients, visual acuity returned to preinjury levels. One patients with total blindness was operated on 6 weeks after injury and had a visual acuity of 20/800 at 1-year follow-up. Two patients with hand motion preoperatively had improvement in visual acuity. In one patient, vision returned to normal (20/20), and in the other it improved to 20/200). Five patients were operated on after megadose steroid treatment for at least 48 hours failed; four of five noted dramatic improvements in visual acuity. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic approach may be used to successfully decompress the optic nerve in traumatic blindness. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1997;116:652-5.)
ACTH enhances chondrogenesis in multipotential progenitor cells and matrix production in chondrocytes

The association of melanocortin peptide overproduction with enhanced linear growth prompted the current investigation of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) effects on multipotential chondroprogenitor populations and committed chondrocytes in culture. Two multipotential progenitor populations, rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and the clonal multipotential cell line RCJ3.1, and two committed chondrocyte populations, resting chondrocytes (RC) isolated from the rib of young rats and the chondrocyte restricted cell line RCJ3.1C5.18 (C5.18), were cultured in differentiation medium plus or minus ACTH. Alcian blue stain was used to quantitate proteoglycan matrix production in all populations treated with a range of ACTH concentrations. Changes in proliferation due to ACTH treatment of all cell types were measured using 3H-thymidine incorporation. Differences in matrix production of ACTH-treated and -untreated RC and C5.18 cells were determined using 3H-proline incorporation. Relative transcript expression of the chondrocyte matrix proteins collagen type II (COLL II) and aggrecan (AGR) in treated and untreated cells was analyzed by Northern blot. Collagen type X (COLL X), a marker of hypertrophic differentiation, was measured in committed chondrocytic populations. Western analysis was used to detect the melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3-R), which was a suspected mediator of the ACTH signal. Matrix deposition was dose-dependently increased by ACTH in all cell populations as measured by alcian blue stain. ACTH treatment increased proliferation in multipotential progenitor populations (BMSC and RCJ3.1) while proliferation was decreased in committed chondrocyte populations (RC and C5.18). Total protein and total cell-associated collagen production were significantly increased by ACTH treatment in committed populations. Relative COLL II and AGR transcript expressions were significantly increased in both the RC- and C5.18-committed population and very significantly increased in the progenitor populations. Additionally, collagen type X expression was detected earlier and in greater abundance in ACTH-treated committed chondrocyte populations. Finally, the melanocortin-3 receptor was detected in all examined cell types by Western blot. These data show that ACTH promotes the development of the chondrocyte phenotype from multipotential mesenchymal progenitor populations and increases matrix production and differentiation of committed chondrocytes. These findings, together with the detection of the MC3-R in all of these cell types, indicate a role for the melanocortin system in chondrogenesis.
Static checking of interrupt-driven software

Resource-constrained devices are becoming ubiquitous. Examples include cell phones, Palm Pilots and digital thermostats. It can be difficult to fit the required functionality into such a device without sacrificing the simplicity and clarity of the software. Increasingly complex embedded systems require extensive brute-force testing, making development and maintenance costly. This is particularly true for system components that are written in assembly language. Static checking has the potential of alleviating these problems, but until now there has been little tool support for programming at the assembly level. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a static checker for interrupt-driven Z86-based software with hard real-time requirements. For six commercial microcontrollers, our checker has produced upper bounds on interrupt latencies and stack sizes, as well as verified fundamental safety and liveness properties. Our approach is based on a known algorithm for the model checking of pushdown systems and produces a control-flow graph annotated with information about time, space, safety and liveness. Each benchmark is approximately 1000 lines of code, and the checking is done in a few seconds on a standard PC. Our tool is one of the first to give an efficient and useful static analysis of assembly code. It enables increased confidence in code correctness, significantly reduced testing requirements and support for maintenance throughout the system life-cycle.
Expression of Anger by Samoan Adults

A modified version of Spielberger's 1988 Anger Expression Inventory including four Samoan culture-specific anger terms was administered to 593 adult American and Western Samoans, 25 to 55 years, to assess intrasample age, sex, and location differences and to examine its cross-cultural utility by an exploratory factor analysis. American Samoans men's and women's scores showed greater difficulty controlling anger than Western Samoan men and women, American Samoan males scored higher on Anger-Out and Samoan anger expression than Western Samoan men, and Western Samoan women scored higher on Anger-Out and higher on Samoan anger expression than Western Samoan men. Factor analysis showed that Spielberger's original factor structure was replicated in all subpopulations except American Samoan women. Control of anger, a Samoan cultural core value, appears to be more difficult in modern American Samoans of both sexes compared with the more traditional Western Samoans. Among American Samoan women, we speculate that r...
A Profile of US-Mexico Border Mobility Among a Stratified Random Sample of Hispanics Living in the El Paso-Juarez Area

Examination of border-specific characteristics such as trans-border mobility and transborder health service illuminates the heterogeneity of border Hispanics and may provide greater insight toward understanding differential health behaviors and status among these populations. In this study, we create a descriptive profile of the concept of trans-border mobility by exploring the relationship between mobility status and a series of demographic, economic and socio-cultural characteristics among mobile and non-mobile Hispanics living in the El Paso-Juarez border region. Using a two-stage stratified random sampling design, bilingual interviewers collected survey data from border residents (n = 1,002). Findings show that significant economic, cultural, and behavioral differences exist between mobile and non-mobile respondents. While non-mobile respondents were found to have higher social economic status than their mobile counterparts, mobility across the border was found to offer less acculturated and poorer Hispanics access to alternative sources of health care and other services.
N,N-Didansyl-4,13-diaza-18-Crown-6: A Fluorescence-sensitive, Weakly Complexing Macrocycle Used to Probe the Phospholipid Vesicle Environment

N, N-Didansyl-4, 13-diaza-18-crownh-a6s been prepared and characterized by standard chemical techniques. The fluorescence emission of the dansyl sidearms are sensitive to the environment and the macrocycle has been used to probe the interior of a phospholipid bilayer. An experiment to probe the environment experienced by metal cation complexes of this macrocycle failed, apparently due to its extremely low cation binding strength. This macrocycle was also ineffective in transporting Na+ through a bulk CHC13 membrane. A solid state structure of the free macrocycle suggests why binding is so poor for this compound.
The Processual Characteristics of Self-Conception

One of the major gaps in research in TST measured self-conception is data relevant to the assumption that self-conception is a stable structure of meanings attached to self. This paper indicates the inconsistency between current theoretical and empirical orientations in the area of self-conception and outlines three basic models of the processual characteristics of self-conception found in the literature. Using a ten wave panel design in which self-conception is measured repeatedly throughout the subjects' daily interactional routines, specific hypotheses derived from the models are tested. Results suggest which model is most appropriate for the description of the processual characteristics of various aspects of self-conception and the possible errors involved in the continued use of current self-conception research designs.
Performance of the Adaptive Collision Source (ACS) Method for Discrete Ordinates in Parallel Environments

A new collision source method has been developed to solve the Linear Boltzmann Equation (LBE) more efficiently by adaptation of the angular quadrature order. The angular adaptation method is unique in that the flux from each scattering source iteration is obtained separately, with potentially a different quadrature order. This allows for an optimal use of processing power, by using a high order quadrature for the first few iterations that need it, before shifting to lower order quadratures for the remaining iterations. This is essentially an extension of the first collision source method, and we call it the adaptive collision source method (ACS). The ACS methodolog y has been implemented in the TITAN discrete ordinates code, and has shown a speedup of 2-3 on a test problem, with very little loss of accuracy (within a provided adaptive tolerance). Further, the code has been extended to work in parallel environments by angular decomposition. Although the method requires increased parallel communication, tests have shown excellent scalability, with parallel fractions of up to 99%.
Children with pulmonary arterial hypertension and prostanoid therapy: Long-term hemodynamics

Background Pediatric patients with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are treated with intravenous epoprostenol or intravenous or subcutaneous treprostinil. Little is known about longitudinal hemodynamics and outcomes of epoprostenol, treprostinil, and transitions from epoprostenol to treprostinil. Methods This was retrospective study of 77 pediatric patients (47 idiopathic PAH, 24 congenital heart disease-PAH) receiving epoprostenol or treprostinil from 1992 to 2010 at 2 centers. Outcomes were defined as living vs dead/transplant. Results Mean age at baseline was 7.7 ± 5.2 years, with follow-up of 4.3 ± 3.4 years. Thirty-seven patients were treated with epoprostenol, 20 with treprostinil, and 20 were transitioned from epoprostenol to treprostinil. Mean pulmonary-to-systemic vascular resistance ratio (Rp/Rs) for epoprostenol was 1.0 ± 0.4, 0.8 ± 0.4, 0.8 ± 0.4, 1.0 ± 0.4, and 1.2 ± 0.4, respectively, at baseline, 1, 2, 3, and 4 years. For treprostinil, Rp/Rs was 0.9 ± 0.3, 0.7 ± 0.3, 0.5 ± 0.2, ( p n = 7). Changes not statistically significant unless noted. Eight patients died or received a transplant within 2 years of baseline; compared with the rest of the cohort, mean baseline Rp/Rs, right atrial pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance index were significantly worse in this group. Thirty-nine patients remain on prostanoids, 17 are off, 16 died, and 5 received heart-lung transplant. Kaplan-Meier 5-year transplant-free survival was 70% (95% confidence interval, 56%-80%). Conclusion There was improvement in Rp/Rs on both therapies at 1 to 2 years that was not sustained. The 5-year transplant-free survival was better than in similar adult studies.
Tryptophan requirement of the commercial hen

Abstract An experiment was conducted to determine the Trp requirement of the commercial laying hen. A corn-soybean meal diet was used that contained gelatin, which is low in Trp. Tryptophan was the first-limiting amino acid in this diet. Methionine, Lys, Arg, Thr, Val, and Ile were added to ensure that they were not deficient. Experimental diets containing 0.0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, and 0.12% Trp were fed, and a corn-soybean meal diet served as the positive control. Egg production (EP), egg mass (EM), and egg content (EC) were significantly increased by the addition of supplemental Trp. Broken-line regression indicated that the Trp requirement for EP and EC for this experiment was 136.0 (R2 = 0.81) and 136.5 (R2 = 0.82) mg per hen per d, respectively. These hens produced 43.5 g of EC, resulting in a Trp requirement of 3.14 mg/g of EC. Therefore, assuming an output of 50 g of EC, we suggest 157 mg per hen per d as the requirement for maximum production of EC.