cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal control policies for the prescription of thyroid hormones

Abstract An optimal-control-system approach is employed to determine temporal patterns of oral replacement dosages of thyroid hormones for treatment of primary hypothyroid patients. Two different criteria for therapeutic optimality are chosen, each having the purpose of restoring in a fixed time period the plasma thyroxine ( T 4 ) and triiodothyronine ( T 3 ) levels to within a few percent of normal values. First, the plasma T 3 and T 4 levels are required to follow sigmoid-shaped curves up to normal values, which have the desirable property of minimizing the rates of change of hormone levels during early therapy. Second, both plasma T 3 and T 4 levels are restored to normalas quickly as possible. For each criterion, the clinical problem is translated into an equivalent optimal-control problem, utilizing a dynamic system model of thyroid hormone metabolism in the human. The optimum T 3 and T 4 absorption rates are computed numerically for a one-month and a 10-day replacement period, and the optimal daily dosages for T 3 and T 4 combination therapy are then determined by integrating the respective optimal absorption rates. Both case studies also are formulated and solved for replacement therapy with T 4 alone. The T 4 maintenance dosage determined is about 240 μg/day, while the corresponding dosages for combination therapy are 6 μg T 3 and 200 μg T 4 . The optimal T 3 : T 4 maintenance ratio is 1:35, about 9 times smaller than the federally (FDA) approved 1:4 ratio. During the transient replacement period, this ratio varies from 1:30 to 1:50. A set of suboptimal dosage regimens for both T 4 alone therapy and T 3 + T 4 combination therapy are computed and compared in practicality.
Endoperoxide Synthesis by Photocatalytic Aerobic [2 + 2 + 2] Cycloadditions

Structurally novel endoperoxides can be sythesized by the photocatalytic cyclotrimerization of bis(styrene) substrates with molecular oxygen. The optimal catalyst for this process is Ru(bpz)32+, which is a markedly more efficient catalyst for these photooxygention reactions than conventional organic photosensitizers. The 1,2-dioxolane products are amenable to synthetic manipulation and can be easily processed to 1,4-diols and γ-hydroxyketones. An initial screen of the biological activity of these compounds reveals promising inhibition of cancer cell growth.
Constituents of Cannabis sativa L. XVIII—Electron voltage selected ion monitoring study of cannabinoids

Cannabis sativa L. contains more than 420 different constituents. Sixty-one of these constituents are cannabinoids. The electron voltage selected ion monitoring technique was used in the study of this unique group of natural compounds. Mass spectra of each compound were recorded at various e V settings (5.5–21 eV). The electron voltage selected ion recordings were obtained by plotting the relative intensities of characteristic fragment ions against electron voltage. The method was proven useful in the structure analysis of cannabinoids since it requires only minute quantities of sample. It was possible to recognize homologs and to differentiate positional and double bond isomers as well as cannabinoids with the same molecular weight.
Population Growth, Environmental Resources and Global Food

Summary Rapid growth in the world population threatens agricultural and forestry production. Currently, there are 6 billion people on earth, and we add a quarter million more each day. There are more than 3 billion people malnourished in the world at present-the largest number and proportion ever in history. Land, water and biological resources are being degraded at an alarming rate; this degradation has substantial negative impacts on food and forest production.
Growth Inhibition of Ovarian Cancer Cells Induced by Antisense IL-6 Oligonucleotides

In previous work, we saw that interleukin-6 (IL-6), a multifunctional cytokine, is produced by epithelial ovarian cancer cells and that ovarian cancer cells express the IL-6 receptor. Here, we examined the possibility that IL-6 acts as an autocrine growth factor for ovarian cancer cells. Inhibition of IL-6 gene expression by exposure to IL-6 antisense oligonucleotides resulted in greatly decreased cellular proliferation. Exposure of ovarian cancer cell lines (CAOV-3, OVCAR-3, and OC-436), to 1-5 microM of a 15-base single-stranded antisense IL-6 oligodeoxynucleotide, specific for a sequence in the second coding exon of the IL-6 gene, resulted in decreased IL-6 production and a > 80-85% inhibition of cellular proliferation. However, the addition of exogenous IL-6 failed to restore the proliferation of the antisense-treated cells. Antibodies to IL-6 did not consistently inhibit cell growth nor did rIL-6 enhance precursor frequency in a limiting dilution analysis. These results suggest that IL-6 does not directly induce the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells although endogenous IL-6 production is needed for optimal cell growth. As the majority of epithelial ovarian cancers produce IL-6, the direct specific inhibition of IL-6 gene expression is of potential therapeutic value.
In-reactor creep of Zr-2.5 at % Nb

Abstract Tensile specimens of heat treated Zr-2.5 at % Nb rod have been tested under constant creep loads both unirradiated and during neutron irradiation. No significant differences were found in creep rates for temperatures of 350, 375 and 400 °C. The in-reactor creep rates were faster at 300 °C and stresses of 25.6, 31.6, and 38.7 kg/mm2 and at 320 °C and 38.7 kg/mm2 than the corresponding unirradiated control creep rates. The total creep rate during irradiation under these stresses and temperatures can be expressed by the equation: e = eu + ei, where e is the measured in-reactor creep rate, eu is the unirradiated control creep rate, and ei is the increase in creep rate due to neutron irradiation. The values of ei show little if any dependence upon stress or temperature. The activation energy for creep Qc, determined for a stress of 38.7 kg/mm2 is approximately 60 000 cal/ mole. Due to the contribution of ei there is an apparent decrease in the activation energy at the lower strain rates. There is also a decrease in the activation energy of the control data at lower stresses and temperatures which may be due to measurement of faster primary creep rates instead of minimum creep rates, or a different creep process which has a lower activation energy. The mechanism for the increased creep rate during irradiation observed at 300 and 320 °C is tentatively proposed to be due to growth of stress oriented dislocation loops limited by the generation rate of point defects. The possibility of the increased creep rate resulting from a non-conservative dislocation mechanism limited by point defects produced by irradiation is not excluded. The mechanism of the creep represented by an activation energy of approximately 60 000 cal/mole is most likely a diffusion controlled process such as dislocation climb or non-conservative motion of jogs in screw dislocations.
Stimulation-associated redistribution of Na,K-ATPase in rat lacrimal gland.

To test the possibility that stimulation of secretion leads Na,K-ATPase to be recruited from cytoplasmic pools and inserted into basal-lateral plasma membranes, we surveyed the subcellular distributions of Na, K-ATPase in resting and stimulated fragments of rat exorbital lacrimal gland. After a two-dimensional separation procedure based on differential sedimentation and density gradient centrifugation, we defined sixdensity windows, which differ from one another in their contents of biochemical markers. The membranes equilibrating inwindow I could be identified as a sample of basal-lateral membranes; in resting preparations these membranes contained Na,K-ATPase enriched 16.6-fold with respect to the initial homogenates.Windows II throughVI contained various cytoplasmic membrane populations; these accounted for roughly 80% of the total recovered Na,K-ATPase activity. Thirty-minute stimulation with 10 μm carbachol caused a 1.4-fold increase (P<0.05) in the total Na,K-ATPase content ofwindow I; this increase could be largely accounted for by a 1.7-fold decrease in the total Na,K-ATPase content ofdensity window V. Acid phosphatase activity also redistributed following stimulation, but it was recruited from a different source, and it was inserted into membranes equilibrating inwindows II andIII as well as into the membranes ofwindow I.
TRPM4 channels in smooth muscle function

The melastatin (M) transient receptor potential (TRP) channel TRPM4 is selective for monovalent cations and is activated by high levels of intracellular Ca(2+). TRPM4 is broadly distributed and may be involved in numerous functions, including electrical conduction in the heart, respiratory rhythm, immune response, and secretion of insulin by pancreatic β-cells. The significance of TRPM4 in smooth muscle cell function is reviewed here. Several studies indicate that TRPM4 channels are critically important for pressure-induced cerebral arterial myocyte depolarization and myogenic vasoconstriction as well as autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. Regulation of TRPM4 activity in arterial smooth muscle cells is complex and involves release of Ca(2+) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum through inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors and translocation of TRPM4 channels to the plasma membrane in response to protein kinase Cδ. TRPM4 is also present in colonic, urinary bladder, aortic, interlobar pulmonary and renal artery, airway, and corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells, but its significance and regulation in these tissues is less well characterized.
Duodenal hematoma: CT demonstration of the ring sign

This case illustrates the computed tomographic (CT) and sonographic features of duodenal hematoma. In addition, the CT scans demonstrate the ring sign, a characteristic feature noted previously only by magnetic resonance imaging.
Using Creativity to Reduce Ethnic Bias in College Admissions

College admissions testing typically focuses on grade point average (GPA) and SAT scores. Without disputing the importance of these predictors, one may wonder whether they are enough by themselves to determine eventual academic success. One possible additional construct, creativity, is examined via the lens of nonbiased assessment. It is argued that creativity can help reduce bias in two ways. First, adding creativity as a supplement to current assessments would present a truer reflection of a person’s overall intellectual abilities. Second, most studies have found that different ethnicities perform comparably on creativity tasks, and some minority groups may be more likely to see themselves as creative. Including creativity as a component of standardized tests may, therefore, reduce stereotype threat.
An image-processing toolset for diffusion tensor tractography

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based fiber tractography holds great promise in delineating neuronal fiber tracts and, hence, providing connectivity maps of the neural networks in the human brain. An array of image-processing techniques has to be developed to turn DTI tractography into a practically useful tool. To this end, we have developed a suite of image-processing tools for fiber tractography with improved reliability. This article summarizes the main technical developments we have made to date, which include anisotropic smoothing, anisotropic interpolation, Bayesian fiber tracking and automatic fiber bundling. A primary focus of these techniques is the robustness to noise and partial volume averaging, the two major hurdles to reliable fiber tractography. Performance of these techniques has been comprehensively examined with simulated and in vivo DTI data, demonstrating improvements in the robustness and reliability of DTI tractography.
Medical profile of the language-delayed child: otitis-prone versus otitis-free.

Summary Delay in language development may be associated with an underlying anatomical, neurosensory, or psychological disorder such as: deafness, cerebral palsy, cleft palate, autism, or mental retardation. A condition called specific developmental language delay may occur in children devoid of any other identifiable disorder or developmental delay. Language delay associated with early onset, severe-to-profound hearing impairment has been well documented. Controversial studies have also appeared in the communicative disorders' literature suggesting that fluctuating conductive hearing loss in early childhood can significantly affect the development of language and related academic skills. Some authors have claimed that these deleterious effects can be irreversible. This study focuses on 3 groups of preschool children, in whom hearing acuity has been documented: One group with recurrent otitis and language delay; a second group with an equally well documented otitis history but without language delay; and a third group with documented language delay in the absence of any known predisposing conditions, including early-onset, recurrent otitis media. Prenatal, birth and developmental histories of the children in each group were compared in detail to identify any factors which may enhance or ameliorate the effects of fluctuating conductive hearing loss on language development. In a population of 1864 children (ages 9–59 months) referred for otolaryngologic and/or communicative evaluation, 480 otherwise normal children (67.6% males; 32.4% females) were found to have a history of early-onset, recurrent otitis media and/or delayed speech and language development on the basis of an extensive evaluation battery. This population was further subdivided into 3 groups (I = otitis-positive/normal language; II = otitis-positive/language delay; and III = otitis-free/language delay).
UGIM and the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology: Possible Synergies

There is a convergence developing in the mission of the UGIM and the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST). In addition, there has been interest within the UGIM community to meet in odd years, transforming UGIM into an every-year conference. An opportunity exists to build on both of these situations and develop potential synergies. Several options exist, but in the forefront is an informal partnering of the two organizations to provide an odd-year track at the IEST annual conference, ESTECH, while preserving the even-year UGIM meetings. This paper explores the synergies possible in combining the organizations and presents a path forward to develop these synergies.
Asbestos inhalation and nonmalignant abnormalities of the chest.

The term asbestos refers to a group of hydrated fibrous silicates containing the chemical subgroup silica (SiO,), combined with a variety of other metallic cations such as zinc, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Whereas other mineral substances also share these chemical compositions, the fibrous character of asbestos, defined as a length-to-width ratio (aspect ratio) of at least 3:1, distinguishes asbestos from other silicates such as talc, kaolin, and mica which have similar chemical composition but form flat, platelike structures. Silicates such as asbestos and talc must be distinguished from crystalline silica, another potentially pathogenic material, inasmuch as silica is not combined with other cations and produces tetrahedral crystals known as quartz, tridymite, and crystobalite. Both chemistry and configuration define the physical properties of the different types of asbestos fibers. Two major subgroups of asbestos are recognized according to their physical appearance.’ Serpentine asbestos has a curved or curly fiber shape, whereas amphibole asbestos fibers are perfectly straight. There is only one member of the serpentine group, chrysotile asbestos, but this type accounts for about 90% of the fiber that has been used commercially in the United States. The amphibole group consists of crocidolite, amosite, anthophylite, tremolite, and actinolite (Fig 1). From a commercial standpoint, the most important amphibole types are crocidolite and amosite. Not only are there differences among the various types of asbestos fibers with regard to their chemical composition and commercial uses, there are also differences in their propensity to cause specific types of biological reactions. For instance, crocidolite is recognized as the most powerful producer of malignant mesothelioma, although the other types of asbestos have also been reported to cause this disease at a lower frequency.2
Implementation of Strategies to Control Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a major public health issue in recent years. A steady increase in resistance continues despite the introduction of new antibiotics, and resistant bacteria have been associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality as well as with increased costs. Addressing the problem of antimicrobial resistance requires both infection control and regulation of antibiotic use; addressing either alone is insufficient. Mounting evidence shows that control of the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics (especially vancomycin and third-generation cephalosporins) and implementation of infection control measures can result in decreased incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella. Recent reports from professional organizations and a consensus of experts have outlined strategies for the control of resistance in hospitals, with specific measures identified for antibiotic control and infection control. These reports have emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in tackling this problem in hospitals and have suggested that a quality-improvement model be used to address antimicrobial resistance. A close collaboration among the disciplines of infectious diseases, microbiology, hospital epidemiology, pharmacy, and nursing, with particular emphasis in ICUs, and with strong support from hospital leadership, can result in an effective program that can be readily incorporated into the quality-improvement goals of any health-care organization.
Determination of total chromium in seawater by isotope dilution sector field ICPMS using GC sample introduction

A method for the accurate determination of total Cr in seawater by isotope dilution (ID) sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICPMS) using GC as a means of sample introduction is described. Chromium was reduced to Cr(III) by addition of SO(2)-saturated water and derivatized with trifluoroacetylacetonate (TFA) to form volatile Cr(TFA)(3). Derivatized analyte was either extracted into hexane or directly sampled by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using a poly(dimethylsiloxane)-coated fused-silica fiber for GC/SF-ICPMS analysis. With medium resolution required to efficiently separate argide, argon chloride and oxide interferences, a concentration of 0.154 +/- 0.013 ng mL(-1) (1 SD, n = 4) was obtained for Cr in NRCC seawater CRM CASS-4 using a 1-microL hexane extract, in agreement with the certified value of 0.144 +/- 0.029 ng mL(-1) (95% confidence interval). A detection limit of 20 pg mL(-1) was achieved. Low-resolution GC/SF-ICPMS in combination with solvent-free SPME sampling effectively eliminated spectroscopic interferences, yielding a concentration of 0.132 +/- 0.004 ng mL(-1) (1 SD, n = 4) for Cr in CASS-4 with a method detection limit of 3.9 pg mL(-1). By comparison, SPME sampling with GC/SF-ICPMS in medium-resolution mode provided a concentration of 0.146 +/- 0.013 ng mL(-1) (1 SD, n = 4) and a method detection limit of 9.1 pg mL(-1).
hp Discontinuous Galerkin methods for advection dominated problems in shallow water flow

In this paper, we discuss the development, verification, and application of an hp discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element model for solving the shallow water equations (SWE) on unstructured triangular grids. The h and p convergence properties of the method are demonstrated for both linear and highly nonlinear problems with advection dominance. Standard h-refinement for a fixed p leads to p + 1 convergence rates, while exponential convergence is observed for p-refinement for a fixed h. It is also demonstrated that the use of p-refinement is more efficient for problems exhibiting smooth solutions. Additionally, the ability of p-refinement to adequately resolve complex, two-dimensional flow structures is demonstrated in the context of a coastal inlet problem.
Gold nanoisland arrays by repeated deposition and post-deposition annealing for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Gold nanoisland arrays with well controlled growth were achieved by repeated sputtering deposition and post-deposition annealing processes. When each deposition was set at 5 nm (nominal thickness based on gold mass), the single deposition and annealing process (single process) yielded gold nanoisland arrays with an average diameter of ~16 nm based on top view scanning electron microscopy (SEM). When the deposition and annealing process was repeated two more times (triple process), top view SEM showed the nanoisland arrays grew to ~38 nm in average diameter. The surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) measurement indicated that triple processed nanoisland arrays led to the highest SERS enhancement, suggesting the necessity of pursuing nanoislands with larger sizes. The gold nanoisland arrays after the triple process were further sputtered with a final layer of gold thin film at different nominal thicknesses. An optimal nominal thickness for SERS was determined experimentally at ~40 nm, as a result of the competition between the positive and negative effects of the final gold deposition. Last, the uniformity of the optimized SERS substrate was investigated on a 5 cm x 5 cm platform. SERS measurements demonstrated a relative standard deviation of ~7% in terms of spectral variation over the entire substrate, rendering the process in the present study a promising fabrication approach for large-scale production of SERS substrates.
A retrospective comparison of 2 methods of intraoperative margin evaluation during partial nephrectomy.

Purpose: Intraoperative pathological consultation is often used to achieve negative margins during partial nephrectomy. Commonly a tumor bed biopsy for frozen section is taken from the most suspicious area of the defect. Alternatively the pathologist may perform prosection of the intact partial nephrectomy specimen and prepare frozen sections of suspicious areas. We determined the sensitivity and specificity of these 2 methods and a combined method.Materials and Methods: Records of 251 cases performed at a single institution between 2005 and 2007 were retrospectively analyzed.Results: Of the patients 56% were male. Mean age was 58.8 years. Laparoscopic resection was performed in 76% of cases. Mean greatest tumor dimension was 2.9 cm. Tumor bed biopsy was done in 120 cases, of which 15 (12.5%) showed positive final margins. With permanent section as the gold standard, tumor bed biopsy was 25% sensitive (95% CI 6–46) and 100% specific (95% CI 96–100) for detecting positive margins. In contrast, gross intrao...
Temperature and photoperiodic regulation of diapause of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella

Abstract The effect of temperature and photoperiod on the onset and termination of the mature larval diapause of the southwestern corn borer, Diatraea grandiosella , was examined. The results showed that diapause induction was an extremely temperature-dependent process. Larvae reared at 23°C under short days all entered diapause whereas 90 per cent of those reared at 27°C developed continuously. A photoperiodic response was only demonstrable at 25°C, when diapause was instituted following larval exposure to daily photophases ranging from 8 to 14 hr. An examination of the sensitivity of immature larvae to low temperatures revealed that all instars showed some susceptibility to low temperature induction of diapause. No intermediate instar was found in which the developmental programme could be switched entirely from a diapause to a non-diapause one, or vice versa. Diapause development was also found to be primarily temperature regulated. The rate of termination of diapause at 30°C was significantly higher than that at 25 or 23°C. Continuous exposure to light rather than a daily photoperiod produced the highest rate of diapause development. It was also shown that a period of chilling (5°C) did not accelerate diapause development. The significance of the results in relation to the evolution and geographical distribution of the species is discussed.
Thyroid hormone-dependent seasonality in American tree sparrows (Spizella arborea): effects of GC-1, a thyroid receptor β-selective agonist, and of iopanoic acid, a deiodinase inhibitor

To explore the role of TH in the control of seasonality [i.e., photoperiodic testicular growth, photorefractoriness, and postnuptial (prebasic) molt] in American tree sparrows (Spizella arborea), we performed experiments in which THX males were simultaneously photostimulated and given TH replacement therapy. In the first experiment, equimolar concentrations (1X=1.3 nmol) of T4, T3, or GC-1, an iodine-free TRβ agonist, were administered s.c. daily during the first 21 days of photostimulation. Two additional THX groups received GC-1 at 0.1X or 10X, and THX and THI control groups received vehicle. In the second experiment, T4 or T3, alone or in combination with the deiodinase inhibitor IOP, was injected i.m. twice daily during the first 14 days of photostimulation. In both experiments, end points were testis length and molt score. In the first experiment, THI birds given vehicle and THX birds given T4 replacement therapy exhibited all three components of seasonality. THX birds given T3 or GC-1 (1X or 10X) showed a subdued photoperiodic testicular response, but they did not become photorefractory or initiate molt. THX birds that received 0.1X GC-1 or vehicle exhibited none of the components of seasonality. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that photoperiodic testicular growth, a vernal component of seasonality, is a TRβ-mediated response and suggest that T4 may activate TRβ more efficiently than does T3 or GC-1. By contrast, the failure both of T3 and of GC-1, but not of T4, to program photostimulated THX males for photorefractoriness and postnuptial molt suggests that autumnal components of seasonality may be TRα-mediated responses solely to T4. In the second experiment, IOP administered alone had no significant impact on seasonality. THX birds that received T4 with or without IOP showed all components of seasonality, whereas birds that received T3 with or without IOP showed only photoperiodic testicular growth. These results challenge the widely held view that T4 is merely a prohormone for T3 and support the emerging view that T4 has intrinsic hormonal activity. Because IOP augmented the photoperiodic testicular response in T3-treated THX birds, T3 may act either independently or co-dependently with T4 in programming vernal seasonal events.
Risk for Retinitis in Patients with AIDS Can Be Assessed by Quantitation of Threshold Levels of Cytomegalovirus DNA Burden in Blood

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a significant clinical problem. Seventy-five patients with CD4 T cell counts < 100/mm 3 were monitored prospectively every 2 months for CMV DNA burden. The target for DNA amplification was a 162-bp fragment from the CMV immediate early gene. CMV DNA burden, at levels of ≥320 in white blood cells or ≥32 in plasma (P =.001), particularly when sustained (P =.005 and.008, respectively), distinguished patients who developed retinitis from those who remained free of disease. Progression to retinitis was not consistently accompanied by increases in CMV burden, indicating that quantitation of CMV burden beyond threshold levels is not necessary to predict risk for development of retinitis. Virus isolation from WBC, but not urine, was also significantly associated with risk for retinitis (P =.001).
A state-transition model of trust management and access control

Abstract: We use a state-transition approach to analyze and compare the core access control mechanisms that are characteristic of a variety of trust management, access control list, and capability-based systems. The framework, which characterizes the set of rights a subject has over an object after any sequence of actions, is based on abstract system states, state transitions, and logical deduction of access control judgments. We present abstract models representing the access control portion of trust management, access control lists, and two versions of capabilities, proving various correspondence and simulation relations between these models. The main results include an equivalence between access control lists (ACLs) and capabilities viewed as rows of the Lampson access matrix and the (proper) subsumption of a form of ACLs by an "unforgeable reference" form of capabilities. The access control mechanism at the heart of distributed trust management systems is formally shown to provide a tractable compromise between unrestricted capability passing from the capability models and easy revocation provided by access control lists. The underlying simulations show how trust management compares with more established access control mechanisms, independent of features such as local name spaces and certificate authorization hierarchies.
The Political Economy of Transition

The overriding importance of political constraints in the transition process has led to developments of the theory of the political economy of reform. What are the main insights from that theory? How does it reflect the transition reality? What have we learned, and what do we still need to learn? The present article will attempt to answer those questions.
GRID METHOD OF DETERMINING MEAN FLOW-DISTANCE IN A DRAINAGE BASIN

Summary The basin characteristics Σal or L ca are useful in hydrologic studies, but existing methods of determining them are either tedious or somewhat inaccurate. The grid method presented herein lessens the amount of tedious labor and provides an accurate measure of either Σal or L ca . An adaptation of the method could be used to compute the lag time for the basin.
Nuclear Scaffold Attachment Sites within ENCODE Regions Associate with Actively Transcribed Genes

The human genome must be packaged and organized in a functional manner for the regulation of DNA replication and transcription. The nuclear scaffold/matrix, consisting of structural and functional nuclear proteins, remains after extraction of nuclei and anchors loops of DNA. In the search for cis-elements functioning as chromatin domain boundaries, we identified 453 nuclear scaffold attachment sites purified by lithium-3,5-iodosalicylate extraction of HeLa nuclei across 30 Mb of the human genome studied by the ENCODE pilot project. The scaffold attachment sites mapped predominately near expressed genes and localized near transcription start sites and the ends of genes but not to boundary elements. In addition, these regions were enriched for RNA polymerase II and transcription factor binding sites and were located in early replicating regions of the genome. We believe these sites correspond to genome-interactions mediated by transcription factors and transcriptional machinery immobilized on a nuclear substructure.
Global soil carbon projections are improved by modelling microbial processes

Earth system models (ESMs) generally have crude representations of the responses of soil carbon responses to changing climate. Now an ESM that explicitly represents microbial soil carbon cycling mechanisms is able to simulate carbon pools that closely match observations. Projections from this model produce a much wider range of soil carbon responses to climate change over the twenty-first century than conventional ESMs.
Cytochromes P450 (CYP) in tropical fishes: Catalytic activities, expression of multiple CYP proteins and high levels of microsomal P450 in liver of fishes from Bermuda

Hepatic microsomes prepared from 10 fish species from Bermuda were studied to establish features of cytochrome P450 (CYP) systems in tropical marine fish. The majority (7/10) of the species had total P450 content between 0.1 and 0.5 nmol/mg, and cytochrome b5 content between 0.025 and 0.25 nmol/mg. Ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) and aminopyrine N-demethylase (APND) rates in these 7 species were 0.23-2.1 nmol/min/mg and 0.5-11 nmol/min/mg, respectively, similar to rates in many temperate fish species. In contrast to those 7 species, sergeant major (Abudefduf saxatilis) and Bermuda chub (Kyphosus sectatrix) had microsomal P450 contents near 1.7 nmol/mg, among the highest values reported in untreated fish, and had greater rates of ECOD, APND, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase than did most of the other species. Freshly caught individuals of all species had detectable levels of EROD and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activities. Those individuals with higher rates of EROD activity had greater content of immunodetected CYP1A protein, consistent with Ah-receptor agonists acting to induce CYP1A in many fish in Bermuda waters. Injection of tomtate and blue-striped grunt with beta-naphthoflavone (BNF; 50 or 100 mg/kg) induced EROD rates by 25 to 55-fold, suggesting that environmental induction in some fish was slight compared with the capacity to respond. AHH rates were induced only 3-fold in these same fish. The basis for disparity in the degree of EROD and AHH induction is not known. Rates of APND and testosterone 6 beta- and 16 beta-hydroxylase were little changed by BNF, indicating that these are not CYP1A activities in these fish. Antibodies to phenobarbital-inducible rat CYP2B1 or to scup P450B, a putative CYP2B, detected one or more proteins in several species, suggesting that CYP2B-like proteins are highly expressed in some tropical fishes. Generally, species with greater amounts of total P450 had greater amounts of proteins related to CYP2B. These species also had appreciable amounts of CYP3A-like proteins. Thus, many fishes in Bermuda appear to have induced levels of CYP1A; some also have unusually high levels of total P450 and of CYP2B-like and CYP3A-like proteins. These species may be good models for examining the structural, functional and regulatory properties of teleost CYP and the environmental or ecological factors contributing to high levels of expression of CYP in some fishes.
A CMOS distributed amplifier with active input balun using GBW and linearity enhancing techniques

A CMOS highly linear 818GHz-GBW distributed amplifier (DA) with distributed active input balun is presented. Each g m cell within the DA employs dual-output 2-stage g m topology that improves gain and linearity without adversely affecting bandwidth and power. Fabricated in a 65nm LP CMOS process, the 0.9mm2 DA achieves 22dB of gain and 10dBm of P 1dB while consuming 97mW from a 1.3V supply. A distributed balun using the same gm cell achieves >70GHz bandwidth and 4dB gain with 19.5mW power consumption from 1.3V supply.
2007 Young Investigator Award : TRP'ing into a New Era for Glomerular Disease

FSGS is a pathologic lesion that frequently causes the nephrotic syndrome and ensuing renal failure. The cause remains unknown in the majority of individuals; however, in the past two decades, rare familial forms have been identified. It has been suggested that known genetic causes of the hereditary form of this disease account for upwards of 18% of cases. Mutations in five genes have been found to cause inherited nephrotic syndromes and FSGS. In this article, I discuss the phenotypic characteristics of hereditary FSGS and the transient receptor potential cation channel 6 (TRPC6) protein, which is the genetic impetus for an autosomal dominant form of FSGS. The TRP channels have been implicated in varied biologic functions such as mechanosensation, ion homeostasis, cell growth, and phospholipase C-dependent calcium entry into cells. The mutated ion channel causes an increase in calcium transients. Current evidence also suggests that blocking TRPC6 channels may be of therapeutic benefit in idiopathic FSGS, a disease with a generally poor prognosis. Preliminary experiments reveal that the commonly used immunosuppressive agent FK-506 can inhibit TRPC6 activity in vivo. This creates the intriguing possibility that blocking TRPC6 channels within the podocyte may translate into long-lasting clinical benefits in patients with FSGS.
Design and process considerations for fabricating RF MEMS switches on printed circuit boards

Design considerations and process development for fabricating radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) switches on microwave laminate printed circuit boards (PCBs) are presented in details in this work. Two key processes, high-density inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDICP CVD) for low-temperature silicon nitride deposition, and compressive molding planarization (COMP) have been developed for fabricating RF MEMS switches on PCB. The effects of process conditions of HDICP CVD on low-temperature nitride film are fully characterized for its use in RF MEMS switches on PCB. Not only can COMP planarize the surface of the photoresist for lithographic patterning over topologically complex surfaces, but also simultaneously create a membrane relief pattern on the surface of a MEMS structure. Several membrane-type capacitive switches have been fabricated showing excellent RF performance and dynamic responses similar to those on semiconductor substrates. This technology promises the potential of enabling further monolithic integration of switches with other RF components, such as antennas, microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs), phase shifters, tunable filters, and transmission lines on the same PCBs reducing the losses due to impedance mismatching from components/system assembly and simplifies the design of the whole RF system. [1416].
Toxicities Affecting Quality of Life After Chemo-IMRT of Oropharyngeal Cancer: Prospective Study of Patient-Reported, Observer-Rated, and Objective Outcomes

Purpose To test the hypothesis that intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) aiming to spare the salivary glands and swallowing structures would reduce or eliminate the effects of xerostomia and dysphagia on quality of life (QOL). Methods and Materials In this prospective, longitudinal study, 72 patients with stage III-IV oropharyngeal cancer were treated uniformly with definitive chemo-IMRT sparing the salivary glands and swallowing structures. Overall QOL was assessed by summary scores of the Head Neck QOL (HNQOL) and University of Washington QOL (UWQOL) questionnaires, as well as the HNQOL “Overall Bother” question. Quality of life, observer-rated toxicities (Common Toxicity Criteria Adverse Effects scale, version 2), and objective evaluations (videofluoroscopy assessing dysphagia and saliva flow rates assessing xerostomia) were recorded from before therapy through 2 years after therapy. Correlations between toxicities/objective evaluations and overall QOL were assessed using longitudinal repeated measures of analysis and Pearson correlations. Results All observer-rated toxicities and QOL scores worsened 1-3 months after therapy and improved through 12 months, with minor further improvements through 24 months. At 12 months, dysphagia grades 0-1, 2, and 3, were observed in 95%, 4%, and 1% of patients, respectively. Using all posttherapy observations, observer-rated dysphagia was highly correlated with all overall QOL measures ( P Conclusion After chemo-IMRT, although late dysphagia was on average mild, it was still the major correlate of QOL. Further efforts to reduce swallowing dysfunction are likely to yield additional gains in QOL.
Evidence for Age-related Changes to Temporal Attention and Memory from the Choice Time Production Task

ABSTRACT The effect of aging on interval timing was examined using a choice time production task, which required participants to choose a key response based on the location of the stimulus, but to delay responding until after a learned time interval. Experiment 1 varied attentional demands of the response choice portion of the task by varying difficulty of stimulus–response mapping. Choice difficulty affected temporal accuracy equally in both age groups, but older participants' response latencies were more variable under more difficult response choice conditions. Experiment 2 tested the contribution of long-term memory to differences in choice time production between age groups over 3 days of testing. Direction of errors in time production between the two age groups diverged over the 3 sessions, but variability did not differ. Results from each experiment separately show age-related changes to attention and memory in temporal processing using different measures and manipulations in the same task.
PULMONARY ALVEOLAR SEPTAL CALCINOSIS CAUSING PROGRESSIVE RESPIRATORY FAILURE IN ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA IN CHILDHOOD

A syndrome of pulmonary alveolar septal calcinosis, pneumothorax, and pneumomediastinum, leading to rapidly progressive acute respiratory insufficiency and death was observed in 2 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Primary clinical and radiological considerations in these patients were pulmonary edema and infection, and the diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar septal calcification was established only at autopsy. One patient, a 15-year-old girl, was found also to have parathyroid hyperplasia typical of familial hyperparathyroidism. The other, a 16-month-old girl, showed osteitis fibrosa of the bones and parathyroid hyperplasia of secondary type, suggesting that the pulmonary calcinosis resulted from hypercalcemia caused by a parathormone or prostaglandin-secreting tumor. The cause of pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum may have been rupture of calcified alveolar septa induced by high PEEP during ventilation of these patients. Other possible mechanisms contributing to hypercalcemia and pulmonary c...
The International Court of Justice and the World's Three Legal Systems

This paper seeks to understand why some countries accept the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) more readily than others. The theory focuses on institutional differences between the world's major legal systems: civil law, common law, and Islamic law. Important characteristics of these legal systems (stare decisis, bona fides, pacta sunt servanda) are integrated in an expressive theory of adjudication, which focuses on how adjudication enhances interstate cooperation by correlating strategies, constructing focal points, and signaling information. The theory considers the ability of states to communicate with each other, using acceptance of ICJ jurisdiction as a form of cheap talk. Empirical analyses show (1) civil law states are more likely to accept the jurisdiction of the ICJ than common law or Islamic law states, (2) common law states place the greatest number of restrictions on their ICJ commitments, and (3) Islamic law states have the most durable commitments.
Influenza mutations: trying to hit a moving target

‘Influenza viruses are mutable pathogens that have a tremendous impact on both human health and the agricultural industry. The tremendous diversity and constant evolution of these viruses, both in lower animals and in humans, present challenges in surveillance, prevention and treatment.’ Influenza viruses are mutable pathogens that have a tremendous impact on both human health and the agricultural industry. They exist in their hosts as a pool of quasispecies variants that can adapt rapidly to changing environmental conditions, facilitating transmission to new species, evasion of immune responses and resistance to antiviral drugs. The tremendous diversity and constant evolution of these viruses, both in lower animals and in humans, present challenges in surveillance, prevention and treatment. Utilization and further development of recent advances in the technologies used to study these pathogens will be crucial if we are to reduce the global burden of disease and prepare for an incipient pandemic.
Alcohol Consumption And Policy Perception Among College Freshman Athletes

College athletes consume more alcohol and experience more alcohol-related consequences than non-athlete populations. Freshman athletes are at an even higher risk for alcohol-related problems as they learn to deal with the demands of college athletics. Researchers have suggested that the development of appropriate alcohol policy may be a useful strategy to reduce alcohol problems among athletes; however, study results are inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of team, athletic department, and university policy on college athletes’ alcohol consumption. A survey of 263 college freshman athletes from two NCAA universities measured alcohol consumption and perception of alcohol policies at the university, athletic department, and team levels. Results indicated that athletes who abstain from alcohol were more likely to believe in strong enforcement and the desire for greater policy restrictions at the university, athletic department, and team levels. Results also revealed differences in alcohol consumption patterns between team vs. individual sports. These findings suggest a need to develop extensive, strictly enforced alcohol policies to influence alcohol behavior of college freshman athletes.
Using Place-and Person-Based Interventions to Measure Neighborhood Effects

The impact of a neighborhood on individual well-being has been the subject of scholarly research and policy debates since at least the late 1980s. Given the serious methodological issues surrounding neighborhood effects estimation, researchers have recently relied on person-based randomized interventions to estimate effects. An alternative strategy is to implement an intervention at the neighborhood level such that whole communities rather than individuals are randomized into better conditions. While these experimental methods minimize the methodological problems plaguing observation-based studies, they fail to offer insight into the mechanisms linking neighborhoods to individuals. In this chapter, I develop a framework that allows researchers to compare the efficacy of each approach through the decomposition of the total intervention effect into natural direct and indirect effects. A comparison of these effects provides insight into the mechanisms that person-and place-based interventions work through to impact individual well-being.
First-principles insight into the degeneracy of ground-state LiBH 4 structures

Recently, a number of ground-state structures of LiBH${}_{4}$ have been proposed, both from experimental and computational works. The results show controversy between computational and experimental ground-state crystal structures of LiBH${}_{4}$. In order to determine which is truly the lowest in energy, we study LiBH${}_{4}$ in a variety of crystal structures using density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the free energy ($T=0$ K total energy plus vibrational thermodynamics), employing a variety of DFT methods and exchange-correlation functionals. Our calculations show that the experimentally observed structures are lowest in energy in DFT. However, multiple LiBH${}_{4}$ structures are degenerate with the experimental ground-state crystal structure and there exists a relatively flat potential energy landscape between them. These degenerate structures include the recently theoretically predicted LiBH${}_{4}$ structure [Tekin, Caputo, and Z\"uettel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 215501 (2010)], which the authors claimed to be 9.66 kJ/(mol LiBH${}_{4}$) (or $\ensuremath{\sim}$100 meV/fu) lower in energy than the experimentally XRD determined LiBH${}_{4}$ structure [Souli\'e, Renaudin, \ifmmode \check{C}\else \v{C}\fi{}ern\'y, and Yvon, J. Alloys Compd. 346, 200 (2002)]. Our calculations do not support these previous claims, and hence resolve this discrepancy between DFT and experiment.