cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonsuicidal Self-Injury on Instagram: Examining Hashtag Trends

We sought to investigate how individuals who upload nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) content on Instagram conceptualize self-injury by examining associated hashtags. Additionally, we explored NSSI hashtag usage trends over time. Using a web-based crawler and data analysis system, we downloaded 1,217,208 Instagram posts containing one of five popular NSSI hashtags (#cutting, #selfharm, #selfharmmm, #hatemyself, and #selfharmawareness) and categorized them based on psychological constructs (suicide, depression, anxiety/panic, eating disorders, addiction, general mental distress, other specific mental illnesses, and self-injury). Results show that NSSI hashtags were most associated with suicide, depression, general mental distress, anxiety/panic, and eating disorders, and, to a lesser extent, other specific mental illnesses, borderline personality disorder, and addiction. We determined that three of the five hashtags demonstrated an increase in usage over time, one remained relatively stable, and one decreased in usage. We discuss implications for mental health professionals regarding how to discuss social media use with clients who self-injure and consider clients’ technology use in treatment plans.
The Investor-State Dispute Settlement Mechanism Under the Cross-Strait Bilateral Investment Agreement to Address the Protection of Personal Freedom and Safety

On August 9, 2012, Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter PRC) concluded the long-awaited bilateral investment protection and promotion agreement (hereinafter BIA) after the eighth Chen-Jiang meeting. The BIA is virtually indistinguishable from a standard bilateral investment treaty (hereinafter BIT). However, in light of past experiences, the BIA also exhibits a few characteristics that are rather unique in order to address some of the concerns of the parties. Notably, the parties agree explicitly, in addition to the protection implicitly provided in Fair and Equitable Treatment (hereinafter FET) and Full Protection and Security (hereinafter FPS), to protect the personal freedom and safety of investors as well as investments. This explicitly stipulated level of protection is likely higher and more concrete than the standard FET and FPS found in any other BITs. Specifically, it may (1) require affirmative action of the parties to protect investors and related persons; and (2) in a way, "bind" the parties to certain human rights standards.On the other hand, due to the sensitivity of the sovereignty issue between the parties, the dispute resolution clause does not include an international arbitration clause.Without allowing injured investors to initiate arbitration against the parties, the BIA in its current state may not provide adequate means of recourse for investors in the event that the parties breach their obligations.This paper sets out to analyze and interpret two of the more unique features of the BIA, the inclusion of the protection of personal safety and its dispute resolution clause. A suggestion on how to proceed in the next rounds of negotiations will be given.
Through the Multicultural Glass: Althusser, Ideology and Race Relations in Post-Civil Rights America

In 1996, an edited volume devoted to Stuart Hall's work published the essay 'Gramsci's Relevance for the Study of Race and Ethnicity'. Central to Hall's analysis was Gramsci's deployment of the concept of hegemony. This article hopes to accomplish parallel insights on race and multiculturalism by going through the concept of ideology as theorized by Althusser. A thoroughgoing and critical theory of ideology is currently missing from multiculturalism. When ideology is invoked, it either goes through a Marxist refutation of the racial concept or it is posed as a problem that needs to be transcended rather than a constitutive part of the ideological struggle over race. Just as Hall reminds us that Gramsci's theory of hegemony must be taken in the context of Gramsci's Marxist problematic, this article notes that Althusser's theory of ideology must be taken in the context of his commitment to historical materialism. However, in order to analyze the relevance of Althusser's theory of ideology for the study of race and multiculturalism (something which did not appear in Althusser's work), the author appropriates his insights sans his problematic of historical materialism. Althusser's theory is useful for a study of race, which is as much a problem at the ideological as it is at the material level. Furthermore, Althusser's discourse on ideology enriches debates about race and multiculturalism to the extent that his general insights on ideology are appropriate for such an analysis. In this explication, the author presents a brief introduction to the multiple levels of Althusser's theory of ideology. Then, he appropriates Althusser's general insights and relevance, determining the most pertinent moments in his theory for the study of race and multiculturalism. Last, the author poses the problem of color-blind discourses on race.
Supply Chain Management as Private Sector Regulation: What does it Mean for Business Strategy and Public Policy?

The growing practice of environmental supply chain management by firms constitutes private sector regulation that is analogous in many ways to public sector regulation. Similarly to their public counterparts, private sector regulators set standards, apply standards, monitor for compliance, apply sanctions and require corrective action. Private sector regulation differs, however, in the source of authority, external oversight, analytical requirements, public participation and available sanctions. This article argues that supply chain management by firms goes beyond business objectives by creating positive environmental externalities for society, and that more systematic study of the similarities and contrasts between the two forms of regulation may provide valuable lessons for both. Further, it may be possible to increase the effectiveness of private sector regulation to achieve both public societal and private business goals. From a business perspective, supply chain management enables firms to strategically redefine their relationships with government, reduce uncertainty and promote goal-oriented collaboration. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Seismic reflectivity effects from seasonal seafloor temperature variation

The effects of seasonal temperature variation on sound speed contrasts at the seafloor are usually considered negligible in the analysis of seismic data but may be significant at large incidence angles (offsets) important for inversion of sediment elastic properties, or long-range acoustic transmission. In coastal areas, the maximum annual seafloor temperature variation can be several degrees Celsius or more, corresponding to a sound speed variation of 30 m/s or more. Thermal pulses propagate via conduction several meters into the seafloor resulting in a damped quasi-sinusoidal temperature profile with predictable wave number characteristics. The oscillating seasonal and spatial character of this signal creates a time- and frequency-dependent effect on the elastic seafloor reflectivity. Results of numerical simulations show that the expected temperature profile for most sediment types and porosities will have the strongest affect on frequencies between about 60 and 600 Hz, at incidence angles greater than about 50°.
Srb/mediator proteins interact functionally and physically with transcriptional repressor Sfl1

Srb/mediator proteins that are associated with RNA polymerase II holoenzyme have been implicated in transcriptional repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show here that the defect in repression of SUC2 caused by mutation of SRB8, SRB9, SRB11, SIN4 or ROX3 is suppressed by increased dosage of the SFL1 gene, and the genetic behavior of the sfl1Delta mutation provides further evidence for a functional relationship. Sfl1 acts on SUC2 through a repression site located immediately 5' to the TATA box, and Sfl1 binds this DNA sequence in vitro. Moreover, LexA-Sfl1 represses transcription of a reporter, and repression is reduced in an srb9 mutant. Finally, we show that Sfl1 co-immunoprecipitates from cell extracts with Srb9, Srb11, Sin4 and Rox3. We propose that Sfl1, when bound to its site, interacts with Srb/mediator proteins to inhibit transcription by RNA polymerase II holoenzyme.
Maternal education modifies the age-related increase in the birth prevalence of Down syndrome.

Objective To test the hypothesis that the age-related increase in the birth prevalence of Down syndrome is less for women with higher levels of education due to their more frequent use of prenatal diagnosis. Methods We compared the effects of maternal age on the odds of Down syndrome at birth, and on amniocentesis use, in women with <12 years of education with those who had ≥12 years of education. We used a national data set and analyzed the effects of education separately for African Americans (N = 1 643 054), and non-Hispanic whites (N = 6 676 885) in the US birth cohorts of 1989–1991. Analyses included Mantel–Haenszel and logistic regression models with the likelihood ratio test to assess interactions between education and age effects. Results For both African Americans and non-Hispanic whites, the age-related increase in the odds of Down syndrome was substantially less for women with higher levels of education (p < 0.001). For both ethnic groups, women with higher levels of education were more likely to use amniocentesis (p < 0.001). Conclusions Our results suggest that women with higher levels of education are more likely to use prenatal diagnosis. Moreover, this effect of education on prenatal diagnosis use, translates into a lower rate of age-related increase in the birth prevalence of Down syndrome. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Homologies in the colour patterns of the genus Heliconius (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

The colour patterns of Heliconius butterflies are composed from a relatively simple set of pattern elements whose homologues are recognizable throughout the genus. Although Heliconius colour patterns look quite different from those of most nymphalids, these pattern elements are seen to derive from the generalized nymphalid groundplan. The differences arise primarily from the loss or positional shift of certain pattern elements, a high degree of fusion between individual pattern elements, and, in the forewing, asymmetries of the pattern elements relative to the wing-cell midline. The scheme of homologies we present is consistent with what is currently known about the comparative morphology and developmental physiology of colour pattern formation in Lepidoptera, and provides a framework for the interpretation of developmental, evolutionary and genetic studies in Heliconius.
INVESTIGATION OF FLOW AND LOCAL SCOUR CHARACTERISTICS AROUND A PARTIALLY SUBMERGED PERMEABLE WSDOT BARB

Barbs are wide crested trapezoidal structures, typically constructed of riprap gravel, which project out from the streambank and are oriented upstream into the main flow. Barbs reduce erosion along streambanks by deflecting current into the center of the channel aiding in the protection of bridge piers and abutments. The overall objective of this study is to establish design criteria for permeable barbs within non-navigable mild sloped gravel bed streams. The report consists of two major parts. Part one focuses on the flow characteristics around a submerged permeable barb to understand the flow regimes "formed" within the vicinity of a barb. Part two utilizes the quantitative data that are gathered in part one and investigates the complex evolution of local scour around the permeable barb under clear-water scour conditions.
Limits on Small Scale Variations in the Cosmic Background Radiation

THE 3° K microwave background radiation1–5 left over from the big bang, in which the universe is supposed to have originated, would exhibit features of small angular size if at the time of the escape of the radiation there were density inhomogeneities6. Observational evidence for, or limits to, such non-uniformity bears directly on important questions, including the origin of galaxies7 and their magnetic fields8.
Mechanical properties of polymer nanostructures: measurements based on deformation in response to capillary forces

Arrays of test structures consisting of sub-150 nm wide beams were lithographically fabricated in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and used to measure the elastic mechanical properties of the material. Capillary forces that arise during the drying of rinse liquids from the test structures caused the nanoscale polymer beams to deform. The initial capillary forces were defined by the test structure geometry, and the magnitudes of the forces were quantified using a two-dimensional Young–Laplace equation. The deformation of the nanostructured beams was measured experimentally and compared to a model based on continuum-level bending beam mechanics, thereby enabling the calculation of the Young’s modulus (E) of the material. For PMMA beams greater than 100 nm in width E was calculated to be 5.1 GPa at room temperature, which corresponds closely to the elastic modulus of bulk PMMA. The Young’s moduli of structures with dimensions less than 100 nm were measured to be less than the bulk value and the origin of the decrease is discussed in terms of dimension dependent properties and polymer degradation during fabrication. The polymer nanostructures also were determined to mechanically deform more readily with increasing characterization temperature.
Expanding the definition of quality of life for prostate cancer.

Background. Quality of life in prostate cancer is a multidimensional concept. From a social work perspective, three quality-of-life issues require additional consideration. These are: the impact of the disease and its treatment on family caregivers, the possibility of age bias and ethical dilemmas in treatment decisions, and the specific concerns of black men in whom the disease is more common. Methods. Oncology and social work literature was reviewed. Results. Studies of caregivers of elderly patients contribute to understanding the stress and anxieties of families, one of whose members has prostate cancer as a chronic illness
Electrophoretic Migration and Particle Collisions in Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

We report for the first time how electrophoretic migration of ions and charged nanoparticles (NPs) in low electrolyte concentration solutions affects positive feedback in scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The strength of the electric field in the gap between either the tip and the substrate, or the tip and counter electrodes, is shown to increase proportionally to the decrease in gap size. This field affects the flux of the charged redox species as expected for dilute electrolyte solutions. However, the shape of the normalized approach curve is unaffected by the electrophoretic migration. We also report that the rate of collisions of charged insulating NPs with the tip electrode decreases as the tip is brought closer to the substrate electrode. This rather unexpected result (negative feedback) can be explained by the blocking of the particle flux with the glass insulating layer around the metal microwires. Observation of simultaneous changes in the faradaic current at the tip and substrate electrodes due to particle collisions with the tip confirms a high rate of mass transport between the two electrodes under the conditions of positive feedback SECM.
Changes in glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase during the life cycle of a green plant

Abstract The pyridine nucleotide dependence of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) was investigated throughout the life cycle of pea plants. The GPD of seeds and seedlings germinated in the dark was DPN-specific. In seedlings exposed to light, there appeared after the tenth day, a TPN-linked GPD. This new species of GPD was localized in the green shoot and was absent from roots. Seedlings germinated in the dark developed the TPN-linked GPD upon transfer to light. The light-induced TPN-linked GPD disappeared from the newly formed seed. In the life cycle of the plant from seed to seed, the GPD changes cyclically from obligate DPN dependence in the seed, to a multicomponent system in the shoot, functional with either DPN or TPN, and back to obligate DPN dependence in the newly formed seed.
Household Demand in Rural China: A Two-Stage LES-AIDS Model

A complete demand system of Chinese rural households is estimated using a two-stage LES-AIDS model and pooled provincial and time-series data from 1982 to 1990. For commodity groups (food, clothing, fuel, housing, and other commodities), demand is price-inelastic. Housing and other commodities are luxury goods, while clothing and food are necessities. Within the food group, price elasticities range from −0.005 to −0.63. Expenditure elasticities are lower for grains and higher for meat, tobacco, and alcohol. The results imply a gap between food demand and supply growth. Therefore, China will face pressure to import food.
Predicting Methamphetamine Use of Homeless Youths Attending High School: Comparison of Decision Rules and Logistic Regression Classification Algorithms

AbstractMethamphetamine use among homeless youths is an increasing problem. School officials and social work practitioners are presented with a classification problem in determining which youth are or are not using methamphetamines. The purpose of this study is to adopt a machine-learning approach to address this type of classification problem and to compare 2 models (decision rules and logistic regression) for classifying cases into methamphetamine users and nonusers. The selection of predictors in our models was guided by the risk and resilience framework. Logistic regression and decision rules analyses are used to test the models with a subset of data for 2,146 homeless youth who attend high school that was obtained from the 2007–08 California Healthy Kids Survey dataset. Results of logistic regression suggest methamphetamine use is associated with cigarette and marijuana use, having consumed alcohol, and being truant more than once per week. Results of decision rules analysis suggest a youth’s being c...
WRENSys: Large-scale, rapid deployable mobile sensing system

We present WRENSys, a system that allows for a low cost, rapidly deployable, large-scale and easy to maintain wireless mobile network, with minimal subject interference, to study contact networks of a population. We discuss our experiences with several hardware designs, including our new WREN sensor, base stations for charging and programming 2000 motes in parallel, software applications, and our deployment experiences and results. We deployed the system at 26 different locations with an average of 500 participants per school, the largest having more than 1,500 sensors, resulting in 35 million contact data points. On average, our system required only 30 minutes of preparation time and 30 minutes of deployment time with one graduate student and two additional personnel. Our system allowed for contact networks with coverages at approximately 80%. This shows a sustainable platform for studying human contact networks.
Role of PAT proteins in lipid metabolism

One of the central reactions in bodily energy metabolism is lipolysis in adipocytes, the reaction that governs the release of stored fatty acids from the adipocyte triacylglycerol pool, which constitutes the major energy reserve in animals. These fatty acids are then transported by serum albumin to various tissues to supply their energy requirements. This reaction was previously thought to result from phosphorylation and activation of hormone-sensitive lipase by protein kinase A (PKA) but is now known to be governed by a translocation of the lipase from the cytosol to the surface of the intracellular lipid droplet that houses the reservoir of TAG. This droplet is coated with perilipin A, which is also phosphorylated by PKA in response to lipolytic stimuli, and phosphorylation of perilipin A is essential for HSL translocation and stimulated lipolysis.
Imaging and Microanalysis in Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy

A variety of gas cascade amplification and signal detection strategies have evolved for use in low vacuum and environmental scanning electron microscopy on poorly conducting specimens. These detectors have been optimized to perform well under various limitations on the range of gas pressure and working distance which may be imposed by experimental requirements. All of the detectors must produce high gains, low backgrounds, and generate a sufficient positive ion flux to the specimen to enable charge neutralization. The underlying principles of operation of each detector type are discussed, along with the range of experimental conditions appropriate to each.
Intermolecular forces in phase-change heat transfer: 1998 Kern award review

The variation of long-range intermolecular forces near interfaces profoundly affects the performance of change-of-phase heat exchangers. Starting with the fundamental electromagnetic force between molecules (dielectric properties), the effects of shape (Kelvin effect), temperature (Clapeyron effect) and concentration on the heat-transfer characteristics of thin films and larger systems are reviewed and connected. A judicious selection of literature gives a consistent set of models of particular use in heat transfer. Examples of experimental verification of these interfacial models in this rapidly developing field are also presented.
Tools Clinicians Use: A Survey of Language Assessment Procedures Used by School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists

This study used a mail survey to gather information from 409 school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the state of Michigan regarding the types of language assessment procedures they employed when assessing children's language skills. Descriptive data regarding respondents' demographic, caseload, and employment characteristics were also obtained. Results indicated that respondents were a homogenous group with homogenous assessment practices. Although respondents used both formal and informal procedures when assessing English-speaking children's skills, informal procedures were used more frequently. With regard to informal procedures, almost all responding SLPs (98%) reported frequently using parent—teacher interviews as an assessment procedure. Among formal, standardized procedures, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Functions was used frequently by the highest proportion of respondents (79%). Implications regarding SLPs' conformity to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association's recomme...
Brain electrocortical activity during and after exercise: A quantitative synthesis

Investigators of brain electrocortical responses to exercise have interpreted increased activity, or frontal hemispheric asymmetry, in the alpha frequency band as indicative of relaxation or a change in affect. However, few studies compared alpha activity with other frequencies and within or across hemispheres. To clarify the cumulative evidence in this area, we provide a quantitative review of the effects of exercise on brain electrocortical activity according to frequency bands and recording sites. Fifty-eight effects from 18 studies and 282 participants were retrieved. The mean effect size was moderately large (0.54 SD, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.65) but heterogeneous. Compared to before exercise, alpha activity was greater immediately after and during exercise when expressed as absolute power but not as relative to power in other frequency bands; delta, theta, and beta activity also increased (0.38 to 0.75 SD). Effects did not differ significantly by recording sites. The cumulative evidence does not indicate that change in brain electrocortical activity after exercise is specific to alpha activity or hemispheric site.
Processes and Techniques for Rapid Bridge Replacement After Extreme Events

Highway bridges, as critical components of the nation's transportation network, have received increased attention after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and subsequent potential threats to U.S. transportation systems. To respond to the potential threats on highway bridges, a pooled-fund research project was conducted to identify rapid bridge replacement processes and techniques after extreme events. These events include manufactured and natural disasters such as earthquakes, explosions, fires, floods, and hurricanes. To achieve the research objectives, the research team studied three cases of previous bridge replacements following extreme events. These cases are the I-40 Webbers Falls Bridge in Oklahoma, the I-95 Chester Creek Bridge in Pennsylvania, and the I-87 New York State Thruway Bridge in Yonkers, New York. By studying these cases, the research team first sought to identify and expand on lessons learned. Lessons learned from these cases benefit government agencies such as state departme...
Catechol and Aldehyde Moieties of 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde Contribute to Tyrosine Hydroxylase Inhibition and Neurotoxicity

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which leads to the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons. This causes a decrease in the important neurotransmitter dopamine (DA), which is essential for coordinated movement. Previous studies have implicated the monoamine oxidase metabolite of DA, 3,4-dihydroxphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), in the pathogenesis of PD and have shown it to be a reactive intermediate capable of protein modification. DOPAL also has demonstrated the ability to cause mitochondrial dysfunction and lead to significant inhibition of the rate-limiting enzyme in DA synthesis, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The current study was undertaken to investigate four analogs of DOPAL, including a novel nitrile analog, to determine how the structure of DOPAL is related to its toxicity and inhibition of TH. Both mitochondrial function and inhibition of TH in cell lysate were investigated. Furthermore, a novel whole cell assay was designed to determine the consequence to enzyme action when DOPAL levels were elevated. The results presented here demonstrate that changes to DOPAL structure lead to a decrease in toxicity and inhibition of enzyme activity as compared to the parent compound. Furthermore, the production of superoxide anion but not hydrogen peroxide increased in the presence of elevated DOPAL. These results reveal the toxicity of DOPAL and demonstrate that both the catechol and aldehyde are required to potently inhibit TH activity.
Fullerenes: C 60 's smallest cousin

Buckminsterfullerene, C60, was first synthesized in bulk quantities in 1990, but there is still no detailed appreciation of the mechanism by which the fullerenes and related structures are formed in this process. The newly announced synthesis of C36, which will probably be C60's smallest cousin, gives some clues — it points towards the so-called ‘fullerene road’, rather than the ‘pentagon road’, as the likely route of fullerene growth.
Physical factors and neurosecretion in the control of reproduction in Melampus (Mollusca: Pulmonata)

Melampus bidentatus a saltmarsh snail living in the high littoral zone, lays eggs in phase with the moon, three to four times in early summer. Repetitive cycles of aggregation, egglaying, and dispersion were quantified in field studies. Physiological preparedness for breeding begins with an essential winter vernalization ( 14 hours per 24 hours) and temperature (>15°C) thresholds are exceeded. Animals collected during winter could be induced to lay eggs if given spring-like conditions; progressively shorter induction periods were effective as spring approached. Yearround histological studies of neurosecretory cells in the central ganglia of field animals showed staining patterns in two groups of neurons that were closely related to reproductive events. The medium cells (N =7) of the lateral lobe in each cerebral ganglion showed an accumulation of neurosecretory material (NSM) only in April, during the period when the natural photoperiod first exceeds 14 hours. These cells may mediate the light requirement and stimulate early reproductive events, such as ovotestis growth. The giant cells (N = 15) of the visceral ganglia stained heavily only during the reproductive season. They showed repetitive cycles of accumulation and subsequent depletion of NSM in phase with egg-laying cycles. These neurons, signalled by some unknown but semilunar-related cue, apparently synthesize and store NSM prior to each egglaying; release of this material may initiate the behavioral and physiological events of egg deposition.
Cyclic stochastic optimization with noisy function measurements

Jointly optimizing a function over multiple parameters can sometimes prove very costly, particularly when the number of parameters is large. Cyclic optimization (optimization over a subset of the parameters while the rest are held fixed) may prove significantly simpler; it seeks to combine algorithms for performing conditional optimization with the hopes of obtaining a solution to the joint optimization problem. In this paper we focus on cyclic stochastic optimization where loss function measurements contain noise. We give a set of convergence conditions for a cyclic version of stochastic gradient and simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation. A numerical experiment is performed to analyze the behavior of cyclic vs. non-cyclic stochastic optimization on the Rosenbrock function with Gaussian noise.
The Quantitatively Important Relationship between Homocysteine Metabolism and Glutathione Synthesis by the Transsulfuration Pathway and Its Regulation by Redox Changes

Homocysteine is a key junction metabolite in methionine metabolism. It suffers two major metabolic fates: transmethylation catalyzed by methionine synthase or betaine homocysteine methyl transferase and transsulfuration catalyzed by cystathionine beta-synthase leading to cystathionine. The latter is subsequently converted to cysteine, a precursor of glutathione. Studies with purified mammalian methionine synthase and cystathionine beta-synthase have revealed the oxidative sensitivity of both junction enzymes, suggesting the hypothesis that redox regulation of this pathway may be physiologically significant. This hypothesis has been tested in a human hepatoma cell line in culture in which the flux of homocysteine through transsulfuration under normoxic and oxidative conditions has been examined. Addition of 100 microM H(2)O(2) or tertiary butyl hydroperoxide increased cystathionine production 1.6- and 2.1-fold from 82 +/- 7 micromol h(-)(1) (L of cells)(-)(1) to 136 +/- 15 and 172 +/- 23 micromol h(-)(1) (L of cells)(-)(1), respectively. The increase in homocysteine flux through the transsulfuration pathway exhibited a linear dose dependence on the concentrations of both oxidants (50-200 microM H(2)O(2) and 10-200 microM tertiary butyl hydroperoxide). Furthermore, our results reveal that approximately half of the intracellular glutathione pool in human liver cells is derived from homocysteine via the transsulfuration pathway. The redox sensitivity of the transsulfuration pathway can be rationalized as an autocorrective response that leads to an increased level of glutathione synthesis in cells challenged by oxidative stress. In summary, this study demonstrates the importance of the homocysteine-dependent transsulfuration pathway in the maintenance of the intracellular glutathione pool, and the regulation of this pathway under oxidative stress conditions. Aberrations in this pathway could compromise the redox buffering capacity of cells, which may in turn be related to the pathophysiology of the different homocysteine-related diseases.
Role of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Evaluation of Congenital/Developmental Brain Abnormalities

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is an invaluable tool to study brain development and in vivo metabolism of brain. MRS is a noninvasive method and also does not involve ionizing radiation. The spectral patterns obtained from MRS evaluation provide unique information about the neonatal brain in several disease processes including hypoxic-ischemic injury, white matter and metabolic disorders, seizure disorders, and brain tumors. MRS also provides quantitative information about specific metabolites that is useful in the diagnosis and in evaluating treatment response of the disease. This discussion is limited to the use of MRS in evaluation of congenital or developmental brain abnormalities. The discussion of clinical utility of MRS is preceded by a brief overview of the technical aspects of MRS, followed by description of normal brain spectra in the neonates and the changes with normal brain development.
Spatial backoff contention resolution for wireless networks

Traditional medium access control (MAC) protocols utilize temporal mechanisms such as access probability or backoff interval adaptation for contention resolution. They typically take the set of competing nodes as a given, and address the problem of adapting each node's channel access behavior to the given channel contention level. This is a temporal approach for contention resolution, which aims to separate transmissions from different nodes in time to achieve successful transmissions. We explore an alternative approach for wireless networks-named "spatial backoff-that adapts the "space" occupied by the transmissions. Each transmission in a wireless network competes for a certain space. By adapting the space occupied by transmissions, the set of "locally" competing nodes, and thus, the channel contention level, can be adjusted to reach a suitable level. There are different ways to realize spatial backoff. In this paper, we propose a dynamic spatial backoff algorithm using the joint control of carrier sense threshold and transmission rate. Our results suggest that spatial backoff can lead to a substantial gain in channel utilization.
Pyruvate kinase isozymes in oocytes and embryos from the frog Xenopus laevis.

Abstract 1. 1. The kinetic characteristics of pyruvate kinase isozymes from oocytes, embryos, liver and skeletal muscle from the clawed frog Xenopus laevis were measured in cell extracts. 2. 2. The muscle and liver isozymes display Michaelis-Menten kinetics with Km s for phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) of 0.02 and 0.05 mM, respectively. 3. 3. Pyruvate kinase from oocytes and embryos displays cooperative kinetics for PEP with a Km of about 0.15 mM; the kinetics become hyperbolic and the Km for PEP is reduced to 0.05 mM in the presence of μM concentrations of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate. 4. 4. These data serve to characterize pyruvate kinase activity in oocytes and embryos and the kinetics are compared to mammalian pyruvate kinase isozymes.
Gli Activity Is Critical at Multiple Stages of Embryonic Mammary and Nipple Development

Gli3 is a transcriptional regulator of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling that functions as a repressor (Gli3R) or activator (Gli3A) depending upon cellular context. Previously, we have shown that Gli3R is required for the formation of mammary placodes #3 and #5. Here, we report that this early loss of Gli3 results in abnormal patterning of two critical regulators: Bmp4 and Tbx3, within the presumptive mammary rudiment (MR) #3 zone. We also show that Gli3 loss leads to failure to maintain mammary mesenchyme specification and loss of epithelial Wnt signaling, which impairs the later development of remaining MRs: MR#2 showed profound evagination and ectopic hairs formed within the presumptive areola; MR#4 showed mild invagination defects and males showed inappropriate retention of mammary buds in Gli3xt/xt mice. Importantly, mice genetically manipulated to misactivate Hh signaling displayed the same phenotypic spectrum demonstrating that the repressor function of Gli3R is essential during multiple stages of mammary development. In contrast, positive Hh signaling occurs during nipple development in a mesenchymal cuff around the lactiferous duct and in muscle cells of the nipple sphincter. Collectively, these data show that repression of Hh signaling by Gli3R is critical for early placodal patterning and later mammary mesenchyme specification whereas positive Hh signaling occurs during nipple development.
Hebbian learning in linear-nonlinear networks with tuning curves leads to near-optimal, multi-alternative decision making

Optimal performance and physically plausible mechanisms for achieving it have been completely characterized for a general class of two-alternative, free response decision making tasks, and data suggest that humans can implement the optimal procedure. The situation is more complicated when the number of alternatives is greater than two and subjects are free to respond at any time, partly due to the fact that there is no generally applicable statistical test for deciding optimally in such cases. However, here, too, analytical approximations to optimality that are physically and psychologically plausible have been analyzed. These analyses leave open questions that have begun to be addressed: (1) How are near-optimal model parameterizations learned from experience? (2) What if a continuum of decision alternatives exists? (3) How can neurons' broad tuning curves be incorporated into an optimal-performance theory? We present a possible answer to all of these questions in the form of an extremely simple, reward-modulated Hebbian learning rule by which a neural network learns to approximate the multihypothesis sequential probability ratio test.
Low-cost projection-based virtual reality display

This paper describes the construction of a single screen, projection-based VR display using commodity, or otherwise low-cost components. The display is based on Linus PCs, and uses polarized stereo. Our aim is to create a system that is accessible to the many museums and schools that do not have large budgets for exploring new technology. In constructing this system we have been evaluating a number of options for the screens, projectors, and computer hardware.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Introduction: Border Crossings: Feminist Activists and Peace Workers Collaborating across Cultures

The aim of this special issue of Women & Therapy is to assemble the writings of a group of feminist activists, psychologists and peace workers, who are engaging in a variety of “border crossings.” We have been particularly interested in what they would have to say about their partnerships, collaborations and connections across the “great divides” of Global South and Global North.
Hydrodynamic stability of He II periodic boundary layer flows

Abstract He II periodic boundary layer experiments on the damping of torsional oscillations of a sphere have been re-analyzed based on recent classical stability theory. We have verified this theory using a torsionally oscillating sphere and an electrochemical visualization scheme in water. We show that macroscopic He II periodic boundary layer flows exhibit instabilities that are described by classical stability criteria if the kinematic viscosity is regarded as the dynamic viscosity over the total fluid density.
Mutations in LRRK2/dardarin associated with Parkinson disease are more toxic than equivalent mutations in the homologous kinase LRRK1

Several mutations have been found in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 gene (LRRK2), encoding the protein dardarin, which are associated with autosomal dominant Parkinson disease. We have previously shown that mutant LRRK2/dardarin is toxic to neurons and neuron-like cell lines in culture and that some mutations are also associated with an inclusion-body phenotype. There is a homologous kinase, LRRK1, which has a similar domain structure but is not known to carry mutations causing Parkinson disease. In the current study, we introduced mutations at equivalent residues in both LRRK2 and LRRK1 to determine their effects in cells. We show that mutations in dardarin are more prone to form inclusion bodies in transfected cells and are more toxic than equivalent mutations in LRRK1. This work suggests that dardarin/LRRK2 is inherently more damaging than LRRK1.
Similarity solutions for mixed convection from horizontal impermeable surfaces in saturated porous media

Abstract Boundary-layer analysis is performed for mixed convection about a horizontal flat plate in a saturated porous medium with aiding external flows, where the governing parameter is found to be Ra (RePr) 3 2 . Similarity solutions are obtained for (i) horizontal flat plates at zero angle of attack with constant heat flux and (ii) stagnation point flows about horizontal flat plates with wall temperature varying as Twαχ2. Temperature and velocity profiles for these two cases at selected values of Ra (RePr) 3 2 are presented. The heat-transfer rate is shown to be asymptotically approaching the forced and free convection values as the value of Ra (RePr) 3 2 approaches the limits of 0 and ∞'. The criteria for pure and mixed convection about horizontal flat plates in porous media are established.
The influence of plastic deformation on the f.c.c.d.h.c.p. transformation in cerium

Abstract Quantitative metallography was used to examine the influence of plastic deformation on the f.c.c.d.h.c.p. martensitic transformation in cerium. Some as studied. The M 8 temperature for f.c.c. → d.h.c.p. decreased with decreasing grain size. The morphology of the athermally formed d.h.c.p. is that of clusters of planar sheets. The growth of the d.h.c.p. phase occurs by the increasing density of occurrence of the individual sheets. There is a small isothermal component to the reversion of the athermally formed d.h.c.p. reflected by metallographic evidence of incoherent boundary migration. Plastic deformation induced transformation from f.c.c. to d.h.c.p. from the lowest temperature studied (−77°C) up to the M d temperature (~225°C). The M d temperature is above both the A s and A f temperatures (100°C and 150°C, respectively). The f.c.c. regions untransformed by plastic deformation were stabilized to subsequent athermal transformation. The d.h.e.p. martensite formed by deformation was very stable to reversion; not reverting until consumed by recrystallized f.c.c. grains.
CIA's Kent School: Improving Training for New Analysts

(2003). CIA's Kent School: Improving Training for New Analysts. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence: Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 609-637.
The thalamic source of cortical recruiting in the rodent.

Abstract Cortical recruiting activated from the midline thalamus was studied in 80 animals, including (1) distribution elicited at different stimulus positions in the AP and transverse planes, (2) comparative latencies from parasagittal points to the cortices of the two hemispheres, and (3) the effects of acute and pf chronic lesions involving conceivable sources and routes of activation. The following are our significant conclusions: 1. 1. Using stimulus trains (with stimuli 5 msec. apart) to replace usual single stimuli, the negative phase of the single response evoked from a recruiting region is progressively extended as the length of a train increases. When trains at 6 per sec. recurrence replace the usual recruiting stimulus, the wave durations are also prolonged, although with longer trains the response ordinarily falls off rapidly past 25 stimuli. 2. 2. From parasagittal stimulation there is a significant latency difference to ipsi- and contralateral recording points, only midline stimulation resulting in nearly equal latency. Parasagittal placement shortens latency to the ipsilateral and lengthens it to the contralateral cortex. 3. 3. Neither acute nor chronic lesions of the corpus callosum influence recruiting activated from the midline thalamus. Lesions of the anterior limb of the internal capsule reduce the responsiveness of the rostral cortex of that hemisphere significantly. If a large area of retrograde change is produced by a chronic lesion, the effect upon recruiting is more pronounced than with a smaller area. Parasagittal lesions which do not affect the internal capsule or penetrate the thalamic peduncle interfere with recruiting much less significantly. Combinations of the two nearly abolish ipsilateral recruiting. 4. 4. Very active recruiting can be obtained from midline nuclei after destruction of both dorsomedial nuclei. Lesions on the raphe involving centralis medialis and rhomboideus nuclei significantly affect recruiting from electrode penetrations in the neighborhood of the lesion. Due to destruction of commissural connections the effect is more pronounced contralaterally. Active ipsilateral recruiting can still be elicited from rostral stimulating positions in the midline thalamus when a large lesion has destroyed the centralis medialis. Small dorsal lesions of the raphe reduce contralateral recruiting and elevate its threshold, indicating that the commissural system concerned with recruiting does not occupy a restricted part of the raphe. 5. 5. Section of the anterior limb of the internal capsule effectively abolishes the repetitive cortical spindles that follow single stimuli to the intralaminar nuclei. 6. 6. The findings are in general accord with prevailing opinion, give direct confirmation of the importance of the midline nuclei, and show that the dorsomedial nuclei, at least, are not essential to recruiting.
Noncardiac surgery in long-term implantable left ventricular assist-device recipients.

OBJECTIVE: The authors describe their experience with left ventricular assist-device (LVAD) recipients undergoing noncardiac surgery and delineate surgical, anesthetic, and logistic factors important in the successful intraoperative management of these patients. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Left ventricular assist-devices have become part of the armamentarium in the treatment of end-stage heart failure. As the numbers of patients chronically supported with long-term implantable devices grows, general surgical problems that are commonly seen in other hospitalized patients are becoming manifest. Of particular interest is the intraoperative management of patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgical procedures. METHODS: The anesthesia records and clinical charts were reviewed for eight ventricular assist-device recipients undergoing general surgical procedures between August 1, 1990 and August 31, 1994. RESULTS: A total of 12 procedures were performed in 6 men and 2 women averaging 52.7 years of age. Mean time elapsed from device implantation to operation was 68 +/- 35 days. Conventional inhalational and intravenous anesthetic techniques were well tolerated in these patients undergoing diverse surgical procedures. No perioperative mortality was observed. Five of eight patients went on to successful cardiac transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamic recovery after LVAD insertion has defined a new group of patients who develop noncardiac surgical problems often seen in other critically ill patients. Recognition of the unique potential problems that the LVAD recipient may encounter in the perioperative period--in particular patient positioning, device limitations, and fluid and inotropic management--will ensure an optimal surgical outcome for LVAD recipients undergoing noncardiac surgery.