cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Classification of biological networks by their qualitative dynamics.

Techniques are given to classify biological networks into classes having similar qualitative dynamics. The following steps are used: (1) A discretization is proposed which identifies a sequence of Boolean N -vectors, each of which differs from the preceding one in one locus, with transients and cycles in continuous N variable biological systems. (2) The sequences are represented as directed edges on Boolean N -cubes. (3) Any two dynamical systems which have identical steady states and cycles on the Boolean N -cube, under some symmetry operation of the N -cube, are defined to be in the same dynamical equivalence class and to have the same deep structure . We consider systems in which there is no self-input (each edge of the N -cube representation is directed in only one orientation) and enumerate the three deep structures for N = 2 and the 13 deep structures with at least a single steady state for N = 3. We illustrate these techniques by considering dynamic data from a number of biological systems and showing how the deep structure of each system can be determined.
A good night's sleep: Future antidote to the obesity epidemic?

In this issue, Spiegel and colleagues raise much food for thought (so to speak). If their findings on changes in leptin and ghrelin during sleep deprivation are reproducible and generalizable, and ...
The association between heart rate and glycemia in adult diabetic subjects

We have studied the association between heart rate and glycemia in 221 diabetic and 109 non-diabetic adult subjects. Supine and standing heart rates were both statistically significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in the diabetic patients than in the control subjects. Among the diabetics, both the supine and standing heart rates were positively associated with hemoglobin A1c (r = 0.26, P less than 0.001 and r = 0.27, P less than 0.001 respectively). Patients with hemoglobin A1c values greater than 10.00% had a mean heart rate of 84.2 +/- 2.4, while those with hemoglobin A1c values less than 6.00% had a mean of 74.0 +/- 1.5 (P less than 0.001). The associations between heart rate and hemoglobin A1c persisted (P less than 0.001) with allowances for potential confounding variables in multiple regression analyses. The 15:30 difference, an indicator of parasympathetic function, was not associated with either heart rate or glycemia. These data suggest that the heart rate elevation in adult diabetic patients is the result of metabolic abnormalities.
Interdisciplinarity in Telecommunications and Networking

The interdisciplinary approach can be beneficial to researchers, educators, and practitioners for solving complex problems and synthesizing knowledge. While a great deal has been written about interdisciplinary activity in relation to the humanities and the natural and social sciences, it has been important in the telecommunications and networking field as well. This article investigates the subject of interdisciplinarity, especially as it relates to telecommunications and networking research and education. Among the questions examined are: What exactly is meant by â€œinterdisciplinaryâ€ ? Why is the interdisciplinary approach important in telecommunications and networking research and education and what are some examples of how is it being utilized? How does the International Journal of Interdisciplinary Telecommunications & Networking differ from other telecommunications and networking publications in its treatment of interdisciplinary research and what does the journal hope to accomplish?
Folding of the multidomain ribosomal protein L9: the two domains fold independently with remarkably different rates.

The folding and unfolding behavior of the multidomain ribosomal protein L9 from Bacillus stearothermophilus was studied by a novel combination of stopped-flow fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. One-dimensional 1H spectra acquired at various temperatures show that the C-terminal domain unfolds at a lower temperature than the N-terminal domain (Tm = 67 °C for the C-terminal domain, 80 °C for the N-terminal domain). NMR line-shape analysis was used to determine the folding and unfolding rates for the N-terminal domain. At 72 °C, the folding rate constant equals 2980 s-1 and the unfolding rate constant equals 640 s-1. For the C-terminal domain, saturation transfer experiments performed at 69 °C were used to determine the folding rate constant, 3.3 s-1, and the unfolding rate constant, 9.0 s-1. Stopped-flow fluorescence experiments detected two resolved phases: a fast phase for the N-terminal domain and a slow phase for the C-terminal domain. The folding and unfolding rate constan...
Spontaneous pulmonary neoplasms in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)--a report of two cases.

Summary The first lung tumour-bearing animal was a 7 years and 3 months old cynomolgus monkey. Microscopic examination revealed a neoplastic mass under the pleura that consisted of squamous islands with little keratinization, multifocal mineralization of the keratin, inflammatory cell and foreign body-type giant cell infiltration. It was classified as pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma. In a second cynomolgus monkey (2 years and 10 months old) a lung mass was observed at necropsy. Microscopically the tumour consisted of numerous islands of cartilage with glandular structures lined by a cuboidal epithelium between them. The neoplasm was classified as cartilaginous hamartoma.
Control of Sleep by Cyclin A and Its Regulator

How and why the brain reversibly switches from a waking to a sleep state remain among the most intriguing questions in biology. We show that cyclin A (CycA) and regulator of cyclin A1, essential cell cycle factors, function in postmitotic neurons to promote sleep in Drosophila melanogaster. Reducing the abundance of CycA in neurons delayed the wake-sleep transition, caused multiple arousals from sleep, and reduced the homeostatic response to sleep deprivation. CycA is expressed in ~40 to 50 neurons in the adult brain, most of which are intermingled with circadian clock neurons, suggesting functional interactions among neurons controlling sleep and circadian behavior.
CBT for childhood anxiety and substance use at 7.4-year follow-up: a reassessment controlling for known predictors.

A previous report suggested that successful cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for child anxiety reduced substance use problems at 7.4-year follow-up, but that report did not include predictors of: (a) substance use disorder (SUD; e.g., attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder symptoms, negative life events, family substance abuse, additional treatment), or (b) treatment outcome (e.g., severity of internalizing pathology, age). Analyses incorporating these factors tested previously reported findings in 72 participants (ages 15–22 at follow-up; 84% of the 7.4-year follow-up sample), using parent and youth diagnostic interviews and report measures. The majority of previously reported associations between less successful treatment and later substance use problems remained significant after controlling for known predictors of SUD and treatment outcome. Our findings bolster previous conclusions that effective CBT for child anxiety may have ameliorative effects on the target disorder and later substance use problems.
Gap states in insulating LaMnPO 1 − x F x ( x = 0 –0.3)

Infrared transmission and electrical resistivity measurements reveal that single crystals of LaMnPO${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$F${}_{x}$ ($x\ensuremath{\leqslant}0.28$) are insulating. The optical gap obtained from transmission measurements is nearly unaffected by doping, decreasing only slightly from 1.3 eV in undoped LaMnPO to 1.1 eV for $x=0.04$. The activation gaps obtained from electrical resistivity measurements are smaller by at least an order of magnitude, signaling the presence of states within the optical gap. At low temperatures, the resistivity is described well by variable range hopping conduction between these localized gap states. Analysis of the hopping conduction suggests that the gap states become slightly more delocalized with fluorine content, although metallic conduction is not observed even for fluorine concentrations as large as $x=0.28$.
Sugar Contents of Single Cell Clones of Stem and Phylloxera Leaf Galls of the Grape Vine

INSECTS induce galls of many sizes and degrees of complexity in plants. The mechanism of gall induction and why growth finally ceases are not clearly understood. Phylloxera induces leaf gall in the grape vine which is typical of such abnormal growth in the sense that it is restricted in its development. Some of the biochemical and physiological changes which occur in these abnormal structures have been investigated by means of the tissue culture technique1.
Renin release: Role of SNAREs

Little is known about the molecular mechanism mediating renin granule exocytosis and the identity of proteins involved. We previously showed that soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNAREs), a family of proteins required for exocytosis, mediate the stimulated release of renin from juxtaglomerular cells. This minireview focuses on the current knowledge of the proteins that facilitate renin-granule exocytosis. We discuss the identity of potential candidates that mediate the signaling and final steps of exocytosis of the renin granule.
Using Design Patterns & Frameworks to Develop Object-Oriented Communication Systems

Developing extensible communication software that effectively utilizes concurrency over high-speed, low-speed, and mobile networks is a complex task. This tutorial describes how to apply object-oriented (00) design patterns and frameworks to alleviate the complexity of developing concurrent and distributed communication software. These patterns and framework components have been used successfully by the speaker on production communication software projects at Ericsson, Motorola, Siemens, Kodak, and McDonnell Douglas for telecommunications switch management applications, network management for large-scale global personal communication systems, electronic medical imaging systems, and real-time avionics.
Solvation of SCN- and SeCN- Anions in Hydrogen-Bonding Solvents

The primary solvation sphere surrounding the thiocyanate or the selenocyanide anion in protic solvents, such as methanol, N-methylformamide and formamide, forms intimate hydrogen bonds with these anions. These interactions perturb the electron density and vibrational modes of these anions and can therefore be studied by NMR and infrared spectroscopies. In neat solutions, these solvents form hydrogen bonds to the nitrogen end along the molecular axis and nonaxially to the π cloud of the C−N bond, although a substantial proportion of the anions is not hydrogen bonded. In nitromethane solutions, the thiocyanate and selenocyanide anions form weak complexes with methanol and the amide solvents (K < 1 M-1), which is an order of magnitude smaller than that of OCN- with the same solvents, determined in our previous investigation of the cyanate anion. The remarkable differences in the solvation of these singly charged anions can be understood by theoretical calculations of their electrostatic potentials.
Isolation and identification of 20‐hydroxyecdysone from a lepidopteran continuous cell line

Extracts of three continuous cell lines from the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, were assayed for the presence of ecdysteroids. While no evidence of ecdysteroids was present in the extracts of the ovarian (TN-368) or embryonic (IPLB-TN-R2) cell lines, radioimmunoassays on extracts of media and extracts of cell pellets from imaginal disc cell cultures (IAL-TND1) were positive. The immunoreactive material from both cells and media co-migrated with a 20-hydroxyecdysone standard on reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The immunoreactive fractions from the cell extract were chromatographed on silica HPLC and subjected to mass spectral analysis. Both of these analyses indicated that the unknown compound was 20-hydroxyecdysone. Radioimmunoassay indicated up to 28 ng of ecdysone equivalents in cells (3.75 x 107 cells) from 50 ml of IAL-TND1 cultures, which is equivalent to 120 ng of 20-hydroxyecdysone based on relative reactivity of the antiserum used in this study. This report presents the first evidence of 20-hydroxyecdysone production by a continuous insect cell line and also the first to show that cells from imaginal discs are capable of ecdysteroid synthesis.
Self-administration of drug mixtures by monkeys: combining drugs with comparable mechanisms of action.

Rationale Abuse of drug mixtures is common. Drug interactions that are super-additive in terms of reinforcing effects may contribute to this phenomenon. Although quantitative methods for assessing drug interactions have been developed, they have not been widely applied to the analysis of reinforcing effects.
Effects of additives on the microexplosion of carbon slurry droplets

Experimental investigations were conducted on the effects of volatile additives in inducing and intensifying the microexplosion of combusting carbon slurry droplets. The mixture explosion temperatures were determined, and a new droplet generator capable of producing small droplets of well-controll ed size was developed for the slurry fuel used. Agglomerate fragments produced through microexplosion were collected by using an impactor-type sampling probe and statistically analyzed. Results show that the fragment sizes follow the log-normal distribution, and that addition of 5% volatile miscible fuels to the carbon slurry can substantially reduce the mean fragment size. ARBON slurries hold potential as high-energy-d ensity fuels for application in volume-limite d propulsion sys- tems. The realization of this potential, however, has been com- plicated by the occurrence of particle agglomeration, which is usually associated with the burning of slurry fuels. That is, it has been demonstrated that the gasification mechanism for slurry droplets consists of two stages.1"4 In the first stage the liquid component is preferentially gasified, leaving behind an agglomerate of the particles. In the second stage this agglomer- ate subsequently heats up, ignites, and burns, spanning a pe- riod that can be substantially longer than that involving liquid gasification. Thus, the overall burning time of a slurry droplet is significantly longer than those corresponding to either a liquid droplet of similar initial size or the single particles by themselves. Two suggestions have been offered to reduce the severity of this agglomeration problem. The first is to coat the particles with suitable chemicals in order to prevent particle adhesion. The second is to break up either the slurry droplet before the agglomerate is formed or the agglomerate itself after it is formed. The present investigation is concerned with the second alternative, based on the phenomenon of droplet micro- explosion. Recent theoretical and experimental studies on the droplet combustion of multicomponent fuels have demonstrated that, for suitable components and composition, rapid gasification within the droplet interior can occur spontaneously, leading to intense internal pressure buildup with consequent catastrophic fragmentation of the droplet. The occurrence of microexplo- sion can be facilitated through several major factors.5 First, the volatility differentials between the more and less volatile com- ponents should be as wide as possible in that the less volatile component is needed to drive up the droplet temperature while the more volatile component is needed for the ease with which it will spontaneously gasify. Second, internal gasification is facilitated in the presence of particles, as in slurries, which provide heterogeneous nucleation sites; without such sites the
Potassium‐transport rate from root to shoot unrelated to potassium‐use efficiency in tomato grown under low‐potassium stress

Abstract Four tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) strains (203, 474, 546, and 576) that are equally efficient in potassium (K) absorption, but different in efficiency of K use were studied using a continuously flowing solution culture to determine the importance of K‐transport rate from root to shoot in relation to K‐use efficiency. Strains 203 and 546 are inefficient in K use, ratios of K in shoots to roots were found to be three times higher than those of the two K‐use efficient strains 474 and 576 when grown under low‐K stress (0.1 mM). In addition, both the K concentrations and rates of K flow in xylem exudates of decapitated strains 203 and 546 were significantly higher than those of strains 474 and 576. These results suggest that high rates of K transport from roots to shoots are unrelated to K‐use efficiency in the tomato strains grown under low‐K stress. Further studies of K distributions in leaves and stems found that K concentrations in matured leaves and stems of the two efficient strains 47...
Three dimensional spatial-temporal convergence of otolith related signals in vestibular only neurons in squirrel monkeys

Spatio-temporal convergence (STC) properties of 19 vestibular only neurons’ responses to translational head movements were examined in an alert, behaving squirrel monkey. In addition to standard tests that included 1.2 Hz yaw/pitch/roll rotations and inter-aural/naso-occipital/dorso-ventral translations, we also observed responses to translations along multiple directions in several orthogonal planes. Neural responses were fitted first by a model that permitted STC in all planes, characterized by a non-zero minimum and a gradual shift of phase. We then evaluated statistically whether models with fewer independent dynamic parameters yielded equally satisfactory results. The responses of 13 neurons were adequately fit by simple cosine models (1-D) as well as models that allowed complex STC behavior. Of the six neurons exhibiting STC, five could be modeled with two independent phase parameters (2-D) while the remaining neuron required a model with three independent phase parameters (3-D). The maximum translation sensitivity and phase, S max and ϕmax, and minimum translation sensitivity and phase, S min and ϕmin, were estimated from the reconstructed sensitivity and phase surfaces. The tuning ratio, S min/S max, in STC neurons was > 0.40 while in 1-D neurons it was 20° from both planes. No difference in other response properties, such as ϕmax or rotational responses, was found between neurons exhibiting STC and the simple cosine tuning. Our results suggest that the STC behavior observed in otolith-related vestibular neurons probably arises from summing inputs from afferents, with diverse response dynamics, innervating different otolith macula.
Magnetotelluric exploration of the North Pacific: progress report and preliminary soundings near a spreading ridge

Abstract Intensive sea floor magnetotelluric field work has been carried out over the North Pacific for the past four years including a total of six experiments, each involving the deployment of up to eighteen instruments, in clusters or arrays. Because sea floor magnetotelluric exploration today is still subject to a broad range of often stringent limitations, an important objective of this program is to assess the potential contribution of this technique to submarine geophysics by checking the consistency of its predictions with more generally accepted knowledge. A progress report is presented on this subject. In one of the recent experiments which took place on the Cocos plate in the immediate vicinity of the Pacific Rise crest at 12°N, the electrical conductivity is shown to rise rapidly at a depth as shallow as 20 km and to remain relatively high for at least another 150 km. This finding is in harmony with earlier electrical conductivity models of the upper mantle proposed for two widely different provinces of the North Pacific. The experiment reported here includes two stations located 35 and 120 km to the east of the axis of the spreading center, and with crustal ages of 0.8 and 2.7 My respectively. The conductivity profiles are remarkably similar at both stations, with only a slight decrease in the total conductance in the upper 200 km for the eastern station, the one most distant from the ridge crest. This lateral conductivity evolution is consistent with the progressive cooling of the new lithosphere and with the increased distance from ascending magma. Another feature common to both soundings is the presence of a significant, though small, anisotropy of the sea floor impedance that does not seem explainable in terms of the coastal effect. A similarity of origin with seismic velocity anisotropy observed on the Cocos plate is not excluded. The conductivity structure proposed for this Pacific Rise area appears remarkably similar to that of the Atlantic Ridge crest beneath northeastern Iceland.
Human Vam6p promotes lysosome clustering and fusion in vivo

Regulated fusion of mammalian lysosomes is critical to their ability to acquire both internalized and biosynthetic materials. Here, we report the identification of a novel human protein, hVam6p, that promotes lysosome clustering and fusion in vivo. Although hVam6p exhibits homology to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae vacuolar protein sorting gene product Vam6p/Vps39p, the presence of a citron homology (CNH) domain at the NH2 terminus is unique to the human protein. Overexpression of hVam6p results in massive clustering and fusion of lysosomes and late endosomes into large (2–3 μm) juxtanuclear structures. This effect is reminiscent of that caused by expression of a constitutively activated Rab7. However, hVam6p exerts its effect even in the presence of a dominant-negative Rab7, suggesting that it functions either downstream of, or in parallel to, Rab7. Data from gradient fractionation, two-hybrid, and coimmunoprecipitation analyses suggest that hVam6p is a homooligomer, and that its self-assembly is mediated by a clathrin heavy chain repeat domain in the middle of the protein. Both the CNH and clathrin heavy chain repeat domains are required for induction of lysosome clustering and fusion. This study implicates hVam6p as a mammalian tethering/docking factor characterized with intrinsic ability to promote lysosome fusion in vivo.
Barley yield and evapotranspiration governed by tillage practices in interior Alaska

Abstract Tillage and residue management practices are sought in the subarctic where small grain production is often curtailed by the lack of soil water. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) grain yield and evapotranspiration were compared among four tillage and three residue management practices near Delta Junction, Alaska, USA from 1988 through 1991. Barley was hand-harvested in the fall whereas soil water content was determined biweekly during the growing season by neutron attenuation. Grain yield was similar for spring disk, fall chisel, and conventional (fall and spring disk) tillage across years. No tillage, however, resulted in a 260 kg ha −1 greater yield as compared with fall chisel and conventional tillage in 1990 when evaporative demand exceeded that in other years by nearly 10%. In 1990 and 1991, grain yield from plots devoid of stubble and loose straw was at least 200 kg ha −1 greater than from plots with stubble or stubble and loose straw. Barley consumed at least 15 mm more water to achieve the greater yield on no tillage or no stubble and loose straw plots. Water-use efficiency did not vary among tillage treatments, but was greatest in 1990 for plots devoid of stubble and loose straw. This study suggests that, in dry years with high evaporative demand, no tillage or removal of stubble and loose straw from the soil surface will enhance grain production and water-use efficiency of barley in the subarctic.
Mediastinal radiation and adverse outcomes after heart transplantation

Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) may represent the only treatment option for patients with end-stage cardiovascular disease due to mediastinal radiation therapy (MRT). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of OHT in this patient population. We conducted a retrospective, single-center cohort study of patients with MRT-associated cardiovascular disease who underwent OHT between January 1987 and September 2008. Nine patients (3 men), aged 46 ± 11 years at the time of their OHT, were identified. Time from MRT to OHT was 26 ± 11 years. Lymphoma was the indication for MRT in all patients. Five patients had non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, 2 had ischemic cardiomyopathy and 2 had constrictive pericarditis. Three patients expired in the peri-operative period, whereas another patient died 3 years post-transplant from lung carcinoma. Two additional patients developed a secondary malignancy post-transplant. Five patients are still alive at a mean follow-up of 10 ± 8 years. Early survival rate is poor in patients who undergo OHT for MRT-associated end-stage cardiovascular disease. In addition, long-term follow-up shows an elevated incidence of malignancies. Our results raise concern about the safety and efficacy of performing OHT in patients with MRT-associated cardiovascular disease.
EQUILIBRIUM GROWTH IN A MONETARY ECONOMY WITH TRANSACTIONS COSTS

The paper describes a dynamic general equilibrium monetary economy with technological primitives that are consistent with the possibility of asymptotic equilibrium growth. The paper focuses on the relationship between equilibrium financing constraints on investment goods, transaction costs and economic growth. A generalized growth condition is derived that involves both monetary growth rates and transaction costs. The condition is used to show that (i) although inflation taxes can potentially exert a negative influence on long-run economic growth, these growth effects cannot in general be arbitrarily large; and (ii) for some monetary growth rates, money is superneutral in contrast to the models of Stockman and Abel. Numerical work indicates that although the welfare and growth effects of decreasing nominal interest rates from a benchmark are large, the costs associated with raising nominal interest rates from benchmark are not.
Unifying UPC and MPI runtimes: experience with MVAPICH

Unified Parallel C (UPC) is an emerging parallel programming language that is based on a shared memory paradigm. MPI has been a widely ported and dominant parallel programming model for the past couple of decades. Real-life scientific applications require a lot of investment by domain scientists. Many scientists choose the MPI programming model as it is considered low-risk. It is unlikely that entire applications will be re-written using the emerging UPC language (or PGAS paradigm) in the near future. It is more likely that parts of these applications will be converted to newer models. This requires that underlying implementation of system software be able to support both UPC and MPI simultaneously. Unfortunately, the current state-of-the-art of UPC and MPI interoperability leaves much to be desired both in terms of performance and ease-of-use.In this paper, we propose "Integrated Native Communication Runtime" (INCR) for MPI and UPC communications on InfiniBand clusters. Our library is capable of supporting both UPC and MPI communications simultaneously. This runtime is based on the widely used MVAPICH (MPI over InfiniBand) Aptus runtime, which is known to scale to tens-of-thousands of cores. Our evaluation reveals that INCR is able to deliver equal or better performance compared to the existing UPC runtime - GASNet on InfiniBand verbs. We observe that with UPC NAS benchmarks CG and MG (class B) at 128 processes, we outperform current GASNet implementation by 10% and 23%, respectively.
Formulaic interactions with engineering students

Writing tutors and others who consult with writers about technical communication can improve the quality of their interactions about writing if they understand how to use compliments effectively. We analyzed 107 compliments that writing tutors used in interactions with engineering students. Specifically, we investigated how tutors used formulaic compliments like it's good and how those compliments differed in function from non-formulaic compliments like the size is excellent in terms of visually aiding the reader. We suggest some ways that tutors and other people who work with technical communicators, such as editors, can employ compliments more effectively.
DETERMINANTS OF STATE INVESTMENT IN CHINA, 1953–1990

Generalizations of regional development in socialist countries based on detailed case studies of important elements of production in different countries are needed. This study focuses on one important force that affects China's regional development: state investment in basic construction. With the exception of the Third Front period (1965-71), the more developed eastern region always enjoyed a greater proportion of state investment than the central and western regions. Three major factors affected the temporal patterns of regional distribution of state investment in China: the ideological concern for spatial equality, defense considerations arising from perceived international threats, and die practical needs of die national economy. These factors exerted different influence on die investment patterns at different times. Whereas spatial equality and economic pragmatism were major concerns during the First Five-Year Plan (1953-57), national defense greatly affected the spatial patterns of state investment during the Third Front period, and these factors brought considerable state investment to die inland regions. Since die 1978 reforms, die concern for economic efficiency, not spatial equality in development or national security, has favored die coastal region.
Melt Infiltration Processing of Foams Using Glass-Forming Alloys

Processing of foams from bulk metallic glass (BMG) alloys, using melt infiltration techniques, is reported for the first time. Foaming methods based on infiltration of two types of pattern materials are described: investment of a continuous refractory yielding very low relative density structures (5% dense relative to the BMG), and investment of a discontinuous refractory pellet bed yielding higher relative density (50-60% dense relative to the BMG). Both methods are capable of producing foam structures; however high surface area and diminished thermal conductivity, especially in lower density structures, make vitrification of the alloy difficult.
Adherence to treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in a clinical population in New York City.

Abstract Background Low adherence to treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (TLTBI) diminishes TB prevention efforts. This study examined the treatment completion rate among those who started TLTBI and factors associated with adherence to TLTBI. Methods Patients who started TLTBI in New York City (NYC) Health Department chest clinics during January 2002–August 2004 were studied. TLTBI completion rate were described and compared according to patient demographic and clinical characteristics by regimen using univariate analysis and log-binomial regression. Results A total of 15 035 patients started and 6788 (45.2%) completed TLTBI. Treatment completers were more likely than non-completers to be ≥35 years old (52.5%, adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1, 1.2), contacts to pulmonary TB patients (57.4%, aRR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.4, 1.7), treated by directly observed preventive therapy (DOPT) (71.4%, aRR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.2, 1.3), and to have received the rifamycin-based regimen (60.0%, aRR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.3). The completion rate with an isoniazid regimen did not differ between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected persons. Among those who failed to complete, 3748 (47.8%) failed to return for isoniazid and 59 (14.7%) for rifamycin after the first month of medication dispensing. Conclusions Shorter regimen and DOPT increased completion rates for LTBI. Though efforts to improve TLTBI completion need to address all groups, greater focus is needed for persons who are contacts and HIV-infected, as they have higher risk of developing TB.
Microneedle Vaccination with Stabilized Recombinant Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Induces Improved Protective Immunity

The emergence of the swine-origin 2009 influenza pandemic illustrates the need for improved vaccine production and delivery strategies. Skin-based immunization represents an attractive alternative to traditional hypodermic needle vaccination routes. Microneedles (MNs) can deliver vaccine to the epidermis and dermis, which are rich in antigen-presenting cells (APC) such as Langerhans cells and dermal dendritic cells. Previous studies using coated or dissolvable microneedles emphasized the use of inactivated influenza virus or virus-like particles as skin-based vaccines. However, most currently available influenza vaccines consist of solubilized viral protein antigens. Here we test the hypothesis that a recombinant subunit influenza vaccine can be delivered to the skin by coated microneedles and can induce protective immunity. We found that mice vaccinated via MN delivery with a stabilized recombinant trimeric soluble hemagglutinin (sHA) derived from A/Aichi/2/68 (H3) virus had significantly higher immune responses than did mice vaccinated with unmodified sHA. These mice were fully protected against a lethal challenge with influenza virus. Analysis of postchallenge lung titers showed that MN-immunized mice had completely cleared the virus from their lungs, in contrast to mice given the same vaccine by a standard subcutaneous route. In addition, we observed a higher ratio of antigen-specific Th1 cells in trimeric sHA-vaccinated mice and a greater mucosal antibody response. Our data therefore demonstrate the improved efficacy of a skin-based recombinant subunit influenza vaccine and emphasize the advantage of this route of vaccination for a protein subunit vaccine. The skin acts as a mechanical barrier against the environment and provides the first line of defense against pathogens. The skin-associated lymphoid tissue (SALT), which was first described by Streilein (34), represents an ideal target for skinbased vaccinations because it contains keratinocytes, Langerhans cells (LC), dermal dendritic cells (DDC), and T cells. Skin-associated antigen-presenting cells (APC) and keratinocytes have been shown to express several pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including TLR9, TLR2, and TLR3 (19, 20), which are important enhancers of the immune response. The LC and DDC present in the epidermis and dermis, respectively, have been shown to take up antigen, migrate to draining lymph nodes, and induce an antigen-specific adaptive immune
Anthelmintic Activity of Triclabendazole

Triclabendazole was tested in vitro and in vivo against a range of helminths. Although in vitro activity was found against Hymenolepis diminuta (0.5 microgram/ml), Fasciola hepatica (2.5 micrograms/ml), Taenia crassiceps and Schistosoma mansoni (50 micrograms/ml), in vivo activity was only found against F. hepatica, a single oral dose of 40 mg/kg killing 99% of adult flukes in the rat. This spectrum of activity suggests a mechanism of action unlike that of other benzimidazole anthelmintics.
The Impact Of Decision Power On Financial Risk Tolerance And Asset Allocation

This research considers the impact of decision power (Blood & Wolfe, 1960) and demographic variables within a couple’s relationship on risk tolerance and portfolio risk levels. Married couples (N = 175) separately completed a survey consisting of the Blood and Wolfe Decision Power Index, the Survey of Consumer Finances risk tolerance question, demographic information, and selected financial variables. Unlike their husbands, the study found an effect of decision power for wives and portfolio risk level, suggesting that the wife’s decision power affects portfolio risk levels. Decision power was found to be a significant factor in risk tolerance for both the husband and wife. Findings indicate that both portfolio risk levels and risk tolerance is determined by the education of the wife and not the husband. Further, a divergence in risk levels occurred when the husband owned a greater degree of assets than the wife.
A lower and upper bound guided nested partitions method for solving capacitated multi-level production planning problems

This paper considers the capacitated multi-level production planning problem with the consideration of backorders. Demand for each item is deterministic in each level and in each period with a given horizon of T periods. The objective is to minimize the total cost that includes setup, inventory holding, backlogging, and overtime cost. For each period, the demand must be satisfied without exceeding capacities. To achieve high quality solutions for this class of production planning problems, we develop a lower and upper bound guided nested partitions method. The optimization method effectively utilizes domain knowledge guided by both lower and upper bound solutions, and then provides an efficient partitioning and sampling strategy. Consequently, in the approach most of the search is kept around the most promising regions capable of leading to good solutions. Extensive computational tests show that our proposed heuristic approach provides good solution results based on benchmark problems.
Does the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE)/ACE2 Balance Contribute to the Fate of Angiotensin Peptides in Programmed Hypertension?

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a key role in blood pressure regulation, fluid and electrolyte balance, cellular growth, thirst, and cardiac/renal function. The classic system primarily involves 2 enzymes: renin, which cleaves angiotensinogen to the inactive decapeptide angiotensin (Ang) I; and Ang-converting enzyme (ACE), a dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase that hydrolyzes Ang I to the octapeptide Ang II. The elucidation of the ACE pathway in parallel with potent and selective ACE inhibitors is clearly a pivotal achievement in our understanding of the RAS and in attaining effective therapies for hypertension and end organ damage. Indeed, ACE inhibitors attenuate Ang II formation and augment the levels of the heptapeptide Ang (1–7), a peptide that counterbalances the actions of Ang II on blood pressure and cellular growth through a unique receptor system. Ang II mediates the majority of its actions at the Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor, including the stimulation of vasoconstriction, sodium retention, cellular growth, and oxidative stress, whereas recent studies show that Ang (1–7) at the AT1–7 or mas receptor and Ang II via the AT2 receptor subtype counterregulate the actions of Ang II at the AT1 receptor. The discovery of the ACE homolog ACE2 provides further evidence that the RAS is far more complex than originally thought. The enzymatic cascade of the RAS should now encompass the ACE2-dependent pathways that directly yield Ang (1–9) from Ang I and degrade Ang II to Ang (1–7) (Figure). The interplay between ACE and ACE2 that may govern the formation and metabolism of Ang effector peptides warrants the simultaneous study of both enzymes to ultimately assess their contribution to blood pressure regulation and cardiac/renal function. ACE/ACE2 contribution to the formation of angiotensin peptides. In the classic pathway, Ang I is converted by ACE to Ang II. Ang (1–7) can be …
Training multilayer feedforward neural networks using dynamic programming

The dynamic programming method is implemented as an alternative supervised training algorithm for designing multilayer feedforward artificial neural networks. The author demonstrates its feasibility and competitiveness by two examples. It helps to set a stage for further research and applications.
Approach to diagnosing congenital cardiac disorders.

The subspecialty of pediatric cardiology has rapidly progressed in the past few years with more children with heart defects surviving to adulthood. With newer diagnostic tools and improved surgical techniques, many heart defects are being approached with surgery. Although, the more complicated lesions are never "completely repaired" and may require heart transplant in the long-term, there is an approach to "palliation." Most of the congenital heart malformations are detected in the perinatal period and this article gives the reader a general picture of the diagnostic approach to a multitude of heart defects.
Breakup of concentric double emulsion droplets in linear flows

The behaviour of concentric double emulsion droplets in linear flows is examined analytically, for the case when both fluid–fluid interfaces remain nearly spherical, and numerically, for the effect of finite interface deformation. The theoretical analysis is used to calculate the velocity fields interior and exterior to the particle, the first effects of flow-induced deformation, and the effective viscosity of a dilute emulsion of compound droplets. The numerical simulations allow for a complete investigation of the finite deformation of both the outer drop and the encapsulated particle. For concentric multiphase particles, there appear to be two distinct mechanisms of globule breakup: (i) continuous extension of the globule corresponding to non-existence of a steady particle shape or (ii) contact of the two interfaces at the globule centre, owing to incompatibility of the steady inner and outer interface shapes, even though the globule is only modestly deformed. Finally, the effect of different flow-types, i.e. uniaxial or biaxial extensional flows, is shown, in one example, to suggest breakup of the inner droplet even though the outer droplet maintains a steady shape.
A survey of recent research in image database management

Research in the area of image database management is surveyed. Results with publication dates of 1984-1990 are covered. The impact of technologies such as optical disk storage, digital video, and high-speed local area networks is explored. Programming paradigms, such as object-oriented programming, rule-based systems, and constraint-based methodologies, are discussed. Research in some of the core areas of image database management is surveyed, and an overview is given of some systems. Conclusions based on the survey are given. >
Enhanced Agency for Recent Jewish Migrants to the United States

As recently as the late 1970s and 1980s, a broad consensus in both Israel and US Jewish communities asserted that Israel should be the primary destination for Jewish migrants. Hebrew terms like yordim (those who go down) and noshrim (dropouts) stigmatized “Jewish communal deviants” who chose to settle outside of Israel. Moreover, whether they established themselves in Tel Aviv or Los Angeles, Jewish migrants were expected to cooperate with the religious, economic, political, cultural, and national agendas created for them by their host communities. While migrants had their own preferences about resettlement, they had limited ability to act on them. However, by the mid-1990s, a series of political, economic, ideological and demographic developments had transformed the status and treatment of Jewish migrants. The United States had received hundreds of thousands of Jewish migrants, either in competition with, or from, Israel. The American Jewish community, in consort with migrant activists and Israel itself, extended an array of social, economic, and religious services to Jewish migrants. And in both Israel and the United States, migrant populations increasingly selected their own patterns of national, political, linguistic, cultural, and religious identity—conforming to the agendas of host communities only in ways that they themselves chose. The net effect of these recent transformations has been to greatly enhance the autonomy of Jewish migrants. In this, we see a movement away from nationally-bounded forms of Jewish identity within Israel, the United States and other settings, and their replacement with flexible and less geographically fixed forms of Jewish identification. This article draws on in-depth interviews with Jewish migrants and resettlement staff to discuss recent transformations among Jewish migrants in the United States. It reviews some of the causes of these changes and considers their impacts. It concludes that skilled Jewish migrants with access to multiple places and ways of settlement have a great deal to offer the American Jewish community, but also considerable freedom to decide how and where they will live. Such factors transform established understandings of American Jewish life and need to be considered by scholars and policy makers involved in Jewish population research.
USING COMPRESSED SPEECH TO MEASURE SIMULTANEOUS PROCESSING IN PERSONS WITH AND WITHOUT VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

This study investigated the use of compressed speech as a modality for assessment of the simultaneous processing function for participants with visual impairment. A 24-item compressed speech test was created using a sound editing program to randomly remove sound elements from aural stimuli, holding pitch constant, with the objective to emulate the effect of incomplete visual stimuli in gestalt closure tests assessing simultaneous processing. The participant sample included 26 college students with impaired vision and a comparison sample of 88 sighted college students. Participants completed the compressed speech on a computer, along with a general ability measure and standard scales of neuropsychological function. The compressed speech test had a statistically significant positive relationship with both of the scales associated with the simultaneous processing function. Results suggest that compressed speech may provide a viable alternative to assess the simultaneous processing function, equitable for use with persons with and without visual disability.
Effects of Weight Loss and Weight-Bearing Exercise on Blood and Organ Concentrations of Lead and Some Essential Metals

Thousands of years of human evolution have resulted in the selection of genes that enhance the ability to survive during extended periods of starvation or reduced energy intake. However, this has occurred in the absence of extensive exposure to environmental pollutants. Adults cur-rently living in industrialized countries have body lead burdens about 500 times greater than those who lived prior to widespread lead dissemination in the environment. Most (>95%) of the lead burden is stored in the skeleton. During rapid weight loss, there is a decline in bone mass in addition to soft tissue mass. This bone mass loss may mobilize skeletal lead. However, weight-bearing exercise during weight loss may prevent or reduce bone lead mobilization and redistribu-tion to other organs. The objective was to determine the effects of weight loss, with and without weight-bearing exercise, on lead and essential metal stores in rats with prior lead exposure. Fifty-five, 12-week-old, female, Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 400 ppm lead as the acetate in drinking water for 4 weeks, followed by a one-week period without lead exposure. The rats were randomly assigned to seven groups before the start of food restriction. The seven groups were weight maintenance (WM) with ad lib feeding, moderate weight loss (MWL) with 25% food restriction and substantial weight loss (SWL) with 50% food restriction, with or without treadmill running, and one background group euthanized before food restriction. Tread-mill running speed was gradually increased to
Relocating the Deficit Reimagining Black Youth in Neoliberal Times

After-school community-based spaces are often recognized in political and educational discourse as institutions that “save” and “rescue” Black youth. Such rhetoric perpetuates an ethos of pathology that diminishes the agency of youth and their communities. Through ethnographic research with 20 youth workers at a college completion and youth development after-school program in the urban Northeast, findings indicate that tensions arise as youth workers strive to reimagine Black youth in humanizing ways despite pressures to frame them as broken and in need of fixing to compete for funding with charter schools. Data also reveal deep tensions in youth workers’ experiences as they critique neoliberal reforms that shape their work; yet, at the same time, they are forced to hold students to markers of success defined by neoliberal ideals. These tensions result in youth workers downplaying the social, cultural, and emotional dimensions of their work.