cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Campath‐1H Use in Pediatric Renal Transplantation

Campath-1H is a humanized, monoclonal antibody directed against CD52 determinants on the surface of human B- and T-cells and monocytes. Reports of Campath-1H use as induction in adult renal transplantation have been encouraging with low rejection rates and minimal adverse events. We report four high risk pediatric kidney transplant patients who received Campath-1H for unique indications with variable results. Children ranged in age from 20 months to 16 years. Immunosuppression regimens varied. Three of four patients experienced acute rejection, two of which were C4d positive. Serial flow cytometry was performed on all four patients. The patient who received only Campath-1H has an absolute lymphocyte count that remains less than 50% of baseline at 12-months post-transplant. In addition, in this patient CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD20 remain less than 50% of baseline. From this initial experience using Campath-1H in pediatric renal transplantation we conclude that; (1) the use of Campath-1H does not prevent recurrence of FSGS, (2) as seen in adults, lack of calcineurin inhibition when using Campath-1H may increase the risk of antibody-mediated rejection and (3) prolonged lymphocyte depletion remains even after a single dose of Campath-1H in children.
Relationships between weight status and bullying victimization among school-aged adolescents in Guangdong Province of China.

Objective To examine relationships between weight status and different forms of bullying victimization among adolescents aged 11-18 years. Methods The relationships between weight status and bullying victimization (physical, verbal, and relational) were examined utilizing data from the Guangdong Provincial Youth Health Behavior Survey. Data on height, weight, and victimization behaviors were collected by self-reporting from 12 439 subjects. (χ 2 test and logistic regression were used to analyze relationships between weight and bullying victimization. Results The incidence of victimization for adolescents aged 11-18 years was 8.6%, with higher rates for boys (12.4%) than for girls (4.7%). For children with normal, overweight and obese body mass index (BMI), the incidence rates of victimization were 8.2%, 17.3%, and 11.5%, respectively. Compared to normal weight, overweight was a risk factor for bullying victimization (OR=1.60, 95% CI:1.18-2.17), and it also increased children's risk of being teased in a hurtful way (OR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.41-3.24) and being made fun of due to physical appearance (OR=3.58, 95% CI: 2.27-5.67). Obesity only increased the risk for children of being made fun of due to physical appearance (OR=2.45, 95% CI: 1.44-4.15). Conclusions The victimization for children at school is common in Guangdong province, China. Overweight and obese children are more likely to be victims of bullying behaviors, especially verbal victimization.
Secondary fluorescence correction formulae for X-ray microanalysis — I Parallel-sided thin foil, wedge, and bulk specimens

Abstract Secondary fluorescence correction formulae have been derived for specimen geometries that are commonly employed in the analytical electron microscope. Formulae have been derived for parallel-sided thin foil and bulk (electron probe microanalysis) specimens, for which established correction formulae currently exist, and for wedge-shaped specimens, for which no formulae have been available to date. All derivations explicitly account for the absorption of fluoresced X-rays leaving the specimen en route to the spectrometer, which the existing correction formulae neglected wholly or in part. It is shown that the existing secondary fluorescence correction formula of Nockolds et al. for parallel-sided thin foils, which entirely neglects the absorption of secondary X-rays, is sufficiently accurate as long as the “sec α” factor is omitted. An additional factor ( y (x + y) in Reed's notation) should be appended to the existing secondary fluorescence correction formula for bulk specimens in the electron probe microanalyzer to account for near-surface absorption of fluoresced X-rays, which was neglected by Castaing. The difference in the secondary fluorescence corrections calculated with the Φ(ϱz) dependencies of Lenard (exponential) and Packwood and Brown (modified Gaussian) is shown to be negligible.
Controlled, Rapid Deposition of Structured Coatings from Micro- and Nanoparticle Suspensions

The objective of the study was to develop the operational basis for rapid and controlled deposition of crystal coatings from particles of a wide size range. We deposited such structured coatings by dragging with constant velocity a small volume of liquid confined in a meniscus between two plates. Two types of structured coatings were characterized: latex colloidal crystals and thin layers from metallic nanoparticles. The crystal deposition was sped up by use of preconcentrated suspensions. Crystal coatings larger than a few square centimeters were deposited in minutes from aqueous suspension volumes of approximately 10 μL. The governing mechanism of crystal deposition is convective assembly at high volume fractions. The two major process parameters that allow control over the coating thickness and structure were the deposition speed and particle volume fraction. The evaporation rate was not found to affect the process to a large extent. A volumetric flux balance was used to relate the deposition paramete...
H2, the Minor Subunit of the Human Asialoglycoprotein Receptor, Trafficks Intracellularly and Forms Homo-oligomers, but Does Not Bind Asialo-orosomucoid *

The functional human hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) is a hetero-oligomer composed of two subunits, designated H1 and H2, which are highly homologous. Despite their extensive homology, the major H1 subunit is stably expressed by itself, whereas in the absence of H1 most of the H2 subunits are degraded in the ER. In this study, we were able to investigate the capability of the minor ASGP-R subunit, H2, to function independently of H1, because it was apparently stabilized by fusing its NH2 terminus with an epitope tag. We could thus create stable cell lines in hepatoma-derived SK-Hep-1 cells that expressed the H2 subunit alone. H2 was expressed on the cell surface and was internalized, predominantly through the clathrin-coated pit pathway. Since the internal pool of H2 was also able to traffick to the cell surface, we conclude that H2 recycles between the surface and intracellular compartments, similar to the constitutive recycling of hetero-oligomeric ASGP-R complexes. However, the rate of H2 recycling and internalization was ∼25–33% that of H1. Similar to H1, the H2 polypeptides were also able to self-associate to form homo-oligomers, including trimers and tetramers. However, unlike H1, which can bind the ligand asialo-orosomucoid (ASOR) when overexpressed in COS-7 cells, H2 failed to bind or endocytose ASOR. In summary, the H2 subunit of the human ASGP-R contains functional, although weak, signal(s) for endocytosis and recycling and has the ability to oligomerize. H2 homo-oligomers, however, do not create binding sites for desialylated glycoproteins, such as ASOR, that contain tri- and tetra-antennaryN-linked oligosaccharides. Nonetheless, these results raise the intriguing possibility that naturally occurring H2 homo-oligomers may exist in human hepatocytes and have an as yet undiscovered function.
Brillouin zone treatment in total energy calculations of Peierls distorted chains

Most band structure calculations approximate the integral over the Brillouin zone of momentum (i.e., wave vector) dependent properties with an appropriately weighted sum over a discrete set of points in the Brillouin zone. The best choice for such a set of points has long been a point of discussion in crystalline band structure calculations. For one-dimensionally periodic systems, however, the usual choice of points has been evenly spaced points in the one-dimensional Brillouin zone with equal weights. We have analyzed the exact error for the integral over the π band of a tight-binding model of trans-polyacetylene as a function of bond alternation. We find that the error in π band energy decreases in magnitude as q−2, where q is the total number of points treated in the Brillouin zone, for the metallic polyacetylene system with equal bond lengths. As bond alternation increases, however, we find that the error in π band energy decreases in magnitude roughly exponentially as a function of bond alternation for any given value of q. We find that this systematic change in error as a function of bond alternation can lead to either apparent overestimation or underestimation of the equilibrium dimerization and stabilization energy of Peierls distorted systems using first-principles total energy calculations.
STRATOCLADISTICS AND EVALUATION OF EVOLUTIONARY MODES IN THE FOSSIL RECORD: AN EXAMPLE FROM THE AMMONITE GENUS SEMIFORMICERAS

At least two predominating modes of evolution have been proposed for the Early Tithonian oppeliid ammonite genus Semiformiceras, including phyletic trans- formation of a single lineage (S. darwini-S. semiforme-S. fallauxi) and, most recently, a bifurcating or cladogenetic model of speciation. We discuss methodological obstacles in past studies that have focused on specific modes of evo- lution, and offer a reanalysis of the morphological data first presented by Cecca and Rouget (Palaeontology, 49, 1069-1080) using the stratocladistic software StrataPhy. The present analysis utilizes 11 ammonite taxa and 15 characters (14 morphological and one stratigraphic) and assesses all previous phylogenetic hypotheses, including those that recruit OTUs in ancestral or 'nodal' positions, without excluding evolutionary modes. The results cast doubt on the monophyly of S. darwini, S. semiforme and S. fallauxi, but do not follow completely the direct anage- netic progression proposed by stratophenetic hypotheses. We conclude that stratocladistics is a helpful tool for eluci- dating the extent of anagenesis and cladogenesis in extinct lineages owing to its capacity to reconstruct phylograms in their temporal framework, and to assess the distinctness and monophyly, not just of clades but of the OTUs them- selves. Ultimately, this study addresses the novel utility of computer-assisted stratocladistic analysis in assessing evolu- tionary modes beyond the reach of traditional cladistic- based methodologies.
Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry peak sorting algorithm

We report a novel peak sorting method for the two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC x GC/TOF-MS) system. The objective of peak sorting is to recognize peaks from the same metabolite occurring in different samples from thousands of peaks detected in the analytical procedure. The developed algorithm is based on the fact that the chromatographic peaks for a given analyte have similar retention times in all of the chromatograms. Raw instrument data are first processed by ChromaTOF (Leco) software to provide the peak tables. Our algorithm achieves peak sorting by utilizing the first- and second-dimension retention times in the peak tables and the mass spectra generated during the process of electron impact ionization. The algorithm searches the peak tables for the peaks generated by the same type of metabolite using several search criteria. Our software also includes options to eliminate non-target peaks from the sorting results, e.g., peaks of contaminants. The developed software package has been tested using a mixture of standard metabolites and another mixture of standard metabolites spiked into human serum. Manual validation demonstrates high accuracy of peak sorting with this algorithm.
Population differentiation in Collinsia verna Nuttal (Scrophulariaceae): a multifaceted approach

Three species of Collinsia (commonly called Blue-eyed Mary, Innocence, Chinese Houses) including 12 populations of C. verna were examined for genetic variability and differentiation using three investigative techniques: enzyme electrophoresis, chiasma frequencies, and morphological measurements. Analysis of isozyme data showed higher heterozygosity was maintained in the C. verna populations (previously reported to be self pollinating) than in C. heterophylla and C. tinctoria, which are outcrossers. C. heterophylla and C. tinctoria were separated by a significant genetic distance from each other and especially from C. verna. Within C. verna isozyme, morphological, and chiasma frequency analyses separated the populations into subsets showing some geographical trends, possibly influenced by water dispersal of seeds. High genetic variability was maintained and differentiation has occured in the C. verna populations. The explanation may lie in a combination of factors associated with the ‘heterozygosity paradox’ including microgeographical influence and inappropriate mating system classification.
Elevated Rates of Diabetes in Pacific Islanders and Asian Subgroups: The Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE)

OBJECTIVE We estimated the prevalence and incidence of diabetes among specific subgroups of Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in a multiethnic U.S. population with uniform access to care. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This prospective cohort analysis included 2,123,548 adult members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California, including 1,704,363 with known race/ethnicity (white, 56.9%; Latino, 14.9%; African American, 8.0%; Filipino, 4.9%; Chinese, 4.0%; multiracial, 2.8%; Japanese, 0.9%; Native American, 0.6%; Pacific Islander, 0.5%; South Asian, 0.4%; and Southeast Asian, Korean, and Vietnamese, 0.1% each). We calculated age-standardized (to the 2010 U.S. population) and sex-adjusted diabetes prevalence at baseline and incidence (during the 2010 calendar year). Poisson models were used to estimate relative risks. RESULTS There were 210,632 subjects with prevalent diabetes as of 1 January 2010 and 15,357 incident cases of diabetes identified during 2010. The crude diabetes prevalence was 9.9% and the incidence was 8.0 cases per 1,000 person-years and, after standardizing by age and sex to the 2010 U.S. Census, 8.9% and 7.7 cases per 1,000 person-years. There was considerable variation among the seven largest API subgroups. Pacific Islanders, South Asians, and Filipinos had the highest prevalence (18.3, 15.9, and 16.1%, respectively) and the highest incidence (19.9, 17.2, and 14.7 cases per 1,000 person-years, respectively) of diabetes among all racial/ethnic groups, including minorities traditionally considered high risk (e.g., African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans). CONCLUSIONS High rates of diabetes among Pacific Islanders, South Asians, and Filipinos are obscured by much lower rates among the large population of Chinese and several smaller Asian subgroups.
Extramedullary Plasmacytoma of the Head and Neck

Plasmacytoma is an uncommon tumor that arises from malignant proliferation of a type of B-cell lymphocyte. Most plasma cell tumors present as multiple myeloma, in which the disease is widespread and incurable at diagnosis. Solitary plasmacytomas are classified as medullary or extramedullary, depending on whether they arise in bone or soft tissue, respectively. Whereas a medullary plasmacytoma generally follows the same process that occurs in multiple myeloma, a solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) may be curable with local therapy. Extramedullary plasmacytoma is of special interest to otolaryngologists because the majority of these unusual tumors present in soft tissues of the head and neck. We present two patients with EMP of the head and neck who were treated at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH. We discuss the related literature on the presentation, epidemiology, workup and management of patients with this rare neoplasm.
Magnetic Interactions in Ferromagnet-Encapsulated Polyaniline Nanotubes

We demonstrate Co, Fe, and Ni encapsulated polyaniline (PAni) nanotubes using a three-step anodization and electrodeposition process. The electrodeposition process is used to create the tubes, as well as the wires, in a highly reliable manner. The metal-filled PAni structures embedded inside nanoporous alumina templates are fabricated in the form of an array. The magnetic properties of these structures are investigated as a function of temperature. These results are compared with the magnetic properties of nanowires embedded inside nanoporous alumina templates.
Lessons from agriculture may improve the management of invasive plants in wildland systems

The current motivating concept underlying our view of invasive plant species is that they are dangerous and destructive invaders that drive native plant communities to extinction and must be eradicated at almost any cost. This negative view of non-native plants has resulted in the adoption and implementation of control efforts that may not be entirely successful and have the potential to result in severe non-target effects. The history of weed control in agroecosystems may provide insights on how to deal with non-native plant species in non-crop-lands, and shed light on some of the potential consequences of current control programs for the environment and for non-target organisms. Alternative research and management foci, based on knowledge gleaned from agricultural systems, may improve the effectiveness and sustainability of non-native plant species management in range- and wildlands.
Comment: Organizations Do Not Cognize

The article presents a commentary on the paper “Conceptualizing and measuring organizational and psychological climate: Pitfalls in multilevel research,” by W. H. Glick. The authors note that Glick's paper contains some inconsistencies. They explain that it is difficult to understand how Glick defined organizational climate (OC) as a nonpsychological, organizational variable that is different from a shared assignment of psychological meaning. The authors contend that methodological discussion and decisions should follow questions such as whether it makes sense to aggregate a psychological variable to a situational level of analysis.
Response contingency and human gastric acidity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between avoidance behavior of human subjects and gastric acid changes. An intragastric radio transmitter was employed to record stomach acid secretion rates. The subjects were divided into two groups. The members of the Response-Contingent (RC) group were led to believe that they would be able to avoid a strong electric shock during the Test phase of their session. In the No-Response (NR) group, subjects were correctly told that they would be without means of avoiding shock. The results demonstrated that (a) subjects could not be differentiated according to gastric acid secretion rate strictly on the basis of whether or not they made an avoidance response to an aversive stimulus; (b) a non-significant majority of subjects in both groups exhibited decreased gastric acid secretion rates during the Test phase; and (c) both groups showed a significantly faster rate of gastric acid secretion during the Post-Test phase than during the Test condition.
Stress modes in linear stability of viscoelastic flows

Abstract Although parallel shear flows of the upper convected Maxwell fluid are stable, recent articles [R. Kupferman, On the linear stability of plane Couette flow for an Oldroyd-B fluid and its numerical approximation, J. Non-Newt. Fluid Mech. 127 (2005) 169–190; C.R. Doering, B. Eckhardt, J. Schumacher, Failure of energy stability in Oldroyd-B fluids at arbitrarily low Reynolds numbers, J. Non-Newt. Fluid Mech. 135 (2006) 92–96] have exhibited transient growth at high Weissenberg number which is analogous to that observed in high Reynolds number Newtonian shear flows. The perturbations involved are pure stress perturbations with zero velocities. In this paper, we extend the analysis of such stress modes in plane Couette flow to the three-dimensional case. We also exhibit a class of “stress pressure modes” in plane Poiseuille flow. Finally, we discuss pure stress modes in elongational flow.
Family Boundary Ambiguity and the Measurement of Family Structure: The Significance of Cohabitation

We used data from the first wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine family boundary ambiguity in adolescent and mother reports of family structure and found that the greater the family complexity, the more likely adolescent and mother reports of family structure were discrepant. This boundary ambiguity in reporting was most pronounced for cohabiting stepfamilies. Among mothers who reported living with a cohabiting partner, only one-third of their teenage children also reported residing in a cohabiting stepfamily. Conversely, for those adolescents who reported their family structure as a cohabiting stepfamily, just two-thirds of their mothers agreed. Levels of agreement between adolescents and mothers about residing in a two-biological-parent family, single-mother family, or married stepfamily were considerably higher. Estimates of the distribution of adolescents across family structures vary according to whether adolescent, mother, or combined reports are used. Moreover, the relationship between family structure and family processes differed depending on whose reports of family structure were used, and boundary ambiguity was associated with several key family processes. Family boundary ambiguity presents an important measurement challenge for family scholars.
Faith not lost: Holly Hughes interviews Lois Weaver about Split Britches’ Lost Lounge (2009)

I met up with Lois Weaver, one third of the influential theatre troupe Split Britches, on a bitter January Saturday to discuss her latest piece, “Lost Lounge” created in collaboration with fellow “...
Rotating a discriminant analysis solution

Some disagreement has arisen in respect to the data matrix most suitable for the interpretation of the psychological construct nature of discriminant functions derived in a multiple discriminant analysis. While several authors suggest that the matrix of standardized weights on the constituent data-level variables (pattern) should be analyzed to derive function names (Klecka, 1975; Morrison, 1967; Tatsuoka, 1971), other authors suggest that these weights are inferior because of their semipartial nature and/or because of lack of sampling stability (Cooley & Lohnes, 1971; Darlington, Weinberg, & Walberg, 1973; Huberty, 1975; Veldman, 1967). In a factor analytic tradition, the variable-function correlation matrix (structure) has therefore been suggested as an alternative for interpretation. There is also some controversy (Cooley & Lohnes, 1971; Huberty, 1975; Tatsuoka, 1973) concerning the interpretational utility of rotating these discriminant functions to achieve greater psychological meaningfulness. Moreover, a problem similar to that described in the unrotated state occurs when deciding whether to rotate the pattern or structure matrix. It has been suggested that rotation of either the pattern or structure should be used largely experimentally as empirical experience is gained (Klecka, 1975; Huberty, 1975; Tatsuoka, 1973). In a review of commonly available computer programs, the only option found allowing the rotation of a discriminant analysis solution limited the user to rotating the pattern matrix (Klecka, 1975). The purpose of the present paper is to describe a computer program which rotates a pattern or structure matrix from a multiple discriminant analysis yielding two or more factors to the varimax criterion, hopefully facilitating the suggested experimental use of these procedures. Description. The program rotates either an input pattern or structure matrix to the varimax criterion. Since this rotation is accomplished through a subroutine constructed from a combination of two currently available varimax subroutines (Guertin & Bailey, 1970; Veldman, 1967), other orthogonal rotational schemes can easily be substituted as a subroutine unit. When a matrix is entered, the alternate unrotated matrix is calculated; one determines the other. After the input matrix is rotated, the alternate rotated matrix is also output. Whether a pattern or structure matrix
Transmembrane tyrosine phosphatase LAR induces apoptosis by dephosphorylating and destabilizing p130Cas.

Background: LAR is a transmembrane receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP). Genetic studies of Drosophila LAR suggest that LAR may function to regulate cell adhesions or adhesion-mediated signal transduction. The over-expression of LAR in mammalian tissue culture cells does not affect cell adhesion but induces caspase-dependent apoptosis. This study investigates molecular mechanisms of LAR-induced apoptosis by searching for in vivo substrates of LAR which are responsible for LAR-induced apoptosis. Results: The over-expression of LAR in tissue culture cells specifically decreased the steady state protein level of p130Cas, a multifunctional signal assembly protein in signal transduction, by reducing the tyrosine phosphorylation and protein stability of p130Cas. The reduction of p130Cas protein level could be inhibited by tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors. Phosphatase domain-deleted mutant LARs had no effect on p130Cas. LAR also preferentially dephosphorylated p130Casin vitro. Subcellularly, LAR and p130Cas were co-localized along stress fibres and at focal adhesions. LAR over-expression eliminated p130Cas from focal adhesions without affecting focal adhesion assembly. Restoring the level of p130Cas alleviated LAR-induced apoptosis. Conclusions: p130Cas is an in vivo substrate of LAR. LAR specifically dephosphorylates and destabilizes p130Cas and may play a role in regulating cell adhesion-mediated cell survival. The function of p130Cas in focal adhesions may not be to regulate focal adhesion assembly and cell adhesion but rather to transduce the cell adhesion-generated signals which are essential for cell survival.
Bait-shyness acquisition and resistance to extinction as functions of US exposure prior to conditioning

Cyclophosphamide-induced aversions to saccharin-flavored tap water were observed in normal control rats, in rats subjected to varying numbers of cyclophosphamide injections prior to conditioning, and in rats similarly subjected to preconditioning saline injections. Both initial magnitude and resistance to extinction of a conditioned flavor aversion were found to be inverse functions of preconditioning familiarity with drug-induced illness. Six preconditioning cyclophosphamide injections markedly reduced both initial aversion magnitude and resistance to extinction. In contrast, three such injections failed to affect initial aversion magnitude and resulted in a small acceleration of extinction rate, while one preconditioning cyclophosphamide injection produced no observable effects. These findings depict preconditioning familiarity with illness as one important variable modulating the strength of conditioned flavor aversions and emphasize the importance of viewing resistance to extinction as one indicator of aversion strength.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography of Arginine-Containing Neuropeptides by Precolumn Derivatization and Fluorimetric Detection

Abstract A previously developed fluorescence method for determining leupeptin and the angiotensins is shown to be applicable to assaying other small arginine-containing peptides. In this procedure arginine residues are derivatized by reaction with benzoin. Femtomole sensivity is obtainable with this method. However, it cannot be used with larger arginine-containing peptides because those fragment upon derivatization.
Neurofilaments Are Transported Rapidly But Intermittently in Axons: Implications for Slow Axonal Transport

Slow axonal transport conveys cytoskeletal proteins from cell body to axon tip. This transport provides the axon with the architectural elements that are required to generate and maintain its elongate shape and also generates forces within the axon that are necessary for axon growth and navigation. The mechanisms of cytoskeletal transport in axons are unknown. One hypothesis states that cytoskeletal proteins are transported within the axon as polymers. We tested this hypothesis by visualizing individual cytoskeletal polymers in living axons and determining whether they undergo vectorial movement. We focused on neurofilaments in axons of cultured sympathetic neurons because individual neurofilaments in these axons can be visualized by optical microscopy. Cultured sympathetic neurons were infected with recombinant adenovirus containing a construct encoding a fusion protein combining green fluorescent protein (GFP) with the heavy neurofilament protein subunit (NFH). The chimeric GFP–NFH coassembled with endogenous neurofilaments. Time lapse imaging revealed that individual GFP–NFH-labeled neurofilaments undergo vigorous vectorial transport in the axon in both anterograde and retrograde directions but with a strong anterograde bias. NF transport in both directions exhibited a broad spectrum of rates with averages of ≈0.6–0.7 μm/sec. However, movement was intermittent, with individual neurofilaments pausing during their transit within the axon. Some NFs either moved or paused for the most of the time they were observed, whereas others were intermediate in behavior. On average, neurofilaments spend at most 20% of the time moving and rest of the time paused. These results establish that the slow axonal transport machinery conveys neurofilaments.
Frequency selective signal restoration using nonlinear combination filters

For restoration of nonstationary signals in impulsive noise the combination or C-filter uses rank-order dependent coefficients in an FIR (finite-impulse response) filter structure. This allows frequency selectivity as well as edge-preservation and impulse rejection. The nonlinear C-filter design is facilitated by the use of an LMS (least-mean-squares) algorithm. This approach is explained and examples are given of C-filter performance for one- and two-dimensional signals. >
Levofloxacin Pharmacokinetics in Adult Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients have enhanced renal clearance of aminoglycosides and several β-lactams and require higher dosages. Levofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone with extensive renal elimination and enhanced penetration into lungs and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) biofilms. We studied the preliminary pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship of levofloxacin in CF. Methods: Twelve patients at least 18 years old with a mild-to-moderate pulmonary exacerbation and fluoroquinolone-sensitive PA colonization received oral levofloxacin, 500 mg qd, for 14 days. Steady-state serum concentrations were collected after 3 to 7 days, and sputum samples for PA densities were collected before and after levofloxacin. PK/PD relationships for reducing Results: When compared to published data on non-CF patients, CF patients had similar area under the curve for 24 h (AUC 24 ), total clearance, volume of distribution, maximum serum concentration (Cpmax), and elimination half-life: mean, 7.33 μg × h/mL/kg (SD, 1.70); 2.43 mL/min/kg (SD, 0.74); 1.33 L/kg (SD, 0.37); 7.06 μg/mL (SD, 2.35); and 6.44 h (SD, 1.1), respectively. Time to reach maximum serum concentration (Tmax) in CF was longer: mean, 2.20 h (SD, 0.99) vs 1.1 h (SD, 0.4) [p 24 /MIC ratio. Conclusion: CF levofloxacin pharmacokinetics corrected for body weight are similar to non-CF, except for Tmax. Standard levofloxacin dosing (especially monotherapy) is unlikely to produce maximum therapeutic effectiveness. Additional levofloxacin studies in CF are necessary to evaluate its sputum concentrations; the benefits of higher daily dosages (≥ 750 mg); and establish PK/PD targets for managing PA pulmonary infections.
Beyond blobs in percolation cluster structure: the distribution of 3-blocks at the percolation threshold.

The incipient infinite cluster appearing at the bond percolation threshold can be decomposed into singly connected ``links'' and multiply connected ``blobs.'' Here we decompose blobs into objects known in graph theory as 3-blocks. A 3-block is a graph that cannot be separated into disconnected subgraphs by cutting the graph at two or fewer vertices. Clusters, blobs, and 3-blocks are special cases of k-blocks with $k=1,$ 2, and 3, respectively. We study bond percolation clusters at the percolation threshold on two-dimensional (2D) square lattices and three-dimensional cubic lattices and, using Monte Carlo simulations, determine the distribution of the sizes of the 3-blocks into which the blobs are decomposed. We find that the 3-blocks have fractal dimension ${d}_{3}=1.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$ in 2D and $1.15\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1$ in 3D. These fractal dimensions are significantly smaller than the fractal dimensions of the blobs, making possible more efficient calculation of percolation properties. Additionally, the closeness of the estimated values for ${d}_{3}$ in 2D and 3D is consistent with the possibility that ${d}_{3}$ is dimension independent. Generalizing the concept of the backbone, we introduce the concept of a $``k\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{bone},''$ which is the set of all points in a percolation system connected to k disjoint terminal points (or sets of disjoint terminal points) by k disjoint paths. We argue that the fractal dimension of a k-bone is equal to the fractal dimension of k-blocks, allowing us to discuss the relation between the fractal dimension of k-blocks and recent work on path crossing probabilities.
Sex Differences in Cocaine-Stimulated Motor Behavior: Disparate Effects of Gonadectomy

Sex differences in biological substrates of drug use and addiction are poorly understood. The present study investigated sexual dimorphisms in motor behavior following acute cocaine administration (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg, i.p.). Cocaine increased stereotypy rating, horizontal and vertical activity in both sexes, and effects were always greater in females than males. A population analysis using data from multiple experiments indicated that horizontal activity scores were normally distributed in males but not in females. Gonadectomy induced disparate effects on cocaine-stimulated motor behavior. Population analysis indicated that castrated males exhibited more horizontal activity and stereotypy than shams. Ovariectomy did not affect cocaine-stimulated stereotypy but did attenuate horizontal activity in a subset of rats that had not been vaginally lavaged. In summary, gonadectomy effects were sex and behavioral topography specific and indicate that activational effects of gonadal hormones partially mediate the robust sex differences in cocaine-stimulated open-field behavior.
Real-time data fusion processing of internetted acoustic sensors for tactical applications

Recent advances in acoustic sensors, microprocessors, local wireless communications, and low-cost global positioning satellite (GPS) receivers allow the creation of acoustic sensor networks for target detection, tracking, and identification. In particular we describe the concept of robust acoustic sensors that exhibit the ability for self-calibration and self-location. Use of such sensors in a wireless, internetted development provides accurate multi-sensor target tracking and classification. This paper describes the concept and design of such sensors and networks. Particular attention is paid to how the environment affects the sensor performance and system performance. Initial simulator results are presented. >
“There's Got To Be More Out There”: White Working-Class Women, College, and the “Better Life,” 1950–1985

This study examines the ambitions for higher education of women who grew up in working-class families in Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota between 1950 and 1985. Most historical studies of the recent past have ignored the experiences of working-class women and considered them to be marginal to important changes in women's lives generally. This study argues that as early as the 1960s working-class college-bound women were developing an important critique of patriarchal relationships within and outside their families, and that their ambitions for college were significant to the larger culture as they shaped new prospects for women's independence. The article analyzes oral history narratives alongside other social and cultural data, linking women's stories of upward mobility to broader historical patterns in the economy, popular culture, and working-class communities during these turbulent decades. It points to the pivotal role of class backgrounds and shifting gender identities in white women's construction of “success stories” in an era of growing access to higher education.
Infection as a Precursor to Autoimmunity

The ability to distinguish self from nonself is a cardinal feature of the normal immune system. Nevertheless, the development of autoimmune responses is a common occurrence. Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain the failure of self/nonself discrimination. Of the explanations offered, the intervention of infection is among the most conspicuous. Indeed, the first example of an autoimmune disease, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, was originally attributed to syphilitic infection.1 In the recent literature, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus has been associated with Coxsackievirus Group B infection.2 Despite intensive research in many laboratories, however, scanty information is available on the mechanisms by which infection may function to precipitate autoimmune disease. Some investigators have cited examples of molecular mimicry, based on homology between an amino acid sequence of some endogenous antigen and an antigen of a pathogen.3 Other investigations pointed to an effect of infection on the regulation of the immune response.4 Still others have suggested that an infectious agent may produce changes in self-antigens.5 None of these mechanisms, however, has yet been proven to cause an actual autoimmune disease.
Flexure-based nanomagnetic actuators and their ultimate scaling limits

Building upon prior work performed at the micrometer scale, nanometer-scale flexure-based ferromagnetic actuators have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The smallest fabricated and tested magnetic actuator is a cantilever-based ferromagnetic actuator that consists of a single 50x338x1500 nm3 nickel magnet and a 30x110x2200 nm3 gold cantilever beam. In addition, the ultimate scaling limits of actuators of this general design have also been carefully studied and presented. The targeted applications for these structures include magnetically tunable frequency-selective surfaces, tunable optical filters, and direct macro-to-nano 3-D manipulation performed in a wide variety of nanoscale environments.
Effortless Critical Representation of Laplacian Pyramid

The Laplacian pyramid (LP) is a multiresolution representation introduced originally for images, and it has been used in many applications. A major shortcoming of the LP representation is that it is oversampled. The dependency among the LP coefficients is studied in this paper. It is shown that whenever the LP compression filter is interpolatory, the redundancy in the LP coefficients can be removed effortlessly by merely discarding some of the LP coefficients. Furthermore, it turns out that the remaining, now critically sampled, LP coefficients are actually the coefficients of a wavelet filter bank. As a result, a new algorithm for designing a nonredundant wavelet filter bank from non-biorthogonal lowpass filters is obtained. Our methodology presented in this paper does not depend on the spatial dimension of the data or the dilation matrix for sampling.
The status of clinical trials: cause for concern.

Background Americans see clinical research as important, with over 15 million American residents participating in NIH-sponsored studies in 2008 and growing yearly.
Administration in a multiple policy/domain environment: the administration and melding of disparate policies

New standards for trusted systems propose multiple security policies and multiple policy domains. My experience building a Mutipolicy Machine prototype illustrated that multiple policy domains and complex policies push current policy administration techniques, tools, and user interfaces beyond their limits. This paper proposes a holistic approach to policy administration consisting of human-intuitive user interfaces for defining policies, a PolicyBase (a term I am introducing to describe a KnowledgeBase focused on the rules and data required to describe the policies to be administered and acted on) for storing them, and intelligent tool programs that allow the administrator to anticipate the impact of policy changes and interactions.
Dielectric Relaxation in Manganese‐Doped Silver Chloride

The ionic thermo-current method (ITC) is used to study dielectric relaxation in six crystals of AgCl:Mn2+. The amount of dopant ranges from 130 to 3700 ppm. In the temperature range from liquid nitrogen to 130 K the depolarization spectrum contains two main overlapping bands. From the temperature dependence of the ratio of the saturation intensities of the two bands it is concluded that they are in equilibrium, and thus are due to different impurity–vacancy (I–V) dipole configurations. The difference in the binding energies for the two types of dipoles is very small (0.005 eV), the one responsible for the low-temperature band being more tightly bound. By comparing with EPR data on AgCl:Mn2+, the low-temperature band is assigned to nnn I–V dipoles, and the high temperature band to nn I–V dipoles. Additional smaller contributions to the depolarization spectrum are observed in the highly doped samples. Die thermische Depolarisationstrommethode wird benutzt, um die dielektrische Relaxation in sechs Kristallen von AgCl:Mn2+ zu untersuchen. Der Bereich der Dotierung geht von 130 bis 3700 ppm. Im Temperaturbereich des flussigen Stickstoff bis 130 K besteht das Depolarisations-spektrum aus zwei sich uberlappenden Banden. Aus der Temperaturabhangigkeit des Verhaltnisses der Sattigungsintensitaten der beiden Banden folgt, das die beiden Banden im Gleichgewicht sind und deshalb von verschiedenen Fremdatom–Leerstellen (I–V)-Dipolstrukturen stammen. Der Unterschied in den Bindungsenergien der beiden Dipoltypen ist sehr klein (0,005 eV), der fur die Tieftemperatur-Bande verantwortliche ist starker gebunden. Durch ein Vergleich mit EPR-Daten an AgCl:Mn2+ wird die Tieftemperaturbande nnn-I–V-Dipolen zugeschrieben und die Hochtemperaturbande nn-I–V-Dipolen. Zusatzliche kleinere Beitrage zu dem Depolarisationsspektrum werden in hoherdotierten Proben gefunden.
Comparison of a fluoresceinated lectin stain with triple staining for evaluating acrosome reactions of dog sperm

In this study a technique which utilized a fluoresceinated lectin and a fluorescent supravital stain was compared with the conventional triple stain technique for evaluating the viability and acrosomal status of dog sperm. Ten semen samples obtained from 6 normal beagle dogs were evaluated after incubation in vitro with canine capacitation medium. Sperm viability and acrosomal status were assessed at 0, 4, and 7 hours of incubation. Both staining techniques were capable of detecting the increase in spontaneous acrosome reactions which occurs during in vitro capacitation of dog sperm. High positive correlations were observed between the fluorescent stain and the triple stain in the mean values for the percentage of viable sperm and for the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm among the viable sperm (r = 0.91, r = 0.97, respectively). However, the fluorescent staining techniques could be carried out much more rapidly than the triple stain technique, and the slides prepared with fluorescent stain were more easily scored because of the higher intensity and greater consistency of staining. These characteristics make the fluoresceinated lectin and the fluorescent supravital stain superior for evaluating acrosome reactions and viability of dog sperm. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Selection of tRNA charging quality control mechanisms that increase mistranslation of the genetic code

Mistranslation can follow two events during protein synthesis: production of non-cognate amino acid:transfer RNA (tRNA) pairs by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) and inaccurate selection of aminoacyl-tRNAs by the ribosome. Many aaRSs actively edit non-cognate amino acids, but editing mechanisms are not evolutionarily conserved, and their physiological significance remains unclear. To address the connection between aaRSs and mistranslation, the evolutionary divergence of tyrosine editing by phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) was used as a model. Certain PheRSs are naturally error prone, most notably a Mycoplasma example that displayed a low level of specificity consistent with elevated mistranslation of the proteome. Mycoplasma PheRS was found to lack canonical editing activity, relying instead on discrimination against the non-cognate amino acid by kinetic proofreading. This mechanism of discrimination is inadequate for organisms where translation is more accurate, as Mycoplasma PheRS failed to support Escherichia coli growth. However, minor changes in the defunct editing domain of the Mycoplasma enzyme were sufficient to restore E. coli growth, indicating that translational accuracy is an evolutionarily selectable trait.
Some Observations on the Random Response of an Elasto-Plastic System

The nature of the response of strongly yielding systems subjected to random excitation, is examined. Special attention is given to the drift response, defined as the sum of yield increments associated with inelastic response. Based on the properties of discrete Markov process models of the yield increment process, it is suggested that for many cases of practical interest, the drift can be considered as a Brownian motion. The approximate Gaussian distribution and the linearly divergent mean square value of the process, as well as an expression for the probability distribution of the peak drift response, are obtained. The validation of these properties is accomplished by means of a Monte Carlo simulation study.
On Dual Configurational Forces

The dual conservation laws of elasticity are systematically re-examined by using both Noether's variational approach and Coleman-Noll-Gurtin's thermodynamics approach. These dual conservation laws can be interpreted as the dual configurational force, and therefore they provide the dual energy-momentum tensor. Some previously unknown and yet interesting results in elasticity theory have been discovered. As an example, we note the following duality condition between the configuration force (energy-momentum tensor) P and the dual configuration force (dual energy-momentum tensor) L, PL ¼ð P : FÞ1 �r ð PxÞ: This and other results derived in this paper may lead to a better understanding of configurational mechanics and therefore of mechanics of defects.