cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Folylpoly-gamma-glutamate synthetase.

Folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) catalyzes the addition of glutamate residues to folates and antifolates to form the physiological active coenzymatic forms of the vitamin and more potent anti-folate agents (reviewed in reference 1). Studies on FPGS have been hampered by the low abundance and instability of the protein. We previously reported the purification of the Corynebacterium, Lactobacillus casei, Escherichia coli and pig liver proteins2–5, and the L. casei and E. coli FPGS genes have been cloned and the proteins expressed at high levels4,6,7. Although the bacterial proteins are useful for studying the mechanism of the FPGS reaction, their specificities for folate substrates are markedly different from the mammalian proteins. Consequently, they are not good models for studying how substrates interact with the mammalian protein. To aid in the further characterization of the eukaryotic protein, we have cloned yeast and human genes for FPGS and have overexpressed and purified the gene products. This has allowed studies on the mechanism of FPGS and on the regulation of its expression in mammalian cells.
Correcting myogenic ptosis accompanying extraocular muscle weakness: The “Bobby Pin” procedure

ABSTRACTThis article evaluates the “Bobby Pin” procedure in the correction of myogenic ptosis accompanying extraocular muscle weakness. We retrospectively reviewed 26 eyelids of 13 patients who underwent “Bobby Pin” procedure for myogenic ptosis accompanying extraocular muscle weakness. We evaluated the patients’ clinical features such as age, etiology of ptosis, symptoms, standard ptosis measurements, associated systemic diseases, additional ophthalmic conditions, complications, and recurrence. Etiology of myogenic ptosis and extraocular muscle weakness was oculopharyngeal dystrophy in 4 (31%) patients, chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia in 4 (31%) patients, myotonic dystrophy in 2 (23%) patients, and idiopathic in 3 (15%) patients. The mean levator function was approximately 5 mm pre- and post-operatively (range 1 to 12 mm). The mean margin-to-reflex distance 1 increased from –1.1 mm (below the light reflex) pre-operatively to +0.4 mm (above the light reflex) post-operatively. After a mean fol...
Regional Diversity in Mogollon Red-on-Brown Pottery

ABSTRACTMogollon Red-on-brown ceramic designs are examined through two complementary approaches, symmetry and attribute analyses. Thirty-three whole vessels from seven sites compose the design sample. Sherd frequency data from 41 sites in the Mogollon region, as well as design analyses of the 33 whole vessels, indicate four geographic clusters of this pottery type. These include an eastern center in the Mimbres Valley, the San Francisco River drainage, the Gila River drainage, and the Burro Mountains. It is proposed that these clusters reflect prehistoric social interaction, and the analytic data suggest that there were regional differences among the people producing Mogollon Red-on-brown pottery during the A.D. 700 to 760 period.
Thermoelectric Power of Linear Mercury Chain Compound

We have studied the thermoelectric power of the incommensurate linear chain compound Hg3−δ AsF6. At high temperatures, the electron diffusion thermopower in this anisotropic metal is linear in temperature. At low temperatures, phonon drag thermopower contributions can be identified.
Communion in the House of the Dead: Notes on Some African Prison Poets

Discusses the writing of poetry as an act of resistance in works by Wole Soyinka, Abdellatif Laâbi, Breyten Breytenbach, Jack Mapanje, Dennis Brutus, and Ngugi wa Thiong'o.
Abstract 2517: Effects of toll-like receptor 4 agonist on the anti-tumor immune response to the GVAX vaccine

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA We evaluated the immune response elicited by co-administration of a novel toll-like receptor 4 agonist, glucopyranosyl lipid A (GLA), with a genetically modified tumor cell based vaccine (GVAX) in mice. We have previously reported that the addition of GLA to the GVAX vaccine in mice resulted in a paradoxical decrease in delivery of tumor antigen to the draining lymph node, yet an increase in therapeutic benefit. The addition of GLA to GVAX altered the distribution of the vaccine induced anti-tumor T cell response. In mice vaccinated with GVAX + GLA adjuvant tumor-specific T cells accumulated in the spleen, liver and footpad as soon as two days following vaccination. In contrast, in mice vaccinated with GVAX alone, tumor-specific T cells accumulated primarily only in the dLN. Since our previous study established that incorporation of GLA into the GVAX vaccine did not alter the magnitude of the anti-tumor T cell response, we set out to determine if the co-administration of GLA with GVAX altered the functional capabilities of the anti-tumor T cell response. We found that GLA did not increase in vivo tumor-specific cytotoxic activity or increase the number of anti-tumor interferon-γ expressing T cells found in the tumor or spleen following vaccination. We next determined if the addition of GLA to GVAX altered the kinetics of the anti-tumor T cell response. We found that the addition of GLA to the GVAX vaccine resulted in rapid accumulation of activated anti-tumor T cells in the spleen. Our results suggest that addition of GLA to the GVAX vaccine does not increase the magnitude or significantly improve functional capabilities of the anti-tumor immune response. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the addition of GLA to the GVAX vaccine increases therapeutic benefit by altering the distribution of the response, resulting in a more systemic anti-tumor immune response. Citation Format: Michael J. Korrer, Jeff W.m. Bulte, Hyam I. Levitsky. Effects of toll-like receptor 4 agonist on the anti-tumor immune response to the GVAX vaccine. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2517. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2517
Follow-up Study A Children Who Are Disordered Pneumonia

Pneumonia is one of significant problems among infections of low airways in children. Morbidity of common-acquired pneumonia (CAP) continues to go in last year’s. Data available in the literature show, that pneumonia with empyema possibly associated with high risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, asthma and recurrent case of pneumonia in last life. Fatal pneumonia or developing chronic obstruction lung diseases occur mainly in children after severe and complicated forms of pneumonia, this information is presented in native and foreign literature. Currently pneumonia with the heavy and complicated current is a major cause of infant mortality or promotes development of a chronic obstruction lung diseases. Mortality from pneumonia is 3-19% according to different authors. The risk of respiratory diseases in the 3-6 months after pneumonia increased in children who underwent pneumonia. After complicated CAP the complete resolution of the inflammatory happens on 6-9 month. After not complicated САР forms at 10-30% of children radiological changes within 2-6 weeks were noted. In one research it is reported that the full recovery from slow resolving pneumonia at 96% of children has come on 6-8 month of the dispensary period. Some authors in the scientific works use immunomodulators and vaccinations to reduce the residual variation in the lungs and improve recovery time dramatically of pneumonia. In follow up study the important task is a identifying and elimination of risk factors for improvement of treatment and dispensary period for slow resolving pneumonia, recurrent case of pneumonia, sever pneumonia.
Feed efficiency phenotypes in lambs involve changes in ruminal, colonic, and small-intestine-located microbiota.

Montana Agricultural Experiment Station (project MONB00113); National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH-NIGMS: award number P20GM103474); Enhancing the Competitiveness of U.S. Beef (MONB00195); Multistate Research Project (W3177, W2010); Integrated Approach to Enhance Efficiency of Feed Utilization in Beef Production Systems (MONB00196)
Considerations for developing chronic care system for traumatic brain injury based on comparisons of cancer survivorship and diabetes management care

AbstractExperts in traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation recently proposed the framing of TBI as a chronic disease rather than a discrete event. Within the framework of the Chronic Care Model (CCM), a systematic comparison of three diseases – cancer survivorship, diabetes management and TBI chronic care – was conducted regarding chronic needs and the management of those needs. In addition, comparisons of these conditions require comparative evaluations of disease management characteristics and the survivor concept. The analysis found diabetes is more established within the CCM, where care is integrated across specialists and primary care providers. No single comparison provides a full analogue for understanding the chronic care health delivery system for TBI, indicating the need for a separate model to address needs and resources for TBI survivors. The findings from this research can provide practitioners with a context to develop a robust continued care health system for TBI.Practitioner Summary: W...
“Doing Everything on My Own”: Examining African American, Latina/o, and Biracial Students’ Experiences With School Counselors in Promoting Academic and College Readiness:

We examined the high school experiences of 133 African American, Latina/o, and biracial college students through employing a mixed methods concurrent nested design, including survey analysis and qu...
Physical Activity and Health-Related Fitness of Adolescents within the Juvenile Justice System.

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the physical activity patterns and health-related fitness levels of adolescents within the Juvenile Justice System. Methods. Participants included 68 adolescents (Mean age = 17.1 ± 1.0 years) in two secure Juvenile Justice correctional facilities in the Western USA. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was monitored for one week using the ActiGraph GT9X accelerometer. Health-related fitness was measured using the FITNESSGRAM test battery. Results. Adolescents averaged 43.3±21.6 minutes of MVPA per weekday compared to 42.7±27.5 per weekend day. During school hours, adolescents accumulated 17.1±9.0 minutes of MVPA compared to 5.9±3.4 minutes before school and 21.0±13.6 minutes after school. Adolescents averaged 18.9±11.0 push-ups, 44.5±26.4 curl-ups, 34.7±24.8 PACER laps, and 22.1%±10.0% body fat. Conclusions. Adolescents within the Juvenile Justice System are falling short of the recommended 60 minutes of MVPA per day and 30 minutes of MVPA during school and also need to improve their health-related fitness, especially cardiorespiratory endurance.
Case 18-2019: A 24-Year-Old Woman with a Pelvic Mass

A Woman with a Pelvic Mass A 24-year-old woman was evaluated at the hospital for a pelvic mass. Several weeks earlier, intermittent vaginal bleeding, increased abdominal girth, and mild pelvic pain...
Trauma Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Aggression Among Civilian Females.

Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have evinced ties to increased risk for aggressive behavior. However, very little information is known regarding the relations between traum...
Acoustic deterrents to manage fish populations

Finding effective ways to direct native fish away from anthropogenic hazards and limit the spread of invasive species, without physical intervention, harming non-target fishes or interrupting aquatic commerce is a major challenge for fisheries management. One option is to target fish sensory systems to manipulate behavior using attractive or repulsive cues. Many, if not all species of fish, use sound as part of their behavioral repertoire and display varying degrees of phonotaxis. Sound has inherent advantages over other sensory stimuli such as light or odor as underwater sound attenuates slowly, is highly directional and is unimpeded by low light or water turbidity. This review details the use of acoustics to deter and guide fish movements for a wide variety of fishes, before critically assessing the benefits and limitations of the technology. No single method of fish deterrence is a “one size fits all”, and therefore this review will assist both managers and researchers attempting to use acoustic deterrents for different fish orders.
Introduction: Why data matter

Abstract Data have historically driven both advancements and reforms in healthcare delivery. Nurses have been at the forefront of many of these changes in healthcare, and were early adopters of data as a mechanism to drive improvements in care. Nurses remain key stakeholders for data utilization in current healthcare environments. This chapter reviews the evolution of healthcare delivery, with a focus on data and the critical role of nurses as key stakeholders and change agents utilizing data to improve care delivery and patient outcomes.
Differentiating autoimmune pancreatitis from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with CT radiomics features.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether computed tomography (CT)-based machine learning of radiomics features could help distinguish autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Materials and Methods Eighty-nine patients with AIP (65 men, 24 women; mean age, 59.7 ± 13.9 [SD] years; range: 21–83 years) and 93 patients with PDAC (68 men, 25 women; mean age, 60.1 ± 12.3 [SD] years; range: 36–86 years) were retrospectively included. All patients had dedicated dual-phase pancreatic protocol CT between 2004 and 2018. Thin-slice images (0.75/0.5 mm thickness/increment) were compared with thick-slices images (3 or 5 mm thickness/increment). Pancreatic regions involved by PDAC or AIP (areas of enlargement, altered enhancement, effacement of pancreatic duct) as well as uninvolved parenchyma were segmented as three-dimensional volumes. Four hundred and thirty-one radiomics features were extracted and a random forest was used to distinguish AIP from PDAC. CT data of 60 AIP and 60 PDAC patients were used for training and those of 29 AIP and 33 PDAC independent patients were used for testing. Results The pancreas was diffusely involved in 37 (37/89; 41.6%) patients with AIP and not diffusely in 52 (52/89; 58.4%) patients. Using machine learning, 95.2% (59/62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 89.8–100%), 83.9% (52:67; 95% CI: 74.7–93.0%) and 77.4% (48/62; 95% CI: 67.0–87.8%) of the 62 test patients were correctly classified as either having PDAC or AIP with thin-slice venous phase, thin-slice arterial phase, and thick-slice venous phase CT, respectively. Three of the 29 patients with AIP (3/29; 10.3%) were incorrectly classified as having PDAC but all 33 patients with PDAC (33/33; 100%) were correctly classified with thin-slice venous phase with 89.7% sensitivity (26/29; 95% CI: 78.6–100%) and 100% specificity (33/33; 95% CI: 93–100%) for the diagnosis of AIP, 95.2% accuracy (59/62; 95% CI: 89.8–100%) and area under the curve of 0.975 (95% CI: 0.936–1.0). Conclusions Radiomic features help differentiate AIP from PDAC with an overall accuracy of 95.2%.
Optimal Detection of Acute Myocardial Injury and Infarction with Cardiac Troponin: Beyond the 99th Percentile, into the High-Sensitivity Era

Cardiac troponin (cTn) is the biomarker of choice for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI); use of this biomarker has centered around the 99th percentile upper reference limit (URL) for healthy populations. Recent development and regulatory approval of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays have required a fresh look at utilization of the 99th percentile URL. This review covers issues regarding the 99th percentile URL and approaches for use of cTn as biomarker for detecting cardiac injury and diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Development of hs-cTn assays has allowed determination and use of sex-specific 99th percentile URLs for assessing cardiac injury and increased the utility of cTn values below the 99th percentile URL. This improved analytical performance for hs-cTn assays has allowed for development of accelerated diagnostic protocols (ADPs) for rapid assessment and disposition of patients based on serial sampling of cTn for use in acute MI diagnosis as soon as 0–1 h after clinical presentation. The 99th percentile URLs of cTn is essential for detecting cardiac injury; however, use of the 99th percentile URLs in the era of hs-cTn results may be modified. ADPs have the potential to substantially decrease the time many patients spend under evaluation for acute MI, thereby potentiating improvement in patient satisfaction, decreased healthcare costs, and reducing the burden on emergency departments.
Apoptotic activity and mechanism of CDDO and related synthetic triterpenoids in prostate cancer

3216 Triterpenoids CDDO, (2-cyano-3,12-dioxoolean-1,9-dien-28-oic acid), CDDO-Im (imidazole derivative), and CDDO-Me (methyl ester derivative) represent a novel group of synthetic small molecules currently being evaluated as anti-cancer agents in pre-clinical models and in clinical trials. In the present study, the activity of CDDO, CDDO-Me, and CDDO-Im was examined against a panel of prostate cancer cell lines. We found that CDDO analogs at submicromolar concentrations induce apoptosis of cultured prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines, LNCaP, ALVA31, Du145, PC3, and PPC1, with lethal dose 50% (LD50) of ~1 μM for CDDO-Me and the imidazole analog (CDDO-Im). These compounds induced apoptosis of PCa cells as characterized by cleavage of caspases-3, -7, -8, -9, -10, BID, and PARP. Triterpenoid-mediated cell death was blocked by a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk), indicating a caspase-dependent mechanism. Moreover, triterpenoid-induced cell death was abolished by caspase-8-targeting small interfering (si) RNA, suggesting a death mechanism mediated through the extrinsic apoptosis pathway. To explore the mechanism(s) involved in caspase-8 activation, we examined cell surface expression of death receptors DR4 and DR5 following triterpenoid treatment. Cell surface DR4 and DR5 expression was significantly up-regulated by CDDO or CDDO-Im but not by CDDO-Me. DR4 and DR5 knockdown with siRNA significantly inhibited apoptosis induced by CDDO and CDDO-Im but had no effect on CDDO-Me-induced killing, suggesting that CDDO and CDDO-Im induce apoptosis by a different mechanism than CDDO-Me. We also observed that Bcl-XL over-expression inhibits triterpenoid-mediated killing of PCa cell line Du145, suggesting that the intrinsic pathway (via mitochondria) also participates in triterpenoid-mediated killing. Finally, the anti-tumor activity of CDDO-Me was demonstrated in a nude rat tumor xenograft (Du145) model. In summary, CDDO-based compounds induce caspase-8-dependent apoptosis of prostate cancer cells, suggesting a novel cytotoxic mechanism that should be further evaluated as a potential novel therapy for hormone refractory prostate cancers. (Supported by NIH CA-113318).
Democracy's Denominator

What would happen if states stopped equalizing districts’ total populations and started equalizing their citizen voting age populations (CVAPs) instead? This is not a fanciful question. Conservative activists have long clamored for states to change their unit of apportionment, and the Trump administration took many steps to facilitate this switch. Yet the question remains largely unanswered. In fact, no published work has yet addressed this issue, though it could be the most important development of the upcoming redistricting cycle. In this Article, we harness the power of randomized redistricting to investigate the representational effects of a different apportionment base. We create two sets of simulated maps—one equalizing districts’ total populations, the other equalizing their CVAPs—for ten states with particularly small CVAP shares. We find that minority representation would decline significantly if states were to equalize CVAP instead of total population. Across the ten states in our dataset, the proportion of minority opportunity districts would fall by a median of three percentage points (and by six or more percentage points in Arizona, Florida, New York, and Texas). On the other hand, the partisan impact of changing the unit of apportionment would be more muted. Overall, the share of Republican districts would rise by a median of just one percentage point. This conclusion holds, moreover, whether our algorithm emulates a nonpartisan mapmaker or a gerrymanderer and whether it considers one or many electoral environments. In most states—everywhere except Florida and Texas—switching the apportionment base simply does not cause major partisan repercussions.
America Transformed: Mapping the 19th Century, edited by Ronald E. Grim and Allison K. Lange.: Boston: Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center at the Boston Public Library, 2019. ISBN 978-1-7333856-0-2 (cloth); ISBN 978-1-7333856-1-9 (paper). Pp. 212, illus. US $50.00 (cloth); US $40.00 (paper).

Libraries have long been bastions of scholarly research, to which students of map history came in search of their primary source materials. Nowadays, though, the researcher has no need to stir from...
Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease on Treatment Have Lower Rates of Celiac Disease

Background The association between celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been studied; however, the impact of IBD therapy on celiac disease is not known. Using a large database, we sought to describe the association of celiac disease and IBD and the impact of IBD treatment. Methods We queried a large multicenter database (Explorys Inc.), an electronic health record data aggregate from 26 American health care systems. We identified a cohort of patients with celiac disease and IBD between 1999 and 2020 and conducted a statistical analysis using a multivariate model. Results Of the 72,965,940 individuals in the database, 133,400 had celiac disease (0.18%), 191,570 (0.26%) had ulcerative colitis (UC), and 230,670 (0.32%) had Crohn disease (CD). Patients with IBD were more likely to have a diagnosis of celiac disease (odds ratio [OR], 13.680), with a greater association with CD. Treated patients with UC and with CD, respectively, had a lower risk association with celiac disease compared to those not undergoing IBD treatment, specifically corticosteroids (OR, 0.407 and 0.585), 5-aminosalicylates (OR, 0.124 and 0.127), immunomodulators (OR, 0.385 and 0.425), and anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs (OR, 0.215 and 0.242). There was no lower risk association in the vedolizumab group, but there was a higher risk association among the ustekinumab group. Conclusions In this large dataset, we showed a bidirectional association between celiac disease and IBD that was stronger with CD. Patients with IBD treated using corticosteroids, 5-aminosalicylates, immunomodulators, or anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs had a lower association with celiac disease. Additional studies are required to determine the underlying mechanisms for IBD therapy-related modification of celiac disease incidence.
A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Electronic Outpatient Symptom Monitoring After Ambulatory Cancer Surgery.

OBJECTIVE We implemented routine daily electronic monitoring of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for 10 days after discharge after ambulatory cancer surgery, with alerts to clinical staff for worrying symptoms. We sought to determine whether enhancing this monitoring by adding immediate automated normative feedback to patients regarding expected symptoms would further improve the patient experience. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA PRO monitoring reduces symptom severity in cancer patients. In ambulatory cancer surgery, it reduces potentially avoidable urgent care center (UCC) visits, defined as those UCC visits without readmission. METHODS Patients undergoing ambulatory cancer surgery (n = 2624) were randomized to receive standard PRO monitoring or enhanced feedback. The primary study outcome was UCC visits without readmission within 30 days; secondary outcomes included patient anxiety and nursing utilization. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the risk of a potentially avoidable UCC visit [1.0% higher in enhanced feedback, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.2-3.1%; P = 0.12]. There were similarly no significant differences in UCC visits with readmission or readmission overall (P = 0.4 for both). Patients randomized to enhanced feedback demonstrated a quicker reduction in anxiety (P < 0.001) and required 14% (95% CI 8-19%; P < 0.001) and 10% (95% CI 5-16%, P < 0.001) fewer nursing calls over 10 and 30 days postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS Providing patients with feedback about symptom severity during recovery from ambulatory cancer surgery reduces anxiety and nursing workload without affecting UCC visits or readmissions. These results support wider incorporation of normative feedback in systems for routine PRO monitoring.
Ion transport by heart mitochondria. Retention and loss of energy coupling in aged heart mitochondria.

Abstract The retention and loss of energy-coupling reactions in isolated beef heart mitochondria have been examined under anaerobic conditions using suspending media chosen to mimic the intracellular milieu. In long-term incubations at 37 °C, a loose coupling develops which can be controlled by adding serum albumin. This lesion closely resembles that produced by addition of free fatty acids which has been described in previous studies. Shorter incubation times produce an increased susceptibility to hydrogen peroxide which is characterized by elevated ATPase activity, increased permeability to monovalent cations, and increased proton ejection on transition from the anaerobic to the aerobic state. This peroxide sensitivity is prevented by chelators such as EGTA and appears to involve a time-dependent release of metal ions. Of the metabolites which are known to increase in concentration in the ischemic heart cell, Na + , P 1 , lactate, and H + all promote swelling of isolated heart mitochondria and contribute to a decline in energy coupling. The relationship of these results to the pathological deterioration of mitochondria in ischemic heart tissue is discussed.
Self-administration of psychoactive substances by the monkey.

A method has been developed which permits monkeys to self-administer drug solutions, at will, through indwelling intravenous catheters. Psychological dependence on the effects of a drug occurs when a naive monkey voluntarily initiates and maintains self-administration of the drug. If, in addition to psychological dependence, the drug also produces psychotoxicity, either directly or upon abrupt withdrawal, it has a potential abuse liability. In the present study monkeys developed psychological dependence on morphine, codeine, cocaine, d-amphetamine, pentobarbital, ethanol, and caffeine. All of these drugs except caffeine produced psychotoxicity. Monkeys did not develop psychological dependence on nalorphine, morphine-nalorphine mixtures, chlorpromazine, mescaline or physiological saline.
Acoustic based appliance state identifications for fine-grained energy analytics

Fine-grained monitoring of everyday appliances can provide better feedback to the consumers and motivate them to change behavior in order to reduce their energy usage. It also helps to detect abnormal power consumption events, long-term appliance malfunctions and potential safety concerns. Commercially available plug meters can be used for individual appliance monitoring but for an entire house, each such individual plug meters are expensive and tedious to setup. Alternative methods relying on Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring techniques help disaggregate electricity consumption data and learn about the individual appliance's power states and signatures. However fine-grained events (e.g., appliance malfunctions, abnormal power consumption, etc.) remain undetected and thus inferred contexts (such as safety hazards etc.) become invisible. In this work, we correlate an appliance's inherent acoustic noise with its energy consumption pattern individually and in presence of multiple appliances. We initially investigate classification techniques to establish the relationship between appliance power and acoustic states for efficient energy disaggregation and abnormal events detection. While promising, this approach fails when there are multiple appliances simultaneously in ‘ON’ state. To further improve the accuracy of our energy disaggregation algorithm, we propose a probabilistic graphical model, based on a variation of Factorial Hidden Markov Model (FHMM) for multiple appliances energy disaggregation. We combine our probabilistic model with the appliances acoustic analytics and postulate a hybrid model for energy disaggregation. Our approach helps to improve the performance of energy disaggregation algorithms and provide critical insights on appliance longevity, abnormal power consumption, consumer behavior and their everyday lifestyle activities. We evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithms on real data traces and show that the fusion of acoustic and power signatures can successfully detect a number of appliances with 95% accuracy.
The grandchildren of Solano López: frontier and nation in Paraguay, 1904–1936

In this book, Bridget Chesterton offers a much-needed analysis of the Chaco frontier and how the subsequent war fought over its control reinvented the nation of Paraguay. The role of the Chaco fron...
A splice variant of arrestin. Molecular cloning and localization in bovine retina.

Abstract Inactivation of photolyzed rhodopsin requires phosphorylation of the receptor and binding of the 48-kDa regulatory protein arrestin. We recently isolated a novel form of arrestin, termed p44, that is truncated at the COOH terminus (Palczewski, K., Buczylko, J., Ohguro, H., Annan, R. S., Carr, S. A., Crabb, J. W., Kaplan, M. W., Johnson, R. S., and Walsh, K. A. (1994) Protein Sci. 3, 319-329) and strongly inhibits Gt activation by non-phosphorylated rhodopsin. p44 is identical to arrestin except at the COOH terminus, where the 35 amino acids of arrestin are replaced by a single alanine residue. p44 is identified as a splice variant of arrestin based on the identical cDNA sequence of p44 with arrestin (except the 3' non-coding regions), the presence of an exon/intron junction at the Ser369 codon, and identical Southern hybridization patterns generated by the 3' non-coding portion of arrestin and p44. Immunocytochemistry reveals that p44 is localized in the photoreceptor outer segment, whereas arrestin is present throughout the cell. This specificity of localization to the outer segment is consistent with a role of p44 in the phototransduction cascade.
Down-regulation of mRNA for the low density lipoprotein receptor in transgenic mice containing the gene for human cholesteryl ester transfer protein. Mechanism to explain accumulation of lipoprotein B particles.

To evaluate the effects of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) on apoB-containing lipoproteins, we analyzed plasma lipoproteins from three different lines of human CETP transgenic mice, with plasma CETP concentration ranging from low (1.5 microgram/ml) to high levels (8.5 micrograms/ml). With increasing CETP concentration, very low density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesteryl ester (CE) and apoB were progressively increased, and high density lipoprotein CE was decreased. To investigate the mechanism of accumulation of lipoproteins containing apoB (lipoprotein B), the abundance of hepatic LDL receptor mRNA was determined. LDL receptor mRNA was reduced as a result of CETP expression, with maximum repression to about 48% of the level of non-transgenic mice. Among the different lines of CETP transgenic mice there was an inverse relationship between plasma CETP concentration and hepatic LDL receptor mRNA abundance (r = -0.94, p
Atrioventricular Block Complicating Meningitis: Treatment With Emergency Cardiac Pacing

Percutaneous insertion of a transthoracic pacing wire is described in a child who developed complete A-V block during hospitalization for treatment of meningitis. This is a simple method and the necessary material can be easily included on emergency carts.
Hardware-Software Partitioning for Real-Time Embedded Systems

In this paper, we present an approach to hardware-software partitioning for real-time embedded systems. Hardware and software components are modeled at the system level, so that cost and performance tradeoffs can be studied early in the design process and a large design space can be explored. Feasibility factor is introduced to measure the possibility of a real-time system being feasible, and is used as both a constraint and an attribute during the optimization process. An imprecise value function is employed to model the tradeoffs among multiple performance attributes. Optimal partitioning is achieved through the use of an existing computer-aided design tool. We demonstrate the application of our approach through the design of an example embedded system.
Policy, Politics, and Discourse

This overview of discursive approaches to media policy studies explores the theoretical background and implications of the approach, locating the accompanying articles in relation to broader traditions. Situating discourse approaches in terms of the general interpretive turn in social science and a reaction against Laswellian policy “science,” the essay sketches the evolution of discursive approaches to policy from an emphasis on demystification to one of social construction. It concludes by arguing that discursive approaches help reveal points of instability in the current global media policy discourse, and thus suggests some avenues for potential change.
Polar cap patches observed during the magnetic storm of November 2003: observations and modeling

Abstract. We present multi-instrumented measurements and multi-technique analysis of polar cap patches observed early during the recovery phase of the major magnetic storm of 20 November 2003 to investigate the origin of the polar cap patches. During this event, the Qaanaaq imager observed elongated polar cap patches, some of which containing variable brightness; the Qaanaaq digisonde detected abrupt NmF2 fluctuations; the Sondrestrom incoherent scatter radar (ISR) measured patches placed close to but poleward of the auroral oval–polar cap boundary; and the DMSP-F13 satellite intersected topside density enhancements, corroborating the presence of the patches seen by the imager, the digisonde, and the Sondrestrom ISR. A 2-D cross-correlation analysis was applied to series of two consecutive red-line images, indicating that the magnitude and direction of the patch velocities were in good agreement with the SuperDARN convection patterns. We applied a back-tracing analysis to the patch locations and found that most of the patches seen between 20:41 and 21:29 UT were likely transiting the throat region near 19:41 UT. Inspection of the SuperDARN velocities at this time indicates spatial and temporal collocation of a gap region between patches and large (1.7 km s−1) line-of-sight velocities. The variable airglow brightness of the patches observed between 20:33 and 20:43 UT was investigated using the numerical Global Theoretical Ionospheric Model (GTIM) driven by the SuperDARN convection patterns and a variable upward/downward neutral wind. Our numerical results indicate that variations in the airglow intensity up to 265 R can be produced by a constant 70 m s−1 downward vertical wind.
Multi-Functional Surgical Robot for Laparo-Endoscopic Single-Site Colectomies

This paper presents work to develop a miniature in vivo robot for Laparo-Endoscopic Single-Site (LESS) colectomy. Colon resections are generally not done laparoscopically and would benefit from a robotic platform that reduces the limitations that are currently encountered. This paper looks at the workspace, forces, and speeds of a recently developed miniature in vivo surgical robot platform and analyzes the ability to perform a colon resection based on these criteria. The robotic platform used in this study consists of a two armed robotic prototype and a remote surgeon interface. For the surgical procedure, each arm of the robot is inserted individually into a single five centimeter incision and then assembled within the abdominal cavity. A surgeon then utilizes a user interface that is remotely located within the operating room. The current robotic platform has recently been demonstrated successfully in an in vivo procedure.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Demography and international relations

The author assesses the role of population in international affairs. "This essay has attempted to explain why a number of the demographic issues that currently arouse great concern or great interest may have less bearing on a `pivotal states approach to strategy than proponents of such an approach might expect. There are other population issues facing developing countries however that may merit greater political and strategic attention in the years to come. The first is differential fertility.... A second issue is population aging.... A third possible issue involves mortality trends." (EXCERPT)
The Impact of the Built Environment on Children’s School Conduct Grades: The Role of Diversity of Use in a Hispanic Neighborhood

A population-based study examined the relationship between diversity of use of the built environment and teacher reports of children’s grades. Diversity of use of the built environment (i.e., proportion of a block that is residential, institutional, commercial and vacant) was assessed for all 403 city blocks in East Little Havana, Miami—a Hispanic neighborhood. Cluster analysis identified three block-types, based on diversity of use: Residential, Mixed-Use, and Commercial. Cross-classified hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the impact of diversity of use, school, gender, and year-in-school on academic and conduct grades for 2857 public school children who lived in these blocks. Contrary to popular belief, mixed-use blocks were associated with optimal outcomes. Specifically, follow-up analyses found that a youth living on a residential block had a 74% greater odds of being in the lowest 10% of conduct grades (conduct GPA <2.17) than a youth living on a mixed-use block. In fact, an analysis of the population attributable fraction suggests that if the risk associated with residential blocks could be reduced to the level of risk associated with mixed-use blocks, a 38% reduction in Conduct GPAs <2.17 could be achieved in the total population. These findings suggest that public policy targeting the built environment may be a mechanism for community-based interventions to enhance children’s classroom conduct, and potentially related sequelae.
Genetically structured models for lac promoter–operator function in the chromosome and in multicopy plasmids: Lac promoter function

A mathematical model based on molecular mechanisms for regulation of the lactose (lac) operon in Escherichia coli has been extended and applied to investigate the lac promoter function in the chromosome and in multicopy plasmids. The model simulates the influence of certain host cell mutations and also mutations in the lac promoter sequence in the chromosome in reasonable agreement with previous experimental measurements. The effect of the plasmid copy number and the cloning vector size on the promoter function of a cloned lac regulatory sequence in multicopy plasmids has also been examined. Model results indicate that the efficiency of the cloned lac promoter function is significantly decreased as the number of promoters per cloning vector and size of the vector are increased. The simulation results predict a maximum in the cloned gene transcription rate with respect to the plasmid copy number.
The Transmission and Reception of Elliptically Polarized Waves

A vector parameter is defined which represents a generalization of the effective length of an antenna to include a specification of the polarization of the field radiated by the antenna. It is shown that the parameter so defined is also useful in calculating the voltage at the terminals of the antenna when it is used to receive plane waves of arbitrary (elliptical) polarization.
Lethal effects of cocaine are reduced by the dopamine-1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 but not by haloperidol.

The prevalence of cocaine abuse has been associated with a host of medical complications and deaths. We investigated the effects of two dopamine antagonists with different affinities for dopamine-1 and dopamine-2 receptor subtypes on cocaine-induced lethality. Male Fischer-344 rats were given cocaine HCl (i.p.) and observed for lethality at 24 hrs. Cocaine was not lethal at 50 mg/kg and produced a steep dose-effect function from 60 to 100 mg/kg. Lethality was 88.9% at 100 mg/kg and the LD 50 was 79.7 mg/kg (95% CL: 74.8-84.9). Doses as high as 180 mg/kg failed to kill all rats. Lethality was often but not invariably associated with convulsions. Haloperidol (0.3-3 mg/kg i.p.) given 30 min prior to cocaine did not alter the lethal effects of cocaine but did reduce the lethality of methamphetamine. SCH 23390 (0.1-1 mg/kg i.p., 30 min prior) shifted the cocaine dose-effect function to the right at 0.3 mg/kg. Maximum protection was conferred by 0.3 mg/kg SCH 23390 where the LD 50 was increased to 100.1 mg/kg (95% CL: 91.5-109.5). Comparable protection was not observed if SCH 23390 was given 5 min after cocaine. These results suggest that dopamine receptors may play a role in the lethal effects of cocaine and that the D1 dopamine receptor subtype appears to be more relevant to lethality than the D2 subtype.
Corticosterone induction of pituitary hyporesponsiveness to CRF: divergent effects of puromycin and cycloheximide.

Abstract Isolated pituitary cells prepared from adrenalectomized rats secrete ACTH in response to corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) contained in extracts of rat hypothalamic-median eminence tissue (HME-CRF). Neither puromycin nor cycloheximide, at doses which inhibit protein synthesis by up to 86%, significantly affect HME-CRF stimulated ACTH secretion. When pituitary cells are exposed to corticosterone, after a lag of approximately 30 min they become hyporesponsive to stimulation by HME-CRF. Graded doses of puromycin inhibit this action of the steroid hormone to the same degree that they inhibit protein synthesis. This quantitative correlation suggests that protein synthesis is an intermediate step in the mechanism of corticosterone action on the pituitary. On the other hand, cycloheximide does not block corticosterone action, even at concentrations of cycloheximide which inhibit protein synthesis by 90%. Although the basis for these divergent effects is not yet clear, several important implications are discussed.
Relationship of atrial natriuretic factor to left ventricular volume and mass.

Abstract Although atrial natriuretic factor is primarily of atrial origin, recent observations indicate that the hormone is also synthesized by hypertrophied left ventricular myocardium. To assess the separate Influences of left ventricular and left atrial dilatation and left ventricular hypertrophy on human atrial natriuretic factor levels, left atrial dimension and volume and left ventricular dimension and mass were compared in 49 normal subjects, in 33 patients with chronic aortic regurgitation, and in 15 patients with chronic mitral regurgitation. When compared with normal subjects, patients with chronic aortic and mitral regurgitation had similarly dilated and hypertrophied left ventricles ( p p p r = 0.62 and 0.64, p r = 0.44, p r = 0.40, p
Capitalization and the theory of local public finance

The Tiebout literature is incomplete, this paper argues, because it has not fully accounted for the capitalization of local fiscal variables into house values. The paper explains why capitalization arises, why it persists in long-run equilibrium, how it affects both residential location and the outcome of local voting, and why it interferes with the efficiency of a system of local governments. The analysis, which is based on the main Tiebout assumptions plus a property tax, combines a model of household bids in a housing market with a median-voter model of local public service determination.
γ-Irradiation of poly(ethylene terephthalate). I. Yields of gas and carboxyl groups†

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) was exposed in vacuo γ-radiation from a Co60 source at a dose rate of 0.02 Mrad/min., and an ambient temperature of 47°C. Gaseous products were analyzed in a mass spectrometer and carboxyl groups estimated by titration with NaOH and by infrared analysis. Initial G values were COOH = 0.77, CO2 = 0.17, CO = 0.11, H2 = 0.015, and CH4 = 0.003. All these values decreased markedly with increasing dose except G(CO)2, which, roughly, was maintained up to 5000 Mrad. It was considered whether the dependence on dose of the yields of the major reaction products could be accounted for by the following set of first-order reactions: It was found that the rate of formation of COOH groups at low doses was much too high to fit this simple reaction scheme. However, a better fit was obtained over a range of higher doses (ca. 100–5000 Mrad). A final conclusion could not be reached concerning the validity of the above reaction scheme.
Illusory correlation for body type and happiness: covariation bias and its relationship to eating disorder symptoms.

Objective The current study investigates covariation bias (illusory correlation) in the perceived association between happiness and body type, as well as the association between covariation bias and eating disorder symptoms. Method Undergraduate women (n = 186) rated pictures of women on a variety of attributes, including happiness, degree of overweight, and attractiveness. Later, they were asked to judge the level of covariation between these attributes that was present in the stimuli that they had rated. Participants also completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Self-Report Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Results Participants reported that there was a negative association between weight and happiness in the stimuli that they had rated, even though the true correlation in the data was zero. This covariation bias was stronger among participants with higher levels of eating disorder symptoms. Discussion The results suggest a cognitive bias that may play a role in maintaining and enhancing concerns about shape and weight in symptomatic women. © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Oxindoles from α‐acyloxyamides

Oxindoies have been obtained in good yields from the reaction of several a-acyloxy-α,α-diphenylacetanilides and boron trifluoride etherate. The reaction probably occurs by hydrolysis of the ester followed by electrophilic substitution of the resultant carbonium ion on the anilide ring.
State-specific orbital alignment effects in electronic energy transfer: Sr(5s6p 1P1)+M→Sr(5s6p 3Pj, 4d5p 3F4, 3F3)+M

Abstract Orbital alignment effects are investigated for an energy transfer process involving several competing pathways in the system Sr(5s6p 1 p 1 ) + rare gases and H 2 . Most of the cross sections to populate either (1) the combined 5s6p 3 P j and 4d5p 3 F 4 states or (2) the individual 4d5p 3 F 3 level show a marked preference for the perpendicular approach of the p orbital. However the cross section with He to populate the 3 F 3 state strongly favors the parallel orbital direction.