cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased imidazoline and α2 adrenergic binding in platelets of women with dysphoric premenstrual syndromes

Abstract An association between dysphoric premenstrual syndromes (PMS) and a lifetime history of major depressive disorders has previously been documented. Other studies have demonstrated an increase in the binding of radiolabeled imidazoline compounds to platelets of depressed patients. Clonidine and related imidazoline compounds interact with α 2 adrenoceptors to inhibit neuronal noradrenergic activity and in higher concentrations, they stimulate noradrenergic activity through their interaction with imidazoline receptors. Here we report increased 3 H para-aminoclonidine binding to high affinity α 2 adrenoceptor sites as well as to noradrenergic imidazoline binding sites in platelets of women with dysphoric PMS. This higher binding was most pronounced during the late-luteal-symptomatic phase of the menstrual cycle and, to a lesser degree, during the non-symptomatic mid-follicular phase. Binding to the imidazoline site distinguished women with dysphoric PMS from women with no such symptoms, was highly positively correlated with the severity of symptoms, and was negatively correlated with plasma levels of progesterone. These findings suggest that platelet imidazoline binding sites might be a biological marker for dysphoric states in PMS or for the vulnerability to develop them. These findings also point to a possible biological link between dysphoric PMS and major depressive disorders.
Thermoelectric Properties of WSi2–SixGe1−X Composites

Abstract Thermoelectric properties of the W/Si/Ge alloy system have been investigated with varying concentration levels of germanium and tungsten. The alloys were fabricated by directional solidification with the Bridgman method using boron nitride and fused silica crucibles. The effect of crucible contamination was investigated and found to result in doping the system to suitable levels for thermoelectric applications. The system has been demonstrated as a suitable high temperature p-type thermoelectric material exhibiting high power factors, >3000 μW/m K 2 . Seebeck coefficients of the system are on the order of +300 μV/K and electrical conductivities of 2.8 × 10 4 S/m at the optimum operating temperature. The best composition, 0.9 at% W/9.3 at% Ge, achieved a figure of merit comparable to RTG values over the temperature range of interest. The results suggest that W addition can reduce the use of expensive Ge component of the alloy. Reported are the details of processing conditions, microstructure development, and temperature dependent thermoelectric properties. The material system was stable at the temperatures required for NASA’s radioisotope thermoelectric generators.
Control of Energy Balance by the Brain Renin-Angiotensin System

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) exists as a circulating hormone system but it is also used by various tissues of the body, including the brain, as a paracrine signaling mechanism. The local brain version of the RAS is mechanistically involved in fluid balance and blood pressure control, and there is growing appreciation for a role of the brain RAS in the control of energy balance. Here, we review major evidence for the control of energy balance by the brain RAS; outline the current understanding of the RAS components, targets, and mechanisms involved; and highlight some major questions that currently face the field.
Engraftment of discordant xenogeneic swine bone marrow cells in immunodeficient mice

: We have recently demonstrated that swine bone marrow cells (BMC) can engraft in C.B-17 scid mice. While engraftment is enhanced by providing donor-specific porcine cytokines, the level of swine hematopoiesis declines between 3 and 6 weeks post-transplant. In the present study, the utility of several strains of immunodeficient mice as recipients of swine hematopoietic cells has been determined by comparing levels of swine bone marrow engraftment at 3 weeks after bone marrow transplant. Irradiated recipients were injected with lxlO8 swine BMC and were treated daily with porcine cytokines. The presence of swine cells in BMT recipients was detected by flow cytometry and marrow colony-forming assays. Recombination activating gene-1 (RAG-1)-deficient mice were not permissive for the engraftment of swine BMC, even with administration of increased doses of whole body irradiation, or with depleting anti-NK cell antibody. In contrast, NOD-scid mice showed improved swine BMC engraftment compared to C.B-17 scid mice. Levels of swine class I+, myeloid, and CD2+ cells in bone marrow, spleen, and peripheral blood, and the number of porcine myeloid progenitor cells was significantly higher in NOD-scid recipients than in simultaneous C.B-17 scid recipients. In addition, the sera from C.B-17 scid mice markedly inhibited the proliferation of swine BMC in vitro. A weaker inhibitory effect was also mediated by sera from RAG-1-deficient mice, but not by sera from NOD-scid mice. Together, our results indicate that multiple host elements resist xenogeneic hematopoietic engraftment and function, some of which are clearly independent of host T, B, or NK cells. Understanding the basis for the advantage of NODscid mice as recipients of discordant xenogeneic porcine BMC will help to identify these elements.
Kdo2-Lipid A, a TLR4-specific Agonist, Induces de Novo Sphingolipid Biosynthesis in RAW264.7 Macrophages, Which Is Essential for Induction of Autophagy

Activation of RAW264.7 cells with a lipopolysaccharide specific for the TLR4 receptor, Kdo2-lipid A (KLA), causes a large increase in cellular sphingolipids, from 1.5 to 2.6 × 109 molecules per cell in 24 h, based on the sum of subspecies analyzed by “lipidomic” mass spectrometry. Thus, this study asked the following question. What is the cause of this increase and is there a cell function connected with it? The sphingolipids arise primarily from de novo biosynthesis based on [U-13C]palmitate labeling, inhibition by ISP1 (myriocin), and an apparent induction of many steps of the pathway (according to the distribution of metabolites and microarray analysis), with the exception of ceramide, which is also produced from pre-existing sources. Nonetheless, the activated RAW264.7 cells have a higher number of sphingolipids per cell because KLA inhibits cell division; thus, the cells are larger and contain increased numbers of membrane vacuoles termed autophagosomes, which were detected by the protein marker GFP-LC3. Indeed, de novo biosynthesis of sphingolipids performs an essential structural and/or signaling function in autophagy because autophagosome formation was eliminated by ISP1 in KLA-stimulated RAW264.7 cells (and mutation of serine palmitoyltransferase in CHO-LYB cells); furthermore, an anti-ceramide antibody co-localizes with autophagosomes in activated RAW264.7 cells versus the Golgi in unstimulated or ISP1-inhibited cells. These findings establish that KLA induces profound changes in sphingolipid metabolism and content in this macrophage-like cell line, apparently to produce sphingolipids that are necessary for formation of autophagosomes, which are thought to play important roles in the mechanisms of innate immunity.
Capital-land substitution in urban housing: A survey of empirical estimates

Abstract Recent empirical studies of capital-land substitution in urban housing are examined to determine the best estimate of the elasticity of substitution parameter σ. Studies based upon a cross section of metropolitan areas produce a rather narrow range for σ. Studies of individual metropolitan areas produce a wide range of estimates for σ, suggesting that a may vary across metropolitan areas. However, all estimates of σ are probably biased toward zero by errors in the measurement of land values.
Three-dimensional object pattern representation by array grammars

A formal model for three-dimensional object representation is introduced. It uses parallel techniques and significantly reduces the time required for dealing with three-dimensional image analysis problems. Its fundamental properties are investigated and several interesting examples are illustrated.
A primary care approach to cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Approximately 1,000 new cases of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma are definitively diagnosed each year. Mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome are the primary lymphomas in this group. Mycosis fungoides can begin in the patch, plaque, or tumor stage or in a combination. Less commonly, its initial presentation is erythrodermic. Because the initial appearance of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma can be subtle and the histopathologic evidence nonspecific, the disease is commonly misdiagnosed as a common dermatologic condition such as chronic eczema. Misdiagnosis can severely affect treatment and prognosis. Clinicians must be able to recognize this disease and know when to include it in the differential diagnosis. This article provides an overview of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, discusses differential diagnoses, and outlines management considerations.
Internal capital markets, empire building, and capital structure

Abstract Internal funds generated by assets in place are available to finance the bulk of new investment by nonfinancial firms. Self-interested management has incentives to misallocate these funds in order to increase their control rents. There are two ways to impact future discretionary investment. First, using debt diverts funds to creditors and away from management. Second, having in place more assets that do not provide internal financing reduces the funds subject to managerial discretion. Investment in such assets and debt financing are inversely related in controlling self-interested management. As a result, firms borrow more and own proportionally more assets that provide internal funds as the average profitability of these assets, or that of future investment, increases. Firms may borrow less while increasing investment in the less valuable assets that do not supply internal financing as the expected profitability of these assets increases.
Prediction of survival using absolute lymphocyte count for newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma: a retrospective study

Absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) recovery after autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma (MM) has been reported to be an independent prognostic factor for clinical outcome. The role of ALC on survival in newly diagnosed untreated MM patients is unknown. Between 1994 and 2002, we analysed retrospectively 537 MM patients of 1835 consecutive MM patients that were neither uniformly treated nor part of a clinical trail, but originally diagnosed and followed at the Mayo Clinic. The primary endpoint was to assess the role of ALC at the time of MM diagnosis on overall survival (OS). The median follow-up was 35.1 months (range: 1-152.5 months). ALC, as a continuous variable, was identified as prognostic factor for OS (Hazard ratio = 0.473, 95% confidence interval = 0.359-0.618, P /=1.4 x 10(9)/l experienced superior OS compared with MM patients with an ALC <1.4 x 10(9)/l (65 vs. 26 months, P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis identified ALC as an independent prognostic factor for OS. This study showed that, in newly diagnosed MM, ALC is an independent prognostic factor for OS, suggesting a significant role of host immune status in the survival of MM.
Effects of Outgroup Selection on Phylogenetic Hypotheses of the Heterokont Algae

Nuclear ribosomal SSU and chloroplast rbcL data for heterokont algae and potential outgroups were analyzed separately and together under parsimony. A series of taxon sampling experiments were performed. Traditional heterokont classes (e.g. diatoms, phaeophytes, etc.) were monophyletic in most analyses of either dataset and in both together. Relationships among classes and of heterokonts to outgroup taxa are sensitive to taxonomic sampling. Stability of heterokont algae relationships was analyzed by deletion of outgroup classes, starting with those presumably most distant from the heterokonts to those closest. In only three analyses using SSU data were the heterokonts monophyletic: with all available outgroup taxa, with the outgroup being hyphochytrids alone or with the outgroup being hyphochytrids plus Developayella. For rbcL data, heterokonts were monophyletic when all available rhodophytes were used, when any combination of rhodophytes tested were used, and when rhodophytes plus bacteria were used. Any addition of cryptophyte and/or haptophyte sequence resulted in a nonmonophyletic heterokont algae. In both cases, distribution of heterotrophic stramenopiles among the heterokont algae changed as different outgroups were used. Combined data was similarly equivocal about monophyly of the heterokont algae. The literature suggests that this result is obtained regardless of whether parsimony or likelihood methods are used, and that is because taxon sampling affects all inference procedures. We suggest not only that more molecular data be obtained, but that morphological evidence for monophyly of the heterokonts be re-examined. Finally, a community effort needs to be made to synchronize character sampling across different datasets to increase the number of taxa sampled and to create parallel datasets for all data types.
Monocular human motion tracking

Human motion tracking from monocular image sequences has been explored widely. However, a framework that addresses the variety of sensing conditions is lacking. In this paper, we present a simple, efficient, and robust method for recovering plausible 3D motion from a video without knowledge of the camera's parameters. Our method transforms the motion capture problem into a convex problem and employs a hierarchical geometrical solver for the minimization. This algorithm was applied to numerous synthetic and real image sequences with very encouraging results. Specifically, our results indicate that it can handle challenges posed by variation of lighting, partial self-occlusion, and rapid motion.
Skin blood flow dynamics and its role in pressure ulcers

Pressure ulcers are a significant healthcare problem affecting the quality of life in wheelchair bounded or bed-ridden people and are a major cost to the healthcare system. Various assessment tools such as the Braden scale have been developed to quantify the risk level of pressure ulcers. These tools have provided an initial guideline on preventing pressure ulcers while additional assessments are needed to improve the outcomes of pressure ulcer prevention. Skin blood flow function that determines the ability of the skin in response to ischemic stress has been proposed to be a good indicator for identifying people at risk of pressure ulcers. Wavelet spectral and nonlinear complexity analyses have been performed to investigate the influences of the metabolic, neurogenic and myogenic activities on microvascular regulation in people with various pathological conditions. These findings have contributed to the understanding of the role of ischemia and viability on the development of pressure ulcers. The purpose of the present review is to provide an introduction of the basic concepts and approaches for the analysis of skin blood flow oscillations, and present an overview of the research results obtained so far. We hope this information may contribute to the development of better clinical guidelines for the prevention of pressure ulcers.
Electron States in Dilute Disordered Alloys

A simple model is considered of an alloy consisting of a free-electron gas with a dilute concentration of impurities. Electron states at the Fermi energy have a spread in wave numbers which blurs the Fermi surface. Only up to second order in perturbation theory is the average wave number of an alloy state the same as that given by the rigid-band model. A renormalization of the alloy wave function occurs which decreases the weight of that part of the state that is associated with a given wave number. The effect of renormalization shows itself in positron-annihilation experiments in alloys as an apparent decrease in the number of electrons in the vicinity of the Fermi momentum.
The Dynamics of the Partisan Gender Gap

Genderdifferencesinvotechoice,opinion,andpartyidentificationhavebecomeacommonfeature of the American political landscape. We examine the nature and causes of gender differences in partisanship using a time series approach. We show that gender differences are pervasive—‐ existing outside of the context of specific elections or issues—‐and that they are a product of the interaction ofsocietalconditionsandpolitics.Wefindthatfrom1979to2000,thepartisangendergaphasgrownwhen the political climate moved in a conservative direction, the economy deteriorated, and the percentage of economically vulnerable, single women increased. The gender gap is likely to be a continual feature of the American political landscape: one that shapes everything from elite political behavior to election outcomes. T he partisan preferences of men and women have both converged and diverged at different times in history. The late 1970s, for example, saw a period in which men and women shared similar levels of Democratic and Republican partisan support. Since the early 1980s, however, partisan preferences have diverged. The divergences are fundamentally political,oftendecidingelectionoutcomes,helpingstructure policy debates and election campaigns, and also contributing to policy outcomes. Each of these may in turn either fuel or diminish the original differences in the partisanship of men and women and lead to a politics more or less divided on the basis of gender. Politicians, for example, may be well served by reaching out and supporting issues designed to minimize differences in support from men and women, especially when the parties find themselves in rough parity. Electoral motivations may also lead politicians to support policy that exacerbatesgenderdifferenceswhengapsworkintheir favor, further contributing to them. To the extent that partisandifferencesacrossgendersarepersistent,these implications become more profound, characterizing thepoliticallandscapeforlongperiodsoftime.Convergence in the partisan preferences of men and women
Can piezoelectricity lead to negative capacitance

A thermodynamic model was constructed to quantitatively analyze the negative capacitance effect in the presence of piezoelectricity, electrostriction, and ferroelectricity. The model shows that pure piezoelectricity and higher-order electromechanical coupling can provide a negative capacitance effect in principle, but are not strong enough in practice. Negative capacitance is predicted to occur due to ferroelectric polarization switching and not due to piezoelectricity.
The Diurnal Cycle of Convection over the Northern South China Sea

The diurnal cycle of convection over the northern South China Sea (SCS) during the onset of the summer monsoon is documented using data from the May.June 1998 South China Sea Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX) and from ten years of observations from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar.Results both during SCSMEX and from TRMM observations show a prominent signal of propagating convection over the northern SCS. In particular, convection is found to initiate just off the southern coast of mainland China near sunrise and propagate southeastward at about 10-15 m s-1 to the central part of the northern SCS the early afternoon, finally dissipating about 500 km offshore in the late evening. Both indirect measures, such as infrared brightness temperatures and areal cold (< 208 K) convective cloud coverage, and direct measures, i.e., radar reflectivities from the Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre (BMRC) and TRMM radars, show this behavior. The radar data indicate an increasing stratiform contribution to total precipitation as the convective systems move farther offshore, indicative of maturing mesoscale convective systems. Neither advection nor gravity current processes appear to explain the offshore propagation of the envelope of convection, suggesting gravity wave dynamics, possibly associated with discrete propagation, as a factor in the system motion.
Increasing the production rate of a just-in-time production system with variable operation times

Abstract This paper examines a just-in-time (JIT) system with kanbans with three subassembly lines feeding a final assembly station. Variability in operation times exists and variability effects are reduced by increasing work in process levels or by unbalancing the subassembly lines through assignment of work content at each station. Of the several unbalancing methods that were analysed in this study, only the high-medium-low showed a consistent improvement in the output rate of the JIT production system. The output rates with unbalanced stations were always superior to the output rate of the perfectly balanced configurations used as controls. The extent of improvement over the output rate of balanced systems increased directly with the variability in operation times in final assembly and subassembly stations and inversely with the interstage buffer capacity allowed in the system.
Response properties of visual neurons in the turtle nucleus isthmi

The optic tectum holds a central position in the tectofugal pathway of non-mammalian species and is reciprocally connected with the nucleus isthmi. Here, we recorded from individual nucleus isthmi pars parvocellularis (Ipc) neurons in the turtle eye-attached whole-brain preparation in response to a range of computer-generated visual stimuli. Ipc neurons responded to a variety of moving or flashing stimuli as long as those stimuli were small. When mapped with a moving spot, the excitatory receptive field was of circular Gaussian shape with an average half-width of less than 3°. We found no evidence for directional sensitivity. For moving spots of varying sizes, the measured Ipc response-size profile was reproduced by the linear Difference-of-Gaussian model, which is consistent with the superposition of a narrow excitatory center and an inhibitory surround. Intracellular Ipc recordings revealed a strong inhibitory connection from the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis (Imc), which has the anatomical feature to provide a broad inhibitory projection. The recorded Ipc response properties, together with the modulatory role of the Ipc in tectal visual processing, suggest that the columns of Ipc axon terminals in turtle optic tectum bias tectal visual responses to small dark changing features in visual scenes.
Bodies and blood: critiquing social construction in Maya archaeology

Abstract As a 21st century expression of idealism, social constructionism tends to repudiate the physical reality of the body and the biological duality of sexual differentiation. It has the earmarks of a totalizing discourse that permits only limited perspectives on human existence. The relevance and utility of constructionism for studying the past comes under review here. A pertinent concept, that of the individual, is discussed in light of assertions that agency models stumble upon universal assumptions of individuation and intentionality. The proposal by Gillespie (2001) that agency approaches in archaeology can only be improved by referencing Marcel Mauss’ concept of “person” as a relational entity that bridges social collectivities and personal motivation founders on the teleological, staged character of Mauss’ concept as well as factual errors in interpreting the difficult epigraphic evidence from the Classic Maya. The constructionists’ principle of sexual ambiguity ( Joyce, 2000a ) meets resistance from the available data on the Classic Maya, as does their depersonalization of royal tombs in favor of collective concerns of a vaguely defined royal house ( Gillespie, 2001 ). Finally, the use of Levi-Strauss’ model of “house societies” (societes a maisons)—a schema that privileges co-residence and the physicality of the house over bloodlines—enjoys little substantive support from royal Maya contexts.
1,4-Diastereoselectivity in the addition of allylstannanes to 1-alkyl-2-oxocyclohex-3-eneacetic acid methyl esters

Cyclohexenones 1 were allowed to react with allyltrimethylsilane and three allyltributylstannanes in the presence of titanium tetrachloride. Products 2 and 3 were formed in ratios ranging from 7:1 to 26:1 (2:3). Ratios resulting from the use of other Lewis acids support 4 as an intermediate which accounts for the observed stereoselectivity.
HOW A SCHOLARSHIP GIRL BECOMES A SOLDIER: THE MILITARIZATION OF LATINA/O YOUTH IN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Like many working-class communities, Chicago Puerto Ricans have a complicated relationship with the United States military. This article explores ethnographically how Latina/o youth in Chicago public schools come to decisions regarding their participation in Junior Reserve Officer Training Programs. While limited economic opportunities certainly inform these decisions, Latina/o youth and their parents are also influenced by gendered understandings of autonomy, kinwork, honor, and respectability in turning to military programs while in high school. This article explores the experiences of Latina/o youth in an increasingly militarized educational context. Many thanks to Micaela di Leonardo and Jeff Maskovsky both for organizing the American Anthropological Association panel that provided the original forum for this article and for their constructive feedback on this article. I also want to thank the anonymous reviewers at Identities for their invaluable comments and suggestions. I am indebted to colleagues ...
OVM: an ontology for vulnerability management

In order to reach the goals of the Information Security Automation Program (ISAP) [1], we propose an ontological approach to capturing and utilizing the fundamental concepts in information security and their relationship, retrieving vulnerability data and reasoning about the cause and impact of vulnerabilities. Our ontology for vulnerability management (OVM) has been populated with all vulnerabilities in NVD [2] with additional inference rules, knowledge representation, and data-mining mechanisms. With the seamless integration of common vulnerabilities and their related concepts such as attacks and countermeasures, OVM provides a promising pathway to making ISAP successful.
All-optical ultra-wideband tightly-coupled phased antenna array

We present an “end-to-end optical” phased-array transmitter system concept, taking maximal advantage of the benefits inherent to photonics. Specifically, an ultra-widely tunable carrier signal generator, comprising a pair of offset injection-locked lasers, illuminates an array of photodiodes mounted directly at the feed points of an array of tightly coupled, wideband, low-gain antenna elements. Both high-speed data and beam-forming are imparted onto one of the laser wavelengths by optical modulators in the feed paths to each individual element. This modulation is preserved upon downconversion at the photodiodes, which comprise nearly ideal current sources driving each element of a tightly-coupled-array antenna.
ADD extra dimensional gravity and di-jet production at hadron colliders

We re-analyze dijet production at hadron colliders (the Tevatron at Fermilab and the Large Hadron Collider, LHC, at CERN), to determine the potential limits on Planck mass in ADD type extra dimensional gravity scenarios. We try a variety of experimental observables in order to maximize the exclusion limits; we find that the $p_{_T}$, $p_{_T}^2$ and $\tau$ distributions give the highest search limits, and these observables provide comparable reaches.
Polyostotic giant enostoses with strongly positive radionuclide bone scan.

Abstract For nearly three quarters of a century bone islands (enostoses) were considered scintigraphically inactive, hence, easily differentiated radiologically from clinically more significant primary or metastatic intraosseous lesions. However, enostoses’ clinical significance has changed considerably since the first report of a case with increased radioactive uptake on bone scan in 1976. Consequently, any radiotracer-positive skeletal lesion, regardless of radiographic appearance and clinical presentation, is now generally viewed with some caution. A 23-year-old woman presented with polyostotic enostoses discovered incidentally during pelvic radiographic examination. Both scintiscan and skeletal survey identified one or three fairly large densely radiopaque lesions in many bones, the largest measuring 7 × 4 cm. Except for a few departures from characteristic radiologic and scintigraphic changes, such as lesional border alterations and considerable increase in size and number of lesions involving many bones (polyostotic), the clinical findings and radiographic appearance of every bone island seem typical. Absent definitive roentgenologic diagnosis, both needle and open biopsies were performed. We found no previous report of a polyostotic enostoses with or without positive radionuclide bone scans reported in the literature. Distinctions from osteopoikilosis and osteopathia striata are briefly discussed.
The Case for Addressing the Ordering Effect in Interference-Limited Wireless Scheduling

Scheduling channel access for interference control is a basic building block of wireless networking. Despite much work in this area, the existing algorithms did not explicitly address the impact of link ordering (i.e., the order in which links are added to the schedule of a time slot) on receiver-side interference accumulation and thus on optimal scheduling. Towards understanding the importance of considering the ordering effect, we formulate the concept of interference budget, and, by modeling the scheduling problem as a knapsack problem, we propose the scheduling algorithm iOrder that maximizes the schedulability of future channel access when scheduling concurrent transmissions. When selecting concurrent transmitters for a time slot, more specifically, iOrder tries to maximize the additional interference that can be tolerated by all the receivers while satisfying the application requirement on link reliability. We analyze the approximation ratio of iOrder, and, through extensive simulation and testbed-based measurement, we observe that addressing the ordering effect can improve the performance of existing algorithms by a significant margin in the case of both backlogged and online traffic, for instance, improving the throughput and reducing the latency of the well-known algorithm LQF by a factor up to 2 and 24, respectively. Thus our study demonstrates the importance of explicitly addressing the ordering effect in wireless scheduling, which opens up new avenues for future research and for optimizing wireless network performance.
Two-law approximation for voice delay in packet networks

Traditionally, voice has been transported using circuit switched networks, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for example. However, driven by the ubiquity of the Internet and the development of low bit-rate digital voice codecs there has been increasing focus on using packet-switched networks for voice traffic. We focus on one such application. Our model comprises of a relatively slow packet link (between 1.5 and 5.0 Mbps) being utilized for voice traffic. Large number (of the order of 100) voice sources are multiplexed on this link. For such a link we obtain delay distributions seen by a voice source. Specifically, we exploit key characteristics of the model, such as the large number of sources to obtain a heavy traffic approximation for the system. The key result is that the delays can be well approximated by concatenation of two exponential distributions. We also provide valuable insight into how the delay distribution is connected with the statistical properties of the voice sources, in particular their correlation behavior. Our analytical results are validated with simulation results.
Psychosocial implications of foreign accent syndrome: two case examples

Research on foreign accent syndrome (FAS), a rare form of speech disorder that typically follows some form of neurological insult, has concentrated almost exclusively on its neurogenic origins and motoric features, to the virtual neglect of its psychosocial implications for the patients who experience it. In this article we draw on the concepts and methods of personal construct theory to analyze two cases of FAS, demonstrating the significant and sometimes sweeping reconstruction of these persons’ sense of identity in the social world.
A note on continuation applied to elastic fields bounded by a plane or a sphere

Abstract In the last few years a series of papers by Duffin [1, 2], Collins [3–6], and Bramble [7] have dealt with general means for determining the stress or displacement field in an elastic body bounded by a plane or, internally or externally, by a sphere; the bounding surface is either stress- or displacementfree, or elastically supported. The solutions are in terms of harmonic stress or displacement functions and are derived either from continuation of a bounded field or reflection of an unbounded one across the plane or spherical surface. The object of this note is to show the equivalence of the aforementioned methods and to present a scheme embodying features of each such that the application to problems is somewhat simpler. In addition, a limitation of the method is pointed out.
Effects of fear of success, fear of failure, type of opponent, and feedback on female achievement performance

Abstract Female undergraduates ( N = 240) assessed for fear of success (FS) and fear of failure (FF) competed against a male, female, or no opponent (norms) on an alpha-numeric substitution task. After completing one set of trials, subjects arbitrarily received success or failure feedback, then performed again. While there were no significant effects when subject's FS classification was based on total scores from the entire set of four cues used, performance effects were found for Horner's original cue: FS-absent females performed better against a male than a female opponent, whereas the reverse was true for the FS-present subjects. Two of the other FS cues interacted with FF: at low levels of FF, FS-absent subjects performed better than FS-present subjects; for high levels of FF, there were no differences between FS groups. A number of postperformance affect ratings were consistent with theoretical expectations that FS-present females would experience more negative effect over success in achievement contexts than would FS-absent females.
Inequality of Income and Rates of Violence in Caucasian and Black Groups

From 1947 to 1972 in the United States of America, inequality of income was associated with lower Caucasian homicide rates and lower black suicide rates.
FragFlow Automated Fragment Detection in Scientific Workflows

Scientific workflows provide the means to define, execute and reproduce computational experiments. However, reusing existing workflows still poses challenges for workflow designers. Workflows are often too large and too specific to reuse in their entirety, so reuse is more likely to happen for fragments of workflows. These fragments may be identified manually by users as sub-workflows, or detected automatically. In this paper we present the FragFlow approach, which detects workflow fragments automatically by analyzing existing workflow corpora with graph mining algorithms. FragFlow detects the most common workflow fragments, links them to the original workflows and visualizes them. We evaluate our approach by comparing FragFlow results against user-defined sub-workflows from three different corpora of the LONI Pipeline system. Based on this evaluation, we discuss how automated workflow fragment detection could facilitate workflow reuse.
3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO): in vitro formation of highly stable lanthanide complexes translates into efficacious in vivo europium decorporation.

The spermine-based hydroxypyridonate octadentate chelator 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) was investigated for its ability to act as an antenna that sensitizes the emission of SmIII, EuIII, and TbIII in the Visible range (Φtot = 0.2–7%) and the emission of PrIII, NdIII, SmIII, and YbIII in the Near Infra-Red range, with decay times varying from 1.78 μs to 805 μs at room temperature. The particular luminescence spectroscopic properties of these lanthanide complexes formed with 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) were used to characterize their respective solution thermodynamic stabilities as well as those of the corresponding LaIII, GdIII, DyIII, HoIII, ErIII, TmIII, and LuIII complexes. The remarkably high affinity of 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) for lanthanide metal ions and the resulting high complex stabilities (pM values ranging from 17.2 for LaIII to 23.1 for YbIII) constitute a necessary but not sufficient criterion to consider this octadentate ligand an optimal candidate for in vivo metal decorporation. The in vivo lanthanide complex stability and decorporation capacity of the ligand were assessed, using the radioactive isotope 152Eu as a tracer in a rodent model, which provided a direct comparison with the in vitro thermodynamic results and demonstrated the great potential of 3,4,3-LI(1,2-HOPO) as a therapeutic metal chelating agent.
[Cu(C13H30P2O6)2] [Cu2Cl6]: an unusual chloro-bridged linear polymer

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure of [Cu(MBP) 2 ] [Cu 2 Cl 6 ],where MBP = tetraisopropyl methylenebisphosphonate [(C 3 H 7 O) 2 P(O)CH 2 P(O)(OC 3 H 7 ) 2 ], has been determined at room temperature. The compound belongs to the triclinic system, space group P 1 , a = 10.799(1), b = 11.129(1), c = 11.509(1) A, α = 99.56(1), β = 115.24(1), γ = 94.69(1)°, R = 0.028 for 3979 unique observed reflections. The structure is comprised of essentially linear chains of alternating Cu(MBP) 2 2+ cations and Cu 2 Cl 6 2− anions which are linked together by singly- bridging Cl atoms of the anion. Two such bridges result in a tetragonal geometry about the Cu(II) in the centrosymmetric cation, with the Cl bridges forming elongated bonds to the axial positions of the cation. The Cu 2 Cl 6 2− anions are centrosymmetric with the two Cu centers in the dimer linked together by a double Cl bridge. The geometry of the Cu in the anion is pseudotetrahedral (dihedral angle = 44.34(2)°). The magnetic properties and the visible- near IR spectrum are discussed with respect to the observed structure.
Confined within: National territories as zones of confinement

Abstract The securitization of immigration has led to increased reliance on border enforcement, detention, and deportation to control unauthorized movements. Based on a case study of the ways that Salvadoran immigrants to the United States have experienced these tactics, this paper analyzes the spatial implications of current enforcement strategies. As movement across borders becomes more difficult for the unauthorized, national territories become zones of confinement. This carceral quality is a dimension of national territory in that undocumented and temporarily authorized migrants cannot exit their countries of residence without losing territorially-conferred rights, while if they are deported, their countries of origin become extensions of the detention centers they occupied before exit. This transformation of national spaces is accompanied by internal differentiation, as interior enforcement confines migrants to subnational spaces where they must remain to avoid detection or harassment. Securitization thus entails both extraterritoriality, that is the extension of U.S. legal regimes into foreign territories, and intraterritoriality, or the operation of different legal regimes within national territories. The paper also highlights the ways that securitization contributes to multidimensionality, such that spatial locations are rendered ambiguous, both inside and outside at the same time. Finally, the paper considers how these spatial transformations redefine citizenship and belonging.
Manual asymmetries of motor sequencing in boys with reading disability.

Summary Boys with reading disability were asked to tap two mechanical keys in time to the beat of a metronome, with left and right hand alone, and with alternating hands. On the single hand trials these boys tapped as well as normal boys with both left and right hands, but when asked to alternate hands, their tapping stability, particularly of the left hand, deteriorated significantly and was worse than that of much younger normal boys. It is argued from evidence from patients with surgical commissurotomies that the motor deficiency in synchronizing left and right hands may be due to a disturbance in interhemispheric cooperation in the boys with reading disability, and it is suggested that the reading problems of these children may be the consequence of a developmental delay in interhemispheric cooperation.
Photovoltaic-driven organic electrosynthesis and efforts toward more sustainable oxidation reactions

The combination of visible light, photovoltaics, and electrochemistry provides a convenient, inexpensive platform for conducting a wide variety of sustainable oxidation reactions. The approach presented in this article is compatible with both direct and indirect oxidation reactions, avoids the need for a stoichiometric oxidant, and leads to hydrogen gas as the only byproduct from the corresponding reduction reaction.
Hypothermia-induced J waves

A 36 years old woman with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was admitted to the hospital for pulmonary Mycobacterium Avis Complex infection. Seventy-two hours after the admission she became hypothermic and bradycardic. The ECG showed sinus bradycardia, J waves in leads II, III, aVF, aVR, aVL, V5 and V6 along with QT prolongation and T wave abnormalities. After rewarming the J waves and repolarization abnormalities disappeared. The proposed cellular basis of hypothermia-induced J waves is the accentuation of the spike-and-dome morphology of the action potential of M and epicardial cells.
Pointing the Way: Possible Avenues of Development in the Field of Mathematics Education

An essay review ofAssessing Children's Mathematical Knowledge: Social Class, Sex and Problem Solving by Barry Cooper and Mairead Dunne, Philadelphia: Open University Press, 2000; Talking Mathematics in School: Studies in Teaching and Learning, Ed. Magdalene Lampert and Merrie L. Blunk, New York: Teachers College Press, 1998; Reconstructing School Mathematics: Problems With Problems and the Real World by Steven I. Brown, New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2001.
Implicit preferences for straight people over lesbian women and gay men weakened from 2006 to 2013

Legal rights and cultural attitudes towards lesbian women and gay men have shifted rapidly in the early 21st century. Using 683,976 visitors to Project Implicit from February 2006 to August 2013, we investigated whether shifts were also observable in implicit evaluations that occur outside of conscious awareness or control. Similar to public opinion polling, the estimated explicit preference for straight people over lesbian women and gay men was 26% weaker on the last day compared to the first. The estimated implicit preference for straight people declined by 13.4% over the same period. The largest shifts in implicit evaluations occurred among Hispanic, White, female, liberal, and young adult participants; the smallest shifts occurred among Black, Asian, male, conservative, and older adult participants. Societal change in evaluation of lesbian and gay people is not limited to what people are willing and able to report. However, change in implicit evaluation appears to be slower.
A method for the making and utility of gadolinium-labeled albumin microbubbles.

Abstract Objective Perfluorocarbon-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin microbubbles (PESDA) binds scavenger receptors and can be noninvasively imaged. To enhance imaging, gadolinium (Gd)-labeled PESDA was developed and tested in a model of vascular inflammation by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods and Results Purified human serum albumin (HSA) (5%) was labeled with Gd via the covalent binding of diethylenetriaminepentacetic acid. Abdominal aortic tissues in Sprague–Dawley rats (n=5 per group) were analyzed by 7-T MRI and scanning electron microscopy to evaluate PESDA binding. Labeling-purified 5% human albumin resulted in an average of 16.1 Gd atoms per albumin molecule as determined by atomic absorption. Forty-eight hours after balloon angioplasty, aortic tissue was enhanced with Gd-PESDA as compared to control tissue. 7-T MRI of explanted tissues was sensitive to the detection of retained PESDA. Enhancement of aortic tissue in vivo was present albeit to a lesser extent than explanted tissue from the same animals. Conclusions HSA was successfully labeled, and an albumin-based microbubble with Gd was synthesized. This contrast agent, Gd-PESDA, may serve as an additional agent for the MRI evaluation of innate inflammation and used to noninvasively image early vascular pathophysiologic processes. Condensed Abstract In this study, Gd-PESDA microbubbles and were synthesized and shown to detect the binding of these microbubbles using MRI in injured aortic tissue. The method for synthesizing Gd-PESDA is detailed, and the proposed utility of this new contrast agent is discussed.
Implementation of a SHM method on a numerical model of a cable-stayed bridge

This paper discusses the implementation of a structural health monitoring (SHM) technique on a numerical model of the Bill Emerson Memorial bridge. The method uses the natural excitation technique (NExT) and the eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) to identify the modal parameters of the structure. A least squares solution of the eigenvalue problem is used to detect elemental structural parameters from the identified modal parameters. Damage is identified by comparing the elemental parameters before and after damage. It is found that the singular values of the Hankel matrix are not a reliable approach to determine the number of modal parameters identified with the ERA for this type of structure. A variation of the method is used to differentiate between computational values due to noise and numerical errors and those representing the structural characteristics.
The Yield of Edible Meat from Different Market Classes of Chickens

Abstract SINCE a large part of the meat demand in recent years has been met with the production and processing of chickens, a study was made to determine the amount of edible meat which may be obtained from five different market classes of chickens, namely, broilers, fryers, light hens, medium heavy hens, and light roaster males. Previous work has been conducted in which the yield of meat from live, dressed and eviscerated broilers, fryers and light roasters was determined, McNally and Spicknall (1949), by boiling the dressed birds and removing the meat from the bones. Other work has been conducted to determine the percentage of edible meat in relation to meat type score of chickens, by cooking the carcasses and removing the meat from the bones, Henderson (1949). In a study on the growth of White Plymouth Rock chickens, Mitchell et al. (1926), reported that the edible flesh and fat constituted . . .
A decision feedback equalizer for multiple-head digital magnetic recording

Misalignment of recording head position results in intertrack interference (ITI), which is a primary factor limiting radial density in current magnetic recording systems. An examination is made of the use of multiple read-head recording combined with cross-coupled decision feedback equalization to reduce ITI. The multiple-head array provides much greater tolerance to misalignment than does a single head, and as a result allows a significant increase in radial density. >