cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eavesdropping and signal matching in visual courtship displays of spiders

Eavesdropping on communication is widespread among animals, e.g. bystanders observing male–male contests, female mate choice copying and predator detection of prey cues. Some animals also exhibit signal matching, e.g. overlapping of competitors' acoustic signals in aggressive interactions. Fewer studies have examined male eavesdropping on conspecific courtship, although males could increase mating success by attending to others' behaviour and displaying whenever courtship is detected. In this study, we show that field-experienced male Schizocosa ocreata wolf spiders exhibit eavesdropping and signal matching when exposed to video playback of courting male conspecifics. Male spiders had longer bouts of interaction with a courting male stimulus, and more bouts of courtship signalling during and after the presence of a male on the video screen. Rates of courtship (leg tapping) displayed by individual focal males were correlated with the rates of the video exemplar to which they were exposed. These findings suggest male wolf spiders might gain information by eavesdropping on conspecific courtship and adjust performance to match that of rivals. This represents a novel finding, as these behaviours have previously been seen primarily among vertebrates.
Rank Order Analysis of Tibial Plafond Fractures: Does Injury or Reduction Predict Outcome?:

We investigated the effects of severity of initial injury pattern and the quality of the articular reduction on outcome of displaced intra-articular distal tibial fractures, using a series of 25 patients who were treated with articulated external fixation and limited internal fixation, which provided a spectrum of reduction quality. Outcome was assessed by clinical ankle scores and radiographic arthrosis. The results demonstrate the rank order method to be a reliable means of stratifying severity of injury and quality of reduction. Neither injury nor reduction correlated with clinical ankle score. Reduction had a significant correlation with radiographic arthrosis. We conclude that the rank order method is useful in stratification of fracture patients, and that factors other than injury pattern and quality of articular reduction are important in determining outcome of patients with this severe articular injury.
Selected Contribution: Acute cellular and molecular responses to resistance exercise

Training protocols apply sequential bouts of resistance exercise (RE) to induce the cellular and molecular responses necessary to produce compensatory hypertrophy. This study was designed to 1) define the time course of selected cellular and molecular responses to a single bout of RE and 2) examine the effects of interbout rest intervals on the summation of these responses. Rat muscles were exposed to RE via stimulation of the sciatic nerve in vivo. Stimulated and control muscles were obtained at various time points post-RE and analyzed via Western blot and RT-PCR. A single bout of RE increased intracellular signaling (i.e., phosphorylations) and expression of mRNAs for insulin-like growth factor-I system components and myogenic markers (e.g., cyclin D1, myogenin). A rest interval of 48 h between RE bouts resulted in much greater summation of myogenic responses than 24- or 8-h rest intervals. This experimental approach should be useful for studying the regulatory mechanisms that control the hypertrophy response. These methods could also be used to compare and contrast different exercise parameters (e.g., concentric vs. eccentric, etc.).
Paradigm shift? the implications of web-based notetaking

This paper explores the transition from traditional paper-based notetaking to the process of information assimilation (IA) on the Web. IA is introduced and defined, and the implications for Web-based notebook tools needed to support this process are explained. A preliminary electronic notebook prototype is described, followed by planned future work in the area of IA and Web-based notetaking.
Mitochondrial protein synthesis in HeLa cells.

Abstract A fraction of HeLa cell mitochondrial protein whose synthesis is unaffected by cycloheximide but blocked by chloramphenicol has been observed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis of protein released from mitochondrial preparations. In addition, it has been demonstrated that HeLa cells in the presence of puromycin produce formylmethionyl-puromycin. Since the only source of formylmethionyl-tRNA in HeLa cells had been previously shown to be mitochondria, it seems likely that this tRNA is participating in a mitochondrial protein synthesizing system in which fMet-tRNA is the initiator.
Community Lending, Bank Efficiency, and Economic Dualism

The literature suggests that asymmetric information in less developed economies may contribute to credit-market failure that is reflected in the economic efficiency of lending firms. This research tests whether rural banks located in the Lower Mississippi Delta Region (LMDR), the poorest rural region in the U.S., are less efficient than other rural banks. Rural banks in the LMDR are found to be technically less efficient than their non-LMDR counterparts
Stable estimation of a covariance matrix guided by nuclear norm penalties

Estimation of a covariance matrix or its inverse plays a central role in many statistical methods. For these methods to work reliably, estimated matrices must not only be invertible but also well-conditioned. The current paper introduces a novel prior to ensure a well-conditioned maximum a posteriori (MAP) covariance estimate. The prior shrinks the sample covariance estimator towards a stable target and leads to a MAP estimator that is consistent and asymptotically efficient. Thus, the MAP estimator gracefully transitions towards the sample covariance matrix as the number of samples grows relative to the number of covariates. The utility of the MAP estimator is demonstrated in two standard applications-discriminant analysis and EM clustering-in challenging sampling regimes.
Strong general position and Menger curves

Abstract We show how to place a Menger curve in strong general position in the sense that there is a bound to the number of times that a hyperplane can intersect it.
Low Reynolds number numerical solutions of chaotic flow

Numerical computations of two-dimensional flow past an airfoil at low Mach number, large angle of attack, and low Reynolds number are reported which show a sequence of flow states leading from single-period vortex shedding to chaos via the period-doubling mechanism. Analysis of the flow in terms of phase diagrams, Poincare sections, and flowfield variables are used to substantiate these results. The critical Reynolds number for the period-doubling bifurcations is shown to be sensitive to mesh refinement and the influence of large amounts of numerical dissipation. In extreme cases, large amounts of added dissipation can delay or completely eliminate the chaotic response. The effect of artificial dissipation at these low Reynolds numbers is to produce a new effective Reynolds number for the computations.
Expressed Breast Milk as a Predictor of Neonatal Yeast Colonization in an Intensive Care Setting.

Background. Yeast colonization is a predictor for invasive infection in neonates. Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis are leading causes of invasive fungal infection (IFI) in this population. This study examines maternal breast milk as a predictor of colonization of infants with yeast. Methods. Inclusion criteria were admission longer than 72 hours to the neonatal intensive care unit and parental consent. Cultures of expressed breast milk, when available, and swabs from oral, rectal, and inguinal sites were obtained weekly for 12 weeks, or until discharge, transfer, or death. Cultures were analyzed using standard laboratory methods. Clinical information was extracted from medical records. Results. One hundred thirty infants were enrolled from February 2011 to November 2012. Cultures were obtained in 129 patients. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) gestational age was 34.4 weeks (33.1–37.1 weeks). The median (IQR) birth weight was 2157.5 g (1740–3060 g). No infants developed IFIs. Twenty-nine (22%) infants were colonized with yeast. Potential correlates for colonization in univariate analysis included exposure to antenatal steroids, postnatal antibiotics, and receipt of breast milk containing yeast. Potential correlates that remained after multivariable logistic regression included exposure to antenatal steroids and receipt of breast milk containing yeast. In cases in which yeast was recovered from an individual infant and from the breast milk received by that infant, there was only 30% concordance between yeast species. Discussion. Recovery of yeast from breast milk is associated with colonization with yeast in the neonate. Because Candida transmission via breast milk had a 30% concordance, breast milk is only one of several ways colonization occurs. Further study is needed on mechanisms of colonization.
PRIVATE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC SPACES: NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND URBAN PARKS

This Article argues that current nonprofit organization theories must be refined to account for the ways in which these organizations take responsibility for public spaces. Nonprofit organizations (“NPOs”) take responsibility in two ways that reduce the cost of monitoring their performance and, consequently, allow them to harness residual demand for the public good of public spaces, helping to create positive outcomes for these spaces. First, NPOs as single entities assume physical responsibility for public space in a way that contrasts strongly with the diffuse accountability of governmental managers and makes their performance easier to monitor. Second, NPOs centralize responsibility for the financial success of the public space in a way that both contrasts strongly with insulated civil servants and reduces the cost of monitoring the attainment of a critical mass of funding for the space. Taking responsibility also places the burden on the NPO, instead of on individuals outside the organization, to compile and communicate information about their operation for monitors. Private managers, therefore, are more accountable for their actions than overnmental managers because they are more responsible and, thus, less costly to monitor. NPOs in Central Park and Bryant Park illustrate these principles.
Streamflow Response to Climate as Influenced by Geology and Elevation1

Mayer, Timothy D. and Seth W. Naman, 2011. Streamflow Response to Climate as Influenced by Geology and Elevation. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(4):724-738. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00537.x Abstract: This study examines the regional streamflow response in 25 predominately unregulated basins to warmer winter temperatures and snowpack reductions over the last half century in the Klamath Basin of California and Oregon. Geologic controls of streamflow in the region result in two general stream types: surface-dominated and groundwater-dominated basins. Surface-dominated basins were further differentiated into rain basins and snowmelt basins on the basis of elevation and timing of winter runoff. Streamflow characteristics and response to climate vary with stream type, as discussed in the study. Warmer winter temperatures and snowpack reductions have caused significantly earlier runoff peaks in both snowmelt and groundwater basins in the region. In the groundwater basins, the streamflow response to changes in snowpack is smoothed and delayed and the effects are extended longer in the summer. Our results indicate that absolute decreases in July-September base flows are significantly greater, by an order of magnitude, in groundwater basins compared to surface-dominated basins. The declines are important because groundwater basins sustain Upper Klamath Lake inflows and mainstem river flows during the typically dry summers of the area. Upper Klamath Lake April-September net inflows have decreased an estimated 16% or 84 thousand acre-feet (103.6 Mm3) since 1961, with the summer months showing proportionately more decline. These changes will exacerbate water supply problems for agriculture and natural resources in the region.
Ultrathin plasmonic subtractive color filters

We present the design and demonstration of ultra-thin plasmonic color filters, providing a powerful approach for subtractive color filtering with high spatial resolution and ultra-compact architectures on sub-micrometer scales.
Turning on Natural Killer Cells

NK cells preferentially recognize and kill cells that lack expression of MHC class I ([1][1]). While inhibitory receptors expressing immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motifs prevent NK cells from harming tissues expressing normal levels of classical or nonclassical MHC class I (for a review,
Increasing Endovascular Intervention for Claudication: Impact on Vascular Surgery Resident Training

PURPOSE To audit the caseloads of vascular surgery residents in the management of disabling claudication and assess the influence of endovascular procedures on overall operative experience. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted of vascular surgery resident experience in the open and endovascular management of lower limb claudication during two 3-year periods (January 2000 to December 2002 and January 2003 to December 2005). The time periods differed with regard to number of surgical faculty with advanced endovascular skills (3 in the first period and 4 in the second) and the availability of portable operating room angiography equipment. RESULTS During the 6-year period, the operative logs of vascular surgery residents indicated participation in 283 procedures [170 (60%) open surgical interventions, including 146 suprainguinal procedures] performed for claudication. The number of procedures increased by 62% (p<0.05) from the first period (n=108) to the second (n=175). Endovascular intervention to treat aortoiliac occlusive disease increased 4-fold (14 versus 56 interventions, p=0.01) compared to a decrease in open (bypass grafting, endarterectomy) surgical repair (45 to 31 procedures, p=0.22). The greatest change in resident experience was in endovascular intervention of infrainguinal occlusive disease: the case volume increased from 4 to 39 procedures (p=0.07) during the 2 time intervals. By contrast, the number of open surgical bypass procedures was similar (45 versus 49) in each 3-year period. CONCLUSION An audit of resident experience demonstrated intervention for claudication has increased during the past 6 years. The increased operative experience reflects more endovascular treatment (atherectomy, angioplasty, stent-graft placement) of femoropopliteal and aortoiliac occlusive disease, but no decrease in open surgical operative experience for claudication. This increase in endovascular intervention may be related to a decrease in the threshold for intervention.
Herbivory and Relative Growth Rates of Pieris rapae are Correlated with Host Constitutive Salicylic Acid and Flowering Time

Treatment of plants with exogenous salicylic acid (SA) improves resistance to many bacterial pathogens, but can suppress resistance to insect herbivores. While plants vary naturally in constitutive SA, whether such differences are predictive of resistance to insect herbivores has not been studied previously. We examined the possible role of this endogenous SA in structuring the interactions between the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, and ten hosts in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). Because P. rapae has multiple generations that utilize different hosts across the year, we included five spring-flowering mustards and five summer-flowering mustards that co-occur in ruderal habitats in upstate New York. Under common garden conditions, the spring flowering mustards (Capsella bursa-pastoris, Draba verna, Cardamine impatiens, Barbarea vulgaris, and Arabidopsis thaliana) were significantly more resistant to P. rapae, supporting 42 % less herbivory (P = 0.015) and 64 % lower relative growth rates (P = 0.007), relative to the summer flowering mustards (Sisymbrium altissimum, Brassica nigra, Sinapis arvense, Lepidium campestre, and Arabis canadensis). Leaf total constitutive SA explained significant variation in larval herbivory (R2 = 75.3 %, P = 0.007) and relative growth rates (R2 = 59.4 %, P = 0.043). The three species with the lowest levels of constitutive SA (Capsella bursa-pastoris, Draba verna, and Cardamine impatiens) were the most resistant to larvae. Barbarea vulgaris and Arabis canadensis were notable exceptions, exhibiting high SA concentrations and intermediate resistance to P. rapae. These results suggest a curvilinear relationship between leaf constitutive SA and the herbivory by P. rapae, and they provide some insight into the ecology and possible management of this economically important crop pest.
An Experimental Observation Related To The Pore Space Between Particles Of Cement In Pastes At Early Ages

Cement paste of water:cement ratios less than about 0.3 usually are not workable, but workability can be maintained at these lower water:cement ratios by using superplasticizers. A typical explanation [1] of the mechanism behind the effectiveness of superplasticizers is that they adsorb on the surface of cement particles and adjust the surface charge so that the particles become deflocculated. The individual particles flow more easily than larger flocs.
The Geohistory of Fernand Braudel

Any historian feels free to shift, enlarge, or contract his spatial or temporal field of attention, but the building of formal conceptions of time and space as flexible is something else. Fernand Braudel's recent book contains many revisions of judgment concerning the economic history of the centuries it treats, and also a way of handling space and time that gives the volume theoretical as well as historical interest. In his title, “the Mediterranean” refers to the region as well as to the sea. His “Mediterranean world” includes various outside areas, some remote, that have been related to the region by the activities of man in society. Peripheral mountains and deserts, for example, are considered in much detail, and four historic corridors (he calls them isthmuses) to northern waters are formally discussed. His “Epoch of Philip II” is in the first third of the book hardly a temporal “home port”; it is touched more frequently in Part II and is much used in the final section.
Brothers and Sisters: Incest as Empowerment in Nineteenth-Century American Women’s Novels

In The Power of Sympathy, by William Hill Brown, published in 1789, the protagonist Harrington initially intends to seduce Harriot, a beautiful and charming girl beneath him in social status, but h...
RFA for Liver Tumors: Does It Really Work?

The use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is increasing in the treatment of both primary and metastatic hepatic tumors. However, the role of RFA has yet to be clearly defined in patients who are still considered amenable to surgical intervention. Future prospective studies are needed to define whether RFA can be used as an alternative to surgery in certain patient populations. In the interim, radiofrequency ablation technology will continue to advance and serve as both a palliative and potentially curative intervention for individuals with hepatic tumors.
A modeling approach to swarming in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Identifying the mechanisms of colony reproduction is essential to understanding the sociobiology of honey bees. Although several proximate causes leading to the initiation of queen rearing – an essential prerequisite to swarming – have been proposed, none have received unequivocal empirical support. Here we model the main proximate hypotheses (colony size, brood comb congestion, and worker age distribution) and show that all proposed swarming triggers occur as a function of the ultimate cause of a colony reaching replacement stability, the point at which the queen has been laying eggs at her maximal rate. We thus present a reproductive optimization model of colony swarming based on evolutionary principles. All models produce results remarkably similar both to each other and to empirically-determined swarming patterns. An examination of the fit between the individual models and swarm-preventing techniques used by beekeepers indicates that the reproductive optimization model has a relatively broad explanatory range. These results suggest that an examination into the behavioral correlates of a queen’s maximum egg laying rate may provide a unified proximate mechanistic trigger leading predictably to colony fission. Generating a predictive model for this very well studied animal is the first step in producing a model of colony fission applicable to other swarm-founding eusocial animals.
A Receiver for Measuring Angle-of-Arrival in a Complex Wave

Since November, 1945, the Electrical Engineering Research Laboratory of the University of Texas has been engaged in making propagation measurements of 3.2-cm waves. Results of some of these tests have been published, but a description of the equipment used has not been generally available. This paper describes the latest arrangement of the phase-difference receivers, modifications of which were used in the tests previously described. This receiver provides data for separating two waves received simultaneously by means of signal-strength and phase-difference data received at three points. It is possible to measure phase difference between two 3.2-cm signals to an accuracy of 5° over a signal-strength range of 70 db and a signal-strength ratio between channels as high as 20 db. Absolute signal strength is measured to within 1 db, while relative signal strength is measured to 0.5 db.
Intron Length Evolution in Drosophila

I present data on the evolution of intron lengths among 3 closely related Drosophila species, D. melanogaster, Drosophila simulans, and Drosophila yakuba. Using D. yakuba as an outgroup, I mapped insertion and deletion mutations in 148 introns (spanning approximately 30 kb) to the D. melanogaster and D. simulans lineages. Intron length evolution in the 2 sister species has been different: in D. melanogaster, X-linked introns have increased slightly in size, whereas autosomal ones have decreased slightly in size; in D. simulans, both X-linked and autosomal introns have decreased in size. To understand the possible evolutionary causes of these lineage- and chromosome-specific patterns of intron evolution, I studied insertion-deletion (indel) polymorphism and divergence in D. melanogaster. Small insertion mutations segregate at elevated frequencies and enjoy elevated probabilities of fixation, particularly on the X chromosome. In contrast, there is no detectable X chromosome effect on fixations in D. simulans. These findings suggest X chromosome-specific selection or biased gene conversion-gap repair favoring insertions in D. melanogaster but not in D. simulans. These chromosome- and lineage-specific patterns of indel substitution are not easily explained by existing general population genetic models of intron length evolution. Genomic data from D. melanogaster further suggest that the forces described here affect introns and intergenic regions similarly.
Validation of linear programming models

changes. Predictive models may be used by decisionmakers who are interested mulation, however, the approaches are ap. un ed ctng te onmakers who are interested ~~~~~plicable to mathein predicting the consequences of possible plicable to mathematical programming decisions (for example, investments) or polapplications in general. Detailed procedures icymakers who are interested in predicting are outlined for validating various aspects of icyke who are interested in predicting model performance given complete or partial t consequences of policy alternatives and/ sets of observed, real world values of variaenvironmental factors. Val dation is necessary for both categories of bles. Alternative evaluation criteria are pre- do necear or ot gories of model use. 2 While validation procedures may sented along with procedures for correctinge procedres validation problems. be tedious and time consuming, they will often lead to improvement in programming
Feedbacks between erosion and sediment transport in experimental bedrock channels

Natural bedrock rivers flow in self-formed channels and form diverse erosional morphologies. The parameters that collectively define channel morphology (e.g. width, slope, bed roughness, bedrock exposure, sediment size distribution) all influence river incision rates and dynamically adjust in poorly understood ways to imposed fluid and sediment fluxes. To explore the mechanics of river incision, we conducted laboratory experiments in which the complexities of natural bedrock channels were reduced to a homogenous brittle substrate (sand and cement), a single sediment size primarily transported as bedload, a single erosion mechanism (abrasion) and sediment-starved transport conditions. We find that patterns of erosion both create and are sensitive functions of the evolving bed topography because of feedbacks between the turbulent flow field, sediment transport and bottom roughness. Abrasion only occurs where sediment impacts the bed, and so positive feedback occurs between the sediment preferentially drawn to topographic lows by gravity and the further erosion of these lows. However, the spatial focusing of erosion results in tortuous flow paths and erosional forms (inner channels, scoops, potholes), which dissipate flow energy. This energy dissipation is a negative feedback that reduces sediment transport capacity, inhibiting further incision and ultimately leading to channel morphologies adjusted to just transport the imposed sediment load. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Primary Epstein–Barr Virus Infection: Impact of Age at Acquisition, Coinfection, and Viral Load

Primary Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection acquired at an early age or in concert with another pathogen can result in poor control of EBV replication and may be a risk factor for subsequent chronic illnesses including malignancy. Slyker and colleagues report in this issue of the Journal that primary EBV infection was more frequent and more severe in infants coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) than in those who were HIV-negative [1]. Their clinical research study, which used repository samples and archival data from an investigation of Kenyan infants born to HIVinfected mothers [2, 3], makes several important observations. First, HIVinfected infants acquired primary EBV infection sooner than their HIVuninfected counterparts. Second, infants coinfected with EBV and HIV had higher EBV plasma loads that were slow to clear. Finally, primary EBV infection caused more pneumonia, hepatosplenomegaly, and hospitalization in coinfected infants than in HIV-negative infants. Moorman et al previously reported another example of coinfection damaging the host’s ability to contain EBV [4]. Kenyan children aged 1–4 years from a district of intense perennial malaria transmission (Kisumu) had a higher percentage of parasitemia and higher EBV blood viral loads than children of the same age from a low malaria transmission district (Nandi). In this case, the coinfecting pathogen was Plasmodium falciparum instead of HIV. Piriou and colleagues [5] recently extended these results by showing that infants in Kisumu, the holoendemic malaria district, acquired primary EBV sooner and had higher viral loads throughout the first 2 years of life than infants in Nandi, the low malaria transmission district. Both parasitemia and EBV loads were higher among children living in the Kisumu district and among those infected with EBV at a younger age. What are the implications of these
Multi-method assessment of mother-child attachment: links to parenting and child depressive symptoms in middle childhood.

This study included two different methods to assess mother–child attachment, questionnaires, and a doll play story stem interview, so their overlap could be evaluated. In addition, we investigated how attachment is related to parenting and child depression. The sample was comprised of 10- to 12-year-olds (N = 87) and their mothers. Children completed questionnaires (assessing security, avoidance, and ambivalence), and were administered a doll play interview to assess attachment patterns (security, avoidance, ambivalence, and disorganization). Two aspects of parenting (warmth/ engagement and psychological control) were assessed with child reports and observer ratings of maternal behavior. We also obtained child reports of depressive symptoms. Questionnaire and interview measures of attachment security were related to one another, and each showed predictable associations with parenting and child depression. By contrast, results were less consistent for the ambivalent and avoidant insecure attachment pattern...
Migratory CD103+ dendritic cells suppress helminth-driven type 2 immunity through constitutive expression of IL-12

CD8α(+) and CD103(+) dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in the development of type 1 immune responses. However, their role in type 2 immunity remains unclear. We examined this issue using Batf3(-/-) mice, in which both of these DC subsets are missing. We found that Th2 cell responses, and related events such as eosinophilia, alternative macrophage activation, and immunoglobulin class switching to IgG1, were enhanced in Batf3(-/-) mice responding to helminth parasites. This had beneficial or detrimental consequences depending on the context. For example, Batf3 deficiency converted a normally chronic intestinal infection with Heligmosomoides polygyrus into an infection that was rapidly controlled. However, liver fibrosis, an IL-13-mediated pathological consequence of wound healing in chronic schistosomiasis, was exacerbated in Batf3(-/-) mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Mechanistically, steady-state production of IL-12 by migratory CD103(+) DCs, independent of signals from commensals or TLR-initiated events, was necessary and sufficient to exert the suppressive effects on Th2 response development. These findings identify a previously unrecognized role for migratory CD103(+) DCs in antagonizing type 2 immune responses.
Clan Cleansing in Somalia: A Historian's Reflections

This paper will evaluate Kapteijns’ "Clan Cleansing in Somalia" from the perspective of a historian and in the context of the wider historiography of Somalia. Apart from evaluating the framing of the study, its sources, methodology, and major concepts, the paper will evaluate how the book , both in what it includes and in what remains outside of its scope, may be a guide for the future research agendas of historians of Somalia.
High Performance Computing and Communication (HPCC)

As announced in the hardware Chap. 5, there is a relatively new paradigm of computation in which a single very large application problem is partitioned into subproblems which can be computed concurrently by being distributed over a network of computers, called a cluster, usually a large-scale local area network (LAN) in which nodes of the network can be connected directly through large switches to build a message-passing system. The given application problem is computationally intensive and would take too long to solve on an existing single computer, however fast it may run. For certain problem structures it is possible to partition the problem into components which can be run concurrently to achieve a speed-up that makes the solution feasible. An example is the solution of a linear system Ax = b where A is a nxn matrix and b is an n-dimensional vector. The Jacobi iterative method can be programmed to work on K groups of m components of x concurrently where n = Km. The K groups are computed on K nodes of the cluster. The individual K computers installed as the nodes in the network, usually pc’s, operate independently on their assigned subproblems for the most part, but at various points in their computations they must communicate with each other by a message-passing protocol which permits the cooperative exchange of intermediate results needed in the various subproblems. This paradigm is designated as high performance computing and communication (HPCC).
Glycomacropeptide is a prebiotic that reduces Desulfovibrio bacteria, increases cecal short-chain fatty acids, and is anti-inflammatory in mice

Glycomacropeptide (GMP) is a 64-amino acid (AA) glycophosphopeptide with application to the nutritional management of phenylketonuria (PKU), obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). GMP is a ...
Vascular surgery for impotence: a review

Progress in treatment of impotence in the past two decades has resulted in impressive advances. While most men respond to medical therapy including prostaglandin E1 injection or the more recent use of urethral alprostadil, 6-7% of men fail to respond to these treatments or vacuum devices. This review considers current and past results of vascular surgery in this group of men. Guidelines for case selection for vascular interventions as well as reporting criteria are suggested. Vascular surgery as a logical first step in selected patients may offer an advantage in men failing conservative therapy and for those not desiring prosthetic implantation.
Fire and Brimstone, Lager and Pot: Religious Involvement and Substance Use

Data from nearly 5,000 high school seniors from six states in the northeastern region of the United States are analyzed using religious preference and attendance to predict substance use (hard liquor, beer, marijuana, amphetamines, barbiturates, heroin, LSD, and cocaine). It was hypothesized that (1) denomination and attendance would be significantly related to the use of alcohol and that an interaction would occur beteen these two predictors, (2) church attendance should have special impact within proscriptive denominations, and (3) for harder drugs, church attendance would be inversely related with use. Analysis-of-variance and multiple classification analysis were employed. Weekly use and having ever employed the substance were utilized for alcohol and marijuana and having ever used the substance was used for hard drugs. The data support the hypotheses.
The Variety and Meanings of Globulin Which Was from 194 Patients of Germ-positive TB Were Treated by First Anti-TB

Objective To evaluate the variety and meanings of globulin which 194 first cures of germ-positive TB were treated anti-TB.Methods The review analyzes the relationship of Ig variety which were before and after treating from the 194 patient who were the germ-positive TB andhad the anti-TB treatment, and the relationship of Ig variety and the condition of TB in 2005 .Results In 194 patients of germ-positive TB who were first treated,have 130 patients (67.01%) whose Ig level werehigher than 35 g/L before treating, after regular treatment, reply to check the Ig to lower gradually, it shows the markedness difference (P0.01 or P0.05).To analyzes Ig level and phlegm germ circumstance after regular treatment,and compare the rate of germ-positive TB,the group whose level of Ig keep on going upwas greater than the group level of Ig is low, the difference showed the markedness both (P0.05).Conclusion The level of Ig is closer to the condition of TB patients, when the condition turns better then it will be lower, vice versa. So normal regulations monitors the Ig develops to the TB patients in their first treatmenthas positive and clinical meaning to the paroxysm.
Measurement of Serum Interferon-γand Interleukin-10in Infants with Low Respiratory Tract Infection Caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Objective:To investigate the immunopathological mechanism of low respiratory tract infection(LRTI)caused by respiratory syncytial virus(RSV).Methods:The serum interferon-γ(IFN-γ)and interleukin-10(IL-10)in infants with LRTI caused by RSV were measured with ELISA.Results:The levels of serum IFN-γin infants with LRTI caused by RSV were significantly lower than those in healthy children,but the levels of serum IL_10in infants with LRTI caused by RSV were significantly higher than those in healthy children.The levels of IFN-γwere associated with disease severity.Conclusion:The IFN-γplays an important role in LRTI caused by RSV and serves as a key factor to the disease severity.The IL-10is associated with recurrent wheezing.
Isolation and Properties of Natural Membranes

External and internal cell membranes serve to compartmentalize regions in which optimal conditions can be maintained for discrete functions. The membranes also provide routes of transport for materials and information between and within cells. Techniques that have been devised to permit study of the various membrane activities, and the knowledge acquired by these methods, are described.
Leaf shape evolution has a similar genetic architecture in three edaphic specialists within the Mimulus guttatus species complex.

Background and Aims The genetic basis of leaf shape has long interested botanists because leaf shape varies extensively across the plant kingdom and this variation is probably adaptive. However, knowledge of the genetic architecture of leaf shape variation in natural populations remains limited. This study examined the genetic architecture of leaf shape diversification among three edaphic specialists in the Mimulus guttatus species complex. Lobed and narrow leaves have evolved from the entire, round leaves of M. guttatus in M. laciniatus, M. nudatus and a polymorphic serpentine M. guttatus population (M2L). Methods Bulk segregant analysis and next-generation sequencing were used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that underlie leaf shape in an M. laciniatus × M. guttatus F2 population. To determine whether the same QTLs contribute to leaf shape variation in M. nudatus and M2L, F2s from M. guttatus × M. nudatus and lobed M2L × unlobed M. guttatus crosses were genotyped at QTLs from the bulk segregant analysis. Key Results Narrow and lobed leaf shapes in M. laciniatus, M. nudatus and M. guttatus are controlled by overlapping genetic regions. Several promising leaf shape candidate genes were found under each QTL. Conclusions The evolution of divergent leaf shape has taken place multiple times in the M. guttatus species complex and is associated with the occupation of dry, rocky environments. The genetic architecture of elongated and lobed leaves is similar across three species in this group. This may indicate that parallel genetic evolution from standing variation or new mutations is responsible for the putatively adaptive leaf shape variation in Mimulus.
Alternative methods in the management of bile duct stones.

In the past, the management of common bile duct stones only was performed via open laparotomy and common bile duct exploration. In the past 20 years, the use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and papillotomy has allowed access to the common bile duct for fragmentation, dissolution, and extraction of stones. Other modalities, such as choledoscopy via the T-tube tract and transhepatic choledoscopy, have increased the armamentarium of the surgeon. This article discusses the results of these techniques.
Effects of chromium(III) as a nutritional supplement

This chapter discusses the effects of chromium (III) as nutritional supplement on body weight, body fat, and lean mass of healthy humans. The impetus for research to determine the effects of supplemental Cr(III) came from two studies. The first study identifies no effects of supplemental Cr(III) on strength measures. An increased dose of supplemental Cr(III) failed to show any benefit. Lean body mass was maintained despite a 10% decrease in self-reported energy intake. Interestingly, dietary analysis indicated that Cr(III) intake decreased significantly in each treatment group with average intakes of 30–40 μg/day during training. All groups increased strength, neuromuscular performance, and metabolic performance with no effect of Cr(III) supplementation. Supplementation of Cr(III) independently and in conjunction with weight training has been hypothesized to increase muscle mass in the elderly. Another study tested the hypothesis that Cr(III) supplementation decreases body weight and alters body composition when energy intake is constant. Body weight was maintained within 2% of admission values. Body composition, determined at admission and 4 weeks by using dual X-ray absorptiometry, did not change significantly. Thus, under the conditions of constant energy intake, supplemental Cr(III) neither affected body weight nor composition.
Towers on the steppe: compact city plans and local perceptions of urban densification in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

AbstractThis paper examines how plans for urban densification, particularly those supported by international organisations, intersect with local residents’ perceptions of housing and land use in the developing world. The study focuses on ger districts in Ulaanbaatar, the site of numerous plans for large-scale urban transformation. Ger districts are rapidly growing areas named for the felt tents that are considered their typical housing mode. This study interviewed 120 ger district residents across central, middle and outer areas of the city. The results reveal migration patterns different from those typically reported, with the highest proportions of migrants and renters living in the central district. Interviewees generally held positive views of apartment living, while preferring low-density land use. Residents’ views of density were strongly influenced by Mongolian attitudes to land and open space. The paper concludes by discussing the reasons for, and consequences of, residents’ and international poli...
Managing Complex-Negative Services: Service Providers’ Use of Ethics Committees and Consultation in Healthcare Institutions

In complex-negative services such as healthcare, service providers often confront ethical dilemmas, which are often resolved through the use of an ethics committee (EC). These dilemmas commonly surround difficult issues such as end-of-life care and conflict among caregivers of a disabled patient. Despite the meteoric rise of ECs, there is very little research on how service providers engage with an ethics committee (EC). This study shows that healthcare-service providers with a task- or relationship-management role in hospitals differ in their likelihood to use an EC and/or request formal ethics consultation. Results based on 1,440 observations support the theoretically hypothesized relationships. Service providers’ role — task- or relationship-management — influences their likelihood to engage the EC for initial consultation. Their further expectation for the EC to prescribe a specific outcome is jointly moderated by their managerial role and prior experience in ethical dilemmas. Our results offer theoretical insights into the use of ECs in complex-negative services. Managerially, our results show how organizations delivering complex-negative services can enhance the use of ECs to help address ethical dilemmas.
Green Neutrophilic Inclusions are Frequently Associated With Liver Injury and May Portend Short-Term Mortality in Critically Ill Patients.

Background Few studies have described an association among acute liver disease, high short-term mortality, and blue-green refractile neutrophilic inclusions on blood smears. Objective To describe our experience with 13 patients and compare our data to those from other cases reported in the literature regarding the interplay of acute liver disease, high short-term mortality, and blue-green refractile neutrophilic inclusions on blood smears. Methods We performed a retrospective review of blood smears, patient medical information, and outcomes for our 13 studied patients. Results The patients in our series had lower short-term mortality than the patients whose cases were reported in the literature (P = .04), and inclusions were identified in 2 patients who were not critically ill. In 3 patients without liver enzyme elevation, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were present. Conclusions Blue-green refractile inclusions are associated with tissue or liver injury; consequently, liver enzyme and LDH testing should be considered when these inclusions are present. These inclusions are more common in critically ill patients but can be observed in patients who are not acutely ill, and the prognosis may not be as dire as previously reported. Greater awareness of these inclusions and their implications will strengthen our understanding of their etiology and diagnostic significance.
Chapter 24 – Elements of Knowledge in Societies

Chapter Summary This chapter deals with the constant underlying movement of the elements of knowledge. Finely fragmented cogent, coherent, and connected particles of knowledge derived from larger bodies of knowledge traverse the mental spaces as atoms negotiate the chemical space. Both elements form bondages with other elements of compatible kind and form larger molecules, strings, and complex structures. Some of these larger, longer strings are more robust and stable than others and become elementary particles of even larger and even longer strings. The dictum of chemical elements is governed by the numbers and properties published in the Periodic Table. The syntactic and semantic rules for knowledge elements are flexible, adaptive, and dynamic, but coherent and cogent to make the mental space orderly, constructive, and creative. The routine textbook rules of chemistry become programs for knowledge machines to generate significant larger and longer strings of knowledge. Such machines emulate the behavior of finely fragments elements of knowledge, and their logical bondages with each other create and invent new, diversified and beneficial knowledge. These strings of knowledge form cohesive bonds between minds, thus establishing a continuity of rhythm of thought and compassion across cultures and societies. Elements of knowledge thus become the numbers, alphabets, words, and symbols for a new generation of knowledge machines. Such elements can be stored, processed, arithmetically and logically enhanced, modified, and altered in the memory units, caches, processors, and switches of knowledge and network machines. This chapter explores these concepts from philosophic and ethical perspectives, and uses the discipline of knowledge at the frail boundary between “good” and “bad.”