cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Occupational silica exposure and chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: Occupational exposure to silica may be associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Most studies have been conducted in occupational cohorts with high levels of exposure but small numbers of cases. We analyzed data from a population-based case–control study of occupational silica exposure and CKD. Methods: Cases were hospital patients with newly diagnosed CKD, and community controls were selected using random digit dialing and frequency matched by age, gender, race, and proximity to the hospital. Silica exposure estimates were assigned by industrial hygiene review of lifetime job history data and weighted for certainty and intensity. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) for CKD conditioned on demographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables. Results: The mean age of participants was 63 years (range 30–83 years); 59% were male and 55% were white. Any silica exposure (compared with none) was associated with a 40% increased risk of CKD [OR = 1.40, 95% confid...
Flexible Retailing: Gap Inc. and the Multiple Spaces of Shopping in the United States

In the last 15 years a range of new and revitalised forms of retailing have emerged in cities and suburbs across the USA. Power centres, hybrid centres, speciality retail centres, and street-based retailing have complicated the existing mix of shopping centres, malls, factory outlet/off-price centres, and festive/restoration centres. After examining the literature on retail change and establishing our theoretical framework, we analyse the history of mall construction and contrast it with a representative retail firm, Gap Inc., in order to gain some insights into the diversity of contemporary American retailing. Through this empirical examination we argue that retailing in the USA is currently operating through a range of spatial forms. This diversity in retail forms has been assisted and promoted by the emergence and increasing predominance of large corporate retailers – from clothiers to home furnishing vendors to booksellers – who are able to operate profitably in a range of spatial settings. As mall construction nationally has declined new shopping centre formats and the recent revival of street-based retailing appear as innovative spatial forms that extend the opportunities and broaden the experiential aspects of shopping for a wide range of consumers. We conclude that contemporary retailing, like manufacturing, has become increasingly flexible in its locational practices.
Some Properties of the Almon Lag Technique When One Searches for Degree of Polynomial and Lag

Abstract Researchers who use the Almon lag technique to estimate distributed lag models have a particularly difficult problem determining the correct specification of the degree of polynomial and the length of lag. The usual procedure is to search over several possible values for the degree of polynomial and the length of lag and then choose the combination that minimizes the residual variance. This article demonstrates that if one uses this search procedure, the estimated lagged weights will be biased and not normally distributed and the estimated variances of the lagged weights will be biased downwards.
Within‐cluster resampling

Within-cluster resampling is proposed as a new method for analysing clustered data. Although the focus of this paper is clustered binary data, the within-cluster resampling asymptotic theory is general for many types of clustered data. Within-cluster resampling is a simple but computationally intensive estimation method. Its main advantage over other marginal analysis methods, such as generalised estimating equations (Liang & Zeger, 1986; Zeger & Liang, 1986) is that it remains valid when the risk for the outcome of interest is related to the cluster size, which we term nonignorable cluster size. We present theory for the asymptotic normality and provide a consistent variance estimator for the within-cluster resampling estimator. Simulations and an example are developed that assess the finite-sample behaviour of the new method and show that when both methods are valid its performance is similar to that of generalised estimating equations.
Formation and organization of the spore coat ofDictyostelium discoideum

Abstract Macromolecular components of the spore coat of Dictyostelium discoideum have been localized by gold-labeled affinity cytochemistry. The outer electron-dense layer is the residence of three prominent glycoproteins that express a fucose-dependent epitope, whereas the inner electron-dense layer includes SP85 and the galactose/ N -acetylgalactosamine-containing polysaccharide (GPS). The cellulosic layers are interposed between them. The outer-layer glycoproteins and the GPS also can be found in the interspore fluid, which is usually lost during collection of the spores. Assembly of the spore coat, examined over time, showed that all components, except for the cellulose, are found in an internal secretory vesicle population. All components are found in each vesicle but are not uniformly intermixed within them. Cellulose does not appear until after the outer electron-dense layer of the spore coat has been organized following secretion. The GPS is excluded from the outer dense layer and largely from the cellulosic layer, being more concentrated in the inner layer. SP85 remains localized in the inner dense layer near the cell surface with a circumferentially focal distribution. The distinct distributions of these macromolecular species in the mature spore coat are foreshadowed by their mosaic distribution in the prespore vesicles from which they originate.
External ventricular drainage response in poor grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: effect on preoperative grading and prognosis

Introduction The importance of preoperative response to external ventricular drainage (EVD) for treatment of acute hydrocephalus (HCP) following poor grade (Hunt & Hess grade IV or V) aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) has not been clearly defined. The effect of EVD response on preoperative grade and prognosis is described.
Why we should care about what you get for "only $99" from a personal genomic service.

This commentary discusses issues surrounding direct-to-consumer genetic testing. It urges physicians to insist on data-driven testing and seek a health care infrastructure for the delivery of effec...
As Migration during PtSi Formation

The migration of implanted As durinq PtSi formation on (100) Si wafers has been studied by Rutherford backscattering techniques. Two thicknesses of PtSi layer (50 and 200 nm) have been choosen for this study. The PtSi formation temperatures were either 525°C or 625°C. The data show that the number of the migrating As atoms is independent of the PtSi thickness or formation temperatures used in this investigation.
How neural are neural networks? a comparison of information processing and storage in artificial and real neural systems

Abstract In this paper we compare the operations of biological and artificial neural networks and highlight some of the key strategies that real brains use to acquire, process, and store information. Artificial neural networks do indeed employ some of the same fundamental processes used in biological networks, such as changes in connection strengths, thus supporting the proposed similarity between the two systems. However, biological networks also exhibit several additional forms of plasticity which have received less attention in network models, including changes in neuronal excitability; changes in the fidelity (as well as strength) of synaptic transmission; changes in signal-to-noise ratios; changes in type of neurotransmitter synthesized and released; and changes in neuron number. The richness of plastic mechanisms found in biological neurons suggests there may be a number of effective computational tricks used by real nervous systems that could be advantageously incorporated into artificial neural networks.
The photochemistry of o-benzylbenzophenone: a pericyclic cornucopia

Abstract UV irradiation of the title compound produces cis-1,2-diphenylbenzocyclobutenol quantitatively. While stable at temperatures below 0°, at room temperature it establishes a high enough equilibrium population of its EE o-xylylenol precursor to undergo slow reversion to ketone and rapid reaction with maleic anhydride or oxygen, as well as photoinduced cyclization to the trans cyclobutenol.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in men with breast cancer: a report of 31 consecutive procedures and review of the literature.

Abstract We present our experience with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in men with breast cancer and review the literature published to date. Consecutive men with breast cancer undergoing SLN biopsy were identified in our prospectively maintained database. A PubMed search for “male breast cancer” and “sentinel node biopsy” was performed. Thirty patients underwent 31 SLN biopsy procedures between 1996 and 2006. Twenty-five patients presented with a palpable mass, and 13 underwent surgical biopsy for diagnosis. The sentinel lymph node was successfully identified in 90%; 61% of SLN biopsies were positive and, in 65% of this group, the sentinel node was the only positive node. Combined data from the literature from 110 procedures resulted in an identification rate of 96%, positive sentinel nodes in 45% and the sentinel node as the only positive node in 56%. Only 13 patients underwent completion axillary node dissection after a negative SLN biopsy; none were false negatives. This series extends previous knowledge about SLN biopsy in men with respect to diagnostic biopsy, type of mapping agent, lymphoscintigraphy, and location of injection site. The identification rate mirrors that of large randomized trials of women with breast cancer. The high rate of lymph node—positive disease, even in this series of patients with clinically node-negative disease, reflects the later presentation of breast cancer in men.
Aluminum Nitride Containers for the Synthesis of GaAs

High‐purity aluminum nitride refractory ware has been produced for use as containers in the synthesis of semiconductor gallium arsenide. Use of these containers essentially eliminates contamination of the with silicon, as is usually encountered when the synthesis is carried out in quartz. The principal problem encountered in the use of this material is wetting by the molten gallium and , which results in sticking of the solidified ingot. This problem is circumvented if synthesis is carried out in crucibles from which the charge is subsequently drawn by Czochralski techniques. Room temperature mobilities of 7000–8000 cm2/volt‐sec have been reported in synthesized in these crucibles.
Determination of Discharge Coefficient for Ball Valves With Calibrated Inserts

The valve coefficient was measured for 1, 1-1/4, 1-1/2 and 2 nominal ball valves. A recently designed orifice insert was used with these valves to obtain smaller valve coefficients. Orifice inserts were threaded into the body of a ball valve just upstream of the ball itself. The valve coefficient was measured for every insert used with these valves, and an expression was determined to relate the orifice diameter to other pertinent flow parameters. Two dimensionless groups were chosen to correlate the collected data, and expressions were developed that can be used as aids in sizing the orifice insert needed to obtain the desired valve coefficient. The study has shown that a 2nd order polynomial equation as well as a power law equation can both be used to predict the desired results. Knowing pipe size and schedule, the diameter of the orifice insert needed to obtain the required valve coefficient can be approximated with minimum error. An error analysis performed on the collected data shows that the results are highly accurate, and that the experimental process is repeatable.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
A role for the Agouti-Related Protein promoter in obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Abstract The murine Agouti-Related Protein (mAGRP) is upregulated in obese and diabetic mice and can stimulate hyperphagia when overexpressed in transgenic models. Here we report upstream nucleotide sequences of the human hAGRP gene with putative recognition sites for transcription factors including a site for the STAT transactivators. A polymorphism (−38C→T) was identified in the promoter region and the C/C genotype had significantly higher promoter activity and affinity for transcription factors as tested in periphery- and hypothalamus-derived cell lines. The polymorphic site could affect the expression levels of hAGRP and the high expressing C/C genotype was significantly associated with high BMI and type 2 diabetes in Africans.
Identification of peptides that specifically bind Aβ1–40 amyloid in vitro and amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease brain using phage display

The accumulation of the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides in amyloid plaques correlates with pathologic changes that occur in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ability to directly target reagents to the amyloid form of the Abeta peptide may allow the delivery of neuroprotective agents to make amyloid plaques less toxic, the delivery of amyloid-destroying molecules to eliminate plaques, or the delivery of reagents to prevent amyloid plaque formation. In addition, such reagents may be useful as diagnostic tools to quantitate the extent of amyloid plaque formation in AD patients. As a step toward these goals, we have used phage peptide display technology to identify peptides that bind specifically to the amyloid form of the Abeta(1-40) peptide. Here we identify two 20-amino acid peptides with similar structural features that bind to the amyloid form of Abeta(1-40) but not to monomeric Abeta(1-40). A recombinant form of one of these peptides was produced in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with thioredoxin. After purification, this reagent bound Abeta(1-40) amyloid in vitro with a K(d) of 60 nM and specifically labeled amyloid plaques in AD brains. A chemically synthesized version of this peptide also bound Abeta(1-40) amyloid and specifically stained amyloid plaques in AD brain. These peptide sequences represent new potential carrier molecules to deliver medicines to amyloid plaques in AD patients and to image plaques in AD brains.
A fiber-tapering problem

where A = A(x, t) is the area of the cross section of the fiber, u = U(X, t) is the axial velocity, and p = ~(x, t) is some known viscosity coefficient. We also prescribe initial and boundary conditions: A(& 0) = A,($ for 0 0, (1.5) u(.s(t), ?) = s’(t) for f > 0, (1.6) s(t) is a given function satisfying: s’(t) r 0. The case that p is only a function of t was considered by Dewynne et al. [2]. By introducing change of variables, they reduced the problem (l.l)-(1.6) to an ordinary differential equation; from which they obtained the following results.
Three new species of Rhizoecus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) from New Zealand, with notes and redescription of others

Three new species of Rhizoecus Kunckel d'Herculais are described and illustrated, namely deboerae, plantaginis, and puhiensis. The species perprocerus De Lotto and rumicis (Maskell) are redescribed, and a lectotype is designated for rumicis. The genus Ripersiella Tinsley is synonymised with Rhizoecus. A key to the New Zealand species of Rhizoecus is provided.
Relative genotoxic potency of arsenic and its methylated metabolites.

Abstract Arsenic is one of the few identified human carcinogens that has yet to be shown to cause cancer in rodents when the standard bioassay protocols are used. The reasons for this apparent interspecies difference are unclear but may be related to differences between humans and rodents in their detoxification capabilities. Detoxification of arsenic may occur through a methylation pathway. If, in fact, methylation does detoxify arsenic, one would predict that the methylated arsenicals might be less genotoxic than the inorganic arsenicals. To evaluate the hypothesis that the inorganic arsenicals are more mutagenic than the organic arsenicals, we tested sodium arsenite, sodium arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) for their relative mutagenic and clastogenic potentials. We used the L5178Y TK + − mouse lymphoma assay which allows the detection of chemicals inducing a broad spectrum of different types of genetic damage. Sodium arsenite and sodium arsenate were active at concentrations of 1–2 μg/ml and 10–14 μg/ml, respectively. MMA was active between 2500–5000 μg/ml; while DMA required almost 10 000 μg/ml to induce a genotoxic response. The organic arsenicals are thus much less potent as mutagenic agents than the inorganic arsenicals. All four of these arsenicals appear to act by mechanisms that cause chromosomal mutations.
The volume common to two congruent circular cylinders

This paper derives two formulae for the volume of the set of points common to the interiors of two congruent circular cylinders in general position. One formula involves incomplete elliptic integrals and the other formula involves complete elliptic integrals. A series is derived for the complete elliptic function formula. Some of the work was done on the symbol manipulator MACSYMA.
Relationships between mandibular and skeletal bone in a population of normal women

In this study, we measured mandibular bone mass and density and cortical thickness at gonion in 50 normal women between the ages of 20 and 90. The subjects showed neither radiographic nor metabolic evidence of osteoporosis. Comparisons (by age) were made between mandibular measurements. Mandibular measurements were also compared with measurements of bone mass in the spine and the wrist. Mandibular bone mass was not significantly affected with age but mandibular bone mass was significantly correlated with skeletal bone mass.
Analysis and processing of lecture audio data: preliminary investigations

In this paper we report on our recent efforts to collect a corpus of spoken lecture material that will enable research directed towards fast, accurate, and easy access to lecture content. Thus far, we have collected a corpus of 270 hours of speech from a variety of undergraduate courses and seminars. We report on an initial analysis of the spontaneous speech phenomena present in these data and the vocabulary usage patterns across three courses. Finally, we examine language model perplexities trained from written and spoken materials, and describe an initial recognition experiment on one course.
From Print to Electronic: The Adoption of Information Technology by Academic Chemists.

Summary In recent years large academic research libraries have acquired and made available to their users numerous information technologies designed to facilitate information retrieval and support the research process. Ranging from online computer catalogs, databases, and electronic journals to Internet-based resources, these new products are costly for university libraries but arc acquired because of the much-enhanced access to information they offer for both faculty and students. This paper examines data collected in two surveys, four years apart, for a group of university faculty chemists who were queried about their use of electronic resources. The two surveys represent a long term, and continuing, effort to document the adoption of technological innovations by university faculty. The role of librarians as change agents will be explored as will issues related to promotion and training of faculty in the use of electronic resources.
Effects of saliva contamination and phosphoric acid composition on bond strength

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a phosphoric acid gel and solution, and saliva contamination of etched enamel on the tensile bond strength (TBS) of a posterior composite resin to etched enamel. Ninety-six extracted human permanent maxillary canines were used in this study. The test system developed by Kemper and Kilian was used to determine the TBS of a posterior composite resin (P-10) to enamel. The ground enamel surfaces were etched with 37% H3PO4 gel for 60 sec and washed for 15 sec or 30 sec, and with 37% H3PO4 solution for 60 sec and washed for 15 sec or 30 sec, respectively. The ground enamel surfaces were also etched with H3PO4 gel for 60 sec, washed for 15 sec and rewashed for 15 sec after saliva contamination of the etched enamel for 15 sec, 60 sec and 60 min, respectively. Etched enamel surfaces contaminated with saliva for 15 sec were re-etched for 15 sec and washed for 15 sec. The test specimens were mounted in an Instron machine and subjected to a tensile load at 0.02 inch. min−1. The force required to break a test specimen was recorded, and the bond strengths were calculated and expressed in MN.m−2. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test at the 5% level of significance. The H3PO4 composition (gel vs solution) and wash times had no significantly different effect on TBS. Only a 60 min saliva contamination significantly reduced TBS. In this study the TBS was determined 24 h after specimen preparation. It is possible that salivary contamination of etched enamel may have an adverse effect on bond strength only after prolonged immersion of the test specimens prior to testing.
Motivating devoted workers

Abstract When increased effort by a worker induces an employer to reduce its use of other inputs, inefficiency may result. In particular, suppose that output increases with the worker's effort, that a worker exerts extra effort because he values the output produced beyond the wage he earns, that output increases with the capital the employer provides, and that these levels are not verifiable. Under plausible conditions, output is lower if the employer can commit to a level of capital than if it cannot. If the employer cannot commit, then output may decline as the worker values the output more. When the employer pays the worker for increased output, output may be lower when the worker values it than when he does not. Lastly, efficiency may increase when a firm is paid more for a unit of output than its marginal social value and when the employer can commit to using a given level of other inputs.
Multi-scale constitutive model and computational framework for the design of ultra-high strength, high toughness steels

Abstract A multi-scale hierarchical constitutive model is developed for establishing the relationship between quantum mechanical, micromechanical, and overall strength/toughness properties in steel design. Focused on the design of ultra-high strength, high toughness steels, a two-level cell model is used to represent two groups of hard particles (inclusions) in an alloy matrix which is characteristic of such Fe-based alloys. Primary inclusion particles, which are greater than a micron in size, are handled by a microcell. Secondary inclusion particles which are tens of nanometers in size are modeled by a sub-microcell. In the sub-microcell, the matrix constitutive behavior is given by quantum mechanics computation of bcc-iron calibrated according to experiments. In the microcell, the matrix constitutive behavior is given by the stress–strain response of the sub-microcell, characterized by a plastic flow potential based on the numerical simulation of the representative cell. In turn, the plastic flow potential generated by the stress–strain response of the microcell is used as the constitutive response at the continuum macro level for simulation of ductile fracture and for the assessments of toughness. The interfacial debonding between the matrix and the primary and the secondary inclusion particles are modeled using decohesion potentials computed through quantum mechanics calculation together with a mechanical model of normal separation and gliding induced dislocation, which also provides quantitative explanations why practice strength of a steel is much lower than the atomic separation force and how plasticity occurs in steels. The ductile fracture simulations on an ASTM standard center cracked specimen lead to the generation, for the first time, of a toughness, strength, adhesion diagram based on computer simulation and which establishes the relationship between alloy matrix strength, interfacial decohesion energy, and fracture toughness.
The Political Economy of Skyscrapers An Anthropological Introduction to Advanced Industrial Cities

The Changing Urban downtown landscape is explored in relation to the political economy of advanced industrial society. Using Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a case example, we seek to understand why skyscrapers continue to be built, why they increase in size, and what conditions encourage their clustering in the hearts of cities. The modern American cityscape is a consequence of world economic restructuring and the emergence of new communications and information technology. Industrial location decisions and how corporations and public authorities interact as components of contemporary urban dynamics are also described, [modern American CBDs, political economy, skyscrapers, information technology, Pittsburgh]
Motor neuron disease in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania: an epidemiologic study.

Abstract Thirty-one cases of motor neuron disease (MND) were diagnosed in residents of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in 1968–1975. Independently reviewed by two neurologists, these cases satisfy explicit diagnostic criteria for one of the three variants of MND—amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive muscular atrophy (PMA), and progressive bulbar palsy (PBP). The annual incidence of MND adjusted for sex and age to the 1950 United States population was 1.32 cases per 100,000 population per year; this rate was almost identical to the only other reported rate for an area of the continental United States. The point prevalence for Lehigh county on 15 November, 1975 was 6.4 cases per 100,000 population.
A multivariate regression approach to association analysis of a quantitative trait network

Motivation: Many complex disease syndromes such as asthma consist of a large number of highly related, rather than independent, clinical phenotypes, raising a new technical challenge in identifying genetic variations associated simultaneously with correlated traits. Although a causal genetic variation may influence a group of highly correlated traits jointly, most of the previous association analyses considered each phenotype separately, or combined results from a set of single-phenotype analyses. Results: We propose a new statistical framework called graph-guided fused lasso to address this issue in a principled way. Our approach represents the dependency structure among the quantitative traits explicitly as a network, and leverages this trait network to encode structured regularizations in a multivariate regression model over the genotypes and traits, so that the genetic markers that jointly influence subgroups of highly correlated traits can be detected with high sensitivity and specificity. While most of the traditional methods examined each phenotype independently, our approach analyzes all of the traits jointly in a single statistical method to discover the genetic markers that perturb a subset of correlated triats jointly rather than a single trait. Using simulated datasets based on the HapMap consortium data and an asthma dataset, we compare the performance of our method with the single-marker analysis, and other sparse regression methods that do not use any structural information in the traits. Our results show that there is a significant advantage in detecting the true causal single nucleotide polymorphisms when we incorporate the correlation pattern in traits using our proposed methods. Availability: Software for GFlasso is available at http://www.sailing.cs.cmu.edu/gflasso.html Contact:sssykim@cs.cmu.edu; ksohn@cs.cmu.edu;
Image interpolation by two-dimensional parametric cubic convolution

Cubic convolution is a popular method for image interpolation. Traditionally, the piecewise-cubic kernel has been derived in one dimension with one parameter and applied to two-dimensional (2-D) images in a separable fashion. However, images typically are statistically nonseparable, which motivates this investigation of nonseparable cubic convolution. This paper derives two new nonseparable, 2-D cubic-convolution kernels. The first kernel, with three parameters (designated 2D-3PCC), is the most general 2-D, piecewise-cubic interpolator defined on [-2,2]/spl times/[-2,2] with constraints for biaxial symmetry, diagonal (or 90/spl deg/ rotational) symmetry, continuity, and smoothness. The second kernel, with five parameters (designated 2D-5PCC), relaxes the constraint of diagonal symmetry, based on the observation that many images have rotationally asymmetric statistical properties. This paper also develops a closed-form solution for determining the optimal parameter values for parametric cubic-convolution kernels with respect to ensembles of scenes characterized by autocorrelation (or power spectrum). This solution establishes a practical foundation for adaptive interpolation based on local autocorrelation estimates. Quantitative fidelity analyses and visual experiments indicate that these new methods can outperform several popular interpolation methods. An analysis of the error budgets for reconstruction error associated with blurring and aliasing illustrates that the methods improve interpolation fidelity for images with aliased components. For images with little or no aliasing, the methods yield results similar to other popular methods. Both 2D-3PCC and 2D-5PCC are low-order polynomials with small spatial support and so are easy to implement and efficient to apply.
Egg size and the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in larvae of the echinoid genus Strongylocentrotus

Abstract Planktotrophic larvae grow by utilizing energy obtained from food gathered in the plankton. Morphological plasticity of feeding structures has been demonstrated in multiple phyla, in which food-limited larvae increase feeding structure size to increase feeding rates. However, before larvae can feed exogenously they depend largely on material contained within the egg to build larval structures and to fuel larval metabolism. Thus, the capacity for plasticity of feeding structures early in development may depend on egg size. Using the congeneric sea urchins Strongylocentrotus franciscanus and S. purpuratus , which differ in egg volume by 5-fold, I tested whether the degree of expression of feeding structure (larval arm length) plasticity is correlated with differences in the size of the egg. I experimentally manipulated egg size of S. franciscanus (the larger-egged species) by separating blastomeres at the 2-cell stage to produce half-sized larvae. I reared half-size and normal-size larvae under high and low food treatments for 20 days. I measured arm and body lengths at multiple ages during development and calculated the degree of plasticity expressed by larvae from all treatments. Control and unmanipulated S. franciscanus larvae (from ∼ 1.0 nl eggs) had significantly longer arms relative to body size and a significantly greater degree of plasticity than half-sized S. franciscanus larvae (from S. purpuratus larvae (from ∼ 0.3 nl eggs). These results indicate that egg size affects larval arm length plasticity in the genus Strongylocentrotus ; larger eggs produce more-plastic larvae both in an experimental and a comparative context. However, changes in egg size alone are not sufficient to account for evolved differences in the pattern of plasticity expressed by each species over time and may not be sufficient for the evolutionary transition from feeding to non-feeding.
From spatial regularization to anatomical priors in fMRI analysis

In this paper, we study Markov Random Fields as spatial smoothing priors in fMRI detection. Relatively high noise in fMRI images presents a serious challenge for the detection algorithms, creating a need for spatial regularization of the signal. Gaussian smoothing, traditionally employed to boost the signal-to-noise ratio, often removes small activation regions. Recently, the use of Markov priors has been suggested as an alternative regularization approach. In this work, we investigate fast approximate inference algorithms for using MRFs in fMRI detection, propose a novel way to incorporate anatomical information into the detection framework, validate the methods through ROC analysis on simulated data and demonstrate their application in a real fMRI study.
Direct Cross-Priming by Th Lymphocytes Generates Memory Cytotoxic T Cell Responses

Under optimal Ag stimulation, CTL become functional effector and memory T cells. Professional APCs (pAPC) are considered essential for the activation of CTL, due to their unique capacity to provide costimulation and present exogenous Ags through MHC class I molecules. In this study, we report a novel means by which Th lymphocytes acquire and present MHC class I determinants to naive CTL. Although previous studies have looked at T cell Ag presentation to activated T cells, this study presents the first example of Ag presentation by Th cells to naive CTL. We report that activated Th cells can function as effective pAPC for CTL. Our results show that: 1) In addition to acquisition of cell surface molecules, including MHC class I/peptide complexes, from pAPC, Th cells can acquire and present MHC class I-binding peptides through TCR-MHC class II interactions with pAPC; 2) the acquired Ag can be functionally presented to CTL; and 3) Ag presentation by Th cells induces naive CTL to proliferate and preferentially differentiate into cells that phenotypically and functionally resemble central memory T cells. These findings suggest a novel role of Th cells as pAPC for the development of memory immune responses.
Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation) in Children and Adolescents

Mental retardation or MR (current term, intellectual disability [ID]) is a label used to describe a constellation of symptoms that includes severe deficits or limitations in an individual's developmental skills in several areas or domains of function: cognitive, language, motor, auditory, psychosocial, moral judgment, and specific integrative adaptive (ie, activities of daily living). This article reviews concepts of ID in children and adolescents useful for the primary care clinician who cares for these individuals. The majority of youth with ID can live independent or semi-independent lives as adults if they have received the appropriate personalized support over a sustained period of their lives, especially during the formative years.
The Bryozoa of the Galápagos

One hundred eighty-four species of bryozoans are present in the Galapagos Islands (Banta and Redden, 1990), a number comparable to that of the most diverse bryozoan faunas known. This number is probably an underestimate, especially for ctenostomes. Variations in species lists among the Islands are small, so at least for the purposes of this report, the Galapagos can be treated as a single zoogeographical unit. Although the relative numbers of anascan and ascophoran cheilostome is near the average for the rest of the world, the proportion of stenolaemates (18%) is about twice as high as than in the rest of the Panamic. Comparable proportions of stenolaemates are found in the Magellanic and Chilean waters off South America, but otherwise there is zoogeographic affinity between these areas and the Galapagos. Relatively low water temperatures and elevated productivities associated with upwelling do not fully explain the high proportion of stenolaemates in Galapagos waters.
Crisis, Credibility, and the Press: A Priming Model of News Evaluation

This paper develops a model of press-priming in which public evaluations of press performance are examined in the context of media scandals where news organizations through their own ethical lapses...
Accelerated dual descent for network optimization

Dual descent methods are commonly used to solve network optimization problems because their implementation can be distributed through the network. However, their convergence rates are typically very slow. This paper introduces a family of dual descent algorithms that use approximate Newton directions to accelerate the convergence rate of conventional dual descent. These approximate directions can be computed using local information exchanges thereby retaining the benefits of distributed implementations. The approximate Newton directions are obtained through matrix splitting techniques and sparse Taylor approximations of the inverse Hessian. We show that, similarly to conventional Newton methods, the proposed algorithm exhibits superlinear convergence within a neighborhood of the optimal value. Numerical analysis corroborates that convergence times are between one to two orders of magnitude faster than existing distributed optimization methods.
The implications of microbial and substrate limitation for the fates of carbon in different organic soil horizon types of boreal forest ecosystems: a mechanistically based model analysis

The large amount of soil carbon in boreal forest ecosystems has the potential to influence the climate system if released in large quantities in response to warming. Thus, there is a need to better understand and represent the envi- ronmental sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition. Most soil carbon decomposition models rely on empirical relationships omitting key biogeochemical mechanisms and their response to climate change is highly uncertain. In this study, we de- veloped a multi-layer microbial explicit soil decomposition model framework for boreal forest ecosystems. A thorough sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify dominating biogeochemical processes and to highlight structural limita- tions. Our results indicate that substrate availability (limited by soil water diffusion and substrate quality) is likely to be a major constraint on soil decomposition in the fibrous hori- zon (40-60 % of soil organic carbon (SOC) pool size vari- ation), while energy limited microbial activity in the amor- phous horizon exerts a predominant control on soil decom- position (> 70 % of SOC pool size variation). Elevated tem- perature alleviated the energy constraint of microbial activity most notably in amorphous soils, whereas moisture only ex- hibited a marginal effect on dissolved substrate supply and microbial activity. Our study highlights the different decom- position properties and underlying mechanisms of soil dy- namics between fibrous and amorphous soil horizons. Soil decomposition models should consider explicitly represent- ing different boreal soil horizons and soil-microbial interac- tions to better characterize biogeochemical processes in bo- real forest ecosystems. A more comprehensive representa- tion of critical biogeochemical mechanisms of soil moisture effects may be required to improve the performance of the soil model we analyzed in this study.
Lygus hesperus (Heteroptera: Miridae) tolerates high concentrations of dietary nickel

Nickel hyperaccumulator plants contain unusually elevated levels of Ni (> 1 000 μg Ni/g). Some insect herbivores, including Lygus hesperus (Western tarnished plant bug), have been observed feeding on the California Ni hyperaccumulator Streptanthus polygaloides. This bug may be able to utilize S. polygaloides as a host either through its feeding behavior or by physiological tolerance of Ni. This experiment determined the Ni tolerance of L. hesperus by offering insects artificial diet amended with 0, 0.4, 1, 2, 4.5, 10, 20 and 40 mmol Ni/L and recording survival. Survival varied due to Ni concentration, with diets containing 10 mmol Ni/L and greater resulting in significantly lower survival compared to the control (0 mmol Ni/L) treatment. Insects tolerated diet containing as much as 4.5 mmol Ni/L, a relatively elevated Ni concentration. I conclude that L. hesperus can feed on S. polygaloides because it is Ni-tolerant, probably due to physiological mechanisms that provide it with resistance to plant chemical defenses including elemental defenses such as hyperaccumulated Ni.
Influence of Storage Duration on Retention of Original Fracture Toughness

Accurate knowledge of bone properties is central in the prediction of failure and the development of injury treatment protocols. Often when bone properties are measured experimentally, bone specimens have to be chemically preserved prior to or during testing. Understanding the effect of the bone preservation method on the material properties is important. Degradation of properties due to preservation methods may lead to incorrect reporting of values of the bone properties. A salient question is, therefore, whether the preservation of bovine cortical bone in ethanol for extended periods of time affects fracture toughness; and if so, whether that affect is reversible. To answer these questions, a three-point bending test set-up was constructed to perform experiments over a period of 9 weeks. A total of 109 specimens of cortical bone of the same orientation were manufactured from the mid-diaphysis of the femur. These specimens were separated into three groups based on location in the femur; namely, medial, lateral, and posterior. The specimens were preserved in ethanol. At the end of each week, a sample of specimens was selected for testing, with the last sample tested after 9 weeks of preservation. It was shown that after 9 weeks of preservation in ethanol, followed by rehydration with physiological saline, the fracture toughness of the specimen was unchanged from that of the control specimen. Omission of rehydration in saline resulted in to an increased fracture toughness of up to 17%.
How to build a local thesaurus

One of the first steps taken in preparing for participation in the Rice Historical Images Project was the assembling of a skeletal structure of terms specific to both Rice University and its earlier incarnation as the William M. Rice Institute. The primary research tools used were archival maps and blueprints, newspaper accounts contemporaneous with the University's building schedule, campus telephone directories, and online entries (including Wikipedia). Alphabetical lists of building names, and names of University departments and schools, were cross-referenced for name changes effective during the University's history, and checked against the corporate LCNAF. The more complex internal inconsistencies were noted for future fiddling and/or resolution.
An evaluation of HEMT potential for millimeter-wave signal sources using interpolation and harmonic balance techniques

A large-signal analysis method based on an harmonic balance technique and a 2-D cubic spline interpolation function has been developed and applied to the prediction of InP-based InAlAs/InGaAs heterostructure HEMT oscillator performance for frequencies extending up to the submillimeter-wave range. The large-signal analysis method uses a limited number of DC and small-signal S-parameter data and allows the accurate characterization of HEMT large-signal behavior. The method has been validated experimentally using load-pull measurement. Oscillation frequency, power performance, and load requirements are discussed, with an operation capability of 300 GHz predicted using state-of-the-art devices (f/sub max/ approximately 450 GHz). >
Modeling stem cell population growth: incorporating parameters for quiescence, differentiation and apoptosis

The use of stem cells in cell-mediated therapies or cell transplantation applications will require a controlled, scalable system for expansion of the cells and for control of cellular differentiation. Modeling stem cell population growth is one step towards developing such a system. Stem cell populations are heterogeneous and include cells which are non-mitotic. In particular, stem cells may be quiescent or mitotically active. The mitotically-active cells may 1) self-renew to give rise to similar cells, or 2) divide asymmetrically to give rise to precursor cells (which become may terminally differentiated). Cell populations also may include non-mitotic cells which are apoptotic. Non-exponential growth of the stem cell population is the result of the non-mitotic fraction. In this study, we extend a non-exponential model to incorporate parameters describing the non-dividing population. In particular, the models incorporate terms to account for 1) cell loss due to apoptosis or necrosis and 2) the non-dividing differentiated state of a cell. Murine muscle-derived stem cells (MDSC) will be used to experimentally test the model assumptions and determine the goodness of fit of the models using nonlinear regression. This analysis illustrates the dynamics of proliferation in stem cell populations where cells are undergoing both self-renewal and differentiation.
Pilar Miró y el revival del noir en los noventa: Beltenebros y la femme fatale en proceso de de(con)strucción

Pilar Miro ha marcado el inicio de unas pautas en el nuevo cine negro de autoria femenina. Su proyecto filmico Beltenebros desafia algunas de las convenciones visuales y narrativas mas representativas que refuerzan el arquetipo de la femme fatale, redefiniendo los roles de(l) genero y cuestionando la mirada tradicional masculina. A pesar del escaso reconocimiento que la directora ha recibido en el nuevo cine negro espanol, su trayectoria filmica la convierte en una de las pioneras de este genero multiforme en su vertiente mas retro-noir. Asimismo, el film saca a relucir los diferentes modos de violencia que el patriarcado ejerce sobre el cuerpo femenino y facilita el proceso de desmasculinizacion del cine negro por medio del juego de intertextos y de referencias metafilmicas que privilegian un discurso femenino.
Reducing barriers to evidence-based practice with military families: Clearinghouse for military family readiness

abstractEvidence-based practice (EBP) improves health and well-being by providing current scientific evidence in treating a wide range of military family challenges. However, there are a number of real and perceived barriers to the adoption of this practice. To help reduce barriers, the Department of Defense partnered with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to fund the development of the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at the Pennsylvania State University. The Clearinghouse provides a growing web-based repository of information on more than 900 programs and practices that can be used by military personnel and their families. These programs have been closely vetted by a team of research and evaluation scientists and placed on a continuum of evidence, indicating the level of empirical support for each program (i.e., Effective, Promising, Unclear, and Ineffective). The Clearinghouse also provides live technical assistance to advise social service professionals working with military fa...