cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Song and Male Quality in Prairie Warblers

To determine if the songs of male prairie warblers could potentially reveal to female listeners information about the quality of singers, we compared various aspects of prairie warbler song structure and performance to attributes that might reflect a male singer's potential to enhance the fitness of his mate. We found that all the tested male attributes—arrival date, age, body size, annual survival, and fledging success—were associated with singing, most with multiple aspects of singing. Several of the song traits that were associated with potential indicators of male quality had also been found previously to be good predictors of female social mate choice. In particular, longer songs with longer elements, performed at lower frequency and with greater consistency, were associated with both female mate choice and potential indicators of quality. Thus, female prairie warblers may assess potential mates with the help of a set of song characteristics that collectively reveal an array of attributes that together indicate overall male quality.
Dietary overlap between the invasive coquí frog ( Eleutherodactylus coqui ) and the Hawaiian hoary bat ( Lasiurus cinereus semotus ) on the Island of Hawai’i

The invasive coqui frog is a likely insectivorous competitor to the native Hawaiian hoary bat. The frog is a sit-and-wait predator native to Puerto Rico, but it has the capacity for producing dense populations in its invasive range and the potential to reduce arthropod populations, including aerial arthropods in the orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Isoptera, which are primary food sources of the Hawaiian hoary bat. Dietary analysis of the coqui frog showed that aerial insects made up 33.8 % of the diet. The dietary similarity of the bat and frog was relatively low (Pianka index = 0.25), however, coqui frogs consumed a wide range of juvenile flying insects. Population densities of coqui frogs at two low elevation sites were projected to range from 750 to 14,000 individuals/hectare, and could consume an estimated 1500–19,000 aerial insects/hectare/night, or nearly 90.6 % of all available aerial insects/hectare. Although direct competition between coqui frogs and Hawaiian hoary bats was not confirmed, the coqui frogs could reduce available prey for bats in newly invaded upland sites where bats appear to be more selective of prey species among available aerial insects.
Epigenetics of Human Disease

Abstract Epigenetic processes that modulate gene expression but do not involve DNA sequence changes can have a major impact on disease development, and perhaps the most important aspect of epigenetics is that epigenetic aberrations are often readily reversible. The predominant epigenetic mechanisms consisting of DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, and noncoding RNA have vast and long-term effects on health, and alterations in the epigenetic machinery in these processes can often contribute to disease. Numerous advances in epigenetic-based disease prevention and therapy are rapidly developing and could revolutionize medicine and clinical practice.
Cross-Layered Security Approach with Compromised Nodes Detection in Cooperative Sensor Networks

Cooperative MIMO communication is a promising technology which enables realistic solution for improving communication performance with MIMO technique in wireless networks that are composed of size and cost constrained devices. However, the security problems inherent to cooperative communication also arise. Cryptography can ensure the confidentiality in thecommunication and routing between authorized participants, but it usually cannot prevent the attacks from compromised nodes which may corrupt communications by sending garbled signals. In this paper, we propose a cross-layered approach to enhance the security in query-based cooperative MIMO sensor networks. The approach combines efficient cryptographic technique implemented in upper layer with a novel information theory based compromised nodes detection algorithm in physical layer. In the detection algorithm, a cluster of K cooperative nodes are used to identify up to K -- 1 active compromised nodes. When the compromised nodes are detected, the key revocation is performed to isolate the compromised nodes and reconfigure the cooperative MIMO sensor network. During this process, beamforming is used to avoid the information leaking. The proposed security scheme can be easily modified and applied to cognitive radio networks. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm for compromised nodes detection is effective and efficient, and the accuracy of received information is significantly improved.
Public Utility Law Reform in Barbados: Learning from the American Experience

Public utility regulation commenced in Barbados on January 1, 1955 under the Public Utilities Act, which created the Public Utilities Board as a body corporate with perpetual succession and assigned a number of statutory powers to the Board. The Act is basically sound and works well. However, the Act does not specifically refer to a number of areas that the author suggests are in need of reform. In this article, the author has articulated a number of reforms that he suggests would improve public utility regulation in Barbados.The suggested reforms relate to legislative enactment of amendments that: [i] create specific duties for the attorney to the Board to perform; [ii] require appeals of Board decisions to be brought against the Board; [iii] create Public Counsel obligated to defend the interests of the Board; [iv] add express provisions to be followed by the Board when conducting the review of its own decisions; [v] create express rehearing provisions to be followed by the Board; [vi] create express provisions applicable to dealing with attempts to introduce new evidence on appeal; and [vii] create express provisions governing retroactive ratemaking. The author suggests that the Barbados Legislature can conduct an analysis and evaluation of American public utility provisions and practice and then adopt those specifics that are appropriate to the Barbados context. The American experience is instructive for the following reasons. Fourteen states have statutes which require an attorney to represent the Board or Commission on appeal. Almost all other states have Board or commission Counsel with somewhat less specific duties. Many state statutes provide that counsel shall represent the Commission “in all actions in which it is, a party,” or similar language. Additionally, in the U.S., appeals are brought against the Board, unlike the Barbados provisions. Finally, in a majority of states, the Attorney General either represents the Commission, appoints the public utility’s Counsel and directs the activities of Counsel, or assigns an Assistant Attorney General to represent the Commission.The author also suggests that it is more elegant and efficient to ensure that in Barbados counsel to the Board shall remain entirely separate from and unconnected with the Attorney General or Solicitor-General. This would prevent a conflict of interest from arising because in Barbados, the government is probably the largest single consumer of the services of both utilities that operate on the Island and the Attorney General and Solicitor-General should be free to represent the Barbados Government (as a consumer) if the Barbados Government (as a complainant) should choose to oppose the utility’s application for a rate increase.
Editorial Comment—Mechanical Embolus Removal: A New Day Dawning

We must applaud the resourceful inventors, manufacturer, and investigators of the Merci Retriever device for completing the decade-long odyssey of directing the device through the design, development, study, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process. A number of devices have failed to climb that hill, falling back in pilot trials despite enthusiasm for their potential. However, previous editorials regarding approval of devices in general, and the potential Pandora’s box of approval of the Merci Retriever in particular,1,2,3⇓⇓dictate that we evaluate the data that gained its approval as an embolectomy and revascularization device, as finally presented in this journal. The device is intended to restore blood flow in the neurovasculature by removing thrombus in patients experiencing ischemic stroke.4 The manuscript gives no confirmation that flow restoration in this study is due to thrombus removal (embolectomy), as opposed to clot disruption with proximal revascularization and distal embolization. Aggressive clot manipulation more quickly opens primary occlusions with fibrinolytic agent.5,6⇓ No substantive data on wire-based clot manipulation without lytic therapy exists. An abstract from the February 2005 issue of Stroke suggested 50% subject clot removal with use of the Merci device.7 It was suggested that the 50% who might have a clot removed will be the same 50% that recanalize, and therefore that those who improve are among the 50% with clot removal. Nevertheless, even at that level of effectiveness, it is unclear that the device is doing what it is approved to do, which is to remove clots dependably. This embolectomy and/or revascularization issue seems a regulatory Scylla-and-Charybdis issue that might be of lesser import if clinical trial outcomes had been more impressive. The primary Mechanical Embolus Removal in Cerebral Ischemia (MERCI) study outcome was the rate of recanalization of the terminal internal carotid …
Abstract A16: Smad4 pathways modulate induction of the chemokine Ccl20 and repress inflammation-induced carcinogenesis in mouse colon

Inflammation regulates many aspects of gut homeostasis but is also a key component of colon cancer progression. While TGFβ signaling is known to regulate inflammatory responses within immune cells, we have uncovered a novel regulatory pathway in which TGFβ and BMP signaling suppress responses to inflammatory stimuli within the colonic epithelium. Using mice with conditional deletion of Smad4 in intestinal epithelium, we found that CCL20 expression was increased with Smad4 loss. Similarly, in murine immortalized colonocytes and human colon cancer cell lines, blocking TGFβ and/or BMP receptors increased CCL20 expression. CCL20 is upregulated in response to inflammatory signals such as TNF and IL-1β. CCL20 is also upregulated in colon cancer but the mechanism is not understood. We found that pre-treatment of colonocytes or colon cancer cells with TGFβ1 and BMP2 completely suppressed TNF- or IL-1β-induced CCL20 expression at the level of gene transcription. By chromatin immunoprecipitation, we found that TGFβ1/BMP2 treatment impaired binding of NFκB and phospho-STAT3 to the CCL20 promoter. To understand the significance of this regulation in chronic inflammation, we subjected Smad4 deleted and control mice to three rounds of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-mediated damage to the distal colon. We found that loss of Smad4 in mouse colonic epithelium was sufficient to induce tumorigenesis following damage-induced inflammation. Following DSS-mediated damage, Smad4-null epithelium developed invasive colorectal adenocarcinoma within two months of DSS treatment while Smad4+ control mice never develop tumors following DSS exposure. The Smad4 null tumors were histologically similar to those of human colitis-associated colon cancers. Prior to tumor formation, we saw an increase in CD8+ cells in Smad4-deleted colons, suggesting that tumor progression involves bidirectional crosstalk between the epithelium and immune cells and that this crosstalk is regulated in part by Smad4-mediated signaling within the epithelium. SMAD4, TGFβ receptors, or BMP receptors are often mutated in colon cancer. This loss of TGFβ and/or BMP signaling likely facilitates epithelial-immune cell crosstalk in colitis-associated colon cancers. Citation Format: Anna L. Means, Tanner J. Freeman, Connie J. Weaver, Chanjuan Shi, Mary K. Washington, Bronson C. Wessinger, Tasia Brown, David K. Flaherty, Kevin P. Weller, Robert J. Coffey, Keith T. Wilson, Robert D. Beauchamp. Smad4 pathways modulate induction of the chemokine Ccl20 and repress inflammation-induced carcinogenesis in mouse colon. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Colorectal Cancer: From Initiation to Outcomes; 2016 Sep 17-20; Tampa, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A16.
Trends of Platelet Volume Index Predicts Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a major cause of disability after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Activated platelets are surrogate markers for DCI occurrence and are reliably represented by mean platelet volume (MPV) to platelet count (PLT) ratio. If validated as a predictor of DCI, the ratio will allow clinicians to use it as a readily available tool in patient management. Methods Retrospective analysis of aSAH patient database at a tertiary care hospital. MPV:PLT ratio was defined as ( MPV value ( f L ) PLT per 1000 ∗ 100 ) . Nonlinear regression estimated differences in the ratio's pattern of change over time between those with or without DCI. Receiver operating characteristic curve determined optimal threshold of rise in MPV:PLT ratio to predict DCI. Results Average age of the cohort (n = 169) was 53.0 ± 13.0 years, and 38 patients (22.5%) developed DCI. Nonlinear regression analysis detected a transition of rising and declining MPV:PLT ratio at 3 days after aSAH. Rate of rise in MPV:PLT ratio was 0.5 units/day (95% confidence interval 0.3–0.7) in patients developing DCI as compared with 0.2 units/day (95% confidence interval 0.1–0.3) in those without DCI (P = 0.0004). Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined a threshold of 0.33 units/day rise in MPV:PLT predicted DCI with 89.5% sensitivity and 90.8% specificity. Patients who died demonstrated a steeper rise during the first 3 days (0.29 units/day) than those who were discharged home (0.21 units/day) (P = 0.004). Conclusions Trend of MPV:PLT ratio after aSAH predicts DCI. This association alludes to significant early rise in reactive platelet population after aSAH in patients developing DCI.
Use of a Novel Host Plant Family, Basallaceae, by Drosophila Suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumara) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a highly polyphagous invasive vinegar fly and a pest of small and stone fruits in regions where it has established. Its ability to use a wide range of food sources has likely aided in its success as an invasive species. To date, over 130 species representing 60 genera and 30 different plant families have been documented as hosts for D.suzukii. Understanding the host range of this pest is important for determining how it is able to persist locally and/or regionally when a host crop is not present. Here we describe the use of a novel host plant, Basella alba (Caryophyllales: Basellaceae), which represents the first known host from the plant family Basellaceae.
Closing in on Discipline Disproportionality: We Need More Theoretical, Methodological, and Procedural Clarity.

Abstract Using disciplinary exclusions, such as office referrals, suspensions, and expulsions, has been the subject of significant concern related to student and family civil rights, school policy, and negative impact on short- and long-term outcomes for students. Embedded in this phenomenon is the documentation of significant and persistent disproportional application to traditional racial and ethnic minority groups, with Black males experiencing the highest rates nationally. This commentary on the current special issue addresses the need for further clarity in the design and implementation of research regarding theory, research, and practice methods. Specifically, it addresses the need to more deeply consider the contributions of applied behavior analysis assessment and intervention methods and to more clearly distinguish the influence of race/ethnicity from the influence of culture.
Portfolio analysis using possibility distributions

ABSTRACT This paper considers the important problem in finance of ranking investment proposals, characterized by uncertain future cash flows, project duration and interest rates, from best to worst. Uncertainty is modeled by possibility distributions defined by fuzzy numbers or discrete fuzzy sets. Using the concepts of conditional, joint and marginal possibility distributions we compute one possibility distribution, representing average net present value, for each project. The proposals are then ranked producing a set of undominated projects all considered equally best.
Facial Palsy: Periocular Management

The eye and periocular structures are central to the evaluation and treatment of conditions of facial paralysis and associated conditions of seventh cranial (facial) nerve dysfunction. As a result of the complex course and innervation of the facial nerve, physicians from multiple specialties including neurologists, neurosurgeons, otolaryngologists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons have a role in the evaluation and treatment of facial paralysis.
A Ca2+ BINDING FACTOR AND OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a Ca2+-binding factor and oxidative phosphorylation. In surveying the capacity of mitochondria isolated from over 30 different types of cells to carry-out respiration-linked calcium accumulation, it was found that mitochondria from all vertebrates examined possess the capacity of accumulating Ca2+ from the medium in low concentrations coupled to electron transport. In all cases, this process is accompanied by H+ ejection. Mitochondria from all vertebrate cells also possess high affinity Ca2+-binding sites that may operate in the absence of electron transport. These are postulated to be the ligand-binding sites of the Ca2+ transport system of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Ca2+ transport into mitochondria takes primacy over oxidative phosphorylation under intracellular conditions, thus, indicates that Ca2+ transport is a very fundamental and important energy-linked mitochondrial activity. By variation of ionic strength, it has been possible to dissociate the Ca2+ binding factor and to separate a heat-stable prosthetic group capable of binding Ca2+.
Cover, Copy, and Compare: A Self-Managed Academic Intervention Effective Across Skills, Students, and Settings

Cover, Copy, and Compare (CCC) is a simple, efficient, self-managed academic intervention that can be used to improve accuracy, fluency, and maintenance across students, curricula objectives, academic skill domains, and settings. In it's simplest form CCC requires students to look at an academic stimulus (e.g., for spelling the stimulus would be a written a word) cover the stimulus, respond by copying the stimulus (e.g., writing the word), and evaluate the responses by comparing it to the original stimulus. The CCC procedure and research that supports the generalizability and ecological validity of this procedure is described and analyzed. Following this analysis, recommendations for implementing Cover, Copy, and Compare in educational settings are provided.
Galcanezumab in chronic migraine: The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled REGAIN study

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of galcanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to calcitonin gene-related peptide, in the preventive treatment of chronic migraine. Methods A phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of LY2951742 in patients with chronic migraine (Evaluation of Galcanezumab in the Prevention of Chronic Migraine [REGAIN]) was a phase 3 study with a 3-month double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment phase and a 9-month open-label extension. Eligible patients 18 to 65 years of age with chronic migraine were randomized 2:1:1 to monthly subcutaneous injections of placebo (n = 558), galcanezumab 120 mg (with a 240-mg loading dose, n = 278), or galcanezumab 240 mg (n = 277). The primary endpoint was the overall mean change from baseline in the number of monthly migraine headache days (MHDs) during the 3-month double-blind treatment phase. Results Mean number of monthly MHDs at baseline was 19.4 for the total sample. Both galcanezumab dose groups demonstrated greater overall mean reduction in the number of monthly MHDs compared to placebo (placebo −2.7, galcanezumab 120 mg −4.8, galcanezumab 240 mg −4.6) (p Conclusions Both doses of galcanezumab were superior to placebo in reducing the number of monthly MHDs. Galcanezumab appears efficacious, safe, and well tolerated for the preventive treatment of chronic migraine. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02614261. Classification of evidence This interventional study provides Class I evidence that galcanezumab is superior to placebo in the reduction of the number of monthly MHDs.
Promises Still to Keep: The Fair Housing Act Fifty Years Later

In the five decades since its ratification, the optimism of the Fair Housing Act’s drafters has yielded to the frustrations of lax enforcement, administrative neglect, federal budget cutbacks, the rise of exclusionary economic zoning measures, gentrification and dwindling stocks of affordable and habitable housing for those of low-income. While the Act has facilitated a decline in race-based housing segregation for middle-income blacks, racial segregation by residence for those of low-income remains high and class-based segregation has been rising. Because people of color are disproportionately low-income, economic segregation achieves many of the same outcomes as explicit race-based exclusion. This Article considers how the Act’s aims have been impeded by drastic declines in the quantity and quality of available subsidized housing, the practice of tenant blacklisting and exclusionary economic zoning. This as the need for affordable housing rises, with one in three Americans struggling to get by. Reclaiming the Act’s promise depends on the coalescing of diverse and varied alliances around the unifying premise that decent housing is a human right. We can and must arrive at a collective will to assure that no one is denied a safe place to call home and all are afforded the opportunity to reap the benefits of inclusion.
Is subliminal learning really passive

Perceptual learning can occur as a result of exposure to a subliminal stimulus, without the subject having to pay attention and without relevance to the particular task in hand1 — but is this type of learning purely passive? Here we show that perceptual learning is not passive, but instead results from reinforcement by an independent task2,3. As this learning occurred on a subliminal feature, our results are inconsistent with attentional learning theories4,5 in which learning occurs only on stimuli to which attention is directed. Instead, our findings suggest that the successful recognition of a relevant stimulus can trigger an internal reward6 and give rise to the learning of irrelevant and even subliminal features that are correlated with the occurrence of the reward5,6.
Identification of polymorphic DNA markers in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

The detection of DNA polymorphism in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is reported here for the first time. The DNA amplification fingerprinting (DAF) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) approaches were tested for their potential to detect genetic variation in peanut. The AFLP approach was more efficient as 43% of the primer combinations detected polymorphic DNA markers in contrast to 3% with the DAF approach. However, the number of polymorphic bands identified using primers selected in both approaches was comparable. In the DAF study, when 559 primers of varying types were screened, 17 (mostly 10-mer types) detected polymorphism producing an average of 3.7 polymorphic bands per primer with a total of 63 polymorphic markers. In the AFLP study, when 64 primer combinations (three selective nucleotides) corresponding to restriction enzymes Eco RI and Mse I were screened, 28 detected polymorphism. On an average, 6.7% of bands obtained from these 28 primer pairs were polymorphic resulting in a total of 111 AFLP markers. Our results demonstrate that both AFLP and DAF approaches can be employed to generate DNA markers in peanut and thus have potential in the marker-assisted genetic improvement and germplasm evaluation of this economically important crop.
Stem-Maps of Forest Restoration Cuttings in Pinus ponderosa-Dominated Forests in the Interior West, USA

Stem-maps, maps of tree locations with optional associated measurements, are increasingly being used for ecological study in forest and plant sciences. Analyses of stem-map data have led to greater scientific understanding and improved forest management. However, availability of these data for reuse remains limited. We present a description of eight 4-ha stem-maps used in four prior research studies. These stem-maps contain locations and associated measurements of residual trees and stumps measured after forest restoration cuttings in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Data are published in two file formats to facilitate reuse.
A Deep Learning Model for Identification of Defect Patterns in Semiconductor Wafer Map

The semiconductors are used as various precision components in many electronic products. Each layer must be inspected of defect after drawing and baking the mask pattern in wafer fabrication. Unfortunately, the defects come from various variations during the semiconductor manufacturing and cause massive losses to the companies' yield. If the defects could be identified and classified correctly, then the root of the fabrication problem can be recognized and eventually resolved.Automatic optical inspection (AOI) is used to visualize defect patterns and identify root causes of die failures. AOI can be replaced a large number of human inspections with high-speed and accurate inspection technology, to achieve consistency in the detection and shorten the inspection time, then improve product quality and competitiveness. The defect is judged from the feature in AOI, but the final goal is to determine if the defect is a true or a pseudo defect of the wafer. Then, we need to determine what defect type is. But the current AOI needs a subsequent final verification by the human to judge the type of defect.Machine learning (ML) techniques have been widely accepted and are well suited for such classification and identification problems. In this paper, we employ convolutional neural networks (CNN) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) for wafer map retrieval tasks and the defect pattern classification. CNN is the most famous deep learning architecture. The recent surge of interest in CNN is due to the immense popularity and effectiveness of convnets. XGBoost is the most popular machine learning framework among data science practitioners, especially on Kaggle, which is a platform for data prediction competitions where researchers post their data and statisticians and data miners compete to produce the best models. CNN and XGBoost are compared with a random decision forests (RF), support vector machine (SVM), adaptive boosting (Adaboost), and the final results indicate a superior classification performance of the proposed method.Our experimental result demonstrates the success of CNN and extreme gradient boosting techniques for the identification of defect patterns in semiconductor wafers. The overall classification accuracy for the test dataset of CNN and extreme gradient boosting is 99.2%/98.1%. We demonstrate the success of this technique for the identification of defect patterns in semiconductor wafers. We believe this is the first time accurate computational classification in such task has been reported achieving accuracy above 99%.
Quantifying the Uncertainty of Precision Estimates for Rule based Text Classifiers.

Rule based classifiers that use the presence and absence of key sub-strings to make classification decisions have a natural mechanism for quantifying the uncertainty of their precision. For a binary classifier, the key insight is to treat partitions of the sub-string set induced by the documents as Bernoulli random variables. The mean value of each random variable is an estimate of the classifier's precision when presented with a document inducing that partition. These means can be compared, using standard statistical tests, to a desired or expected classifier precision. A set of binary classifiers can be combined into a single, multi-label classifier by an application of the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence. The utility of this approach is demonstrated with a benchmark problem.
Prescription Opioids and Patient Sex: A National Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Surveillance data suggest that women are prescribed more opioid analgesics than men. It remains unclear whether these sex-related differences solely reflect the associations with other ...
Effects of the IMP-dehydrogenase inhibitor, Tiazofurin, in bcr-abl positive acute myelogenous leukemia

Abstract Six patients with bcr-abl positive AML or chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis (CML-BC) were treated with the IMP-dehydrogenase (IMPDH) inhibitor, Tiazofurin , in a Phase-II trial. Tiazofurin was given by IV infusion (2200–2700mg/m 2 per day) for up to 10 days. Leukemia blasts rapidly disappeared from the circulation of patients during treatment, while mature myeloid cells in the marrow increased in number. Although these hematologic responses were transient, persisting less than 3–4 weeks, our findings confirm that Tiazofurin has anti-leukemia activity. This drug warrants further study in combination regimens with other chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of bcr-abl positive AML and CML-BC.
Immune Cell Populations in the Broiler Ileum Exhibit Differential Cytokine Profiles in Response to Lipid Source and Peroxidation

Used restaurant oil offers a sustainable and affordable energy source in broiler diets but variable lipid composition and the presence of harmful peroxidation products may alter intestinal immunity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding different lipid sources with variable peroxidation statuses on immune cell populations producing interleukin-6 (IL6) and interferon-γ (IFNG) in the broiler ileum. Two hundred broilers were fed diets with 5% inclusion of control or peroxidized palm, soybean, flaxseed or fish oil in a 4 × 2 factorial treatment design. At 21d, 2 birds/ treatment were euthanized for ileum collection and immune cell populations were analyzed by RNAscope- in situ hybridization (ISH). Ileal production of IL6 increased 85.8% by feeding peroxidized flaxseed oil while IFNG-producing cells were increased 55.1-59.9% by feeding either control or peroxidized soybean oil (P ≤ 0.05). Feeding peroxidized lipid generally reduced CD3+ T cells not producing either IL6 or IFNG by 14.9-39.0% (P ≤ 0.05). Overall, these results suggest that IL6 and IFNG have differential responses to lipid source and peroxidation while lipid peroxidation negatively impacts T cell presence in the broiler chicken ileum. Inflammatory outcomes observed in broilers fed peroxidized flaxseed oil suggest that yellow grease containing this type of oil may detrimentally impact broilers, while soybean oil generally contributes to intestinal inflammation regardless of heat exposure
Human adipose and skeletal muscle tissue DNA, RNA, and protein content.

This investigation studied DNA, RNA, and protein contents of adipose and skeletal muscle tissues from young active individuals. A series of optimization steps were investigated to aid in determinin...
Distinct Mechanisms of [Ca2+]i Oscillations in HSY and HSG Cells: Role of Ca2+ Influx and Internal Ca2+ Store Recycling

This study examined [Ca2+]i oscillations in the human salivary gland cell lines, HSY and HSG. Relatively low concentrations of carbachol (CCh) induced oscillatory, and higher [CCh] induced sustained, steady-state increases in [Ca2+]i and K Ca currents in both cell types. Low IP3, but not thapsigargin (Tg), induced [Ca2+]i oscillations, whereas Tg blocked CCh-stimulated [Ca2+]i oscillations in both cell types. Unlike in HSG cells, removal of extracellular Ca2+ from HSY cells (i) did not affect CCh-stimulated [Ca2+]i oscillations or internal Ca2+ store refill, and (ii) converted high [CCh]-induced steady-state increase in [Ca2+]i into oscillations. CCh- or thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ influx was higher in HSY, than in HSG, cells. Importantly, HSY cells displayed relatively higher levels of sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump (SERCA) and inositoltrisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) than HSG cells. These data demonstrate that [Ca2+]i oscillations in both HSY and HSG cells are primarily determined by the uptake of Ca2+ from, and release of Ca2+ into, the cytosol by the SERCA and IP3R activities, respectively. In HSY cells, Ca2+ influx does not acutely contribute to this process, although it determines the steady-state increase in [Ca2+]i. In HSG cells, [Ca2+]i oscillations directly depend on Ca2+ influx; Ca2+ coming into the cell is rapidly taken up into the store and then released into the cytosol. We suggest that the differences in the mechanism of [Ca2+]i oscillations HSY and HSG cells is related to their respective abilities to recycle internal Ca2+ stores.
New approaches to the treatment of refractory depression.

Although the majority of patients with depression respond well to their initial pharmacologic treatment, as many as 30% to 45% fail to achieve an adequate response. In addition to the more traditional lithium and thyroid hormone augmentation strategies, a number of new pharmacotherapeutic approaches are currently being used to help manage refractory depression, including the addition of another agent or a switch to another antidepressant. Augmentation and switching strategies are often selected in order to obtain a different neurochemical effect (e.g., adding a relatively noradrenergic agent to a relatively serotonergic antidepressant). In particular, several studies have suggested that depressed patients refractory to treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may show a good response to newer agents that have a pharmacologic profile distinct from the SSRIs. Furthermore, preliminary studies have shown that the addition of SSRIs to either noradrenergic drugs such as the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) or dopaminergic agents may be efficacious, even though concerns about drug-drug interactions and tricyclic cardiac toxicity have limited the use of TCA-SSRI combinations. The introduction of reboxetine, a relatively selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, may increase the use of the latter therapeutic approach because of its improved safety profile compared with the TCAs. The review of treatment options for refractory depression that follows will outline the advantages, disadvantages, and level of support for a number of new treatment strategies.
The CASSIE Projects: An Approach to Natural Language Competence

The CASSIE projects are united not only by shared computer systems and techniques, but by the philosophy that one powerful way to create intelligent systems is to create systems that can be instructed via natural language (and NL extended with graphics and gestures) what to believe, how to reason, and how to behave. All the versions of CASSIE analyze inputs with respect to stored beliefs that are modified by the inputs, and generate output based on current beliefs.
Success factors for CAPE in the engineering practice of a process plant contractor

Abstract The CAPE Strategy and key success factors of a process plant contractor are presented from a business and management perspective. As a company with a long tradition and experience in developing own CAPE tools, Linde Engineering is not following “mainstream” strategies observed in process industry. It is shown how this position is justified by key business drivers, and which challenges typically arise. Rather than presenting technical details of new CAPE developments, the contribution gives an overview of CAPE topics in an industrial environment from a practical, rather than academic point of view. Even though many aspects seem to be well-known, they are outlined since they are crucial for the business success and thus demand high attention.
Capital Gains Taxes and Risk with a Fixed Supply of Risky Assets

Economic theory has long argued that when risk-averse investors are price-takers, a tax on risky returns (with full tax benefit for losses) will cause investments in risky assets to increase because the tax reduces after-tax risk. We extend this result to a setting with a fixed supply of risky assets, so that the increased demand due to lower after-tax risk leads to an increase in price and a decrease in pre-tax returns. In this setting the tax-induced increase in demand for risky assets is mitigated by the lower pre-tax returns, and the increase is much smaller than predicted by previous models. Our results have important implications for understanding how taxes affect investor behavior and for studies in accounting that examine the effect of taxes on investments in risky assets.
Therapeutic abortion follow-up study.

Abstract A heterogeneous group of pregnant women petitioned for abortion because of possible impairment of mental and/or physical health; 43 of 50 were followed for 3 to 6 months. Ambivalence and guilt appeared more substantially in young women under 18 years of age. Three to 6 months afterward, 29 patients expressed a positive reaction toward abortion, 10 reported no significant change in their life situations and 4 responded negatively. Of the 41 patients remaining fertile, 4 had purposely become pregnant again; 8 others were apparently without consistent contraception. It was concluded that preabortion counseling should outline the necessary steps for Committee consideration, give reassurance as to physical safety, and help the patient understand her motives and goals. Postabortion follow-up should emphasize a clear contraceptive program.
Law, Land and Love: Some Reflections on the Legal History of Marriage and the Family

After discussing the usefulness and limitations of law and legal documents as a means of studying marriage and the family, the article reviews works by Glendon, Donzelot, Traer, Phillips, and others writing on aspects of inheritance; and closes with some suggestions for research into parent-child relationships and inheritance choices in eighteenth-century France.
Properties of energy edge detectors

The author introduces a framework for investigating the properties of energy edge detectors and uses it to derive some results of interest. He shows a necessary condition on the form of constituent linear filters in quadratic detectors, subject to some conditions, and demonstrates some limitations of such detectors. It is shown that no quadratic detector can detect an edge at 0 for both a sinewave and a cosine wave, which has implications for detecting narrowband edges with spatially local filters. It is also shown that the scale-space behavior of energy detectors is not well-behaved, in that it contains bifurcations as scale increases, i.e. new edges can be created as the image is smoothed. >
A single-phase active power filter for multiple nonlinear loads

This paper presents an active power filter for single-phase systems which are comprised of multiple nonlinear loads. The active filter is based on a standard H-bridge inverter. The AC side of the inverter is connected in parallel with the other nonlinear loads through a filter inductance; the DC side of the inverter is connected to a filter capacitor. The inverter switches are controlled to shape the current through the filter inductor such that the line current is in phase with, and of the same shape as, the input voltage. Sliding-mode control is used to perform the active wave-shaping of the current. The paper provides the details of the power circuit design, the details of the control design, representative waveforms, and spectral performance for a filter which supports a 364 W AC controller and a 884 W uncontrolled bridge rectifier. Experimental data indicate that the active filter typically consumes 3% or less of the average load power, suggesting that a parallel filter is an efficient compensation approach. The spectral performance of the active filter easily meets the constraints of IEC555. >
Receiver-initiated collision avoidance in wireless networks

Many medium-access control (MAC) protocols for wireless networks proposed or implemented to date are based on collision-avoidance handshakes between sender and receiver. In the vast majority of these protocols, including the IEEE 802.11 standard, the handshake is sender initiated, in that the sender asks the receiver for permission to transmit using a short control packet, and transmits only after the receiver sends a short clear-to-send notification. We analyze the effect of making the collision-avoidance handshake, receiver initiated and compare the performance of a number of receiver-initiated protocols with the performance of sender-initiated collision avoidance protocols. Analytical and simulation results show that the best-performing collision avoidance MAC protocol based on receiver-initiated or sender-initiated collision avoidance is one in which a node with data to send transmits a dual-purpose small control packet inviting a given neighbor to transmit and asking the same neighbor for permission to transmit. The receiver-initiated protocols we present make use of carrier sensing, and are applicable to either baseband or slow frequency-hopping radios in which an entire packet can be sent within the same frequency hop (which is the case of frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) commercial radios).
High-resolution laser spectroscopy of diatomic free radicals in molecuiar beams

By combining an intracavity frequency-doubled ring dye laser with a bandwidth of 0.5 MHz and a collimated beam of diatomic free radicals, we succeeded in measuring LIF spectra of electronic transitions in the UV of OH (A2Σ+ ← X2Π at λ = 308 nm) and NH (A3Π ← χ3Σ− at λ = 336 nm and c1Π ← a1Δ at λ = 324 nm) with a very high resolution. The linewidths of 12–15 MHz, which are determined by residual Doppler broadening due to molecular beam divergence, enable us to resolve and analyze the hyperfine structure of ground and excited states.
PCR AMPLIFICATION OF NUCLEAR AND PLASTID GENES FROM ALGAL HERBARIUM SPECIMENS AND ALGAL SPORES1

Plastid and nuclear ribosomal genes were amplified from dried cystocarps obtained from an 11-year-old herbarium specimen using simple, rapid, nontoxic, and inexpensive methods. Gonimoblast tissue, isolated from either dried or fresh red algal cystocarps, was ground using the polyvalent, metal chelating resin Chelex 100. After boiling and centrifuging, the supernatant yielded enough DNA for 20 or more polymerase chain reactions. Using these methods, we also amplified plastid and nuclear genes from as few as two red algal spores. These methods should facilitate future studies of algal systematics, evolutionary biogeography, and phylogeny as well as studies of algal dispersal patterns and population biology
Grayscale and resolution trade-offs in photographic image quality

This paper summarizes the results of a visual psychophysical investigation of the relationship between two important printer parameters: addressability (expressed in terms of dots per inch or DPI) and grayscale capability (expressed in terms of the number of graylevels per pixel). The photographic image quality of print output increases with both the printer DPI and the number of graylevels per pixel. The experiments described in this paper address the following questions: At what point is there no longer a perceptual advantage of DPI or graylevels, and how do these two parameters tradeoff?
Engineering and Entrepreneurship: Creating Lasting Value from Engineering

Engineers design new products, increase productivity, and thereby increase the standard of living worldwide. Although the common wisdom is that large corporations invest the most money in new product R&D, the surprising fact is that most discontinuous innovations come from small firms, and most engineers in the US are employed by entrepreneurial firms as well. In spite of the centrality of entrepreneurial skills to engineering practice, most engineering curricula focus on teaching techniques that will enable students to "build a better mousetrap," rather than to design for economic value. One way to rectify this situation is to push engineering curricula to be more entrepreneurial. The engineering curriculum of the future should include a series of courses designed to help engineers maximize both the entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial value of engineers. In partnership with business schools, engineering programs should design curricula that present a quantitatively rigorous and theoretically grounded approach to innovation. Central to this approach is the development of a market mentality that takes into account all of the relevant economic aspects of design, not simply relative advantage.
Translating the Foundational Model of Anatomy into OWL

The Foundational Model of Anatomy (FMA) represents the result of manual and disciplined modeling of the structural organization of the human body. It is a tremendous resource in bioinformatics that facilitates sharing of information among applications that use anatomy knowledge. The FMA was developed in Protege and the Protege frames language is the canonical representation language for the FMA. We present a translation of the original Protege frame representation of the FMA into OWL. Our effort is complementary to the earlier efforts to represent FMA in OWL and is focused on two main goals: (1) representing only the information that is explicitly present in the frames representation of the FMA or that can be directly inferred from the semantics of Protege frames; (2) representing all the information that is present in the frames representation of the FMA, thus producing an OWL representation for the complete FMA. Our complete representation of the FMA in OWL consists of two components: an OWL DL component that contains the FMA constructs that are compatible with OWL DL; and an OWL Full component that imports the OWL DL component and adds the FMA constructs that OWL DL does not allow.
Electron transfer involving nonbonded superexchange interactions in rigid donor-acceptor arrays

Rigid intramolecular trichromophoric arrays based on a 4,5-diaminoxanthene bridge B were prepared in which the xanthene bridge orients A2 relative to D, so that nonbonded interactions between 1*D and A2 can be studied. The electron donor, D, is 4-(N-piperidinyl)naphthalene-1,8-dicarboximide (ANI), and the acceptors A1 and A2 are pyromellitimide (PI) and naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide) (NI), respectively, and X is either n-C8H17 or H. The torsional angles of the xanthene−imide single bonds orient the NI and PI acceptors approximately cofacial to one another. Femtosecond transient absorption measurements show that electron transfer from 1*ANI to NI occurs by nonbonded superexchange interactions that include contributions from both the n-C8H17 substituent on the NI acceptor and nearby solvent molecules. The structural rigidity of these compounds allows evaluation of the distance dependence of both charge separation and recombination. For charge separation, β = 1.1−1.3 A-1, and evidence exists for solv...