cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CLUSTERING OF SERVICES IN CENTRAL PLACES

Within a tertiary system entrepreneurs frequently must choose between places that command the largest local tributary population and places that possess the most desirable collection of complementary service activities. When command of tributary population is chosen over functional complementarity, the central place system increasingly assumes the clustering of activities in centers of a Losch-like system and diverges from those to be expected in a Christaller-like system. From 1960 to 1970 some activities in central Iowa were becoming more closely associated with other activities, but others were becoming more independent. Overall, there were more departures from Christaller's conditional order of entry principle at the end of this ten-year period than at the beginning. Seven functions in southern Minnesota from 1930 through 1970 showed departures from an order of entry scale that could be explained in terms of tributary areas which were larger than average for activities in places which lacked complementary activities, and smaller than average for activities absent from places which had a full complement of supporting activities.Agglomeration principle, Central place theory, Christaller, Losch, Iowa, Minnesota, Scalogram, Trade area.
Ontogeny of mitochondrial steroidogenesis in the guinea pig gonad

Abstract To determine whether steroidogenesis in the developing guinea pig may be limited by the formation of pregnenolone, cholesterol side chain cleavage activity was ascertained at various stages of development. The conversion of [1,2- 3 H]cholesterol to [1,2- 3 H]pregnenolone was detected in mitochondria isolated from fetal guinea pig ovaries and testes as early as day 35 of gestation, while no metabolism was noted in day 30 animals. Moreover, no [l,2- 3 H]progesterone was formed during the 60 minute incubation. From day 35 of gestation to the day of birth, the percentage of pregnenolone formed per testis (total activity) increased, while total activity in the ovary declined. In contrast, gonadal mitochondria from adult guinea pigs converted cholesterol to both pregnenolone and progesterone and total activity in these animals was substantially higher than in their fetal counterparts. In the three females examined, the rate of pregnenolone and progesterone synthesis varied according to the stage of the estrous cycle during which these animals were sacrificed. Conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone was most rapid in the early luteal phase animal, while conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone occurred more rapidly in the periovulatory animals than in ovarian mitochondria from the late luteal phase of the cycle. The results indicate that during prenatal and postnatal development of the gonad, cholesterol side chain cleavage activity changes and that mitochondria may acquire a Δ 5 -3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.
Scene kinetics mitigation using factor analysis with derivative factors

Line of sight jitter in staring sensor data combined with scene information can obscure critical information for change analysis or target detection. Consequently before the data analysis, the jitter effects must be significantly reduced. Conventional principal component analysis (PCA) has been used to obtain basis vectors for background estimation; however PCA requires image frames that contain the jitter variation that is to be modeled. Since jitter is usually chaotic and asymmetric, a data set containing all the variation without the changes to be detected is typically not available. An alternative approach, Scene Kinetics Mitigation, first obtains an image of the scene. Then it computes derivatives of that image in the horizontal and vertical directions. The basis set for estimation of the background and the jitter consists of the image and its derivative factors. This approach has several advantages including: 1) only a small number of images are required to develop the model, 2) the model can estimate backgrounds with jitter different from the input training images, 3) the method is particularly effective for sub-pixel jitter, and 4) the model can be developed from images before the change detection process. In addition the scores from projecting the factors on the background provide estimates of the jitter magnitude and direction for registration of the images. In this paper we will present a discussion of the theoretical basis for this technique, provide examples of its application, and discuss its limitations.
Temperature random walk sampling of protein configurations

Abstract We study generalizations of parallel tempering, also known as replica exchange method, that aim at maximizing the sampling of independent low energy configurations through enforcing random walks in temperature (or other control variables). The advantage of these techniques is the easily tunable high acceptance rate for replica exchange. Simulating the villin headpiece HP-36, we evaluate the efficiency of our techniques, and present criteria for its tuning.
The inventories of anthropogenic Ph, Zn, As, Cd, and the radionuclides 137Cs and excess 210Pb in lake sediments of the Adirondack region, USA

We determined the inventories of four anthropogenic trace elements, Pb, Zn, As, and Cd, and two radionuclides, 137Cs and excess 210Pb, in sediment cores collected from eight remote lakes in the Adirondack region of the northeastern United States. The inventories of all six substances vary considerably among the sediment cores, although the lakes and their associated catchments must have received similar cumulative per unit area atmospheric inputs of these substances. These variations are highly correlated, indicating that the trace elements and radionuclides are affected in a coherent way by the processes controlling their deposition to the sediments of these lakes. Assuming that the anthropogenic trace element inventories in each sediment core are enhanced or depleted relative to cumulative atmospheric deposition to the extent indicated by the sediment core inventories of either 137Cs or excess 210Pb, we produced estimates of the cumulative atmospheric inputs of the four anthropogenic trace elements to this region. Comparison of the excess 210Pb normalized anthropogenic Pb, Zn, Cd inventories of the Adirondack sediment cores with excess 210Pb normalized inventories of the same substances in a group of South Central Ontario lakes suggests that the Adirondack region has received greater cumulative anthropogenic inputs of Pb, Zn and Cd by a factor of 1.6, 4.5, and 2.9, respectively.
Seasonal movement of the Sq current foci and related effects in the equatorial electrojet

Abstract Geomagnetic observations from the western Pacific and Africa were used to determine the latitude of the focus of the Sq current system. The focus usually lies near 35°N over the western Pacific in February through July. During the autumnal equinox the northern focus shifts southward (equatorward) to around 27° latitude and then swings northward to 40 to 45°N in November and December. The movement of the southern hemisphere focus is complementary, that is, the equatorward shift occurs at the March equinox and the poleward movement during the June solstice. The seasonal movements of the Sq foci suggest an explanation for the semi-annual variation in the electrojet amplitude. The equatorward movement of one focus at each equinox will cause an equinoctial enhancement of the electrojet. The poleward shift of the northern focus in December and the southern focus in June account for the solstitial weakening of the electrojet.
Requirement for magnesium influx in activation of alveolar macrophages mediated by ionophore A23187.

NORMAL antibacterial activity in the lung is largely dependent on alveolar macrophage function1. Products of antigen-stimulated, sensitised lymphocytes can activate alveolar macrophages, which then exhibit greater adherence, phagocytosis and nonspecific bactericidal capacity than normal2. Although the molecular basis of this activation is unknown, influx or intracellular redistribution of divalent cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) has been implicated in other cell types3–10. We have therefore examined the effect on alveolar macrophage function of exposure to the ionophore A23187, which selectively binds divalent cations at neutral pH and passively transfers them across biological membranes11,12.
A 781-kb deletion of 13q12.3 in a patient with Peters plus syndrome.

Chad R. Haldeman-Englert1, Taiyabah Naeem1, Elizabeth A. Geiger1, Ashley Warnock1, Holly Feret1, Melissa Ciano1, Stefanie L. Davidson2, Matthew A. Deardorff1,3, Elaine H. Zackai1,3, and Tamim H. Shaikh1,3,* 1Division of Human Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 2Division of Ophthalmology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 3Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Detecting collective attention spam

We examine the problem of collective attention spam, in which spammers target social media where user attention quickly coalesces and then collectively focuses around a phenomenon. Compared to many existing spam types, collective attention spam relies on the users themselves to seek out the content -- like breaking news, viral videos, and popular memes -- where the spam will be encountered, potentially increasing its effectiveness and reach. We study the presence of collective attention spam in one popular service, Twitter, and we develop spam classifiers to detect spam messages generated by collective attention spammers. Since many instances of collective attention are bursty and unexpected, it is difficult to build spam detectors to pre-screen them before they arise; hence, we examine the effectiveness of quickly learning a classifier based on the first moments of a bursting phenomenon. Through initial experiments over a small set of trending topics on Twitter, we find encouraging results, suggesting that collective attention spam may be identified early in its life cycle and shielded from the view of unsuspecting social media users.
Inflammaging decreases adaptive and innate immune responses in mice and humans

Both the innate and adaptive immune systems decline with age, causing greater susceptibility to infectious diseases and reduced responses to vaccination. Diseases are more severe in elderly than in young individuals and have a greater impact on health outcomes such as morbidity, disability and mortality. Aging is characterized by increased low-grade chronic inflammation, called “inflammaging”, measured by circulating levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and CRP, as well as by latent infections with viruses such as cytomegalovirus. Inflammaging has received considerable attention because it proposes a link between changes in immune cells and a number of diseases and syndromes typical of old age. In this review we aim at summarizing the current knowledge on pathways contributing to inflammaging, on immune responses down-regulated by inflammation and mechanisms proposed. The defects in the immune response of elderly individuals presented in this review should help to discover avenues for effective intervention to promote healthy aging.
Development of Mixed-Counducting Ceramics For Gas Separation Applications

Mixed-conducting oxides are used in many applications, including fuel cells, gas separation membranes, sensors, and electrocatalysis. This paper describes mixed-conducting ceramic membranes that are being developed to selectively remove oxygen and hydrogen from gas streams in a nongalvanic mode of operation (i.e., with no electrodes or external power supply). Because of its high combined electronic/ionic conductivity and significant oxygen permeability, the mixed-conducting Sr-Fe-Co oxide (SFC) has been developed for high-purity oxygen separation and/or partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas, i.e., syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The electronic and ionic conductivities of SFC were found to be comparable in magnitude and are presented as a function of temperature. The oxygen flux through dense SFC tubes during separation of oxygen from air is compared with the oxygen flux during methane conversion. Unlike SFC, in which the ionic and electronic conductivities are nearly equivalent, BaCe{sub 0.80}Y{sub 0.20}O{sub 3} (BCY) exhibits protonic conductivity that is significantly higher than its electronic conductivity. To enhance the electronic conductivity and increase hydrogen permeation, metal powder was combined with the BCY to form a cermet membrane. Nongalvanic permeation of hydrogen through the cermet membrane was demonstrated and characterized as a function of membrane thickness. A sintering aid was developed to avoid interconnected porosity in and improve the mechanical properties of the cermet membrane.
The Incredible Years Parent Training Program: Promoting Resilience Through Evidence-Based Prevention Groups

This article describes an evidence-based preventive group intervention, Incredible Years Parent Training Program (IY). Decades of research have shown that IY strengthens parent and child competencies and in turn reduces child risks for developing conduct problems and other negative life outcomes. The purpose of this article is to examine IY through a resilience lens and highlight how it capitalizes on group process mechanisms to serve as a model preventive group intervention. Future directions and implications for research, practice, and training are discussed.
The Micro and Macro Dimensions of Gambling in the United States

A national probability sample of 1736 respondents and a Nevada State probability sample of 296 respondents were surveyed during the summer of 1975 to determine the extent of gambling activity in the United States, to estimate the amount of government revenue that could result from various changes in the gambling laws, and to predict the social consequences of these changes. While there were large variations among regions and demographic groups, a majority of all adult Americans gamble. Wagers on commercial games amounted to $22.4 billion in 1974 of which $17 billion was wagered legally and approximately $5 billion illegally.
Laparoscopic ultrasonography and biopsy of hepatic tumors in 310 patients.

Abstract Background Laparoscopic ultrasonography is increasingly being recognized as an important tool in the evaluation of patients with possible hepatic tumors. The aim of this paper is to describe the technical aspects of imaging and biopsy based on our experience in 310 patients with 1,080 primary and metastatic liver tumors within a 6.5-year period. Methods A 10-mm rigid or flexible, 7.5 MHz linear, side-viewing laparoscopic ultrasonography probe was used for imaging, and an 18G spring-loaded core biopsy gun was used for tissue diagnosis. Results There were no complications. The entire liver was imaged using a right subcostal port. Using a free-hand technique, the needle was best targeted into the lesion when inserted parallel to the plane of the transducer. The rigid transducer was found to be more convenient to guide needle placement. Conclusions The use of this minimally invasive technique avoids laparotomy in many patients undergoing staging of malignancy and also offers increased sensitivity for tumor detection compared with conventional imaging modalities.
Tillage, lime, and poultry litter effects on soil zinc, manganese, and copper

Abstract Long‐term no‐tillage has profound effects on soil properties which can affect the availability of plant nutrient elements. The objectives were to study the effects of tillage and lime treatments on soil pH and extractable soil micronutrients where poultry litter was used as a nitrogen (N) source. Surface soil samples were taken in the spring and fall for two years from a long‐term tillage experiment that had been in place for nine years. There were two tillage treatments [conventional (CT) and no‐tillage (NT)] and six lime/ gypsum treatments (control, 8,960 kg gypsum ha‐1 every fourth year, 4,480 kg lime ha‐1 every fourth year, and three treatments of 8,960 kg lime ha‐1 in a four‐year period divided by application times into 1, 2, and 4 treatments per year). Poultry litter was applied each year of the two‐year experiment at a rate of 8.96 Mg ha‐1 on a dry weight basis. The crop was corn (Zea maize L.). Soil samples were analyzed for pH and Mehlich‐1 zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu). Soi...
c-Cbl is downstream of c-Src in a signalling pathway necessary for bone resorption

The primary defect in mice lacking the c-src gene is osteopetrosis, a deficiency in bone resorption by osteoclasts. Osteoclasts express high levels of the c-Src protein and the defect responsible for the osteopetrotic phenotype of the c-src-deficient (src-) mouse is cell-autonomous and occurs in mature osteoclasts. However, the specific signalling pathways that require c-Src expression for normal osteoclast activity have not been elucidated. We report here that the proto-oncogene product c-Cbl is tyrosine-phosphorylated in a Src-dependent manner in osteoclasts, where the two proteins colocalize on some vesicular structures. In vitro bone resorption by osteoclast-like cells (OCLs) is inhibited by both c-src and c-cbl antisense oligonucleotides. Furthermore, tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Cbl and the localization of c-Cbl-containing structures to the peripheral cytoskeleton are impaired in resorption-deficient c-src- OCLs, as well as in wild-type OCLs that have been treated with c-src antisense oligonucleotides. These results indicate that c-Cbl may act downstream of c-Src in a signalling pathway that is required for bone resorption.
Effect of biodiesel–butanol fuel blends on emissions and performance characteristics of a diesel engine

Abstract The purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of butanol–biodiesel blends on the emissions and performance characteristics of a four-stroke, naturally aspirated, water-cooled, indirect injection diesel engine (IDI). Testing was performed comparing butanol blended with biodiesel, standard diesel (D100) and neat biodiesel (B100) at four engine loads. The biodiesel–butanol blends were 5%, 10%, and 20% butanol in volume basis (B95Bu5, B90Bu10, B80Bu20). Compared to biodiesel, butanol blended fuels showed lower exhaust gas temperatures and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions while exhibiting higher carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbons (HC) emissions. Butanol blended fuels produced lower CO and higher NOx emissions than diesel fuel for low concentrations of butanol (5% and 10%), but there was no significant change in terms of HC emissions. The biodiesel blend containing the highest concentration of butanol (20%) caused higher CO and HC emissions and lower NOx emission than diesel. Brake specific fuel consumption increased with biodiesel and biodiesel blended fuels as compared to diesel.
Scalar context in musical models

In this paper, we examine relationships between signature transformations, Filtered Point-Symmetry (FiPS), and voice-leading spaces, with a strong emphasis on the role of scalar context in each model. While these models overlap, the differences between them are of substantial analytical importance. We determine how to expand the signature group using FiPS, and map familiar transformational graphs to maximally even coordinate spaces, thereby separating transformational groups from the scalar contexts in which they are most often explained. We also look at differences in the definition and usage of maximal evenness in continuous space, and examine the impact of scalar context on voice-leading distance.
Urban Heat Island Research in Phoenix, Arizona: Theoretical Contributions and Policy Applications

Over the past 60 years, metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, has been among the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States, and this rapid urbanization has resulted in an urban heat island (UHI) of substantial size and intensity. During this time, an uncommon amount of UHI-specific research, relative to other cities in North America, occurred within its boundaries. This review investigates the possible reasons and motivations underpinning the large body of work, as well as summarizing specific themes, approaches, and theoretical contributions arising from such study. It is argued that several factors intrinsic to Phoenix were responsible for the prodigious output: strong applied urban climate research partnerships between several agencies (such as the academy, the National Weather Service, private energy firms, and municipal governments); a high-quality, long-standing network of urban meteorological stations allowing for relatively fine spatial resolution of near-surface temperature data; and a high level...
Production and measurement of flash X-ray dose rates in excess of 10/sup 13/ RAD (CaF/sub 2/)/s

The radiation field from an intense reusable source of flash X-rays that delivers a measured peak dose and dose rate of 370+or-60 krad (CaF/sub 2/) and (3.5 +or-0.7)*10/sup 13/ rad (CaF/sub 2/)/s over a useful area of 80 cm/sup 2/ is characterized. CaF/sub 2/:Mn TLDs (thermoluminescent dosimeters), which are used to measure the dose field, are shown to be dose-rate independent within +or-15% up to this level. Energy deposition in the CaF/sub 2/ TLD chip was analyzed according to the origin of the electrons responsible for that deposition with a new computational tool. >
A software-based dynamic-warp scheduling approach for load-balancing the Viola-Jones face detection algorithm on GPUs

Face detection is a key component in applications such as security surveillance and human-computer interaction systems, and real-time recognition is essential in many scenarios. The Viola-Jones algorithm is an attractive means of meeting the real time requirement, and has been widely implemented on custom hardware, FPGAs and GPUs. We demonstrate a GPU implementation that achieves competitive performance, but with low development costs. Our solution treats the irregularity inherent to the algorithm using a novel dynamic warp scheduling approach that eliminates thread divergence. This new scheme also employs a thread pool mechanism, which significantly alleviates the cost of creating, switching, and terminating threads. Compared to static thread scheduling, our dynamic warp scheduling approach reduces the execution time by a factor of 3. To maximize detection throughput, we also run on multiple GPUs, realizing 95.6 FPS on 5 Fermi GPUs.
Effect of lattice transformation on the pressure dependence of T c of V 3 Si single crystals

The superconducting transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ has been measured under hydrostatic pressure up to 18 kbar on both transforming and nontransforming ${\mathrm{V}}_{3}$Si single crystals. $\frac{d{T}_{c}}{\mathrm{dp}}$ was found to be always positive, but about 30% smaller for the nontransforming samples. The results are compared with predictions based on previous elastic-modulus measurements under pressure.
Perron's method and the method of relaxed limits for "unbounded" PDE in Hilbert spaces

We prove that Perron's method and the method of half-relaxed limits of Barles-Perthame works for the so called B-continuous viscosity solutions of a large class of fully nonlinear unbounded partiel differential equations in Hilbert spaces. Perron's method extends the existence of B-continuous viscosity solutions to many new equations that are not of Bellman type. The method of half-relaxed limits allows limiting operations with viscosity solutions without any a priori estimates. Possible applications of the method of half relaxed limits to large derivations, singular perturbation problems, and convergence of finite-dimensional approximations are discussed
Pre-Columbian Representations of the Elephant in America

IF a note from across the sea is not so delayed as to be no longer timely, may I reply to Dr. G. Elliot Smith's remarkable communication on pre-Columbian representations of the elephant in America in NATURE of November 25? The identification of the details on Stela B at Copan as elephants is neither new nor unanswered, and the same may be said of the extension of this identification to the conventional faces with outward curving noses that decorate the buildings of northern Yucatan.
Food Preferences of Five Species of Carabids Commonly Found in Iowa Cornfields

Food preferences of 5 species of adult carabids, Scarites substriatus, Evarthrus alternans, Pterostichus chalcites, P. lucublandus , and Harpalus pensylvanicus , were investigated under laboratory conditions. Various plant and animal material, as well as detritus were tested. Dead black cutworm larvae were the most preferred food for all species tested. H. pensylvanicus and E. alternans did, however, feed on a number of seeds. H. pensylvanicus may be quite omnivorous in its feeding habits. In general, dead crickets and both live and dead smooth-skinned Lepidoptera larvae were attractive food items, while isopods, phalangids, slugs, and earthworms were not. E. alternans, P. lucublandus , and H. pensylvanicus significantly preferred dead invertebrates over live ones. The attractiveness of dead animal material has special significance. The application of insecticides, which kill large numbers of insects, may be indirectly poisoning potential predators because of the carabid's willingness to feed on dead or dying insects.
Further studies on the transverse bands.

The paranodes of cerebral white matter of lanthanum-treated rats were studied in thin sections. The transverse bands were found to be oriented both parallel, and at an angle to the spaces between lateral loops.
Characterization of Zirconium Germanosilicide Formed by Solid State Reaction of ZR With Si l−x Ge x Alloys

We have investigated the electrical and structural properties of zirconium germanosilicide (Zr-Si-Ge) films formed during the Zr-Si1-x Gex solid state reaction. Thin films of C 49 Zr (Si1-yGey)2 were formed from the solid phase reaction of Zr and Si1-xGex bilayer structures. It was observed that Zr reacts uniformly with the Si1-xGex alloy and that C 49 Zr(Si1-xGex)2 is the final phase of the Zr-Sii1-xGex solid phase reaction (such tht y=x) for all compositions examined (x=0.20, 0.33, and 0.50). The sheet resistance of the Zr(Si1-xGex)2 thin films were higher than the sheet resistance measured for ZrSi2 films. The stability of Zr(Si1-xGex)2in contact with Si1-xGex was investigated and no germanium segregation was detected in the Zr(Si1-xGex)2/Si1-xGex structures.
“Center-of-gravity” Tendencies for fixations and flow patterns

Fixation positions were measured for a variety of simple patterns. Generally, the spontaneous fixation tendencies hovered near the “center-of-gravity” of the pattern, providing that the overall dimensions of the figure were less than about 5 deg. “Open” figures such as angles were found to be roughly equivalent to their “enclosed” counterparts, such as triangles. The constraints imposed by the pattern upon the fixation tendencies occur at a level where the binocular inputs are processed. Of further importance was the fact that the fixation points approximate the foci observed in the same patterns when they are seen against a background of visual noise. It is suggested that the two results may be functionally related..
MicroRNA-mediated gene regulation: potential applications for plant genetic engineering

Food security is one of the most important issues challenging the world today. Any strategies to solve this problem must include increasing crop yields and quality. MicroRNA-based genetic modification technology (miRNA-based GM tech) can be one of the most promising solutions that contribute to agricultural productivity directly by developing superior crop cultivars with enhanced biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and increased biomass yields. Indirectly, the technology may increase usage of marginal soils and decrease pesticide use, among other benefits. This review highlights the most recent progress of transgenic studies utilizing various miRNAs and their targets for plant trait modifications, and analyzes the potential of miRNA-mediated gene regulation for use in crop improvement. Strategies for manipulating miRNAs and their targets in transgenic plants including constitutive, stress-induced, or tissue-specific expression of miRNAs or their targets, RNA interference, expressing miRNA-resistant target genes, artificial target mimic and artificial miRNAs were discussed. We also discussed potential risks of utilizing miRNA-based GM tech. In general, miRNAs and their targets not only provide an invaluable source of novel transgenes, but also inspire the development of several new GM strategies, allowing advances in breeding novel crop cultivars with agronomically useful characteristics.
Function of αβ TCR+ intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes: Th1-and Th2-type cytokine production by CD4+ CD8− and CD4+ CD8+ T cells for helper activity

The immunobiological function of lymphocytes within the epithelium (IELs) of the small intestine is incompletely understood; however, it has been shown that intestinal IEL T cells exhibit cytotoxicity, produce cytokines, and perform some regulatory roles. In this study, we have focused on CD4+, alpha beta TCR+ IELs, which comprise approximately 15-20% of the total population, for helper functions. We have assessed the profile of type 1 or type 2 Th cell cytokines produced in alpha beta TCR bearing CD4+CD8- and CD4+CD8+ (double positive, DP) intestinal IELs by cytokine-specific ELISPOT and by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Help for B cells taken from Peyer's patches (PP) allowed us to assess IEL function for mucosal antibody responses. Freshly isolated CD4+CD8- IEL T cells contain Th2-type cells, e.g. high numbers of IL-5 secreting (spot forming) cells (SFC) followed by IL-4 and IL-6, while DP T cells have IL-5 and IL-6 producing cells, but not IL-4. In addition to Th2-like cytokine producing T cells, both CD4+ T cell subsets contain IFN-gamma secreting Th1-type cells but neither subset synthesizes IL-2. Stimulation of CD4+CD8- and DP T cells with solid phase mAb anti-CD3 resulted in production of IL-2 in addition to IFN-gamma, IL-5, and IL-6, and this treatment stimulated DP T cells to produce IL-4. When freshly isolated intestinal IEL T cells were separated into CD4+ and CD4- cells, and co-cultured with PP B cells, the former subset supported Ig synthesis including IgA responses, while the later fraction did not.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The race for the prize: T-cell trafficking strategies for optimal surveillance

The initiation of T-cell responses requires rare precursors to locate a draining lymph node (dLN) and encounter dendritic cells (DCs) presenting peptide-major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs). To locate this needle in the haystack rapidly, T cells face an optimization problem—what is the most efficient trafficking strategy for surveillance and recirculation through blood? Two extremes are scanning low numbers of DCs per node with frequent recirculation, or meticulous surveillance with infrequent recirculation. Naive T cells also require stimulation by self-pMHCs. To enable efficient location of both foreign and self, has evolution settled on an optimum time for T cells to spend surveying each lymph node? Using a data-driven mathematical model, we show the most efficient strategy for detecting antigen in a dLN depends on its abundance. Detection of low-density antigen is optimized with systemically slow transit. In contrast, at high densities or if dLN egress is restricted, rapid transit through other nodes is optimal. We argue that blood-lymph recirculation dynamics facilitate a trade-off, and are consistent with dominant roles for the very early detection of rare foreign antigens in a dLN, and the efficient accumulation of signals from systemically distributed self-antigens.
Socioeconomic determinants of fetal and child deaths in Latin America: a comparative study of Bogota Caracas and Rio de Janeiro

Abstract This study uses data from the Urban Fertility Studies sponsored in Bogota, Caracas and Rio de Janeiro by the United Nations Center for Latin American Demography to test the direction and magnitude of the effect of five socioeconomic variables on fetal and child mortality. The five independent variables in the ordinary-least-squares model are: (1) household income; (2) mother's education; (3) mother's participation in the labor force; (4) migration; and (5) incidence of consensual union. Surveyed women in each city are divided into six five-year age groups ranging from 20–24 to 45–49 years of age. The empirical results indicate that the explanatory variables do explain a substantial portion of the cross-sectional variation in both fetal and child mortality.
Recent advances in therapy of sepsis: focus on recombinant bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI).

The inability to reduce the high mortality due to overwhelming bacterial infection and sepsis has prompted a search for new therapeutic agents. Among these may be a wide range of endogenous antibiotic polypeptides that are prominent components of effective antimicrobial host defences. One of these polypeptide antibiotics is the bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI), a protein of approximately 55kD which is present in human and other mammalian neutrophils. BPI is toxic for Gram-negative bacteria and binds to endotoxin, resulting in its clearance and neutralisation. Arecombinant 21kD N-terminal BPI fragment is at least as active as holo-BPI and protects both animals and humans against the effects of Gram-negative infections and their complications. Phase II/III clinical trials in fulminant paediatric meningococcaemia, haemorrhagic trauma, hepatectomy and severe peritoneal infections are in progress.
A familial syndrome of deafness, alopecia, and hypogonadism.

Three male siblings are described, who had progressive neurosensory deafness, alopecia, and hypogonadism. Deafness with alopecia has been described previously as Bjornstad's syndrome. Hypogonadism has not been a part of this syndrome and in this family it appeared to be secondary to a deficiency of luteinizing hormone associated with a deficiency of growth hormone. The normal stature found in this sibship may indicate a growth hormone deficiency of late onset. There have been no previous reports of deafness in association with growth hormone and luteinizing hormone deficiency. In contrast to Bjornstad's syndrome, and autosomal dominant disorder, it appears that this syndrome is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.
The Give and Take of Host-Microbe Symbioses

Studying the association between mealybugs and two bacterial symbionts, Husnik et al. (2013) demonstrated that both integration of metabolic pathways across the partners' genomes and horizontal gene transfer from diverse bacteria into the insect host genome are integral to symbiosis.
Isogrid stiffened syntactic foam cored sandwich structure under low velocity impact

Abstract In this study, a new sandwich structure with a hybrid cellular core (periodic isogrid stiffened stochastic syntactic foam) was fabricated using the pin-guided dry-weaving technology, evaluated by low velocity impact and in-plane compression after impact (CAI) tests, visualized by C-scan and SEM, and modeled by finite element analysis. It is found that the stretch-dominating isogrid skeleton develops synergy with and provides confinement to the foam, leading to an CAI strength much higher than that of the laminated control plate. Subjected to concentrated impact loading, each cell responds in a boundary controlled quasi-static manner. Although the bay absorbs the highest amount of impact energy, the CAI strength is the highest when the impact is in the bay, followed by impact in the rib and impact in the node. Also, the CAI strength reduces as the bay area increases. The sandwich deviates slightly from in-plane quasi-isotropy primarily due to incomplete cells along the boundary of specimens.
Infrared holography: an analysis of the thermal behavior of thin films

This paper presents an analysis describing the thermal behavior of a thin film subjected to a spatially modulated irradiation field. The analysis shows that it is possible using a cw laser to establish a temperature field in such a film that maps the irradiation pattern with a resolution adequate for recording high quality holograms. Effects of the thermal properties of the film and substrate on such recording characteristics as linearity, sensitivity, and resolution are examined. A high diffraction efficiency recording technique based on the sublimation of a thin film situated on a constant temperature substrate is proposed as an example of the application of the analysis.
Rehabilitating AI: Argument Loci and the Case for Artificial Intelligence

This article examines argument structures and strategies in pro and con argumentation about the possibility of human-level artificial intelligence (AI) in the near term future. It examines renewed controversy about strong AI that originated in a prominent 1999 book and continued at major conferences and in periodicals, media commentary, and Web-based discussions through 2002. It will be argued that the book made use of implicit, anticipatory refutation to reverse prevailing value hierarchies related to AI. Drawing on Perelman and Olbrechts-Tyteca's (1969) study of refutational argument, this study considers points of contact between opposing arguments that emerged in opposing loci, dissociations, and casuistic reasoning. In particular, it shows how perceptions of AI were reframed and rehabilitated through metaphorical language, reversal of the philosophical pair ‘artificial/natural,’ appeals to the paradigm case, and use of the loci of quantity and essence. Furthermore, examining responses to the book in subsequent arguments indicates the topoi characteristic of the rhetoric of technology advocacy.
The genetic variability and commonality of neurodevelopmental disease

Despite detailed clinical definition and refinement of neurodevelopmental disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions, the underlying genetic etiology has proved elusive. Recent genetic studies have revealed some common themes: considerable locus heterogeneity, variable expressivity for the same mutation, and a role for multiple disruptive events in the same individual affecting genes in common pathways. Recurrent copy number variation (CNV), in particular, has emphasized the importance of either de novo or essentially private mutations creating imbalances for multiple genes. CNVs have foreshadowed a model where the distinction between milder neuropsychiatric conditions from those of severe developmental impairment may be a consequence of increased mutational burden affecting more genes.
Automatic myonuclear detection in isolated single muscle fibers using robust ellipse fitting and sparse representation

Accurate and robust detection of myonuclei in isolated single muscle fibers is required to calculate myonuclear domain size. However, this task is challenging because: 1) shape and size variations of the nuclei, 2) overlapping nuclear clumps, and 3) multiple z-stack images with out-of-focus regions. In this paper, we have proposed a novel automatic detection algorithm to robustly quantify myonuclei in isolated single skeletal muscle fibers. The original z-stack images are first converted into one all-in-focus image using multi-focus image fusion. A sufficient number of ellipse fitting hypotheses are then generated from the myonuclei contour segments using heteroscedastic errors-in-variables (HEIV) regression. A set of representative training samples and a set of discriminative features are selected by a two-stage sparse model. The selected samples with representative features are utilized to train a classifier to select the best candidates. A modified inner geodesic distance based mean-shift clustering algorithm is used to produce the final nuclei detection results. The proposed method was extensively tested using 42 sets of z-stack images containing over 1,500 myonuclei. The method demonstrates excellent results that are better than current state-of-the-art approaches.
The anatomy of an antigen molecule: functional subregions of L-tyrosine-p-azobenzenearsonate.

The structural components of antigen molecules that interact with class II major histocompability complex (MHC) molecules on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) (agretopes) and with antigen receptors of T-lymphocytes (epitopes) in class II restricted T-cell responses have not been precisely defined. This issue was addressed here using murine T-eell clones specific for the simple immunogen l-tyrosine-p-azobenzenearsonate (ABA-tyr) and a series of analogs of the homologous antigen. Two experimental approaches were used. First, APCs were pulsed with analogs and used to stimulate T-cell proliferation. The patterns of stimulation segregated the clones into two specificity groups and indicated that the epitope recognized by the T-cell included the arsonate group and elements in the side chain of tyrosine. Furthermore, the clones manifest different sensitivities to antigen. Second, non-stimulatory analogs were used to block the presentation of ABA-tyr in an effort to define the agretope. Compounds containing the azophenyl group blocked presentation of ABA-tyr in a dose-dependent fashion, whereas p-arsanilic acid and l-tyrosine were ineffective. The blocking was specific inasmuch as the compounds had no effect on the antigen-induced proliferative responses of giant keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or hen egg white lysozyme (HEL)-reactive T-cell clones. The blocking pattern indicated that the feature required for productive association with the APC centered on the planar structure of the azo-linked aromatic rings, with little or no contribution from either the arsonate moiety or the tyrosyl side chain. We propose that this structure forms an agretope for this family of compounds.
EDINONACHALIE AND THE SOVIET INDUSTRIAL MANAGER, 1928-1937

trade union organisations of powers in the factory, forcing them to turn their face 'away from the workers' and serve as props of the 'little Stalins'.3 Third, as a logical consequence of the first two dimensions, edinonachalie inculcated in the managers a 'taste for power and pleasure in using it' and allowed them to hold the workers in 'iron gloves'.4 Although there is a good deal of truth to this standard interpretation, one is struck by some contradictions implicit in it. If, for instance, the party leadership intended edinonachalie to stabilise the factory by despotic managerial power, why did they institute it while constantly mobilising the workers to criticise the managers? Furthermore, if edinonachalie was a deliberate attempt to create despotic managers for whom 'rudeness [grubost'] became a virtue',5 why was it that in 1937-38 many managerial cadres were labelled as 'bigwigs' ('vel'mozhi') and purged for 'despotic' power-precisely the despotic power which, according to the traditional view, was implicit in edinonachalie from 1929 on? These contradictions appear to stem from the fact that Western scholars have paid little attention to exactly what the party leadership meant by edinonachalie, have largely ignored the political context in which it evolved,6 and have viewed it through retrospective binoculars, focusing upon selected consequences of its introduction. As the party leadership conceived it, Edinonachalie was a notion more complex than 'oneman management' or 'one-man rule' suggests. 7 The party leaders never identified it with despotic power. Nor did they intend to oppose it to workers' control. Edinonachalie meant institutionalised, accountable one-man management with workers' control incorporated; and it embodied a deliberate attempt to train the Communist managers in the midst of socialist construction to be real one-man managers. In this article we shall explore the meaning of edinonachalie by focusing on the all important year 1929 and more tentatively treating the evolution of edinonachalie in the 1930s. We shall suggest that edinonachalie was indeed a microcosm of the way in which Soviet political leaders sought to administer
Sedimentology of Gullivan Bay and Vicinity, FLORIDA1

On the southwest coast of Florida a shoreline reentrant t Cape Roma D forms Greater Gullivan Bay. Evidence is available which suggests that the reentrant may be structurally controlled. The bay lies between the Cape Romano shoals to the north and the irregular, low energy, mangrove ridge shorelinz of the Ten Thousand Islands to the southeast. Two main currents affect the area. One, the longshore current from the north, enters the bay through the shoals, whereas the other, a tidal current, enters from the south, proceeds through the mangrove island archipelago and sweeps down the bay and back out to the open Gulf. Regionally the sediment becomes coarser seaward, a reflection of the fine material of the mangrove island shoreline and of the coarse shell material on the shelf beyond the shoals. In specific parts of the area such as the bay, shoals, islands and shelf, size of the detritus is relatively constant. The mean grain size of the carbonate, however, is variable. Sorting of the bottom sediment is best over the shoals and in the bay indica- ting the location of the most effective currents. Per cent carbonate is lower in the bay sediments than in any other part of the region. A similar situation exists for the organic matter. The average per cent of organic matter in the sediments is about the same as that 011 the shelf. In the lee of the shoals, at the head of the bay and in the bays of the lagoonal chain current activity is low, and a mixed sediment of quartz sand, not whole shells, silt and clay appears to be accumulating. The lower bay, because of the turbulent ebbing of the tidal current, is, in general, receiving only quartz sand. Furthermore, the shoals appear to be moving shoreward.
STORAGE STABILITY OF MILKFAT GLOBULE MEMBRANE

To investigate changes in structure and function of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) components due to oxidation of membrane lipids, freeze-dried MFGM were stored under controlled temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions. It was found that while membranes underwent extensive lipid oxidation when stored under air, fluorescent compounds were formed. These compounds exhibited fluorescence with excitation maxima at 350 nm and emission maxima at 440 nm; which were similar to those of the fluorescent substances derived from the reaction of oxidized fatty acids and primary amines. Formation of high molecular weight proteins was detected by SDS-PAGE in samples stored under air, but not in samples stored under nitrogen and was also affected by time and relative humidity. Activity of xanthine-oxidase, an important prooxidative agent, was greatly influenced by temperature and complete inactivation was observed when MFGM's were stored at 37°C, 50% RH for 1 day.