cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
"Are you there Margaret? It's me, Margaret": speech recognition as a mirror

This paper briefly examines the design space of speech recognition as an input device. I discuss the particular advantages of speech recognition over other button-pushing modes of input. The goal of this paper is to examine speech devices that operate as a reflective tool for Human-Computer Interaction. I detail the construction and implementation of a simple speech recognition device, the Speech Patternizer, which specifies the frequency of indicated words in recorded speech. Through the prototyping of this device and a longitudinal study of it, I inspect the more nuanced models of Human-Computer Interaction that make speech patterns more transparent and interpretable. The value of the ability to examine and assess speech interaction between computers and humans is also discussed.
Education information on the World Wide Web: Opportunities for collection management in the electronic environment

SUMMARY The rise of the World Wide Web as a popular and effective medium for professional and scholarly communication has complicated the work of subject specialists in the academic library who are responsible both for acquiring materials to support the teaching and research missions of the university and for making their users aware of the existence of such resources. At the same time, the accessibility of Web-based resources and the increasingly substantive content found within these resources provide subject specialists with a number of new opportunities in terms of research assistance, user education, and collection management. This essay describes a collection of Web-based information resources in the field of education and provides an overview of the issues related to the acquisition, management, and promotion of these resources to the academic community.
Discussion on papers of mussio-wahlstrom and seiner

As background for this discussion, I would like to talk briefly about some of the aspects of psychological tests that make their use attractive to us, some of the procedures and techniques we usually follow when assessing the appropriateness or usefulness of these instruments as well as some of the cautions we attempt to observe in their development and use. I think this may give us a framework for looking at the two papers we have just heard.One of the reasons for our interest in psychological tests is that we are continuously searching for ways to increase the accuracy of our predictions about individuals, whether they are candidates for a job, candidates for a training course, or candidates for admission to a college or university.
Proccesing ill-defined spatial operators in geographic databases: a common-sense approach

A common-sense based approach to develop processing strategies for resolving queries that contain imprecise spatial operators is detailed. The Naive Geography approach, introduced by Egenhofer and Mark in 1995 is an important motivation for this study. The context of the study is a geographic database of the United States. The imprecise operators studied are â€œclose_to,â€ â€œbetween,â€ and â€œadjacent_to.â€ These operators are considered â€œimpreciseâ€ because they do not have a clear and precise definition in the literature. Previous studies are reviewed. An objectoriented geographic data model that was developed earlier by the researchers is discussed. The data model is used as a foundation for developing algorithms for processing the imprecise operators. Detailed common-sense based algorithms for resolving queries containing the above imprecise operators are discussed. The model and the algorithms are implemented using real-life data. Details of the implementation, along with actual query results are presented. Finally, the authorâ€™s conclusions, along with some caveats in this type of research, and possible future research are discussed.
Summary of the 2008 NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program Sonic Boom Prediction Workshop

The Supersonics Project of the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program organized an internal sonic boom workshop to evaluate near-field sonic-boom prediction capability at the Fundamental Aeronautics Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on 8 October 2008. Workshop participants computed sonic-boom signatures for three nonlifting bodies and two lifting configurations. Cone–cylinder, parabolic, and quartic bodies of revolution comprised the nonlifting cases. The lifting configurations were a simple 69 deg delta-wing–body and a complete low-boom transport configuration designed during the High Speed Research Project in the 1990s with wing, body, tail, nacelle, and boundary-layer diverter components. The AIRPLANE, Cart3D, FUN3D, and USM3D flow solvers were employed with the ANET signature propagation tool, output-based adaptation, and a priori adaptation based on freestream Mach number and angle of attack. Results were presented orally at the workshop. This article documents the workshop and results and provides c...
Dopaminergic control of light-adaptive synaptic plasticity and role in goldfish visual behavior.

Dopamine has been implicated in processes of retinal light and dark adaptation. In goldfish retina, horizontal cell dendrites elaborate neurite processes (spinules) into cone terminals, in a light- and dopamine-dependent manner. However, the functions of retinal dopamine and the horizontal cell spinules in visual behavior are unknown. These issues were addressed in behavioral, electroretinographic, and anatomical studies of normal fish and those with unilateral depletion of retinal dopamine induced by intraocular (i.o.) injections with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Dopamine interplexiform cells (DA-IPC) disappear within 2 weeks after 6-OHDA injection; cell bodies appear at the marginal zone within 6 weeks at which time neurites slowly reinnervate the retina with a sparse plexus over the next 12 months. We found that dopamine depletion increased light sensitivity at photopic but not scotopic backgrounds by 2.5 log units, an effect mimicked by i.o. injections of dopamine D1 and D2 antagonists. The ERG b-wave increment thresholds were the same for control and dopamine depleted eyes, indicating a normal transition from rod to cone systems in the ON pathway. Light-dependent spinule formation was reduced by about 60% in dopamine-depleted retinas, but returned to normal by 3 months and 9 months after injection in the entire retina, even areas not directly innervated with DA-IPC processes. Spinule formation in vivo was inhibited 50% with i.o. injection of SCH 23390 in control retinas as well as throughout 3 month 6-OHDA injected retinas, including DA-IPC free areas. This latter result indicates a volume effect of dopamine, diffusing laterally through the retina over several millimeters, in regulating spinules. We conclude that DA-IPCs regulate sensitivity to background at photopic levels not via the ON pathway, but perhaps the OFF pathway. Goldfish display both increased sensitivity to light and a normal Purkinje shift in the ERG b-wave whether or not horizontal cell spinules are present, indicating that dopamine control of photopic vision in fish is not mediated through light-induced spinule formation of horizontal cell dendrites.
Social support in smoking cessation: In search of effective interventions

The results of five recent smoking cessation studies from three separate research programs are summarized. Each study compared a basic cognitive-behavioral cessation program to the same program plus a component designed to enhance social support. Four of the studies found process or correlational data linking social support to outcomes. Nevertheless, there were no significant between-groups smoking-outcome differences in any of the five studies. Several explanations for these findings are considered and it is concluded that social support deserves further consideration in interventions for smoking reduction. Suggestions for future research are offered.
Climate Change Impacts on the Water Balance of the Colorado Headwaters: High-Resolution Regional Climate Model Simulations

AbstractA high-resolution climate model (4-km horizontal grid spacing) is used to examine the following question: How will long-term changes in climate impact the partitioning of annual precipitation between evapotranspiration and runoff in the Colorado Headwaters?This question is examined using a climate sensitivity approach in which eight years of current climate is compared to a future climate created by modifying the current climate signal with perturbation from the NCAR Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3), model forced by the A1B scenario for greenhouse gases out to 2050. The current climate period is shown to agree well with Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) surface observations of precipitation (P) and snowpack, as well as streamflow and AmeriFlux evapotranspiration (ET) observations. The results show that the annual evaporative fraction (ET/P) for the Colorado Headwaters is 0.81 for the current climate and 0.83 for the future climate, indicating increasing aridity in the future despite a p...
The impact of current-valued data on the predictive judgments of investors

Abstract This research employed a human information processing experiment to study the impact of replacement cost (RC) on the predictive judgments of investors. Sophisticated and unsophisticated investors were provided with either historic cost (HC) or both HC and RC data and were asked to predict the share price performance of chemical and drug stocks. The RC data were associated with lower accuracy and consensus among those who were relatively high users of it as determined by their response models.
Teaching About Genetic Testing Issues in the Undergraduate Classroom: A Case Study

Educating undergraduates about current genetic testing and genomics can involve novel and creative teaching practices. The higher education literature describes numerous pedagogical approaches in the laboratory designed to engage science and liberal arts students. Often these experiences involve students analyzing their own genes for various polymorphisms, some of which are associated with disease states such as an increased risk for developing cancer. While the literature acknowledges possible ethical ramifications of such laboratory exercises, authors do not present recommendations or rubrics for evaluating whether or not the testing is, in fact, ethical. In response, we developed a laboratory investigation and discussion which allowed undergraduate science students to explore current DNA manipulation techniques to isolate their p53 gene, followed by a dialogue probing the ethical implications of examining their sample for various polymorphisms. Students never conducted genotyping on their samples because of ethical concerns, so the discussion served to replace actual genetic testing in the class. A basic scientist led the laboratory portion of the assignment. A genetic counselor facilitated the discussion, which centered around existing ethical guidelines for clinical genetic testing and possible challenges of human genotyping outside the medical setting. In their final papers, students demonstrated an understanding of the practice guidelines established by the genetics community and acknowledged the ethical considerations inherent in p53 genotyping. Given the burgeoning market for personalized medicine, teaching undergraduates about the psychosocial and ethical dimensions of human gene testing seems important and timely, and introduces an additional role genetic counselors can play in educating consumers about genomics.
Management of Hyperlipidemia: Diet and Drugs

• A simplified schema for the diagnosis and classification of the hyperlipidemias is provided, along with explicit guidelines for when to employ diet and drug treatment, with a distinction made between "normal" cholesterol levels in our society and the "ideal." ( Arch Surg 113:55-60, 1978)
Site-specific interaction of ATPase-pumped protons with photosystem II in chloroplast thylakoid membranes.

The chloroplast thylakoid ATPase proton pump-driven H+ accumulation in the dark was compared to the light-dependent proton pump driven by either photosystem II or I, in regard to the effects of the resultant acidity on chemical modification reactions. The assays used to detect the acidity effects were: (a) the incorporation of [3H]-acetic anhydride into membrane protein −NH2 groups, and (b) the effect of a certain level of that chemical modification on inhibition of photosystem II water oxidation activity. Based on labeling data with [3H]-acetic anhydride, 20–30 nmol · (mg chl)−1 of −NH 3 + groups appear to be metastable in the dark in untreated membranes. The term metastable is used because proton leak-inducing treatments in the dark lead to about 20–30 nmol · (mg chl)−1 increase in acetic anhydride labeling, probably due to reaction with the −NH2 form of amine groups. Addition of low levels of uncoupler or a brief thermal treatment caused a loss of protons from the membrane equivalent to the increase in acetic anhydride derivatization. The increase in acetic anhydride derivatization caused inhibition of water oxidation activity. Using thermally sensitized membranes, photosystem II but not photosystem I electron transport (each giving a steady-state proton accumulation of about 50 nmol H+ · (mg chl)−1 restored the lower level of acetic anhydride reactivity as in previous results (Bakeret al., 1981). In dark-maintained, thermally treated membranes, ATPase activity, i.e., the proton pump associated with it, also restored the lower level of acetic anhydride labeling, and again acetic anhydride no longer inhibited water oxidation. Because photosystem I activity did not elicit this type of response to acetic anhydride, there appears to be a pathway for ATPase pumped protons which allows them to reach a restricted domain, perhaps intramembrane, common with the photosystem II water oxidation mechanism and unavailable to protons pumped by photosystem I. The membrane structure(s) which determines this site specificity is not yet understood.
Electron-Beam Guiding and Phase-Mix Damping by an Electrostatically Charged Wire

A new and relatively simple method has been developed to focus and guide electron beams without the use of a magnetic field. The scheme relies on the electrostatic charging of a highly resistive wire in the presence of a beam. The beam is then strongly guided and focused by the oppositely charged wire. In addition, the highly anharmonic nature of the wire potential leads to rapid phase-mix damping of transverse beam displacements and radial pulsations.
On aggression, human rights, and hegemonic discourse: The case of a murder for family honor in Israel

Gossip, while a mean-spirited act of verbal aggression, has recently been considered eufunctional because it affirms traditional morality, social cohesion, and cultural stability. In a similar vein, in the name of cultural diversity, human rights anthropologists affirm the value of tradition, cohesion and stability. Extending Nader's theoretical framework on hegemonic discourse, this paper demonstrates the androcentricity inherent in these views. When Arab village women's gossip creates the climate in which the murder of a young woman is inevitable, a feminist anthropological perspective addressing the androcentric hegemonic discourse on aggression and human rights, however sensitive to multiple voices, requires challenging the assumption that aggression is eufunctional because tradition, cohesion, and stability are inherently positive.
Implementation and Resistance: Networking to Create and Renegotiate Natura 2000

Abstract The implementation of the European Union's flagship conservation initiative— Natura 2000—has been particularly drawn out and difficult in the French Basque province of Soule. Local actors have vigorously resisted the creation of Natura 2000 sites and the design of management plans for these sites. This article examines the network of actors and organizations that sprung up to resist Natura 2000 alongside the network designed for its implementation. It explores the role of ethnography in network analysis and discusses the implications of this analysis for conservation policy.
MLS observations of lower stratospheric ClO and O3 in the 1992 southern hemisphere winter

UARS MLS measurements of ClO in the 1992 Southern Hemisphere winter are described. Lower stratospheric ClO abundances greater than 1 ppbv were observed in the vortex beginning 1 June. The enhanced ClO reached largest areal extent in mid-August, then retreated poleward. ClO abundances at 22 hPa decreased in early September while those at 46 hPa remained high. O3 decrease within the vortex was observed by mid-August, and was coincident with the enhanced ClO.
The Negative Stereotyping of Single Persons Scale: Initial Psychometric Development

Objectives The current study presents an initial psychometric analysis of a three-dimensional scale designed to measure stereotyping of people who are single, defined as not currently legally marri...
An innovative two-channel rate and morphology method for complex arrhythmia diagnosis in impiantatile devices

Impiantatile cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are highly effective in preventing sudden cardiac death. However, false-positive diagnoses cause inappropriate device shocks estimated to be as high as 40%. To address this problem, the Augmented Two-Channel Arrhythmia Detection [A2CAD] algorithm, a real-time scheme utilizing information from both the atrial and ventricular channels, is introduced. The algorithm uses rate detection as a first stage and augments this with morphological signal analysis in rhythms that confound the rate-only diagnoses. Results from 40 patient cases indicate 100% success rate for A2CAD, validating its potential for implementation in future implantable devices.
Microstructural effects of processing in the plastic-bonded explosive Composition A-3

Abstract Multiscale model development for composites such as plastic-bonded explosives (PBXs) is critical for assessing structural integrity and behavior and for developing new materials. For models to be successful they must reproduce bulk material responses while incorporating important microstructural features. These features arise at the mesoscale during processing, and while they have commensurate effects on composite material response they are not easily identified or characterized. Here, we study Composition A-3 as a representative PBX, chosen both for relevance to the field and as a tractable formulation to model. Composition A-3 is formulated by mixing micron-scale explosive crystals with an emulsified polyethylene solution, then breaking the emulsion to form small crystal/polyethylene agglomerates suitable for pressing and machining. Key aspects of this formulation process that may potentially affect the microstructure were identified. Specifically, the emulsification chemicals in a model system were found to partially dissolve or degrade the explosive and create a diffuse interface between the crystal and binder. The diffuse interfaces, along with some of the chemicals that remain in the composite after manufacture, create a heterogeneous multicomponent system that likely influences adhesion, void formation, and crack formation. The observed interfaces may be difficult to model. These results are compared with previous interfacial studies in other PBX materials, and the necessity of including such data in mesoscale models is discussed.
Impact of Bayer Process Liquor Impurities on Causticization

Spent liquor from a high-temperature Jamaican alumina refinery was analyzed to determine levels (g/L) of the following impurities (p = 0.05): oxalate, 2.74 ± 0.52; sulfate, 23.23 ± 3.00; chloride, 6.36 ± 0.50; fluoride, 2.49 ± 0.05; thiosulfate, 2.47 ± 0.62; ethanoate, 5.16 ± 0.72; and organic carbon, 23.68 ± 1.99. GC/MS analysis of the liquor revealed the following relative contents of organic constituents: dibutyl and ethylhexyl phthalates, 50%; 2-hydroxyphenylethanone, 10.2%; (1H-pyrrol-2-yl)ethanone, 8.7%; 4-hydroxy-2-methylacetophenone, 6.5%; 2,4-dimethylphenol, 6.1%; 3-methylphenol, 5.0%; methyl-2-pyrollidinone, 4.8%; 1-methoxy-3-phenoxybenzene, 4.4%; 5-amino-1-naphtol, 2.2%; and tri-, hexa-, and heptadecene, 2.1%. Tests done to examine the impact of some of these impurities on causticization using both synthetic Bayer liquor and caustic soda revealed fluoride as having the greatest negative impact on the causticization reaction (37% and 28%, respectively). Alumina was also shown to reduce caustic...
Spatio-spectral reconstruction of the multispectral datacube using sparse recovery

Multispectral scene information is useful for radiometric graphics, material identification and imaging systems simulation. The multispectral scene can be described as a datacube, which is a 3D representation of energy at multiple wavelength samples at each scene spatial location. Typically, multispectral scene data are acquired using costly methods that either employ tunable filters or light sources to capture multiple narrow-bands of the spectrum at each spatial point. In this paper, we present new computational methods that estimate the datacube from measurements with a conventional digital camera. Existing methods reconstruct spectra at single locations independently of their neighbors. In contrast, we present a method that jointly recovers the spatio-spectral datacube by exploiting the data sparsity in a transform representation.
TRPV1 Channels Mediate Long-Term Depression at Synapses on Hippocampal Interneurons

Summary TRPV1 receptors have classically been defined as heat-sensitive, ligand-gated, nonselective cation channels that integrate nociceptive stimuli in sensory neurons. TRPV1 receptors have also been identified in the brain, but their physiological role is poorly understood. Here we report that TRPV1 channel activation is necessary and sufficient to trigger long-term synaptic depression (LTD). Excitatory synapses onto hippocampal interneurons were depressed by either capsaicin, a potent TRPV1 channel activator, or the endogenously released eicosanoid, 12-(S)-HPETE, whereas neighboring excitatory synapses onto CA1 pyramidal cells were unaffected. TRPV1 receptor antagonists also prevented interneuron LTD. In brain slices from TRPV1 −/− mice, LTD was absent, and neither capsaicin nor 12-(S)-HPETE elicited synaptic depression. Our results suggest that, in the hippocampus, TRPV1 receptor activation selectively modifies synapses onto interneurons. Like other forms of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, TRPV1-mediated LTD may have a role in long-term changes in physiological and pathological circuit behavior during learning and epileptic activity.
Use of laboratory studies to develop a dispersal model for Missouri River pallid sturgeon early life intervals

Summary Understanding the drift dynamics of pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) early life intervals is critical to evaluating damming effects on sturgeons. However, studying dispersal behavior is difficult in rivers. In stream tanks, we studied the effect of velocity on dispersal and holding ability, estimated swimming height, and used the data to estimate drift distance of pallid sturgeon. Dispersal was by days 0–10 embryos until fish developed into larvae on day 11 after 200 CTU (daily cumulative temperature units). Embryos in tanks with a mean channel velocity of 30.1 cm s )1 and a side eddy could not hold position in the eddy, so current controlled dispersal. Late embryos (days 6–10 fish) dispersed more passes per hour than early embryos (days 0–5 fish) and held position in side eddies when channel velocities were 17.3 cm s )1 or 21.1 cm s )1 . Day and night swim-up and drift by embryos is an effective adaptation to disperse fish in channel flow and return fish from side eddies to the channel. Early embryos swam <0.50 cm above the bottom and late embryos swam higher (mean, 90 cm). A passive drift model using a near bottom velocity of 32 cm s )1 predicted that embryos dispersing for 11 days in channel flow would travel 304 km. Embryos spawned at Fort Peck Dam, Missouri River, must stop dispersal in <330 km or enter Lake Sakakawea, where survival is likely poor. The model suggests there may be a mismatch between embryo dispersal distance and location of suitable rearing habitat. This situation may be common for pallid sturgeon in dammed rivers.
Counteract of bone marrow of blotchy mice against the increases of plasma copper levels induced by high-fat diets in LDLR−/− mice

Abstract Background Bone marrow of blotchy mouse (blotchy marrow) reflects the function of transmembrane domain and relevant intramembrane sites of ATP7A in myeloid cells. By chronic infusion of angiotensin II, we previously found that blotchy marrow plays a minor role in regulating plasma copper. Moreover, the recipients of blotchy marrow presented a moderate reduction of plasma lipids and inflammatory mediator production. Little is known about whether these changes are a specific response to angiotensin II or reveal a more general role of ATP7A. Objective and design We investigated if blotchy marrow reduces plasma lipids and inflammatory mediators induced by high-fat diets. To test this hypothesis, blotchy and control marrows were reconstituted to the recipient mice (irradiated male LDLR−/− mice), followed by high-fat-diet feeding for 4 months. At the end points, plasma metals (copper, zinc and iron), lipid profiling (cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipids and lipoprotein) and six inflammatory mediators (lymphotacin, MCP3, MCP5, TIMP1, VEGF-A and IP-10) were measured. Parallel experiments were performed using male LDLR−/− mice fed either high-fat diets or chow diets for 4 months. Results In addition to hyperlipidemia and low-grade inflammation, high-fat diets selectively increased plasma copper concentration compared to chow diets in LDLR−/− mice. After high-fat-diet feeding, the recipients with blotchy marrow showed a decrease in plasma copper ( p p p p p p p p p Conclusion Our studies showed that blotchy marrow counteracts the increased copper levels induced by high-fat diets, indicating that circulating myeloid cells can regulate blood copper levels via ATP7A. Moreover, transplantation of blotchy marrow followed by high-fat diets leads to a decrease in lipid profile and an increase in inflammatory mediator production. Overall, blotchy marrow mediates divergent responses to angiotensin II and high-fat diets in vivo.
The metabolic fate of [porphyrin-14C] cytochrome c in dogs

Abstract [Porphyrin-14C] cytochrome c (isolated from tissues of dogs injected with [14C] ALA) was given intravenously to one normal and one bile fistula dog. Essentially all of the injected 14C was excreted in the urine during the first six days. No (unchanged) cytochrome c was detectable in the urine. Analysis of 14C and of light absorption at 400 nm in the successive eluates from Florisil columns showed that all 14C peaks coincided with pigment peaks, but some pigment peaks has no increase in 14C. The relative distribution of 14C in these pigment peaks changed markedly between the first and third days. Delayed excretion of some 14C suggested cellular uptake of cytochrome c prior to the urinary excretion of its endogenous metabolites.
The folklore of state socialism: Semiotics and the study of the Soviet state

(1983). The folklore of state socialism: Semiotics and the study of the Soviet state. Soviet Studies: Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 471-486.
Encountering Tragedy: Rousseau and the Project of Democratic Order. By Steven Johnston. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1999. 189p. $29.95.

Rousseau is known as both exalted democrat and father of totalitarianism. Steven Johnston's book demonstrates that the two interpretations cannot be separated. Johnston evaluates Rousseau's texts hoping that the “costs of Rousseau's virtuous republic, many of them hidden or muted, can be reckoned alongside its accomplishments” (p. x.). Not surprisingly, Rousseau's accomplishments are called into question. This elegantly written and forcefully argued book claims that order is the essential ingredient in Rousseau's recipe for democracy. Developing the argument via Nietzsche's tragic perspective, Johnston wonders aloud whether all attempts at democracy will collapse under the weight of their internal contradictions.
Synthesis of platelet activating factor by tissues from the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri.

Abstract In mammals, platelet activating factor (PAF, 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-phosphocholine) is a lipid mediator with biological activity at concentrations in the subnanomolar range. Although PAF is known to have many activities in mammals, little is known about its synthesis and importance in other vertebrate groups. We demonstrate here the synthesis of PAF from [3H]acetate by slices of trout gill, kidney, liver and spleen. PAF synthesis was stimulated by the calcium ionophore A23187 and was time-dependent. The radiolabeled PAF produced was characterized by TLC, HPLC, derivatization and by saponification and phospholipase A2 hydrolysis. These findings suggest that PAF may be an important mediator in fish.
ANALYSIS OF PROSTATE CANCER BY PROTEOMICS USING TISSUE SPECIMENS

ABSTRACTPurpose: Prostate cancer cells differ from their normal counterpart in gene expression. Therefore, cancer and normal tissue/cells would show differences in their proteomes. From a diagnostic standpoint differences in the composition of secreted protein species are especially relevant. We used ProteinChip Array (Ciphergen Biosystems, Fremont, California) surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization (SELDI) time of flight mass spectrometry to profile prostate tissue samples to generate phenomic fingerprints. We used quantitative proteomics based on glycopeptide capture followed by tandem mass spectrometry to identify differentially expressed proteins.Materials and Methods: Patient matched cancer and noncancer specimens were digested by collagenase to single cells. After digestion the cells were pelleted and the cell-free supernatant was used for analysis. A reversed phase hydrophobic ProteinChip Array was used to generate SELDI patterns from 43 primary prostate tumors, including 26 with matched nonc...
Female sexual dysfunction is being medicalized by the pharmaceutical industry: Pro

Medicalization is a key process of social change and social influence. It occurs not merely because of scientific developments, but because biomedical claims are actively promoted by those with professional and economic interests in expanding medical domains. This article examines how women’s sexual health is being medicalized by the pharmaceutical industry, and why that poorly serves women’s real sexual lives.
On making things the best - Aeronautical uses of optimization /Wright Bros. lecture/

The paper's purpose is to summarize and evaluate the results of an investigation into the degree to which formal optimization methods have contributed practically to the design and operation of atmospheric flight vehicles. The nature of this technology is reviewed and illustrated with simple structural examples. A series of published successful applications is described, from the fields of aerodynamics, structures, guidance and control, optimal trajectories and vehicle configuration optimization. The corresponding improvements over conventional analysis are assessed. Speculations are offered as to why these tools have made such little headway toward acceptance by designers. The growing need for their use in the future is explained; they hold out an unparalleled opportunity for improved efficiencies.
Comparison of two kinds of Biolog microplates (GN and ECO) in their ability to distinguish among aquatic microbial communities.

Abstract We compared the abilities of Biolog’s GN and ECO plates to distinguish among aerobic and heterotrophic bacterial communities in samples from six aquatic environments. The Biolog system is based on interpreting patterns of sole-carbon substrate utilization indicated by color development in a 96-well microtiter plate. Whether of fresh or saltwater origin, bacterial communities utilized >95% of substrates in both types of plates. Samples from any one environment exhibited similar time courses of average well color development (AWCD) in both GN and ECO plates. Principal component analysis was performed on data sets resulting from combinations of algorithms (AWCD and curve-integration methods) and levels of color development (end-point and set-point approaches). In all cases, the two types of plates demonstrated an equal capacity to discriminate among the heterotrophic expressions of the six microbial communities. Substantial deviation from an anticipated 1:1 correspondence occurred when color development of 25 substrates common to both types of plates was compared. The discrepancies likely are related to the different formulations of low-nutrient media in GN and ECO plates.
Assessing undergraduate use of electronic resources: A quantitative analysis of works cited☆

Abstract This study reports undergraduate use of electronic resources as measured through the quantitative analysis of 291 student bibliographies submitted for courses in ten undergraduate institutions in the Greater Philadelphia Area. The authors found relatively few citations of electronic sources (7%) and agreat deal of confusion about the citation format itself. No relationship was found between instruction in the use of electronic resources and increased usage of these sources. Three institutions whose students used a number of electronic resources did provide useful teaching models for further study.
Routing-based map matching for extracting routes from GPS trajectories

This paper introduces a novel offline map matching approach. We develop a routing-based map matching approach for standardizing identified routes in a collected set of GPS trajectories. Our approach first identifies key waypoints in a user's GPS trajectory using a modified Peucker curve reduction algorithm. Subsequently, it sends the key waypoints to a black-box driving directions service which returns a route utilizing each of the key waypoints. The returned route is a standardized representation of the original GPS trajectory constructed using the minimum necessary set of points. A filter-and-refine approach is used to identify the incorrect portion of the returned route and a refine step is carried out by eliminating the waypoints what leads to the incorrect matching. Experiments results showed that the proposed approach works well for a data-set of 10 volunteers each collecting data an average of 34.3 days.
Frequency of kidney rejection in diabetic patients undergoing simultaneous kidney and pancreatic islet cell transplantation

An increased frequency of kidney rejection has been reported in diabetic patients who have simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation compared with patients who have a kidney transplant alone. Kidney graft outcome is similar in the two groups. The mechanism for increased kidney graft rejection with a simultaneous pancreas graft is not clear. It is ascribed to the immunogenicity of the exocrine pancreas that initiates migration of activated cells from the peripheral blood that are entrapped in the kidney. Since the volume of the transplanted tissue is less in islet transplantation (usually <2 ml) than in pancreas transplantation, one might not expect an increased frequency of kidney rejection in islet cell recipients
Conjugated π Systems with Heavy Main Group Elements— A Stable Neutral Silaarene and the First Tetrasilabutadiene

Sufficient steric protection and the right experimental procedures have been the key to success in the synthesis of 2-silanaphthalene 1 and tetrasilabutadiene 2 by the groups of Tokitoh/Okazaki and Weidenbruch, respectively. Both substances are important model compounds that allow the study of conjugation effects in hetero π systems.
Synthesis of large-aperture optics by successive exposure of a single photographic plate through successively placed small-aperture optics: Part I. Theory

Abstract The long-sought extension to the optical domain of the Ryle (1957) computer-synthesis ‘synthetic-aperture radio telescope’ principle has been obtained by simple photographic synthesis of the ‘high-resolution’ image in a single photograph, exposed successively through sets of small apertures, placed successively to generate the spatial frequency components of the desired large aperture.
Precise Positioning of Electrostatic MEMS: A Non-Contacting Approach

Previously, precise positioning of electrostatic MEMS devices has been achieved using mechanical contact between movable and fixed components. A disadvantage of this approach is that stiction at the contact may eventually lead to device failure. This paper presents an alternative approach, whereby a desired configuration is defined by the intersection of two comb structures—one movable and the other fixed. Extremum-seeking control drives the movable electrode to this desired configuration by maximizing the mutual capacitance between the two comb structures. As in the case of mechanical contact, the device structure primarily determines the actuated configuration rather than precise sensing or actuation. However, because the comb structures never physically contact each other, stiction failure is eliminated.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Administration of carbamazepine in the nucleus of the solitary tract inhibits the antihypertensive effect of clonidine.

Abstract The effects of carbamazepine administration into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) on central α 2 -adrenergic cardiovascular function were studied in normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Stereotaxic microinjections of carbamazepine (288 ng/60 nl) into the NTS of SHR transiently increased blood pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity. These effects were followed by a modest depressor and bradycardic effect, with no change in sympathetic nerve activity. In addition, previous intra-NTS administration of carbamazepine attenuated the antihypertensive effect of the centrally acting α 2 -adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine. Similar carbamazepine effects were observed in the WKY rats. These results suggest that some of the cardiovascular changes observed during carbamazepine treatment involve antagonism of central noradrenergic mechanisms.
Performance of a rosette assay between lymphocytes and sheep erythrocytes at elevated temperatures to study patients with cancer and other diseases.

Abstract When the rosette assay between T lymphocytes and sheep erythrocytes was performed at elevated temperatures, significant differences were observed between the proportion of rosette-forming cells (RFC) of normal adults and those from patients with cancer. At 20°C, eight of ten cancer patients had normal levels of RFC. At 29 and 33°C, nine of those ten patients had rosette levels significantly below the normal mean. In a study of nine patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, discrimination between patients and controls was also greater at higher temperatures. A rosette assay was then performed at 29°C with blood specimens from 50 normal controls, 50 patients with malignant disease, and 100 individuals with a variety of benign diseases. Forty-one of 50 patients with cancer had significantly depressed proportions of rosette-forming cells at 29°C when compared to normal volunteers (mean of 38 ± 10% vs 54 ± 5%). Low percentages of 29°C RFC were also observed with viral infection, alcoholic liver disease, and in patients immediately following myocardial infarction or surgery. In contrast, the percentages of 29°C RFC were normal in 57 of 60 patients with other benign diseases. These studies suggest an alteration of T-cell receptors for sheep red blood cells in cancer and certain other diseases resulting in decreased rosette cohesiveness at elevated temperatures.
LESSONS FROM ANIMAL MODELS OF ATRIAL ARRHYTHMIAS

Experimental studies of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter began nearly a century ago and have provided much of the fundamental understanding of reentrant cardiac arrhythmias.'s, 23 This article presents selected lessons from these studies that pertain to the mechanisms and predisposing factors for flutter and fibrillation and approaches to treatment by antiarrhythmic drugs. Experimental studies also provide lessons for the effects of ablation and surgical lesions on prevention or facilitation of atrial fibrillation and flutter. REENTRANT EXCITATION
Increased tumour response of a murine fibrosarcoma to low temperature hyperthermia and low dose rate brachytherapy

The present animal tumour study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of low temperature hyperthermia combined with low dose rate radiation based on the cell culture studies of our laboratory and others that demonstrated a significant radiosensitization obtained by low temperature hyperthermia and low dose rate radiation. Well-oxygenated murine fibrosarcoma Meth-A tumours growing in Balb/c mice were treated with heat (41 degrees C tumour temperature) by immersion of the tumour-bearing leg in a waterbath concurrently with low dose rate radiation. Radiation was delivered using 192Ir interstitial implantation at absolute dose rates of 0.416-0.542 Gy/h. The effect of heat alone on tumour growth and normal tissue was minimal. Tumour growth delay following 30 Gy radiation was 4.9 days. Significant delay in tumour growth was observed with the addition of low temperature hyperthermia delivered concurrently. Enhancement in radiation response was seen with increasing duration of heat treatment; tumour growth delays were 9.5 days following 4 h heat (41 degrees C) treatment and 16 days following 6 h treatment. Three sessions of fractionated hyperthermia 4 h/day during the course of low dose-rate radiation significantly delayed tumour growth to 18.6 days. The results indicate that fractionated heat treatment in conjunction with low dose rate radiation has potential for improving tumour response without adversely affecting normal tissue reaction. This in vivo study represents an extension of the cell culture data and provides further radiobiological basis for the combined use of low temperature hyperthermia and low dose rate radiation.
Some Optical Properties of Bi2Te3-Bi2Se3 Alloys

(1957). Some Optical Properties of Bi2Te3-Bi2Se3 Alloys. Journal of Electronics and Control: Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 236-237.
Occurrence of Cyclic di-GMP-Modulating Output Domains in Cyanobacteria: an Illuminating Perspective

ABSTRACT Microorganisms use a variety of metabolites to respond to external stimuli, including second messengers that amplify primary signals and elicit biochemical changes in a cell. Levels of the second messenger cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) are regulated by a variety of environmental stimuli and play a critical role in regulating cellular processes such as biofilm formation and cellular motility. Cyclic di-GMP signaling systems have been largely characterized in pathogenic bacteria; however, proteins that can impact the synthesis or degradation of c-di-GMP are prominent in cyanobacterial species and yet remain largely underexplored. In cyanobacteria, many putative c-di-GMP synthesis or degradation domains are found in genes that also harbor light-responsive signal input domains, suggesting that light is an important signal for altering c-di-GMP homeostasis. Indeed, c-di-GMP-associated domains are often the second most common output domain in photoreceptors—outnumbered only by a histidine kinase output domain. Cyanobacteria differ from other bacteria regarding the number and types of photoreceptor domains associated with c-di-GMP domains. Due to the widespread distribution of c-di-GMP domains in cyanobacteria, we investigated the evolutionary origin of a subset of genes. Phylogenetic analyses showed that c-di-GMP signaling systems were present early in cyanobacteria and c-di-GMP genes were both vertically and horizontally inherited during their evolution. Finally, we compared intracellular levels of c-di-GMP in two cyanobacterial species under different light qualities, confirming that light is an important factor for regulating this second messenger in vivo . IMPORTANCE This study shows that many proteins containing cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP)-regulatory domains in cyanobacteria are associated with photoreceptor domains. Although the functional roles of c-di-GMP domain-containing proteins in cyanobacteria are only beginning to emerge, the abundance of these multidomain proteins in cyanobacteria that occupy diverse habitats ranging from freshwater to marine to soil environments suggests an important role for the regulation of c-di-GMP in these organisms. Indeed, we showed that light distinctly regulates c-di-GMP levels in Fremyella diplosiphon and Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803. Our findings are consistent with the occurrence of c-di-GMP domains based on evolutionary origin and as an adaptation to specific habitat characteristics. Phylogenetic analyses of these domains clearly separate two distinctive clades, one composed of domains belonging predominantly to cyanobacteria and the other belonging to a mix of cyanobacteria and other bacteria. We further demonstrate that in cyanobacteria the acquisition of c-di-GMP signaling domains occurred both vertically and horizontally.
Prediction of neuropeptide cleavage sites in insects

Motivation: The production of neuropeptides from their precursor proteins is the result of a complex series of enzymatic processing steps. Often, the annotation of new neuropeptide genes from sequence information outstrips biochemical assays and so bioinformatics tools can provide rapid information on the most likely peptides produced by a gene. Predicting the final bioactive neuropeptides from precursor proteins requires accurate algorithms to determine which locations in the protein are cleaved. Results: Predictive models were trained on Apis mellifera and Drosophila melanogaster precursors using binary logistic regression, multi-layer perceptron and k-nearest neighbor models. The final predictive models included specific amino acids at locations relative to the cleavage sites. Correct classification rates ranged from 78 to 100% indicating that the models adequately predicted cleaved and non-cleaved positions across a wide range of neuropeptide families and insect species. The model trained on D.melanogaster data had better generalization properties than the model trained on A. mellifera for the data sets considered. The reliable and consistent performance of the models in the test data sets suggests that the bioinformatics strategies proposed here can accurately predict neuropeptides in insects with sequence information based on neuropeptides with biochemical and sequence information in well-studied species. Contact: rodrgzzs@uiuc.edu Supplementary information: Sequences and cleavage information are available at Bioinformatics online.
Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) regulates monocyte differentiation and functions in mBSA and IL-1β-induced arthritis.

Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) plays an important role in the regulation of a variety of immune cells, including monocytes. We have previously shown that KLF2 inhibits proinflammatory activation of monocytes. However, the role of KLF2 in arthritis is yet to be investigated. In the current study, we show that recruitment of significantly greater numbers of inflammatory subset of CD11b+F4/80+Ly6C+ monocytes to the inflammatory sites in KLF2 hemizygous mice compared to the wild type littermate controls. In parallel, inflammatory mediators, MCP-1, Cox-2 and PAI-1 were significantly up-regulated in bone marrow-derived monocytes isolated from KLF2 hemizygous mice, in comparison to wild-type controls. Methylated-BSA and IL-1β-induced arthritis was more severe in KLF2 hemizygous mice as compared to the littermate wild type controls. Consistent with this observation, monocytes isolated from KLF2 hemizygous mice showed an increased number of cells matured and differentiated towards osteoclastic lineage, potentially contributing to the severity of cartilage and bone damage in induced arthritic mice. The severity of arthritis was associated with the higher expression of proteins such as HSP60, HSP90 and MMP13 and attenuated levels of pPTEN, p21, p38 and HSP25/27 molecules in bone marrow cells of arthritic KLF2 hemizygous mice compared to littermate wild type controls. The data provide new insights and evidences of KLF2-mediated transcriptional regulation of arthritis via modulation of monocyte differentiation and function.