cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synergistic activation by cis-fatty acid and diacylglycerol of protein kinase C and protein phosphorylation in hippocampal slices.

Abstract cis-Unsaturated fatty acid, which activates protein kinase C in vitro, stimulates protein phosphorylation in intact hippocampal slices. Two protein bands (44,000 and 47,000 mol. wt) are particularly sensitive to cis-fatty acid and are phosphorylated in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The cis-fatty acid-stimulated protein phosphorylation can be further potentiated with diacylglycerol or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. Several lines of evidence indicate that the cis-fatty acid-stimulated phosphorylation of these proteins is mediated by protein kinase C. First, the cis-fatty acid effect is mimicked by other protein kinase C activators such as diacylglycerol. Second, the stimulation of the phosphorylation by these activators can be blocked by staurosporine, which potently inhibits protein kinase C. Third, a concomitant application of cis-fatty acid and diacylglycerol or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate enhances the 44,000 and 47,000 mol. wt phosphorylation in a synergistic manner, which is a novel activation mode for protein kinase C. Fourth, they can be phosphorylated by purified protein kinase C (type III: α). Moreover, the synergistic activation of purified protein kinase C by cis-fatty acid and diacylglycerol leads to a drastic increase in the phosphorylation of these two protein bands. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis revealed that they are both acidic proteins. The 47,000 mol. wt band consists of two protein components; one is found to be F1/growth-associated protein-43 (pI = 4.5), and the other 47,000 mol. wt protein has broad pI ranging from 4.6 to 4.9. The 44,000 mol. wt component is a major phosphoprotein with pI of 4.8–5.1. Our results strongly indicate that cis-fatty acid can act as a regulator of endogenous protein kinase C in concert with diacylglycerol, and stimulate protein phosphorylation of its substrates such as F1/growth-associated protein-43 in the hippocampus.
Self‐efficacy and alternative conceptions of science of preservice elementary teachers

The purpose of this study was to discover to what extent certain common alternative conceptions are held by preservice elementary teachers, to determine the relationship between science teaching efficacy and the number of alternative conceptions held, and to determine the relationship between science teaching efficacy and the holding of specific alternative conceptions. A survey that measured both science teaching efficacy and alternative conceptions of science was administered to 619 preservice elementary teachers. The study found that participants with the greatest number of correct answers had significantly higher self-efficacy measures than those with the fewest correct answers; however, there was no relationship between the number of alternative conceptions held and science teaching efficacy. This study also found that the holding of certain alternative conceptions was associated with persons of low self-efficacy. These alternative conceptions were: that planets can be seen only with a telescope; that dinosaurs lived at the same time as cave-men; that a rusty nail weighs less than the iron that it came from; that electricity is used up in appliances; and that north is toward the top of a map of Antarctica. Why these alternative conceptions are related to lower self-efficacy, and not the others may lie in the fact that these five alternative conceptions are each fundamental barriers to a full understanding of their respective sciences. Recognizing that there may be many causes of a low self-efficacy among preservice elementary teachers with regard to teaching science, the data presented in this study may suggest that one of those causes might be the holding of certain alternative conceptions of science. This study may also show that not all alternative conceptions are of equal importance to the science educator. Some alternative conceptions may represent greater barriers to learning than others. If so, then teachers and teacher educators need to place a greater emphasis on the understanding of these basic but critical conceptions of science. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed82:553–568, 1998.
Dossier: State territoriality - strategic territorialisation: the politics of Anglo-Montrealers

Constitutional entanglements in Canada–Quebec relations are well known. From one referendum on Quebec’s sovereignty to the other, from one pan–Canadian constitutional meeting to the other, the ‘Quebec problem’ seems irresolvable. One dimension is constantly overlooked in this debate: territorial identity. Territorially–based cultural claims emerge in the core of urban Quebec under the leadership of partitionist and localist movements. Originally based in Montreal, the partitionist movement is driven by Anglo–Que´be´cois claims over local municipalities and certain parcels of the territory in the event of an independent Quebec. This paper seeks to understand a dual reterritorialisation process: 1) state territorial rescaling policies such as decentralisation and metropolitan reform, and 2) the use of territorial claims underpinning social mobilisation strategies. When state territorial restructuring policies do not correspond with the local territorial political culture, as I argue in the case of a ‘frontier–city’ like Montreal, it spurs the activation of strategic territorialisation. This paper begins with an analysis of Montreal’s territorial political culture, rooted in the coexistence of opposite territorial myths and a common feeling of distinctiveness. Then follows a discussion of strategic territorialisation and the poly–scalar nature of such mobilisation.
A single centre experience of the efficacy and safety of dabigatran etexilate used for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.

The use of novel anticoagulants such as dabigatran are increasing. Despite increased risks of intracerebral haemorrhage with warfarin among Asians, there is little published data on dabigatran to assess ‘real world’ efficacy and safety of dabigatran therapy in Asia. This was a retrospective observational study of patients prescribed dabigatran between 2010 and 2013. Data was available for 510 patients: median age 68 years (range 20–91), median CHA2DS2-VASc score was 2 and median HAS-BLED score was 2. The average follow-up duration of 315 days (range: 1–1,096). The overall discontinuation rate was 16 % after a median 252 days of treatment with dabigatran. There were 17 (3.3 %) patients with minor bleeding, 2 (0.4 %) had major bleeding episodes. 20 patients (3.9 %) developed dyspepsia which was the most common side effect. The rate of occurrences of adverse effects and bleeding were lower than those seen in the RE-LY trial. None of the patients had an ischaemic stroke, 1 (0.2 %) patient had a haemorrhagic stroke. Out of 510 patients, 158 patients (31 %) were switched to dabigatran from warfarin. This showed that patients frequently preferred the dabigatran due to convenience when given a choice to switch from warfarin. We report one of the largest registry of Asian patients. Reassuringly, we found that our cohort had a low rate of rate of ischaemic stroke, low rates of side effects and bleeding with the drug.
Predict and Assure the Matchable Degree in Selective Assembly via PCI-based Tolerance

Selective assembly is a method to achieve high precision fit using low precision parts. The current practices in selective assembly lack a physical process model to guide the design and process of mating parts, consequently, selective assembly is often a nightmare for manufacturing people and historically an event to be avoided. Process capability indices (PCIs) are the widely accepted process parameters, functioning as a measure of process performance, such as process centering, process spread, process bias, etc. In this paper, the concept of PCI-based tolerance is proposed as an interface between quality requirements and statistical process control (SPC) parameters. An analytical model involving PCI-based tolerance is developed to predict and assure the matchable degree in selective assembly. A detailed case study of the fit of dry liners and cylinder blocks in a diesel engine is presented. As matchable degree and other process quality requirements can be assured at the stage of design by introducing PCI-based tolerance, the process of selective assembly can be improved significantly as an effective way to achieve precision assembly with economical manufacturing processes.
Alternative prey disrupt biocontrol by a guild of generalist predators

We examined the potential of a guild of generalist predators to control Colorado potato beetles (“CPB,” Leptinotarsa decemlineata) on potato. We were interested in determining whether beetle suppression would change with varying predator density, and with varying background densities of green peach aphids (“GPA,” Myzus persicae), which are common alternative prey for the predators in the field. We conducted two field experiments where we manipulated predator densities and measured the impact of these manipulations on CPB and GPA densities. In the first experiment, with low aphid densities, the predator guild significantly reduced beetle and aphid densities. In the second field experiment, with higher aphid densities, predators did not reduce beetle densities and only slightly depressed aphid increase. In both field experiments, we were unable to maintain elevated predator densities in cages where we added more predators, possibly due to intraguild predation. In laboratory microcosms, we further examined beetle predation by two common predators, Nabis spp. and Geocoris spp., in the presence versus absence of aphids. The two predators responded differently to a choice in prey. Geocoris spp. preyed upon aphids and eggs in rough proportion to the abundance of each, whereas Nabis spp. appeared to switch more readily to feeding on aphids. Overall, in both the field and the laboratory, we found evidence for a positive prey–prey interaction, with the presence of aphids reducing predation of potato beetles.
STRESS IN NURSES AND OTHER WORKING FEMALES

opinion. In the course of various training workshops on management of stress, an experimental stress profile (Girdano & Everly, 1979) was administered anonymously to 266 females (M.,. 36.6, SD = 11.9) who worked for a public utility company, hospitals, welfare agencies, casinos, county administrative offices, and college classes. This profile included self-re~ort measures of recent stressful life events (from Holrnes and Rahe's Scale), frustration level, time pressure, boredom, bad nutritional habits, self-perception,
Principles of Drug Dose Adjustment During Hemodialysis

Drug removal during dialysis is influenced by physical properties of the drug, its pharmacokinetics, and by the choice of artificial kidney. The amount of drug removed during dialysis can be estimated in several ways. If changes in drug concentration produced by dialysis are used, one must be certain that postdialysis drug reequilibration is complete.
Enhanced Krev-1 Expression Inhibits the Growth of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Cells

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is characterized by a high rate of activating mutations involving codon 12 of the K-ras protooncogene. As a means of ras-targeted intervention, the effects of enhanced Krev-1 gene expression on the growth and tumorigenicity of the hamster pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line PC-1 were evaluated. Overexpression of the Krev-1 gene product resulted in morphologic reversion to a less transformed phenotype, as well as retarded growth kinetics and diminished potential for anchorage-independent growth. Among six transfected cell lines, the magnitude of these changes correlated with the degree of Krev-1 overexpression as assessed by Western blot. When PC-1 cells overexpressing high levels of the Krev-1 gene product were assessed for tumorigenicity in syngeneic animals, an increased latency to tumor growth and a decreased tumor size were noted. The results confirm that overexpression of the Krev-1 gene may provide a useful strategy for ras-targeted intervention in this disease.
Application of thin film dialysis to the determination of equilibrium constants

A theoretical basis for thin-film dialysis involving binding between a ligand and nondialyzing species is presented. A general differential equation that applies to the case of equivalent, noninteracting sites is derived relating [A]F, [A]T, [P]T, and K. Numerical solutions to this equation are used to develop a series of escape curves corresponding to specific values of the parameters [P]T, [A]i, K, and k0. A general method for determining an equilibrium binding constant from thin-film dialysis data is given. A comparison of thin-film dialysis results predicted by this theory with literature data shows essential agreement.
African Immigrants in the United States: Implications for Affirmative Action

For more than half a century, an extensive literature has consistently reported that first-and second-generation black immigrants are more educated and economically successful than African Americans. This literature has also suggested that black immigrants are benefiting from affirmative action more so than African Americans without having been the direct objects of slavery and historical discrimination. An important shortcoming of this literature, however, is that it presumes an undifferentiated black immigrant success story and obscures important differences across black immigrants from different countries of origin. Using data from the three census years (1980, 1990, and 2000), I examine the extent to which the black immigrant success story is directly relevant to African immigrants from different countries of origin in the United States. The findings of the study reveal that African immigrants are represented in the entire continuum of the American class structure, and therefore, any representation of a uniform experience is not empirically defensible. Empirical and theoretical implications of affirmative action are also discussed.
Differential non-redox inhibitory effects of glutathione against protein kinase C isozyme family members.

Glutathione (GSH) and the GSH metabolic precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) are potent antioxidants that have clear potential either as cancer chemopreventive agents or as lead compounds for new cancer chemopreventive agents. The potential efficacy of GSH and NAC in clinical cancer chemoprevention is suggested by their antagonism of tumor promotion in animal models. Protein kinase C (PKC) is an isozyme family that plays a critical role in phorbol ester-mediated tumor promotion. We recently found that GSH and NAC exert direct inhibitory effects against a purified PKC isozyme mixture by a mechanism that did not involve their antioxidant properties. In this report, we characterize non-redox inhibitory effects of glutathiones on PKC isozymes that have been shown to produce partially or fully transformed phenotypes in mammalian cells. We show that GSH, NAC, and oxidized GSH analogs exert potent inhibition of the isozyme cPKC-γ and are somewhat less effective against cPKC-β 1 . In contrast, the oncogenic isozyme nPKC-E was unaffected by NAC, and it was inhibited by GSH and oxidized GSH analogs very modestly. Our results suggest that the potential impact of non-redox GSH/NAC-mediated PKC inhibition on cellular responses to tumor promoters and indeed, on cell growth regulation in general, may depend upon the pattern of PKC isozyme expression in the cells.
Dietary intake of vitamin D during adolescence and risk of adult‐onset systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis

Objective Vitamin D has immunomodulatory properties with potential etiologic implications for autoimmune diseases. The relevant exposure time during which vitamin D may influence disease risk is unknown. Our objective was to examine the relationship between reported vitamin D intake during adolescence and adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) incidence in prospective cohort studies of women, the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII). Methods Food frequency questionnaires concerning high school diet completed by 73,629 NHS (1986) and 45,544 NHSII (1998) participants were used to calculate nutrient intakes during adolescence. Incident RA and SLE cases prior to 2006 (NHS) and 2007 (NHSII) were confirmed by medical record review. Cox proportional hazards models calculated relative risks and 95% confidence intervals of incident RA and SLE according to quintile cutoffs of vitamin D intake. Age- and calorie-adjusted and multivariable-adjusted (including sun exposure factors) analyses were completed. Random-effects models were used to meta-analyze estimates of association from the 2 cohorts. Results Incident RA was confirmed in 652 NHS and 148 NHSII participants and SLE was confirmed in 122 NHS and 54 NHSII participants over a mean followup time of 351 months (NHS) and 209 months (NHSII). Age- and calorie-adjusted and multivariable-adjusted models did not show significant associations between adolescent vitamin D intake and risk of adult-onset RA or SLE. Conclusion We did not find associations between adolescent dietary vitamin D intake and adult RA or SLE risk among NHS and NHSII women, suggesting that other time periods during the life course should be studied.
MRI spot sign

A 47-year-old woman presented with fever and acute right subdural hematoma. Her neurologic examination was normal, but she experienced persistent severe headache and repeat CT showed increasing mass effect. Lumbar puncture was deferred for risk of herniation. MRI was performed to evaluate for septations, abnormal enhancement, or other atypical features that would suggest an alternative diagnosis such as subdural empyema. An area of active contrast extravasation was seen on MRI (figure) and corresponded, at surgical evacuation, to a small bleeding artery that was ablated with bipolar cautery. Despite extensive evaluation, no cause for the hemorrhage was identified. There was no vascular malformation and no history of trauma.
Toward Cocaine Esterase Therapeutics

Cocaine is among the most reinforcing of all drugs of abuse, yet no effective pharmacotherapy is available. Herein, we report the development and characterization of phage-displayed cocaine esterases with pharmacologically relevant kinetic parameters (kcat/Km approximately 104 M-1 s-1).
CMOS drive circuit for opto-electronic readout of image sensors

The author describes a CMOS circuit designed to provide DC and low-frequency pulsed drive current for semiconductor vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers under development at the US Army Research Laboratory. The circuit is the unit cell of an 8/spl times/8 element array that has been interfaced with a matched laser array. The author qualitatively discusses unit cell operation, provides circuit equations from his DC analysis, and shows experimental results.
Obesity and weight loss at presentation of lung cancer are associated with opposite effects on survival

Background Lung cancer is the second most common neoplasm and the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. In cancer, weight loss and obesity are associated with reduced survival. However, the effect of obesity or weight loss at presentation on lung cancer survival has not been well studied. Materials and Methods Using an extensive cancer dataset, we identified 76,086 patients diagnosed with lung cancer during the period of 1998–2002, of which 14,751 patients presented with obesity and/or weight loss. We examined the relationship between survival and weight loss or obesity at diagnosis using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results Median survival time (MST) for all lung cancer patients was 8.7 mo. Patients presenting with weight loss (15.8%) had shorter MST versus those who did not (6.4 versus 9.2 mo, P Conclusions Our results demonstrate an inverse relationship between survival and weight loss at presentation and a potentially protective effect of obesity in lung cancer survival, which could be due to greater physiologic reserves, thereby prolonging life by slowing the progress of cancer cachexia.
Hepatocellular carcinoma screening in patients waiting for liver transplantation: A decision analytic model

De novo hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may have a large impact on patients waiting for liver transplantation. The presence of HCC can lead to a status upgrade or removal from the waitlist. Our aim is to compare costs and outcomes of different liver cancer surveillance strategies. A Markov-based decision analytic model is created to simulate costs and health outcomes for a hypothetical cohort awaiting liver transplantation undergoing HCC screening. Three strategies of HCC screening are compared with the referent strategy of using alphafetaprotein (AFP) level alone: (1) ultrasound (U/S), (2) AFP plus U/S, and (3) computed tomography (CT). Screening is performed for all strategies at 6-month intervals. Selected tumors are treated locally. Costs and clinical outcomes are discounted. Using baseline assumptions, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for U/S, U/S plus AFP, and CT are $60,300/life-year saved (LY), $74,000/LY, and $101,100/LY, respectively. The most cost-effective strategy was dependent on the relative costs of each screening modality. U/S screening becomes the dominant strategy when the cost of an AFP test is decreased. Our results show that screening with CT is associated the greatest gain in life expectancy and greatest costs. U/S screening strategy is the preferred screening strategy based on the lowest ICER. Ultimately, costs of the screening modalities determine the most cost-effective strategy.
Modeling kinetic partitioning of secondary organic aerosol and size distribution dynamics: representing effects of volatility, phase state, and particle-phase reaction

Abstract. This paper describes and evaluates a new framework for modeling kinetic gas-particle partitioning of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) that takes into account diffusion and chemical reaction within the particle phase. The framework uses a combination of (a) an analytical quasi-steady-state treatment for the diffusion–reaction process within the particle phase for fast-reacting organic solutes, and (b) a two-film theory approach for slow- and nonreacting solutes. The framework is amenable for use in regional and global atmospheric models, although it currently awaits specification of the various gas- and particle-phase chemistries and the related physicochemical properties that are important for SOA formation. Here, the new framework is implemented in the computationally efficient Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (MOSAIC) to investigate the competitive growth dynamics of the Aitken and accumulation mode particles. Results show that the timescale of SOA partitioning and the associated size distribution dynamics depend on the complex interplay between organic solute volatility, particle-phase bulk diffusivity, and particle-phase reactivity (as exemplified by a pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant), each of which can vary over several orders of magnitude. In general, the timescale of SOA partitioning increases with increase in volatility and decrease in bulk diffusivity and rate constant. At the same time, the shape of the aerosol size distribution displays appreciable narrowing with decrease in volatility and bulk diffusivity and increase in rate constant. A proper representation of these physicochemical processes and parameters is needed in the next generation models to reliably predict not only the total SOA mass, but also its composition- and number-diameter distributions, all of which together determine the overall optical and cloud-nucleating properties.
High Subclinical West Nile Virus Incidence among Nonvaccinated Horses in Northern California Associated with Low Vector Abundance and Infection

Although horse cases frequently are reported during West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks, few investigations have focused on the epidemiology of this transmission. From April to October 2003 to 2005, mosquito abundance and infection were monitored 3 days per week at an equine research facility at the University of California, Davis. Thirty-two nonvaccinated horses enrolled as controls in a vaccine study were bled monthly, and their serum was tested for evidence of WNV infection by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). In 2004, one positive Culex pipiens pool was associated with a single horse that presented with confirmed WNV disease in late September. The annual incidence of clinical and subclinical WNV infection in the nonvaccinated horses was 16%, with an apparent to inapparent ratio of 1:4 among infected horses. In 2005, two Culex tarsalis and two Cx. pipiens WNV-positive pools were associated with an equine infection incidence of 62%, with an apparent to inapparent ratio of 1:17. The majority (79%) of 70 blood-engorged Cx. pipiens fed on birds and the remaining on equines (21%). Conversely, Cx. tarsalis fed primarily on equines (n = 23, 74%), followed by birds (n = 7, 23%) and 1 (3%) fed on a lagomorph. These data indicated that nonvaccinated horses were a sensitive indicator of WNV activity and that their risk of infection was associated with the presence of infection in Cx. pipiens and Cx. tarsalis, which served as both enzootic and bridge vectors amplifying WNV among birds and transmitting WNV to horses.
The amygdala: Functional organization and involvement in neurologic disorders

The amygdala consists of a group of heterogeneous nuclei located in the medial portion of the temporal lobe and is involved in multimodal information processing important for emotional recognition and behavior. Its complex structure includes basolateral, centromedial, and cortical nuclear complexes that have extensive connections with several cortical and subcortical structures. Pioneering studies on rodents established that the amygdala is critical for the acquisition and expression of conditioned (Pavlovian) fear responses and yielded important insights into its intrinsic connectivity and synaptic plasticity. More recent studies indicate that neurons of the amygdala differentially respond to the valence (positive or negative affective significance) of stimuli and that the amygdala, via its interconnections with the prefrontal cortex, is necessary for representation of value that is required for reward-based decision-making. Functional neuroimaging and electrophysiologic and psychometric approaches both in healthy persons and in patients with selective damage of the amygdala in genetic disorders such as lipoid proteinosis (Urbach-Wiethe disease) support its role in many aspects of emotional processing, including recognition of emotional expression in faces. The amygdala is affected in several neurologic disorders and psychiatric disorders including Alzheimer disease (AD), temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), and anxiety, and depression. The anatomy and physiology of the amygdala and its role in emotion and behavior has been reviewed.1–14
Identification of a novel cell type in peripheral lymphoid organs of mice. I. Morphology, quantitation, tissue distribution.

A novel cell type has been identified in adherent cell populations prepared from mouse peripheral lymphoid organs (spleen, lymph node, Peyer's patch). Though present in small numbers (0.1–1.6% of the total nucleated cells) the cells have distinct morphological features. The nucleus is large, retractile, contorted in shape, and contains small nucleoli (usually two). The abundant cytoplasm is arranged in processes of varying length and width and contains many large spherical mitochondria. In the living state, the cells undergo characteristic movements, and unlike macrophages, do not appear to engage in active endocytosis. The term, dendritic cell, is proposed for this novel cell type.
Inductorless monolithic microwave amplifiers with directly cascaded cells

The design and performance of inductorless cascadable amplifier cells are described. Using an f/sub T/=15 GHz GaAs FET MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) process, broadband cells using a new additive gain technique were directly cascaded to form a 26-dB-gain, 80-MHz-4.5-GHz amplifier. A multistage narrowband design exhibited 25-dB gain at 3.5 GHz with a 1.6 GHz bandwidth. A compact FET synthetic inductor is compared to square spiral inductors for these designs. >
The Synthesis and Structure of Stibaindoles

Abstract : Recent applications of main group organometallic compounds in the materials sciences has dramatically increased the interest in developing new and more selective synthetic routes to main group organometallic compounds. The first synthesis and structural characterization of a new class of metalloid- heterocycle, stibaindoles, has been accomplished by the application of a transmetallation strategy from zirconium. The facile formation, and ready isolation, of these new compounds bodes well for the role early transition metal complexes may play in the discovery of new and valuable classes of main group compounds. Keywords: Main group metallacycles, Solid state inorganic, Metal polymers, Sulfur, Stibaindoles, Organometallic compounds, Zirconium, Materials science.
Online Ensemble Learning

Ensemble learning methods train combinations of base models, which may be decision trees, neural networks, or others traditionally used in supervised learning. Ensemble methods have gained popularity because many researchers have demonstrated their superior prediction performance relative to single models on a variety of problems especially when the correlations of the errors made by the base models are low (e.g., (Freund & Schapire 1996; Tumer & Oza 1999)). However, these learning methods have largely operated in batch mode—that is, they repeatedly process the entire set of training examples as a whole. These methods typically require at least one pass through the data for each base model in the ensemble. We would instead prefer to learn the entire ensemble in an online fashion, i.e., using only one pass through the entire dataset. This would make ensemble methods practical when data is being generated continuously so that storing data for batch learning is impractical, or in data mining tasks where the datasets are large enough that multiple passes would require a prohibitively large training time. We have so far developed online versions of the popular bagging (Breiman 1994) and boosting (Freund & Schapire 1996) algorithms. We have shown empirically that both online algorithms converge to the same prediction performance as the batch versions and proved this convergence for online bagging (Oza 2000). However, significant empirical and theoretical work remains to be done. There are several traditional ensemble learning issues that remain in our online ensemble learning framework such as the number and types of base models to use, the combining method to use, and how to maintain diversity among the base models. When learning large datasets, we may hope to avoid using all of the training examples and/or input features. We have developed input decimation (Tumer & Oza 1999), a technique that uses different subsets of the input features in different base models. We have shown that this method performs better than combinations of base models that use all the input features because of two characteristics of our base models: they overfit less by using only a small number of highly-relevant input features, and they have lower correlations in their errors because they use different input feature subsets. However, our method of selecting input features
Thrombopoietin and the TPO receptorduring platelet storage.

BACKGROUND: For most cells, the addition of a specific growth factor has improved cellular viability by preventing programmed cell death (apoptosis). To determine whether the platelet-specific hematopoietic growth factor thrombopoietin (TPO) might improve platelet viability, endogenous TPO and the platelet TPO receptor were analyzed during storage, and the effect of recombinant TPO on platelet viability was assessed. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: During platelet storage, TPO stability was assessed by SDS-PAGE, TPO receptor function was measured, and the platelet TPO receptor was characterized by a 125I-rHuTPO competitive-binding assay. A recombinant TPO, pegylated recombinant human megakaryocyte growth and development factor (PEG-rHuMGDF), was added to platelet concentrates during storage, and its effect on pH, LDH, and metabolic activity was determined. RESULTS: During storage, the molecular weight and concentration of endogenous TPO (125 ± 19 pg/mL) and exogenous TPO (5720 ± 140 pg/mL) were constant for 12 days; the number (33 ± 4), binding affinity (149 ± 33 pM), and function of the platelet TPO receptors were constant for 7 days. Metabolic activity measured with the MTT and MTS assays closely correlated with changes in the pH and LDH. The addition of PEG-rHuMGDF did not alter the pH, LDH, or metabolic activity of platelets during storage, but it did increase by 65 percent the uptake of 35S-methionine into platelets. Finally, platelet concentrates obtained from donors treated with PEG-rHuMGDF retained normal metabolic activity for 12 days, as compared with 5 to 6 days for normal platelet concentrates. CONCLUSIONS: TPO and its platelet receptor are present in normal amounts and have normal function during platelet storage. The addition of recombinant TPO increased platelet methionine transport but did not alter platelet viability during storage. Other means to prevent apoptosis during platelet storage should be considered, and the measurement of platelet metabolic activity by MTT and MTS assays may assist this effort.
Observing the Transition from Stark-Shifted, Strong-Field Resonance to Nonadiabatic Excitation†

Time-dependent Hartree−Fock simulations for a linear triatomic molecular monocation (CO2+) interacting with a 5 fs, 800 nm, strong field laser pulse were performed to explore the excitation mechani...
Update on liver MRI at 3T

3T MRI of the liver has become widely available and is routinely utilized in the clinical setting, but published scientific data comparing 1.5T with 3T is limited. Theoretically, higher field strength is desirable in body imaging owing to an increase in signal-to-noise ratio, greater spectral separation, the potential for faster scan times and improved tissue contrast on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Yet, there are specific challenges to body imaging at 3T. Despite the theoretical benefits of higher field strength, tradeoffs are often required to achieve optimal image quality, for example increasing bandwidth to reduce chemical shift artifact and thereby sacrificing signal-to-noise. In some instances, such as pregnancy or in the setting of high-volume ascites, 1.5T field strength may be preferred. This article highlights the challenges and necessary adjustments required to effectively image the liver at 3T, while discussing recent studies and ongoing advances in high-field imaging as it impacts the diagn...
Behavioral Strategies to Reduce School Violence

SUMMARY Public schools that use punitive approaches toward student discipline can unwittingly promote violence and other antisocial behavior. This article reviews constructive and preventive methods to reduce school violence and vandalism. Various strategies are presented and discussed.
Adiponectin levels predict prediabetes risk: the Pathobiology of Prediabetes in A Biracial Cohort (POP-ABC) study

Background Adiponectin levels display ethnic disparities, and are inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, the association of adiponectin with prediabetes risk in diverse populations has not been well-studied. Here, we assessed baseline adiponectin levels in relation to incident prediabetes in a longitudinal biracial cohort. Research design and methods The Pathobiology of Prediabetes in A Biracial Cohort study followed non-diabetic offspring of parents with T2DM for the occurrence of prediabetes, defined as impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance. Assessments at enrollment and during follow-up included a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, anthropometry, biochemistries (including fasting insulin and adiponectin levels), insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the contribution of adiponectin to risk of progression to prediabetes. Results Among the 333 study participants (mean (SD) age 44.2 (10.6) year), 151(45.3%) were white and 182 (54.8%) were black. During approximately 5.5 (mean 2.62) years of follow-up, 110 participants (33%) progressed to prediabetes (N=100) or T2DM (N=10), and 223 participants (67%) were non-progressors. The mean cohort adiponectin level was 9.41+5.30 μg/mL (range 3.1–45.8 μg/mL); values were higher in women than men (10.3+5.67 μg/mL vs 7.27+3.41 μg/mL, p Conclusions Among healthy white and black adults with parental history of T2DM, adiponectin level is a powerful risk marker of incident prediabetes. Thus, the well-known association of adiponectin with diabetes risk is evident at a much earlier stage in pathogenesis, during transition from normoglycemia to prediabetes.
Densification of frost on hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates – Examining the effect of surface wettability

Abstract The properties of a growing frost layer were analyzed and compared for surfaces of different wettability to determine the effect that the surface energy has on the frost mass, thickness, and density. Three surfaces were tested – an uncoated, untreated aluminum plate (Surface 1), an identical plate coated with a hydrophobic coating (Surface 2), and a plate containing a hydrophilic coating (Surface 3). For these experiments, the frost layer was grown for a three-hour period inside a Plexiglas environmental test chamber where the relative humidity was held constant (i.e. 60%, 80%) using an ultrasonic humidifier. The surface temperature of the plate was fixed using a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and monitored by four thermocouples affixed to the surface and stage. Frost thickness was determined from images of the frost layer taken using a CCD camera mounted directly overhead. A reduction in frost density of 37–41% was observed on the hydrophobic surface (Surface 2), whereas an increase of 20–26% was consistently observed on the hydrophilic surface (Surface 3) as compared to the baseline surface. Frost layer property data were also compared against models found in the literature. Reasonably good agreement was observed when comparing against data from the baseline surface; however, the agreement was not generally as good when compared against the hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces suggesting the need for surface wettability to be included as a parameter in future frost densification models.
A Framework for Collaborative Design in Engineering Education

Presented at the 45th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit 8 - 11 January 2007, Reno, Nevada.
Open mappings and solvability of nonlinear equations in Banach space

We give sufficient conditions under which a funclion f: X → Y is an open mapping, where X and y are Banach spaces. This function is not necessarily continuous, but is assumed to have closed graph. We prove our results without requiring that f be Gateaux differentiable; instead, f is assumed to possess a weak type of Gateaux inverse derivative.
Design and implementation of synchronization control system for multi-break vacuum circuit breaker

A synchronization control system is designed and implemented for multi-break vacuum circuit breaker,which takes DSP(Digital Signal Processor) and FPGA(Field Programmable Gate Array) as its hardware core and adopts the hardware architecture combining bus backplane and function flapper.Its software contains a zero voltage / current detection algorithm and the protocol designed for the fiber communication between system and breaker,which improves the synchronization control algorithm.Results of electromagnetic compatibility test and synchronous breaking experiments show that,the designed system has good electromagnetic compatibility,meets the requirements of multi-break vacuum circuit breaker for real-time signal processing,and realizes the synchronous operation of multi-break vacuum circuit breaker perfectly.
Underestimating Our Own Weight? The Scope and Impact of Communication Research on Public Policy

This chapter examines the scope and impact of communication research on public policy, with attention to three broad areas: mass communication, interpersonal communication, and organizational communication. In their review of research on mass communication, the authors focus on the topics of children and television violence and the effects of viewing pornography. In their discussion of research on interpersonal communication, they review research in health risk behaviors, hate speech, and crisis communication. They then address two areas of research in organizational communication: sexual harassment and privacy in the workplace. After a brief discussion of the breadth of communication policy research, the authors conclude with some observations on prospects for the future of this field.
Effect of low levels of cyclic ribonucleotides on mitogen and virus induced production of interferon.

In the murine system there are at least two distinct types of interferons. One type (virus-type interferon) is induced by viruses and polyribonucleotides (Isaacs, 1963; Field et al., 1967), while the other type (immune interferon) is produced, along with other mediators by antigen stimulation of sensitized lymphocytes (Green et al., 1969; Salvin et al., 1973) and by T lymphocyte mitogens (Wheelock, 1965; Stobo et al., 1974; Johnson et al., 1977). The interferons are antigenically distinct (Youngner et al., 1973; Johnson et al., 1976). A similar classification of human interferons exists (Have11 et al., 1975).
Anaphase asymmetry and dynamic repositioning of the division plane during maize meiosis

The success of an organism is contingent upon its ability to transmit genetic material through meiotic cell division. In plant meiosis I, the process begins in a large spherical cell without physical cues to guide the process. Yet, two microtubule-based structures, the spindle and phragmoplast, divide the chromosomes and the cell with extraordinary accuracy. Using a live-cell system and fluorescently labeled spindles and chromosomes, we found that the process self- corrects as meiosis proceeds. Metaphase spindles frequently initiate division off-center, and in these cases anaphase progression is asymmetric with the two masses of chromosomes traveling unequal distances on the spindle. The asymmetry is compensatory, such that the chromosomes on the side of the spindle that is farthest from the cell cortex travel a longer distance at a faster rate. The phragmoplast forms at an equidistant point between the telophase nuclei rather than at the original spindle mid-zone. This asymmetry in chromosome movement implies a structural difference between the two halves of a bipolar spindle and could allow meiotic cells to dynamically adapt to errors in metaphase and accurately divide the cell volume.
Information dissipation in noiseless lossy in-network function computation

We consider the problem of distributed lossy linear function computation in a tree network. We examine two cases: (i) data aggregation (only one sink node computes) and (ii) consensus (all nodes compute the same function). By quantifying the information dissipation in distributed computing, we obtain fundamental limits on network computation rate as a function of incremental distortions (and hence incremental information dissipation) along the edges of the network, and not just the overall distortions used classically. Combining this observation with an inequality on the dominance of mean-square measures over relative-entropy measures, we obtain lower bounds on the rate-distortion function that are tighter than classical cut-set bounds by a difference which can be arbitrarily large in both data aggregation and consensus.
The Genus Rhynchopsilopa Hendel (Diptera: Ephydridae)

The genus Rhynchopsilopa Hendel is reviewed and diagnosed, and a key is presented to the 14 known species. The following new species are described: albipunctata, cod, frontalis, fuscipennis, minor, pallipes, philippinensis, and sflIckenbergi. The genus is known only from tropical Africa and Asia. The apparently myrmecophilous habits seem to have caused the flies to undergo several structural modifications. The genus Rhynchopsilopa Hendel is one of the more interesting in the ephydrid subfamily Psilopinae because the adults have undergone several curious structural modi­ fications that partially obscure their true relationships, for example, the long pendant an­ tennae borne on an elevation at the anterior end of the shortened frons, the depressed face with a sharp epistoma, the long proboscis and modified palpi, and the convex, bril­ liantly shining thorax and abdomen. These modifications are probably related to the habits of the flies, which are reportedly myrmecophilous. Students of ant behaviour are urged to watch for these active, metallic-coloured flies and to determine what relationship exists between them and the ants they follow. After studying a large accumulation of recently collected specimens, I am taking this opportunity to review the six known species of the genus, to add descriptions of eight new species, and to give a key for their separation. The genus is known to occur only in tropical Africa and Asia. I am greatly indebted to the following persons for the opportunity to study material in their respective museums and collections: P. Basilewsky and P. L. G. Benoit of the Musee Royal de 'Afrique Centrale in Tervuren, Belgium (Tervuren Mus.); R. L. Coe and Brian Cogan of the British Museum (Natural History) in London (BMMH); A. Coli art of the Musee Royal d'Histoire Naturelle in Brussels (Brussels Mus.); the late Harold J. Grant of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANSP); Leif Lyneborg of the Universitetets Zoologiske Museum in Copenhagen (Copenhagen Mus.); and Brian Stucken­ berg of the Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg (Natal Mus.). Unless otherwise stated, types and other material studied are in the U.S. National Museum in Washington (USNM).
Do CEOs Expect Payoffs from Layoffs? The Relationship Between CEO Relative Pay and Layoffs

Executives, boards of directors, and compensation consultants actively use peer comparisons for constructing compensation benchmarks. However, the implications associated with relative measures of ...
Theory of Outlier Ensembles

Outlier detection is an unsupervised problem, in which labels are not available with data records (Aggarwal, Outlier analysis, 2017, [2]). As a result, it is generally more challenging to design ensemble analysis algorithms for outlier detection. In particular, methods that require the use of labels in intermediate steps of the algorithm cannot be generalized to outlier detection.
Incidence and characterization of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in patients with pancreatic cancer: Effect of timing of VTE on survival.

4037 Background: Patients (pts) with pancreatic cancer are at high risk for VTE, and the occurrence of VTE can affect pts’ prognosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of VTE ...