cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The evolution of interorganizational relationships in emerging ventures: An ethnographic study within the new product development process

Emerging ventures rarely have the resources they need, which often force them to reach beyond their boundaries to access these resources. While the field has acknowledged how critical external relationships are in the emergence process, we lack an understanding of how these relationships evolve. Drawing on fourteen longitudinal case studies, this article begins to fill that gap by examining how emerging ventures use interorganizational relationships to discover, develop, and commercialize new products. We found that emerging ventures tended to establish outsourcing relationships early and that many outsourcing relationships progressed into alliances. This suggests that these early relationships are dynamic, evolve through the emergence process, and may be critical to the successful emergence of a venture. We also discovered that many entrepreneurs developed strong socioemotional bonds with their alliance partners. Unexpectedly, our study revealed that in many cases these socioemotional bonds clouded the entrepreneur's judgment of the partner's abilities and led to problems that threatened the venture's survival.
Blocking HES1 Expression Initiates GABAergic Differentiation and Induces the Expression of p21CIP1/WAF1 in Human Neural Stem Cells

Mammalian neural stem cells can develop into a variety of neuronal and glial cell types. This involves a highly coordinated process of differentiation in which the Notch signaling pathway and the system of helix-loop-helix (HLH) transcriptional regulators play a key role. By exercising control over proliferation, initiation of differentiation, neurite outgrowth, and synaptogenesis, the network of HLH transcription factors regulates the fate of neural stem cells and progenitors. Here we show that the HLH transcription factor HES1 regulates the proliferation of human neural stem cells and that blocking its expression stimulates the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21CIP1/WAF1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the suppression of HES1 expression initiates differentiation of neural stem cells into neurons, the majority of which develop the GABAergic phenotype. These findings underscore the importance of the HLH network, and HES1 in particular, in guiding the phenotypic development of neural stem cells.
An analysis of intratreatment and intertreatment displacements in pelvic radiotherapy using electronic portal imaging

Purpose: To evaluate the relative frequency and magnitude of intratreatment and intertreatment displacements in the patient positioning for pelvic radiotherapy using electronic portal imaging. Methods and Materials: Five hundred ninety-four electronic portal images of seven patients treated with a four-field pelvic technique were evaluated. All patients were treated prone without an immobilization device. Two fields were treated per day, from which an average of two electronic portal images were obtained for each field. No treatment was interrupted or adjusted on the basis of these images. Each image was aligned to the corresponding simulation film to measure the displacements in the mediolateral, craniocaudal, and anteroposterior directions relative to the simulated center. The intertreatment displacement was the displacement measured from the initial image for each daily treated field. For each daily treated field the intratreatment displacement was calculated by subtracting the displacement measured on the initial image from the displacement measured on the final image. Results: The frequency of intertreatment displacements exceeding 10 mm was 3%, 16%, and 23% for the mediolateral, craniocaudal, and anteroposterior translations, respectively. There were no intratreatment displacements exceeding 10 mm (p < 0.001). The frequency of intertreatment displacements exceeding 5 mm was 40, 52, and 51% for the mediolateral, craniocaudal, and anteroposterior translations, respectively; whereas, the frequency of intratreatment displacements exceeding 5 mm was 1, 5, and 7% for the same translations, respectively (p < 0.001). The standard deviation of the intertreatment displacements was at least three times as great as the standard deviation of the intratreatment displacements for all translations. These deviations were greater than the precision limit of the measurement technique, which is approximately 1 mm. Each patient had one direction where systematic error predominated in intertreatment positioning. Random error predominated for intratreatment positioning and for the other two directions in intertreatment positioning. Conclusions: During a course of pelvic radiotherapy, the frequency of intertreatment displacements exceeding 5 and 10 mm is significantly greater than the frequency of intratreatment displacements of these magnitudes. Errors in intertreatment positioning are predominantly systematic in one direction for each patient, whereas intratreatment error is predominantly random. Because patients do not move considerably during the daily treatment of a pelvic field, a single electronic portal image per daily field may be considered representative of the treated position.
Bone mass and comparative rates of bone resorption and formation of fibular autografts: comparison of vascular and nonvascular grafts in dogs.

Abstract The metabolic fate of whole grafts that were either vascularized or nonvascularized were compared. This study was designed to quantify and correlate changes in bone resorption, formation, and mass in orthotopic, stably fixed, weightbearing autografts. The grafts were 8-cm segments of the fibula that were internally fixed. Fibula segments subjected to sham operations, nonvascularized autografts, and vascularized autografts were studied in 16 dogs at three months after surgery. Three months prior to surgery the dogs were labeled repeatedly over two months with 3H-tetracycline and 3H-proline. Metabolic turnover of whole grafts was evaluated by quantifying loss of 3H-tetracycline for measuring postoperative resorption of bone mineral and loss of 3H-collagen for resorption of bone collagen. Net changes in bone dry weight, calcium, and collagen per whole grafts were obtained to determine differential changes in the mineral and matrix mass. The difference in change between bone resorption and bone mass was used to determine the amount of new bone formation that had replaced the resorbed bone. Vascularized autografts lost more mass (12%), and had more bone resorption (40%) and more bone formation (28%) than sham operated and unoperated fibulas. Nonvascularized grafts lost much more bone mass (48%) because resorption was large (61%) and formation was relatively small (13%). More new bone was formed in vascularized autografts than in nonvascularized autografts. During the incorporation of bone grafts, resorption is an early and rapid process, whereas formation is a late and slow process. The metabolic data from this study suggest that vascularized bone grafts are different from sham and unoperated bones in the first three months after surgery and that they maintain their bone mass better than nonvascularized grafts because they undergo less bone resorption and much more bone formation.
Quantitative Four-State Conformational Analysis by Ring Current NMR Anisotropy: A Family of Molecules Capable of Intramolecular π-Stacking

A novel, multi-state, conformational analysis based on the magnetic anisotropy of molecules undergoing fast dynamic exchange is described. Calculated chemical shift tensors combined with experimental data from proton NMR studies were used to quantify conformational distributions as a function of solvent and temperature for a hydrocarbon and two fluorocarbon derivatives of N,N-[1,3-phenylenebis(methylene)]bis(2-phenylpyridinium) dibromide. Inspection for ad
Intricate phase diagram of a prevalent visual circuit reveals universal dynamics, phase transitions, and resonances

Neural feedback-triads consisting of two feedback loops with a nonreciprocal lateral connection from one loop to the other are ubiquitous in the brain. We show analytically that the dynamics of this network topology are determined by algebraic combinations of its five synaptic weights. Exploration of network activity over the parameter space demonstrates the importance of the nonreciprocal lateral connection and reveals intricate behavior involving continuous transitions between qualitatively different activity states. In addition, we show that the response to periodic inputs is narrowly tuned around a center frequency determined by the effective synaptic parameters.
Intelligibility of normal speech I: global and fine-grained acoustic-phonetic talker characteristics

This study used a multi-talker database containing intelligibility scores for 2000 sentences (20 talkers, 100 sentences), to identify talker-related correlates of speech intelligibility. We first investigated "global" talker characteristics (e.g., gender, F0 and speaking rate). Findings showed female talkers to be more intelligible as a group than male talkers. Additionally, we found a tendency for F0 range to correlate positively with higher speech intelligibility scores. However, F0 mean and speaking rate did not correlate with intelligibility. We then examined several fine-grained acoustic-phonetic talker-characteristics as correlates of overall intelligibility. We found that talkers with larger vowel spaces were generally more intelligible than talkers with reduced spaces. In investigating two cases of consistent listener errors (segment deletion and syllable affiliation), we found that these perceptual errors could be traced directly to detailed timing characteristics in the speech signal. Results suggest that a substantial portion of variability in normal speech intelligibility is traceable to specific acoustic-phonetic characteristics of the talker. Knowledge about these factors may be valuable for improving speech synthesis and recognition strategies, and for special populations (e.g., the hearing-impaired and second-language learners) who are particularly sensitive to intelligibility differences among talkers.
Characterization of human adipocyte adenosine receptors.

Abstract 125I-Hydroxyphenylisopropyl adenosine (125I-HPIA) was used to characterize adenosine receptors in human adipocyte plasma membranes. Steady state binding was achieved after 6 h at 37°. Scatchard plots were linear, with a KD of approx. 2.5 nM, and Bmax of 360–1800 fmol/mg protein. (−)N6-phenylisopropyl adenosine (PIA) was a more potent inhibitor of binding than N-ethyl carboxamido adenosine, and (+)PIA was more than 10-fold less potent than (−)PIA, consistent with A1 adenosine receptor binding. Theophylline was a potent inhibitor of binding (IC50 approx. 10 μM). Photoaffinity cross-linking studies demonstrated that the receptor is a single subunit, Mr approx. 43 kDa. The findings demonstrate that the human adipocyte adenosine receptor is similar to the A1 adenosine receptor of rat adipocytes, although its molecular weight is higher, and its affinity for HPIA is lower than that of the rat.
Controversial and emerging issues associated with cybergambling (e‐casinos)

Technology that directly leverages the internet is rapidly changing how people interact with one another, especially in the entertainment industry. Industries that were once considered amoral and illegal are adapting to new business models and transforming how business transactions are conducted and financial profits are generated. This is certainly the case with e‐gambling, in particular with regard to the proliferation of e‐casinos. Strategically important questions must be answered concerning how governmental agencies and new industries developed around the internet should be regulated, particularly issues associated with online gambling. Is online gambling the major addictive channel of all forms of gambling, and should the government do something to stop it? Should governments treat e‐casinos similarly to regular casinos and gaming activities and tax the industry to aid society? The internationality of the internet makes it very difficult to find solutions based only on local and national solutions. The future of cybergambling may be dependent on the diffusion of innovations, and whether they can deliver customer value in an ethical and legitimate manner.
Intraindividual variability in divergent and convergent thinking: Adult age differences.

The purpose of this study was to examine (a) intraindividual variability in divergent and convergent thinking, (b) the relationship of intraindividual variability to self‐reported cognitive variation, and (c) the relationship of adult age to actual variability in cognitive performance across tasks. Young adults (M = 19.6 years of age) and older adults (M=64.0 years of age) were given eight tests of divergent and convergent thinking, followed by a questionnaire asking subjects to rate themselves along several dimensions of variability and level of cognitive flexibility. Variability was found to be a consistent individual difference characteristic for divergent and convergent thinking. Actual variability and level of performance were interrelated, but subjects were unable to estimate reliably their own variability and level of performance. The interrelationships among intraindividual variability and level of performance were ability‐specific and age‐specific, suggesting the usefulness of intraindividual var...
Synchronous Bilateral Middle Ear Carcinoma

A case of bilateral middle ear carcinoma is presented. The patient was diagnosed as having a squamous carcinoma of the right middle ear 3 months after an identical diagnosis had been made on the left. He had a relatively short history of previous ear symptoms. We believe that these tumours arose synchronously, and discuss possible aetiological factors.
Graphical Feedback to Increase Teachers' Use of Incidental Teaching:

The purpose of this study was to examine graphical feedback, a rarely used method for improving the quality of preschool teaching. Twenty-one lead and assistant teachers participated in the study, although data were analyzed by assessing how much incidental teaching the 10 participating preschoolers with disabilities received. After receiving information about incidental teaching, teachers reviewed a graph each day displaying their use of incidental teaching with the child with disabilities during previous observations. A multiple-baseline design across participants was used to measure the effect of the feedback on teachers' behavior. Teachers in all classrooms increased their use of incidental teaching when information about incidental teaching and graphical feedback were provided.
Clotrimazole, an Inhibitor of Epidermal Benzo( a )pyrene Metabolism and DNA Binding and Carcinogenicity of the Hydrocarbon

Clotrimazole, a topically applied imidazole antifungal agent widely used in dermatological practice, was shown to be a potent inhibitor of the epidermal metabolism of benzo( a )pyrene (BP) and its microsomal enzyme-mediated binding both to neonatal rat epidermal DNA in vivo and to calf thymus DNA in vitro . Varying concentrations of clotrimazole added to in vitro incubation systems resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cytochrome P-450-dependent microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) in control animals as well as in animals pretreated with topical application of known inducers of the enzyme. Inhibition of epidermal AHH by topically applied clotrimazole was time and dose dependent. The 50% inhibition of clotrimazole for epidermal AHH ranged from 0.12 to 0.25 µm, which suggests that clotrimazole is among the most potent inhibitors of epidermal AHH yet identified. Clotrimazole was also found to be a potent inhibitor of epoxide hydrolase activity in vitro with a 50% inhibition at 0.1 mm. High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of the metabolism of BP in rat epidermal microsomes revealed substantial inhibition of metabolite formation by clotrimazole. This occurred in microsomes prepared from untreated as well as animals pretreated with inducers of the enzyme. Furthermore, a single topical application of clotrimazole resulted in 80 and 30% induction of epidermal and hepatic glutathione S -transferase activity, respectively. Topical application of clotrimazole to the skin of BALB/c mice substantially increased the latent period for the development of skin tumors by 3-methylcholanthrene. These studies indicate that clotrimazole is an extremely potent inhibitor of epidermal BP metabolism and of the DNA-binding of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) carcinogens, and is an enhancer of enzymes necessary for detoxification of the PAH. Clotrimazole also reduces the formation of carcinogenic and mutagenic metabolites of BP in vitro and in vivo and inhibits induction of skin tumors by the PAH. These data indicate that the imidazole antifungal clotrimazole offers promise as an agent useful for the modulation of PAH cancer risk in the skin.
Effects of melengestrol acetate and P.G. 600 on fertility in Rambouillet ewes outside the natural breeding season.

The effects of melengestrol acetate (MGA) and P.G. 600 on ewe fertility outside the natural breeding season were evaluated. Rambouillet ewes were assigned to one of four groups: (1) control (C; n = 92); (2) PG600 (n = 86); (3) MGA (n = 99); and (4) MGA + PG600 (n = 92). A pellet with or without MGA (0.3 mg/ewe/d) was fed at 0.15 kg/ewe/d for 7 d. On the last day of pellet feeding, ewes were given either saline or 5 mL of P.G. 600 i.m. (400 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and 200 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)). Ultrasonography was performed between Days 20 and 25 of gestation for ewes that were mated during the first 6 d of the breeding period from the MGA (n = 15) and MGA + PG600 (n = 8) groups, and the number of luteal structures and embryos were counted. During the first 6 d of the breeding period, MGA increased (P < 0.05) the percentage of ewes that mated and conceived when compared to C and PG600 (24.2% vs. 3.3% and 10.5%, respectively). Relative to MGA, the mean (S.E.M.) number of luteal structures per ewe was enhanced (P < 0.03) in MGA + PG600 (1.53 0.13 vs. 2.38 0.42, respectively), however as pregnancy progressed, the number of embryos (1.5 0.13 vs. 1.8 0.16, respectively) and lambs born (1.3 0.15 vs. 1.5 0.27, respectively) did not differ. Treatment with MGA reduced (P < 0.01) the interval from ram
Collaborative Teaming to Support Preschoolers With Severe Disabilities Who Are Placed in General Education Early Childhood Programs

Researchers in 2 studies investigated the effectiveness of a general education/special education collaborative teaming process in increasing the engagement, development, and learning of preschoolers with severe disabilities who were placed in general education early childhood programs that operated under a team-teaching model. The process included monthly team meetings to develop educational and social supports for targeted preschoolers, which were then collaboratively implemented by the educational team members. Study 1 focused on 3 teams composed of early childhood and special education teachers, instructional assistants, speech—language therapists, and parents who supported a child with significant disabilities attending one of the 3 participating preschools. Study 2 extended the collaborative teaming model to include all preschoolers with disabilities attending one of the preschool programs from the first study who required intensive levels of support (4 children). The effectiveness of the collaborati...
Small fish, big fish, red fish, blue fish: size-biased extinction risk of the world's freshwater and marine fishes.

Aim In light of the current biodiversity crisis, there is a need to identify and protect species at greatest risk of extinction. Ecological theory and global-scale analyses of bird and mammal faunas suggest that small-bodied species are less vulnerable to extinction, yet this hypothesis remains untested for the largest group of vertebrates, fish. Here, we compare body-size distributions of freshwater and marine fishes under different levels of global extinction risk (i.e. listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ) from different major sources of threat (habitat loss/degradation, human harvesting, invasive species and pollution). Location Global, freshwater and marine. Methods We collated maximum body length data for 22,800 freshwater and marine fishes and compared body-size frequency distributions after controlling for phylogeny. Results We found that large-bodied marine fishes are under greater threat of global extinction, whereas both small- and large-bodied freshwater species are more likely to be at risk. Our results support the notion that commercial fishing activities disproportionately threaten large-bodied marine and freshwater species, whereas habitat degradation and loss threaten smaller-bodied marine fishes. Main conclusions Our study provides compelling evidence that global fish extinction risk does not universally scale with body size. Given the central role of body size for trophic position and the functioning of food webs, human activities may have strikingly different effects on community organization and food web structure in freshwater and marine systems.
Guided-mode resonance and field enhancement in semiconductor nanorod arrays

Guided mode resonance was numerically demonstrated in the tapered silicon nitride nanorod arrays on glass substrate. Finite difference time domain technique was employed to investigate the detailed light-matter interaction dynamics and the generation of resonance at femtoseconds. Enhanced electromagnetic (EM) field intensity with enhancement factor of 200~250 could be achieved. This highly concentrated electromagnetic field could be extended to the nanorod array tips and substrate for higher order resonance modes, which allows future application of this transverse propagating field in optical signal amplification, like fluorescence or Raman enhancement.
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Reactive Monoclonal Antibodies Fail To Inhibit LPS-Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor Secretion by Mouse-Derived Macrophages

used as TNF inducers. In contrast, polymyxin B, but not the less hydrophobic polymyxin B nonapeptide, produced almost complete inhibition of macrophage TNF secretion induced by LPS, lipid A, membrane vesicles, and intact bacteria. Thus, antibody reactivity with predominantly hydrophilic elements of LPS or lipid A may not affect hydrophobic interactions between lipid A and target cell membranes necessary and sufficient for the induction of TNF. These findings raise doubts concerning the existence of true endotoxinneutralizing antibodies.
Biodegradation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane by a carbon tetrachloride-degrading denitrifying consortium

A denitrifying consortium capable of degrading carbon tetrachloride (CT) was shown to also degrade 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA). Fed-batch experiments demonstrated that the specific rate of TCA degradation by the consortium was comparable to the specific rate of CT degradation (approximately 0.01 L/gmol/min) and was independent of the limiting nutrient. Although previous work demonstrated that 4–50% of CT transformed by the consortium was converted to chloroform (CF), no reductive dechlorination products were detected during TCA degradation, regardless of the limiting nutrient. The lack of chlorinated TCA degradation products implies that the denitrifying consortium possesses an alternate pathway for the degradation of chlorinated solvents which does not involve reductive dechlorination. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 59:393–399, 1998.
Whartonacarus floridensis sp. nov. (Acari: Trombiculidae), with a Taxonomic Review and the First Record of Whartonacarus Chiggers in the Continental United States

Among several unusual species collected during surveillance of ectoparasites on wildlife hosts in the southeastern United States and Caribbean Region, the larvae of a new species of Whartonacarus were encountered in 2003 on a cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (L.), in the Florida Keys. This is the first record for a member of Whartonacarus in the continental United States. The mite is described and named as Whartonacarus floridensis Mertins, and the possible significance of this discovery with respect to the “tropical bont tick,” Amblyomma variegatum (F.), is discussed. A brief taxonomic review of Whartonacarus raises questions about the putative synonymy of Whartonacarus nativitatis (Hoffmann) and Whartonacarus thompsoni (Brennan) and suggests that Whartonacarus shiraii (Sasa et al.) may include two distinct taxa. Whartonacarus is redefined, and a revised key to the known taxa is provided. Toritrombicula oceanica Brennan & Amerson is placed in the genus Whartonacarus. Also, Whartonacarus palenquensis (Hoffman) is rejected as a member of this genus and placed in its own new genus, Longisetacarus Mertins.
Network-Friendly One-Sided Communication through Multinode Cooperation on Petascale Cray XT5 Systems

One-sided communication is important to enable asynchronous communication and data movement for Global Address Space (GAS) programming models. Such communication is typically realized through direct messages between initiator and target processes. For peta scale systems with 10,000s of nodes and 100,000s of cores, these direct messages require dedicated communication buffers and/or channels, which can lead to significant scalability challenges for GAS programming models. In this paper, we describe a network-friendly communication model, multinode cooperation, to enable indirect one-sided communication. Compute nodes work together to handle one-side requests through (1) request forwarding in which one node can intercept a request and forward it to a target node, and (2) request aggregation in which one node can aggregate many requests to a target node. We have implemented multinode cooperation for a popular GAS runtime library, Aggregate Remote Memory Copy Interface (ARMCI). Our experimental results on a large scale Cray XT5 system demonstrate that multinode cooperationis able to greatly increase memory scalability by reducing communication buffers required on each node. In addition, multinode cooperation improves the resiliency of GAS runtime system to network contention. Furthermore, multinode cooperation can benefit the performance of scientific applications. In one case, it reduces the total execution time of an NWChem application by 52%.
Development of a Latchable Microvalve Employing a Low-Melting-Temperature Metal Alloy

We present the design, fabrication, and characterization of a latchable microvalve. The valve can be held in the on- or off-state without consuming power. A low-melting-temperature metal alloy provides structural support to hold the valve in place when latched. The metal alloy piece liquefies when it is heated above 62degC, allowing a pneumatic actuator to change the valve state. When the metal cools and solidifies, the valve is once again latched. This type of valve may be useful for portable lab-on-a-chip devices that require low-power operation and long-term fluid storage. A thin-film metal heater has been integrated into the polydimethylsiloxane device to provide localized heating for individual valve elements. Valve closing and opening response times have been simulated and verified by experiment. The burst pressure has been experimentally characterized and parameters influencing this burst pressure have been modeled.
Planetary science: 1983–1986

Results obtained in the U.S. planetary science programs during 1983-1986 are discussed in a brief review. Topics examined include Halley observations and probes, the flyby of comet Giacobini-Zinner by ISEE-3 (ICE), the Voyager 2 encounter with Uranus, analysis of Voyager 1 and 2 data from the Jupiter and Saturn systems, Pioneer Venus Orbiter observations, theoretical models of lunar evolution, and antarctic meteorites of lunar and perhaps Martian origin.
Seedling Mortality in Hawaiian Rain Forest: The Role of Small‐Scale Physical Disturbance1

Abstract Most montane rain forests on the island of Hawaii consist of a closed canopy formed by Cibotium spp. tree ferns beneath an open canopy of emergent Metrosideros polymorpha trees. We used artificial seedlings to assess the extent to which physical disturbance caused by the senescing fronds of tree ferns and the activities of feral pigs might limit tree regeneration. Artificial seedlings were established terrestrially (N = 300) or epiphytically (N = 300) on tree fern stems. Half of the seedlings on each substrate were in an exclosure lacking feral pigs and half were in forest with pigs present. After one year, the percentage of seedlings damaged was significantly greater among terrestrial seedlings (25.7%) than epiphytic seedlings (11.3%). Significantly more terrestrial seedlings were damaged in the presence of pigs (31.3%) than in the absence of pigs (20.0%). Senescing fronds of tree ferns were responsible for 60.3 percent of the damaged seedlings. Physical disturbance is potentially a major cause ...
Contourlet Based Image Compression for Wireless Communication in Face Recognition System

This paper proposes to use Contourlet transform for image compression and feature extraction for wireless face recognition system. The properties of face images and face recognition techniques are incorporated into the design of wireless transmission for such a system. The reasons for utilizing contourlet transform are two-folded. Firstly, in face recognition, the edge information is crucial in deriving features, and the edges within a face image are not just horizontal or vertical. When the coefficients are transmitted through the fading channel, the reconstruction from the Stein-thresholded noisy coefficients by contourlet achieves less mean square error than by wavelet. Secondly, when the network resources limit the transmission of full-set coefficients, the lower band coefficients can serve as a scaled-down version of the face image, for a coarser face recognition as screening. A prioritized transmission of the coefficients take full advantage of the wireless channel. Simulation shows that the wireless face recognition system works as well as a wired one, while gaining the cost efficiency, and the flexibility in deployment. An interesting phenomenon is discovered on FERET database that when the transmission error rate is increased linearly, the recognition performance degradation is not linear; instead, the performance stays the same for a large range of error rates, which illustrates that contourlet based face recognition system can tolerate the transmission error up to some threshold.
Ultrafast observation of weak coupling effects in ZnO-Ag heterostructures

Transmission and reflection pump-probe-spectroscopy on ZnO/MgO heterostructures demonstrate a 600fs excitonic decay to impurity bound states located near the ZnO/MgO interface. Surface-plasmon-polaritons supported on a 30nm Ag film quench this process through weak coupling effects.
P-Selectin Glycoprotein Ligand 1 (Psgl-1) Is a Physiological Ligand for E-Selectin in Mediating T Helper 1 Lymphocyte Migration

P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) is a sialomucin expressed on leukocytes that mediates neutrophil rolling on the vascular endothelium. Here, the role of PSGL-1 in mediating lymphocyte migration was studied using mice lacking PSGL-1. In a contact hypersensitivity model, the infiltration of CD4+ T lymphocytes into the inflamed skin was reduced in PSGL-1–deficient mice. In vitro–generated T helper (Th)1 cells from PSGL-1–deficient mice did not bind to P-selectin and migrated less efficiently into the inflamed skin than wild-type Th1 cells. To assess the role of PSGL-1 in P- or E-selectin–mediated migration of Th1 cells, the cells were injected into E- or P-selectin–deficient mice. PSGL-1–deficient Th1 cells did not migrate into the inflamed skin of E-selectin–deficient mice, indicating that PSGL-1 on Th1 cells is the sole ligand for P-selectin in vivo. In contrast, PSGL-1–deficient Th1 cells migrated into the inflamed skin of P-selectin–deficient mice, although less efficiently than wild-type Th1 cells. This E-selectin–mediated migration of PSGL-1–deficient or wild-type Th1 cells was not altered by injecting a blocking antibody to L-selectin. These data provide evidence that PSGL-1 on Th1 cells functions as one of the E-selectin ligands in vivo.
Joint distributed access point selection and power allocation in cognitive radio networks

Spectrum management has been identified as a crucial step towards enabling the technology of the cognitive radio network (CRN). Most of the current works dealing with spectrum management in the CRN focus on a single task of the problem, e.g., spectrum sensing, spectrum decision, spectrum sharing or spectrum mobility. In this work, we argue that for certain network configurations, jointly performing several tasks of the spectrum management improves the spectrum efficiency. Specifically, we study the uplink resource management problem in a CRN where there exist multiple cognitive users (CUs) and access points (APs), with each AP operates on a set of non-overlapping channels. The CUs, in order to maximize their uplink transmission rates, have to associate to a suitable AP (spectrum decision), and to share the channels belong to this AP with other CUs (spectrum sharing). These tasks are clearly interdependent, and the problem of how they should be carried out efficiently and distributedly is still open in the literature. In this work we formulate this joint spectrum decision and spectrum sharing problem into a non-cooperative game, in which the feasible strategy of a player contains a discrete variable and a continuous vector. The structure of the game is hence very different from most non-cooperative spectrum management game proposed in the literature. We provide characterization of the Nash Equilibrium (NE) of this game, and present a set of novel algorithms that allow the CUs to distributively and efficiently select the suitable AP and share the channels with other CUs. Finally, we study the properties of the proposed algorithms as well as their performance via extensive simulations.
Evidence for Similar Recognition of the Conserved Neutralization Epitopes of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope gp120 in Humans and Macaques

We compared the immune responses to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoproteins in humans and macaques with the use of clade A and clade B isogenic V3 loop glycan-possessing and -deficient viruses. We found that the presence or absence of the V3 loop glycan affects to similar extents immune recognition by a panel of anti-HIV human and anti-simian/human immunodeficiency virus (anti-SHIV) macaque sera. All sera tested neutralized the glycan-deficient viruses, in which the conserved CD4BS and CD4i epitopes are more exposed, better than the glycan-containing viruses. The titer of broadly neutralizing antibodies appears to be higher in the sera of macaques infected with glycan-deficient viruses. Collectively, our data add legitimacy to the use of SHIV-macaque models for testing the efficacy of HIV-1 Env-based immunogens. Furthermore, they suggest that antibodies to the CD4BS and CD4i sites of gp120 are prevalent in human and macaque sera and that the use of immunogens in which these conserved neutralizing epitopes are more exposed is likely to increase their immunogenicity.
Functional Selectivity at Serotonin Receptors

Drug selectivity has been attributed solely to differential affinity for different receptor subtypes. Recent experimental evidence suggests that in addition to receptor subtype selectivity, drugs are selective for individual signaling pathways coupled to a single receptor subtype. In this chapter, experimental evidence for functional selectivity of ligands acting at serotonin receptor subtypes is reviewed. The existence of functional selectivity greatly expands the diversity of action of drugs and holds the promise of improved therapeutic selectivity and reduced adverse effects.
Influence of barometric pressure on interleukin-1β secretion

Monocytes and macrophages are activated by various environmental challenges, including microorganisms, radiation, and pollutants. These cells release cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, that me...
ADDITIONAL RECORDS OF A NON-NATIVE FISH, THE SNOWY GROUPER, (Epinephelus niveatus) IN NOVA SCOTIAN WATERS

At Clam Harbour, Nova Scotia in September 2005, two juvenile Snowy Groupers, Epinephelus niveatus (Valenciennes 1828), were captured. Subsequently, in October 2006 during the regular census of six artificial reefs in Sambro Harbour near Halifax, four juvenile Snowy Groupers were observed and one was captured. During the observation period the fish remained close to the reefs and fed voraciously. The arrival of the Snowy Groupers was correlated with the occurrence of a warm Gulf Stream tendril and their disappearance coincided with a drop in water temperature to 7.2°C. En septembre 2005, deux meroux neigeux juveniles (Epinephelus niveatus – Valenciennes, 1828) ont ete captures a Clam Harbour (Nouvelle‑Ecosse). En octobre 2006, quatre meroux neigeux juveniles ont ete observes et un autre capture durant inventaire regulier de six recifs artificiels dans le havre Sambro pres de Halifax. Durant la periode d’observation, les poissons sont demeures pres des recifs et se nourrissaient avec voracite. L’arrivee et le depart des meroux neigeux ont coincide avec l’arrivee et le depart d’une masse d’eau chaude amenee par le Gulf Stream (la temperature de l’eau a chute jusqu’a 7,2 °C une fois la masse d’eau chaude passee).
Provable programming

Techniques are presented for the design of computer programs that are proved to meet stated specifications. The design strategy is the simultaneous step-wise refinement of both the program and its proof so that at each step the program constructed so far is proved. At each step, the specifications for a single program unit are given, the unit is designed, and then proved, by automatically supportable methods, before going on to successive steps. The proof i) shows that the program unit meets its specifications, ii) exhibits any assumptions the unit makes about the problem domain, and iii) defines the specifications for units to be designed in later steps. The design process is based on the refinement of operational and data abstractions in both the program and its specifications. These abstractions are what allow the proof at each step to be supported by automatic, or interactive, program proving systems. The abstractions also keep the proofs of the individual units at an appropriate level of abstraction and also largely independent, thus significantly reducing the size of the complete proof of the entire program. These techniques of provable programming are illustrated by two examples.
Why Is Landscape Beautiful

Lucius Burkhardt, translated by Jill DentonBirkhauser, 2015320 pages$56.00 (softcover)Walking is big now. In sculpture, literature, cultural geography, landscape architecture, tourism and travel, a...
Belgium: Making Public Expenditure More Efficient

Reforms that improve the efficiency of public spending can help underpin fiscal adjustment while minimizing the drag on growth and protect social cohesion. The purpose of this paper is to identify areas where there is scope for expenditure efficiency gains in Belgium. The methodology is based on a double benchmarking, comparing both the level and the outcome of spending in different categories to other European countries (with a particular focus on three neighboring countries: France, Germany, and the Netherlands). The paper is organized as follows. The first section highlights the sources of expenditure growth and discusses how the structure of public expenditure differs from what is observed in other European countries. The second section benchmarks the level and the efficiency of spending in various sectors. Both sections point to areas where efficiency gains can be achieved.
Exoskeleton and Muscular Morphology of the Larval Thorax of Manduca sexta L. (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

The thoracic exoskeleton and musculature of the 5th instar of Manduca sexta L. have been described by using generally accepted morphological terminology. The origins and insertions of the muscles were derived from study of the exoskeleton. This study reveals considerably more similarities between the thoracic exoskeleton and musculature of larval Lepidoptera and the thorax of a generalized insect than have previously been recognized.
The mechanisms of Mallory–Denk body formation are similar to the formation of aggresomes in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders

There is a possibility that the aggresomes that form in the brain in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in the liver where aggresomes like Mallory-Denk Bodies (MDB) form, share mechanisms. MDBs can be prevented by feeding mice sadenosylmethionine (SAMe) or betaine. Possibly these proteins could prevent AD. We compared the literature on MDBs and AD pathogenesis, which include roles played by p62, ubiquitin UBB +1, HSPs70, 90, 104, FAT10, NEDD8, VCP/97, and the protein quality control mechanisms including the 26s proteasome, the IPOD and JUNQ and autophagosome pathways.
Three-dimensional mode conversion associated with kinetic Alfvén waves.

We report the first three-dimensional (3D) ion particle simulation of mode conversion from a fast mode compressional wave to kinetic Alfv\'en waves (KAWs) that occurs when a compressional mode propagates across a plasma boundary into a region of increasing Alfv\'en velocity. The magnetic field is oriented in the $\stackrel{^}{z}$ direction perpendicular to the gradients in the background density and magnetic field ($\stackrel{^}{x}$ direction). Following a stage dominated by linear physics in which KAWs with large wave numbers ${k}_{x}{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{i}\ensuremath{\sim}1$ (with ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{i}$ being the ion Larmor radius) are generated near the Alfv\'en resonance surface, the growth of KAW modes with ${k}_{y}{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{i}\ensuremath{\sim}1$ is observed in the nonlinear stage when the amplitude of KAWs generated by linear mode conversion becomes large enough to drive a nonlinear parametric decay process. The simulation provides a comprehensive picture of mode conversion and shows the fundamental importance of the 3D nonlinear physics in transferring energy to large perpendicular ${k}_{y}$ modes, which can provide large transport across plasma boundaries in space and laboratory plasmas.
Tensor and Torsion Products

The tensor product of groups is one of the most important concepts and indispensable tools in the theory of abelian groups. They compete in importance with homomorphism groups, but their features are totally different.
Clinical sessions and health care ethics.

(1986). Clinical Sessions and Health Care Ethics. The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 53, No. 3, pp. 36-78.
Introduction: Much Ado About Muffs

When Jane Austen was a teenager in the late 1780s several portraits of well-known actresses holding muffs were painted by a variety of famous artists including Thomas Gainsborough, Sir Thomas Lawrence, and Sir Joshua Reynolds. Looking at these paintings along with satiric prints of grotesque muffs and fashion plates that appeared simultaneously in the public realm, I explore how the muff functions in these images as a sign of fashion and style and as a sign of crass accumulation and overt sexuality. Turning to Austen, I examine how this vexed cultural dynamic of female celebrity is reflected in Austens depictions of muffs in her novels as accessories that dramatize the conflicts inherent in female performance, display, and desire.
Potential mechanisms underlying ectodermal differentiation of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells

Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) are being increasingly recognized for their ectodermal differentiation potential. Previously, we demonstrated that when WJMSC were seeded onto an acellular matrix material derived from Wharton's jelly and cultured in osteogenic induction media, generated CK19 positive cells and hair-like structures indicative of ectodermal differentiation of WJMSCs. In this manuscript, we examine the underlying mechanism behind this observation using a variety of microscopy and molecular biology techniques such as western blotting and qPCR. We demonstrate that these hair-like structures are associated with live cells that are positive for epithelial and mesenchymal markers such as cytokeratin-19 and α-smooth muscle actin, respectively. We also show that up-regulation of β-catenin and noggin, along with the expression of TGF-β and SMAD and inhibition of BMP4 could be the mechanism behind this ectodermal differentiation and hair-like structure formation.
BCIs and disability: enhancement, environmental modification, and embodiment

Abstract:This paper explores the ways that BCIs can modify the environment as well as the individual, blur the boundaries between them, and thereby affect the physical functioning and social inclusion of people with disabilities. We begin by outlining the traditional distinction between two kinds of technology that serve people with disabilities: assistive devices and universal design. We then examine a spectrum of BCI applications, from prosthetic attachments to public infrastructure, with the potential to vastly improve the functioning of both disabled and nondisabled people, and to diminish the importance and salience of physical impairments. We suggest that these applications will erode the distinction between assistive devices and universal design as they blur the lines between individual and environmental modifications. Our optimism is tempered by concern for the impact that BCI technology may have on our embodied connection to the physical world and on people with intellectual disabilities. We find...
Immune activation and neuroinflammation in alcohol use and HIV infection: evidence for shared mechanisms.

ABSTRACTBackground: Emerging research points to innate immune mechanisms in the neuropathological and behavioral consequences of heavy alcohol use. Alcohol use is common among people living with HIV infection (PLWH), a chronic condition that carries its own set of long-term effects on brain and behavior. Notably, neurobiological and cognitive profiles associated with heavy alcohol use and HIV infection share several prominent features. This observation raises questions about interacting biological mechanisms as well as compounded impairment when HIV infection and heavy drinking co-occur. Objective and Method: This narrative overview discusses peer-reviewed research on specific immune mechanisms of alcohol that exhibit apparent potential to compound the neurobiological and psychiatric sequelae of HIV infection. These include microbial translocation, systemic immune activation, blood-brain barrier compromise, microglial activation, and neuroinflammation. Results: Clinical and preclinical evidence supports o...