cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drip as Alternative Irrigation Method for Potato in Florida Sandy Soils

Seepage irrigation is the most common irrigation system for potato production in Florida, which relies on control of the water table to irrigate the crop. A 2-year trial was established to evaluate the feasibility of drip irrigation as an alternative to seepage for potato production. The performance of ‘Atlantic’, ‘Fabula’, and ‘Red LaSoda’ varieties were evaluated by comparing two drip tape installation depths, surface (SUR) and subsurface (SUB) with seepage (SEP). The overall potato total yield was 25.3; 19.2 and 29.9 Mg ha−1 for SUR, SUB and SEP, respectively. The SUR and SEP treatments yielded similarly for ‘Fabula’ in both years and ‘Atlantic’ in 2011. The ‘Red LaSoda’ consistently obtained lower yields under both drip treatments compared to SEP. Conversely, drip irrigation promoted significant reduction of the incidence of tuber physiological disorders such as brown center, hollow heart, and internal heat necrosis.
Chronic nonhereditary blistering disease in children.

Pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid, and dermatitis herpetiformis occur infrequently in children. The clinical, histologic, and immunologic features are basically the same as in adults except for an increased incidence of oral lesions in pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid. Immunofluorescence has been valuable as a diagnostic aid in clarifying the relationship of dermatitis herpetiformis and bullous pemphigoid to benign chronic bullous dermatosis of childhood, which appears to be a distinct and separate entity.
Catecholaminergic control of NK cell cytolytic activity regulatory factors in the spleen.

Abstract We examined the effects of norepinephrine (NE), isoproterenol (ISO) and metaproterenol (MP) on natural killer (NK) cell cytolytic activity and on the protein and mRNA levels of the regulatory factors perforin and granzyme B and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in splenocytes. NE, the β-adrenergic agonist ISO, and the β2-selective-agonist MP all inhibited the protein and mRNA levels of perforin, granzyme B and mRNA levels of IFN-γ. NE inhibited NK cell cytolytic activity as well. Furthermore, MP inhibition of granzyme B mRNA was blocked by the β-antagonist nadolol. These data suggest that NE and β-adrenergic agonists may inhibit NK cell cytolytic activity by regulating the production of perforin, granzyme B, and IFN-γ in splenocytes.
The prediction of relative abundance of isotopic clusters in mass spectrometry of coordination and organometallic compounds

Abstract A method for calculating the relative peak intensities of any molecular or fragmentation ion is presented and a computer program which displays graphically a histogram resembling mass spectra has been developed. The most typical uses of the computer program described here are those for the mass spectral identification and confirmation of organometallic and coordination compounds. Mass and abundance data for ions derived from chemical compounds, particularly organometallics and complexes, are calculated and compared with experimental values.
Sciatic Nerve Palsy After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty : A New Perspective

More than half of sciatic nerve palsies after primary total hip arthroplasties are unexplained. In 2 such cases, magnetic resonance imaging localized compressive injury between the ischial tuberosity and femoral insertion of the gluteus maximus. After these cases, we hypothesized that during limb positioning, the sciatic nerve is compressed by the gluteus maximus tendon. We present the magnetic resonance imaging findings from these 2 cases and compare the number of sciatic nerve palsies in patients with release of the gluteus maximus tendon to patients without release during primary total hip arthroplasty. There were no cases of sciatic nerve palsy when the gluteus maximus was released, compared with 3 cases in the control group.
Subduction zone earthquakes and stress in slabs

The pattern of seismicity as a function of depth in the world, and the orientation of stress axes of deep and intermediate earthquakes, are explained using viscous fluid models of subducting slabs, with a barrier in the mantle at 670 km. 670 km is the depth of a seismic discontinuity, and also the depth below which earthquakes do not occur. The barrier in the models can be a viscosity increase of an order of magnitude or more, or a chemical discontinuity where vertical velocity is zero. LongN versus depth, whereN is the number of earthquakes, shows (1) a linear decrease to about 250–300 km depth, (2) a minimum near that depth, and (3) an increase thereafter. Stress magnitude in a subducting slab versus depth, for a wide variety of models, shows the same pattern. Since there is some experimental evidence thatN is proportional toeκσ, where κ is a constant and σ is the stress magnitude, the agreement is encouraging. In addition, the models predict down-dip compression in the slab at depths below 400 km. This has been observed in earlier studies of earthquake stress axes, and we have confirmed it via a survey of events occurring since 1977 which have been analysed by moment tensor inversion. At intermediate depths, the models predict an approximate but not precise state of down-dip tension when the slab is dipping. The observations do not show an unambiguous state of down-dip tension at intermediate depths, but in the majority of regions the state of stress is decidedly closer to down-dip tension than it is to down-dip compression. Chemical discontinuities above 670 km, or phase transitions with an elevation of the boundary in the slab, predict, when incorporated into the models, stress peaks which are not mirrored in the profile of seismicity versus depth. Models with an asthenosphere and mesosphere of appropriate viscosity can not only explain the state of stress observed in double Benioff zones, but also yield stress magnitude profiles consistent with observed seismicity. Models where a nonlinear rheology is used are qualitatively consistent with the linear models.
Theory of high-harmonic rectangular gyrotron for TE mn modes

In this paper, the linearized relativistic Vlasov equation is solved and a dispersion relation is calculated for the interaction between a relativistic electron beam and the electromagnetic fields of a rectangular waveguide supporting TE mn modes. The dispersion relation is simplified to the special case of a frame of reference moving with the electrons and the resulting coupling coefficient \epsilon\min{mn}\max{l} is calculated for various TE mn modes. The dependence of \epsilon\min{mn}\max{l} on the parity of the harmonic number l and various mn modes of the waveguide are discussed.
Predictors of Study Abroad Intent, Participation, and College Outcomes

This study examined US undergraduate students’ intent to study abroad upon college entry and their actual participation in study abroad during their undergraduate years, correlating the college outcomes of three cohorts to identify trends. The findings show that study abroad intent and participation are interrelated and shaped by an array of factors, including gender, race or ethnicity, major, and involvement in college activities. While mathematical ability and helping to promote racial understanding negatively affected study abroad intent, aspiring to earn an advanced degree, time spent socializing with friends, artistic ability, seeking to improve understanding of other countries and cultures, and expectations to join a social fraternity or sorority, to be satisfied with college, and to participate in student clubs or groups positively influenced study abroad intent. Also, the findings indicate that involvement in the student government, a music or theater group, a political club, club sports, and off-campus study negatively affected participation in study abroad. Finally, the findings reveal that study abroad made a unique contribution to college outcomes, such as understanding moral and ethical issues, communication skills, academic performance, and overall satisfaction. Implications for higher education researchers, study abroad professionals, senior administrators, faculty advisors, and college students are discussed.
A new built-in self-repair approach to VLSI memory yield enhancement by using neural-type circuits

It is shown how to represent the objective function of the memory repair problem as a neural-network energy function, and how to exploit the neural network's convergence property for deriving optimal repair solutions. Two algorithms have been developed using a neural network, and their performances are compared with that of the repair most (RM) algorithm. For randomly generated defect patterns, a proposed algorithm with a hill-climbing capability successfully repaired memory arrays in 98% cases, as opposed to RMs 20% cases. It is demonstrated how, by using very small silicon overhead, one can implement this algorithm in hardware within a VLSI chip for built in self repair (BISR) of memory arrays. The proposed auto-repair approach is shown to improve the VLSI chip yield by a significant factor, and it can also improve the life span of the chip by automatically restructuring its memory arrays in the event of sporadic cell failures during the field use. >
Genetics of impulsive behaviour

Impulsivity, defined as the tendency to act without foresight, comprises a multitude of constructs and is associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders. Dissecting different aspects of impulsive behaviour and relating these to specific neurobiological circuits would improve our understanding of the etiology of complex behaviours for which impulsivity is key, and advance genetic studies in this behavioural domain. In this review, we will discuss the heritability of some impulsivity constructs and their possible use as endophenotypes (heritable, disease-associated intermediate phenotypes). Several functional genetic variants associated with impulsive behaviour have been identified by the candidate gene approach and re-sequencing, and whole genome strategies can be implemented for discovery of novel rare and common alleles influencing impulsivity. Via deep sequencing an uncommon HTR2B stop codon, common in one population, was discovered, with implications for understanding impulsive behaviour in both humans and rodents and for future gene discovery.
The Magnetic Susceptibility of MnO as a Function of the Temperature

The magnetic susceptibility of manganous oxide for temperatures from 26 to -202\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C.---There is a sharp discontinuity in the susceptibility-temperature curve at the same point, $t=\ensuremath{-}156\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$C, as that in the specific heat temperature curve and a second one at a lower temperature, -188\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The mass susceptibility at 26\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C was found to be $\ensuremath{\chi}=68.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ c.g.s. units. At -38.4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, $\ensuremath{\chi}=73.6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. At -154.7\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, $\ensuremath{\chi}=85.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. At -188\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, $\ensuremath{\chi}=78.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$. At -202\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, $\ensuremath{\chi}=91.4$. The susceptibility-temperature curve follows Weiss' modification of Curie's law down to $t=\ensuremath{-}156\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$C. The constants of this law were found to be $C=0.0575$ and $\ensuremath{\theta}=\ensuremath{-}548\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K. The number of Bohr magnetons in the compound calculated from experimental data is 5.7.
Bootstrap Approximations in Contractor Renormalization

We propose a bootstrap method for approximating the long-range terms in the Contractor Renormalization (CORE) method. The idea is tested on the 2-D Heisenberg antiferromagnet and the frustrated J_2-J_1 model. We obtain renormalization group flows that directly reveal the Neel phase of the unfrustrated HAF and the existence of a phase transition in the J_2-J_1 model for weak frustration. However, we find that this bootstrap method is dependent on blocking and truncation schemes. For this reason, we discuss these dependencies and unresolved issues that researchers who use this approach must consider.
Social influence effects on responses to sexually explicit material containing violence

An experiment was conducted to examine the impact of social influence on sexual and affective responses to sexually explicit material containing violence in both men and women. The story outcome (woman expressing pleasure vs. no pleasure) was varied in addition to the type of social influence message (high vs. low arousal). The results showed that the social influence message was effective in either raising or lowering subjects’ sexual arousal and positive affect, according to the direction of the influence message. In addition, there were no differences in sexual or affective responses to the two stories, suggesting that the normative information affected responses to a greater extent than the story outcome. These findings indicate that social influence is one determinant of cognitive arousal and affective responses to sexually explicit material containing violence.
A Modular Optimal Estimation Method for Combined Radar–Radiometer Precipitation Profiling

Abstract Although zonal mean rain rates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) are in good ( 10%) biases of differing sign at various GV locations. Reducing these biases is important in the context of developing a database of cloud profiles for passive microwave retrievals that is based upon the PR-measured profiles. A retrieval framework based upon optimal estimation theory is proposed wherein three parameters describing the raindrop size distribution (DSD), ice particle size distribution, and cloud water path (cLWP) are retrieved for each radar profile. The modular nature of the framework provides the opportunity to test the sensitivity of the retrieval to the inclu...
Synthesis of a Conformationally Restricted Tryptamine Analog via an Improved Reduction of a Derivative of Uhle's Ketone

Abstract A greatly improved reduction of the benzylic ketone of a previously reported derivative of 5-oxo-1, 3, 4, 5-tetrahydrobenz[cd] indole is used for the synthesis of a conformationally restricted tryptamine analog.
Is the spring quality of muscle plastic

During locomotion, major muscle groups are often activated cyclically. This alternate stretch-shorten pattern of activity could enable muscle to function as a spring, storing and recovering elastic...
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is caused by infection with HIV. The virus infects CD4+ T cells causing their death and resulting in immunodeficiency, which leads to opportunistic infections that are the major cause of death. In this chapter, a brief history of the HIV infection is provided followed by the modes of HIV transmission, the criteria for diagnosis, a description of the components of the virus, and its cell cycle. The life cycle points to therapeutic targets to treat the infection. A major section of discussion is devoted to different classes of anti-HIV drugs which include HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors, HIV protease inhibitors, HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitors, and inhibitors of viral binding. This description includes the mechanism of action of the drugs in each class, metabolism, drug–drug interaction, and side effects. The last section is devoted to the possibilities and obstacles for developing a vaccine designed to prevent and treat HIV infection.
Simulation of an RFQ funnel for heavy-ion beams

It is pointed out that the use of the magnetic force to focus and deflect heavy-ion beams is marginal at low ion velocities, and that low-emittance-growth funnels using discrete magnetic elements are difficult to design for these beams. It is shown that a new type of radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) funnel is especially suitable for this application. Simulation procedures, which include space-charge and image effects, have produced a high-quality funnel design for 20-MeV Bi/sup +1/ ions. In this arrangement, two separate RFQ accelerators produce slightly convergent beams that are combined by the RFQ funnel. The funnel provides deflection (and focusing) forces in separate RFQ channels that first make the two beams closely space and nearly parallel. Then the two beams enter a common channel where they are interlaced and made collinear. >
Factors Associated with Long-Term Survival of Family Businesses: Duration Analysis

This study identified factors influencing family business survival using National Family Business Panel and Spatial Hazard Events and Losses data. Sustainable Family Business Theory guided the use of a parametric duration model of long-term survival. Community characteristics, family achievements, family processes during change, business and owner characteristics, and business processes during stability affected long-term survival. Economic vulnerability of rural counties, family income from business, hiring temporary help, business size, viewing business as a way of life, and owner experience were associated with increased duration of business survival. Being home-based, a female owner, and customer-focused were associated with decreased duration of survival. Some family processes and achievements increased the duration of business survival; none decreased it.
Immunological unresponsiveness and autoantibody formation.

Abstract : Self-recognition and horror autotoxicus are merely special instances of the more general phenomenon of immunological unresponsiveness caused by an excess of antigen. (Author)
Concomitant surgery with tension-free vaginal tape.

Background. To evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) surgery combined with gynecologic surgery using general anesthesia. Methods. One hundred and six women with genuine stress incontinence (GSI) diagnosed with a traditional urodynamic examination were prospectively enrolled into this study. All of the 106 women underwent TVT surgery for the treatment of GSI, along with a concomitant hysterectomy procedure, under general anesthesia. We estimated the severity of incontinence symptoms on a visual analog scale (VAS), and used a questionnaire for subjective assessment before and after TVT surgery. The objective assessment of urinary incontinence was carried out with a 1-h pad test and traditional urodynamic examination. Of the 106 patients, 50 had uterine prolapse and underwent transvaginal hysterectomy and anteroposterior colporrhaphy (APC), and another 50 had uterine myoma and underwent laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH). Results. The follow-up mean interval ...
Focal delivery of neurotrophins into the central nervous system using fluorescent latex microspheres.

A new technique for in vivo and in vitro delivery of neurotrophins is described. Th e method is based upon the ability of certain fluorescent latex microspheres to adsorb large quantities of neurotrophin and then release the factor for at least three to fou r days. Injection of such neurotrophin-coated microspheres in vivo provides focal deliver y of neurotrophins to distinct populations o f neurons. The fluorescence of the micro spheres accurately identifies the region o f neurotrophin treatment in vivo; two ind e pendent methods indicate that microsphere born proteins do not diffuse significantly b e yond the site of injection. In addition to providing focal delivery and labeling of th e site of application, labeled microsphere s are retrogradely transported by neurons ; thus, neurons whose distant terminals ar e exposed to neurotrophin can be identified and analyzed. This approach provides a powerful method for the introduction o f neuroactive proteins into defined and loca l ized regions of the central nervous system .
High-strength age hardening copper–titanium alloys: redivivus

In this review the decomposition of supersaturated Cu–Ti solid solutions and subsequent microstructural evolution are discussed in terms of modern views of precipitation from solid solution. This update is motivated by an anticipated emergence of these alloys as technologically significant high-strength, high-conductivity, precipitation hardened alloys over the next decade replacing conventional Cu–Be alloys in numerous applications. The decomposition of Cu–Ti alloys is shown to involve a complex interplay between clustering and ordering effects including a synergy between LRO and SRO similar to those observed in Ni4Mo-type concentrated solutions. New perspectives regarding metastable and stable phase equilibria in the system are discussed including the polymorphic nature of the Cu4Ti precipitate phase. The role of non-classical nucleation and spinodal decomposition in the initial breakdown of the supersaturated state is addressed within the context of a generalized nucleation theory. The fine-scale coherent/semicoherent two-phase mixtures which emerge coarsen according to a LSW coarsening law with an activation energy for the diffusion of Ti in Cu of approximately 50 kcal mol � 1 in excellent agreement with reported values from diffusion studies in the Cu–Ti system. Overaging in Cu–Ti age hardening alloys is associated with the emergence of a coarse lamellar microconstituent which nucleates at the grain boundaries of the parent matrix phase and the growth of these cells consumes the metastable, fine-scale coherent/semicoherent phase mixtures leading to a rapid degradation of mechanical properties. The activation energy for the growth of the cellular microconstituent is less than half that for bulk diffusion indicating interfacial/boundary diffusion control. It is suggested that to enhance and optimize the mechanical properties of the precipitation hardened Cu–Ti alloys, alloying and thermomechanical processing strategies should focus on controlling the nucleation and growth of the cellular or ‘‘discontinuous’’ precipitation reaction. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A Novel NIR Spectroscopy Correlation Approach to Amino Acid Analysis of Soybean Proteins for Composition Improvements- (v.4)

Amino acid NIR calibrations were developed in our Physical Chemistry of Foods Laboratory of the University of Illinois at Urbana for three selected amino acid groups that include essential amino acids for identified soybean accessions. Conventional “wet chemistry” analytical methods are time-consuming and costly. As a result, soybean breeders and researchers have an imperative need to utilize faster and less expensive methods. NIR Spectroscopy is a rapid and inexpensive method for composition analysis for academia and industry. Recent advancements in instrumentation design, such as the application of the Diode Array (DA) technique and the Fourier Transform (FT) IR and NIR techniques, have significantly improved overall instrument performance and advancement in the field of grain analysis.Novel results are presented for amino acid calibrations for US soybean accessions relevant to the food and agricultural industry.
Inversion and zero dynamics in nonlinear multivariable control

This work concerns general multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) nonlinear systems with nonsingular characteristic matrix. For these systems, the problem of inversion is revisited and explicit formulas are derived for the full-order and the reduced inverse system. The reduced inverse naturally leads to an explicit calculation of the unforced zero dynamics of the system and the definition of a concept of forced zero dynamics. These concepts generalize the notion of transmission zeros for MIMO linear systems in a nonlinear setting. Chemical engineering examples are given to illustrate the calculation of zero dynamics. Input/output linearization is then interpreted as canceling the forced zero dynamics of the system, and precise internal stability conditions are derived for the closed-loop system.
Learning Communities in Remote Retreat Settings.

The formation of learning communities in remote retreat settings, specifically Yukon Island in Alaska, is the focus of this chapter. Testimony by learners and facilitators is included to enhance the discussion of the learning environment, the creation of community, and the learning process.
All in the timing: Priming, repetition suppression, and synchrony

Abstract The terms "priming" and "repetition suppression" are commonly used to refer to phenomena occurring on time scales that can differ by several orders of magnitude, ranging from seconds to days or even years. The models discussed by Gotts et al. provide a thought-provoking theoretical framework for relating neuronal and behavioral plasticity. I argue that whereas both the sharpening and the Bayesian models may mediate the gradual acquisition of perceptual expertise, they are unlikely to account for more rapid behavioral changes. The synchrony model, however, could potentially operate within the timing constraints imposed by the fastest forms of repetition priming.
Breeding Values, Accuracies, and Rank Changes Using Purebred and Combined Purebred and Crossbred Information in Swine

A data set including 2,002 purebred litter records and 14,583 crossbred litter records from a swine production unit with a defined great-grandparent (GGP), grandparent, and parent stock genetic system structure was used to examine the gains in accuracy of breeding value estimation of the purebred GGP animals through inclusion of crossbred information with purebred information. Other objectives were to determine if a change in ranking of the purebred GGP animals occurred and to determine if this new information would cause a change in the selection decisions of the producer. The traits used in this evaluation were number of pigs born alive, adjusted litter weaning BW, and the interval from weaning to first service. Animals were ranked based on 2 indices, one calculated using only purebred information and the other calculated using combined purebred and crossbred information. Gains in mean accuracy ranged from 7.3 to 8.7% for the GGP sows. Spearman rank correlations were less than 0.85 for the GGP sows and less than 0.90 for the GGP sires. It was concluded that improvement was made in accuracy of breeding value estimation with the inclusion of crossbred information. There was a highly significant (P < 0.01) re-ranking of both the sows and sires in the GGP. Rankings based on the 2 indices also suggest that selection decisions may change based on the inclusion of the crossbred information.
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS BETWEEN HYPOTHALAMIC AND PITUITARY hGH DEFICIENCY WITH THE AID OF SYNTHETIC GH‐RH 1–44

SUMMARY Synthetic GH-RH 1–44 administered as an intravenous bolus (1 μg/kg) evoked a marked hGH rise (>20 ng/ml) in three children with constitutional short stature and in two of eight children diagnosed as having hGH deficiency by insulin hypoglycaemia and/or clonidine tests. As judged by the intensity of the hGH response to the dose employed and the peak time, GH-RH 1–44 may be as potent as GH-RH 1–40 in children. It is concluded that GH-RH is an important addition to the endocrine armamentarium, providing the means for differentiation between hypothalamic and pituiary hGH deficiency in a simple test which is devoid of side effects.
Associations between serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms and heat pain perception in adults with chronic pain.

Background: The triallelic serotonin transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been associated with alterations in thermal pain perception. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the associations between heat pain (HP) perception and the triallelic 5-HTTLPR in a large cohort of adults with chronic pain. Methods: The cohort included 277 adults with chronic pain who met inclusion criteria, and were consecutively admitted to an outpatient pain rehabilitation program from March 2009 through March 2010. Individuals were genotyped for the triallelic 5-HTTLPR (including rs25531) and categorized as high, intermediate, or low expressors of the serotonin transporter. Standardized measures of HP perception were obtained using a validated quantitative sensory test method of levels. Results: The distribution of the high, intermediate, and low expressing genotypes was 61 (22%), 149 (54%) and 67 (24%), respectively. The Hardy-Weinberg P-value was 0.204 which indicated no departure from equilibrium. A significant effect of genotype was observed for values of HP threshold (P = 0.029). Individual group comparisons showed that values of HP threshold were significantly greater in the intermediate compared to the high expressing group (P = 0.009) but not the low expressing group (P > 0.1). In a multiple variable linear regression model, the intermediate group (P = 0.034) and male sex (P = 0.021) were associated with significantly greater values of HP 0.5, but no significant genotype-by-sex interaction effect was observed. Conclusions: In this study that involved adults with chronic pain, the intermediate triallelic 5-HTTLPR expressing group, but not the low expressing group, was associated with greater HP thresholds compared to the high expressing group. The effects of serotonin (5-HT) on pain are influenced by the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) which facilitates 5-HT reuptake from the synaptic cleft [1]. The gene coding for 5-HTT (SLC6A4) has a 43 base-pair insertion/deletion in the 5’- regulatory promoter region which is commonly referred to as the 5-HTT linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) [2,3]. The 5-HTTLPR consists of a long (l) and a short (s) allele. The s-allele variant has been associated with reduced transcription efficiency with resultant
Robust Bayesian analysis of the binomial empirical Bayes problem

Empirical Bayes estimation is considered for an i.i.d. sequence of binomial parameters θi arising from an unknown prior distribution G(.). This problem typically arises in industrial sampling, where samples from lots are routinely used to estimate the lot fraction defective of each lot. Two related issues are explored. The first concerns the fact that only the first few moments of G are typically estimable from the data. This suggests consideration of the interval of estimates (e.g., posterior means) corresponding to the different possible G with the specified moments. Such intervals can be obtained by application of well-known moment theory. The second development concerns the need to acknowledge the uncertainty in the estimation of the first few moments of G. Our proposal is to determine a credible set for the moments, and then find the range of estimates (e.g., posterior means) corresponding to the different possible G with moments in the credible set. L'estimation de Bayes empirique est consideree pour une suite de parametres binomiaux θi independamment et identiquement distribues, provenant d'une distribution a priori inconnue G(.). Cette situation survient generalement lors d'echantillonnage industriel ou des echantillons provenant de lots sont regulierement employes afin d'estimer la fraction d'articles defectueux de chaque lot. Deux questions liees sont examinees. La premiere concerne le fait que seulement les quelques premiers moments de G sont generalement estimables. Ceci nous amene a considerer l'intervalle des estimes (par exemple, moyennes a posteriori) correspondant aux differents G possibles possedant les moments specifies. De tels intervalles peuvent etre obtenus a partir de la theorie des moments. Le second developpement concerne la necessite de reconnaitre l'incertitude dans l'estimation des quelques premiers moments de G. Nous suggerons de determiner un ensemble plausible pour les moments, puis de trouver l'intervalle de variation des estimes (par exemple, moyennes a posteriori) correspondant aux differents G possibles, avec moments dans l'ensemble plausible.
Development of the Human Mu, Kappa, and Delta Opioid Receptors and Docking with Morphine

ABSTRACT Opioid receptors belong to the superfamily of G protein coupled receptors and are primarily responsive to opiates to produce analgesia, but opiates also produce a variety of side effects. One goal of computational chemistry is to determine the interactions between a ligand and protein. This knowledge could allow for the development of opioid agonists without current side effects. Homology models of human mu, kappa, and delta receptors were developed based on a previously validated homology model of the endothelial differentiation gene. Docking of native ligand, morphine, was performed. The results indicate that the docking studies identified the actual active site in the model. Morphine had hydrogen bonds to Asp211, His361, and Ser381 in the mu receptor, and hydrogen bonds to Asp138 and His291 in the kappa receptor. Morphine had hydrogen bonds to Asp128 and His278 in the delta receptor. This correlates well with experimental data. We predict, based on the models, that mutation of Ser319 to alanin...
Genetic Parameter Estimates for Growth Traits from Diallel Tests of Loblolly Pine Throughout the Southeastern United States

Variation in heritability and in genetic correlation estimates were evaluated for juvenile tree height and volume for six testing areas of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the southeastern United States. Variance components and their functions (heritability and type B genetic correlations) were estimated from 265 six-parent disconnected diallel series, tested in almost 1000 trials (4 tests per diallel series). Original data were collected at age 6 years from about one million trees (265 diallel series x 30 crosses x 36 trees per cross/site x 4 sites) planted in field tests. Genetic tests were from the second cycle of breeding in the North Carolina State University ‐ Industry Cooperative Tree Improvement Program. The overall unbiased individual-tree narrow-sense heritability for height was 0.19 and for volume was 0.16. The broad-sense heritabilities for height (0.24) and for volume (0.22) were higher than narrow-sense heritabilities due to the presence of non-additive genetic variance. There were moderate regional differences in these estimates, with tests in the Lower Gulf Coastal Plain tending to have the highest heritabilities for growth traits. There was very little association between site index and heritability, but heritabilities were higher on sites with the highest survival and highest test precision. Genotype x environment interactions were generally low both for half-sib and full-sib families, indicating that families can be operationally deployed to different sites with little concern about unpredictable performance.
Development of a Reversible Vas Deferens Occlusive Device. III. Morphology of the Human and Dog Vas Deferens: A study with the Scanning Electron Microscope *

The luminal epithelium of the human and dog vas deferens was studies with a scanning electron microscope. Care had to be taken in preparing the vasa since the columnar cell layer was readily removed from the underlying basal cells and the basement membrane. The luminal surfaces of both dog and human vasa were covered with microvilli. Occassionally cytoplasmic extrusions were observed protruding from the center of a microvillus patch. Foreign cells present in 1 specimen formed spherical impressions on the villus surface. In accordance with previous reports with the transmission electron microscope 2 types of columnar cells were found. One was long narrow and straight; the other possesed a rounded upper portion and a narrow base (stalk). Both columnar cell types appeared to rest on the basement membrane with a single point of attachment. The basal (cuboidal) cells were evenly space using tentacles to adhere to each other and the basement membrane. This membrane had a smooth surface and separted the epithelial cells from the collagen fibers which were present in large amounts in the connective tissue surrounding the vasal lumen. From the observations it appears that the human and dog vas deferens are highly similar in structure.(AUTHORS MODIFIED)
Degredation of insulin by a particulate fraction from adipose tissue

The destruction of 125I-labelled insulin by an enzyme system from rat adipose tissue was studied. The system was located in the particulate fraction. Activity was assayed by the amount of 125I-labelled degradation products rendered soluble in trichloroacetic acid. The system was heat-labile, with an alkaline pH optimum. The velocity of the reaction varied directly with the enzyme concentration. Paper chromatography of the degradation products showed six ninhydrin-sensitive areas with radioactivity coinciding with three of them. Albumin inhibited the system; ribonuclease did not. Although only 25% of the total 125I-label was detected by this assay, results with insulin-specific assays suggested that most (80–90%) of the hormone was inactivated. Possible interpretations of these results are discussed. The particulate fractions of other tissues were also studied.
Error-bounded sampling for analytics on big sparse data

Aggregation queries are at the core of business intelligence and data analytics. In the big data era, many scalable shared-nothing systems have been developed to process aggregation queries over massive amount of data. Microsoft's SCOPE is a well-known instance in this category. Nevertheless, aggregation queries are still expensive, because query processing needs to consume the entire data set, which is often hundreds of terabytes. Data sampling is a technique that samples a small portion of data to process and returns an approximate result with an error bound, thereby reducing the query's execution time. While similar problems were studied in the database literature, we encountered new challenges that disable most of prior efforts: (1) error bounds are dictated by end users and cannot be compromised, (2) data is sparse, meaning data has a limited population but a wide range. For such cases, conventional uniform sampling often yield high sampling rates and thus deliver limited or no performance gains. In this paper, we propose error-bounded stratified sampling to reduce sample size. The technique relies on the insight that we may only reduce the sampling rate with the knowledge of data distributions. The technique has been implemented into Microsoft internal search query platform. Results show that the proposed approach can reduce up to 99% sample size comparing with uniform sampling, and its performance is robust against data volume and other key performance metrics.
Effect of Surface Roughness on Surface Photochemistry

Photoinduced processes on surfaces is of fundamental importance in materials processing. For example, photo-assisted chemical vapor deposition has been used to deposit a number of different materials on solid substrates. The effect of substrate morphology on photoinduced processes can be an important factor in film growth. In order to clarify the role of substrate morphology, in particular surface roughness, on surface photochemistry, we have examined the wavelength dependence of the photodissociation of chlorobenzene and 3-chloropyridine adsorbed on smooth and rough silver surfaces. As discussed below, we have measured a red shift in the photodissociation threshold for these molecules adsorbed on a rough surface relative to a smooth surface. The wavelength dependence of the photodissociation cross-section near the threshold has been measured in order to discern the origin of the red shift.
Identification of Retrievable Asteroids with the Tisserand Criterion

NASA is currently studying an Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) concept that could capture an entire 2 to 12 m asteroid or boulder from a larger asteroid and place it in orbit around the Moon. Once at the Moon, astronauts would be sent to visit the asteroid or boulder and use it as a test bed for developing technologies and procedures needed for deep space human missions. In the case of the redirection of an entire asteroid, the asteroid mass could be from 100 to 1000 metric tonnes, and the ARM spacecraft would only be able to apply relatively small ∆V to the asteroid. Therefore, ARM would rely on Lunar Gravity Assists (LGAs) to provide most of the ∆V needed for capture. This paper presents a method based upon the Tisserand Criterion for identifying asteroids that can be redirected with a small ∆V (< 200 m/s) to an LGA that would capture the asteroid.
Keyboard Shape and Arrangement Effects on Keyboard Design Elements

The present study investigated the effects of different keyboard shapes and letter arrangements to determine the optimum design for text entry with a rotary controller. Few research studies have examined keyboard shapes to determine the criteria that are most relevant for non-standard input devices. This study included examination of both visual search and movement control aspects of text entry. Older and younger participants moved a knob on a rotary controller from a start position to a target position on four different keyboard shapes. These participants also searched for a target symbol on three different arrangements of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks on one of the same keyboard shapes as the movement trials. Results from the younger adults in both experiments are discussed in this study, along with early results from several older adults.
Structural and Magnetic Characterization of Rare Earth and Transition Metal Films Grown on Epitaxial Buffer Films on Semiconductor

Structural and magnetic data are presented and discussed for epitaxial films of rare earth metals ( Dy, Ho, Er) on LaF3 films on the GaAs(TTT) surface and Fe on Ag films on the GaAs(001) surface. Both systems exhibit unusual structural characteristics which influence the magnetic properties of the metal films. In the case of rare earth epitaxy on LaF3 we present evidence for epitaxy across an incommensurate or discommensurate interface. Coherency strain is not transmitted into the metal which behaves much like bulk crystals of the rare earths. In the case of Fe films , tilted epitaxy and long-range coherency strain are confirmed by X-ray diffractometry. Methods of controlling some of these structural effects by modifying the epitaxial structures are presented.
Exploring Architectural Options for a Space Based Missile Defense Layer

The concept of using space-based interceptors to defend the United States and its allies from ballistic missile attack has been explored since the 1960s. Significant progress toward the deployment of such a system was made during the late 1980s and early 1990s, but development was abandoned for political reasons. Since then, the United States Missile Defense Agency has deployed an operational ballistic missile defense system consisting of land and sea-based elements capable of negating oensive ballistic missiles in their mid-course and terminal phases of flight. However, the continued growth in the number of hostile nations seeking ballistic missiles and the proliferation of missile technology has once again highlighted the need for boost-phase defense. Terrestrial boost-phase defense systems are currently under development, but the greatest potential for eective boost-phase defense lies in space, where interceptors would enjoy persistent and survivable basing close to offensive missile launch sites. This paper explores the foundations of providing a space-based layer to the United States ballistic missile defense system to complement the currentlydeployed ground and sea-based elements. The architecture design problem is introduced by examining the allocation of system functions to space-based platforms, exploring architecture options, and suggesting appropriate measures of system eectiveness.
The American Welding Society

Throughout the 20th century, there has been rapid development of welding technology and applications, and, since 1919, the American Welding Society (A WS) has worked to advance the science, technology and application of welding. As the century nears its conclusion, a mature welding industry finds itself facing unprecedented opportunities, both domestically and internationally. Meeting these opportunities will challenge industry on economic and sociological fronts as well as in the familiar realm of technology as a much higher level of inter-industry cooperation must be cultivated. Withmorethan35,000members,AWS sees its major challenge in the 1990s as the need to coordinate and focus the efforts of businesses, research institutions and professional organizations as they attempt to meet these challenges. To achieve this goal, A WS recently invited 34 executives and scientists from major welding fabrication and research organizations to a series of strategic planning sessions designed to explore issues vital to the future of materials joining. Called Welding 2000 Fastigium, these four days of intense discussion by some of the top minds in the industry produced valuable insights that will be used to guide AWS's creation of programs as it attempts to facilitate the development of the industry. The meeting was conducted by Sherman Titens of the Fromm Institute, a Kansas City-based consulting firm specializing in long-range strategic planning. Participants included executives and researchers from such organizations as the U.s. Department of the Navy, Sandia National Laboratories, Caterpillar, Inc., and such welding industry giants as Hobart Brothers, Lincoln Electric and Miller Electric Manufacturing Company. At first in small groups and later together, participants discussed the potential effects of scenarios dealing with the workforce, globalization, the professional interface, the materials joining process and "over design" dilemmas. The fastigium panel concluded that the U.S. can remain prominent in manufacturing technology only by bringing together its resources in welding and directing priority to specify goals. Competition from abroad runs the gamut from low labor costs in Asia to increased market leverage by large European con-
Analysis of Influenza Surveillance in Shantou City from 2002 to 2004

Objective To study the epidemic pattern of influenza and establish control measures. Method Epid-emiology, etiology and serology surveillance were applied to analyze the epidemic of influenza in Shantou. Results The number of flu-like illnesses cases were not many in each month of whole year. The number of cases increased slightly from July to September. There were 88 strains of influenza viruses isolated in this period, with an isolation rate of 6.38%. Of the 88 strains, 16 were identified as influenza B, and 72 as H3N2. The sero-positive rates to H3N2, H1N1, B(Victoria), B(Yamagata)in the general population were 70.16%, 26.87%, 36.89%, and 40.11%, respectively. Conclusion Influenza epidemic was not serious from 2002 to 2004 in Shantou. H3N2 was the dominant endemic strain. Influenza surveillance predicted that there would be no epidemic of influenza in Shantou city in nearly future.
Review on Adolescent Drug Use Prevention Intervention

The issue of adolescent drug use is becoming more and more serious in contemporary society of China.It is of theoretical and practical importance to systematically review drug use prevention intervention among the population.The present paper summarized and evaluated the existing adolescent drug use prevention intervention approaches,prevention intervention model and effective ingredients of drug use prevention intervention.Moreover,several exemplary drug use prevention programs in western society were introduced.Future direction in the field of adolescent drug use prevention intervention is prospected.
The effects of mechanical forces on fetal lung growth.

Pulmonary hypoplasia is an increasingly important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Clinical experience and studies in experimental animals indicate that growth of the fetal lung is controlled primarily by mechanical forces which, if disturbed, result in abnormal lung growth. The major stimulus to fetal lung growth is distention, or stretch, of lung tissue. This occurs as either (1) tonic stretch during periods of no fetal breathing movements or (2) intermittent repetitive stretch caused by fetal breathing movements; both are essential for normal fetal lung growth. The mechanisms by which stretch is converted to cell division have not yet been defined.