cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some remarks on purchasing power parity and exchange rate determination mechanism1

This article shows how larger, under a Cournot oligopoly model with international linkage, a long-run equilibrium exchange rate deviates from the purchasing power parity (PPP) in factor prices than the PPP in product prices does, with the asymmetry in the degree of competitiveness, consumer's preference and market volume between countries, or with the asymmetry in the marginal costs between firms, although into the same direction. Our result may well explain the phenomenon of so-called ‘overshooting’ from a different angle from the existing related literatures. 1 This article was originally written as a term paper for a graduate course (SUNY Buffalo) in May 2005.
The origin of nitrogen ionization in the upper atmosphere

Abstract Although the N 2 + First Negative bands in twilight are probably the result of resonance scattering by N 2 + ions, the symmetry of morning and evening observations make it unlikely that the ionization is produced by sunlight in the E -region. If the flux in the He II λ304 line is as high as 15 erg cm −2 sec −1 , the observed First Negative system intensities can be accounted for, and the nitrogen ionization is localized in the F -region. If the flux in the λ304 line is much smaller, the ionization must be produced by incident charged particles in the E -region.
Building Fluorescent Sensors by Template Polymerization: The Preparation of a Fluorescent Sensor for l-Tryptophan☆

Abstract The development of fluorescent sensors for organic molecules is of great practical importance in chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical sciences. Using l -tryptophan as an example, we have studied a new way of making polymeric fluorescent sensors using template polymerization or molecular imprinting techniques. The fluorescent polymers were prepared using functional monomers with a fluorescent probe attached to it. The fluorescence of this polymer could be quenched by 4-nitrobenzaldehyde. Addition of the template molecules, l -tryptophan, increased the fluorescence intensity of the imprinted polymer/quencher mixture in a concentration-dependent fashion, presumably through the displacement of the quencher from the binding sites by l -tryptophan. This fluorescence intensity change upon mixing with l -tryptophan allows the binding event to be detected easily. The sensor also exhibited enantioselectivity for the template molecules. For example, the effect of d -tryptophan on the fluorescence intensity of the polymer is about 70% that of its l -enantiomer. Furthermore, the effect of l -phenylalanine and l -alanine on the fluorescence intensity change is much smaller than that of l -tryptophan. Because the approach used does not require the de novo design of the complementary binding site and does not rely on any specific structural features of the template molecule or prior knowledge of its three-dimensional structure, the same principle could potentially be useful for the future construction of practical fluorescent sensors for many other compounds.
Changing Views of Quantum Field Theory

Thefirst part of this talk reviews changes in our views regarding quantum field theory sinceitsbeginnings, leadingeventually tothe modernviewthat ourmost successfulfield theoriesmayinfactbeeffectivefieldtheories,validonlyaslowenergyapproximationsto anunderlyingtheorythatmaynotbeafieldtheoryatall.Inthesecondpart,Ireminisce abouttheearlydevelopmentofeffectivefieldtheoriesofthestronginteractions,comment briefly on some other applications of effective field theories, then take up the idea that the Standard Model and General Relativity are the leading terms in an effective field theory, andfinally cite recent calculations that suggest that the effectivefield theory of gravitation and matter is asymptotically safe. The second part is substantially the same as a talk given a month earlier at the 6th International Workshop on Chiral Dynamics, at the University of Bern, which is reproduced here. 1 The history of quantum field theory, like the history of much else, shows a continued oscillation between optimism and pessimism. Quantumfield theory goes backtotheoriginsofquantummechanicsitself,whenBorn,Heisenberg,andJordan in 1926 applied the newly developed quantum mechanics to the electromagnetic field. Originally quantum field theory was just that, the quantum theory of the electromagneticfield. Some theorists such as Dirac held to the visionof a theory of relativisticwaveequationsforparticleslikethe electronandaquantumfieldtheory for the electromagneticfield – to my mind a rather unattractive dualistic approach to physics. Pauli, on the other hand, in papers with Heisenberg and Weisskopf, was instrumental in bringing into being a thoroughgoing quantumfield theory of all matter. Everything, every particle is a quantum of some field. The photon is a quantum of the electromagneticfield, the electron is a quantum of the electron field. In this view, there really is not a fundamental distinction between particles like the electron andfields like the electromagneticfield. Justas soonasquantumfieldtheoryinthis sense wasbeing born,around1930, it ran into a problem. Oppenheimer and Waller discovered that when one tries to push the quantumfield theory of electrons and photons beyondthe lowestorder of approximation in calculating the energy of an electron (either a bound electron in Oppenheimer’s work or a free electron in Waller’s) one encounters an integral over the momentum of the virtual photon that diverges at high momentum. This was
Fluorescence energy transfer detects changes in fibronectin structure upon surface binding.

Abstract We report here the changes in intramolecular distances in human plasma fibronectin (Fn) detected, upon adsorption of the protein to the surface of the Cytodex dextran microcarrier, using a fluorescence energy transfer technique. The glutamine-3 residue, near the amino terminus of each chain, was labeled enzymatically with either monodansylcadaverine (dansyl) or monofluoresceinylcadaverine (fluorescein) by use of coagulation factor XIIIa. Using this donor (dansyl)-acceptor (fluorescein) pair, and steady-state measurements, we demonstrated previously that the two amino termini of plasma fibronectin in solution were juxtaposed and separated by 23 A ( C. Wolff and C.-S. Lai (1988) Biochemistry 27 , 3483–3487) . Upon adsorption to the microcarrier, the energy transfer was found to be completely abolished, suggesting that the surface binding induces a conformational change by which the distance between the two amino termini is increased to more than 70 A. Moreover, we have labeled the amino terminus of each chain with fluorescein and the two free sulfhydryl groups of each chain with coumarinyl-phenylmaleimide which serves as an energy donor. The emission spectra of the double-labeled protein in solution showed the occurrence of energy transfer, indicating that the relative distances between the amino termini and the free sulfhydryl group(s) are within 70 A. Upon surface binding, a decrease in the energy transfer between this donor-acceptor pair was also noted. The results presented here are consistent with the notion that plasma Fn undergoes a drastic conformational change upon surface binding, perhaps changing from a compact form to an extended form. This process may be important for the surface activation of the fibronectin molecule.
The location of the pregut endoderm in the chick embryo at the primitive streak stage as determined by radioautographic mapping

Abstract Previously unmapped portions of the pregut endoderm were studied by tracing the movements of thymidine-3H-labeled grafts excised from explanted embryos at primitive streak stages, transplanted to similarly staged recipient embryos in ovo, and reincubated for 3–4 days. In addition to their contribution to endoderm, 11 of the transplants contributed to mesoderm and two to ectoderm; in the latter two layers, the labeled cells were found in regions that were expected from a study of transplants made previously in the explanted embryo. The transplants that contributed to the dorsal portion of the gut were more centrally positioned in the recipient embryos than were transplants that contributed to the ventral portions of the gut. Transplants that contributed to the posterior gut were more posteriorly positioned in the recipient embryos than were transplants that contributed to the anterior gut. The posterior intestinal portal (like the anterior intestinal portal) develops by inversion of a circumscribed area of endoderm, forming the posterior gut, suggesting that gastrulation in the chick is similar to that of other chordates except that the archenteron is not completely formed until the most peripheral pregut cells in the hypoblast layer are drawn together ventrally like pursestring at the umbilicus, enclosing the gut endoderm.
High-throughput crystallography for structural genomics.

Protein X-ray crystallography recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The structures of myoglobin and hemoglobin determined by Kendrew and Perutz provided the first glimpses into the complex protein architecture and chemistry. Since then, the field of structural molecular biology has experienced extraordinary progress and now more than 55 000 protein structures have been deposited into the Protein Data Bank. In the past decade many advances in macromolecular crystallography have been driven by world-wide structural genomics efforts. This was made possible because of third-generation synchrotron sources, structure phasing approaches using anomalous signal, and cryo-crystallography. Complementary progress in molecular biology, proteomics, hardware and software for crystallographic data collection, structure determination and refinement, computer science, databases, robotics and automation improved and accelerated many processes. These advancements provide the robust foundation for structural molecular biology and assure strong contribution to science in the future. In this report we focus mainly on reviewing structural genomics high-throughput X-ray crystallography technologies and their impact.
Response of Ceriodaphnia dubia to ionic silver: discrepancies among model predictions, measured concentrations and mortality.

Abstract Silver thiosulfate, often a waste product of photoprocessing, is less bioavailable or toxic to aquatic organisms than is ionic silver. We conducted duplicate 48-h Ceriodaphnia dubia tests in reconstituted laboratory water using treatments of 92.7 nM Ag + with various concentrations of thiosulfate. Expected Ag + concentrations were generated for thiosulfate treatment levels using MINEQL + chemical equilibrium modeling. Ag + concentrations in treatments were determined using a novel silicon-based sensor. Based on predicted Ag + and published 48-h LC 50 values for C. dubia , we did not expect to observe adverse effects. Yet, 100% mortality was observed at low thiosulfate treatments, whereas >85% and >95% survival was observed at higher thiosulfate treatment levels, respectively. Our results indicate that biotic responses match the sensor-based Ag + concentrations. However, there is a discrepancy between these empirical results and responses expected to occur with Ag + concentrations as predicted by MINEQL + chemical modeling. By correlating silicon sensor data with toxicity results obtained from our laboratory, our work clearly relates a specific chemical form (Ag + ) to toxicity results.
Categorical prediction of acute chest pain outcome by relonics

Relonics, for the first time, identifies previously unknown multi‐dimensional patterns of biochemical meta‐networks which can serve as specific and sensitive systemic markers for categorical prediction of acute chest pain outcome in individual patients at the time of admission in Intensive Care Unit.
PERITONEAL NEUTROPHIL CELL RESPONSE IN NEC

Neutropenia is a well-known consequence of necrotizing enterocolitis in the newborn. Increased peripheral utilization or bone marrow suppression with systemic sepsis have been implicated as mechanisms for this neutropenia. However, many infants with NEC do not have positive blood cultures. We examined peritoneal as well as peripheral leukocyte counts at the time of surgery in 6 neonates with NEC.
A rupture model of the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake

The 11 March 2011 Tohoku Earthquake ruptured the interplate boundary off-shore of east Japan, with fault displacements of up to 40 m and a rupture duration of 150–160 s. W-phase inversion indicates a moment of 3.9 × 1022 N m (Mw 9.0) and a centroid time of 71 s. We invert teleseismic P waves and broadband Rayleigh wave observations with high-rate GPS recordings from Japan to characterize the rupture. The resulting rupture model begins with a steady increase of moment rate for the first 80 s, and a rupture speed of 1.5 km/s. Then the rupture expands southwestward at a speed of about 2.5 km/s. The model’s primary slip is concentrated up-dip from the hypocenter, with significant displacement extending to the trench. The seaward location of large slip is consistent with estimates of the tsunami source area from regional and remote tsunami observations. The region with large slip is approximately 150-km wide by 300-km long, which is relatively compact compared with the 200-km wide, 500-km long aftershock region. The model’s initial updip rupture expansion and the location of most slip updip of the hypocenter differs from P-wave array back-projections, which map high-frequency radiation along the downdip of the hypocenter, closer to the coast.
Digital Impedance for Faradaic Analysis II . Electrodissolution of Cu in

The electrodissolution of Cu was studied experimentally by both steady-state and impedance (DIFA) techniques on a rotating disk. The anodic dissolution was found to be largely mass-transfer controlled, but a kinetic contribution could be identified at high rotation rates. The steady-state behavior was satisfactorily modeled, and kinetic parameters ..cap alpha.. /SUB a/ , ..cap alpha.. /SUB c/ and the exchange current density were determined. The impedance of the system was also modeled; experimental results confirmed the steady-state kinetic parameters and the mass-transfer-kinetic model at all frequencies.
Isolation and physical characterization of sodium deoxyribonucleate from pneumococcus type III.

Abstract A quantity of the deoxyribonucleate possessing some transforming activity has been prepared from pneumococcus type III. It was found that most of the capsular polysaccharide is precipitated from solution upon saturation with NaCl. Small amounts of contaminating capsular and somatic polysaccharides can be removed by magnesium and calcium precipitation, respectively. Sedimentation constants were determined for the deoxyribonucleate at ten different concentrations. The value of S20 at zero concentration was found to be 13.37. The partial specific volume was found to be 0.515 at 20 °C.
“The Compassionate Physician”: Frequency and Social Determinants of Physician-Investigator Concern for Human Subjects

Medical authorities have commented that the "compassion" of the physician-investigator for human subjects, together with his professional expertise and other individual qualifications, is more important than, and preferable to social controls, for the protection of subjects' rights and welfare. Data largely from interviews with 337 research physicians provide a basis for refinement and operationalization of the concept, "compassion," and permit estimation of the frequency, first, of general concern for human subjects among physician-investigators and, then, of their specific concern for the actual subjects of their own investigations. Some research-related social conditions which tend to engender or activate this concern are specified. Findings of earlier studies, which can lead to an unwarranted conclusion that virtually all research physicians are deeply concerned and involved with their subjects, are thus qualified. The data indicate that physician-investigator "compassion" for subjects is far from universal. In conclusion, the need for social controls, such as peer review, is reaffirmed. Recently the scandal caused by the revelation of the forty-year-old Tuskegee Study, in which treatment was withheld from a group of black male syphilitics, has caused a flurry of activity in the Government and in Congress to propose regulations and bills to strengthen existing practices designed to safeguard the rights and welfare of the human subjects of biomedical research (H.E.W., 1973b; Senate Subcommittee on Health, 1973). Moreover, even before this present flurry, much attention had been given this matter during the past decade: in the writings and discussions of biomedical researchers themselves, lawyers, moral philosophers, and social scientists (e.g., Barber, 1967; Beecher, 1966; Freund, 1970; Ladimer and Newman, 1963; Pappworth, 1967); in the mass media; and in governmental regulations, notably those of the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration (Curran, 1970). Since 1966 the National Institutes of Health have mandated institutional peer review for all the biomedical clinical research they have supported. This includes a large part of all the biomedical clinical research done in this country and in nearly every biomedical research organization. In 1971 the Food and Drug Administration, which up to that point had required only written voluntary consent from subjects, followed suit and added the requirement of peer review for all clinical
Casting light on pain

Optogenetic methods to control nociceptors open up a wealth of potential applications in pain research and therapy.
An optimal sizing method for stand-alone photovoltaic power systems

The total life-cycle cost of stand-alone photovoltaic (SAPV) power systems is mathematically formulated. A new optimal sizing algorithm for the solar array and battery capacity is developed. The optimum value of a balancing parameter, M, for the optimal sizing of SAPV system components is derived. The proposed optimal sizing algorithm is used in an illustrative example, where a more economical life-cycle cost has been obtained. The question of cost versus reliability is briefly discussed.
Avolition and expressive deficits capture negative symptom phenomenology: Implications for DSM-5 and schizophrenia research

The DSM-5 formulation presents an opportunity to refine the negative symptom assessments that are crucial for a schizophrenia diagnosis. This review traces the history of negative symptom constructs in neuropsychiatry from their earliest conceptualizations in the 19th century. It presents the relevant literature for distinguishing between different types of negative symptoms. Although a National Institute of Mental Health consensus initiative proposed that there are five separate negative symptom domains, our review of the individual items demonstrates no more than three negative symptom domains. Indeed, numerous factor analyses of separate negative symptom scales routinely identify only two domains: 1) expressive deficits, which include affective, linguistic and paralinguistic expressions, and 2) avolition for daily life and social activities. We propose that a focus on expressive deficits and avolition will be of optimum utility for diagnosis, treatment-considerations, and research purposes compared to other negative symptom constructs. We recommend that these two domains should be assessed as separate dimensions in the DSM-5 criteria.
FAT OPACITIES DORSAL TO THE EQUINE ANTEBRACHIOCARPAL JOINT

Radiolucencies due to fat in the soft tissues dorsal to the equine antebrachiocarpal joint were studied in 12 necropsy specimens. In lateral-to-medial xeroradiographs of these 12 specimens, focal radiolucencies were present in ten, one focal radiolucency was present in one, and no focal radiolucencies were present in ten, one focal radiolucency was present in one, and no focal radiolucencies were in another. These radiolucencies were identified as fat in the antebrachiocarpal joint capsule. The fat was in two locations within this joint capsule. It was associated with the synovial membrane of the extensor carpi radialis tendon sheath and the synovial membrane of the antebrachiocarpal joint.
A novel approach to determine normal variation in gene expression data

Animal models for human diseases are of crucial importance for studying gene expression and regulation. In the last decade the development of mouse models for cancer, diabetes, neuro-degenerative and many other diseases has been on steady rise. Microarray analysis of patterns of gene expression in mouse models of various pathological types and the study of molecular level changes as a result of interventions, holds lot of promise to the understanding of biological processes involved. The genes which show normal variance across genetically identical mice are of particular interest because they could serve as a databank for possible false positives in gene expression studies in similar kind of mice. Also they could provide useful insights into the biological processes behind the differential expression patterns in otherwise similar mice. Our approach systematically removes variance due to experimental noise in each of the mice and then mines for normal variance among the identical mice. This analysis carried over six tissues sampled from mice, resulted in several genes which showed variations among identical mice, thus enabling a comprehensive database of normal variations in gene expression for mouse models. A large number of these genes are known to be related to stress response, hypertension and heat shock. Also Principal Component Analysis was done to visualize similarity among the mice models and within the replicates. These studies help in the design of gene expression studies in mouse models and help in validation of the results.
An Analysis of the Accessibility and Nonaccessibility of Patients in a Follow-up Study

In a follow-up study of 184 emergency room patients experiencing acute drug reactions, several respondents were inaccessible. In this paper the 83 accessible and 101 nonaccessible patients are compared in order to determine why respondents are often difficult to locate in a follow-up study. Those patients who were the most accessible proved to be primarily young, White males who had been referred to a traditional drug treatment program from the hospital emergency room. Those patients who were the least accessible proved to be primarily White females between 24 and 29 years of age who had not been referred for further treatment.
Network-Wide Statistical Modeling, Prediction, and Monitoring of Computer Traffic.

Computer network use is becoming increasingly widespread, both in terms of number of users and variety of applications. To provide consistently high-quality service, network engineers and managers must monitor several aspects of the network, including traffic volumes on its links. As networks’ sizes expand, such monitoring becomes demanding in terms of resources required. Motivated by the prospect of monitoring only a small subset of links, this article explores the problem of using observed traffic measurements on selected links to predict the traffic on other, unobserved links. The characteristics of such unobserved links are learned through auxiliary data. Although more expensive to obtain, this extra dataset provides the necessary information to represent important structure in the network, and can significantly improve the results of prediction as compared with more naive approaches. In addition, we introduce an adjusted control chart methodology that shows possible applications of our prediction res...
Modal Models in Ptolemy

Ptolemy is an open-source and extensible modeling and simulation framework. It offers heterogeneous modeling capabilities by allowing different models of computation to be composed hierarchically in an arbitrary fashion. This paper describes modal models, which allow to hierarchically compose finite-state machines with other models of computation, both untimed and timed. The semantics of modal models in Ptolemy are defined in a modular manner.
Effects of Brassica nigra and plant–fungi interactions on the arthropod community of Deinandra fasciculata

While invasive plants are widely studied for their effects on native plants, we questioned how plant invasions affect higher trophic levels. We investigated the effects of the invasive plant, Brassica nigra on the multi-trophic arthropod community residing on the native California annual Deinandra fasciculata. In a common garden experiment, we planted D. fasciculata without B. nigra or with one of 45 B. nigra half-sib genetic families. We in turn crossed this B. nigra treatment with the suppression of soil fungi to both test for effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on arthropods, and elucidate the mechanisms of B. nigra’s below ground effects. B. nigra had no effect on D. fasciculata traits (biomass, inflorescence number, root colonization by AMF), arthropod community composition or predator density, but increased herbivore density. While B. nigra families varied 18-fold in size, there was no genetic variation for effects on D. fasciculata or its arthropods. Soil fungi suppression had no effect on D. fasciculata traits, herbivore density or herbivore community composition, but increased predator density and altered predator community composition. While the exact mechanisms of B. nigra effects are unclear, they do not appear to have been mediated by altered plant performance or reductions in root colonization by AMF. Our experiment shows that invasive plants such as B. nigra may affect higher trophic levels even when they do not measurably affect native plant performance.
Comparison of threshold-voltage shifts for uniaxial and biaxial tensile-stressed n-MOSFETs

Large differences in the experimentally observed strain-induced threshold-voltage shifts for uniaxial and biaxial tensile-stressed silicon (Si) n-channel MOSFETs are explained and quantified. Using the deformation potential theory, key quantities that affect threshold-voltage (electron affinity, bandgap, and valence band density of states) are expressed as a function of strain. The calculated threshold-voltage shift is in agreement with uniaxial wafer bending and published biaxial strained-Si on relaxed-Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ experimental data , and explains the technologically important observation of a significantly larger (>4x) threshold-voltage shift for biaxial relative to uniaxial stressed MOSFETs. The large threshold shift for biaxial stress is shown to result from the stress-induced change in the Si channel electron affinity and bandgap. The small threshold-voltage shift for uniaxial process tensile stress is shown to result from the n/sup +/ poly-Si gate in addition to the Si channel being strained and significantly less bandgap narrowing.
A distributed hypothesis-testing team decision problem with communications cost

In this paper we formulate and solve a distributed binary hypothesis-testing problem. We consider a cooperative team that consists of two decision makers (DM's); one is refered to as the primary DM and the other as the consulting DM. The team objective is to carry out binary hypothesis testing based upon uncertain measurements. The primary DM can declare his decision based only on its own measurements; however, in ambiguous situations the primary DM can ask the consulting DM for an opinion and it incurs a communications cost. Then the consulting DM transmits either a definite recommendation or pleads ignorance. The primary DM has the responsibility of making a final definitive decision. The team objective is the minimization of the probability of error, taking into account different costs for hypothesis misclassification and communication costs. Numerical results are included to demonstrate the dependence of the different decision thresholds on the problem parameters, including different perceptions of the prior information.
U -Lusin sets in hyperfinite time lines

In an ω-saturated nonstandard universe a cut is an initial segment of the hyperintegers which is closed under addition. Keisler and Leth in [KL] introduced, for each given cut U , a corresponding U -topology on the hyperintegers by letting O be U -open if for any x ϵ O there is a y greater than all the elements in U such that the interval [ x − y,x + y ] ⊆ O . Let U be a cut in a hyperfinite time line , which is a hyperfinite initial segment of the hyperintegers. A subset B of is called a U -Lusin set in if B is uncountable and for any Loeb-Borel U -meager subset X of , B ⋂ X is countable. Here a Loeb-Borel set is an element of the σ-algebra generated by all internal subsets of : In this paper we answer some questions of Keisler and Leth about the existence of U -Lusin sets by proving the following facts. (1) If U = x / N = { y ϵ : ∀ n ϵ ℕ( y x / n )} for some x ϵ , then there exists a U -Lusin set of power κ if and only if there exists a Lusin set of the reals of power κ. (2) If U ≠ x / N but the coinitiality of U is ω, then there are no U -Lusin sets if CH fails. (3) Under ZFC there exists a nonstandard universe in which U -Lusin sets exist for every cut U with uncountable cofinality and coinitiality. (4) In any ω 2 -saturated nonstandard universe there are no U -Lusin sets for all cuts U except U = x / N .
Pulmonary radiologic findings in common variable immunodeficiency: clinical and immunological correlations

Abstract Background It remains unclear whether interstitial lung disease (ILD) in common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a consequence of chronic infection or a manifestation of dysregulated lymphoid proliferation found in those with this condition. Objective To increase understanding of CVID-associated lung disease by comparing clinical and immunologic associations in those with bronchiectasis, ILD, or no lung disease observed on chest computerized tomography (CT). Methods Retrospective review of electronic medical records of 61 patients with CVID was used to identify clinical and laboratory correlates of bronchiectasis, ground glass opacity, and pulmonary nodules on CT scan. Results Significant clinical and immunologic associations were identified for common CT scan findings in CVID. Bronchiectasis was strongly correlated with a CD4 + T-cell count lower than 700 cells/μL and was associated with a history of pneumonia and older age. Pulmonary nodular disease was correlated with increased CD4 + :CD8 + T-cell ratios, a history of autoimmune hemolytic anemia or immune thrombocytopenic purpura, elevated IgM, and younger age. Ground glass opacity had similar clinical and laboratory characteristics as those for nodular lung disease but was associated with elevated monocyte counts and the presence of liver disease. Conclusion CT findings of bronchiectasis or ILD, including ground glass opacity and extensive pulmonary nodules, were correlated with selected clinical and laboratory characteristics. These results suggest divergent processes of CVID lung disease, with bronchiectasis more strongly associated with infection and T-cell lymphopenia and ILD more strongly linked with autoimmunity and lymphoproliferation.
French identity in flux : The triumph of Honegger's Antigone

Why did the Paris Opera stage Arthur Honegger's Antigone in 1943, sixteen years after rejecting it for being too modernist? Recent theories of modernism reveal how the later production was able to penetrate the cultural “spaces” inadvertently created during Vichy's collaboration with Germany. The opera appealed not only to the German-and French-authorized press but also to the public, which viewed it as a work of existential examination, free from political and cultural propaganda.
Calcium Channels Formed by Mammalian Trp Homologues

Homologues of Drosophila trp genes have been isolated from mammalian species in hope that they may constitute the molecular basis of capacitative Ca2+ entry. Expression of Trps suggests that they form Ca2+ influx channels regulated by either store depletion or a more upstream event. Store-operated Trp channels can be formed by heteromultimerization.
Minority Empowerment and Environmental Justice

In Hartford, Connecticut, environmental health problems disproportionately affect poor and minority residents of the city. Minority group activists in Hartford have created a multiracial organization composed of urban and suburban residents to fight for environmental justice. The organization has achieved a measure of success in terms of governmental responsiveness to their concerns. This article highlights the strategies used by the organization to advance its interests. These strategies are framed within the minority empowerment and environmental justice literature to develop a theoretical explanation for the organization's success. Additionally, this article provides a model for other communities fighting for environmental justice.
The Hook-ups initiative: how youth can learn by creating their own computer interfaces and programs

This paper introduces the Hook-ups initiative. In this initiative, young people learn by designing and constructing "Hook-ups" - physical objects that can control games, animations, and other computer programs which they create. Hook-ups can be inspired by traditional computer interfaces (e.g., joysticks) or are entirely new types of interfaces (e.g., a spaceship steering wheel). In creating Hook-ups, young people work with objects and materials that they have a strong interest in exploring. Youth become designers capable of integrating virtual media with materials from the world around them. By engaging in Hook-ups design processes, learners gain confidence and motivation to explore topics within areas such as interface design, programming, and physics.
The therapeutic relationship in e-therapy for mental health: a systematic review.

Background: E-therapy is defined as a licensed mental health care professional providing mental health services via e-mail, video conferencing, virtual reality technology, chat technology, or any combination of these. The use of e-therapy has been rapidly expanding in the last two decades, with growing evidence suggesting that the provision of mental health services over the Internet is both clinically efficacious and cost effective. Yet there are still unanswered concerns about e-therapy, including whether it is possible to develop a successful therapeutic relationship over the Internet in the absence of nonverbal cues. Objective: Our objective in this study was to systematically review the therapeutic relationship in e-therapy. Methods: We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL through August 2011. Information on study methods and results was abstracted independently by the authors using a standardized form. Results: From the 840 reviewed studies, only 11 (1.3%) investigated the therapeutic relationship. The majority of the reviewed studies were focused on the therapeutic alliance—a central element of the therapeutic relationship. Although the results do not allow firm conclusions, they indicate that e-therapy seems to be at least equivalent to face-to-face therapy in terms of therapeutic alliance, and that there is a relationship between the therapeutic alliance and e-therapy outcome. Conclusions: Overall, the current literature on the role of therapeutic relationship in e-therapy is scant, and much more research is needed to understand the therapeutic relationship in online environments.
Global transcriptome analysis of Clostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405 during growth on dilute acid pretreated Populus and switchgrass

The thermophilic anaerobe Clostridium thermocellum is a candidate consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) biocatalyst for cellulosic ethanol production. The aim of this study was to investigate C. thermocellum genes required to ferment biomass substrates and to conduct a robust comparison of DNA microarray and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analytical platforms. C. thermocellum ATCC 27405 fermentations were conducted with a 5 g/L solid substrate loading of either pretreated switchgrass or Populus. Quantitative saccharification and inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP-ES) for elemental analysis revealed composition differences between biomass substrates, which may have influenced growth and transcriptomic profiles. High quality RNA was prepared for C. thermocellum grown on solid substrates and transcriptome profiles were obtained for two time points during active growth (12 hours and 37 hours postinoculation). A comparison of two transcriptomic analytical techniques, microarray and RNA-seq, was performed and the data analyzed for statistical significance. Large expression differences for cellulosomal genes were not observed. We updated gene predictions for the strain and a small novel gene, Cthe_3383, with a putative AgrD peptide quorum sensing function was among the most highly expressed genes. RNA-seq data also supported different small regulatory RNA predictions over others. The DNA microarray gave a greater number (2,351) of significant genes relative to RNA-seq (280 genes when normalized by the kernel density mean of M component (KDMM) method) in an analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing method with a 5% false discovery rate (FDR). When a 2-fold difference in expression threshold was applied, 73 genes were significantly differentially expressed in common between the two techniques. Sulfate and phosphate uptake/utilization genes, along with genes for a putative efflux pump system were some of the most differentially regulated transcripts when profiles for C. thermocellum grown on either pretreated switchgrass or Populus were compared. Our results suggest that a high degree of agreement in differential gene expression measurements between transcriptomic platforms is possible, but choosing an appropriate normalization regime is essential.
Combination of gemcitabine antagonizes antitumor activity of paclitaxel through prevention of mitotic arrest and apoptosis

Paclitaxel, the first member of taxanes, is one of the most active chemotherapeutic agents developed in the last decade for the treatment of advanced breast cancer and many other types of solid tumors. The promising clinical activity of paclitaxel has also promoted considerable interest in combining this drug with other antitumor agents. In this study, we assessed the cytotoxic interaction between paclitaxel and gemcitabine administered at various schedules to human breast and ovarian cancer cells. Through a series of in vitro assays including 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays, DNA fragmentation, and flow cytometric analyses, we found that gemcitabine could significantly antagonize the cytotoxic effects of paclitaxel when tumor cells were exposed to the two drugs simultaneously or exposed to gemcitabine before paclitaxel. However, there was little antagonistic interaction observed when paclitaxel was administered before gemcitabine. Further analyses demonstrated that gemc...
The Housing Environment

The relationship between people and the settings in which they live represents a theme running through much environment-behavior research. Thus the housing environment has been studied from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives and at differing scales.
On Capital Structure and Entry Deterrence

The theoretical literature on the link between an incumbent firm’s capital structure (financial leverage, debt/equity ratio) and entry into its product market is based on two classes of arguments, the “limited liability” arguments and the “deep pocket” arguments. However, these two classes of arguments provide contradictory predictions. This study provides a distinct strategic model of the link between capital structure and entry that is capable of rationally producing both of the existing contradictory predictions. The focus is on the role of beliefs and the cost of adjusting capital structure, two of the factors that are absent in the existing models. The beliefs may be exogenously given or endogenized by a rational expectations criterion.
What makes more, better? An exploratory study on the effects of firm-level commercial operations attributes on pharmaceutical business performance

Scholars in marketing develop new and better techniques for allocating marketing expenditures. Implicit in this endeavor is the belief that it matters both how much and well marketing and sales spending is deployed. This exploratory research study provides estimates of the contributions of the quantity and quality of expenditures on commercial operations to business performance by using a unique, company-level dataset that contains the internal marketing expenditures of 26 pharmaceutical firms from 2005 to 2011. As expected, the empirical results reveal that increasing marketing and sales expenditures positively affects business performance. However, consistent with the notion that the quality of spending matters in addition to the spending level, commercial organizational attributes that are positively related to expenditure quality (innovation and execution in commercial operations) interact synergistically with marketing expenditures, increasing the return on expenditures. Further, changes in commercia...
Chemical passivation processes for biofunctionalization schemes on semiconductor surfaces.

In developing novel designs for semiconductor-based biosensors and for biofunctionalization of semiconductors in general, it is extremely important to be able to block the reaction sites present on a surface following the biomodification from further chemical transformations. This procedure is required both to protect the surface from oxidation and to allow for molecular-level control of the biomolecular interactions at the topmost layer. In this work, the biosensor model system is designed based on a single-strand biotin-modified thiol-DNA attached to the silicon substrate. The binding of this thiol-DNA to the surface is performed through the cross-linker sulfosuccinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl)-cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SSMCC) attached to the 11-amino-1-undecene monolayer on Si(111) surface. Streptavidin-coated gold nanoparticles are used to test the reactivity of the surface and to examine the role of passivation in the entire scheme. The passivation of the remaining surface reactive sites is achieved ...
Biological Targeting of Plasmonic Nanoparticles Improves Cellular Imaging via the Enhanced Scattering in the Aggregates Formed.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) demonstrate great promise in biomedical applications due to their plasmonically enhanced imaging properties. When in close proximity, AuNPs plasmonic fields couple together, increasing their scattering cross-section due to the formation of hot spots, improving their imaging utility. In the present study, we modified the AuNPs surface with different peptides to target the nucleus and/or the cell as a whole, resulting in similar cellular uptake but different scattering intensities. Nuclear-targeted AuNPs showed the greatest scattering due to the formation of denser nanoparticle clusters (i.e., increased localization). We also obtained a dynamic profile of AuNP localization in living cells, indicating that nuclear localization is directly related to the number of nuclear-targeting peptides on the AuNP surface. Increased localization led to increased plasmonic field coupling, resulting in significantly higher scattering intensity. Thus, biochemical targeting of plasmonic nanoparticl...
Automatic ellipsis resolution: recovering covert information from text

Ellipsis is a linguistic process that makes certain aspects of text meaning not directly traceable to surface text elements and, therefore, inaccessible to most language processing technologies. However, detecting and resolving ellipsis is an indispensable capability for language-enabled intelligent agents. The key insight of the work presented here is that not all cases of ellipsis are equally difficult: some can be detected and resolved with high confidence even before we are able to build agents with full human-level semantic and pragmatic understanding of text. This paper describes a fully automatic, implemented and evaluated method of treating one class of ellipsis: elided scopes of modality. Our cognitively-inspired approach, which centrally leverages linguistic principles, has also been applied to overt referring expressions with equally promising results.
Optimizing antimicrobial therapy in children

Management of common infections and optimal use of antimicrobial agents are presented, highlighting new evidence from the medical literature that enlightens practice. Primary therapy of staphylococcal skin abscesses is drainage. Patients who have a large abscess (>5 cm), cellulitis or mixed abscess-cellulitis likely would benefit from additional antibiotic therapy. When choosing an antibiotic for outpatient management, the patient, pathogen and in vitro drug susceptibility as well as tolerability, bioavailability and safety characteristics of antibiotics should be considered. Management of recurrent staphylococcal skin and soft tissue infections is vexing. Focus is best placed on reducing density of the organism on the patient's skin and in the environment, and optimizing a healthy skin barrier. With attention to adherence and optimal dosing, acute uncomplicated osteomyelitis can be managed with early transition from parenteral to oral therapy and with a 3-4 week total course of therapy. Doxycycline should be prescribed when indicated for a child of any age. Its use is not associated with dental staining. Azithromycin should be prescribed for infants when indicated, whilst being alert to an associated ≥2-fold excess risk of pyloric stenosis with use under 6 weeks of age. Beyond the neonatal period, acyclovir is more safely dosed by body surface area (not to exceed 500 mg/m(2)/dose) than by weight. In addition to the concern of antimicrobial resistance, unnecessary use of antibiotics should be avoided because of potential later metabolic effects, thought to be due to perturbation of the host's microbiome.
The LibGDX Framework

This chapter will introduce many of the major features of the LibGDX library. It will illustrate how to use them in the process of creating a game called Starfish Collector , where you help the player’s character, a turtle, swim around the ocean floor while looking for a starfish. A screenshot of this game in action appears in Figure 2-1. At first, you will create a basic, functional game. Following a motivational discussion of object-oriented design principles, you will rewrite parts of this project using some of the LibGDX classes to improve the organization of the code. Future chapters will revisit this example and use it as a basis to introduce new game-design principles and features of LibGDX.
Urodynamic evaluation of patients after the Camey operation.

AbstractTen patients were evaluated urodynamically 3 to 18 months after they underwent the Camey operation. Of these patients 2 had total diurnal and nocturnal continence, 1 was totally incontinent and 6 were incontinent to various degrees that necessitated the use of 1 to 3 pads or diapers per day. All but 2 of the Camey neobladders had cystoplasty contractions at a capacity of 50 to 200ml. The 2 totally continent patients had no cystoplasty contractions. The bladder in the totally incontinent patient had good capacity, good compliance and low pressure contractions up to a volume of 400ml. The condition in this patient may be attributed to sphincteric incontinence. Urinary flow is achieved by abdominal straining and is interrupted. Vesicoureteral reflux occurred in 3 of 20 renal units.