cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intensity Ratios between the 2s2 1S0-2s2p 3P1 and 2s2p 1P1-2p2 1D2 Transitions in Be-like Ions as Electron Temperature Indicators for Solar Upper Atmosphere Plasmas

We investigate the relative intensities of the two moderately bright Be-like 2s2 1S0-2s2p 3P1 and 2s2p 1P1-2p2 1D2 lines as a function of electron temperature. We show that the intensity ratios of the lines in the beryllium isoelectronic sequence from C III to Ni XXV ions can serve as sensitive temperature indicators for a large variety of solar plasmas. While the C III-Ne VII lines can be used to diagnose unresolved fine structures in relatively cold solar atmosphere plasmas [(1-5) × 105 K], the Na VIII-Ar XV ions can be used to diagnose coronal plasmas [(0.8-3) × 106 K], and Ca XVII-Ni XXV lines are useful to measure the temperature in flaring plasmas [(5-16) × 107 K]. We investigate the effects on the temperature determination caused by varying the number of energy levels that are included in the atomic model for the considered ions. It is found that a model that includes the 2l2l' and 2l3l' configurations is sufficient for adequately describing the relevant level populations of the Be-like ions in coronal conditions. We compare theoretical ratios obtained using collisional cross section and transition probability values derived by different theoretical methods. The atomic data are obtained from the CHIANTI database, the Hebrew University Lawrence Livermore Atomic Code (HULLAC) suite of programs, and other available sources in the literature. Finally, we use spectra of an apparently isothermal coronal plasma observed by the Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation instrument on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory to determine the electron temperature of streamer plasma using the HULLAC and CHIANTI atomic data sets. The result is compared with the temperature derived in an earlier study using different methods.
Variations on a notational theme

Etude critique de l'ouvrage de Pieter A.M. Seuren intitule Western Linguistics: An Historical Introduction (1998)
Ca2+ Sparks in Embryonic Mouse Skeletal Muscle Selectively Deficient in Dihydropyridine Receptor α1S or β1a Subunits

Abstract Ca 2+ sparks are miniature Ca 2+ release events from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of muscle cells. We examined the kinetics of Ca 2+ sparks in excitation-contraction uncoupled myotubes from mouse embryos lacking the β 1 subunit and mdg embryos lacking the α 1S subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor. Ca 2+ sparks occurred spontaneously without a preferential location in the myotube. Ca 2+ sparks had a broad distribution of spatial and temporal dimensions with means much larger than those reported in adult muscle. In normal myotubes ( n =248 sparks), the peak fluorescence ratio, ΔF/Fo, was 1.6±0.6 (mean±SD), the full spatial width at half-maximal fluorescence (FWHM) was 3.6±1.1 μ m and the full duration of individual sparks, Δt, was 145±64ms. In β -null myotubes ( n =284 sparks), ΔF/Fo=1.9±0.4, FWHM=5.1±1.5 μ m, and Δ t =168±43ms. In mdg myotubes ( n =426 sparks), ΔF/Fo=1±0.5, the FWHM=2.5±1.1 μ m, and Δ t =97±50ms. Thus, Ca 2+ sparks in mdg myotubes were significantly dimmer, smaller, and briefer than Ca 2+ sparks in normal or β -deficient myotubes. In all cell types, the frequency of sparks, ΔF/Fo, and FWHM were gradually decreased by tetracaine and increased by caffeine. Both results confirmed that Ca 2+ sparks of resting embryonic muscle originated from spontaneous openings of ryanodine receptor channels. We conclude that dihydropyridine receptor α 1S and β 1 subunits participate in the control of Ca 2+ sparks in embryonic skeletal muscle. However, excitation-contraction coupling is not essential for Ca 2+ spark formation in these cells.
The Interactive Effects of Race, Gender, and Job Type on Job Suitability Ratings and Selection Decisions

The present study examined the main and interactive effects of race, gender, and job type on job suitability ratings and selection decisions. Consistent with the double-advantage additive effects model of race and gender, highly educated Black women were rated as more suitable for jobs and more likely to be selected for jobs requiring high levels of cognitive ability than were comparably educated White men, White women, or Black men. These results suggest that selection decisions might be jointly determined by race, gender, and the nature of a job. The implications of these findings for overcoming biases in employment-related decision making are discussed.
A Q-band power amplifier with high-gain pre-driver and 18.7 dBm output power for fully integrated CMOS transmitters

A high-gain, Q-band power amplifier (PA) implemented in 45-nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS is presented. The PA is designed for fully integrated radios and provides 30.7 dB of gain to allow the digital baseband to fully saturate the PA at 18.7 dBm output power. This is achieved with an overall power-added efficiency (PAE), including all pre-driver and impedance matching networks, of 18.1%. The raw PAE of the PA unit cell is 29%. This PA provides the highest reported gain of single CMOS PAs in the Q-band and one of the highest P sat and raw PAE per PA cell. In addition the digital implementation of the pre-driver enabled the overall die area to be smaller than comparable Q-band PAs, with a core area of 0.12 mm2.
Male reproductive system of three species of polistes (hymenoptera: vespidae)

Abstract The adult male reproductive system of 3 species of North American Polistes wasps is described. The testes are paired, but united within a common testicular sheath. Three testicular follicles are present in each testis. The follicles are packed with mature spermatozoa arranged in bundles with heads facing the lumen. From each testis arises a vas deferens which possesses a bulbous seminal vesicle. The paired bulbous accessory glands are positioned immediately posterior and laterad to the seminal vesicles to form compact seminal vesicle-accessory gland complexes which are surrounded by a common sheath. The absence of complex musculature on the seminal vesicles and accessory glands is noteworthy.
Syllabic strength and lexical boundary decisions in the perception of hypokinetic dysarthric speech

This investigation evaluated a possible source of reduced intelligibility in hypokinetic dysarthric speech, namely the mismatch between listeners' perceptual strategies and the acoustic information available in the dysarthric speech signal. A paradigm of error analysis was adopted in which listener transcriptions of phrases were coded for the presence and type of word boundary errors. Seventy listeners heard 60 phrases produced by speakers with hypokinetic dysarthria. The six-syllable phrases alternated strong and weak syllables and ranged in length from three to five words. Lexical boundary violations were defined as erroneous insertions or deletions of lexical boundaries that occurred either before strong or before weak syllables. A total of 1596 lexical boundary errors in the listeners' transcriptions was identified unanimously by three independent judges. The pattern of errors generally conformed with the predictions of the Metrical Segmentation Strategy hypothesis [Cutler and Norris, J. Exp. Psychol. 14, 113-121 (1988)] which posits that listeners attend to strong syllables to identify word onsets. However, the strength of adherence to this pattern varied across speakers. Comparison of acoustic evidence of syllabic strength to lexical boundary error patterns revealed a source of intelligibility deficit associated with this particular type of dysarthric speech pattern.
SU-E-J-163: Tracking Interfractional Patient Positioning Consistency When a Robotic Couch Is in Use

Purpose: To track interfractional patient positioning consistency during a course of stereotactic radiotherapy using BrainLAB frameless immobilization and localization system, with ExacTRAC IGRT and Robotic couch. Methods: One relationship between the BrainLAN iPLAN coordinates and the Varian couch parameters was developed so that three translational couch positions were incorporated into Aria R&V system as part of the plan parameters. Therapists use these positions to verify patient's initial set‐up. After ExacTRAC calculates 3 shifts and 3 rotations of a patient's current position to the expected position based on the registration of a pair of x‐ray images with DRR, the robotic couch can be driven to place the target at Linac isocenter. However, since the rotational axes for pitch and roll of the robotic couch are not coincident with the Linac isocenteral axes, the couch positions will be changed to allow for pitch and roll corrections. Current R&V system only records 3 translational and 1 couch angle (no pitch and roll), and the interfractional couch position difference can be > 8 cm vertically. A second relationship was developed between the recorded translational parameters and the actual target position, taking into account the pitch and roll from the ExacTRAC system, so that the interfractional patient position can be tracked. Results: The differences between the estimated and actual translational couch positions are < 2 mm on average for 28 patients. The interfractional couch position variance is < 1.5 mm for 3 patients (10 fractions per patient). Discussions: If the EaxcTRAC IGRTsystem is mis‐calibrated to a wrong position other than Linac isocenter, the x‐ray image registrationsystem cannot in itself detect the error. Therefore, this patient position tracking methodology can be a very important safety tool for preventing errors, so that the treatment team can deliver stereotactic radiation at a higher confidence level.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in college students with a chronic illness

To examine posttraumatic stress symptoms in college students with a chronic illness, volunteers who endorsed having a chronic illness ( N = 61) were administered the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PTDS: Foa, Cashman, Jaycox, & Perry, 1997). Over 50% met the criteria for reexperiencing symptoms and interference with functioning; however, few participants met criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Higher threat appraisals (endorsement of A criteria, general appraisal/level of pessimism) explained a significant portion of the variance in total PTSD symptoms beyond the significant contributions of anxiety, life events, and illness interference with daily functioning. Our findings document the presence of posttraumatic stress symptoms among college students with chronic illness and highlight the role of anxiety and perceived threat in the development of symptoms. College students face a number of demands from chronic illness and stressors not related to their health indicating the need for services targeted at responses to stress.
Dispersion relations for the convective instability of an acidity front in Hele-Shaw cells

Autocatalytic chemical fronts of the chlorite-tetrathionate (CT) reaction become buoyantly unstable when they travel downwards in the gravity field because they imply an unfavorable density stratification of heavier products on top of lighter reactants. When such a density fingering instability occurs in extended Hele-Shaw cells, several fingers appear at onset which can be characterized by dispersion relations giving the growth rate of the perturbations as a function of their wave number. We analyze here theoretically such dispersion curves comparing the results for various models obtained by coupling Darcy’s law or Brinkman’s equation to either a one-variable reaction-diffusion model for the CT reaction or an eikonal equation. Our theoretical results are compared to recent experimental data.
Pupillary examination: do I really need to look?

Abstract A pupillary examination takes very little time and does not require expensive equipment. Unfortunately, many ophthalmic personnel do not take the time to thoroughly evaluate pupillary function. Pupillary examinations can be easy if divided into specific elements for assessment. These elements should include color, shape, size, equality, and reaction to stimulus. This article will briefly review some of the more common pupillary abnormalities and review the steps of the pupillary examination. (Insight 2001;26:119-26)
Where Manuscript Development Meets Faculty Development

The much-discussed crisis in scholarly publishing inspired the creation of an experimental program a few years ago at Emory University. The Manuscript Development Program seeks to support faculty members publishing books in this changing environment. Scholars who choose to work with the program often wish to make their scholarship more accessible to somewhat broader or interdisciplinary audiences. We also help junior faculty learn more about the publishing process and revise book proposals, as well as offering occasional workshops on issues in scholarly publishing and the craft of writing.
SWINE INFLUENZA : I. EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMISSION AND PATHOLOGY

Swine influenza has been induced in pigs by the intranasal instillation of material from spontaneous cases of the disease as occurring epizootically in eastern Iowa. The experimental disease has the same features as the epizootic. It has been maintained for study by serial passages accomplished either by intranasal instillation or by pen contact. Eight strains of the virus have been established experimentally during three epizootic periods. The clinical disease induced by these eight strains has been in general the same although its severity and mortality have varied. The principal features of the pathology of swine influenza are an exudative bronchitis accompanied by marked damage of the bronchial epithelium and its cilia, a peribronchial round cell infiltration, and massive pulmonary atelectasis. The latter is modified somewhat by a round cell infiltration of the alveolar walls. The lymph nodes, especially the cervical and mediastinal ones, are hyperplastic and edematous. There is usually a mild to moderate, acute splenic tumor. The mucosa of the stomach and colon is congested. The pneumonia following swine influenza is, characteristically, lobular in type and of the same general distribution as the atelectasis. The non-pneumonic areas of lung are extremely edematous and congested.
Characters of Finite Quasigroups III: Quotients and Fusion

The character theory of finite quasigroups, introduced in [4] and [5], is developed further. The Quotient Theorem relates the character theory of a quasigroup to that of its homomorphic images. The Fusion Theorem relates the character theories of different quasigroup structures on the same set. Fusion geometry interprets certain character values as solutions of optimization problems. Magic rectangle conditions impose additional constraints that facilitate the computation of character tables.
A Two-Dimensional Numerical Sensitivity Study of the Great Plains Low-Level Jet

Abstract Observations have shown the existence of a diurnal oscillation of the wind profile in the springtime boundary layer of the central United States called the Great Plains low-level jet. This low-level jet is a mesoscale phenomenon that is not easily predicted by larger-scale numerical forecast models, which lack adequate resolution of the boundary layer. It has been postulated that this nocturnal jet can act as a triggering mechanism in the development of localized convective precipitation. If the mechanisms that cause this low-level jet are better understood and modeled, more accurate short-range local forecasts of these convective events could be made. The dominant forcing mechanisms in the development of the Great Plains low-level jet are the coupled frictional and thermal oscillations in the planetary boundary layer. In this study, a two-dimensional planetary boundary-layer model linked with a soil hydrology system is used to determine the sensitivity of the low-level jet to perturbations in th...
Commentary: Second thoughts about the measurement of communication apprehension at the elementary school level

The paper describes and compares the research that has utilized and has specifically tested the measurement instrument known as the MECA (Measurement of Elementary Communication Apprehension). Based upon the conclusions from three studies that employed factor analytic research, cautions are offered, problems are developed, and recommendations for future research are provided.
Informing Child Welfare Policy and Practice: Using Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Technology via a Dynamic Web Site

Proper management and implementation of an effective child welfare agency requires the constant use of information about the experiences and outcomes of children involved in the system, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, timely, and accurate data. In the past 20 years, there have been many advances in technology that can maximize the potential of administrative data to promote better evaluation and management in the field of child welfare. Specifically, this article discusses the use of knowledge discovery and data mining (KDD), which makes it possible to create longitudinal data files from administrative data sources, extract valuable knowledge, and make the information available via a user-friendly public Web site. This article demonstrates a successful project in North Carolina where knowledge discovery and data mining technology was used to develop a comprehensive set of child welfare outcomes available through a public Web site to facilitate information sharing of child welfare data to improve policy and practice.
Toward In Situ Testing of the Mechanical Properties of Composite Panels

Phase changes of flexural waves propagating in a composite panel are used to infer the mechanical properties. Experimental results for a Scotchply laminated composite are presented.
Reply regarding spica MRI after closed reduction for developmental dysplasia of the hip

Sir, We agree with Dr. Laor that MRI should supplant the use of CT for immediate postoperative spica evaluation and hope that sharing our step-by-step approach will encourage other departments to follow this algorithm [1]. We wish to thank Dr. Laor for her letter spotlighting two important earlier articles on spica MR imaging, which, unfortunately, due to space constraints for this type of article, we did not include in our final submission [2]. References
Double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled study of high-dose tirilazad mesylate in women with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Part II. A cooperative study in North America

Object. To test the safety and efficacy of high-dose (15 mg/kg/day) tirilazad mesylate in women suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a prospective randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trial (parallel to the one conducted in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa) was performed at 65 North American neurosurgical centers. Methods. Of the 832 patients who were randomized, 823 received at least one dose of tirilazad (410 patients) or placebo vehicle containing citrate (413 patients). The two groups were similar with respect to their prognostic factors for overall outcome and delayed cerebral ischemia. There were no differences in medical and surgical interventions including hyperdynamic therapy (intentional hypervolemia, induced hypertension, and/or hemodilution) between the two treatment groups. In contrast to the accompanying study, the protocol for the North American study was formally amended, in that a sequential analysis of the primary efficacy end point, mortality ...
Stress analysis of cement mills

A method of computing stresses on a grinding mill due to freely falling balls has been presented using finite element analysis and a semi-analytical approach. The reliability of the results obtained has been demonstrated by comparing it with experimental data available on an industrial mill of 3.8 m diameter. It is concluded that this approach can be satisfactorily used for designing grinding mills taking into account the role of liners and diaphragms.
Pregnancy in a patient with hypereosinophilic syndrome

Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare entity of unknown etiology that may cause a multitude of problems, from skin rash to organ failure, due to eosinophil infiltrate of tissues. Information on the interaction of hypereosinophilia and pregnancy in patients with established HES is very limited. Here we report a case of a woman with a seven year history of HES whose pregnancy resulted in the delivery of a healthy infant without complications, and no evidence of elevated eosinophils in the infants blood. During pregnancy the patient experienced significant reduction of eosinophils in her blood and resolution of signs and symptoms related to hypereosinophilia.
Carbohydrate Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding Cooperativity and Its Effect on Water Structure

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations combined with water-water H-bond angle analysis and calculation of solvent accessible surface area and approximate free energy of solvation were used to determine the influence of hydroxyl orientation on solute hydration and surrounding water structure for a group of chemically identical solutes-the aldohexopyranose sugars. Intramolecular hydrogen bond cooperativity was closely associated with changes in water structure surrounding the aldohexopyranose stereoisomers. The OH-4 group played a pivotal role in hydration as it was able to participate in a number of hydrogen bond networks utilizing the OH-6 group. Networks that terminated within the molecule (OH-4 --> OH-6 --> O-5) had relatively more nonpolar-like hydration than those that ended in a free hydroxyl group (OH-6 --> OH-4 --> OH-3). The OH-2 group modulated the strength of OH-4 networks through syndiaxial OH-2/4 intramolecular hydrogen bonding, which stabilized and induced directionality in the network. Other syndiaxial interactions, such as the one between OH-1 and OH-3, only indirectly affected water structure. Water structure surrounding hydrogen bond networks is discussed in terms of water-water hydrogen bond populations. The impact of syndiaxial versus vicinal hydrogen bonds is also reviewed. The results suggest that biological events such as protein-carbohydrate recognition and cryoprotection by carbohydrates may be driven by intramolecular hydrogen bond cooperativity.
Ribonucleotides in DNA: hidden in plain sight

Mapping of ribonucleotides to single-nucleotide resolution in yeast genomes provides new insight into the enzymology of DNA replication.
Individualised pelvic floor muscle training is an effective conservative treatment in women with pelvic organ prolapse

Commentary on : Hagen S, Stark D, Glazener C, et al. Individualised pelvic floor muscle training in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POPPY): a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2014;383:796–806.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] In the USA alone the number of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) cases is expected to increase substantially, from 3.3 m in 2010 to 4.9 m in 2050.1 At least 200 000 operations are performed annually in the USA with surgical failures reportedly occurring in up to 58% of cases, with about one-third of women undergoing more than one surgery for prolapse recurrence.2 ,3 A few studies have, with mixed results, investigated the role of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in addressing POP.4 This study aimed to assess whether one-to-one PFMT would reduce symptoms and further treatment need in women with stages I-III POP, and … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DLancet%26rft.volume%253D383%26rft.spage%253D796%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252FS0140-6736%252813%252961977-7%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24290404%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61977-7&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=24290404&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F6%2F213.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000332398700026&link_type=ISI
Solar photovoltaic charging of high voltage nickel metal hydride batteries using DC power conversion

Abstract There are an increasing number of vehicle choices available that utilize batteries and electric motors to reduce tailpipe emissions and increase fuel economy. The eventual production of electricity and hydrogen in a renewable fashion, such as using solar energy, can achieve the long-term vision of having no tailpipe environmental impact, as well as eliminating the dependence of the transportation sector on dwindling supplies of petroleum for its energy. In this report we will demonstrate the solar-powered charging of the high-voltage nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery used in the GM 2-mode hybrid system. In previous studies we have used low-voltage solar modules to produce hydrogen via the electrolysis of water and to directly charge lithium-ion battery modules. Our strategy in the present work was to boost low-voltage PV voltage to over 300 V using DC–DC converters in order to charge the high-voltage NiMH battery, and to regulate the battery charging using software to program the electronic control unit supplied with the battery pack. A protocol for high-voltage battery charging was developed, and the solar to battery charging efficiency was measured under a variety of conditions. We believe this is the first time such high-voltage batteries have been charged using solar energy in order to prove the concept of efficient, solar-powered charging for battery-electric vehicles.
The social organization of deviance

The social organization of deviance refers to the structure of the deviant transaction, the pattern of relations among its roles. Deviant transactions can be arrayed along a dimension of complexity. Three forms are distinguished: individual deviance can be carried out by a single actor; deviant exchange requires two deviant actors in reciprocal roles; and deviant exploitation needs an offender and a target Organizational complexity has consequences for deviants and social control agents. As complexity increases, deviants are more likely to be seen as responsible for their actions, those actions are more likely to be defined as serious, the response to deviance is more likely to be punitive, the risks of the deviant's identification and capture become greater, the range of tactics used by deviants expands, and the tactics of social control agents become reactive. The complexity of transactions’ organization has implications for the study of deviant and respectable action.
Major emerging powers in sustainable development diplomacy: Assessing their leadership potential

It is often argued that the growth of major emerging powers, such as China, India, Russia, and Brazil, will have a transformative effect on the world economy and politics, but the implications of their rise on sustainable development diplomacy have remained understudied. Do these new powers have the potential to exercise leadership and address the stalled performance on the sustainable development agenda? Drawing on theories of leadership in multiparty negotiations and the empirical study of two major emerging powers’ coalitions, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, China), this article assesses their leadership potential in sustainable development diplomacy. It finds that emerging powers are already engaging in policy coordination in the sustainable development realm, have begun to use their influence to create incentives for other actors in the system and have been conducting skillful diplomacy to develop their coalitions and forge consensus in global policy-making. However, exerting actual global leadership would require building a stronger policy agenda. One area with particular potential for emerging powers to exert leadership is the clean energy arena of sustainable development diplomacy.
Cortical EEG change during the of phencyclinoids

Abstract Female rats, implanted with cerebrocortical EEG recording electrodes, were to self-administer cocaine and ketamine under a fixed ratio 10 schedule of reinforcement, during limited sessions. Periodically, a single unit does of either phencyclidine (0.5 mg/kg), ketamine(4 mg/kg) or 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)morpholine (PCM 4 mg/kg) was substituted for ketamine,while the cortical EEG recorded. Spectrum quantities of samples of EEG, taken immediately before and after each injection, were subjected to a discriminant anaiysis. For each drug, the preinject state of the EEG could be classified separately from the postinjection state, using EEG spectrum quantities from the global frequency range (0.1–20 Hz).Furthermore, the relevant EEG parameters, which describe the change from pre- to postinjection states, were unique for each drug (phencyclidine: total power and complexity; ketamine: peak frequency, relative power and mobility; PCM: all parameters except peak frequency), indicating potential differences in the EEG, occurring with a level of intake of drug which was controlied by the subject. Overall, data serve to model the in the EEG that occur during the self-administration of three phencyclinoids. Furthermore, the combination of EEG spectrum analysis with discriminant analysis is useful in detecting subtle difference in the effects of these three drug on the EEG.
Semi-Supervised Learning for Part-of-Speech Tagging of Mandarin Transcribed Speech

In this paper, we investigate bootstrapping part-of-speech (POS) taggers for Mandarin broadcast news (BN) transcripts using co-training, by iteratively retraining two competitive POS taggers from a small set of labeled training data and a large set of unlabeled data. We compare co-training with self-training and our results show that the performance using co-training is significantly better than that from self-training and these semi-supervised learning methods significantly improve tagging accuracy over training only on the small labeled seed corpus. We also investigate a variety of example selection approaches for co-training and find that the computationally expensive, agreement-based selection approach and a more efficient selection approach based on maximizing training utility produce comparable tagging performance from resulting POS taggers. By applying co-training, we are able to build effective POS taggers for Mandarin transcribed speech with the tagging accuracy comparable to that obtained on newswire text.
Sex steroids and fos expression in rat brain and uterus.

Abstract Effects of gonadal steroids on fos expression in the adult rat ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and uterus were examined using molecular hybridization and immunocytochemical techniques. Adult, ovariectomized rats were treated with estrogen (E), progesterone (P), or estrogen followed 24 h later with progesterone (E + P) and sacrificed 1–24 h after treatment. Slot blots revealed an approximately twofold increase in uterine c-fos mRNA within 3 h after receiving 10 μg E. Likewise, an increase in fos-like immunoreactivity (IR) within lumenal and glandular epithelial cells was detected at 3 h, appeared maximal at 6 h and was much reduced by 24 h after E treatment. The induction was both steroid and dose dependent—no induction of fos-like IR was observed following administration of 1 mg P, in response to a low dose of E (0.25 μg/100 g body wt), or when the low dose of E was followed 24 h later with 1 mg P. In addition, the effect was cell-specific—in no case was induction of fos-like IR within stromal or myometrial cells observed. In contrast with the uterus, no effect of E on levels of c-fos mRNA (3 or 6 h after treatment) in the VMH was observed. Sections through areas of the mediobasal hypothalamus were examined for the expression and regulation of fos-like IR. No effects of E, P, or E + P on the number of fos-like IR cells within the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, tha arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, or the medial amygdala were observed. Furthermore, no effects of E, P, or E + P on the expression of fos-like IR within other areas of the forebrain included in these sections were readily apparent. Many fos-like IR cells were consistently detected, however, within several areas of the brain including the arcuate nucleus, the cingulate cortex, the pyriform cortex, the endopyriform nucleus, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the medial amygdala, and the dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. Immunoreactive cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus and in the lateral habenula were also frequently observed. For comparison, intense fos-like IR in the hippocampal formation and in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was observed following metrazol-induced seizure activity and water deprivation, respectively. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that estrogenic effects on uterine epithelial cells may be mediated via the induction of fos. In contrast, evidence that estrogenic effects on adult VMH neurons are mediated by fos was not observed.
Primary function for a chemical defense ? Nicotine does not protect Datura stramonium L from UV damage

The chemical defenses of plants are thought to play many different functional roles, all of which in some way decrease the costs of deploying the defense. However, few of these other functions have been tested with metabolites that are clearly defensive. Nicotine is a potent chemical defense with a high molar extinction coefficient in the UV, is a potent quencher of free radical pecies produced by UV absorption in vitro, and is known to increase in concentration after exposure to UV radiation. Hence this chemical defense may also function to protect against UV-induced damage. We examined nicotine's potential photoprotective role in two experiments by culturing Datura stramonium L plants in hydroponic solutions containing nicotine at two concentrations, and by exposing nicotine-containing and nicotine-free plants to UV radiation, which allowed us to manipulate nicotine contents independently of UV exposure. Plants with high levels of nicotine were not more resistant to UV-induced damage but, instead, exhibited greater decreases in photosynthetic capacity than did nicotine-free controls. Proposed multifunctional roles for chemical defenses deserve closer scrutiny.
Optical interconnection network for massively parallel processors using beam-steering vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers

An ultra dense optical interconnection network is proposed for massively parallel processors. Using two dimensional arrays of beam steering vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL) as space division switching elements, a single chip, free space photonic banyan network (or other multi stage networks) can be constructed. Our scheme does not require critical optical alignment and can be easily packaged in compact chips. The optical beam steering of VCSELs are realized with an integrated beam router. Steering angles as large as 10/spl deg/ from surface normal direction have been demonstrated. The VCSEL has a threshold current of 4 mA and output power of 1 mW (for 4 /spl mu/m/spl times/8 /spl mu/m device) and a modulation bandwidth of 10 GHz. Dynamic switching of optical beam angles at 2 GHz has been demonstrated.
WebWise: Guide to the Institute of Molecular Biology Genome Sequencing Center—Jena Web Site

the web site and the JENA bioinformatics program is included at the bottom of this page. A timely, thorough answer was received when questions were submitted to this contact point. Additional information about other research groups at the IMB Jena is available on the IMB Groups page. An extensive collection of links can be accessed via the side column navigation links. For example, the Learning, Spotlight, and Biolinks pages include many useful links to bioinformatics, molecular biology, bibliography, database, and analysis resources. The links on these pages are organized into general categories and the pages are easy to browse. Although it is somewhat inconvenient to go to three separate pages to review all of the available links, a collection of this size does need added organization as effected by splitting into different web pages. Click on the Learning button to access links to general informational resources concerning bioinformatics and molecular biology, including guides, tutorials, and manuals. The Spotlight page includes meeting reports, announcements of significant scientific results, and a few links to additional human genome-related web sites (e.g., links to genome sequencing statistics and NCBI’s Gene Map of the Human Genome). The Biolinks page (http://genome.imb
Maintenance treatment with paroxetine, but not psychotherapy, prevented recurrent major depression in older persons.

Source Citation Reynolds CF 3rd, Dew MA, Pollock BG, et al. Maintenance treatment of major depression in old age. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:1130-8. 16540613
Delivering customer services online: identifying best practices of medium-sized enterprises

. The importance of using the internet to achieve competitive advantage has been well documented. Many companies have benefited from capturing customers’ interest in buying via the web. Additionally, an ever-expanding of technologies exist that enable firms to provide additional customer services online. Yet for many firms, determining which customer service applications to use can be perplexing. This study examines the practices of small- and medium-sized enterprises and analyses performance results of adopting selected customer service applications on the internet.
Characteristics of at-risk youth and the library’s role in dropout prevention

The role of the librarian in dropout prevention can be negligible or integral. The resources are indeed there, but it is up to all involved to make use of these resources. This will require a broader, more involved version of the library. This is just what the school library profession wants to project!
Opiate alkaloids and nitric oxide production in the nematode Ascaris suum.

The tissue distribution, course of secretion, and sex differences of morphine were delineated in Ascaris suum. Nitric oxide (NO) release in various tissues in response to morphine and its metabolite morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) were also examined. Ascaris suum of both sexes along with their incubation fluid were analyzed for morphine concentrations by high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) over a 5-day period. Various tissues were also dissected for HPLC and NO analysis. Morphine was found to be most prevalent in the muscle tissue, and there is significantly more morphine in females than males, probably because of the large amounts present in the female uterus. Morphine (10−9 M) and M6G (10−9 M) stimulated the release of NO from muscles. Naloxone (10−7 M) and N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (10−6 M) blocked (P < 0.005) morphine-stimulated NO release from A. suum muscle tissue. d-Phe-Cys-Tyr-d-Trp-Om-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTOP) (10−7 M) did not block morphine's NO release. However, naloxone could not bl...
Antioxidant-Based Phase-Change Thermal Interface Materials with High Thermal Stability

This work provides phase-change thermal interface materials (TIMs) with high thermal stability and high heat of fusion. They are based on antioxidants mainly in the form of hydrocarbons with linear segments. The thermal stability is superior to paraffin wax and four commercial phase-change materials (PCMs). The use of 98.0 wt.% thiopropionate antioxidant (SUMILIZER TP-D) with 2.0 wt.% sterically half-hindered phenolic antioxidant (GA80) as the matrix and the use of 16 vol.% boron nitride particles as the solid component give a PCM with a 100°C lifetime indicator of 5.3 years, in contrast to 0.95 year or less for the commercial PCMs. The heat of fusion is much higher than those of commercial PCMs; the values for antioxidants with nonbranched molecular structures exceed that of wax; the value for one with a branched structure is slightly below that of wax. The phase-change properties are degraded by heating at 150°C much less than those of the commercial PCMs. The stability of the heat of fusion upon phase-change cycling is also superior. The viscosity is essentially unaffected by heating at 150°C. Commercial PCMs give slightly lower values of the thermal contact conductance for the case of rough (12 μm) mating surfaces, in spite of the lower values of the bond-line thickness.
A comparative analysis of layoff announcements and stock price reactions in the United States and Japan

Downsizing and layoffs are an important mechanism for U.S. firms to cope with their strategic and economic environment. In contrast, the Japanese tradition of lifetime employment limits the ability of firms to employ layoffs as a strategic measure, relegating its use to conditions of financial distress. This paper provides the first comparison of layoffs in Japan and the United States and examines stock price reactions to layoff announcements in each country from 1990 to 1994. Agency theory and Aoki's cooperative game theory are employed to discuss differences in the governance structures of U.S. and Japanese firms and their implication for stock price reactions. Results show that layoff announcements trigger negative returns for both U.S. and Japanese firms. Specifically, layoff announcements of U.S. firms are associated with a negative 1.78 percent abnormal return, while layoff announcements for Japanese firms are associated with a negative 0.56 percent abnormal return. To better understand the impact of layoffs, this study examines the relationships between stock price reactions and various layoff characteristics (such as whether the layoff is proactive or reactive or whether the layoff is the first in the industry). Implications of the findings are discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrating virtual reality, tele-conferencing, and entertainment into multimedia home computers

It is pointed out that the integration of virtual reality techniques with multimedia teleconferencing leads to the development of tele-virtual conferencing systems, which synthesize panoramic, life-like three-dimensional video images and stereophonic audio. The authors investigate the architectural requirements of such systems and propose a high-level design of an intelligent multimedia interface unit (IMIU) capable of supporting tele-virtual conferencing in multimedia home computers. The IMIU is capable of supporting panoramic, life-like three-dimensional video images and stereophonic audio, so as to synthesize tele-virtual conferencing environments. >
Comparison of routing metrics for static multi-hop wireless networks

Routing protocols for wireless ad hoc networks have traditionally focused on finding paths with minimum hop count. However, such paths can include slow or lossy links, leading to poor throughput. A routing algorithm can select better paths by explicitly taking the quality of the wireless links into account. In this paper, we conduct a detailed, empirical evaluation of the performance of three link-quality metrics---ETX, per-hop RTT, and per-hop packet pair---and compare them against minimum hop count. We study these metrics using a DSR-based routing protocol running in a wireless testbed. We find that the ETX metric has the best performance when all nodes are stationary. We also find that the per-hop RTT and per-hop packet-pair metrics perform poorly due to self-interference. Interestingly, the hop-count metric outperforms all of the link-quality metrics in a scenario where the sender is mobile.
Asylum Capacity Building in the Balkans: A Rational Answer to Leaders' Concerns

Within the Europeanization framework of the asylum and immigration policies, the European Union (EU) introduced the achievement of the acquis in asylum and immigration to all the candidate countries. Thus, the Balkan countries submitted to this policy and, since most of them aspire to (and Slovenia has already acquired) EU membership, they undertook efforts to gradually move from some forms of asylum policies and institutions to full-fledged developed regimes. However, in some of the countries, these regimes proved to be more stable whereas in others they ended up being ineffective and unstable. In some countries, the process of establishing such regimes was quick and smooth whereas in others it took years and attracted criticism. I argue that the outcome of the process of asylum systems and institutionbuilding in some of the Balkan countries is a function of the tug-of-war between the level of domestic need for such regimes, and the pressure that the EU is wielding in these countries. I test my argument by analyzing the cases of asylum capacity building in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and Slovenia.
Determining the drivers for householder pro-environmental behaviour: waste minimisation compared to recycling

New mandatory household recycling targets present a serious challenge to UK Local Authorities. Public participation in Local Authority schemes is key to increasing household recycling levels, however, the most effective way to reduce waste is to deal with it at source, through waste minimisation. Understanding waste minimisation behaviour is key to achieving sustainable waste management and householder based projects which are theoretically underpinned by cognitive psychology and are promoted by carefully designed marketing/communications, over the long-term, should result in reductions in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Cognitive psychological modelling can provide the means to identify the driving forces behind recycling and waste minimisation behaviour, and in a given area determine the main likely success factors. Once these factors have been established, cost-effective campaigns can be designed to maximise the outcome. The Theory of Planned Behaviour provides a cognitive framework to understand and explain behaviour, and its use in this study has provided valuable insights into the factors which underpin recycling behaviour. The findings suggest that recycling attitudes are the major determinant of recycling behaviour, and that these attitudes are influenced firstly, by having the appropriate opportunities, facilities and knowledge to recycle, and secondly, by not being deterred by the issues of physically recycling (e.g. time, space and inconvenience). Previous recycling experience, and a concern for the community and the consequences of recycling, are also significant predictors of recycling behaviour. The findings also provide support for the proposition that recycling, waste minimisation through point of purchase and waste minimisation through repair or re-use represent different dimensions of waste management behaviour, and thus will require different strategies and messages. It is suggested that waste minimisation behaviour is likely to be influenced by a concern for the environment and the community, and is likely to be inhibited by perceptions of inconvenience and lack of time and knowledge.