cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Augmentation of autologous T cell reactivity with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts by Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists

This study investigated whether TNF-α, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 7/8 agonist resiquimod (R848), the TLR4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and their combinations can enhance autologous AML-reactive T cell generation in an in vitro culture. AML peripheral blood or bone marrow mononuclear cells were cultured in medium supplemented with GM-CSF/IL-4 to induce dendritic cell (DC) differentiation of AML blasts (AML-DC). The impact of TNF-α, LPS, R848 and their combinations on AML-DC cultures was analyzed. Significantly enhanced CD80, CD40, CD83, CD54, HLA-DR and CD86 expression of AML cells was observed by addition of TNF-α, LPS, R848 alone or combinations. Induced CD80 expression of AML cells was significantly higher through the combination of TNF-α, LPS and R848 (T + L + R) than that by T alone. CTL induced from T + L + R, T + R, T + L, L + R and R, but not T, L alone stimulated cultures showed significantly higher IFN-γ release than the medium control in response to autologous AML cells. IFN-γ release by T + L + R was significantly higher than T or L alone, and T + R was significantly higher than T alone. CTL generated from T + L + R, T + L, T + R, L + R and L alone exerted significantly higher AML cell killing than medium control. AML cell killing by T + L + R and T + R was significantly higher than T or R alone. These results indicate that the combination of T + L + R induces a significantly enhanced antigen presentation effect of AML-DC. We speculate that the complementary effects of reagent combinations may better address the heterogeneity of responses to any single agent in AML cells from different patients.
Establishing Universal Human Rights through War Crimes Trials and the Need for Cosmopolitan Law in an Age of Diversity

This article explores the practical and philosophical issues associated with bringing diverse moral conceptions into the judgments of international crimes. It is argued that a Habermasian view of cosmopolitan law provides a possibility for envisioning the way international courts can contribute to a universal morality across culturally disparate human rights conceptions. It is also argued that the most universally acceptable human rights conceptions reflect a convergence of procedures and substance. The author explores the treatment of rape in international war crimes tribunals in order to demonstrate how these judgments advance a more universally-acceptable human rights conceptions.
Influence of an electric field on the superplastic deformation of 3Y-TZP

In previous work by the authors it was found that an electric field of {approximately}1 kV/cm significantly reduced the plastic flow and fracture stresses of polycrystalline NaCl at room temperature. Subsequent studies determined that the electric field also lowered the brittle-to-ductile transition temperature and reduced the flow stress and increased the elongation at elevated temperatures. The objective of the present investigation was to determine whether an electric field has an influence on the superplastic (SP) deformation of yttria-stabilized, tetragonal ZrO{sub 2} (Y-TZP). Attention was directed to the effect of the field on the magnitude of the flow stress, the total elongation, grain growth and cavitation.
Ebola virus uses clathrin-mediated endocytosis as an entry pathway

Ebola virus (EBOV) infects several cell types and while viral entry is known to be pH-dependent, the exact entry pathway(s) remains unknown. To gain insights into EBOV entry, the role of several inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in blocking infection mediated by HIV pseudotyped with the EBOV envelope glycoprotein (EbGP) was examined. Wild type HIV and envelope-minus HIV pseudotyped with Vesicular Stomatitis Virus glycoprotein (VSVg) were used as controls to assess cell viability after inhibiting clathrin pathway. Inhibition of clathrin pathway using dominant-negative Eps15, siRNA-mediated knockdown of clathrin heavy chain, chlorpromazine and sucrose blocked EbGP pseudotyped HIV infection. Also, both chlorpromazine and Bafilomycin A1 inhibited entry of infectious EBOV. Sensitivity of EbGP pseudotyped HIV as well as infectious EBOV to inhibitors of clathrin suggests that EBOV uses clathrin-mediated endocytosis as an entry pathway. Furthermore, since chlorpromazine inhibits EBOV infection, novel therapeutic modalities could be designed based on this lead compound.
Visualizing node attribute uncertainty in graphs

Visualizations can potentially misrepresent information if they ignore or hide the uncertainty that are usually present in the data. While various techniques and tools exist for visualizing uncertainty in scientific visualizations, there are very few tools that primarily focus on visualizing uncertainty in graphs or network data. With the popularity of social networks and other data sets that are best represented by graphs, there is a pressing need for visualization systems to show uncertainty that are present in the data. This paper focuses on visualizing a particular type of uncertainty in graphs - we assume that nodes in a graph can have one or more attributes, and each of these attributes may have an uncertainty associated with it. Unlike previous efforts in visualizing node or edge uncertainty in graphs by changing the appearance of the nodes or edges, e.g. by blurring, the approach in this paper is to use the spatial layout of the graph to represent the uncertainty information. We describe a prototype tool that incorporates several uncertainty-to-spatial-layout mappings and describe a scenario showing how it might be used for a visual analysis task.
A Practical Way to Select an Optimum Farm Plan Under Risk

This paper uses quadratic programming to calculate the variance-efficient mean income path and associated lower income bounds and suggests a way to select an optimum farm plan under risk based on the farmer's own self-assessed income-risk preference function. An empirical example from a Midwest corn-soybean farm is presented.
Carbon−Fluorine Reductive Elimination from a High-Valent Palladium Fluoride

We have observed two high-valent arylpalladiumfluoride complexes that afford carbon−fluorine bond formation upon thermolysis.
Agar from some Hawaiian red algae

Abstract From describing the agars of Gelidiella acerosa Forssk., Gelidium pluma Loomis, G. pusillum (Stackh.) Lejolis, Gracilaria abbottiana Hoyle, G. bursapastoris (Gmelin) Silva, G. canaliculata (Kutzing) Sonder, G. coronopifolia J.Ag., G. epihippisora Hoyle, Pterocladia caerulescens (Kutzing) Santelices and P. capillacea (Gmelin) Born. & Thur. as found in Hawaiian samples of these species, it is concluded that the species of Gelidium and especially Pterocladia and Gelidiella may merit more consideration for usage due to their agar gel strengths. The nature of the gel from Gracilaria abbottiana suggests the generic status might well be reexamined. The agars from the Gelidiella and the other Gracilaria species should be studied further for their prospective values to the food industry other than gel strength. Mixtures of the agars from G. bursapastoris and G. coronopifolia would merit attention for the taste texture of their mixtures.
On Quantum Immanants and the Cycle Basis of the Quantum Permutation Space

There are many combinatorial expressions for evaluating characters of the Hecke algebra of type A. However, with rare exceptions, they give simple results only for permutations that have minimal length in their conjugacy class. For other permutations, a recursive formula has to be applied. Consequently, quantum immanants are complicated objects when expressed in the standard basis of the quantum permutation space. In this paper, we introduce another natural basis of the quantum permutation space, and we prove that coefficients of quantum immanants in this basis are class functions.
Porous Media Tumor Model for Light Penetration and Oxygen Diffusion During Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an FDA approved, effective, and minimally invasive cancer treatment modality with few side effects. PDT requires three major components; photosensitizing agent, activation light, and molecular oxygen. Optimization of PDT for an individual patient requires good therapeutic selectivity and high efficacy, where the design of such an effective protocol is based on the understanding of the interaction of key therapeutic components with tumor tissue. Tumor models expressive of changes during the growth of tumor along with the behavior of PDT components facilitate the above requirement. In this study we have developed a mathematical model considering tumor as a porous medium of solid of and liquid that enables to express characteristics of a growing tumor. The characteristic lengths and the volumes that can be changed in the model represent the dynamic changes during the growth of the tumor. An energy based light transport model is superimposed with the porous media model to yield an analytical equation of light penetration in turbid media. In addition a molecular diffusion model combined with the porous media tumor model provides a second analytical equation yielding molecular oxygen diffusion during PDT. Experimentally available physiological and photophysical data are used to obtain the results from the developed models. The commonly used wavelength for PDT, 635nm and corresponding photophsical parameters for a healthy tissue are used for the calculations. The modeling results reveal an exponential decay of optical power along the direction of light penetration and the characteristic changes in oxygen diffusion during PDT. Further observations include the time dependent changes in photosensitizer photobleaching and the corresponding increase in oxygen diffusion length. The modeling results in both cases show a promising accordance with the available experimental results in literature. The model calculations also reveal the effect of light penetration on oxygen diffusion in PDT milieu adding to the expression of its usefulness.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
ACT in Context: An Exploration of Experiential Acceptance

Abstract Experiential acceptance, which involves “having,” or “allowing” private experiences, has recently gained much attention in the cognitive-behavioral literature. Acceptance, however, may be considered a common factor among psychotherapeutic traditions. The purposes of this paper are to examine the historical roots of acceptance and to discuss the forms of and theoretical rationales for which the concept of acceptance has been recently introduced into the cognitive-behavioral literature, with an emphasis on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999 ). It is hoped that clarification of the theoretical basis underlying acceptance-based approaches, as well as a comparison of various forms of psychotherapy with regard to their emphasis on acceptance, will promote heightened understanding and stimulate more rigorous exploration of treatment efficacy.
Thermal Characteristics of a Synthetic Jet Integrated Heat Sink Design for Air-Cooled Electronics

Thermal management is currently one of the key limitations in the design of electronic systems. Parallel to the advancements in the electronics industry and increase in power dissipation the development of effective, low-cost, compact heat removal solutions become extremely critical to ensure a failsafe and reliable operation. While liquid cooling is poised to provide the cooling capability for next generation electronics, its use in present-day products is less prevalent due to risks associated with condensation, leakage, and pumping power. Consequently, air-cooling strategies still continue to vie for near-term cooling needs in the electronic industry. In cohort with these trends, an advanced air-cooling solution in form of a synthetic jet assisted heat sink has been investigated in the present study. The study focuses on key design aspect of the heat sink fin design, synthetic jet design and characterization, and the interaction of unsteady air jets with the heat sink fins. Numerical simulations are employed to investigate 3D unsteady flow dynamics and experimental setup is designed and built for validation. The paper systematically presents the design trade-offs associated with the number of jets in the thermal solution and the jet driving conditions (voltage and frequency), in terms of the thermal performance and the cost. Overall, the synthetic jet integrated heat sink has demonstrably been shown to dissipate up to 4.7 times better than conventional natural convection heat sink with a COP value of greater than 40 within a volume of 25 in3 .© 2009 ASME
Nocturnal polyuria in women with overactive bladder symptoms and nocturia.

Objective This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of nocturnal polyuria in women complaining of nocturia and overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and to identify clinical and health characteristics associated with nocturnal polyuria. Study design Women presenting to a urogynecology clinic with complaints of nocturia and OAB symptoms were asked to participate. They completed a health characteristic summary, 3-day voiding diary, Nordic sleep questionnaire, urinary distress inventory (UDI), and a nocturia distress visual log (NDVL). The 24-hour urine production, nighttime urine volume, and maximum bladder capacity were calculated from the bladder diary. Nocturnal polyuria was defined as production of greater than 33% of the 24-hour urine volume during an 8-hour sleep period. A histogram was performed to analyze at what age the prevalence of nocturnal polyuria increased. Women were then divided by presence or absence of nocturnal polyuria and compared by the health and clinical characteristics. Results Fifty-five women met the qualifications and participated in the study. Average age of the cohort was 65.8 ± 13.5 years. The risk of nocturnal polyuria increased with age 65 years or older (prevalence for age 65-74 = 0.86 [0.62-1.00]) and with white race. On the basis of the mean population values for UDI, NDVL, sleepiness scores, and insomnia scores, all women were bothered by their nocturia. Median number of nighttime voids, 24-hour urine production, maximum bladder capacity, nocturnal index, UDI, NDVL, sleepiness scores, and insomnia scores did not differ, based on presence or absence of nocturnal polyuria. Conclusion Among women complaining of nocturia and overactive bladder symptoms, age 65 years or older and white race appear to be risk factors for nocturnal polyuria.
Covariantly quantizable superparticles

Abstract The formulation of the superparticle with second-class constraints cannot be quantized covariantly. Naive replacement of these constraints with first-class ones does not solve the problem: Gupta-Bleuler quantization is not covariant, and BRST quantization gives the wrong cohomology. We show how other first-class formulations solve these problems.
Synthesis and characterization of μ-carboxylato-O,O-μ-hydroxo chromium(III) complexes containing amino acids, acetate and nicotinate as bridging ligands. Crystal structure of K2[Cr(nta)(OH)(acetate-O,O)Cr(nta)]·4H2O

Abstract A series of μ-carboxylato-μ-hydroxo chromium(III) complexes containing amino acids, acetate and nicotinate as bridging ligands has been synthesized and characterized by 2H NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopy: [Cr(en)2(OH)(Hamino acid-O,O)Cr(en)2]5+ (en=ethylenediamine; Hamino acid-O,O=glycine (previously reported), alanine, serine and threonine); [Cr(en)2(OH)(acetate- O,O)Cr(en)2]4+ (previously reported); [Cr(nta)(OH)(acetate-O,O)Cr(nta)]2− (nta=nitrilotriacetate). The crystal structure of K2[Cr(nta)(OH)(acetate-O,O)Cr(nta)]·4H2O was determined. This complex crystallizes in the space group P 1 of the triclinic crystal system with a=9.678(3), b=11.182(2), c=13.137(4) A, α=97.57(2), β=102.26(2), γ=108.96(2)° and Z=2. Magnetic susceptibility data were also collected for this complex (80 to 280 K) and show a J/k value of −19.5 K. The 2H NMR spectra of these di- Cr(III) complexes, with deuterium labeled (2-carbon) bridging ligands, show isotropic shifts which are distinctly different from the shifts observed for the mononuclear Cr(III) complexes containing these ligands: amino acids, +72 to +81 ppm; acetate, +58 ppm (bis(en)) and +41 ppm (nta); nicotinic acid, +3.6 ppm.
Anomalies in the applied magnetic fields in DIII-D and their implications for the understanding of stability experiments

Small non-axisymmetric magnetic fields are known to cause serious loss of stability in tokamaks, leading to loss of confinement and abrupt termination of plasma current (disruptions). The best known examples are the locked mode and the resistive wall mode. Understanding of the underlying field anomalies (departures in the hardware-related fields from ideal toroidal and poloidal fields on a single axis) and the interaction of the plasma with them is crucial to tokamak development. Results of both locked mode experiments (Scoville J.T. and La Haye R.J. 2003 Nucl. Fusion 43 250) and resistive wall mode experiments (Garofalo A.M., La Haye R.J. and Scoville J.T. 2002 Nucl. Fusion 42 1335) done in DIII-D tokamak plasmas have been interpreted to indicate the presence of a significant anomalous field. New measurements of the magnetic field anomalies of the hardware systems have been made in DIII-D. The measured field anomalies due to the plasma shaping coils in DIII-D are smaller than previously reported (La Haye R.J. and Scoville J.T. 1991 Rev. Sci. Instrum. 61 2146). Additional evaluations of systematic errors have been made. New measurements of the anomalous fields of the Ohmic heating and toroidal coils have been added. Such detailed in situ measurements of the fields of a tokamak are unique. The anomalous fields from all the coils are one-third the values indicated from the stability experiments (Garofalo et al 2002, Scoville and La Haye 2003). These results indicate limitations in the understanding of the interaction of the plasma with the external field. They indicate that it may not be possible to deduce the anomalous fields in a tokamak from plasma experiments and that we may not have the basis needed to project the error field requirements of future tokamaks.
Many contradictions : Women and islamists in Turkey

En Turquie, en 1926, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, secularisa la Republique et la constitution de 1961 confirma cette position. Le National Salvation Party apparut sur la scene politique en 1972. Dissoud en 1982, il fut remplace par le Refah Party qui representa l'ideologie islamiste. Portant assistance aux necessiteux, refletant les idees religieuses conservatrices, il s'addresse aux femmes et aux hommes mais les femmes musulmanes seculieres se mefient de ce parti « dangereux ». Le mouvement islamiste s'etend aux institutions bancaires, aux dortoirs universitaires et aux journaux. Les ordres religieux refont leur apparition. Au centre de ce renouveau islamique se trouve un debat anime concernant l'education, le traitement des minorites parmi lesquelles celle des chiites Alevis et le vetement des femmes
The Effects of Treatment Needs and Prior Social Services Use on Juvenile Court Decision Making

Every yearjuvenile court judges commit large numbers of delinquent youths to institutional placements. Prior research indicates that both legal and extra-legal factors influence this decision-making process. Less frequently examined is the role of treatment needs and prior social services use. This study examined the influence of treatment needs and prior social services use on the dispositions of 187 delinquent juveniles. It found that treatment needs and prior social services use predicted disposition severity when controlling for other legal and extra-legal factors. Moreover, it showed that some of these effects were conditioned by gender. These results suggest the need to create more opportunities to divert delinquent youths into community-based interventions to prevent or delay institutional placements.
Learning Natural Selection in 4th Grade with Multi-Agent-Based Computational Models

In this paper, we investigate how elementary school students develop multi-level explanations of population dynamics in a simple predator–prey ecosystem, through scaffolded interactions with a multi-agent-based computational model (MABM). The term “agent” in an MABM indicates individual computational objects or actors (e.g., cars), and these agents obey simple rules assigned or manipulated by the user (e.g., speeding up, slowing down, etc.). It is the interactions between these agents, based on the rules assigned by the user, that give rise to emergent, aggregate-level behavior (e.g., formation and movement of the traffic jam). Natural selection is such an emergent phenomenon, which has been shown to be challenging for novices (K16 students) to understand. Whereas prior research on learning evolutionary phenomena with MABMs has typically focused on high school students and beyond, we investigate how elementary students (4th graders) develop multi-level explanations of some introductory aspects of natural selection—species differentiation and population change—through scaffolded interactions with an MABM that simulates predator–prey dynamics in a simple birds-butterflies ecosystem. We conducted a semi-clinical interview based study with ten participants, in which we focused on the following: a) identifying the nature of learners’ initial interpretations of salient events or elements of the represented phenomena, b) identifying the roles these interpretations play in the development of their multi-level explanations, and c) how attending to different levels of the relevant phenomena can make explicit different mechanisms to the learners. In addition, our analysis also shows that although there were differences between high- and low-performing students (in terms of being able to explain population-level behaviors) in the pre-test, these differences disappeared in the post-test.
SHIFTS IN THE WHOLESALE TRADE STATUS OF U.S. METROPOLITAN AREAS

Considerable instability exists among large U.S. metropolitan areas in their status as wholesale trade centers. Differences in wholesale trade growth rates, changes in national shares, and shifts in rank position reflect not only population growth patterns, but also structural changes in the national economy. In the latter instance, the wholesale product mix of SMSAs is an important factor in explaining their differential fortunes within the wholesaling hierarchy.
A comparison of Hispanic middle school students' performance, and perceived and actual physical exertion, on the traditional and treadmill one-mile runs.

Summary.—The purpose of this study was to assess whether a treadmill mile is an acceptable FitnessGram® Test substitute for the traditional one-mile run for middle school boys and girls. Peak heart rate and perceived physical exertion of the participants were also measured to assess students' effort. 48 boys and 40 girls participated, with approximately 85% classified as Hispanic. Boys' mean time for the traditional one-mile run, as well as peak heart rate and perceived exertion, were statistically significantly faster and higher, respectively, than for the treadmill mile. Girls' treadmill mile times were not statistically significantly different from the traditional one-mile run. There were no statistically significant differences for girl's peak heart rate or perceived exertion. The results suggest that providing middle school students a choice of completing the FitnessGram mile run in either traditional one-mile run or treadmill one-mile format may positively affect performance.
A futuristic view of soil and plant analysis and nutrient recommendations

Abstract The wide scale adoption of site specific management (SSM) and variable rate fertilizer application (VRA) in the next 5 to 10 years portends changes in soil testing and plant analysis. To develop site specific nutrient recommendations, more detailed information about the soil's fertility status will be required which could mean greatly increased samples numbers for soil or plant analysis. Discussions of initial research on the large numbers of samples required to produce quality maps for SSM and VRA among scientists, agricultural industry and producers, however, indicates that this may only be a short phase as the expectation of using remote sensing (RS) to replace or compliment limited soil and plant analysis is already occurring. Soil and plant analysis numbers may increase during the next 5 to 10 years as there is a slow transition to SSM and VRA. During this time, however, there will be research to related RS imagery to soil and crop management problems. After 10 years of this transition, ther...
Assumptions, Emotions, and Interpretations as Ethical Moments: Navigating a Small-Scale Cross-Cultural Online Interviewing Study.

In this paper, I map important ‘messy’ elements that I learned from my five‐month small‐scale research project, one that was designed around pivotal works on online social research. I used computers and the Internet with Minan, a young man living in Guinea, West Africa, in order to examine his perceptions surrounding the value of these technological tools for his future. Throughout the paper, I address multiple levels of ethics in practice such as recognizing the different effects that the Internet environment can have on participants, the realities that cross‐cultural barriers pose the researcher and the participant, the impact of previous relationships on the research process, and how meanings produced by language are easily misinterpreted via the Internet. As a result, I assert that during online social research, reflexivity is a moral obligation, where meaning and representation can have a tendency to be skewed, especially when working in cross‐cultural situations.
Looking at nature: The politics of landscape photography

Abstract Examining two Nathan Farb Adirondack landscape photographs from a wall calendar, this paper asks whether or not one can read a Nature photograph as an ideological text First, the paper traces Farb's way of seeing Nature to the emergence of the 19th century bourgeoisie and the Transcendental philosophy of Emerson and Thoreau in which Nature is positioned as an alternative to modernity and urban existence. Second, it notes that the Nature photograph contains three levels of discourse: substantive, technical and aesthetic. As a photograph moves through these levels of discourse, both its exchange value and its sign value increase. Third, it investigates the ambivalent relationship between the photograph and its subject Fourth, it examines the ideological boundaries of alternative ways of photographing Nature. The paper concludes that the realistic landscape photograph is deeply rooted in the history of the American bourgeoisie, its way of seeing is an extension of bourgeois semiotics, and its value ...
A Selective Receptor for Arginine Derivatives in Aqueous Media. Energetic Consequences of Salt Bridges That Are Highly Exposed to Water

Quantitative measures of salt-bridge-type interactions in a highly exposed aqueous environment have been obtained by modifying the well-studied cyclophane platform 1 to include carboxylates in close proximity to bound, cationic guests, producing hosts 2 and 3. Many guests show significantly enhanced binding to 2 and 3, but cations of the RNMe3+ type show little or no enhancement. We propose that the latter observations result from the fact that RNMe3+ compounds have very diffuse positive charges. Guests that show enhanced binding have focused regions of large, positive electrostatic potential. The highly charged 3 is able to bind very polar, very well-solvated guests, including a series of arginine-based dipeptides. Neutral, water-soluble host 4 was prepared and found to show a decreased affinity for cationic guests. We propose a novel induced dipole mechanism to rationalize these results.
Generalized Iteration Method for First‐Kind Integral Equations

An iteration method is described to solve one-dimensional, first-kind integral equations with finite integration limits and difference kernel, K(x−x′), that decays exponentially. The method relies on deriving via the Wiener–Hopf factorization and solving by suitable iterations in the Fourier complex plane a pair of integral relations, where each iteration accounts for all end point singularities in x of the exact solution. For even and odd kernels, this pair reduces to decoupled, 2nd-kind Fredholm equations, and the iteration yields Neumann series subject to known convergence criteria. This formulation is applied to a classic problem of steady advection-diffusion in the two-dimensional (2D) potential flow of concentrated fluid. The remarkable overlap of recently derived asymptotic expansions for the flux in this case is shown to be intimately related to the analyticity of the kernel Fourier transform.
The Most Complex Pseudouridylase

In a recent issue of Molecular Cell, Rashid et al. (2006) report the crystal structure of a complex containing archaeal Cbf5, Nop10 and Gar1, critical components of box H/ACA RNPs. These RNPs constitute the most complex pseudouridylases yet discovered.
The ultimate diamond slab: GraphAne versus graphEne

In this article, we present a comprehensive characterization of three carbon nanomaterials of technological interest: graphene, graphane, and fluorinated graphene. By means of first principles and tight-binding calculations in combination with analytical methods, we carried out detailed comparative studies of their structural, mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties. The calculated elastic properties of these materials confirm their high mechanical stability and stiffness, which in association with their low dimensionality, translates into a large ballistic thermal conductance. Furthermore, we show that while graphene is a zero gap semi-metal, graphane and fluorinated graphene are wide gap semiconductors. Finally, we discuss designed interfaces between these systems, and show that their physical properties have potential applications in nanoelectronic devices.
A Climatology of Thundersnow Events over the Contiguous United States

Abstract A “climatology” (climatological description of spatial, temporal, and synoptic characteristics) of snow events with thunder is presented for the contiguous United States. Based upon 30 yr of 3-hourly reports from 204 stations in the 48 contiguous United States, 229 reports are extracted from the 3-hourly observations (consistently bearing the present-weather group in each surface observation) that featured thunder with snow only. When these reports are plotted spatially, the central United States, the intermountain west, and the Great Lakes region emerge as the preferred regions for thundersnow occurrence. A thundersnow event is then defined. Isolated thundersnow reports clearly constitute a thundersnow event. Also, multiple thundersnow reports that are not separated spatially by over 1100 km or temporally by 6 h are considered part of one event. The location reporting the first occurrence of thunder with snow in such a collection of stations then carries the representative time and location for ...
Malondialdehyde binding of rat cerebral proteins is reduced in experimental hypothyroidism.

To determine the effect of thyroid hormones (TH) on cerebral tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) content and accumulation of MDA-bound proteins, hyperthyroid rats and hypothyroid rats were compared to euthyroid controls. Hyperthyroidism was induced by daily injection of l-3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (15 ug (100 g)−1) intraperitoneally daily for 10 days. Hypothyroidism was induced with 0.025% methimazole in the drinking water for 4 weeks. Immunoblot analysis of cerebral and plasma proteins was carried out using a specific anti-MDA-protein antiserum. MDA was measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substance. Hypothyroidism was associated with significant reduction in MDA-proteins of plasma (59.3±9.5% vs. 99.8±23.0% of control p<0.05) and cerebral tissue (17.6±19.9% vs. 100.2±29.0% of control p<0.001). Hyperthyroidism did not significantly alter MDA-protein distribution. These changes did not correlate with cerebral tissue or plasma MDA concentration. It is concluded that hypothyroidism in rats is associated with significant decrease in MDA-bound proteins. This may have some clinical and biological implications.
Shadow removal from textured images

Shadows and shadings are typical natural phenomena, which can often be found in images and videos acquired under strong directional lighting, such as those taken outdoors on a sunny day. Unfortunately, shadows can cause many difficulties in image processing and vision-related tasks, such like image segmentation and object recognition. Therefore, shadow removal is needed for improving the performance of these image understanding tasks. We present a new shadow removal algorithm for real textured color images. The algorithm is based on the statistical property of textures in images. The experimental results on real-world data are shown to demonstrate this algorithm.
Characterizing the value of organizational learning in semiconductor manufacturing

Semiconductor manufacturing is knowledge intensive. Semiconductor manufacturers need to engage in a variety of organizational learning efforts. Resources need to be allocated according to the value of each learning effort. Unfortunately, no adequate theoretical framework for value-driven learning has been developed. This paper presents an empirically study from which a useful, value-driven model of organizational learning can be developed.
An experimental study of laminar plumes

We present an experimental study of the scaling laws for the front (or cap) of an isolated, laminar starting plume. The scaling relations are formulated and measured experimentally over a range of power, fluids, and heaters. The results are that the cap rises at constant velocity, grows diffusively in width, and its temperature depends inversely on height. This extends analytic results by Batchelor (1954) for the column (stem) below the front. The source size determines initial conditions for the cap, but does not affect it in the far field. The shape of the front is fitted by a model of potential flow. The interaction between plume caps is complex, but with simple underlying dynamics. We conjecture that some of our conclusions can be applied to a distribution of plumes, as in soft turbulent convection.
Depression of liver affinity for iron with iron overload.

SummaryWhen liver slices were incubated in Ringer's solution containing Fe59 the uptake of the radioactive iron was significantly decreased if the rats were previously overloaded with iron parenterally. Oral administration of iron did not produce the same degree of overload, and subsequently there was no significant decrease in the affinity of the liver for Fe59in vitro. The deposition of histochemically demonstrable iron in the liver was associated with the presence of a DPAS positive material and acid phosphatase.
Politeness in Europe

Is this true of all Westerners? And what exactly do we mean by Westerner? If a similar exchange were to take place, say, in an elevator in Helsinki, could we draw the same conclusions? Indeed, would such an exchange take place in Helsinki at all? In Nicosia? In Tallinn? Leo Hickey and Miranda Stewart’s delightful new volume, Politeness in Europe, takes a fresh look at this question, and examines the many ways in which we express politeness, such as gestures and eye contact, some of which have frequently been neglected in other studies.
Regressive Taxation and the Welfare State: Path Dependence and Policy Diffusion

Regressive Taxation and the Welfare State: Path Dependence and Policy Diffusion. By Junko Kato. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 276p. $55.00.Studies of the welfare state in democratic capitalist systems rarely explore comprehensively the political, economic, and institutional linkages between social programs and tax structure; analysts of tax policy rarely explicate systematically the political consequences of tax structure for social benefit programs. Junko Kato's new book is an engaging, albeit incomplete, effort to fill this void.
Nonfinitizability of Classes of Representable Cylindric Algebras

Cylindric algebras were introduced by Alfred Tarski about 1952 to provide an algebraic analysis of (first-order) predicate logic. With each cylindric algebra one can, in fact, associate a certain, in general infinitary, predicate logic; for locally finite cylindric algebras of infinite dimension the associated predicate logics are finitary. As with Boolean algebras and sentential logic, the algebraic counterpart of completeness is representability. Tarski proved the fundamental result that every locally finite cylindric algebra of infinite dimension is representable.
Students' perceptions of personal selling

Abstract A word association approach was used to determine the salient thoughts students have with regard to personal selling. Examining the very first thought that comes to mind when exposed to the words “personal selling” revealed that, despite the efforts of some companies and educators, the stereotypical view of selling as a “door-to-door” profession (often comprised of less-than-professional salespeople), remains quite prevalent in the minds of college students. Recommendations to assist college recruiters in overcoming these negative perceptions and improving their recruitment efforts are discussed.
A rapid method for the determination of salicylate binding by the use of ultrafilters.

An ultrafiltration method that combines speed, simplicity, accuracy and precision was employed to measure plasma binding of salicylate. Human plasma, containing 1·0 and 0·1mm sodium salicylate, was ultrafiltered through membranes using 45 p.s.i. and slow rotational stirring. Salicylate was bound at these concentrations 13·1 and 4·4% respectively. This method, using membranes that quantitatively separate small molecules from plasma proteins, yields results comparable to those obtained by equilibrium dialysis.
Event‐related potentials to airway occlusion in young and old subjects

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to both inspiratory and expiratory airway occlusion in young (21-28 years) and old (55-67 years) subjects under both attend and ignore conditions. Early and late components of the ERP (N1, P2, N2, P3) were observed to both types of occlusions in both conditions. Variations in these components were consistent in both direction and degree with those observed in oddball tasks employing exteroceptive stimuli. ERPs for breathing may serve to clarify sensory attributes of respiratory stimuli in humans and to identify central processing abnormalities in patient populations.
Treatment of leukemia with partially matched related bone marrow transplantation

The results of partially matched related donor (PMRD) marrow transplantation for 82 patients with leukemia are reported, including 45 who received two antigen disparate grafts. Following intensive radiochemotherapy, patients received grafts which were partially depleted of T cells by the monoclonal antibody T10B9 and complement. Actuarial probability of engraftment was 86% (95% CI = 78-93%). The median day to engraftment was similar among recipients of grafts disparate at one, two or three antigen loci. The incidence of severe (grades III and IV) acute graft-versus-host disease and extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease was 13% and 6%, respectively. The probability of disease-free survival for the entire cohort of patients is 31% at 3 years. Age < or = 30 years, early or intermediate stage disease and a graft disparate at one or two loci predicted longer disease-free survival in multivariant analysis. Moreover, 47% of patients receiving PMRD grafts disparate at two loci who had both these favorable pretransplant characteristics were alive and free of disease 3 years after transplantation. We believe that the utilization of PMRDs, especially those with two antigen disparate grafts, can extend allogeneic transplantation to additional leukemic patients lacking a histocompatible donor, with acceptable results.
Long-term Outcomes of Patients With Normal or Minor Motor Function Abnormalities Detected by High-resolution Esophageal Manometry.

Background & Aims High-resolution manometry (HRM) expands recognition of minor esophageal motor abnormalities, but the clinical significance of these is unclear. We aimed to determine the outcomes of minor esophageal motor abnormalities. Methods We reviewed HRM tracings from patients who underwent esophageal manometry at Northwestern Memorial Hospital from July 2004 through October 2005 by using the Chicago classification (version 2.0). We identified 301 patients with normal findings or minor manometric abnormalities (weak peristalsis, hypertensive peristalsis, frequent failed peristalsis, or rapid contractions with normal latency). Ninety-eight patients participated in a phone survey in which they were asked questions from the impact dysphagia questionnaire (mean follow-up period, 6 years 5 months). Results Of 301 patients assessed, 166 had normal findings from HRM, 82 had weak peristalsis, 34 had hypertensive peristalsis, 17 had frequent failed peristalsis, and 2 had rapid contractions with normal latency. The primary indications for HRM of dysphagia (44%) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (63%) were unrelated to manometric findings. There were no endoscopic or videofluoroscopic differences between patients with minor manometric abnormalities. Of 98 patients with follow-up, findings from HRM were normal in 63, weak peristalsis was observed in 23, hypertensive peristalsis was observed in 10, and frequent failed peristalsis was observed in 2. No patients underwent surgical myotomy, pneumatic dilation, or botulinum toxin injection. Use of proton pump inhibitors and rates of fundoplication were similar, regardless of manometric findings. Sixteen patients (16%) had significant dysphagia at follow-up; hypertensive peristalsis was the most likely to be symptomatic. Conclusions Patients with normal and minor esophageal motor abnormalities report minimal symptoms and have few medical interventions related to esophageal dysfunction during long-term follow-up. Therefore, identification of normal and minor motor function is likely a good prognostic indicator.
Characterization of spatial luminance noise in stereoscopic displays for breast imaging

Stereoscopic displays are being considered for 3D breast imaging applications. Characterization of the physical properties of the display devices in terms of parameters of relevance for medical imaging tasks is needed. Among the set of relevant characteristics of stereoscopic displays, luminance noise introduced by the device has not been studied so far. We present two methods for measuring spatial noise in stereo displays, one visual and one quantitative, and report a comparison between them. We have applied both methods to a stereo-mirror display. The visual method is based on the TG18-AFC pattern. The quantitative method relies on the evaluation of the noise power spectrum (NPS) using high resolution images acquired with a photometric CCD camera. Both methods were tested on different stereo display configurations. The visual results show higher variability among observers compared to the 2D display mode. The NPS shows peaks corresponding to the pixel and sub-pixel structure.
BDNF Release Is Required for the Behavioral Actions of Ketamine

Background: Recent studies demonstrate that the rapid antidepressant ketamine increases spine number and function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and that these effects are dependent on activation of glutamate α-amino-3-hydroxy-5methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In vitro studies also show that activation of AMPA receptors stimulates BNDF release via activation of L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC). Methods: Based on this evidence, we examined the role of BDNF release and the impact of L-type VDCCs on the behavioral actions of ketamine. Results: The results demonstrate that infusion of a neutralizing BDNF antibody into the mPFC blocks the behavioral effects of ketamine in the forced swim test (FST). In addition, we show that pretreatment with nifedipine or verapamil, two structurallydifferent L-type calcium channel antagonists, blocks the behavioral effects of ketamine in the FST. Finally, we show that ketamine treatment stimulates BDNF release in primary cortical neurons and that this effect is blocked by inhibition of AMPA receptors or L-type VDCCs. Conclusions: Taken together, these results indicate that the antidepressant effects of ketamine are mediated by activation of L-type VDCCs and the release of BDNF. They further elucidate the cellular mechanisms underlying this novel rapid-acting antidepressant.
Sex, Receptors, and Attachment: A Review of Individual Factors Influencing Response to Oxytocin

As discussed in the larger review in this special issue (MacDonald and Feifel), intranasal oxytocin (OT) is demonstrating a growing potential as a therapeutic agent in psychiatry. Importantly, research suggests that a variety of individual factors may influence a person’s response to OT. In this mini-review, I provide a review of three: (1) sex and hormonal status; (2) genetic variation in aspects of the OT system (i.e., OT receptors); and (3) attachment history. Each of these factors will be important to monitor as we strive to develop a richer understanding of OT’s role in human development, brain-based disease, and the potential for individualized, OT-targeted treatments.
Individuating Processes in Competition: Interpersonal Versus Intergroup

Two experiments investigated why interpersonal competition facilitates individuating impressions of opponents whereas inter-group competition encourages stereotyping of opponents. Prior research has shown that interdependence conditions, including interpersonal competition, encourage individuation. But, unlike interpersonal competitors, intergroup competitors are inter-dependent with several persons (i.e., teammates and opponents). Because of phenomena such as in-group bias, it was hypothesized that intergroup competitors manage limited attentional resources by assigning higher priority to individuating teammates. Experiment I demonstrated individuating processes, as manifested by attention to and dispositional inferences about expectancy-inconsistent attributes, in interpersonal but not intergroup competition. Experiment 2 demonstrated that intergroup competitors use individuating processes when forming impressions of team mates but not opponents. Implications for real-world competition are discussed.
Incidence and factors predicting pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis following surgical treatment of ankle fractures.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and risk factors associated with pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis following open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fractures. Methods This was a retrospective study of patients in California undergoing operative treatment of an ankle fracture from 1995 to 2005. The main outcome measure was readmission for pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis within 90 days of surgery. Results A total of 57,183 patients from the California discharge database were identified. The readmission rate for pulmonary embolism was low at 0.34%. The risk was increased in patients aged 50–75, those with open fractures, and those with higher Charlson comorbidity score. The overall rate of readmission for deep venous thrombosis was also low at 0.05%. Conclusions The overall rate of thromboembolic disease was low in this large patient sample. Increased age and comorbidity were associated with an increased risk.