cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on Cigarette Smoke Irritation. I. Determination of Edema-Producing Properties of Certain Types of Cigarette Tobaccos

Conclusions1. Smoke from different types of cigarette tobaccos may differ significantly in edema-producing irritants. 2. Constituents are present in cigarette smoke, from at least certain types of tobaccos, which produce a degree of subjective irritation disproportionately greater than that which might be expected on the basis of their edema-producing properties.
Blood meal volume in Anopheles quadrimaculatus, A. albimanus and Aedes aegypti.

Abstract Measurements were made of the blood-meal volume in Anopheles quadrimaculatus, in two strains of A. albimanus, and in Aedes aegypti. A. quadrimaculatus females consumed an average of about 3.3 mm3 of blood in a blood meal, A. albimanus about 2.4 mm3, and Aedes aegypti about 2.6 mm3. In porportion to original weight the A. albimanus female consumed the larger amount of blood in an average meal, consuming about twice the original weight as compared to about 1 1 2 times in A. quadrimaculatus. The role of the blood-meal volume as one of the factors governing the susceptibility of anopheline strains is discussed. Differences in the volume of blood meal should be taken into consideration when different strains or species of Anopheles are being compared for relative susceptibility to various strains of malaria.
Split-pulse laser method for measuring attenuation coefficients of transparent liquids: application to deionized filtered water in the visible region

Attenuation coefficients α(λ) for collimated quasi-monochromatic radiation passing through deionized filtered water were measured throughout the 418.6–640.3-nm wavelength region by use of a split-pulse laser method, which employs reference and sample cells arranged in a geometry similar to that of a Michelson interferometer. The radiant source was a pulsed wavelength-tunable dye laser possessing a relatively short coherence time. This paper includes descriptions of theoretical and experimental techniques applicable to the split-pulse laser method and includes a tabulation of α(λ) measured for deionized filtered water at 26.4 ± 1.7°C.
Morphology and physiology of cells in slice preparations of the dorsal cochlear nucleus of mice

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into cells from which intracellular recordings were made in slices of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) in order to correlate physiology with morphology. In general, the morphology of cells labeled intracellularly with HRP corresponded to those made with Golgi impregnations in mice and other mammals. The following cells were labeled: one granule cell, four cartwheel cells, eight fusiform cells, two other cells in the fusiform cell layer, and two tuberculoventral association cells in the deep layers of the DCN. The axon of the granule cell runs parallel to isofrequency laminae with collaterals branching perpendicularly and running along the tonotopic axis. The cartwheel cells have dendrites in the molecular layer that are densely covered with spines. The axon of one cell terminates just dorsally to the cell body. Fusiform cells have the characteristic spiny, apical and smooth, basal dendrites. The basal dendrites are conspicuously oriented parallel to isofrequency laminae. Axons of the fusiform cells exit through the dorsal acoustic stria without branching. The two tuberculoventral association cells in the deep DCN have axons that terminate both in the deep DCN, within the same isofrequency lamina that contains the cell body, and in the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN). Intracellular recordings from 11 of these cells show that they cannot be distinguished on the basis of their responses to intracellularly injected current. All cell types fired large action potentials that were followed by a fast and a slower undershoot, distinguishing them from cells of the VCN but not from one another. Most cells responded to shocks of the auditory nerve root with early EPSPs and later IPSPs. The latencies of EPSPs show that some were monosynaptic and others polysynaptic. That there was no systematic relationship between the latencies of EPSPs and the cell types from which they were recorded shows that shocks to the nerve root may have activated more than just the large, myelinated, auditory nerve fibers.
Irradiation induced rate enhancements for the LDH‐pyruvate reaction

Evidence is presented supporting Comorosan's finding that the rate of an enzymatic reaction can be enhanced by prior irradiation of the substrate in the crystalline state. Perturbation of the LDH-pyruvate reaction has been investigated, including a series of experiments conducted under blind conditions. Sodium pyruvate samples irradiated for t* = 5 + 30n sec, n = 0, 1, 2, 3,...33, yielded faster reaction rates than samples irradiated zero, t* +- 1, and t* +- 5 sec. These findings diverge from those of Comorosan only in that instead of the maximum value of n being 5, no upper limit was found.
Change in the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans by fibrotic vitreous induced by erythrocytes.

Abstract Vitreous fibrosis was induced in rabbit eyes by intravitreal injection of erythrocytes. The fibrotic vitreous removed from experimental animals were then incubated with [3H]glucosamine at 37°C for 24 h. The newly synthesized 3H-labeled glycosaminoglycans were isolated by 4 M guanidium hydrochloride extraction followed by pronase digestion. The 3H-labeled glycosaminoglycans were then characterized by gel filtration column chromatography and by specific enzymatic degradation, i.e., hyaluronidase, chondroitinase AC, and/or chondroitinase ABC. The disaccharides derived from chondroitinase ABC degradation were identified by thin-layer chromatography. We previously demonstrated that 91% of the total glycosaminoglycan synthesized by normal vitreous was hyaluronic acid. Our present results indicate that in the fibrotic vitreous, the synthesis of hyaluronic acid was decreased to 26%, whereas the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate increased to 59% of the total newly synthesized glycosaminoglycans. These results suggest that cells present in fibrotic vitreous resemble fibroblasts with respect to their activities in glycosaminoglycans synthesis.
Modulation of HERG affinity for E-4031 by [K+]o and C-type inactivation

Rectification of HERG is due to a rapid inactivation process that has been labeled C-type inactivation and is believed to be due to closure of the external mouth of the pore. We examined the effects of mutation of extracellular residues that remove C-type inactivation on binding of the intracellularly acting methanesulfonanilide drug E-4031. Removal of inactivation through mutation reduced drug affinity by more than an order of magnitude. Elevation of [K+]o in the wild-type channel reduces channel affinity for E-4031. Elevation of [K+]o also interferes with the extracellular pore mouth closure associated with C-type inactivation through a `foot in the door' mechanism. We examined the possibility that [K+]o elevation reduces drug binding through inhibition of C-type inactivation by comparing drug block in the wild-type and inactivation-removed mutant channels. Elevation of [K+]o decreased affinity in both channel constructs by a roughly equal amount. These results suggest that [K+]o alters drug binding affinity independently of its effects on C-type inactivation. They further suggest that inhibition of pore mouth closure by elevated [K+]o does not have same effect on drug affinity as mutations removing C-type inactivation.
A scanning tunneling microscopy study of As/Ge(mnn) and P/Ge(mnn) surfaces

Abstract Ge(mnn) surfaces between (1 0 0) and (1 1 1) were annealed under either arsine or phosphine in a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition chamber, then imaged with a scanning tunneling microscope. In general, arsine-exposed Ge surfaces are facetted, while phosphine-exposed surfaces remain flat. For the arsine-exposed Ge surfaces, four stable facetting directions have been identified: (1 0 0), (11, 3, 3), (9 5 5), and (1 1 1).
Two-step-only phase-shifting interferometry with optimized detector bandwidth for microscopy of live cells.

We present a phase-shifting interferometric technique for imaging live biological cells in growth media, while optimizing spatial resolution and enabling potential real-time measurement capabilities. The technique uses slightly-off-axis interferometry which requires less detector bandwidth than traditional off-axis interferometry and fewer measurements than traditional on-axis interferometry. Experimental and theoretical comparisons between the proposed method and these traditional interferometric approaches are given. The method is experimentally demonstrated via phase microcopy of live human skin cancer cells.
Using constrained preemption to improve dropping fairness in optical burst switching networks

In this paper, we propose a new scheme to tackle the "beat down" unfairness problem in optical burst switching networks. In the new scheme, the control packets of bursts with higher preemptive metric value are allowed to preempt the channel resources reserved earlier for bursts with lower preemptive value. However, the control packets of preempted bursts continue to make wasted channel reservations in successive optical cross connects along the burst lightpaths and may also preempt other data bursts. Unchecked preemptions, therefore, can degrade the throughput of the network and induce reverse unfairness. Our scheme uses carefully designed constraints to avoid excessive wasted channel reservations, reduce cascaded useless preemptions, and maintain healthy throughput levels. The extensive simulation results show that the constrained preemption scheme improves fairness compared to previous methods without degrading network throughput.
Worldwide trends in the socioeconomic impact and long-term prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), once considered a benign and nonprogressive disease, is a debilitating condition with serious physical, emotional, and economic consequences. It afflicts approximately 1% of the adult population worldwide; prevalence increases with age, with twice as many women as men affected. In the United States, age, lack of formal education, and lower socioeconomic class correlate with both the incidence and poor prognosis of RA. The patient with RA faces increasing functional disability, the likelihood of work disability within 10 years after the onset of the disease, and a drastic reduction in earnings. Compared with individuals without the disease, patients with RA incur higher medical care costs, increased hospitalization, and a greater number of physician visits. As in the general population, the leading cause of death among patients with RA is cardiovascular disease, and deaths due to malignancy occur at a comparable incidence; however, patients with RA are at greater risk of mortality due to infection, renal disease, respiratory conditions, and gastrointestinal disease. Life expectancy is shorter among patients with RA than in the general population, and survival rates are comparable to those for Hodgkin's disease, diabetes mellitus, stroke, and three-vessel coronary artery disease. Efforts must be made to develop improved therapeutic strategies and rehabilitative programs to improve the quality of life of patients with RA.
Antigen-Presenting Cells: Professionals and amateurs

Professional antigen-presenting cells, notably dendritic cells, play a key role in stimulating naive T cells--but nonprofessional antigen-presenting cells, such as fibroblasts, may also contribute to this process.
Low Cost Desktop Image Analysis Workstation With Enhanced Interactive User Interface

A multimodality picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is in routine clinical use in the UCLA Radiology Department. Several types workstations are currently implemented for this PACS. Among them, the Apple Macintosh II personal computer was recently chosen to serve as a desktop workstation for display and analysis of radiological images. This personal computer was selected mainly because of its extremely friendly user-interface, its popularity among the academic and medical community and its low cost. In comparison to other microcomputer-based systems the Macintosh II offers the following advantages: the extreme standardization of its user interface, file system and networking, and the availability of a very large variety of commercial software packages. In the current configuration the Macintosh II operates as a stand-alone workstation where images are imported from a centralized PACS server through an Ethernet network using a standard TCP-IP protocol, and stored locally on magnetic disk. The use of high resolution screens (1024x768 pixels x 8bits) offer sufficient performance for image display and analysis. We focused our project on the design and implementation of a variety of image analysis algorithms ranging from automated structure and edge detection to sophisticated dynamic analysis of sequential images. Specific analysis programs were developed for ultrasound images, digitized angiograms, MRI and CT tomographic images and scintigraphic images.
The separated beam at the AGS - performance with antiprotons and π+ mesons

The use of the separated beam at AGS for antiprotons and mesons ( pi / sup +/) is discussed. Beam design and layout is described. The target used for production of antiprotons is tungsten. An aluminum target is used for production of mesons ( pi /sup +/. Beam tuning and counting is described. (M.C.G.)
Non-Governmental Organizations, Shareholder Activism, and Socially Responsible Investments: Ethical, Strategic, and Governance Implications

In this article, we document the growing influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the realm of socially responsible investing (SRI). Drawing from ethical and economic perspectives on stakeholder management and agency theory, we develop a framework to understand how and when NGOs will be most influential in shaping the ethical and social responsibility orientations of business using the emergence of SRI as the primary influencing vehicle. We find that NGOs have opportunities to influence corporate conduct via direct, indirect, and interactive influences on the investment community, and that the overall influence of NGOs as major actors in socially responsible investment is growing, with attendant consequences for corporate strategy, governance, and social performance.
Excitation Dynamics in the Core Antenna of PS I from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CC 2696 at Room Temperature

Photosystem I particles from a eukaryotic organism, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CC 2696, were studied by transient hole-burning spectroscopy at room temperature. Global analysis of the spectra recorded after excitation of chlorophyll a molecules in Photosystem I at selected wavelengths between 670 and 710 nm reveals excitation dynamics with subpicosecond, 2−3 ps, and 20−23 ps components. The subpicosecond and 2−3 ps components are ascribed to energy equilibration within the core antenna, whereas the 20−23 ps component is ascribed to energy trapping by the reaction center. Energy equilibration components describe both uphill and downhill energy transfer depending of the excitation wavelength. The initial transient absorbance bands after direct excitation of the red tail of the Qy transition band of chlorophyll a (at 700, 705, and 710 nm) are 25 nm wide and structured, revealing strongly coupled excited states among a group of molecules, most likely reaction center chlorophyll molecules. Excita...
Processing Effects on Microstructural Charcteristics and Properties of Reactively Ion‐Plated Titanium Nitride Coatings

The effects of key processing parameters on the resulting microstructure and mechanical properties of thin TiN coatings, reactively ion-plated on polished aluminum and steel substrates, were investigated experimentally. A deposition procedure was established and a processing scheme for reactive ion plating was developed. Optimization of processing conditions was achieved by means of controlling the principal ion-plating parameters to prevent the growth of species different from TiN, evaporant poisoning, and variations in the coating thickness. Emphasis was placed on identifying the effects of critical independent and dependent processing parameters, such as the rf power density, the deposition rate, and the coating thickness, on the TiN microscopic morphology, crystal structure, surface roughness, microhardness, and deformation behavior arising under static and sliding contact loads. Results from various testing and characterization methods revealed that deposition of hard, strongly adherent, and relatively smooth TiN coatings possessing dense microstructures of fine equiaxed grains with a preferential (200) texture can be accomplished under certain ionplating conditions.
Design and development of movable testing platform for photovoltaic power station connected to low-voltage distribution grid

State grid corporation of China(SGCC) has issued “Technical rule for PV power station connected to grid (trial)” in July 2009, while claimed that grid-connected testing would be accepted and adopted if the PV power station connecting to the grid. According to the technical rule for PV power station connected to grid, a type of movable field testing platform for low voltage distribution grid-connected PV power station has been developed. This platform can complete the field testing for PV power station, including voltage/frequency response features, anti-islanding protection properties, power output features, power quality indicators and the other general performance indicators. Considering the developing feature of small-scale PV station and traffic condition in China, the platform has been designed for anti-seismic, anti-noise, anti-heat, anti-fire, anti-collision, anti-static and anti-electromagnetic interference, reaching to IP65 protection level. This platform has tested one PV power station, depending on the testing results from the platform testing, then all the anticipatory testing contents could be accomplished.
Multiangle imaging of the Earth: present and future

The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard the Terra spacecraft is pioneering a new paradigm in remote sensing of the Earth's environment and climate system.
Immigrant Children and Families and the Public Child Welfare System: Considerations for Legal Systems

Recent research findings have provided new information on children of immigrants who come to the attention of the child welfare system. This article reviews the current knowledge regarding the involvement of children of immigrants in this system, their exposure to risk factors, and their experience of maltreatment. The article also presents the challenges child welfare and legal systems face when children of immigrants enter the child welfare system that may impact their well-being, and concludes with recommendations for legal systems to work in collaboration with child welfare systems to facilitate positive outcomes for children in immigrant families.
Ca2+ Signaling but Not Store-Operated Ca2+ Entry Is Required for the Function of Macrophages and Dendritic Cells

Store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) through Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) (CRAC) channels is essential for immunity to infection. CRAC channels are formed by ORAI1 proteins in the plasma membrane and activated by stromal interaction molecule (STIM)1 and STIM2 in the endoplasmic reticulum. Mutations in ORAI1 and STIM1 genes that abolish SOCE cause severe immunodeficiency with recurrent infections due to impaired T cell function. SOCE has also been observed in cells of the innate immune system such as macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) and may provide Ca(2+) signals required for their function. The specific role of SOCE in macrophage and DC function, as well as its contribution to innate immunity, however, is not well defined. We found that nonselective inhibition of Ca(2+) signaling strongly impairs many effector functions of bone marrow-derived macrophages and bone marrow-derived DCs, including phagocytosis, inflammasome activation, and priming of T cells. Surprisingly, however, macrophages and DCs from mice with conditional deletion of Stim1 and Stim2 genes, and therefore complete inhibition of SOCE, showed no major functional defects. Their differentiation, FcR-dependent and -independent phagocytosis, phagolysosome fusion, cytokine production, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and their ability to present Ags to activate T cells were preserved. Our findings demonstrate that STIM1, STIM2, and SOCE are dispensable for many critical effector functions of macrophages and DCs, which has important implications for CRAC channel inhibition as a therapeutic strategy to suppress pathogenic T cells while not interfering with myeloid cell functions required for innate immunity.
Molecular heterogeneity of protein kinase C expression in human ventricle.

Objective: Although activation of protein kinase C (PKC) modulates the function of normal cardiac myocytes and likely plays a role in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathic disease states, the molecular basis of PKC expression in human ventricle has not been examined in detail. Methods: We have performed Western analysis and immunohistochemistry on explanted human cardiac tissue from nondiseased and diseased specimens using isoform-specific antibodies directed against all known PKC isozymes. Results: In homogenates from left and right ventricle, all isoforms except PKC-γ and θ were detected by immunoblotting, with confirmation using a second antibody directed against a different epitope when possible. For PKC-βII, δ, and e, data indicated that these isoforms were variably phosphorylated in vivo, resulting in multiple bands during immunoblotting. Because of potential antibody cross-reactivity, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed which confirmed expression of PKC-α, βI, and ζ. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that all isoforms detected in ventricular homogenate by Western analysis could be localized to cardiac myocytes. From a methodologic standpoint, significant degradation of PKC isoforms could be demonstrated when samples were either frozen or allowed to remain at room temperature, compared to immediate subcellular fractionation. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the PKC expression in human ventricular myocytes is remarkably diverse, with multiple conventional, novel, and atypical isoforms present, and highlight the importance of sample preparation in comparative studies of PKC isoform expression.
Geography, Networks, and Knowledge Flow

Knowledge---which is closely linked to firm innovativeness---is accessed across organizational boundaries and geographic space via networks operating at different levels of analysis. However, we know tantalizingly little about the comparative influence of geography on knowledge flow across organizational boundaries over different types of ties, despite warnings that research needs to account for the geographic context of ties to fully understand causal relationships. Using a combination of primary and secondary data on 77 Canadian mutual fund companies, we find that institutional-level ties are valuable in knowledge transmission only when such ties are geographically proximate. Organization-level ties fail to act as transmitters of knowledge, regardless of geographic location. Interestingly, we find that geographically distant individual-level friendship ties are superior conduits for knowledge flow, which suggests they span “geographic holes.”
The Epidemiology of Common Late-Life Mental Disorders in the Community: Themes for the New Century

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence and incidence of the major mental disorders of late life that are common in the community and in primary health care are reviewed. METHODS: Community-based studies in English that included older adults were identified through MEDLINE searches and were reviewed. RESULTS: As the population ages, dementia, depression, and other mental conditions of the aged will demand more attention from clinicians and investigators to minimize their effects on disability, the use of health care services, and the quality of life for older adults and caregivers. Up to 15 to 20 percent of older adults have significant depressive symptoms, and it is estimated that as many as 45 percent of persons age 85 years and older have significant cognitive impairment and dementia. Other mental-health-related conditions, such as anxiety disorders, alcohol abuse, and prescription medicine misuse, are also important considerations but have not been as well studied as depression and dementia. Because an increasing p...
The Maintenance of Outcrossing in Predominantly Selfing Species: Ideas and Evidence from Cleistogamous Species

Cleistogamous species present strong evidence for the stability of mixed mating, but are generally not considered in this context. Individuals of cleistogamous species produce both obligately selfing cleistogamous flowers (CL) and potentially outcrossed chasmogamous flowers (CH) with distinct morphologies. Greater energetic economy and reliability of CL relative to CH suggest that forces that maintain selection for outcrossing may be stronger in these species than in mixed maters with monomorphic flowers. We reviewed data from 60 studies of cleistogamous species to evaluate proposed explanations for the evolutionary stability of mixed cleistogamous and chasmogamous reproduction and to quantify the magnitude of selection necessary to account for the maintenance of CH. We found circumstantial support for existing hypotheses for the stability of cleistogamy, and that forces that maintain CH must account for a 15–342% advantage of reproduction via CL. We suggest that heterosis and the effects of mass action p...
Tissue Level Compartmentation of (R)-Amygdalin and Amygdalin Hydrolase Prevents Large-Scale Cyanogenesis in Undamaged Prunus Seeds

Plum (Prunus domestica) seeds, which contain the cyanogenic diglucoside (R)-amygdalin and lesser amounts of the corresponding monoglucoside (R)-prunasin, release the respiratory toxin HCN upon tissue disruption. Amygdalin hydrolase (AH) and prunasin hydrolase (PH), two specific [beta]-glucosidases responsible for hydrolysis of these glucosides, were purified to near homogeneity by concanavalin A-Sepharose 4B and carboxymethyl-cellulose chromatography. Both proteins appear as polypeptides with molecular masses of 60 kD upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but they exhibit different isoelectric points (PH, 5.6-6.0; AH, 7.8-8.2). AH and PH were localized within mature plum seeds by tissue printing, histochemistry, and silver-enhanced immunogold labeling. As was previously shown in black cherry (Prunus serotina) seeds (E.Swain, C.P. Li, J.E. Poulton [1992] Plant Physiol 100: 291-300), AH and PH are restricted to protein bodies of specific procambial cells and are absent from the cotyledonary parenchyma, bundle sheath, and endosperm cells. In contrast, the cyanogenic glycosides in both plum and black cherry seeds, which were detected by tissue printing, occur solely in the cotyledonary parenchyma and are absent from the procambium and endosperm. It is concluded that tissue level compartmentation prevents large-scale cyanoglycoside hydrolysis in intact Prunus seeds.
Sex differences in negative affective response during nicotine withdrawal

This study examined physiological indicants of the neurobiological mediators of negative affect during acute nicotine withdrawal. Eighty subjects (41 male) were assigned to one of four groups (24-h deprived or nondeprived dependent smokers, occasional smokers, and nonsmokers) and participated in an instructed fear conditioning paradigm involving cued administration of electric shock. Negative affective response was measured with fear-potentiated startle during cues that signaled electric shock and during the postcue offset recovery period. Salivary cortisol and self-report measures were also collected. Fear-potentiated startle results indicated that affective recovery postcue offset was delayed in nicotine-deprived women. Nicotine-deprived women also displayed elevated cortisol levels throughout the fear conditioning procedure.
A SINR based MAC layer protocol for multi-channel ad-hoc networks

The paper proposes a SINR based MAC layer protocol for multichannel ad-hoc networks. The protocol provides a distributed solution to a node pair that has to choose the “best” channel amongst the available ‘M’ channels (M>1). In this paper, we define “best channel selection” in terms of the least interference power measurement encountered on a particular channel by the receiving station throughout the entire duration of data exchange. Using Medium Access Control (MAC) layer mechanisms for message exchange between the nodes, our algorithm achieves not only interference mitigation but also solves the classical hidden and exposed terminal problems in wireless networks. Simulations performed on the NS-2 platform validates the throughput gain achieved by our algorithm in comparison to IEEE 802.11 MAC scheme alongside two other state-of-the-art multichannel MAC protocols.
Narrative and Meaning-Making Among Manhattan Social Workers in the Wake of September 11, 2001

This qualitative study was a thematic analysis of categories of meaning-making contained in the written narratives of 139 clinical social workers living and working in New York City on September 11, 2001 (9/11) related to their personal and professional experiences of the World Trade Center attack. Themes included personal growth and benefit found in the wake of 9/11, the ongoing experience of adversity, and professional growth and lessons learned. Situated in the context of the literature on narrative and meaning-making, the findings offer further support for meaning-making as an intrinsic human activity and shed light on the various ways clinicians integrate an experience of shared trauma. Implications for theory, practice, policy, and future research are suggested.
Multi-dimensional LDPC-coded modulation for high-speed optical communication systems

We propose a multi-dimensional LDPC-coded-modulation-scheme to achieve high-transmission rates of 320Gb/s and beyond. This scheme utilizes currently-available commercial components operating at 40 Giga-symbols/s, and can reach 400Gb/s aggregate rate with a coding gain of 10.75dB.
Accurate information extraction for quantitative financial events

In this paper, we present a novel financial event extraction system that achieves very high extraction quality by combining the outcome of statistical classifiers with a set of rules. Using expert-annotated press releases as training data, and novel feature generation schemes, our system learns multiple binary classifiers for each "slot" in a financial event. At runtime, common parsing and search indexing methods are used to normalize incoming press releases and to identify candidate event "slots". Rules are applied on candidates that satisfy a combination of classifiers, and the system confidence on extracted events is estimated using a unique confidence model learned from training data. We present results of experiments performed on European corporate press releases for extracting dividend events, and show that our system achieves a precision of 96% and a recall of 79%.
Phantom-based haptic interaction with virtual objects

In 1993, haptic interaction with computers took a significant step forward with the development of the Phantom haptic interface. This simple device has spawned a new field analogous to computer graphics-computer haptics-defined as the discipline concerned with the techniques and processes associated with generating and displaying synthesized haptic stimuli to the human user. Inspired by the authors' previous work in interpreting robot touch sensor information and study of human touch perception, the Phantom interface permits users to feel the forces of interaction they would encounter while touching objects with the end of a stylus or the tip of their finger. The resulting sensations prove startling, and many first-time users are quite surprised at the compelling sense of physical presence they encounter when touching virtual objects. To appreciate why the Phantom system succeeded where others failed, you need to understand the nature and functioning of the human haptic system.
Using Land Value Taxation to Finance Municipal Expenditures in U.S. Cities

The author suggests that cities are running out of sources of revenue and should turn to land value taxation. Land is immobile but people and businesses are not, the author notes.
Income Disclosure and the Ex Post - Ex Ante Dichotomy

This article identifies necessary and sufficient conditions for fully revealing/partially revealing ex post disclosure by income-disclosure procedures (IDPs). The primary requirement is differences in firms' net cash flows or discounted present values across specified state pairs. It also shows (a) an IDP is fully revealing in ex ante probability revision in period t only if it is fully revealing in ex post state revelation in t and (b) if an IDP is at least partially revealing in ex post state revelation in t, then, and only then, is it at least partially revealing in ex ante probability revision in t.
Karst water control and management in the Hanxing mining area of North China

The Hanxing mining area of North China includes three coalfields: Fengfeng, Handan and Xingtai. Six or seven coal seams can be commercially mined in Permo-Carboniferous strata, among which the lower three, accounting for 37% of the total reserves, are threatened with karst water from the underlain Ordovician limestone. Hundreds of water inrush accidents have occurred and over 30 mines have been flooded, resulting in heavy economic losses and casualties. In order to avoid water inrushes and keep the mines safely operational, dewatering in the karst aquifer was considered an essential measure. Unfortunately, this practice has caused serious environmental problems such as surface subsidence (sinkhole), dry spring, and water supply shortage. On the basis of a series of investigations and tests in the last 20 years, an alternative method, mining with water pressure, has been proposed and is the main focus of this paper. By using this method, the karst water in the limestone can be preserved to some extent and the coals can be mined in a relatively safe way.
A Minimal Nutritional Substrate Required by Fusarium solani to Fulfill its Mutualistic Relationship with Xyleborus ferrugineus

By use of chemically defined media a minimal substrate required by the symbiotic fungus Fusarium solani was established. The influences of additional chemicals in the medium upon the growth of the fungus and the growth, development, and reproduction of the beetle Xyleborus ferrugineus (F.) also were shown.
The Contributions of the Amino and Carboxy Terminal Domains of Flightin to the Biomechanical Properties of Drosophila Flight Muscle Thick Filaments

Flightin is a myosin binding protein present in Pancrustacea. In Drosophila, flightin is expressed in the indirect flight muscles (IFM), where it is required for the flexural rigidity, structural integrity, and length determination of thick filaments. Comparison of flightin sequences from multiple Drosophila species revealed a tripartite organization indicative of three functional domains subject to different evolutionary constraints. We use atomic force microscopy to investigate the functional roles of the N-terminal domain and the C-terminal domain that show different patterns of sequence conservation. Thick filaments containing a C-terminal domain truncated flightin (flnΔC44) are significantly shorter (2.68 ± 0.06 μm; p < 0.005) than thick filaments containing a full length flightin (fln+; 3.21 ± 0.05 μm) and thick filaments containing an N-terminal domain truncated flightin (flnΔN62; 3.21 ± 0.06 μm). Persistence length was significantly reduced in flnΔN62 (418 ± 72 μm; p < 0.005) compared to fln+ (1386 ± 196μm) and flnΔC44(1128 ± 193 μm). Statistical polymer chain analysis revealed that the C-terminal domain fulfills a secondary role in thick filament bending propensity. Our results indicate that the flightin amino and carboxy terminal domains make distinct contributions to thick filament biomechanics. We propose these distinct roles arise from the interplay between natural selection and sexual selection given IFM’s dual role in flight and courtship behaviors.
Reward alteration after cocaine abstinent and orexin expression in lateral hypothalamus

AIM:To investigate the role of lateral hypothalamus orexin neurons in the rewarding properties of cocaine during chronic cocaine abstinence. METHODS:Rats were initially treated chronically with daily injections of cocaine(10 days of escalating doses of cocaine,10-30 mg/kg,i.p.).Following 2 weeks of forced abstinence from cocaine,rats were subjected to a conditioned place preference(CPP)procedure for cocaine.After CPP test,rats were received Fos/Orexin double immunohistochemistry in the lateral hypothalamus.RESULTS:Compared with saline-pretreated group,cocaine preference in abstinent rats was significantly elevated [abstinent rats vs saline rats:(250±24)s vs(132±44)s,cocaine-paired side minus saline-paired side,P0.01];the number of Fos-positive neurons(±SEM) in the lateral hypothalamus in cocaine-treated rats was significantly elevated [cocaine rats vs saline rats:(41±4) vs(16±4),P0.05];animals that were pretreated with cocaine had a significantly greater percentage of orexin neurons that were Fos-positive [cocaine rats vs saline rats:(39.4±2.4)% vs(22.5±3.2)%,P0.01].A significant correlation was found between the preference scores and the percentage of orexin neurons that were Fos activated(R=0.66,P0.05).CONCLUSION:Lateral hypothalamus orexin neurons maybe play an important role in the rewarding properties of cocaine during chronic cocaine abstinence.
Isolated limb perfusion in Merkel cell carcinoma offers high rate of complete response and durable local-regional control: Systematic review and institutional experience.

Introduction Hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP) has an established role in the management of melanoma, but its role for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is less well defined. Methods Retrospective review of our institutional experience with HILP for MCC was conducted (2009–2015). Literature search was performed through 04/2015 and 10 studies met inclusion criteria. Results Four patients underwent HILP for MCC at our institution. There were no major complications and complete response was achieved in all patients. Early metastatic recurrence developed in two patients. The remaining two had no evidence of disease at last follow-up (36 months) or death (39 months). Systematic review identified an additional 12 pts that underwent HILP for MCC, for a total of 16 cases. Median age was 73 [IQR 69–78] years and 56% were men. Of the patients with reported follow-up, 12 (86%) had complete response, 1 had stable disease, and 1 partial response. Four patients developed local–regional recurrence and six distant metastases, all within 6 months. Overall median follow-up time was 15 [7–36] months. Conclusion Among a highly selective group of patients, regional perfusion for MCC is safe and has a high complete response rate. HILP is an acceptable therapeutic modality for obtaining durable loco-regional control but early distant metastatic disease remains a significant cause of mortality. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:187–192. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Information Technology Transfer between Educators and Practitioners: Management Strategies for Success.

AbstractIn order to remain competitive, academia and business strive for productivity and efficiency as costly and limited resources are acquired and allocated. Information technology can help in both of these areas. However, philosophical and operational differences between academic institutions and businesses restrict the development of effective and mutually beneficial arrangements. The efficient transfer of technology is possible if all terms and conditions are documented and if operational procedures are consistent with strategic master plans. These issues are examined in detail through case-study analyses. Ten management guidelines suggest methods and actions for achieving effective information technology transfer between academia and business.
The Candidate-Elimination Algorithm: Emulation and Extensions

This chapter describes how the original version space approach (assuming strict consistency with data) is subsumed by the generalized approach, and in particular, how the candidate-elimination algorithm can be accomplished with incremental version-space merging. This serves as the first test of the generality of incremental version-space merging—that it maintains the functionality of the original version-space approach.
Epilogue: Beyond the Nicholaevan Ideal — Russia in the Coming Years

In 1849, just five years after the Minister of Education had ‘winked’ at the discovery of student corporations in St Petersburg, only a year after students in Kazan’ posted their letter of protest against their ‘scoundrel’ inspector Lange, and amidst waves of revolutionary protest across Europe, a group of men known as the Petrashevsty were discovered by the authorities in St Petersburg. Members of this group, scores in number, were suspected of hatching a conspiracy against the autocracy. On April 22, 1849, these young men — many of whom were graduates of the Empire’s most elite institutions, including the university — were arrested. The group’s leader, Mikhail Butashevich-Petrashevskii, himself a recent graduate of St Petersburg University, hosted regular meetings in his home on Fridays where members socialized and discussed the burning questions of their day, from serfdom to censorship to the legal system. Although they rarely agreed on strategy or approach regarding the direction of Russia’s future, the group as a whole represented, as Cynthia Whittaker remarks, ‘a conspiracy of ideas.’ They were, in many respects, what Nicholas had always feared. The connection between education and revolution had been confirmed in the eyes of the autocracy on that April day.1
An Agenda for Research and Practice Related to Multicultural Approaches to School-Based Consultation

ABSTRACTThis commentary underscores efforts of this special issue to highlight concepts related to culture and cultural competence designed to broaden thinking about multicultural consultation through research, practice, and training. It does this by illustrating the insights presented regarding (a) cultural issues in training, (b) the effect of client-centered consultation procedures on supervision of multicultural cognitive behavior therapy, (c) interactions between social capital and cultural variables, and (d) the importance of culturally sensitive research models. Further, this commentary proposes the participatory culture-specific intervention model and organizational consultation as two frameworks that can be used to enhance cultural competence and multicultural consultation in ways that are consistent with the ideas presented in this special issue.
The Biology of Adipose Tissue

Fat (white adipose tissue) stores energy and produces multiple chemical signals that communicate a state of health throughout the body. At a point in the development of obesity fat becomes sick, causing adipose tissue to dysfunction. Adipose tissue dysfunction is the key tipping point in metabolic disease. Adipose tissue dysfunction is the final common pathway of inflammation and it induces insulin resistance locally (adipose) and distally (muscle, liver). A simple increase in storage of fat is not sufficient to cause metabolic disease. Inflammation is the triggering event that causes adipose tissue to become sick and dysfunctional, leading to metabolic disease. This chapter will discuss the components of adipose tissue and the characteristics of different fat cells, discuss the role of hypoxia on inflammation, and define the key metabolic steps that lead to adipose tissue dysfunction.
Insect Conservation and Urban Environments

Insect Conservation and Urban Environments Tim R. New 2015; 244 + xiii pages Springer International Publishing, Cham, Switzerland ISBN: 978-3-319-21224-1 $159.00 (hardcover); $119.00 (e-book) ![Graphic][1] For decades, the phrase “urban entomology” has invoked the study of termites, cockroaches, and nuisance ants—the insects that make life in the city unpleasant or dangerous for people. But there's a second urban entomology that deals with the ecology and conservation of rare, innocuous, and beneficial insects in cities. The earliest seminal works in urban entomology did note cities’ ability to both harbor surprising diversity and snuff out populations of rare butterflies and moths (e.g., Frankie and Koehler 1978). But only recently, with the growth of urban ecology and the concept of ecosystem services, has the study of urban non-pests become a mainstay of entomology. At the Entomological Society of America's annual meetings, the number of presentations addressing this subject grew more than 10-fold from 2008 to 2015 (the years in which meeting programs are searchable for the word “urban”). In Insect Conservation and Urban Environments , entomologist and conservation biologist Tim R. New encapsulates the resulting progress through … [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Is one of the E's in IEEE for environmental : No, but maybe it should be, although IEEEe might be too much !

Every year the Industrial Electrolysis and Electrochemical Engineering (IEEE) Division of ECS sponsors a Report of the Electrolytic Industries for the past year. Even as far back as 1980, either in a footnote or later as the first paragraph in the report, it states that, "environmental aspects in the electrolytic and related industries" also are summarized.
Influence of RAFT end‐groups on the water swelling of poly(N‐propyl methacrylate)

The immersion of poly(n-propyl methacrylate), PPMA, films (ca., 425 nm) in water induces swelling that is measured in-situ using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Unexpectedly, the end group of the PPMA resulting from the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization impacts the temperature dependence of swelling, despite their relatively high molecular weights (ca., 30 kDa). At 25 °C, dithiobenzoate terminated PPMA (PPMA-DB) leads to significantly less swelling (5.6 vol %) than the dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl terminated PPMA (PPMA-DD, 9.0 vol %). These PPMA films swell significantly more than expected due to a common carboxylic acid end group. As temperature is increased, the swelling for PPMA-DB increases and that for PPMA-DD decreases, with a crossover at approximately 35 °C–40 °C where the swelling is indistinguishable between the two polymers. The swelling kinetics exhibit two stages: an initial rapid swelling within the first minute of immersion and then a slow increase in thickness over multiple hours. The water contact angle of PPMA-DB increases on heating, while the water contact angle of PPMA-DD is invariant. This difference in the temperature dependence of the hydrophobicity is consistent with that for swelling. These results illustrate the potential unexpected consequences of residual RAFT fragment end groups on physical properties of polymers even at relatively high molecular weights. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016
Foraging patch residence time decisions in wolf spiders: Is perceiving prey as important as eating prey?

Many studies have found that prey capture rates significantly affect how long foraging spiders remain in an area. Perceptual information on prey, even without prey capture, has also been shown to s...
Identifying Strategies Programs Adopt to Meet Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards in Afterschool Programs.

Background. The YMCA of USA has adopted Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards for its afterschool programs (ASPs). Little is known about strategies YMCA ASPs are implementing to ach...