cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ninhydrin Assay in the Presence of Thiol Compounds

Moore and Stein1 reported that the reaction of cysteine with ninhydrin is an exception to the general reaction of α-amino-acids with this reagent and the absorption curve of the reaction products is somewhat similar to that of proline and hydroxyproline (Fig. 1). They found that if the neutral protein hydrolysates were allowed to stand at room temperature for 24–28 hr. or if they were adjusted to pH 8 with sodium hydroxide and allowed to stand at room temperature for 4 hr. the cysteine–ninhydrin reaction product gave an absorption spectrum identical to that produced by cystine1,2. It is usual to include cysteine, mercaptoethanol, 2,3-dimercaptopropanol-1 or some other thiol compound as an activator for sulphydryl enzymes. When these are used for the activation of proteolytic enzymes such as ficin and papain the thiol compound (10−2 – 10−3 M solutions) is not completely oxidized to the disulphide during the reaction procedure. The presence of the sulphydryl group then interferes with the usual ninhydrin determination as shown in Table 1 (col. 7). The presence of cysteine introduces two errors; first, during the enzymatic reaction it is partially oxidized to cystine (an unpredictable amount), and second, the cysteine remaining reacts with the ninhydrin reagent to give a red colour which interferes with the quantitative reaction of ninhydrin with the amino-groups. The presence of 0.1 µmole of mercaptoethanol in the modified ninhydrin reaction does not affect the quantitative determination of leucine (Table 1, col. 6), but, if the concentration of this reagent is increased to 10 µmole, leucine does not give a characteristic reaction product having a maximum absorption at 570µ but rather a red colour with an absorption maximum around 450 mµ is produced.
Human papillomavirus type 16 reduces the expression of microRNA-218 in cervical carcinoma cells

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer of the cervix (CaCx). MicroRNA (miRNA) expression analysis using Ambion (Austin, TX, USA) arrays showed that three miRNAs were overexpressed and 24 underexpressed in cervical cell lines containing integrated HPV-16 DNA compared to the normal cervix. Furthermore, nine miRNAs were overexpressed and one underexpressed in integrated HPV-16 cell lines compared to the HPV-negative CaCx cell line C-33A. Based on microarray and/or quantitative real-time PCR and northern blot analyses, microRNA-218 (miR-218) was specifically underexpressed in HPV-positive cell lines, cervical lesions and cancer tissues containing HPV-16 DNA compared to both C-33A and the normal cervix. Expression of the E6 oncogene of high-risk HPV-16, but not that of low-risk HPV-6, reduced miR-218 expression, and conversely, RNA interference of E6/E7 oncogenes in an HPV-16-positive cell line increased miR-218 expression. We also demonstrate that the epithelial cell-specific marker LAMB3 is a target of miR-218. We also show that LAMB3 expression is increased in the presence of the HPV-16 E6 oncogene and this effect is mediated through miR-218. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in cervical carcinogenesis.
Habitat fragmentation and the stability of predator–prey interactions

Mathematical models1–3, field observations4,5, and laboratory studies6 all suggest that habitat patchiness (or 'fragmentation') profoundly affects species interactions. One especially widely cited idea is that patchiness stabilizes predator–prey dynamics7,8. I performed the first test of this idea in a natural community by experimentally manipulating the degree of patchiness in goldenrod fields that were the setting for a predator–prey interaction between ladybird beetles and aphids. Contrary to conventional wisdom, I found that increasing patchiness led to more frequent local explosions of aphid populations and thus less stable dynamics. These results can be understood by examining the effects of patchiness on the searching and aggregation behaviour of ladybird predators. It appears that the effects of habitat fragmentation depend on the specific behaviour of the organisms using the habitats. Thus, instead of making robust generalizations about habitat fragmentation (such as "patchiness is stabilizing") we should seek predictions that are based on the details of an organism's dispersal behaviour and demography9.
14NH3 Hyperfine Structure and Quadrupole Coupling

Hyperfine structure on the inversion transition for rotational states J–K = 2–1, 3–1, 4–2, 4–4, and 5–5 was measured with a high‐resolution beam maser spectrometer. Variations of nitrogen quadrupole coupling strength were observed for different rotational states. Derivatives of quadrupole coupling strength with respect to molecular coordinates are given. Additional spin–spin and spin–rotational terms are present for K = 1 states. These terms are compared for J–K = 1–1, 2–1, and 3–1 states. A more complete specification of the nitrogen and hydrogen spin–rotation tensors is obtained with the new data.
The Role of Islam in Pakistan's Future

Pakistan has become a major center of radical Islamist ideas and groups. Unless Islamabad's objectives are redefined to focus on economic prosperity and popular participation in governance, the state will continue to turn to Islam as a national unifier.
Internal evaluation a quarter-century later: A conversation with Arnold J. Love

This chapter features a recent conversation with Dr. Arnold J. Love, a long-time proponent of internal evaluation and one of the most cited internal evaluation authors. In 1983, Love edited the first issue of New Directions for Program Evaluation on the topic of internal evaluation. He is the author of the book Internal Evaluation: Building Organizations from Within (1991), editor of a special issue of the Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation about internal evaluation, and the author of a chapter on internal evaluation in Encyclopedia of Evaluation (2005). Currently working as an independent evaluation consultant, Love has more than 25 years of experience in evaluation. Based in Toronto, Canada, but also a founding member of the American Evaluation Association, he also brings an important international perspective to our discussion of the status of internal evaluation. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc., and the American Evaluation Association.
Digital Tomosynthesis Using A Scanned Projection Radiographic System

Tomosynthesis, an imaging mode related to classical tomography, is designed to produce arbitrarily many tomograms through processing of an appropriate set of radiographs. This paper examines the applicability of digital radiography technology to this technique. In this approach, component radiographs are recorded using efficient detectors and stored directly onto disk memory whereupon tomograms are synthesized under flexible software control and displayed on a CRT. Digital image processing is easily performed to enhance these images. Experiments were conducted by operating a third generation CT scanner in the scanned projection mode. This paper gives an analysis of tomography using traditional geometries and extends it to deal with the fan-beam geometry. Experimental results are also shown.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effect of emotional speech tone on driving from lab to road: fMRI and ERP studies

Evoked Response Potential (ERP) and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) recordings in this study shed light on underlying neural mechanisms for higher cognitive processes and attention allocation during multitasking of cell phone conversations and driving. Behavioral results indicated that hands-free cellular phone conversations caused statistically significant but small reaction time effects for visual event detection during simulated and on-road driving. The validated Static Load driving paradigm gives rise to high correlations of red light reaction times between lab and on-road. Both ERP and fMRI findings suggested that cognitive distractions are correlated with increased cognitive load and attentional distribution. The novel contribution of this ERP and fMRI study is that adding an angry emotional valence to the speech increased the alertness level, resulting in reduced driver distraction, likely via increases in right frontoparietal networks and dampened or desynchronized left frontal activity.
North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) seasonal and diel calling patterns from long-term acoustic recordings in the southeastern Bering Sea, 2000-2006

We assessed North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) seasonal and daily calling patterns in the southeastern Bering Sea (SEBS) using long-term hydrophone recordings from October 2000 through January 2006. We detected right whale calls on the SEBS middle shelf (depth) as early as May, intermittently throughout summer and fall, and as late as December. Calls also were detected on one day in June 2005 on the SEBS slope (>1,000 m), but were not detected near Kodiak Island from April to August 2003. In months with calls, detections occurred on more days in July–October (≥6 d/mo), than from May to June or November to December (≤3 d/mo). Calls were clustered in time and were usually detected on 1–3 consecutive days with a median interval of 6.5 d for calls >1 d apart. Hourly calling rates were significantly higher at night than during the day. These data indicate that right whales occur in the SEBS later in the year than previously known, intermittently pass through the middle-shelf study region, and usually remain there no longer than a few days. Right whale habitat use in the SEBS may intensify in mid-summer through early fall based on higher monthly and daily call detection rates.
Psychiatric and Psychosocial Correlates of Sexual Risk Behavior among Adults with Severe Mental Illness

Persons with severe mental illness (SMI) are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. This study examined multivariate correlates of sexual risk among 152 adults with SMI receiving outpatient psychiatric treatment. Structured interviews assessed psychiatric, psychosocial, and behavioral risk factors. The majority was sexually active (65%), and many reported unprotected intercourse (73%), multiple partners (45%), and sex trading (21%) in the past year. Logistic regression models found that sexual behaviors were differentially associated with non-psychotic disorder, psychiatric symptoms, substance abuse, childhood sexual abuse, romantic partnership, and social support (all ps < .05). Findings underscore the need for targeted HIV prevention interventions that address psychiatric and psychosocial risk factors.
Neonatal nutritional deprivation or enhancement: the cardiac-sympathetic axis and its role in cardiac growth and stress responses.

ABSTRACT: To determine the mechanisms by which neuronal input influences cardiac growth during altered neonatal nutritional status, rats were reared in small, standard, or large litter sizes and the adrenergically mediated stimulation of cardiac ornithine decarboxylase was determined; ornithine decarboxylase provides a mechanistic link connecting adrenergic input to cardiac growth. Nutritionally deprived pups showed impaired development of sympathetic reflex stimulation as shown by the attenuation of the cardiac ornithine decarboxylase response to hydralazine-induced hypotension throughout the preweanling period. The subnormal reactivity to hydralazine reflected a defect in neurotransmission, as a full response was obtained with direct β-receptor stimulation (isoproterenol). Nevertheless, cardiac hypertrophy in response to repeated isoproterenol administration was markedly suppressed in nutritionally deprived animals, suggesting that the β-receptor/ornithine decarboxylase pathway had become uncoupled from growth. Because maturation of neural connections to peripheral tissues causes a loss of hypoxia tolerance, nutritional status also influenced the ability of neonatal rats to survive hypoxia. These data indicate that cardiac growth suppression or enhancement caused by nutritional manipulations may be mediated, in part, through alterations in the development of neuronal input to the tissue, and that similar factors influence survival during hypoxic stress.
The Multivariate Normal Mean with Intraclass Correlated Components: Estimation of Urban Fire Alarm Probabilities

Abstract Assume that X has a k-dimensional normal distribution (k ≥ 4) with mean vector θ and known diagonal covariance matrix. Empirical Bayes estimators are given for θ under the further assumption that θ has a conjugate prior distribution with intraclass correlation structure. For var(xi | θ i ) = σ2, i = 1, …, k, it is shown that the estimators are minimax. Our methods are applied to Carter and Rolph's (1974) Bronx fire alarm data: an urban neighborhood contains k alarm boxes, and we require the estimated probability that a given alarm indicates “structural fire.” Estimates based upon yearly (1967–69) data are evaluated against actual 1970 outcomes.
Partnership for Parkinson's disease research: patient-researcher-clinician-sponsor.

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) appears to arise from the interaction of three events—an individual’s inherited genetic susceptibility, their subsequent environmental exposures, and their age. We clearly need to intensify efforts to understand the environmental triggers of PD, the importance of the timing of exposure to these triggers, and the interplay between these exposures and a persons underlying genetic constitution and susceptibilities. This knowledge, once generated, will lead to better detection of the earliest stages of PD, to improved therapeutics, and most importantly, to viable prevention strategies so that people need not suffer from environmentally-caused PD. Many promising lines of investigation are already supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and the National Institute of Aging (NIA) and other public and private organizations. In order to accelerate the pace of progress in this field, the NIEHS is developing a Consortium Centers Program that will provide a formal mechanism for “cross-talk” between PD clinicians, basic research scientists, and patient advocates. The Consortium will seek to identify and support novel approaches and research ventures that might not otherwise be pursued by scientists working in isolation. The NIEHS will also continue to explore ways to promote more mechanism-based research to understand putative environmental triggers for PD in concert with defined genetic susceptibilities.
Nonradiative Recombination of Excitons in Carbon Nanotubes Mediated by Free Charge Carriers

Free electrons or holes can mediate the nonradiative recombination of excitons in carbon nanotubes. Kinematic constraints arising from the quasi-one-dimensional nature of excitons and charge carriers lead to a thermal activation barrier for the process. However, a model calculation suggests that the rate of recombination mediated by a free electron is the same order of magnitude as that of two-exciton recombination. Small amounts of doping may contribute to the short exciton lifetimes and low quantum yields observed in carbon nanotubes.
An age constraint on Gulf of California rifting from the Santa Rosalía basin, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Marine rocks of the Santa Rosalia basin, Baja California Sur, were sampled in a pilot study to determine their suitability for magnetostratigraphy and geochronology with the goal of providing an age constraint on Gulf of California rifting. Progressive demagnetization of samples from the Boleo Formation, the earliest marine sequence overlying the deeply eroded basement, reveals a high-coercivity characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) in addition to a low-coercivity overprint. The ChRM appears to be a primary magnetic remanence with stratigraphically bound normal- and reversed-polarity directions. A single ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar isotopic age of 6.76 ± 0.90 Ma (2σ) was obtained for the cinta colorada, a tephra deposit of reversed paleomagnetic polarity within the Boleo Formation. The age of the cinta colorada is refined by calculating isotopic age probabilities for each of the reversed-polarity intervals of the geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) in the ±2σ range 5.86–7.66 Ma. The interval with the highest probability is 6.57–6.94 Ma. In conjunction with the isotopic age, preliminary magnetostratigraphy of the Boleo Formation is correlated with the GPTS in order to further delineate the onset of marine sedimentation. The most likely correlation yields an age of 6.93–7.09 Ma (GPTS subchron C3Bn) for the base of the Boleo Formation and 6.14–6.27 Ma for the top. This correlation, indicating an average sedimentation rate of 28 ± 4 cm/k.y., could be significantly altered if a more thorough magnetostratigraphy proved the existence of additional polarity intervals in the Boleo Formation. However, even if the isotopic age of the cinta colorada is used as the only age constraint, the result is consistent with data from the northern Gulf of California and shows that rifting started much earlier than the ca. 3.6 Ma commencement of sea-floor spreading at the mouth of the Gulf of California. The deposition of the Boleo Formation was probably related to an early phase of gulf rifting caused by a change in Pacific–North American plate motions.
Examining Risks for Minors Participating in Tobacco Purchase Attempts

SUMMARY This study aimed to provide empirical evidence to support previous research that participation in tobacco purchase attempt (TPA) procedures does not negatively impact minors' desire to initiate smoking habits or their willingness to discuss the dangers of smoking with peers and adults. Twenty-eight minors, who participated in TPAs, were compared to a group of eleven minors regarding whether or not they were smokers, whether or not they tried to get peers or adults to quit smoking, whether or not they tried to discuss with peers and adults about the dangers of smoking, and their perceptions of how easily it is to obtain tobacco products. Results demonstrated none of the minors in the TPA group initiated smoking, and there were not significant differences on most indicators regarding the frequency in which minors discussed the dangers of smoking with peers and adults. Minors in both groups perceived that they could easily obtain tobacco products. The findings suggest that participation in TPAs does ...
Dysfunctional attitudes and perceived stress predict depressive symptoms severity following antidepressant treatment in patients with chronic depression

Many patients continue to experience depressive symptoms after optimal pharmacological treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Beck's cognitive diathesis stress model of depression would help predict the degree of improvement in the depressive symptoms of patients with chronic depression receiving antidepressant treatment. The study investigated the dysfunctional attitudes, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms of 117 patients with chronic depression before and after they were treated with an 8-week course of fluoxetine. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed a significant effect for the interaction between dysfunctional attitudes and perceived stress explaining severity of depressive symptom following antidepressant treatment. Patients with both high perceived stress and high dysfunctional attitudes prior to treatment reported more depressive symptoms at the end of treatment than patients with high perceived stress and lower dysfunctional attitudes. Surprisingly, in the presence of low perceived stress, patients with higher dysfunctional attitudes experienced less depressive symptoms at the end of treatment than patients with lower dysfunctional attitudes. Results suggest the value of taking into consideration both patients' perceived stress and dysfunctional attitudes when assessing treatment for depressive symptoms.
Search Engines: Terrorism's Killer App.

This article investigates whether a relationship exists between the number of fatalities caused by a terrorist group and the number of websites returned via the Google search engine when a search for the group is conducted. It is hypothesized that search engines’ algorithms facilitate such an association, and search engines’ role as the Web's “gatekeeper.” Much attention has been paid to understanding the role the news media, particularly television, has within a terrorist's campaign. Today, terrorism is understood as being partly theater—carefully choreographed events created not solely to kill, but to capture transnational television screens, and arouse a heightened state of public apprehension, and achieve a terrorist group's psychological devastation goal. This article questions whether such offline terrorist violence has a similar agenda-setting function online.
Does comorbidity influence the risk of myocardial infarction or diabetes during androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer?

Abstract Background Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer (PCa) may be associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Some data suggest that men with certain conditions may be more susceptible to developing cardiovascular disease than others. Objective To assess whether the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) or diabetes during ADT is modified by specific baseline comorbidities. Design, setting, and participants We conducted a population-based observational study of 185 106 US men ≥66 yr of age diagnosed with local/regional PCa from 1992 to 2007. We assessed comorbidities monthly over the follow-up period. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying variables assessing incident diabetes or MI. Results and limitations A total of 49.9% of the men received ADT during follow-up. Among men with no comorbidities, ADT was associated with an increase in the adjusted hazard of MI (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]: 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.16) and diabetes (AHR: 1.33; 95% CI, 1.27–1.39). Risks of MI and diabetes were similarly increased among men with and without specific comorbid illnesses (p>0.10 for all interactions, with one exception). Previous MI, congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and renal disease were associated with new MI and diabetes, and obesity and rheumatologic disease were also associated with diabetes. Limitations include the observational study design, reliance on administrative data to ascertain outcomes, and lack of information on risk factors such as smoking and family history. Conclusions Traditional risk factors for MI and diabetes were also associated with developing these conditions during ADT but did not significantly modify the risk attributable to ADT. Strategies to screen and prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease in men with PCa should be similar to the strategies recommended for the general population.
Testing for Statistical Significance in Bispectra: A Surrogate Data Approach and Application to Neuroscience

Interactions among neural signals in different frequency bands have become a focus of strong interest in neuroscience. Bispectral analysis, a type of higher order spectral analysis, provides us with the ability to investigate such nonlinear interactions. Based on the fact that the bispectrum of a linear Gaussian process is zero, a surrogate data method was proposed to test the null hypothesis that the original data were generated by a linear Gaussian process. The method was first tested on two simulation examples. It was then applied to local field potential recordings from a monkey performing a visuomotor task. The analysis reveals nonzero bispectra for beta and gamma band activities in the premotor cortex. The rigorous statistical framework proves essential in establishing these results.
A comparison of sensorless speed estimation methods for induction motor control

Many different techniques have been proposed to estimate the speed of an induction motor without a shaft sensor. Three representative approaches are considered in the paper. The methods are compared in terms of their sensitivity to parameter variations, their ability to handle loads on the motor, and their speed tracking capability.
A Model for the Evolution of Marsh Shorelines

ABSTRACT The evolution of a fringing salt marsh is influenced by the interaction of many factors, including relative sea-level rise, marsh aggradation, nearshore sedimentation, wave climate, and tidal range. Rising relative sea levels generally cause the marsh/upland border to transgress the uplands, thereby potentially increasing the areal extent of a marsh. In contrast, the marsh shoreline may either retreat or prograde in response to the interaction between marsh and lagoonal processes. Consequently, the direction and rate of marsh shoreline movement are critical factors in governing the areal extent of a marsh. Therefore, based on the geomorphic history of a fringing salt marsh in Rehoboth Bay, Delaware, a model for the response of a marsh shoreline is presented. Depending upon the relative rates of marsh and lagoonal processes, a marsh shoreline can either (1) retreat by erosion, (2) prograde, or (3) drown in response to local relative sea-level rise. Specifically, if the rate of marsh aggradation is equal to or greater than the rate of relative sea-level rise (RSLR), then the marsh shoreline either progrades or erodes if the nearshore sedimentation rate is greater than or less than the rate of RSLR, respectively. If the marsh aggradation rate is less than the rate of RSLR, then the marsh drowns.
Image mosaics with wavelet domain seam-lines

Scene mosaics are a technique for building a panoramic view of a scene from a set of small views. When overlapped scene images are pasted, the mixed radiometry of the overlap areas may cause artifacts and blurred areas. The seam-line scene mosaics can avoid such artifacts and blurred areas. We propose a seamless scene mosaic scheme in the wavelet domain of the edge images, where the correspondence search and the seam-line search are performed. The homographic transformation obtained through wavelet domain correspondence research is applied for the original scene images for the geometric correction and the seam-line in the wavelet domain is reverse wavelet transformed to form a seam-line in the original spatial domain for the image pasting. This scheme can significantly improve the performance of the scene mosaics while achieving seamless scene mosaics of the scene.
Gap Junctions in Vascular Tissues Evaluating the Role of Intercellular Communication in the Modulation of Vasomotor Tone

Integration and coordination of responses among vascular wall cells are critical to the local modulation of vasomotor tone and to the maintenance of circulatory homeostasis. This article reviews the vast literature concerning the principles that govern the initiation and propagation of vasoactive stimuli among vascular smooth muscle cells, which are nominally the final effectors of vasomotor tone. In light of the abundance of new information concerning the distribution and function of gap junctions between vascular wall cells throughout the vascular tree, particular attention is paid to this integral aspect of vascular physiology. Evidence is provided for the important contribution of intercellular communication to vascular function at all levels of the circulation, from the largest elastic artery to the terminal arterioles. The thesis of this review is that the presence of gap junctions, in concert with the autonomic nervous system, pacemaker cells, myogenic mechanisms, and/or electrotonic current spread (both hyperpolarizing and depolarizing waves through gap junctions), confers a plasticity, adaptability, and flexibility to vasculature that may well account for the observed diversity in regulation and function of vascular tissues throughout the vascular tree. It is hoped that the summary information provided here will serve as a launching pad for a new discourse on the mechanistic basis of the integrative regulation and function of vasculature, which painstakingly accounts for the undoubtedly complex and manifold role of gap junctions in vascular physiology/dysfunction.
YCSB++: benchmarking and performance debugging advanced features in scalable table stores

Inspired by Google's BigTable, a variety of scalable, semi-structured, weak-semantic table stores have been developed and optimized for different priorities such as query speed, ingest speed, availability, and interactivity. As these systems mature, performance benchmarking will advance from measuring the rate of simple workloads to understanding and debugging the performance of advanced features such as ingest speed-up techniques and function shipping filters from client to servers. This paper describes YCSB++, a set of extensions to the Yahoo! Cloud Serving Benchmark (YCSB) to improve performance understanding and debugging of these advanced features. YCSB++ includes multi-tester coordination for increased load and eventual consistency measurement, multi-phase workloads to quantify the consequences of work deferment and the benefits of anticipatory configuration optimization such as B-tree pre-splitting or bulk loading, and abstract APIs for explicit incorporation of advanced features in benchmark tests. To enhance performance debugging, we customized an existing cluster monitoring tool to gather the internal statistics of YCSB++, table stores, system services like HDFS, and operating systems, and to offer easy post-test correlation and reporting of performance behaviors. YCSB++ features are illustrated in case studies of two BigTable-like table stores, Apache HBase and Accumulo, developed to emphasize high ingest rates and finegrained security.
Toward a Unified Artificial Intelligence

To integrate existing AI techniques into a consistent system, an intelligent core is needed, which is general and flexible, and can use the other techniques as tools to solve concrete problems. Such a system, NARS, is introduced. It is a general-purpose reasoning system developed to be adaptive and capable of working with insufficient knowledge and resources. Compared to traditional reasoning system, NARS is different in all major components (language, semantics, inference rules, memory structure, and control mechanism).
Phrase splicing and variable substitution using the IBM trainable speech synthesis system

This paper describes a phrase splicing and variable substitution system which offers an intermediate form of automated speech production lying in-between the extremes of recorded utterance playback and full text-to-speech synthesis. The system incorporates a trainable speech synthesiser and an application specific set of pre-recorded phrases. The text to be synthesised is converted to a phone sequence using phone sequences present in the pre-recorded phrases wherever possible, and a pronunciation dictionary elsewhere. The synthesis inventory of the synthesiser is augmented with the synthesis information associated with the pre-recorded phrases used to construct the phone sequence. The synthesiser then performs a dynamic programming search over the augmented inventory to select a segment sequence to produce the output speech. The system enables the seamless splicing of pre-recorded phrases both with other phrases and with synthetic speech. It enables very high quality speech to be produced automatically within a limited domain.
From People to Place and Back Again: Back Translation as Decentering—an Andean Case Study

This article develops a methodology for revealing to an outsider the un-elaborated cultural connotations of translated native words, using a case study of early intercultural communication in an Andean colonial setting. It focuses not on the general translation process from a native language into a European one, but rather on the reverse. "Back translation" of language dealing with native paramount lords opens to cultural outsiders the spiritual dimension of native rulership.
Practice research network in a psychology training clinic: Building an infrastructure to foster early attachment to the scientific-practitioner model

Learning how to conduct clinically meaningful and actionable research while simultaneously training to be a competent clinician may be an optimal way to develop an early attachment to the scientific-practitioner model. In this paper, the transformation of a training clinic into a practice research network (PRN) is presented as a strategy to foster a seamless integration of clinical, training, and research facets of graduate training in psychology. With the hope of providing helpful guidance to trainers and trainees interested in building such an infrastructure, the authors describe the context in which they developed their training clinic PRN, its major components, and some of the studies that have been conducted in this network. Benefits earned and lessons learned (in terms of obstacles faced and strategies implemented to deal with them) are described, as well as general recommendations and future directions regarding the implementation and impact of training clinic PRNs.
Genetic structure of a widely dispersed beach annual, Cakile edentula (Brassicaceae).

 Premise of the study: Genetic structure of coastal plant species is infl uenced by the homogenizing effects of long-distance seed dispersal and the isolating effects of fragmented geographic distribution. Although dispersed coastal annuals play a signifi cant role in establishing healthy dune communities, relatively little is known about their population genetic structure.  Methods: We investigated the population genetic structure of Cakile edentula , an annual colonizer of beaches of coastal North America and the Great Lakes. We surveyed 22 populations for 24 allozyme loci across a geographic range encompassing three infraspecifi c taxa: two subspecies ( C. edentula subsp. edentula and subsp. harperi ) and two varieties of subsp. edentula (var. edentula and var. lacustris ).  Key results: Genetic diversity in C. edentula ( H es = 0.118) is equivalent to mean estimates for other annual mixed-mating species, but is much lower ( H ep = 0.041) within its populations. UPGMA identifi ed three groups that are consistent with previously described subspecies and possibly consistent with the two varieties. An AMOVA indicates that variation among taxonomic groups explains 54% of total genetic diversity within the species. Although pairwise F ST estimates indicate moderate rates of gene fl ow between populations within groups, there was no evidence of signifi cant isolation by distance.  Conclusions: Genetic structure of C. edentula is strongly related to previously described phenotypically and geographically based infraspecifi c taxa. Within taxa, the effects of long-distance dispersal of its buoyant propagules are balanced by the isolating effects of fragmented geographic distribution and a mixed-mating system.
Developing collaborative skills early in the CS curriculum in a laboratory environment

The research on teaching and learning over the past 50 years suggests that the early use of collaborative learning leads to higher interest, higher retention, and higher academic performance in students. Early use of these techniques can also increase the sense of belonging for students and can lead to the early development of collaborative skills to prepare students for team experiences in subsequent courses and future careers. During the weekly lab sessions of a second semester introduction to programming course students engaged in collaborative learning experiences through team-based problem solving, project planning, pair programming, and other agile software development practices. Course objectives provided specific goals and criteria for assessment relative to these skills. The assessment in the authors' prior work identified several problem areas which led to specific initiatives to address those problems: (a) instructor-chosen teams, (b) early instruction and reflection on team skills, (c) feedback on team performance, and (d) the use of an IDE that incorporates an automated test-driven development tool. This paper describes the implementation and assessment of these efforts. A significant increase in student team skills from the middle of the semester to the end of the semester was observed.
K-ras mutations in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic tumors: effects of supplemental dietary calcium and vitamin D deficiency.

Recent studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that dietary supplemental calcium had no significant effect on the incidence of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic tumors, but did decrease the number of rats with multiple tumors and reduced tumor size. Moreover, concomitant vitamin D deficiency appeared to abolish these protective effects of calcium on colonic tumors in this experimental model. To date, however, the mechanism(s) involved in these phenomena remain unclear. In order to address these important issues, 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic tumors from animals on control, Ca(2+)-supplemented, vitamin D-sufficient, and Ca(2+)-supplemented, vitamin D-deficient diets were examined for the presence of ras oncogene mutations. DNA was extracted from each of these tumors. Targeted areas of K-ras and H-ras genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and analyzed for point mutations using allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and subsequent DNA sequencing. The results of these studies demonstrated that: (a) approximately one-third of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic carcinomas in the control group had K-ras G to A mutations; (b) no mutations, however, were detected in the cancers of the calcium-supplemented group; (c) concomitant vitamin D deficiency abolished the antimutagenic effect of dietary calcium supplementation (e.g., approximately one-third of cancers in this group again had detectable K-ras mutations); and (d) no H-ras point mutations were detected in colonic tumors from any group. These findings suggest that alterations in K-ras mutations may be one possible mechanism by which calcium and vitamin D status influence colonic carcinogenesis in this experimental model.
High Frequency Properties of Electro-Textiles for Wearable Antenna Applications

A systematic study of the high frequency electrical properties of electro-textiles is presented in this paper. First, conductive thread characterization is completed with a waveguide cavity method. The effect of conductive thread density and comparison of several different types of conductive threads are included. Second, comparisons of knitted patterns and weave patterns are made in terms of effective electrical conductivity through a microstrip resonator method. The effect of various weave patterns on conductive and dielectric loss is detailed. Finally, the relevance of the high frequency characterization of the electro-textile materials is shown through electro-textile patch antenna fabrication and measurements. The efficiency of the fully fabric patch antenna is as high as 78% due to the use of low loss electrotextiles characterized in this paper.
Compliance with mechanical venous thromboproembolism prophylaxis after cesarean delivery.

AbstractObjective: Universal perioperative mechanical thromboprophylaxis is recommended for patients undergoing cesarean delivery because of increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with this mode of delivery. While research supports clinical benefits from this approach, other specialties have demonstrated suboptimal compliance with prophylaxis device use. The objective of this study was to review patient compliance with sequential compression devices (SCDs).Methods: This cross-sectional observational study utilized data from a prospective quality assurance analysis to evaluate demographic, medical and obstetrical factors associated with postoperative SCD compliance after cesarean delivery. Observations were performed before 7 a.m. on the first postoperative day, a time point when patients were unlikely to be fully ambulatory and would most benefit from device use. The reason for failure was documented in cases where the device was not being properly used.Results: Two hundred and ninety-...
Comparative occurrence of brain colloid deposits in microtine rodents from Churchill, Manitoba.

The occurrence of birefringent colloid deposits was studied in serial histological sections of brains from 16 microtines ( Lemmas trimucronatus, Synaptomys borealis, Phenacomys intermedins and Microtus pennsylvanicus) and in gelatin-embedded frozen sections of brains from 17 Dicrostonyx groen-landicus, all fixed at capture at Churchill, Manitoba. Serial sections of the brains from 16 captive Dicrostonyx groenlandicus were studied also. Whereas 12 of the 16 captive Dicrostonyx showed birefringent brain deposits, only one (a Phenacomys) of the field-fixed specimens did. Possible explanations are discussed and it is concluded that additional evidence is needed for substantial proof of occurrence of this neuropathology when lemmings and voles are in their natural environment. Birefringence was found to be a more reliable diagnostic aid than histochemical or other staining techniques. the biochemical nature and possible vascular and systemic metabolic origins of the brain deposits should be investigated further.
Unique Hg Stable Isotope Signatures of Compact Fluorescent Lamp-Sourced Hg

The recent widespread adoption of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) has increased their importance as a source of environmental Hg. Stable isotope analysis can identify the sources of environmental Hg, but the isotopic composition of Hg from CFL is not yet known. Results from analyses of CFL with a range of hours of use show that the Hg they contain is isotopically fractionated in a unique pattern during normal CFL operation. This fractionation is large by comparison to other known fractionating processes for Hg and has a distinctive, mass-independent signature, such that CFL Hg could be uniquely identified from other sources. The fractionation process described here may also explain anomalous fractionation of Hg isotopes in precipitation.
Computational Titration Analysis of a Multiprotic HIV-1 Protease−Ligand Complex

A new computational method for analyzing the protonation states of protein−ligand complexes with multiple ionizable groups is applied to the structurally characterized complex between the peptide Glu-Asp-Leu and HIV-1 protease. This complex has eight ionizable groups at the active site: four from the ligand and four Asp residues on the protein. Correlation, with an error of ca. 0.6 kcal mol-1, is made between the calculated titration curve and the experimental titration curve. The analysis suggests that between four and five of the eight ionizable groups are protonated at the pH of crystallization.
State of the art for animal wastewater treatment in constructed wetlands

Although confined animal production generates enormous per-unit-area quantities of waste, wastewater from dairy and swine operations has been successfully treated in constructed wetlands. However, solids removal prior to wetland treatment is essential for long-term functionality. Plants are an integral part of wetlands; cattails and bulrushes are commonly used in constructed wetlands for nutrient uptake, surface area, and oxygen transport to sediment. Improved oxidation and nitrification may also be obtained by the use of the open water of marsh-pond-marsh designed wetlands. Wetlands normally have sufficient denitrifying population to produce enzymes, carbon to provide microbial energy, and anaerobic conditions to promote denitrification. However, the anaerobic conditions of wetland sediments limit the rate of nitrification. Thus, denitrification of animal wastewaters in wetlands is generally nitrate-limited. Wetlands are also helpful in reducing pathogen microorganisms. On the other hand, phosphorus removal is somewhat limited by the anaerobic conditions of wetlands. Therefore, when very high mass removals of nitrogen and phosphorus are required, pre- or in-wetland procedures that promote oxidation are needed to increase treatment efficiency. Such procedures offer potential for enhanced constructed wetland treatment of animal wastewater.
Does procedural justice influence general satisfaction with police? A study from a hard-to-reach population of immigrants in the United States

AbstractThis study is the first to examine the impact of procedural justice on general satisfaction with the police in a sample of Ghanaian immigrants in the United States. After refining the legitimacy variable used in prior research, trust was found to load disparately from obligation to obey. Obligation to obey was thus employed as an independent variable in the regression analyses. Procedural justice was found to be the strongest predictor of satisfaction with police, although effectiveness and personal experiences also significantly predicted satisfaction. These results establish the importance of procedural justice in gaining satisfaction with the police, and show that obligation may be a discrete variable from legitimacy. Overall, this study’s findings show that the police should weave together normative and instrumental models of policing for increased satisfaction with the police in the Ghanaian immigrant community.
Perforated Femtosecond Laser-Created Flap

The incidence of flap-related complications with a mechanical keratome is about 5 % and includes flap tears, buttonholes, free flaps, and decentered flaps [1]. The creation of a buttonhole does not specifically occur with the femtosecond laser; instead the laser can create a unique type of flap complication: vertical gas breakthrough. With early recognition, patients can do well despite this complication. However, if this complication is not recognized and the flap is lifted, the femtosecond flap vertical gas breakthrough may be converted into a buttonhole.
Response of Wheat Genotypes to Agrobacterium tumefaciens -Mediated Transformation

Two spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes, Bob White and Fielder, and one winter genotype, NE92458, previously identified as being highly embryogenic, were examined for susceptibility to Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Cultured immature embryos of these genotypes were inoculated and s-cultivated with a disarmed A. tumefaciens strain C58C1 carrying a binary vector pPTN115 coding for the s-glucuronidase gene (GUS), and a selectable marker, the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene (NPT II). Expiant genotype influenced transformation success. We found Bob White and Fielder were susceptible to A. tumefaciens infection whereas NE92458 appeared to be resistant. The transformation efficiencies of two spring wheat genotypes, Bob White and Fielder, were 1.0 (2/200) and 0.8 % (2/250), respectively. Stable integration, expression and inheritance of transgenes were demonstrated by molecular and genetic analysis of transformants. Both marker genes, gus and nptII, were expressed and co-segregated in the T1 progeny plants. Three out of four cases, the genes showed Mendelian segregation predicted for transgene insertion at a single locus.
Systemic Lupus Erthematosus

Since systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects women during their reproductive years, pregnancy is a frequently encountered challenge in women with this disorder. In the past, women with SLE were advised to avoid pregnancy because of the fear of harm to the fetus and mother. Fortunately, due to the advances in the management of lupus during pregnancy over the last few decades, many SLE pregnancies have successful maternal and fetal outcomes.