cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inflation, terms of trade, and debt capacity

Abstract The optimal level of debt for an economic entity is a function of, among other things, the variability of its cash flows. Since real and inflationary shocks which cause the variability may not influence various components of the cash flows by equal proportions, a project's financial risk, and hence its debt capacity, will depend upon the correlation between its cash inflows and outflows. A developing country's external debt capacity depends upon cash flows arising from its foreign trade. In this research, we analyze the impact of inflation on the foreign currency cash flows of developing countries and find that inflation affects very few countries in a symmetrical manner. Results indicate that an assumption that unexpected inflation has a neutral impact on the debt capacity of a borrower is supportable neither in theory nor in practice.
Failure of neuraminidase to unmask allogeneic antigens on cell surfaces.

SummaryVibrio cholerae neuraminidase (VCN) does not lyse mouse lymphoid cells at any concentration up to 250 units/ml/5 × 106 cells. VCN treatment of C3H/HeJ lymphoid cells increases their susceptibility to lysis with C57 anti-C3H serum and complement. It does not, however, increase the capacity of these cells to absorb C57 anti-C3H complement-fixing antibody. Thus, neither the increased susceptibility to lysis nor the increased allogeneic immunogenicity of VCN-treated lymphoid cells is due to an unmasking of more allogeneic antigens on the cell surface.
Experience with DICOM for the clinical specialties in the healthcare enterprise

DICOM is a success for radiology and cardiology and it is now beginning to be used for other clinical specialties. The US Department of Veterans Affairs has been instrumental in promoting this technological advancement. We have worked with a number of non-radiology imaging vendors over the past several years, encouraging them to support DICOM, providing requirement specifications, validating their implementations, installing their products, and integrating their systems with the VA healthcare enterprise. We require each new non-radiology vendor to support the DICOM Modality Worklist and Storage services, as specified in the IHE Technical Framework, and insist that they perform validation testing with us over the Internet before installing at a VA site. Three years ago we began working with commercial DICOM image acquisition applications in ophthalmology and endoscopy. Today we are interfacing with six vendors in ophthalmology, six in dental, and two in endoscopy. Getting imaging modality vendors to support DICOM is only part of the story, however. We have also developed the capabilities of the VistA hospital information system to properly handle DICOM interfaces to the different clinical specialties. The workflow in the clinical specialties is different than that of radiology, and is much more diverse. We designed the VistA DICOM image acquisition and display interface to use the generic order entry, result entry, result reporting, and appointment scheduling applications of our hospital information system, which are common to other hospital information systems, in order to maintain existing clinical workflow, minimize operational disruptions, simplify training, and win user acceptance. This software is now being field tested with dental and ophthalmology systems at a large number of VA medical centers. We have learned several things from this field test. The DICOM Modality Worklist and Storage services can be successfully used for image acquisition in the clinical specialties, although the specifications for some of the clinical specialty image types need to be enhanced. Special consideration needs to be given to the healthcare provider workflow in order to support DICOM requirements and to minimize change. The clinical specialties handle a large number of different kinds of requests, and imaging procedures may comprise only a small subset, which may need to be isolated out for efficient operation of DICOM Modality Worklist. The clinical specialties will acquire a large volume of images. Our goal is to incorporate all of the patient’s data into the electronic medical record and DICOM is making this easier for everyone. The work involved in extending DICOM to the clinical specialties and integrating them with the hospital information systems continues to be an ongoing and worthwhile challenge.
Data processing and display algorithms for portable instruments

Data processing and display algorithms that have general utility to the processing of statistically poor data and its subsequent presentation on digital or digitally generated analog displays have been developed for microprocessor-based portable radiation instrumentation. By using a modified exponentially weighted filter, the data displayed become easy to interpret in a much shorter amount of time than normally required. The apparent time constant can be dynamically adjusted based on the statistical validity of the data. Related algorithms are used for the simulation of an analog meter movement and for handling range changing on digital displays. When used together, these algorithms produce an accurate, stable presentation of data that is also considered visually pleasing. >
Optical properties of thiolate-protected Ag n Au 25−n (SCH 3 ) 18 − clusters

The optical properties of a set of Au25(SR)18 − clusters (core diameters <2 nm) doped with Ag atoms have been calculated by time-dependent density functional theory. The number of Ag atoms doping the Au25(SR)18 − cluster was steadily varied resulting in structures showing C i symmetry. It was found that doping with 12 silver atoms increase the HOMO–LUMO (HL) gap value by approximately 0.41 eV with respect to the Au25(SR)18 − cluster. Further Ag doping in the Ag25(SR)18 − cluster decreases its HL gap to 1.26 eV. Given the small difference in HL gap after Ag doping of the Au25(SCH3)18 − cluster, the necessity to find a different way to enhance its HL gap is evident. Moreover, obtained trend in HL gaps and related optical properties are explained in terms of the major degeneracy of electronic levels as Ag doping increases. SYNOPSIS
A generalized two‐cycle componentwise splitting method for solving three‐dimensional parabolic differential equations with variable coefficients on multilayers

Describes a generalized two‐cycle componentwise splitting method for solving three‐dimensional parabolic differential equations with variable coefficients which has been developed based on the idea of the regularized difference scheme. The method is simple, unconditionally stable and well suited for simulating fast transient phenomena and for computations on fine spatial meshes. A numerical procedure that employs the generalized two‐cycle componentwise splitting scheme was developed to solve three‐dimensional parabolic differential equations with variable coefficients on multilayers. In the procedure, the generalized “divide and conquer” method for solving tridiagonal linear systems is applied in order to overcome the problem with the unknown value at the interface between layers. Numerical results show that the procedure is accurate and efficient.
Introduction to "Minutes: NEMA Ad hoc Technical Committee and American College of Radiology's Subcommittee on Computer Standards".

REPRODUCED ON THE following pages are the minutes of the first meeting of what would become the American College of Radiology–National Electrical Manufacturers Association (ACR-NEMA) Digital Imaging and Communications Standards Committee. The meeting that generated these minutes took place at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago, IL, on Saturday, November 12, 1983. Notably, it was convened on a weekend and was not in conjunction with the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting, as might be expected.
Rationalizing Delinquency: A Longitudinal Test of the Reciprocal Relationship Between Delinquent Attitudes and Behavior

Multiple criminological theories predict that attitudes toward delinquency should affect an individual’s delinquent behavior. Criminological research, however, has not sufficiently incorporated soc...
From sine waves to square waves in delay equations

Suppose fλ: ℝ→ℝ, fλ(0) = 0 and the fixed point zero undergoes a generic supercritical period doubling bifurcation at λ = 0. We characterise those small values of e > 0, λ ∈ ℝ for which there are periodic solutions of period approximately two of the equationAs e → 0, these solutions approach square waves.
Testable CMOS design for robust and logical testability of stuck-open/stuck-on faults

A novel robust testable CMOS design technique is proposed to detect all stuck-open and stuck-on faults by single test patterns for the logic circuit and two pattern sequences for the circuit added for testability. The proposed technique adds one transistor per gate for stuck-open fault testing and two transistors for stuck-on faults per gate or multi-level circuit. Thus, for multilevel circuits consisting of N gates, only N+2 additional transistors are required. The extra transistors for stuck-open faults are also capable of monitoring the output signals of gates, by which the observability of the circuit can be enhanced. The proposed technique uses single test patterns for the logic circuit, and hence the overall testing procedure and cost are significantly reduced. >
A facile method for the preparation of functionalized 2,3-disubstituted-1,3-butadienes

Abstract Functionalized 2,3-disubstituted-1,3-butadienes were readily prepared by reacting functionalized organozinc compounds with 1,4-dichloro-2-butyne or 1,4-ditosyloxy-2-butyne mediated by Cu(I) salts.
Abnormalities of contractile structures in viable myocytes of the failing heart

Abstract We examined the incidence and severity of abnormalities of contractile structures of residual viable cardiomyocytes in the left ventricular free wall, septum and right ventricular free wall of 10 dogs with chronic heart failure produced by multiple intracoronary microembolizations and in septal biopsies of 13 patients with chronic heart failure. The abnormalities were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy and classified as either (i) type-1, defined as complete interruption of myofibrils; (ii) type-2, defined as disconnection of end-sarcomeres from the intercalated disc; or (iii) type-3, sarcomere abnormalities defined as Z-bands irregularities and/or focal myofilament disarray. In the left ventricular free wall of dogs, type-1 abnormalities were present in 33 ± 8% of myocytes, type-2 in 26 ± 8%, and type-3 in 63 ± 9%. The incidence of a type-3 abnormality but not type-1 or type-2 was greater in the left ventricular wall compared with the septum and right ventricular wall (P
The association of tumor necrosis factor α receptor 2 and tumor necrosis factor α with insulin resistance and the influence of adipose tissue biomarkers in humans

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) is a proinflammatory adipokine hypothesized to link obesity with insulin resistance. Functional studies suggest that TNFalpha acts through pathways involving adipokines and fatty acids to induce insulin resistance. We tested the hypothesis that the association of measures of TNFalpha activity with insulin resistance is independent of obesity and adipose tissue biomarkers. We analyzed data from 2131 participants (without diabetes) of the Framingham Offspring Study examination 7. The outcome of interest was insulin resistance, measured using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). Tumor necrosis factor alpha activity was measured by plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 2 (TNFr2) or TNFalpha; possible confounders included adipose tissue biomarkers (plasma adiponectin, resistin, and triglycerides). We used multivariable age- and sex-adjusted linear regression analyses to adjust for waist circumference and for biomarkers individually and simultaneously, and in biomarker-stratified (above and below median) models. We found that TNFr2 was positively associated with HOMA-IR (r = 0.21, P < .0001). In age- and sex-adjusted model, for each increase of 1 standard deviation of TNFr2 (SD = 746 pg/mL), the log (HOMA-IR) value was increased by 0.11 units (P < .0001). Adjustment for waist circumference reduced the TNFr2 beta-coefficient (by about 45%), but the association between TNFr2 and HOMA-IR remained significant (P < .0001). Tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 2 was still associated to HOMA-IR after adding adiponectin, resistin, and triglycerides (individually and simultaneously). We found similar associations with plasma levels of TNFalpha. We conclude that, in a representative community sample, measures of TNFalpha activity are associated with insulin resistance, even after accounting for central adiposity and other adipose tissue biomarkers.
Combinatorial Cardinal Characteristics of the Continuum

The combinatorial study of subsets of the set N of natural numbers and of functions from N to N leads to numerous cardinal numbers, uncountable but no larger than the continuum. For example, how many infinite subsets X of N must I take so that every subset Y of N or its complement includes one of my X’s? Or how many functions f from N to N must I take so that every function from N to N is majorized by one of my f’s? The main results about these cardinal characteristics of the continuum are of two sorts: inequalities involving two (or sometimes three) characteristics, and independence results saying that other such inequalities cannot be proved in ZFC. Other results concern, for example, the cofinalities of these cardinals or connections with other areas of mathematics. This survey concentrates on the combinatorial set-theoretic aspects of the theory.
Gas Aftertreatment Systems

The internal combustion engine serves a vast array of transportation needs, but pollutants produced during combustion can harm the environment and human health. Primary gaseous pollutants include carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO x ), and hydrocarbons (HC). These pollutants have the potential to harm human health directly or through the formation of ground-level ozone by atmospheric reactions with sunlight. Regulations exist to insure that pollution from vehicles is limited, and vehicles are carefully designed and engineered to meet these regulations. Catalyst technologies are the primary means of reducing pollutants from engine exhaust. Various types of catalysts are used based on the engine combustion technique and other factors. The three-way catalyst is the predominant catalyst used in spark-ignited gasoline engine vehicles. Other catalyst technologies such as selective catalytic reduction and lean NO x traps help to reduce NO x from lean engine vehicles such as diesel vehicles. By the combination of nanoscale engineering of catalytically reactive surfaces and the coupling of catalyst to engine controls, the modern catalyst dramatically reduces pollutants from automobiles and enables cost-effective transportation with minimal impact on the environment and human health. Keywords: catalyst; three-way catalyst; diesel oxidation catalyst; selective catalytic reduction; lean NO x trap; hydrocarbon trap; emission control; aftertreatment
An orthogonal space-time coding for CPM systems

Trellis-coded space-time (TC-ST) coding for continuous phase modulation (TC-ST-CPM) was recently studied by Zhang and Fitz (2000). Similar to TC-ST for PSK and QAM systems, it has good performance but its decoding complexity may be high. In this paper, we propose an orthogonal space-time coding for CPM (OST-CPM) systems. Similar to Alamouti's (1998) OST coding for PSK and QAM systems, the newly proposed OST-CPM has a fast decoding algorithm.
AtKUP1: A Dual-Affinity K+ Transporter from Arabidopsis

Plant roots contain both high- and low-affinity transport systems for uptake of K + from the soil. In this study, we characterize a K + transporter that functions in both high- and low-affinity uptake. Using yeast complementation analysis, we isolated a cDNA for a functional K + transporter from Arabidopsis (referred to as AtKUP1 for Arabidopsis thaliana K + uptake). When expressed in a yeast mutant, AtKUP1 dramatically increased K + uptake capacity at both a low and high [K + ] range. Kinetic analyses showed that AtKUP1-mediated K + uptake displays a “biphasic” pattern similar to that observed in plant roots. The transition from the high-affinity phase ( K m of 44 μM) to the low-affinity phase ( K m of 11 mM) occurred at 100 to 200 μM external K + . Both low- and high-affinity K + uptake via AtKUP1 were inhibited by 5 mM or higher concentrations of NaCl. In addition, AtKUP1-mediated K + uptake was inhibited by K + channel blockers, including tetraethylammonium, Cs + , and Ba 2+ . Consistent with a possible function in K + uptake from the soil, the AtKUP1 gene is primarily expressed in roots. We conclude that the AtKUP1 gene product may function as a K + transporter in Arabidopsis roots over a broad range of [K + ] in the soil.
A web-based tool for principal component and significance analysis of microarray data

Summary: We have developed a program for microarray data analysis, which features the false discovery rate for testing statistical significance and the principal component analysis using the singular value decomposition method for detecting the global trends of gene-expression patterns. Additional features include analysis of variance with multiple methods for error variance adjustment, correction of cross-channel correlation for two-color microarrays, identification of genes specific to each cluster of tissue samples, biplot of tissues and corresponding tissue-specific genes, clustering of genes that are correlated with each principal component (PC), three-dimensional graphics based on virtual reality modeling language and sharing of PC between different experiments. The software also supports parameter adjustment, gene search and graphical output of results. The software is implemented as a web tool and thus the speed of analysis does not depend on the power of a client computer. Availability: The tool can be used on-line or downloaded at http://lgsun.grc.nia.nih.gov/ANOVA/ Contact: [email protected]
Services: A System's Perspective

A system's perspective of services is contained herein. Analogous to manufacturing, services can and should also be viewed from a system's perspective. While the interdependences, similarities, and complementarities of manufacturing and services are significant, there are considerable differences between goods and services, including the shift in focus from mass production to mass customization (whereby a service is produced and delivered in response to a customer's stated or imputed needs). In general, a service system can be considered to be a combination or recombination of three essential components-people (characterized by behaviors, attitudes, values, etc.), processes (characterized by collaboration, customization, etc.), and products (characterized by software, hardware, infrastructures, etc.). Furthermore, inasmuch as a service system is an integrated system, it is, in essence, a system-of-systems (SoS) which objectives are to enhance its efficiency (leading to greater interdependency), effectiveness (leading to greater usefulness), and adaptiveness (leading to greater responsiveness). The integrative methods include a component's design, interface, and interdependency; a decision's strategic, tactical, and operational orientation; and an organization's data, modeling, and cybernetic consideration. A number of insights are also provided, including an alternative SoS view of services; the increasing complexity of systems (especially service systems), with all the attendant life-cycle design, human interface, and system integration issues; the increasing need for real-time, adaptive decision making within such an SoS; and the fact that modern systems are also becoming increasingly more human-centered, if not human-focused-thus, products and services are becoming more complex and more personalized or customized.
Planned Involvement: Parents and Teachers— What Are They Thinking?

_Administrators can achieve handsome dividends by maintaining two- way communication with parents and teachers. The author presents an easy-to- administer, reliable method to help.
Essential Role for Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain Protein 2 in Oxygen Homeostasis of the Adult Vascular System

Background— Prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) proteins, including PHD1, PHD2, and PHD3, mediate oxygen-dependent degradation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-α subunits. Although angiogenic roles of hypoxia-inducible factors are well known, the roles of PHDs in the vascular system remain to be established. Methods and Results— We evaluated angiogenic phenotypes in mice carrying targeted disruptions in genes encoding different PHD isoforms. Although Phd1−/− and Phd3−/− mice did not display apparent angiogenic defects, broad-spectrum conditional knockout of Phd2 led to hyperactive angiogenesis and angiectasia. Blood vessels in PHD2-deficient mice were highly perfusable. Furthermore, examination of medium-sized vessels in subendocardial layer in the heart demonstrated successful recruitment of vascular smooth muscle cells. Surprisingly, increased vascular growth was independent of local efficiency of Phd2 disruption. Mice carrying significant Phd2 disruption in multiple organs, including the liver, heart, kid...
Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of the vimentin tail domain reveals points of order in a largely disordered region and conformational adaptation upon filament assembly

Very little data have been reported that describe the structure of the tail domain of any cytoplasmic intermediate filament (IF) protein. We report here the results of studies using site directed spin labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance (SDSL-EPR) to explore the structure and dynamics of the tail domain of human vimentin in tetramers (protofilaments) and filaments. The data demonstrate that in contrast to the vimentin head and rod domains, the tail domains are not closely apposed in protofilaments. However, upon assembly into intact IFs, several sites, including positions 445, 446, 451, and 452, the conserved “beta-site,” become closely apposed, indicating dynamic changes in tail domain structure that accompany filament elongation. No evidence is seen for coiled-coil structure within the region studied, in either protofilaments or assembled filaments. EPR analysis also establishes that more than half of the tail domain is very flexible in both the assembly intermediate and the intact IF. However, by positioning the spin label at distinct sites, EPR is able to identify both the rod proximal region and sites flanking the beta-site motif as rigid locations within the tail. The rod proximal region is well assembled at the tetramer stage with only slight changes occurring during filament elongation. In contrast, at the beta site, the polypeptide backbone transitions from flexible in the assembly intermediate to much more rigid in the intact IF. These data support a model in which the distal tail domain structure undergoes significant conformational change during filament elongation and final assembly.
Experiences of Motherhood in Counselor Education

This phenomenological study examined 20 tenured and nontenured counselor educators regarding their experiences of motherhood and academia. Two central themes from the interviews emerged: environmental influences (including position flexibility, experienced discrimination, and felt support) and choices and circumstances (including defining and establishing boundaries and accepting decisions). Findings are important for understanding academic mothers’ experiences and underscore the need for additional research in the field that specifically addresses these issues.
Data Show that Federal Investment in Research Pays Dividends

In 1990, the federal government formally launched an ambitious initiative to sequence the human genome, to identify all the genes in human DNA, and to develop the tools to store and allow access to this information. The effort took 13 years and cost the federal government $3.8 billion. As is evidenced by technological advancements, the cultivation of new lines of research, and countless subsequent scientific discoveries, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was a success by nearly all measures. A question of interest to policymakers, however, is what the economic return on this kind of federal investment is. The HGP generated great prosperity, according to a 2011 report by the Battelle Technology Partnership Practice. Between 1988 and 2010, human genome sequencing and associated activities by private industry and researchers generated $796 billion in US economic output. This represents a return on investment of $141 for every $1 spent by the government. The HGP has also generated an estimated 3.8 million job-years of employment and increased government revenue. As was reported by the Battelle group, the genomics-enabled industry generated more than $3.7 billion in federal taxes and $2.3 billion in state and local taxes in 2010 alone. “Thus in one year, revenues returned to government nearly equaled the entire 13-year investment in the HGP,” states the report. Beyond economic benefits, the HGP has influenced and benefited numerous disciplines outside genomics. From human health to agriculture and forensics, the discoveries and methods resulting from the project have generated numerous societal benefits. No one could have anticipated how revolutionary the project would be in improving human health, feeding the planet, fueling society, and remediating degraded environments. “From a simple return on investment, the financial stake made in mapping the aims to track economic outputs, such as jobs and the creation of new companies, resulting from federally funded research. Scientific outcomes, such as publications and patents, will also be tracked. The project is still in the early stages, but it promises to create the necessary digital infrastructure to link science funding with outcomes. Even without the detailed information that STAR METRICS aims to provide, ample evidence exists to make a strong case for the economic returns from federally funded science. “We have powerful evidence of R&D, but funding is moving in the wrong direction,” said Block. Declining investments in science will impair the nation’s ability to innovate and prosper in the future. “We’re eating our seed corn.” The economic recession should not be used as an excuse to defer investments in science, according to Vaitheeswaran. The government invested in America during the Great Depression, investments that later fueled the economic growth of the 1950s and 1960s. “Great economies, like great companies, invest during a downturn,” said Vaitheeswaran.
Ecotourism and certification: confronting the principles and pragmatics of socially responsible tourism.

Many ecotourism proponents advocate certification as a means to distinguish legitimate ecotourism from counterfeit ‘greenwashed’ products. This paper discusses efforts by certification advocates operating in global arenas to generate standards for measuring compliance with one dimension of widely accepted definitions of ecotourism, the stipulation that it should provide benefits to local communities. The paper then presents an ethnographic case study from Belize that reveals disagreements among ecotourism stakeholders in Belize and between them and international experts about the meaning of several key terms: who should count as ‘local’, what should count as ‘participation’ by locals, and what constitutes a ‘benefit’ to local communities. The author argues that divergent perspectives on these issues must be recognised and accommodated in the process of harmonising or standardising certification criteria for ecotourism; failure to do that could imperil both the principled and pragmatic rationales behind th...
Learning a Gaussian Process Prior for Automatically Generating Music Playlists

This paper presents AutoDJ: a system for automatically generating music playlists based on one or more seed songs selected by a user. AutoDJ uses Gaussian Process Regression to learn a user preference function over songs. This function takes music metadata as inputs. This paper further introduces Kernel Meta-Training, which is a method of learning a Gaussian Process kernel from a distribution of functions that generates the learned function. For playlist generation, AutoDJ learns a kernel from a large set of albums. This learned kernel is shown to be more effective at predicting users' playlists than a reasonable hand-designed kernel.
The Hidden History of the Second Amendment

Professor Bogus argues that there is strong reason to believe that, in significant part, James Madison drafted the Second Amendment to assure his constituents in Virginia, and the South generally, that Congress could not use its newly-acquired powers to indirectly undermine the slave system by disarming the militia, on which the South relied for slave control. His argument is based on a multiplicity of the historical evidence, including debates between James Madison and George Mason and Patrick Henry at the Constitutional Ratifying Convention in Richmond, Virginia in June 1788; the record from the First Congress; and the antecedent of the American right to bear arms provision in the English Declaration of Rights of 1688.
The Conceptual Structure of the Sciences

Half a century ago during a period of professional transition, I became aware of a common conceptual pattern underlying certain areas of subject matter that I had been teaching. It became apparent first in two fields and then in other areas of science. The pattern for long seemed to be ignored by others, but some years later the ideas were picked up and developed by Jensen (1988). In my freshman course, I dealt with the ideal gas laws and the kinetic molecular theory that accounted for them. My organic chemistry classes explored the structural theory of organic chemistry developed in 1858 by Kekule and Couper. In each of those fields, I had to point out that the initial simple theory had to be amplified. Gases in fact were not ideal; real gases did not exactly obey the simple laws of Boyle, Charles, and Gay-Lussac; and the beautifully simple structural theory of 1858 could not account for all cases of isomerism. What became apparent was that the failures of the two theories and the ways they were amended had something in common. The simple theories did not initially incorporate all the dimensions that were part of our real world. Especially, noteworthy was the fact that neither had incorporated the evolutionary perspective, time’s arrow, by which we who live in the 21st century make sense of large areas of the sciences and their interconnections. Structural theory in fact ignored time completely. Also neither theory in its classic form took account of the fact that atoms, molecules, and chemical bonds required space to exist, they were not points. Those were two crucial omissions.
The kin selection hypothesis in a lekking mole cricket: assessing nested patterns of relatedness

Loosely defined, a lek is a male mating aggregation visited by females primarily for the purpose of fertilization. No consensus has been forged that successfully explains how and why leks have evolved across the full breadth of lekking taxa. The two major conceptual explanations (cooperation and competition) are both intricately intertwined in any given system and exhibit varying levels of plasticity based on an organism's environment and life history. The kin selection hypothesis suggests that if females prefer larger leks (as is often the case), unattractive males may aggregate with their attractive relatives in order to boost the latter's reproductive success, while effectively sacrificing any opportunities of their own. Here we develop microsatellite markers to genetically evaluate the kin selection hypothesis by measuring relatedness and precise spatial locations of males in a population of the lekking prairie mole cricket (Gryllotalpa major Saussure). Results indicate that neighbouring males are often highly related, suggesting that kin selection may play some role in this system. However, because leks are comprised of multiple kin groups, if kin selection is operating it is likely doing so at a smaller scale than predicted by the kin selection hypothesis of lek formation. The high levels of subgroup relatedness within this species likely occurs as a passive process due to male viscosity, but the functional implications of this interesting genetic organization remain unknown.
Characterization of cloned aortic smooth muscle cells from young rats.

Abstract Clones were derived by dilute plating from cultured aortic smooth muscle cells of 12-day-old rats. Clones Pup I to III resemble uncloned smooth muscle cultures from aortas of rat pups and from adult rat neointimas. They have a cobblestone morphology and proliferate in plasma-derived serum. By Northern analysis they contain platelet-derived growth factor B chain (PDGF-B) mRNA and high levels of CYPIA1, elastin, and osteopontin mRNAs, and they lack platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor (PDGF-alpha R) mRNA. In contrast, Pup V resembles smooth muscle cultures derived from uninjured adult rat arteries. It has an elongated morphology and proliferates poorly in plasma-derived serum. This clone expresses PDGF-alpha R mRNA, low levels of elastin and osteopontin mRNAs, and lacks CYPIA1 and PDGF-B mRNAs. Pup IV and VI have most of the properties of Pup I to III. We conclude that uncloned pup cultures are heterogeneous, but that the growth properties and gene expression pattern described for the uncloned culture is characteristic of individual clones within the population.
Compact Self-Shielded 2–3 GHz High-Q Coaxial Fixed and Tunable Filters

A novel coaxial stepped-impedance resonator (SIR) filter is proposed based on conventional multi-layer printed-circuit board (PCB) technology. The resonator results in a measured unloaded quality factor (Qu) of 185 at 3.7 GHz, has compact size, is self-shielded and has very low electromagnetic (EM) coupling to nearby RF circuits. The 3-D filter topology easily lends to advanced filter design with multiple transmission zeroes using cross coupling and source-to-load coupling on the top printed-circuit board layer. Two third-order fixed-band bandpass filters, and two fourth-order tunable bandpass filters are demonstrated in this technology. The fixed-band filters have an insertion loss of 1.6 dB with a fractional bandwidth of 6.5% at 3.6 GHz and occupy a size of 9 × 12 mm 2 . The tunable filter covers 2.1-2.9 GHz with a fractional bandwidth of 3.5%, and an insertion loss of 4.2-9.2 dB, limited by the silicon varactors. Multiple transmission zeroes are used in these designs to significantly improve the filter selectivity. Application areas are in fixed and tunable filters with very compact size and high shielding from nearby circuits for advanced communication systems.
The Criminalization of Hate: A Comparison of Structural and Polity Influences on the Passage of “Bias-Crime” Legislation in the United States:

Violence born of hatred, bias, or prejudice has become the source of highly politicized public debate and subsequent mandates that “somebody do something.” Accordingly, many federal, state, county, and city officials have taken measures to curb hate-motivated violence through new legislation. This criminalization of hate is a fairly recent development in legal and criminal history, and it is not surprising that little scholarly attention has so far been paid to understanding the adoption of hate crime legislation throughout the United States. We describe the content and distribution of “hate crime” laws, also known as “bias crime” laws. Then, we rely upon a complete inventory of hate crime statutes in the United States and social indicator data to investigate the social forces shaping the adoption of one particular type of hate crime legislation, so-called “bias-motivated violence and intimidation” statutes. Logistic regression analyses are used to determine how various structural and political variables ...
Dreaming of Droughts: Genesis 37.1–11 in Dialogue with Contemporary Science:

Dreams of a future reality, particularly Joseph's dreams in which he envisions himself in a position of status during a time of drought, tend to be labeled as supernatural gift from a distant God w...
Implementation of Flood Discharge Strobe Group Control Function for Wan'an Hydro-junction

Shows the hole strobe arranged in dam upside,undertakes flood prevention duty during the flood season flood-fighting.The bottom hole strobe arranged in dam middle,undertakes the dam to flush the sand duty.Regarding the fluent rapids basin,the radial gate is used for shows the hole and the bottom hole strobe in considering the hydraulic pressure affects to the strobe,The new control system's features after modernization is mainly introduced in this paper.It also describes how to guarantee the strobe control system's reliability and the security from the control flow chart and system's overall design aspect.
Angiogenesis: A Realistic Therapy for Ischemic Stroke

Angiogenesis is a physiopathologic process where new blood vessels generate from existing vascular endothelial cells to deliver nutrients and oxygen to various organs and tissue. Angiogenesis is strictly regulated by many key anti- or pro-angiogenic factors, and these molecules have been well-documented to play an important role in the development of angiogenesis in response to various pathological conditions. In human diseases angiogenesis has a dual effect: inhibition of angiogenesis can prevent diseases such as cancer, arthritis, diabetic nephropathy, psoriasis, whereas stimulation of angiogenesis is beneficial in the treatment of wound healing, tissue remodeling, or ischemic heart and brain diseases. Following ischemic stroke, angiogenesis is activated to modify capillary network and acts as an effective self-protective route to achieve restoration or improvement of the reduced regional cerebral blood supply, which is very critical for the stroke outcomes and post-stroke functional recovery both in human and experimental animal models. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about angiogenesis processes following ischemic stroke and potential benefit of future development of therapeutic angiogenic-related treatments.
Incidence of Suicide in U.S. Hemophilia Patients

Abstract The causes of death in hemophilia have changed in the USA over the past few decades. Prior to the 1970's, individuals with hemophilia were succumbing to the seriousness of the hemorrhagic disorder with bleeds being an important cause of mortality. However, with the advent of clotting factor concentrates and the introduction of comprehensive care, a hemorrhagic cause of death became less likely with life expectancy rising to almost that of the non-hemophilic population in the early 1980's. The onset of the HIV epidemic changed this encouraging statistic, with more than 60% of HIV-infected individuals with hemophilia succumbing to this virus to date. Hepatitis B and C have also taken their toll. However, prior to the HIV epidemic, during the peak period of the epidemic and in the post-HIV period, health care providers continue to express concern about deaths due to suicide. Since 1998 the 135 federally funded Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTC) have enrolled over 13,000 males with hemophilia, representing over 80% of hemophiliacs who receive care at these HTCs, in the Universal Data Collection (UDC) surveillance program. We used data on all deaths among UDC enrollees, as well as non-UDC enrollees at the HTCs to estimate the incidence of suicide over the nine year period of surveillance. Data from completed mortality forms of both UDC and non-UDC enrollees were analyzed to determine the incidence of suicide episodes for the period 1998 through 2007. There were a total of 17 suicide deaths over this time, producing a crude rate of 12.5/100,000 person years, compared with the rate for the US male population of 17.7/100,000. Because the hemophilia population is younger than the general population, age adjusted suicide rates were also calculated. Detailed age distribution data were available only for persons enrolled in UDC. Therefore, adjusted rates were based on 8 suicides among the 554 deaths that were reported for persons enrolled in UDC. All 8 suicides occurred among White non Hispanic males between the ages of 20 and 61 (Mean =36.1 years). Three of the persons who died from suicide were HIV positive, one was HIV and HCV positive, one HCV and HBV positive, and one was HCV positive. The crude rate of suicide for persons enrolled in UDC was 16.1/100,000 persons years. Using the indirect age adjustment method the adjusted rate is 11.5/100,000 person years, based on 2004 census data, resulting in 5.8 predicted deaths. The observed and expected numbers of deaths were not statistically significantly different. The available data does not indicate a suicide mortality rate higher among hemophilia patients receiving care at HTCs enrolled in UDC than the US male population.
The feeding apparatus and taxonomic position of clawless Apodibius confusus Dastych, 1983 (Tardigrada: Isohypsibiidae)

Phylogenetic positioning within Eutardigrada is based mainly on claw and buccopharyngeal morphology. In tardigrades that lack claws, i.e. representatives of the genus Apodibius, buccopharyngeal structures are the only morphological characters used for systematic classification. Investigating the feeding apparatus of Apodibius confusus Dastych, 1983 with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, the present study added morphological affirmation to the recently published molecular classification of A. confusus as a representative of Isohypsibiidae. The present study aimed to disentangle which of the Isohypsibiidae genera A. confusus is most closely related to. From a morphological point of view and with the SEM images presently available, A. confusus appears closest to Hexapodibius and Doryphoribius. The present study once more revealed the need for investigations that combine molecular and detailed morphological data to finally disentangle the phylogeny of Isohypsibiidae.
Cloud service performance evaluation: status, challenges, and opportunities – a survey from the system modeling perspective

Abstract With rapid advancement of Cloud computing and networking technologies, a wide spectrum of Cloud services have been developed by various providers and utilized by numerous organizations as indispensable ingredients of their information systems. Cloud service performance has a significant impact on performance of the future information infrastructure. Thorough evaluation on Cloud service performance is crucial and beneficial to both service providers and consumers; thus forming an active research area. Some key technologies for Cloud computing, such as virtualization and the Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), bring in special challenges to service performance evaluation. A tremendous amount of effort has been put by the research community to address these challenges and exciting progress has been made. Among the work on Cloud performance analysis, evaluation approaches developed with a system modeling perspective play an important role. However, related works have been reported in different sections of the literature; thus lacking a big picture that shows the latest status of this area. The objectives of this article is to present a survey that reflects the state of the art of Cloud service performance evaluation from the system modeling perspective. This articles also examines open issues and challenges to the surveyed evaluation approaches and identifies possible opportunities for future research in this important field.
An unanswered question

A populariser of science displays many symptoms of psychosis, being compulsively driven to pursue the impossible dream of single-handedly blending science and literature into a verbal creation having mass appeal. Einstein cautioned '...make it as simple as possible, but not simpler'; the populariser generally throws caution to the winds in an orgy of oversimplification. His final product is measured not by its success in achieving its stated goals but by the magnificence of the effort that went into its failure. Careful reading of that noted populariser George Gamow, for example, reveals a magician of logic, a literary sleight-of-hand artist of consummate skill. We are not taught number theory, relativity, or quantum mechanics, but we are given the illusion that we are learning such things. Such illusions may not teach much science but they do sell books or magazines like Scientific American
Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased acute kidney injury and 1-year mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A meta-analysis.

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with adverse outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement. However, there are conflicting data on the impact of DM on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Hypothesis DM is associated with poor outcomes after different cardiac procedures. Therefore, DM can also be associated with poor outcomes after TAVR. Methods We searched PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies that evaluated outcomes after TAVR and stratified at least 1 of the studied endpoints by DM status. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 1 year. Secondary endpoints were early (up to 30 days) mortality, acute kidney injury (AKI), cerebrovascular accident (CVA), major bleeding, and major vascular complications. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using random effects models. Results We included 64 studies with a total of 38 686 patients. DM was associated with significantly higher 1-year mortality (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04-1.26, P = 0.008) and periprocedural AKI (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08-1.52, P = 0.004). On the other hand, there were no significant differences between diabetics and nondiabetics in early mortality, CVAs, major bleeding, or major vascular complications. Conclusions DM is associated with increased 1-year mortality and periprocedural AKI in patients undergoing TAVR. The results of this study suggest that DM is a predictor of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR.
Modelling and coordinating multi-source distributed power system models in service-oriented architecture

Distributed power system models aim to combine multi-source sensor device data with power grid monitoring and control data to improve the model accuracy. A software platform is essential that coordinates multiple data sources and integrates with the data communication and computation infrastructure. In this paper, we present a service-oriented coordination platform that exposes parallel programs as services and data sources as ports. We model services and ports by extending classes of standard common information model (CIM) for energy management and distribution management. These services are then coordinated based on the typed ports in the context of domain specific power system models. We demonstrate this platform with a use case of deploying distributed state estimation on the IEEE 118 bus model. Our contribution is building a service-oriented platform that provides power engineers an integrated environment for composing distributed power system models, disseminating data and launching high performance computing jobs.
Cabral, Amilcar. Resistance and Decolonization, translated and edited by Dan Wood, with an introduction by Reiland Rabaka, Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.

The heart of this book are the aspects of Cabral’s thought and work revealed in Wood’s translations. The leading voices of the tradition of Africana critical theory often wrote themselves out of their professional/disciplinary perspectives. This holds true for Cabral. In these pages, there are a series of lectures delivered by Cabral to the PAIGC cadres. As an agronomist for the Portuguese government, Cabral’s analysis of the possibilities of Guinean agrarian development was a factor in his commitment to a national liberation struggle. In this, we see the unique quality of Cabral’s thought, the dynamics of his role as commander, and glimpses into his character and humanity.