cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE FINE STRUCTURE OF BAT SPERMATOZOA.

The fine structure of epididymal spermatozoa of Myotis lucifugus and Eptesicus fuscus is described. Caudal to the acrosomal cap in both species, a thin intermediate layer is described as uniting the plasmalemma to the outer leaf of the nuclear envelope. Although this layer does not form a separate cap-like structure, it evidently corresponds to the “post nuclear cap” of light microscopists. A redundant portion of the nuclear envelope turns away from the condensed chromatin and continues caudad into the neck region where it forms a pair of concentric membrane systems on either side of the connecting piece. Two flattened mitochondria are closely applied to the dorsal and ventral aspects of the connecting piece. The sperm tails in the two species are generally similar except for the shape and distribution of mitochondria in the middle-piece and the thickness of the fibrous sheath of the principal piece. A unique arrangement of the mitochondria in Myotis makes it possible to determine the orientation of the plane of the central pair of flagellar fibrils in relation to the transverse axis of the flattened head and hence to deduce the probable plane of bending movments of the tail. Cortical and medullary zones are distinguished in the outer dense fibers of the flagellum and fibers 9, 1, 5, and 6 are consistently larger than the others. A set of slender satellite fibers are closely related to the inner aspect of the nine large outer fibers. Additional structural details of the axial filament complex are described, especially the cross-sectional configuration of the subfibrils in the doublets and their mode of termination in the end-piece. No “secondary fibers” or “mid fiber” were found. Since the axial filament complex of mammalian sperm tails is not continuous with a basal body, as in other flagella, it is suggested that the connecting piece is a centriolar derivative and may be the functional equivalent of a basal body for both the axial complex and the outer dense fibers. Comparisons are made of bat sperm tails and those of other mammalian species and the ultrastructure and arrangements of tail components are discussed in relation to the current concepts of sperm locomotion.
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics of Air Pollution

This is a n ambitious book on a complex subject, written by an expert in the field. It is aimed at graduate students and above, perhaps including upper-level undergraduates, and subjects treated are accordingly many, diverse, and intricately interwoven. It could easily have failed on any one of a number of counts, and it is a distinct pleasure to report that, as far as this reviewer is concerned, it did not. The reader of this book gets a detailed, logically organized discussion of air pollution chemistry and physics, in which few concessions have been made to the real difficulties of the subject matter and none to clarity of presentation. The text material is divided into six parts: pollutants — sources and effects; air pollution chemistry; aerosols; air pollution-meteorology; atmospheric diffusion; and a special topics section in which the important subjects of air pollution statistics and acid rain are discussed.
Aspirin improves outcome in high risk prostate cancer patients treated with radiation therapy.

Purpose High-risk prostate cancer (PC) has poor outcomes due to therapeutic resistance to conventional treatments, which include prostatectomy, radiation, and hormone therapy. Previous studies suggest that anticoagulant (AC) use may improve treatment outcomes in PC patients. We hypothesized that AC therapy confers a freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) and overall survival (OS) benefit when administered with radiotherapy in patients with high-risk PC. Materials and Methods Analysis was performed on 74 high-risk PC patients who were treated with radiotherapy from 2005 to 2008 at UT Southwestern. Of these patients, 43 were on AC including aspirin (95.6%), clopidogrel (17.8%), warfarin (20%), and multiple ACs (31.1%). Associations between AC use and FFBF, OS, distant metastasis, and toxicity were analyzed. Results Median follow-up was 56.6 mo for all patients. For patients taking any AC compared with no AC, there was improved FFBF at 5 years of 80% vs. 62% (P = 0.003), and for aspirin the FFBF was 84% vs. 65% (P = 0.008). Aspirin use was also associated with reduced rates of distant metastases at 5 years (12.2% vs. 26.7%, P = 0.039). On subset analysis of patients with Gleason score (GS) 9–10 histology, aspirin resulted in improved 5-year OS (88% vs. 37%, P = 0.032), which remained significant on multivariable analysis (P < 0.05). Conclusions AC use was associated with a FFBF benefit in high-risk PC which translated into an OS benefit in the highest risk PC patients with GS 9–10, who are most likely to experience mortality from PC. This hypothesis-generating result suggests AC use may represent an opportunity to augment current therapy.
A structuration approach to online communities of practice: The case of Q&A communities

This article describes an approach based on structuration theory (Giddens, [1979] [1984]; Orlikowski, [1992] [2000]) and communities of practice (Wenger, [1998]) that can be used to guide investigation into the dynamics of online question and answer (Q&A) communities. This approach is useful because most research on Q&A sites has focused attention on information retrieval, information-seeking behavior, and information intermediation and has assumed uncritically that the online Q&A community plays an important role in these domains of study. Assuming instead that research on online communities should take into account social, technical, and contextual factors (Kling, Rosenbaum, & Sawyer, [2005]), the utility of this approach is demonstrated with an analysis of three online Q&A communities seen as communities of practice. This article makes a theoretical contribution to the study of online Q&A communities and, more generally, to the domain of social reference. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the ∞-volume limit of the focusing cubic Schrödinger equation

We revisit the question of an invariant measure for the focusing cubic Schrodinger equation on the line. For the periodic problem the appropriate ensemble was introduced by Lebowitz, Rose, and Speer [3] and proved to be invariant under the flow by McKean [5]. These parties and others have also discussed the thermodynamic limit, though without consensus. Simulations carried out in [3] indicated the possibility of a phase transition. Similar experiments in [1] appeared to contradict that interpretation. Later, a proof was put forward in [6] that the full thermodynamic limit did not exist, suggesting a possible explanation for the disparate conclusions drawn from the numerics. Unfortunately, the latter contains an error. The main result here is that, in the infinite volume, the ensemble collapses onto the unit mass on the trivial path. Along the way sharp estimates for the partition function are established. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Aperture determination by long-term and multiparticle tracking

Apertures determined by long-term tracking for 10/sup 6/ turns at beta *=2 m and 6 m and tracking of 100 particles for 1000 turns at beta *=2 m are reported. The multiparticle results are consistent with the aperture determined from 10/sup 6/ turn runs. Finally, the 10/sup 6/ turn results are extrapolated to 3*10/sup 9/ turns to obtain an estimate of the aperture for which particles survive for 10 h in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. >
A Tale of 2 Countries: The Cost of My Mother’s Cardiac Care in the United States and India

When my mother fell ill while visiting me in the United States, I had the opportunity to compare costs of surgical cardiac care in the United States and India. I faced challenges in making well-informed decisions in the United States due to the lack of cost transparency and the minimal flexibility offered in choice of care, whereas in India costs are readily available and allow most people to freely choose their preferred type of care.
Mechanistic analysis of an asymmetric palladium-catalyzed conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to β-substituted cyclic enones

An asymmetric palladium-catalyzed conjugate addition reaction of arylboronic acids to enone substrates was investigated mechanistically. Desorption electrospray ionization coupled to mass spectrometry was used to identify intermediates of the catalytic cycle and delineate differences in substrate reactivity. Our findings provide evidence for the catalytic cycle proceeding through formation of an arylpalladium(II) cation, subsequent formation of an arylpalladium–enone complex, and, ultimately, formation of the new C–C bond. Reaction monitoring in both positive and negative ion modes revealed that 4-iodophenylboronic acid formed a relatively stable trimeric species under the reaction conditions.
Quantitative studies of color constancy

In order to study color constancy, the color appearance of the center of a center–surround paradigm was measured by using multiple-alternative forced-response matching. The center was presented with (1) no surround, (2) an adjacent chromatic surround, or (3) a chromatic surround separated from the center by an achromatic gap. The center and the surrounds were presented under various simulated illuminants ranging from illuminant A to illuminant D75. We found that when no surround is present, color constancy fails; however, when surrounds are present, some degree of color constancy is displayed. We also found that color constancy is poor when chromatic induction is minimal. In addition, it was determined that, if the ratios of R, G, and B of the center to R, G, and B of the surround remain constant as the illuminant changes, color constancy results. (R, G, and B correspond to the outputs of the retinal color mechanisms.)
Dynamic motion estimation for transcoding P frames in H.264 to MPEG-2 transcoders

The efficiency of H.264 video compression together with the wide use of MPEG-2 today necessitates transcoding between these two technologies. The combination of bandwidth efficient technology such as H.264 and the widely deployed MP EG-2 allows for innovative video delivery services that can exploit both these technologies. Using H.264 for video delivery and MPEG-2 for playback on the end user equipment fully leverages the benefits of these technologies. This architecture requires transcoding H.264 video delivered over networks to MPEG-2 format for playback on the end- user device. We present algorithms for transcoding H.264 to MPEG-2 and evaluate the performance of these algorithms. The performance is compared with a baseline transcoder with a full decoding stage and a full encoding stage. The proposed algorithms reduce the complexity by reducing the search space for motion estimation. The results show that the proposed algorithms reduce the motion estimation complexity by over 80% with a negligible loss in PSNR.
Pulmonary Complications of Abdominal Wall Defects

The abdominal wall is an integral component of the chest wall. Defects in the ventral abdominal wall alter respiratory mechanics and can impair diaphragm function. Congenital abdominal wall defects also are associated with abnormalities in lung growth and development that lead to pulmonary hypoplasia, pulmonary hypertension, and alterations in thoracic cage formation. Although infants with ventral abdominal wall defects can experience life-threatening pulmonary complications, older children typically experience a more benign respiratory course. Studies of lung and chest wall function in older children and adolescents with congenital abdominal wall defects are few; such investigations could provide strategies for improved respiratory performance, avoidance of respiratory morbidity, and enhanced exercise ability for these children.
Ephrins and Eph Receptor Tyrosine Kinases in Synapse Formation

Here, we discuss what is known about the function of ephrins and Eph receptors in synapse formation in the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system. Ephrins have been shown to be present and functional at synapses at the neuromuscular junction and in the brain; evidence at the neuromuscular junction implicates ephrins in the topographic mapping of synapses on certain muscles. Also, certain Eph receptors also function in synapse formation but less information is known about them including their distribution and function. In addition, future directions are defined. Together, these data implicate ephrins, as well as Ephs, strongly in synaptic development.
Biology, Ecology, and Management of the Sugarcane Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Sweetpotato and Corn

The sugarcane beetle, Euetheola humilis (Burmeister), is a significant pest of sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.), and corn, Zea mays L., but can also be problematic in turf, rice, Oryza sativa L., and sugarcane, Saccharum spp. hybrids, in the southeastern United States. The adult is the damaging stage in all crop production systems. Injury to sweetpotato occurs during the fall prior to harvest, whereas injury to field crops occurs in the spring. Adult beetles chew jagged lesions in the sweetpotato roots, which drastically affects marketability of the crop. Injury in corn often results in stand losses and yield reductions. We discuss the life history, ecology, plant injury, and management of the sugarcane beetle as it relates to sweetpotato and field corn production in the southeastern United States.
Modeling alcohol absorption and elimination from the human body: a case study in software development: nifty assignment

Alcohol abuse can be a problem on any college campus. On our campus, wellness is one of our five core developmental areas and is where many see alcohol awareness occurring. However, taking an integrated view to student development places responsibility in all areas across campus, including academics. According to a publication by Partners in Prevention, one way to create a healthier environment on the college campus is "to infuse the alcohol topic into the material you teach."[2] To raise alcohol abuse awareness, our Computer Science faculty have created this Case Study in Software Development: Modeling Alcohol Absorption and Elimination from the Human Body.
Statistical Inference Under Multiterminal Data Compression

This paper presents a survey of the literature on the information-theoretic problems of statistical inference under multiterminal data compression with rate constraints. Significant emphasis is put on problems: 1) multiterminal hypothesis testing, 2) multiterminal parameter estimation, and 3) multiterminal pattern classification, in either case of positive rates or zero rates. In addition, the paper includes three new results, i.e., the converse theorems for all problems of multiterminal hypothesis testing, multiterminal parameter estimation, and multiterminal pattern classification at the zero rate.
Fabrication and Thermoelectricity of (Ca1-XAX)3Co4O9 Composition-Spread Films

Combinatorial pulsed laser deposition (CPLD) is proving to be an efficient, low-cost tool in synthesis and characterization of thermoelectric composition-spread films. With the help of CPLD, (Ca1-xAx)3Co4O9 composition-spread films were fabricated successfully on TiO2 (100) substrate , and their thermoelectric (TE) properties and structure were evaluated by the multi-channel thermoelectric measurement system and concurrent X-ray analysis respectively. The largest power factor in (Ca1-xSrx)3Co4O9 film library was achieved as 1.67µW/cmK2. The influence of substitution on TE properties was investigated by doping different ions into Ca3Co4O9. By comparing Seebeck coefficients and conductivities of the films, it can be drawn that the substitution ions with smaller size are potential candidates for good TE properties. The dependence of TE properties of (Ca1-xSrx)3Co4O9 films on temperature shows that good TE properties can be achieved when temperature is above 150K.
Discontinuous Changes in Ionic Conductivity of a Block Copolymer Electrolyte through the Order-Disorder Transition

The ionic conductivity of a block copolymer electrolyte was measured in an in situ small-angle X-ray scattering experiment as it transitioned from an ordered lamellar structure to a disordered phase. The ionic conductivity increases discontinuously as the electrolyte transitions from order to disorder. A simple framework for quantifying the magnitude of the discontinuity is presented. This study lays the groundwork for understanding the effect of more complex phase transitions such as order–order transitions on ion transport.
Limited Arbitage is Necessary and Sufficient for the Existence of a Competitive Equilibrium and the Core, and Limits Voting Cycles

A close connection between the theory of competitive markets, game theory, and Arrow's impossibility theorem is given by limited arbitrage, a condition originally defined on the preferences and endowments of the traders of an Arrow-Debreu economy in Chichilnisky (l99I, l993b, l994, 1995). This condition limits the traders' diversity, and is shown here to bound their mutually beneficial gains from trade. Limited arbitrage is necessary and sufficient for the existence of an Arrow Debreu equilibrium (see also Chichilnisky. 1991, l993b, 1994, I995), and for the existence of the core (see also Chichilnisky, 1993d); it is also necessary and sufficient for the elimination of Condorcet cycles on allocations involving large utility values. Condorcet cycles are the basis for the cyclical behavior of voting rules and a building block of Arrow's impossibility theorem, so that limited arbitrage appears to be at the core of social choice theory.
Transient Electromagnetic Scattering by a Radially Uniaxial Dielectric Sphere: The Generalized Debye and Mie Series Solutions

In this paper, a theoretical study is carried out to determine the scattering of a transient electromagnetics wave by a radially uniaxial dielectric sphere. This is achieved by inverse Laplace transformation of the frequency-domain scattering solution. To improve understanding of the scattering mechanism from a uniaxial dielectric sphere, two different frequency-domain solutions are employed. In the first approach, the impulse and step responses of a uniaxial dielectric sphere are evaluated by the Mie series solution. Following the high-frequency (HF) scattering solution of a large uniaxial sphere, the Mie series summation is split into high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency terms where the HF term is replaced by its asymptotic expression allowing a significant reduction in computation time of the numerical Bromwich integral. In the second approach, the generalized Debye series solution is introduced, and the generalized Mie series coefficients are replaced by their equivalent Debye series formulations. The results are then applied to evaluate the transient response of each individual Debye term allowing the identification of impulse returns in the transient response of a uniaxial sphere. The effect of variation in permittivity on the arrival time as well as amplitudes of each impulse return is studied, and the results are compared with those computed using the Mie series solution. The numerical results obtained from both methods are in complete agreement.
Habitat Use and Its Effect on Body Size Distribution in a Population of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

The abiotic environment can play an important role in generating variation within and among populations of ectotherms (see Dunham et al., 1989). Among the more important of abiotic factors influencing ectotherm life histories and growth rate is temperature (Sinervo and Adolph, 1989,1994; Sinervo, 1990), which is often mediated by its potential effect on the duration of activity periods (Grant and Dunham, 1990). Individuals and/or populations living in different habitats or slopes (e.g., east vs. west-facing; north vs. south-facing) can potentially have different potential activity periods which, in turn, may influence an individual's ability to grow, as well as the body size distributions among habitats and slopes within a single population. In a population of Sceloporus virgatus along a creekbed in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, G. Smith (1995) found that the mean body sizes of individuals differed between habitats (an open slide habitat vs. a closed woods habitat) and between slopes (north-facing vs. south facing). In addition, there were differences in growth rate, survivorship, and proportion of females reproducing in their first year (G. Smith, 1995). In this paper, I report observations on habitat use and body size in a population of Urosaurus ornatus occurring in the same creekbed as the S. virgatus studied by G. Smith (1995, 1996), where they have previously been shown to be potential competitors (D. Smith, 1981). Because of the differences in body size distributions and life history and demographic traits previously observed in S. virgatus, I expected to find parallel differences in U. ornatus. A population of Urosaurus ornatus was studied from 8 April to 22 July 1993 (concurrent with the studies on S. virgatus). The study site was located in the Coronado National Forest, 2.5 km SW of the Southwestern Research Station in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The site consisted of a 1.2 km
Plethodon cinereus (Eastern Red-Backed Salamander) Not Affected by Long-Term Exposure to Soil Liming

Abstract The recovery of ecosystems affected by anthropogenic acidification is often a slow process, and one that is not always achievable through natural means. Application of carbonate materials to forest soils is being used more frequently to aid in the recovery of acidified ecosystems. However, few studies have addressed how the application of carbonate materials affects amphibians. We sampled field sites undergoing long-term application of high-calcium lime to investigate the effects of increases in soil pH on body condition and population demography of Plethodon cinereus (Eastern Red-backed Salamander). We found no effect of soil liming on body condition, population demographics, or density of surface-active Eastern Red-backed Salamanders. Our results are consistent with previous studies regarding the response of this species to soil liming, but unique in that they arise from an investigation of the long-term effects of liming exposure on density and demography in a wild population of Eastern Red-ba...
A perspective on the range of gasoline compression ignition combustion strategies for high engine efficiency and low NOx and soot emissions: Effects of in-cylinder fuel stratification*:

Many research studies have shown that low temperature combustion in compression ignition engines has the ability to yield ultra-low NOx and soot emissions while maintaining high thermal efficiency. To achieve low temperature combustion, sufficient mixing time between the fuel and air in a globally dilute environment is required, thereby avoiding fuel-rich regions and reducing peak combustion temperatures, which significantly reduces soot and NOx formation, respectively. It has been demonstrated that achieving low temperature combustion with diesel fuel over a wide range of conditions is difficult because of its properties, namely, low volatility and high chemical reactivity. On the contrary, gasoline has a high volatility and low chemical reactivity, meaning it is easier to achieve the amount of premixing time required prior to autoignition to achieve low temperature combustion. In order to achieve low temperature combustion while meeting other constraints, such as low pressure rise rates and maintaining ...
II. The effect of D‐thyroxine, clofibrate, and norethandrolone

D-thyroxine, clofibrate, and norethandrolone influence the pharmacologic effect of bishydroxycoumarin. In mice, D-thyroxine inhibits the metabolism of bishydroxycoumarin as well as that of meperidine and pentobarbital; in man, the anticoagulant response to bishydroxycoumarin is increased at doses which do not change the rate of metabolism of the drug. Clofibrate does not affect bishydroxycoumarin metabolism in mice or in man but does increase the anticoagulant response to the drug in man. Norethandrolone also increases the anticoagulant response to bishydroxycoumarin in man without affecting the rate of metabolism of the drug. Since clinically effective doses of these three drugs do not decrease the concentration of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors or affect the absorption, distribution, or metabolism of bishydroxycoumarin in man, it seems likely that they potentiate the pharmacologic effect of bishydroxycoumarin by increasing the affinity of the receptor site for the anticoagulant.
Implantation of atrioventricular synchronous and atrioventricular universal pacemakers

Implantation of pacemakers which sense in the atrium and the ventricle requires understanding of both antegrade conduction, from the atrium to the ventricle, and retrograde conduction, from the ventricle to the atrium. Of 53 patients undergoing pacemaker implantation, 25 (47%) had retained VA conduction and 25% of those with complete heart block had 1:1 retrograde (VA) conduction. Determination of both conduction intervals is made by recording the intrinsic deflections of the atrium and the ventricle and measuring the interval. Antegrade intervals (IDA → IDV) for those with intact conduction ranged from 189 to 325 msec (mean 212 msec). Retrograde intervals (StV → IDA) for those with intact VA conduction ranged from 110 to 346 msec (mean 235 msec). Of 16 patients having VDD and DDD pacemakers implanted without conduction studies, seven (44%) developed pacemaker-mediated tachycardia. The prevention of pacemaker-mediated reentry tachycardia requires knowledge of the VA conduction interval (if it exists) and programming of the atrial refractory period so that retrograde P waves fall within it and are unsensed.
Further investigation of stress intensity factor solutions for similar and dissimilar welds in lap-shear specimens under clamped loading conditions

Abstract In this paper, finite element analyses are employed to obtain the stress intensity factor solutions for similar and dissimilar welds in lap-shear specimens under pinned and clamped loading conditions. Analytical solutions for welds in lap-shear specimens under clamped loading conditions are then derived based on the energy release rate and the structural stress approaches. Both computational and analytical solutions indicate that the clamped loading reduces the stress intensity factor solutions for a given specimen geometry by about 7% for similar welds and by about 20% for dissimilar aluminum/steel and magnesium/steel welds, and results in higher fatigue lives of the welds.
Benign Breast Disease in Patients with Cowden Syndrome

Objectives: Cowden syndrome (CS) is the most common PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS)-related disorder, and affected patients are at increased risk of developing breast, thyroid, and endometrial cancer. Moreover, CS is associated with nonmalignant conditions of the breast, the morphologic manifestations of which have not been well described. We present the clinicopathological features of benign breast disease in 6 patients …
Synchronized phasor measurements-a historical overview

Synchronized phasor measurements (PMU) were introduced in mid-1980s. Since then, the subject of wide-area measurements in power systems using PMUs and other measuring instruments has been receiving considerable attention from researchers in the field. This paper provides a historical overview of the PMU development. It is pointed out that the PMU is a direct descendant of the symmetrical component distance relay introduced in the late 1970s. From the early prototypes of the PMU built at Virginia Tech, a commercial product evolved which has been installed in the field at various locations around the world. Applications of PMU measurements to power system operation and control remains a very important subject for current research.
Quantifying impatience using models of delay discounting in substance use disorders.

When offered a choice between $95 available immediately and $100 available in one month, most people will select the $95 immediately because the required one-month wait reduces the subjective value...
The Problems of Opioid and Other Drug Dependencies

Abuse of and dependencies on drugs of all sorts (notably alcohol, cannabis, sedatives, stimulants, and tobacco), though varying in kind and in degree, are worldwide. For a sampling of drug problems through the world, the reader is referred to Peterson (1978) and to Austin et al. (1978). This chapter is concerned with problems of opioid and other drug dependencies in the United States.
Invasive tracheal neoplasia in eight cats: descriptive cases and review of the current literature:

Case series summaryThis case series describes eight cases of invasive tracheal neoplasia that were recognized between the years 1989 and 2014 from a single tertiary referral hospital. This is a dis...
An Ambulatory Care Elective in a Resource-poor Community.

A medical school in Illinois is providing its medical students with the knowledge and skills they need to serve patients in resource-poor communities. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
The Inmate Exception and Reform of Correctional Health Care.

The article discusses the authors' views about the state of America's correctional health care system in the aftermath of the U.S. Congress' decision in 1965 to prohibit the use of the nation's Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs to pay for health care services in America's jails and prisons (inmate exception). A call for prison reform is examined in relation to the repeal of the inmate exception and a push to boost community health and safety.
Form and Function of Eutherian Spermatozoa in Relation to the Nature of Egg Vestments

Whereas the eggs of various invertebrates have been the focus of productive inquiry by biologists for about a century now, those of mammals remained for much of that time as objects of relative mystery, seen by few until the early 1950s. The claims for in vitro fertilization of mammalian eggs before that time did not inspire great confidence, and it was not until the need for prior capacitation of mammalian spermatozoa was recognized (Austin 1951; Chang 1951) that reported procedures for such manipulations carried much weight. However, once that stage was set, in the succeeding years the persistence of many investigators led to development of fairly reliable systems for the accomplishment of fertilization in vitro in a variety of mammals (see Rogers 1978; Yanagimachi 1981). From a practical standpoint, the pioneering efforts of Edwards and Steptoe, and later of others, that have resulted in a number of births after in vitro fertilization in man have been the most important. However, notwithstanding these successes in several countries now, pressing questions remain about the factors that may presently act to limit success in terms of live births per intervention. More needs to be known about the functional maturation of the primary oocyte in the period set in motion by the preovulatory surge of gonadotropin. The effect of aging of the mature oocyte before fertilization and, in man, the possible pathological state of the genome in spermatozoa that are able to enter the egg also need more careful consideration.
Gaia: geo-distributed machine learning approaching LAN speeds

Machine learning (ML) is widely used to derive useful information from large-scale data (such as user activities, pictures, and videos) generated at increasingly rapid rates, all over the world. Unfortunately, it is infeasible to move all this globally-generated data to a centralized data center before running an ML algorithm over it--moving large amounts of raw data over wide-area networks (WANs) can be extremely slow, and is also subject to the constraints of privacy and data sovereignty laws. This motivates the need for a geo-distributed ML system spanning multiple data centers. Unfortunately, communicating over WANs can significantly degrade ML system performance (by as much as 53.7× in our study) because the communication overwhelms the limited WAN bandwidth. Our goal in this work is to develop a geo-distributed ML system that (1) employs an intelligent communication mechanism over WANs to efficiently utilize the scarce WAN bandwidth, while retaining the accuracy and correctness guarantees of an ML algorithm; and (2) is generic and flexible enough to run a wide range of ML algorithms, without requiring any changes to the algorithms. To this end, we introduce a new, general geo-distributed ML system, Gaia, that decouples the communication within a data center from the communication between data centers, enabling different communication and consistency models for each. We present a new ML synchronization model, Approximate Synchronous Parallel (ASP), whose key idea is to dynamically eliminate insignificant communication between data centers while still guaranteeing the correctness of ML algorithms. Our experiments on our prototypes of Gaia running across 11 Amazon EC2 global regions and on a cluster that emulates EC2 WAN bandwidth show that Gaia provides 1.8-53.5× speedup over two state-of-the-art distributed ML systems, and is within 0.94-1.40× of the speed of running the same ML algorithm on machines on a local area network (LAN).
von Willebrand factor and von Willebrand disease [published erratum appears in Blood 1988 Mar;71(3):830]

Progress has occurred in the past several years in the understanding of the structure and function of von Willebrand factor (vWF). This multimeric glycoprotein exhibits a dual role, that of mediating platelet adhesion and aggregation onto thrombogenic surfaces, and that of functioning as carrier in plasma for the factor VIII procoagulant protein. New insights into the nature of the several functional domains of vWF have led to the identification of the regions of the molecule that interact with factor VIII, heparin, the glycoprotein lb of platelets, and collagen. Alterations of vWF are the cause of von Willebrand disease (vWD), a congenital bleeding disorder. In the majority of patients, the plasma levels of vWF are decreased, but there is no demonstrable structural or functional alteration of the protein. In other patients, however, the structure of vWF is abnormal. This review summarizes the current knowledge on vWF and vWD.
Declarative models of syntax

Generative syntax was originally developed based on phrase structure trees as the exclusive syntactic data structure, which made derivations transforming one tree into another the key mechanism for expressing syntactic relations and dependencies. The procedural nature of the application of rules and transformations leads to ordering paradoxes and other theory-internal complications. And the use of movement as a transformation relating two tree positions expresses one-to-one relations, which is empirically inadequate as a means to capture the one-to-many, many-to-one relations and the cases of flexible constituency exhibited in natural language. Declarative models of syntax were developed to overcome these shortcomings by providing – in line with standard practice in the natural sciences – a logical, non-procedural characterization of the empirical domain. They are based on an inventory of more general linguistic data structures, such as (typed) feature structures, which make it possible to explicitly model the full inventory of linguistic properties, and they support a wider range of constraints expressing linguistic relations and generalizations. Since declarative models support an explicit formalization of linguistic relations and generalizations that go beyond one-to-one relations, they can provide empirically adequate theories for a wider range of data. The rewriting steps and transformations are replaced with conditions that are required to hold of tree nodes, and, more generally, the linguistic objects modeled. The problematic sequencing of procedures thus is replaced with a logical conjunction of conditions which have to hold. Declarative models of syntax realize the scientific architecture typical for the natural sciences by separating the modeling of the domain and the logical characterization of the generalizations which hold in it from the design of algorithms which procedurally realize such models. Complementing the success of declarative models of syntax in the empirical domain, this has also made such models the first choice for natural language processing, where a wide range of algorithms, from parsers and generators to more general constraint resolvers, have been developed to process with them.
Load-side Frequency Regulation with Limited Control Coverage

Increasing renewable energy increases uncertainty in energy systems. As a consequence, generator-side control for frequency regulation, impacted by the slow reaction of generators to meet urgent needs, may no longer suffice. With increasing integration of smart appliances which are able to sense, communicate and control, load-side control can help alleviate the aforementioned problem as it reacts fast and helps to localize disturbances. However, almost all existing methods for optimal load-side control require full information control coverage in the system. Framing the problem as an optimization problem and applying saddle-point dynamics, we obtain a control law that rebalances power and asymptotically stabilizes frequency after a disturbance. We generalize previous work to design a controller which only requires partial control coverage over all nodes, yet still achieves secondary frequency control. We verify these results via simulation.
Patterns of forgetting

Abstract In memory research, forgetting is largely assumed to occur following a relatively consistent forgetting curve. However, recent work in our lab suggests that there is a shift in the pattern of forgetting after a retention interval of about seven days. Moreover, work on narrative comprehension has shown that information at different levels of representation show different patterns of forgetting. Much of the existing work on patterns of forgetting (a) does not allow one to assess changes in forgetting because much of the data is collected either prior to or after seven days, but not sufficiently bridging this period of time, and (b) does not consider patterns of forgetting for different levels of memory representation. In this study, memory for a list of words and narrative texts was assessed up to 12 weeks after initial learning. We observed that memory for the word list showed some forgetting early on, followed by an abrupt loss after about seven days. Moreover, for the narrative text, surface form memories were forgotten to around chance level after about an hour, whereas textbase level memories were retained until about seven days when memory suddenly dropped to around chance levels, much like the word list memories. In contrast to this, memory at the event model level remained high throughout, although there was some forgetting over time. To account for this pattern of retention and forgetting, a simulation was developed as a proof of concept to illustrate our theoretical interpretation.
Phylogenomic Evidence Overturns Current Conceptions of Social Evolution in Wasps (Vespidae).

The hypothesis that eusociality originated once in Vespidae has shaped interpretation of social evolution for decades and has driven the supposition that preimaginal morphophysiological differences between castes were absent at the outset of eusociality. Many researchers also consider casteless nest-sharing an antecedent to eusociality. Together, these ideas endorse a stepwise progression of social evolution in wasps (solitary → casteless nest-sharing → eusociality with rudimentary behavioral castes → eusociality with preimaginal caste-biasing (PCB) → morphologically differentiated castes). Here, we infer the phylogeny of Vespidae using sequence data generated via anchored hybrid enrichment from 378 loci across 136 vespid species and perform ancestral state reconstructions to test whether rudimentary and monomorphic castes characterized the initial stages of eusocial evolution. Our results reject the single origin of eusociality hypothesis, contest the supposition that eusociality emerged from a casteless nest-sharing ancestor, and suggest that eusociality in Polistinae + Vespinae began with castes having morphological differences. An abrupt appearance of castes with ontogenetically established morphophysiological differences conflicts with the current conception of stepwise social evolution and suggests that the climb up the ladder of sociality does not occur through sequential mutation. Phenotypic plasticity and standing genetic variation could explain how cooperative brood care evolved in concert with nest-sharing and how morphologically dissimilar castes arose without a rudimentary intermediate. Furthermore, PCB at the outset of eusociality implicates a subsocial route to eusociality in Polistinae + Vespinae, emphasizing the role of mother-daughter interactions and subfertility (i.e. the cost component of kin selection) in the origin of workers.
The Effects of Poverty on the Susceptibility to Crime in South Africa

Crime is a major economic and social problem in most developing countries. However, the research devoted to victims is sparse. This paper examines the effects of household-level poverty, measured by household expenditures per capita, on the susceptibility to crime in South Africa. An instrumental variables strategy combined with community fixed effects are used to account for potentially endogenous expenditures and unobserved community heterogeneity, respectively. Across all model specifications the probability a South African household is robbed is increasing in expenditures. When using instrumental variables, the positive effect of expenditures on the susceptibility to robbery increases substantially. In addition, the effect of expenditures remains positive and significant if the sample is restricted to “nonwhite” areas. This suggests that robberies are not only a problem for the rich who live in gated communities and hire private security, but also for the relatively “wealthy” that reside in poorer neighborhoods. Finally, this paper fails to find a statistically significant relationship between expenditures and the susceptibility to violent crimes such as murder, rape, and assault.
Myosin II isoforms with separate but linked functions determine the fate of lamellipodia extension during cell spreading

Abstract Non-muscle myosin II role has been implicated in the extension of lamellipodia, a critical step in the initiation of directed cell migration, invasion and other cellular processes, but the mechanistic details are limited to driving retrograde actin filaments. The present study reveals distinct localization of myosin IIA and IIB with an unexpected opposite mechanical roles in mediating lamellipodia extension during spreading. Attachment of cells to matrix is impaired in the absence of either isoforms, but differential regulation of focal contacts formation occurs in myosin IIA¯ and IIB¯ cells. Spreading cells expressing both isoforms display an organized actin network consisting of retrograde filaments, arcs and central filaments. Loss of actin arcs and central filaments occurs upon depletion of either myosin IIA or IIB, but myosin IIB¯ cells displayed long parallel actin filaments elongated from cell edge. From these studies, a model for myosin IIA and IIB with separate, but linked mechanical roles in mediating lamellipodia extension is developed.
Is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Diagnosed in Adults?

Objective: To evaluate whether the trend in adults seeking medical care for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) reflects the upward pattern seen among children.
SEDIMENTATION AND CONSOLIDATION

This chapter discusses the sedimentation and consolidation of particles in multiphase flow. The sedimentation of particles is a physically simple, common example of multi-phase flow. To obtain the concentration of particles in the sedimentation column, the particle balance must be supplemented by a momentum balance for the velocity ν . In the case of slow, dilute sedimentation of noncolloidal particles, the particle velocity very quickly becomes the velocity of fall of a single particle in an infinite Newtonian fluid. Hence, there exists a constant settling zone having a constant particle concentration. In the top zone, this concentration is zero as it has been implicitly assumed that zero time in this problem is the time when the particles acquired the terminal velocity and just began to move away from the top boundary. In the free settling zone, the particle concentration stays at its initial value. This elementary analysis can be applied to the settling of particles having a wide particle-size distribution. If some particles are lighter than the fluid, they will move to the top, while the denser particles descend. The principal effect observed is used in the separation of minerals by froth flotation, which works on this principle, where air bubbles, acting as particles, carry fine tailings to the top of a flotation unit. The sediment concentration varies from a maximum at the bottom of the column to that present initially in the free settling zone.
Management of Urinary Incontinence in the Presence of Fecal Incontinence

Fecal and urinary incontinence share a number of risk factors, and there is a high prevalence of concurrent urinary incontinence among individuals with fecal incontinence. Coexisting urinary incontinence should be considered when assessing patients with fecal incontinence and, if present, needs to be considered in the treatment plan. This chapter addresses the assessment and management of urinary incontinence in patients with fecal (i.e., dual incontinence). Interventions with some research to suggest that they may be beneficial for both conditions are highlighted.
Novel vacuum stable ketone-based matrices for high spatial resolution MALDI imaging mass spectrometry.

We describe the use of aromatic ketones and cinnamyl ketones that have high vacuum stability for analyzing tissue sections using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry. Specifically, the matrix, (E)-4-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)but-3-en-2-one (2,5-cDHA) provides high sensitivity and high vacuum stability while producing small size crystals (1-2 μm). A high throughput and highly reproducible sample preparation method was developed for these matrices that first involves using an organic spray solution for small matrix crystal seeding followed by spraying of the matrix in a 30% acetonitrile/70% water solution on the tissue surface to obtain a homogeneous coating of small crystals, suitable for high spatial resolution imaging.